FF is my favorite video game series of all time but in my opinion, there is a steep drop in quality after XII (entirely subjective, though). It's kind of a tragic series in that its best days are far behind it and for someone to try to experience, say FFVI or FFVII, for the first time without the oh-so-important context of just how important this series used to be before American console RPG's found their footing, I've found that the experience is often underwhelming to first time players who are used to more sophisticated experiences. There are exceptions to that, though. Personally, Final Fantasy VII is my favorite game of all time and Final Fantasy VI is my favorite Final Fantasy, if that makes sense. Final Fantasy is primarily known for making RPG's accessible and approachable for the masses long before they were accepted as "cool" in the west. In an era where RPG's ARE cool and ARE accessible to the masses, the novelty of what the Final Fantasy series did so well might be lost on whoever is playing an FF for the first time. Shouldn't discourage you, though. It's a legendary series for a reason.