I'm not particularly fond of either. The first is just all over the place today and is often in games trying to be 'gritty' and 'real' or they're trying to pass off the power armor as being realistic somehow. Unless there's some specific new element or something discovered in that setting then its not realistic at all.
On the other side of the scale, the only immediate example of a girlish boy with a big sword is Cloud. Ironically, they look like that to appeal to fangirls. Particularly the kind that spend their time writing Cloud x Sephiroth slash fics. Square just seems to have more in common with western gaming companies these days, but I digress.
This really seems more like a sort of 'gritty realism' vs. 'colorful fantasy' debate anyway, and personally I'm going to choose fantasy pretty much every time. At least then you get a colorful cast of characters with their own quirks and personality traits instead of focusing on a lone action guy and having pretty much everyone else being bit players. Unless the muscular action guy is an extreme example of one for the sake of a parody of sorts. Like Duke Nukem.
On the other side of the scale, the only immediate example of a girlish boy with a big sword is Cloud. Ironically, they look like that to appeal to fangirls. Particularly the kind that spend their time writing Cloud x Sephiroth slash fics. Square just seems to have more in common with western gaming companies these days, but I digress.
This really seems more like a sort of 'gritty realism' vs. 'colorful fantasy' debate anyway, and personally I'm going to choose fantasy pretty much every time. At least then you get a colorful cast of characters with their own quirks and personality traits instead of focusing on a lone action guy and having pretty much everyone else being bit players. Unless the muscular action guy is an extreme example of one for the sake of a parody of sorts. Like Duke Nukem.