What is the best Final Fantasy game to play if you could just play one?

I had initially tried out the beta on the PS3 to see what Final Fantasy XIV was like. That short amount of time resulted in me falling in love with the game. The story has been great, minus a section between the initial end of A Realm Reborn and the first expansion Heavensward. There is a lot of stuff to do...

This game is one of my all-time favorites. It has an exceptionally balanced combat system and gameplay, immersive and heartfelt story. Graphics were mind-blowing in the 1999 and still look relatively good today, and the soundtrack is still on my playlist. There are quite a few easter eggs and an addictive ca...