If you’ve ever heard banter between two gamers that started out with “six or seven,” rest assured they were comparing which side of the “Final Fantasy” civil war they’re on. The debate runs deep, as the name of the series doesn’t even need to be dropped for the gamers to know exactly what they’re talking about.

“Final Fantasy VI” and “Final Fantasy VII” are two of the greatest video games ever made. Both frequently appear on “Top 10 Greatest Video games Ever” lists and rightfully so. However, the order of the two on the list differs between gamers and they don’t take each others opinions lightly.

“Final Fantasy VII’s” success blew the JRPG market into mainstream American culture and exponentially increased the amount of “Final Fantasy” players in America. The game was unlike anything most gamers of the time had ever seen. However, the other end of the spectrum had long-time “Final Fantasy” fans on the defensive because their well-kept secret of gaming bliss just entered the metaphorical rumor-mill.

“Final Fantasy VII” was the first JRPG to have a large budget — over $40 million – and came with the graphical and cinematic experience that money could offer. Before, RPGs were considered exclusively for the geekiest of the geeks.

“Final Fantasy VI” didn’t have the large budget of the game that followed, but it had “more heart” than any game made before it. The story was more epic and ambitious than any other in gaming at the point, the characters presented incredible personality depth in the dialogue and the game play was very advanced for 1994. “Final Fantasy VI” was the first game on a Nintendo console to tackle the topics of suicide and teenage pregnancy, and did so in a tasteful way. Meanwhile, “Final Fantasy VII” tackled multiple personality disorder in its lead character.

“Final Fantasy VII” also had an epic story, though the characters were not as well developed in the American script. Eleven years after completing “Final Fantasy VII” and 14 years after completing “Final Fantasy VI,” I remember the cast of “Final Fantasy VI” being the more relatable and likeable of the two. That’s not nostalgia talking, that’s because I can remember the compelling story of two characters in “Final Fantasy VII,” whereas the stories of six characters from “Final Fantasy VI” still impress me alongside some of the best works of literature I’ve read.

Unfortunately, this is one civil war where the brothers and sisters on both sides of the argument won’t be putting down their weapons anytime soon. Both games were equally important in terms of the progression of video games.

In the end, it really comes down to which game was more fun for the player, so the winner can’t be objective in this war.

By the way, “Final Fantasy VI” is better.