Final Fantasy V

Best: The additions to the job system are so good

By Final Fantasy V, the job system had already been well-established, but this game cracked it wide open with the addition of Ability Points, which characters gain in tandem with standard experience. This lets you both level up your character generally alongside working through job-specific progression. Because jobs and characters now level up separately from one another, Final Fantasy V allowed for more flexibility, and made switching between roles more rewarding.

Worst: The rest is kinda meh

Similar to FInal Fantasy III, there’s a lot of interesting mechanical changes that make Final Fantasy V significant, but in terms of cultural impact within the community, the fifth game hasn’t had the staying power of other numbered entries. That doesn’t mean it’s not beloved, though, as even the developers behind Final Fantasy XVI cite it as one of their favorites