Final Fantasy is Dying

powderbucket

powderbucket

New member
Or is it just me?

It seems as though after the release, or development I should say, of Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, everything started to go a little downhill for the Final Fantasy series. I've enjoyed all of the Final Fantasies but only up to Final Fantasy X. Final Fantasy XII was awesome in terms of gameplay but it lacked that amazing storytelling element that was the core of the previous games. Maybe it's because the stories are more centred around worlds rather than character development, or perhaps Square Enix is just trying to appeal to a more commercial audience.

All I know is that FF XIII seriously disappointed me. It's boring, ridiculously simplified and easy (I mean, where is the strategy?), terribly linear with few side missions and the story could be executed so much better. That said, I'm still playing it, but I'm waiting for something to happen that will bring my hope back into Square Enix. Not sure if I'm the only one thinking about this...
 
Feel the same. 13 was a massive letdown. I think, in the West at least, RPG gaming has evolved beyond this static, linear style of RPG. The genre has really blossomed and is giving people so much choice in how to play their character, along comes Square and gives them this incredibly dull on-rails experience.
I liked 7 because i was new the genre at the time and it was a breath of fresh air, but since then the games have had precious little in the way of innovation. A title like Mass Effect 2 is just so superior to it in every conceivable way. Even though technically they aren't meant to be parrallels, they do compete in the same space and i think the age old Final Fantasy formula is dying out.
 
The problem is, if Square decides to change its formula and produces something similar to Fallout 3 or Mass Effect, then they'll have hoards of hate mail from faithful fans to deal with. Then again, if they decide to keep the formula then the hate mail comes not only from the fans from from the broader gaming market as well. Although, it would really sadden me to see them do away with the series. I need my dose of epic gaming story telling.
 
I think Square is just becoming stale. There's nothing wrong with the classical linear Japanese RPGs. They will always have their place - just like Modern Warfare still sells even though sandbox fps's are popular.
 
Play Tales of Vesperia on this gens consoles and you will see how abysmally lacking ALL the other JRPG's have been so far for the 360 / PS3.

Don't even get me started on FFXIII. That game was moronic as far as the franchise is concerned. They primarily were looking to cash in on Western sentiments with many of the choices they made. I went in expected nothing, having read little to nothing on purpose, and I left with an experience devoid of what makes a Final Fantasy, a Final Fantasy. Sure they had "some" of the iconic names and such, but man did they stream-line and bastardize the rest. Again I will say - Final Fantasy (XIII) for Dummies.

From what I have read it would seem the real forces behind the popular Final Fantasy games have ALL left Square-Enix quite some time ago. So it is little wonder why they are in the state they are in. But honestly, JRPG's on this gens consoles are pathetic compared to many on PS2, PS1 and Snes games. I also think the JRPG genre NEEDS to evolve, they can't keep on doing things the same way. Sadly the only changes I have noticed recently are dumbed-down mechanics and such.

Best JRPG's for this gen are:
No1 - Tales of Vesperia (A great JRPG)
No2 - Lost Odyssey (Not that great but decent enough)
No3 - Resonance of Fate (a tentative vote since it is lacking both in story and in combat)
Others are different flavours of meh, or are decent to just fill a void.
 
TheBigKahuna said:
Chrono Trigger = The best fucking RPG evar, period. (sorry for swearing)
Click to expand...

Wonderful game, one i will never forget.

Square used to be so picky as to which console their games were produced.
I feel its as if they are supplying more then there is demand for their games, unlike a few years ago.
Imagine if Squaresoft launched a prequel to Chrono trigger or Final fantasy and released it in beautiful hand drawn 2d.
Then launched it only via the online content available to 360 ,PS3, Wii. DS, and even did the limited edition box art thing that Capcom did for Megaman 9 and 10.

I would be drooling to get hold of that game.
 
tehNihilist said:
Play Tales of Vesperia on this gens consoles and you will see how abysmally lacking ALL the other JRPG's have been so far for the 360 / PS3.

Best JRPG's for this gen are:
No1 - Tales of Vesperia (A great JRPG)
No2 - Lost Odyssey (Not that great but decent enough)
No3 - Resonance of Fate (a tentative vote since it is lacking both in story and in combat)
Others are different flavours of meh, or are decent to just fill a void.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the recommendations, I think I might just check those out since playing Final Fantasy XIII makes me feel like I'm wasting a lot of time.

And I think that must be it, the fact that Square Enix was going after Western sentiments; I saw it coming when I heard they were planning to release the game on the Xbox as well. Not even Mr. Picky Hideo Kojima did that with Metal Gear Solid 4, although I'm aware that that will be changing soon with regards to the new MGS.
 
i was stupid enough to buy the ce, but anyway feel the same as all of you. Im about 45 hours in and it really is feeling like a waste of time, so ive stopped. Tried to enjoy it for what it is, but the the end has come. maybe one day i will finish it.
 
Guys...this is heart breaking stuff to hear, my gf bought FF 13 for me last week and I'm a old school FF fan, 6-now...I've read the reviews, heard the talk and I can see since Squaresoft amalgamated with Enix they have become a cash cow selling out to the West. Moving FF onto the X-box, Linear story telling, LEONA LEWIS!!!! *sigh* I'm in sad agreement that the series is dying but I want to at least finish 13 (needing motivation now). Nothing beats 7, 12 was a little downhill and 13...well maybe they shouldn't have called it FF, Also Chrono Trigger, hell yeah!!!!!!!
Gone are the days that the JRPG was great...maybe we have all "evolved" in our gaming(RPG) tastes and the FF series has become stagnant and stale?
 
Don't worry guys. You can all play The Witcher 2 when it comes out and enjoy a proper RPG again :)
 
I myself am a Final Fantasy fan, but could get myself to buy the new Final Fantasy, after the FFX-2 i feel the game has lost whatever made it engrossing before. I give it ago when it hit plat maybe. Still not sure if it worth spending any money on.
 
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