Question pretty much says it all.  Never really played an RPG.  Watching the Endurance Run really made me want to try one out.  I've known about FF but never played one.  It's really between this game, Demon's Soul, and Dragon Age: Origins.

Yes.  Honest to god, if it's your first RPG...it'll be great.  No so much for fans who have stuck around before overhyped piece of shit 7.

Pre "ask me anything": No
 
Post "ask me anything": Yes

Dumb question to ask before most people have ever played it.  But with that said, I say no.  If you've never played an RPG before, make your first one something you can get at less than full price.  2009 was hardly the year of the first good RPG.

Seeing as how all of them have been basically identical, really it doesn't matter where you start lol.

" Seeing as how all of them have been basically identical, really it doesn't matter where you start lol. "

Two words, Chrono Trigger. You can get it on the DS or the SNES (a bit pricey) or the original Playstation (on the Final Fantasy Chronicles collection). Amazon still sells new copies of the original Playstation disc for 15 bucks. Only problem is that it has some typical Playstation era load times.

You should get Demon's Souls, trust me.

If you have a PS2 or a backwards compatible PS3 get Final Fantasy 10 first.  But as stated most JRPG are pretty similar but FF have a good story, graphics, sound and gameplay.

seems to be a lot going on on-screen for a jrpg but it's probably very accessable.

Final Fantasy series has always been accessible and you don't really need to play a previous game because each game in the series is a unique story. 

I second Chrono Trigger on DS.

" I second Chrono Trigger on DS. "

Yes, I think it will be a very rewarding experience for you. Right now I can't compare all three, but Demon's Souls requires a ton of patience and may turn you away, and Dragon Age relies on some micromanaging with 'pause' and party combat tactics a lot more. I say go for it.

Well, if you've never played an RPG before, I would suggest Diablo 2. It's really cheap, super accessible, and amazing fun. One of my favorite games of all time.

You should wait to see what people think after they play it.

" Two words, Chrono Trigger. You can get it on the DS or the SNES (a bit pricey) or the original Playstation (on the Final Fantasy Chronicles collection). Amazon still sells new copies of the original Playstation disc for 15 bucks. Only problem is that it has some typical Playstation era load times. "

If you want to start with the worst game in the final fantasy series then start with final fantasy xiii.  Here's a quick comparison of the series, each number represents respectively 6,7,8,9,10,12,13:
Number of locations(of which are towns): 51(15),52(16),39(10),43(23),23(9),42(21),19(2)
Characters (playable):  46 (14), 67 (9), 74 (6), 55 (8), 47 (7), 41(6), 19 (6) -  that's not including minor characters of which FFIX along had 237 and FFXIII has just a handful.
Sidequests (minigames):  2? (0), 17(12),  9(2),  9(3), 8(4), 21(1), 2(0)

Not exact figures but tallied them myself from final fantasy wiki. Notice how the last on each list is by far the lowest, cos FFXIII in every way I can think of is the worst in the series since VII, apart from graphically. Even the locations figure is biased towards XIII because the locations in that are so much smaller and duller it's not fair to compare a straight line path train track with midgar. I love the series for the worlds they create, but FFXIII has become like modern warfare 2 design with rpg battles instead of shooting. Not a world but a path.

 @KaosAngel:  Yes.  Honest to god, if it's your first RPG...it'll be great.  No so much for fans who have stuck around before overhyped piece of shit 7.
 
Have you played either game? Sorry but FF7 is inarguably the best game in the series...by far most variety of gameplay, check. Most variety in world, check. Most content, check. Deepest most complex story, check. Every game since has taken away content, now we're left with a game that has no minigames, no towns, no variety of gameplay (battles are the only gameplay), no exploration, no puzzles, only a handful of characters, no social world. It's just so popular to hate on FFVII, and love on FFVI, when in reality FFVI has no minigames, cut and pasted towns, hardly any dialogue or character development, a boring world map with little to explore, etc. You can argue about which characters you like best or which setting was best, but FFVII is objectively the best. I have played every game except 1-4 and 11.

" @valleyshrew:  Fail, FF6 is the best in the series. "

" @Marz said:

" @valleyshrew:  Fail, FF6 is the best in the series. "

Agreed. Better Characters. Better Stories. "

" @Scarlet_Rogue said:

" @Marz said:

" @valleyshrew:  Fail, FF6 is the best in the series. "

Agreed. Better Characters. Better Stories. "

Fail, better stories goes to Chrono Cross or Super Mario RPG.  FFVI does have the better cast though.  >.> "

FF9 is best in series. 
 
