I've noticed an interesting trend in FF games. It wasn't too long ago (well, a couple years) that everyone hated FFVII. They claimed it was all about graphics and FMVs and so forth... said it wasn't half as good as 6(3E). Now that some time has passed, opinion has swung the exact opposite way; now VII's a classic, a good game, and altogether worthy of the FF title.

I've been more out of the RP loop since then, but VIII definitely seems to be turning around similarly.

And yes, Laguna rocked. I can't help but empathize with characters like Laguna and Tidus, simply because I identify with them. Good-hearted dorks.

Everyone loved IX when it came out -- hailing the return of "old-school" Final Fantasy in the character classes and graphics and so forth. I liked IX, personally, although the Bahamut in that was nothing compared to X's Bahamut. Mmmm, Bahamut.

Never liked Lunar? I'm sort of surprised, but they are definitely "old-school" games, so it's not too much of a surprise. I could offer some recommendations. Anything else you tried and didn't like