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

[Xenomemphate]

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

Weather they are good or not is completely objective. Personally I thought Borderlands, Mass Effect (1 and 2) and Dragon Age were Ok, but FF XIII was a lot better.

I agree with what has been said, go back to the roots (turn based, huge free roam, lot of side quests) and while they think of a story re release VII and VIII. The re releases should not change a damn thing about the story, only update the graphics.

 

[Mr. Win]

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

Weather they are good or not is completely objective. Personally I thought Borderlands, Mass Effect (1 and 2) and Dragon Age were Ok, but FF XIII was a lot better.

I agree with what has been said, go back to the roots (turn based, huge free roam, lot of side quests) and while they think of a story re release VII and VIII. The re releases should not change a damn thing about the story, only update the graphics.

Meh. VIII was nearly as polarizing as XIII back in the day. A better remake would probably be VI, as IX's art style was immensely divisive, V's job system wouldn't fit well with modern day graphics, and IV has a pretty nonsensical story by today's standards (and has been remade like 50 times). VI and/or VII are generally regarded as the peak (though not by me) so they should be remade if anything.

 

[Xenomemphate]

Well, I have never played VI or the ones before, though am currently in the process of getting my hands on them.

Guess if VIII nd XIII are so similar that is probably why I like both

 

[geldonyetich]

Sounds like less a Final Fantasy problem and more a JRPG problem.

Art can only adhere to a formula for so long before the novelty has worn off, and art without novelty is hardly art at all.

I dunno, mate, people have been making bronze sculptures for over 3,000 years now...

Bronze is just a medium, not a formula.

 

[Something Amyss]

Having no idea didn't seem to have stopped them before.

 

[Gigaguy64]

I have an idea.

Final Fantasy VS Capcom

I think it could work...

OT:Im not sure myself, i think maybe taking it back to its roots for a bit instead of releasing remakes might spark some interest.
Hopefully they can come up with something soon.

I love this idea sooo much Epic Cloud vs Zero fight playing out in my head even as I type...

How about Megaman X VS Vincent?
Or Kaijen No Soki VS Sephiroth?

Ohhh man.
The possibilitys are endless.

 

[cornmancer]

First think they should do is hire back Sakaguchi and Uematsu, or hand the franchise to mistwalker and simply publish it. Next, innovate the shit out of it. Get rid of random encounters, get rid of flashy transition screen to another dimension where fights happen, and toss out the cliched anime bull shit. FFXV will have to innovate the hell out of the genre or else Final Fantasy and possibly JRPGs on the whole will die.

And to the man who said the west stagnates as well, yes we are. The entire industry is going through a stagnation phase, with some gems here and there. As Yahtzee said, we are beginning gamings puberty, and we're stuck right now between becoming adults and continuing to be children. That's why it all feels the same. We need some games to come along and make gamings balls drop.

 

[Lareia]

And to the man who said the west stagnates as well, yes we are. The entire industry is going through a stagnation phase, with some gems here and there. As Yahtzee said, we are beginning gamings puberty, and we're stuck right now between becoming adults and continuing to be children. That's why it all feels the same. We need some games to come along and make gamings balls drop.

I agree about the Mistwalker part but I don't understand what is meant by stagnating. The battle system? Turn based and not finger twitch based is good for some people, the fact that I want time to think and react does not mean that I want things easy. I like the thinking part about the battle and the chance to take my time. The storytelling then? Um. not sure how that can stagnate, it is just a question of different genres. The graphics then? Can't say that graphics haven't changed with the time.

 

[TOGSolid]

Make a new Final Fantasy game.

Call it something other than Final Fantasy.

Watch their sales tank horribly.

Realize that they're bad at making video games.

Bankruptcy.

????

Profit!

 

[OceanRunner]

I have an idea.

Final Fantasy VS Capcom

I think it could work...

OT:Im not sure myself, i think maybe taking it back to its roots for a bit instead of releasing remakes might spark some interest.
Hopefully they can come up with something soon.

I've got a better idea: Final Fantasy VS Shin Megami Tensei. Imagine the match-ups.

Cloud Vs Serph
Lightning Vs Chie
Sephiroth Vs Demi-Fiend

And Izanami-No-Okami should be the end boss.

 

[Styphax]

I think an Open world Final Fantasy would be a great thing. Keep the setting (and the character archtypes even if you must) But make it in the lines of a western RPG or Fallout or something.

 

[Kevka]

IV has a pretty nonsensical story by today's standards (and has been remade like 50 times).

Buh...what? Perhaps it's because I didn't really play 4 until the DS remake, but what exactly about its story was nonsensical?

VII and VIII had the nonsensical storylines, with time-traveling-possessing sorceresses and alien magic queens and clones running all over the place and some iffy translation problems.

To be honest, I'm glad SE doesn't know where to take the franchise. It means they're probably looking over the entire catalog and will probably take some risks with XV. And I mean real risks. While I love the game, they only took two minor risks with XIII: Restricted exploration and limited sidequests until late in the game (which didn't really make it any more linear than previous titles, let's be honest here) and tried out a really cool combat mechanic.

For the record, I don't buy this bullshit that you don't have control over the combat. The paradigm system should be held up as an example of how to make JRPG combat feel new and interesting. With the limitations given to each role, there's a feeling that you have very precise control over the sorts of actions your AI teammates can take. Building a paradigm with three party members was one of my favorite aspects of that game.

