Square-Enix Isn't Sure Where to Take Final Fantasy

[Buffoon]

Ho hum. This just confirms once again that I'm kinda going against the mainstream. FFXIII was, in many ways, my *perfect* FF. It was linear... so? Go play one of the billion non-linear games if that's what you want. I know I did. The characters were dull? What? They're JRPG characters, and exactly what you should expect from JRPG characters by now, except refined incredibly well. If you don't like JRPG characters with their angst and melodrama go play a different game. I know I did.

There are other games out there, why does FFXIII have to be like them?

Also, anyone who liked FFVII and disliked FFXIII, well... all I can conclude is that they're living with false memories of what FFVII was like. Maybe you've grown out of what you loved about FFVII way back then, but they're so, so similar in the important ways.

 

[Patton662]

They should turn it into a teenage drama film like twilight, that's pretty much what the last FF was.

 

[Gralian]

"The last of this type of game?" Funny, because FFXIII didn't really feel like a proper FF to me. But then i tend to view anything beyond FFX as garbage.

FFXIII was nothing more than a game where you mashed a single button (A or X for ps3 users) and moved forward in a single direction. Oh, and maybe you pressed RB before A to change paradigms. Then it's back to mashing that A button. Fucking delightful.

Bring back turn-based combat. Please. Bring FF back to its roots. The combat system in XIII was absolutely dreadful along with the, yes, very unlike-able characters. They tried far too hard to fit stereotypes around the story. Come on - the tough chick? The overly optimistic white knight figure? The whiny emo kid? The comic relief black guy? The ditzy blonde? Need i really go on?

Characters in FF should and do have more development than that. Again, ignoring anything from X onwards.

Squall confronted his fears of being attached and left alone, i think(?)
And i believe Cloud went from devil-may-care mercenary to someone who got properly emotionally involved.
Tidus got less cocky and arrogant and learnt to appreciate the world around him
Vivi came to accept his own mortality and how he came to be
(Note i haven't played these in a long time so i apologise if the examples are wrong)

These are all character development issues that the previous games dealt with in a proper manner. What character development have we got in XIII? Oh look, the tough chick just happens to be with the emo kid. And she just happens to soften up and toughen him up at the same time. What a coincidence. I mean come on - really?

Another massive issue i had with FFXIII was the lack of any real big bad. Most FF games have SOME form of big bad for the player to identify as the antagonist. In FF8, it was Edea. For FF9, it was Kuja. For FFX it was Sin. FFXII simply focuses on "changing your fate" which, i have to say, bored me pretty fast. I had no idea where i was going or why i was going there. I had no real sense of urgency. Snore.

 

[Mr Snuffles]

The west thinks that JRPG's are stagnating? What must they think of our releases? FPS, FPS, FPS, FPS, 3PS, FPS, FPS, FPS.........sport sim

True, but at least they're good,

Maybe they could just stop making the franchise altogether and come up with something brand new

At least they're good? I personally really enjoyed FFXIII and would pay money to get hold of the next one (if there is one). However, I didn't enjoy Modern Warfare 2, one of the most highly anticipated FPS's from the west. Overall, opinion is subjective, so I can't agree with your statement there...

 

[Daedalus1942]

Good one you morons who bitched about the latest game. Thanks to you closed minded imbeciles, this probably will be the last final fantasy.
I hope you all rot in hell.

 

[oranger]

You know what I'd like to see? good storytelling from ff6. There has literally been nothing like it since in this series.

 

[RyuSanada]

The west thinks that JRPG's are stagnating? What must they think of our releases? FPS, FPS, FPS, FPS, 3PS, FPS, FPS, FPS.........sport sim

True, but at least they're good,

Maybe they could just stop making the franchise altogether and come up with something brand new

At least they're good? I personally really enjoyed FFXIII and would pay money to get hold of the next one (if there is one). However, I didn't enjoy Modern Warfare 2, one of the most highly anticipated FPS's from the west. Overall, opinion is subjective, so I can't agree with your statement there...

I'd have to agree. FPSs and 3PSs have a tendency to make me ask 'Why did I buy this, when I could have rented and beat it for less?'. Case in point, both Gears of War and all three Halo (Not counting Halo: ODST). Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed playing them to the end, but I can't bring myself to playing them again. Meanwhile I find myself going back to FF VII and VIII to inbreed Chocobo, or collect . Hell in VII, I still need to beat Ruby and Emerald.

 

[digital warrior]

I wouldn't worry about the criticism, the people complaining about Final Fantasy XIII weren't true fans of the series anyway.

So I'm not a true fan cause i hate bad game play and storytelling?
True fans can see the flaws inherent in a game or series and want better, you are a fanboy and love it because it is FF. If FF was not on the title would you have cared about this game in any way, shape or form?

