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

[toastmaster2k8]

How about no where and just stop?

 

[Megatheist]

Former Employee of Square, Hironobu Sakaguchi [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hironobu_Sakaguchi] is making "Last Story" Which is turning out to be Fantastic. Play that.

 

[Decabo]

Final Fantasy XIII was terrible, so a different direction would do the series good. I still don't understand the appeal of a game where you do absolutely nothing except run in a straight line and hit auto attack over and over.

This, coming from a member with an FFXI Goblin as their avatar.. Yes. Okay. Auto attacking over and over, only using abilities with long-ass cooldowns every so often, with bland, static party gameplay where you only stand in one place for hours.. What game does that remind me of...? Hm.. I played it for at least five years, amid several extended breaks but really only played with friends.. Oh right.. Final Fantasy XI.

So, you like FFXI's slow gameplay, but despise FFXIII's? Funny how that logic works..

I've never played Final Fantasy XI, or any other Final Fantasy except one of the Gameboy ones and XIII. I got the goblin (which I just recently found out was a goblin) as my avatar because when I first got my 360, I wanted a unique gamer picture, I saw the goblin, thought it looked okay, and never felt like changing it. Funny... after all the sarcasm and elipses you put into that post, your bad assumptions just end up making you look like a jackass.

 

[Orcus The Ultimate]

I know where they should take it ! In Wonderland !!! XD

 

[MattAn24]

My suggestions:

1.) Screw the big technobabble story and go back to what made the earlier games work best, relatively simple overall stories but with unique, likable and memorable characters.

2.) Screw the MMO combat. I like MMOs, I play them often, I like MMO combat.. but MMO combat doesn't belong in a FF game (or, if you're going to use MMO combat, make it a better approximation like what we saw in DA:O). There was nothing wrong with the old ATB system.

3.) Make characters and character choice matter. This actually started going downhill as far back as FFV but it's gotten generally worse as the series has gone on. It's all well and good to have the characters unique within the storyline but stop making them basically all the same once combat starts.

4.) Make it a big world but focus on the little things. Even back to the days of FF1, getting that next new mode of transportation was hugely satisfying, but it wasn't just satisfying because it let us get to the next area of the game world, it also let us see what was over the horizon. The excitement came in finding the little nooks and crannies that, in some cases, we weren't even "supposed" to see yet. Finding that hidden village with all of the items you never thought you'd be able to afford. Finding that island cave with the monsters that stomped you in 2 seconds flat. Etc. When fans ask for an explorable map, it's more than just "Durr.. we wantz to go into townz!1!!"

5.) Failing all that, just give the series a rest. Seriously. Or if you need money then go ahead and do that FFVII remake that some people seem to want. Personally, however, I'd rather see them finally give some old forgotten series the attention they deserve. I remember the old days where seeing almost any game with the Square logo on the box meant you'd be getting a great title.. now if you see a Square game at all it's usually an FF game, and there's no guarantee it's going to be good.

Square's released tons of IP games other than FF.. Someone isn't looking hard enough~!

Also, I can understand/relate to your points, however FFXIII kinda -did- have an explorable map. Yes, it wasn't as big a landmass as was previously hyped, but the Archlyte Steppe has LOADS to do in sidequests and such. But I do understand what you mean, "exploration" in that aspect, but simply throwing in a generic world map just to fly around in is a tad old.. You can do much better than a "world map" and still make it awesome. A seamless, minimum-loading vast area would be awesome with some sort of flying involved. But rather than a world map, airships from FFXI went between continents/major towns. Something like that (a fricken ZEPPELIN, yo?) just to fly around above the landmass without a separate world map screen.. Other multiplayer games can pull it off.. Can't see why a single-player RPG can't..

 

[Fensfield]

Sometimes I wonder why I hang around this place. Likeable artistic values aside, the amount of vitriol against broad groups is just.. I mean I know Final Fantasy is just a popular target for the haters, but even RPG's from Japan in general receive such casual dismissal..

.. Oh, wait, yeah, it's here or the EVE Online forums.

And for the record, once again, I loved Final Fantasy XIII and I think I can confidently say it's my favourite of the series. Because for the first time, I'm genuinely enjoying watching the characters interact. When a game gives me that, the over-all story and setting are just nice little asides, and linearity's just a non-issue. The battle system was rather-more fun than I'm used to in previous FF scuffles, too. Until now, I'd actually given up on the series, now I'm looking forward to the next game again (well, okay, FF XV really, but XIV, too).

Hell, I'd buy an FF XIII sequel.

 

[jamesworkshop]

Maybe consider giving it a break Square 23 years of one series is enough, I not only had to use the datalogs to understand the plot but even what the characters were supposed to be feeling directly after the cinematics ended especially when they invovled Hope in anyway


I might forgive you if you make FFXIII-2 where the entire game is a 5 hour quick time event of Lightning punching Snow villers repeatedly in the face.