These are all opinions btw, just because 7 made the biggest mark, doesn't mean its the best. FF9 to me is a traditional fantasy game, not a steampunk/scfi game like 7 is. Prob also my favorite because its like the first RPG I beat, finished 7 after 9 because i only rented it or borrowed it.
 
Honestly, I don't see FFXIII as a good starting point for a JRPG. I'd seriously give Persona 4 a shot. It isn't overly difficult, it's traditional turn based and put a nice footing into the genre. I'd agree with Chrono Trigger as well, but the fact that it's old and things aren't exactly spelled out for you, might make the game frustrating; being you may need to spend hours traveling around looking for where to go. You could also give some of the PSN RPGs a shot, while I said it wasn't the best 7 might be fun to play on your PSP or PS3 through PSN.
 
There are plenty of good options out there, but I don't see FFXIII as the one you'd want to go with.

" @Scarlet_Rogue said:

" @Marz said:

" @valleyshrew:  Fail, FF6 is the best in the series. "

Agreed. Better Characters. Better Stories. "

Fail, better stories goes to Chrono Cross or Super Mario RPG.  FFVI does have the better cast though.  >.> "

" @KaosAngel said:

" @Scarlet_Rogue said:

" @Marz said:

" @valleyshrew:  Fail, FF6 is the best in the series. "

Agreed. Better Characters. Better Stories. "

Fail, better stories goes to Chrono Cross or Super Mario RPG.  FFVI does have the better cast though.  >.> "

The comment was best in the FF series. Chrono Cross and Super Mario RPG sadly aren't  Final Fantasy games, they're Squaresoft games. "

For your first RPG, I can't understand why you'd want to start with games as difficult as Dragon Age: Origins or Demon's Souls.  Dragon Age: Origins requires a lot of micromanagement and really plays better on the PC.  Demon's Souls demands patience, repetition and can be frustrating at times.  Also, the included guide is vague so you will need to look stuff up on the web to understand how things function.    
 
For a first RPG on the PS3, I'd recommend either Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion or Fallout 3.  They're easier to dip your toe into since the games are just about you the player and they are much more forgiving in combat and death.  These are huge worlds with lots of places to explore, people to talk to, and loot to uncover. 

" @Ignor: I'm going to fucking throw something at you...perferable something sharp.
@Subject2Change: I agree full heartedly about what you said about FF7 and most fanboys need to see FF7 is shit compared to FF6, FF5, FF8, FF12 IZJS, and FF3....your point is also kinda void cause you said FF9 is the best when it clearly is one of the not so better ones.  "

NO.  The most beginner friendly RPG is definitely Fable 2.  You are overloaded with stats and armors... just some levels and weapons.  It's pree straight forward and doesnt overdo (in fact it underdoes) the RPGness like some games do.  Like Fallout 3, Though I love Fallout 3 and other complex RPGs like Dragon Age Origins and the ole Baldurs Gate, these games, however, are not for Beginners. 
 
I strongly recommend Fable 2 as a beginner RPG, and NOT FF XIII

FF9 - Nov 14, 2000
FF12 - Oct 31, 2006
 
You are comparing Late PS2 development to Mid to End PS1 development.
 
Steiner, Zidane, Vivi and Garnet win.
 
Also my view might be flawed as it is nostalgic reasoning as well, why it is my favorite FF game. There is no right or wrong opinion, unless you are the internet or are completely dense.

There's a major difference between JRPGs (Japanese Role Playing Games) and Western RPGs (RPGS made in America/Europe)/
 
JRPGS borrow heavily from anime in terms of character development, style, and writing. A lot of people might suggest FFVII being your first stop, mainly due to its simple battle system and that its story is a perfect example of how those games operate. However, that game is icredably dated. FFXIII is apparently complicated according to the GameInformer review. Also, FFXIII's battle system doesn't represent the classic system seen in other games in the genre. Either way with the times in effect, go ahead and try FFXIII. Just read the reviews. 
 
Western RPGs are games like Fallout 3, Mass Effect, Oblivion, and Fable. These games typically focus on moral choices, and of course don't have the anime style. Someone suggested Diablo 2, that's probably not a great idea considering it's a dungeon crawler and doesn't represent the majority of the genre. 
 
How do you play videogames and never played an RPG? Also, KaosAngel is a fanboy.You wont get a real answer from him.

O i clearly know that, but that goes for all games in general.
 
I was just merely pointing out that you can't void an opinion, unless on the internet or a douchebag (aka a friend of mine, who i've come to argue with it just for the hell of it).

X-2? What's that?

" X-2? What's that? "

" @Subject2Change said:

" X-2? What's that? "

The sequel to Final Fantasy X. "