What games are kind of like Final Fantasy?

[sqbr]

I get into certain moods where I feel like playing a video game, but unfortunately 99% of the games I've tried don't suit me. The final fantasy games are the best fit I've found(*) but I've run out for the moment, and I was wondering if there were any others people could recommend which do what I want.

The absolute most important feature is the ability to make the game arbitrarily easy. I suck at computer games, and beyond that only play them when I don't feel up to anything useful so am incompetent even for me. I honestly can't think of a game that I thought was too easy apart from in a "Wait, I don't suck at this, why is it so easy" sense. An easy setting is an ok fix if it really is very easy.
Final fantasy games allow you to level up while the monsters don't, so I can just find a nice place with easy monsters and cheap healing and level up until I feel able to take on the bosses(*).

Not stressful: It shouldn't set off my fight or flight response (no time limits or things jumping out at you) it shouldn't be easy to accidentally screw yourself over for later in the game (by using something you'll need later etc)

Beyond that, if there's a plot, then I prefer an ensemble cast. And it should be good(***) :)

I have a PS2, Wii, PC and Mac, but if you have suggestions for other consoles feel free to list them, you never know what we may get in the future. I strongly prefer consoles to computer games, allows me to lie on the couch.

(*)Guitar Hero is game I play when I'm feeling awake and musical, which is a very different niche
(*)except frigging ff8 which I have thus never finished, though for the moment I'm playing it every now and then having nothing better. I was also very disappointed by Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
(**)Unlike FFX-2, which might have been ok if it was an original game but irritated me too much as a "sequel".

Comments

Re: I wrote a long message and then my iPod crashed

[alias_sqbr]

I liked Monkey Island 1, tried Monkey Island 2 just after and decided I needed a break from the premise, never got back around to it. So, thanks for reminding me :)

I'm a sucker for puzzle adventures with a good plot, but they're pretty thin on the ground these days. I LOVE the gabriel knight games.

Re: I wrote a long message and then my iPod crashed

[david adam <zanchey> (from livejournal.com)]

The ScummVM page has a couple to download for free, and I found torrents for various out of print games easy to acquire.

Anything to break up the endless stream of RPGs. Every time I have to spend ten minutes picking stats a little bit of me dies.

Re: I wrote a long message and then my iPod crashed

[alias_sqbr]

You should play Guitar Hero :)

Cam got a bunch of ScummVM things for the DS which were fun until I realised it gives me headaches. I should look into it for the PC etc. Thanks for reminding me.

EDIT:
*remembers that Cam installed it on the Wii. Wonders why I never play it and feels silly*
*Plays Loom on the wii for about 3 minutes*
*Remembers why I never play it*
*downloads ScummVM for my laptop*
*plays Monkey Island 2*
Woot!

Re: I wrote a long message and then my iPod crashed

[david adam <zanchey> (from livejournal.com)]

I am new kinds of terrible at Frets on Fire, and was pretty mediocre at Guitar Hero when I tried, though perhaps more practice is required. I blame seven years of trombone, which is an incredibly simple instrument in terms of manual dexterity :-)

Re: I wrote a long message and then my iPod crashed

[alias_sqbr]

But if they bring out Trombone Hero you're all set huh?

(I think the closest is Wii Music, should such a thing actually appeal)