Anyway! FF10 had nice graphics, but really that was all it had going for it. I just couldn't get into the whole Sphere system. It was pretty boring in my opinion. I didn't really like the storyline either, just because I found it boring. Overall I just thought FF10 was a very boring game to play... I'm just a big fan of the original RPG style. FF10 introduced so many new elements that most RPGs didn't have before the PS2, and I just didn't really care for many of them. It was kind of the same problem I had with FF8... They tried doing this whole new way of learning magic and new skills, and it was just overly complicated and annoying. I guess in all reality, the biggest problems I had with 10 and 8 were just the battle systems. I couldn't really get into either of 'em.
The first RPG I ever played was FF7, so maybe that's why it's still on my top 5 list. But I just really enjoy playing it. A good RPG (or any kind of game for that matter) has never been about storyline or graphics for me. It's how much fun I get out of actually playing the game. Most people find things like random battles to be annoying, but I really enjoy them and will spend hours leveling up even when I don't need to!
The simple things, like learning new skills or finding hidden items or trying to figure out the best way to save money and still get all the good items... Things like that are what I really find fun in an RPG. I know it sounds kind of dumb, but no other video game beats the feeling I get whenever I start a new game of FF9... Just thinking about different ways of playing through it and remembering where all the secrets... It's kind of hard to explain. And FF9 is an example of how an RPG can have a terrible storyline, and still be fun.
FF7 I think easily had the best battle/magic system. The materia system was really well designed. Of course, FF5 also had an awesome battle system, using the Job system... I'd like to see them bring that back some day.
Anyway. To be quite honest, I've never fully understood the FF7 story... I've played through it 3 times now, and each time I figure out a little more than I did the time before, but I still don't have it all down. It's definitely a little confusing. And granted, the graphics are pretty horrible. Even back when the game was released, the graphics were pretty awful compared to some things being released. Of course, that wont happen now days since Square-Enix always pumps out the top of the line in graphics.
Oh yeah, another thing that bugged me about FF10 was the dialouge. It just seemed really awkward in some places... I didn't like the voice acting. I don't really like voice acting in any RPGs though. In ToS I turned the voice acting off at the very start of the game, just because I found it so annoying.
Anyway. When it boils down to it, I just prefer the more conventional systems. Usually when they try making a new one, I just don't feel comfortable with it. FF10 wasn't really pure garbage, I just didn't like it's design as much. I am still looking forward to FF11 though. But I'm actually anticipating the release of Kingdom Hearts 2 more than FF11.
Also, skyjedi2005, I too would love to see them remake FF7 for the PS3. But I'm a little worried that they might get a little carried away and end up adding in all kinds of new things and changing stuff that doesn't need to be changed!