This is a tough one. In the golden age of FF (IMO FFVI-X), I loved each one of those games and for different reasons. Each had their own personality, story and lessons in them. I love FF VI for it's sense of against-all-odds adventure and steam-punk infused world, I love FF VII because it was the first RPG I ever played on MY OWN console and it set the precedent for a lot of what and who I am today (whether that's a good or bad thing is still to be decided lol), I love VIII for it's art and character design as well as how relatable Squall was to me (during that time) (Oh and Rinoa and Selphie... booyaka!), but I think if I really had to pick, IX would be my favourite. The characters, the world, the child-like fantasy and whimsy mixed with mature and philosophical themes (this was the first time I think that I really stopped to think about mortality, life and death and come to terms with those things), the humor, the sense of fun, the music (Uematsu at his best IMO), the love story (cliché I know but there's a reason why clichés become clichés). I honestly think this game is severely under appreciated.