 

[ImpostorZim]

SquareEnix should just focus on making original titles and give up on Final Fantasy. FFXIII just proves that they really can't do anything new with the franchise. If they wanna do something good, they should remake Final Fantasy VII or move onto something new.

 

[MattAn24]

game version of Final Fantasy Spirits Withen, that is all, or they could just MAKE ANOTHER LEGEND OF THE DRAGOON ALREADY I MEAN FUCKING A MAN USE YOUR DAMN RESOURCES!!!!

Uh.. Neither Square nor Enix made Legend of Dragoon. You're horrible mistaken. Google is your friend. Use it.

 

[V8 Ninja]

Honestly, after 13 games and God knows how many spinoffs, how about make one last game and and make it THE FINAL FINAL FANSTASY? HMMM?

Well, if you're looking for that, there's always The Last Story. Y'know, that Wii JRPG that's coming from Hironobu Sakaguchi, the guy who created Final Fantasy in the first place. The game seems to already fit into that niche of yours perfectly. =P

 

[MikailCaboose]

What I think? I think FF should ultimately end. What ever happened to games like Chrono Trigger, Sword of Mana, etc? Maybe it's time for Square-Enix to move on.
Although, slightly on topic I'm looking forward to The Last Story. (It's by Mistwalker, but it's headed by FF's original creator)

 

[Krunkcity3000]

To the woods behind the house and shoot it in the head.

 

[LightspeedJack]

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

Actually it's more like this FPS, Wii shovelware, FPS, Wii shovelware ,FPS, Wii shovelware, FPS, Wii shovelware, FPS, Wii shovelware, FPS, Wii shovelware, FPS, Wii shovelware, spots sim.

 

[Dogstile]

No matter what they come up with, someone is going to complain bitterly that its unoriginal. As if anything is original these days?

I believe people do that as guitar hero 4 was "cashing out" and in spite they call out the same to final fantasy.

Which I can understand.

 

[ShaqLevick]

Imagine this it's your classic final fantasy setting (any would do) but oh no, the graphics have taken a real nose dive. Before I get all teary eyed I get into the game and hey it's open! I can run and jump, and hell I'm sure I'll get a little acrobatic by the end of the game. Gee for the first time in a final fantasy game I'm engaged. Now say you take a mass effect style combat system where menus can freeze the action, I can imagine this game could be very exciting.

Now I just threw out two examples of engaging game play, both platforming and active strategical combat. It's just that I feel both turn based combat and rail experiences are all but lacking in the element of game play. What I'm getting at is the disappointment I felt after picking up FF XIII. It was just an expensive piece of art that makes you work for it, and for those with old school TV's you're not really getting the whole picture. I thought I was buying a game, but I wasn't impressed with how much game playing was going on as much as the game was playing me.

 

[BodomBeachChild]

I think the grave is a good place for it to go. It's just been too long since FF was worth anything.

 

[MattAn24]

game version of Final Fantasy Spirits Withen, that is all, or they could just MAKE ANOTHER LEGEND OF THE DRAGOON ALREADY I MEAN FUCKING A MAN USE YOUR DAMN RESOURCES!!!!

Uh.. Neither Square nor Enix made Legend of Dragoon. You're horrible mistaken. Google is your friend. Use it.

well they are probably the only team that can make a good sequel, or prequel, since fantasy is their expertise. it would be immensely simple to write a a prequel for the game, something about before the war 11,000 years ago when the dragoons first emerged, could be about how they all met and all the events that lead up to the final battle at that winglie fortress, ofcourse no one seems to be smart enough to come up with such a thing -.-

You.. Don't really know much about licensing or the games industry, DO you, Teiraa? Squeenix can't just go "Hey! Let's make a Legend of Dragoon game! We TOTALLY don't own the rights to it, but oh well! LET'S GET SUED! \o/"

...Ugh... Besides, TLoD's slow-ass battles were annoying, it was a generic lame plot.. Yes, I played it as a young kid, I quite enjoyed it.. Then I gained some common sense. Quicktime events were shit, voice acting was extremely poor, the overall cliched nature was sucky.. I don't get those problems with FF games. I quite enjoy those.. 'Cept VIII.. That can die in a fire. Along with Rinoa, the harlot.

 

[Seatownstriker]

No matter what they come up with, someone is going to complain bitterly that its unoriginal. As if anything is original these days?

I believe people do that as guitar hero 4 was "cashing out" and in spite they call out the same to final fantasy.

Which I can understand.

Well its just become more of a fad I think to say something is unoriginal. And its quiet annoying. Instead of complaining about it why don't people try and come up with something totally original?