 

[Jaebird]

Hmm... Where is Final Fantasy suppose to go... Less fucking sci-fi/Anime bullcrap and more actual fantasy, please. And proper storytelling, too. No more footnote menus.

During my time with Final Fantasy XIII, I liked the combat, even though it felt demeaning to constantly push one button more times than your generic action-brawler/slasher. But it's the ridiculous plot, unlikable characters and piss-poor storytelling that killed the game for me.

wait you could follow the plot? I finished the game and still have questions about it .

What? I specifically said it killed the game. Meaning not good. It's as if the writer held a gun to his own head and told Square to not edit the story or else he'd kill himself.

 

[sheah1]

What they need to do is make the action more enjoyable, if they don't make it turn-based or revolutionize it or whatever then they at least need to give the attacks more..... oomph. It doesn't feel like I'm doing anything when I play on 13, the attacks need weight. Basically the same problem that Halo has, except none of the other FFs had it.

 

[uppitycracker]

I still say the first one on NES was the best. everything leading up to 7 was good, 7 was decent (for its time, AMAZING, but yeah), and since then it's been crap, crap and more crap. maybe it's eventually time to call it quits, fellas.

Apparently this guy thinking finaly fantasy 8-10 were a waste of time.

actually, yes, very much so. at least it was a horrible waste of my time.

I still say the first one on NES was the best. everything leading up to 7 was good, 7 was decent (for its time, AMAZING, but yeah), and since then it's been crap, crap and more crap. maybe it's eventually time to call it quits, fellas.

Pretty much this although I wouldn't say that FF7 is crap. It's still amazing, I just prefer the first one.
Even so, I'd love a remake of FF7 as well.

Oh, I never said that 7 was crap, I thought it was decent, although AMAZING for it's time. Everything after was crap, in my humble opinion. But that's just my opinion, the first was by far the best. Glad I'm not hte only one that thinks so!!

I actually still have it, in pristine condition. seriously looks like it just came out of the box.

Aah, I thought you meant that it was amazing for it's time but crap now.
Then I see ^^

Well FF8 is an nice addition though if one gives it a serious try and FF9 is the tribute to the oldschol FF, specifically FF1. I've just gotten FFIX for my PSP so I've decided to give it a serious try even though I hate the Monkey boy.

PS. FFXI is amazing but so terrible terrible dull in the long run!

nah i never said it was crap for this time, i just said i don't find it quite so amazing lol. i'd still enjoy another play through, for sure.

and yeah, 9 tried to have some tribute to the first, but the character development i did not like, and the story was so very meh to me... they've all been like that since 7 though, at least to me. then again, this is coming from a guy that loved the simplistic nature of the story for the first, haha.

 

[Harlemura]

I hope this isn't the end of "this type of game".
I like how they've pretty much managed to make 13 different versions of an "I attack, then you attack" system of fighting.

Saying that, I wouldn't exactly complain if they just gave it a break and went and worked on more Kingdom Hearts stuff.
Throw it in with Assassin's Creed [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/101958-Assassins-Creed-Needs-a-Break-Says-Producer] in the "take a break" pile.

I like using "quotation marks" today...

 

[Jamiemitsu]

I still say the first one on NES was the best. everything leading up to 7 was good, 7 was decent (for its time, AMAZING, but yeah), and since then it's been crap, crap and more crap. maybe it's eventually time to call it quits, fellas.

What about IX?

OT: I don't really understand... They know its problems... Why not just do what IX did and take it back to its roots, then build up new ideas from there? A few optional side quests and the occasional minor plot decision would be a good place to start (which is, you know, what the series was doing on the ps1)

 

[droppingpenny]

Square-Enix Isn't Sure Where to Take Final Fantasy

Take it to the graveyard and burry it as deep as you can!

 

[Shirokurou]

I liked FFXIII.
So actually I think they should just adress the complaints (towns/sand-boxes/less linearity/more character focus) and leave the battle system as it is. I mean FFVII-VIII-IX-X weren't that different in battle schemes yet were different on other levels.

 

[Stillve]

I love em, square has provided an example for storytelling and settings with final fantasy. Stagnation? What're they comparing the Japanese Games Industry to, the West? Hah. There's always evolution going on.
As long as they make enjoyable games, square can go on making ''final fantasy XY'' games ad infinitum in my opinion.

 

[Ziggy the wolf]

well i would think a massive side scroller could change things up or maybe try playing as the villian for a change

 

[Autofaux]

Here's an idea. How about they take Final Fantasy into the ground, six feet under. Give it a good ol' case of death. Final Fantasy XIII was an identity crisis, being neither a JRPG nor an action oriented RPG. Kill the franchise, make something new.