I started with FF8, completes it and continues with FF7. FF7 is definitely the best comparing between 8, 9, and X with the Materia system and the weapon slots. FF7 characters are also well polished. There have their own backgrounds! The daring tour guide Tifa, the blur-blur Cloud who thinks he is Zack, the ever-sacrificing Aeris, the loud Barret, Vincent, and who else??
FF8 does have its fair share of plot-twisting too thats because all of Rinoa's plans are ill conceived.