 

[Phoenixlight]

Ok so I'm not a fan cause I have a different opinion than you and like worlds that are more then 40 hours of hallways with little in the way for exploration? What is you definition of a fan, a man who likes all of them even the bad ones (8,10,10-2,11, 12 was soso)?

If you're a true fan of the series you actually like the games of the series. If you don't like 5 games out of a series you just like some of the games, it's not the same thing as being a fan of a series; 10 was by far my favourite out of them all so far.

 

[GeekFury]

I suggest they take it out the back of the wood shed with a shotgun.

 

[Gigaguy64]

I have an idea.

Final Fantasy VS Capcom

I think it could work...

OT:Im not sure myself, i think maybe taking it back to its roots for a bit instead of releasing remakes might spark some interest.
Hopefully they can come up with something soon.

I've got a better idea: Final Fantasy VS Shin Megami Tensei. Imagine the match-ups.

Cloud Vs Serph
Lightning Vs Chie
Sephiroth Vs Demi-Fiend

And Izanami-No-Okami should be the end boss.

Sadly iv never played a SMT game...

 

[digital warrior]

Ok so I'm not a fan cause I have a different opinion than you and like worlds that are more then 40 hours of hallways with little in the way for exploration? What is you definition of a fan, a man who likes all of them even the bad ones (8,10,10-2,11, 12 was soso)?

If you're a true fan of the series you actually like the games of the series. If you don't like 5 games out of a series you just like some of the games, it's not the same thing as being a fan of a series; 10 was by far my favorite out of them all so far.

FF10 the best? If you think that than I direct you to here and say have a nice day.

 

[Mr. Win]

Ok so I'm not a fan cause I have a different opinion than you and like worlds that are more then 40 hours of hallways with little in the way for exploration? What is you definition of a fan, a man who likes all of them even the bad ones (8,10,10-2,11, 12 was soso)?

If you're a true fan of the series you actually like the games of the series. If you don't like 5 games out of a series you just like some of the games, it's not the same thing as being a fan of a series; 10 was by far my favorite out of them all so far.

FF10 the best? If you think that than I direct you to here and say have a nice day.

Spoony says early on that the battle system and sphere grid are fun. Quite early on. He's just riffing on the story and dialogue and translation (which deserve criticism to be fair, but it was also SE's first attempt at localizing something this cinematic).

That the story isn't up to par or whatever doesn't mean the game isn't a lot of fun.

 

[Mr. Win]

IV has a pretty nonsensical story by today's standards (and has been remade like 50 times).

Buh...what? Perhaps it's because I didn't really play 4 until the DS remake, but what exactly about its story was nonsensical?

The underworld thing and then the whole MOON crap and then the Golbez/Cecil thing topped off with Zemus/Zeromus, and it's just SILLY. Don't get me wrong, that's part of what I love about it, but I don't think it could be seriously remade on today's consoles. Maybe PSP but another handhold iteration of FF4 is hardly what the series needs.

 

[digital warrior]

Ok so I'm not a fan cause I have a different opinion than you and like worlds that are more then 40 hours of hallways with little in the way for exploration? What is you definition of a fan, a man who likes all of them even the bad ones (8,10,10-2,11, 12 was soso)?

If you're a true fan of the series you actually like the games of the series. If you don't like 5 games out of a series you just like some of the games, it's not the same thing as being a fan of a series; 10 was by far my favorite out of them all so far.

FF10 the best? If you think that than I direct you to here and say have a nice day.

Spoony says early on that the battle system and sphere grid are fun. Quite early on. He's just riffing on the story and dialogue and translation (which deserve criticism to be fair, but it was also SE's first attempt at localizing something this cinematic).

That the story isn't up to par or whatever doesn't mean the game isn't a lot of fun.

Look I'm willing to give credit were credit is due, and FF10 battle system was their best turn based one. The rest wasn't that great.(Though after muting titus i was able to at least beat the game, and F%&* blitzball)

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

How about reboot the series and go back to basics first off make a solid and semi deep skill and equipment system that is highly customizable and fun(FF1,FF4,FF6,FF5,FF9) then build a world around it not 10 on the rails experiences but a whole frakkin world.

From there you can use real time, pause and play combat or AI plays for you type of stuff for limited grinding or what not.

Lets get back into the spirit of FF and get away from the shallow Jrock direction de evolving in.

Ok so I'm not a fan cause I have a different opinion than you and like worlds that are more then 40 hours of hallways with little in the way for exploration? What is you definition of a fan, a man who likes all of them even the bad ones (8,10,10-2,11, 12 was soso)?

If you're a true fan of the series you actually like the games of the series. If you don't like 5 games out of a series you just like some of the games, it's not the same thing as being a fan of a series; 10 was by far my favorite out of them all so far.

FF10 the best? If you think that than I direct you to here and say have a nice day.

Spoony says early on that the battle system and sphere grid are fun. Quite early on. He's just riffing on the story and dialogue and translation (which deserve criticism to be fair, but it was also SE's first attempt at localizing something this cinematic).

That the story isn't up to par or whatever doesn't mean the game isn't a lot of fun.

Look I'm willing to give credit were credit is due, and FF10 battle system was their best turn based one. The rest wasn't that great.(Though after muting titus i was able to at least beat the game, and F%&* blitzball)

FF10 sucked even FF8 was better (albeit the sphere grid rules them all as far as skill leveling goes)and blitz ball was the only fun hing about it......