When you go out and buy an RPG who is the first developer you turn to? If you say anything other than Square Enix than you need to rethink because lets face it, every RPG fan knows that Square Enix make the best games in this genre…well, they did. Every year it seems that more of the old school creators at Square Enix headquarters are either quitting or selling their souls to the new world of RPG, which quite frankly is starting to blow chunks.
Put it this way, whenever you play any Final Fantasy game, you never sit and ponder to yourself Wow! What a brilliant piece of individualism this game has, along with some amazing unique ideas.
It generally goes something like this… What does this game not have that Final Fantasy VII did?
Im as guilty as the next person when it comes to this situation, every new Square Enix game that I purchase (excluding Deus Ex: Human Revolution) I instantly compare to the string of successful hits from Square Enix ‘back in the day. It is because of the sceptical attitude towards the latest generation of RPG titles that they can never live up to anyones expectations.
Final Fantasy XII is a truly decent game, not amazing but not even close to one of Square Enixs worst, yet it was riddled with criticism because it was simply different and didnt feel like an old Final Fantasy game. Its because of this that we see XIII-2 on the horizon, which to be honest I dont believe will provide the same individual quality as its predecessor. I await XIII versus which has recently be confirmed to be in full development, however the point Im attempting to make here is if you ever want to enjoy a new age RPG, then everyone needs to change the way they think, Final Fantasy VII is legendary and unless they remake this classic we arent going to see it again.
Let me know your thoughts.
Tags: Feature, RPG's, Square Enix, Timeless, Unique
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As the technology grows, so do the games. I think they have the right to experiment new ideas. I really loved Final Fantasy XIII, but I agree that Final Fantasy VII is better (although the one I love more is IX)
Well, long story short, what I miss in the present games is the lack of romance in the story. That thing that made you root for Cloud, Squall, Zidane and Cecil to not just kill the bad guys, but to finally kiss the girls of the series.
Graphics, system, etc. I like everything that's been made so far. =)
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yes vii is the legendary... but it was X that was the best for me
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Anyone who plays these games needs a real RPG fired at them :)
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People actually do that?
First off, you are setting yourself up for a disaster the very moment you start comparing any Final Fantasy title to any other Final Fantasy title, especially FFVII, that overrated pile of bollocks. Every numbered Final Fantasy game, barring a handful of recurring tropes and themes, is its own unique entity with its own methodology and in its own enclosed universe and should be treated as such. "What did FF13 not have that FF7 did?" Materia? Terrible graphics? A hilariously translated story that broke a good deal of the plot for Western players? Well technically, yes to all of the above, and honestly thank god that it doesn't.
Secondly, the whiny cunts who complain about every new FF because it isn't exactly like [insert their favorite FF here] don't even deserve to be called FF fans, RPG players, or even gamers at all, because that is exactly the kind of behavior and mentality that is ruining the industry and gaming culture. Final Fantasy is so great because it embraces diversity and change in itself. It has always done so, and hopefully it always will. It's one of the biggest reasons why I still have so much respect for the franchise, which always pushes its own borders as well as the borders set by others - the industry, the fanbase, the gaming world.
Finally, I am not the first nor the last to admit that FF13 had problems, particularly in world design (or lack thereof) and explorability. But the unfortunate truth is that FF13 is really just exposition to the rest of the Fabula Nova Crystallis world; much of what happens sets the tone and backbone of the world for the rest of the games set in this universe. It's an ambitious project, and I can't help but think they could have started it off better than that, but with how much time and resources they invested into it I wanted to have hope for the future. Luckily, 13-2 genuinely looks amazing, and I do believe that it will bring back that "Final Fantasy"-esque feeling that 13 inherently lacked due to how empty the world was. Square Enix has blatantly and obviously absorbed countless pages of fan input and fine-tuned 13-2 to be something that will please everyone. It HAS to please everyone, because it was made with EVERYONE's suggestions and improvements in mind. If it comes out and there's nothing but more bitching about how it's not like [insert favorite FF here], then I know with absolute certainty that A) they have nothing better to do than bitch about it, and/or B) this genre is just not for them anymore, and they need to go back to playing COD or whatever other mindless drivel they're going on about.
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Definately.
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I not a big FF fan (only beat crisis core and XIII) but I want Versus XIII so bad!!!!!!
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there is already a great remake of FF7 on pc, you just have to have an 'original' copy of the game, but most of the graphics have been redone for todays modern computers and it truly is amazing i find myself going back to it quite a bit. i think that 1-7 are the best rpgs of all time.
heres a link for the site
http://wiki.qhimm.com/FF7/Technical/Customising
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I have to say I've noticed the change in style as the Final Fantasy series has rolled on.
In case people haven't noticed, each FF game has tried something new as the series has gone on. FF7 had materia which determined the vast majority of your skills, FF8 had magic which had to be stolen from your enemies, as well as summons taken in the same way, earlier FF games had the class system (later found in Tactics), FFX had a lot based around the "skill tree" which let you build your characters as you like (sorta. But especially Kimahri.), and FFXII (my personal favourite) introduced free-roaming worlds with open battles that didn't cut to a battle scene as previous games did, and also had the license board, which was a development of FFX's skill tree. Your FFXII team could be developed into whatever you wanted them to be. Hell, you could make Basch into a white mage and Penelo into knight wielding a massive sword. When we got to FFXIII they tried something new - namely the paradigm system and only letting you control one character in battle - which was poorly received. But they tried. It also had a cinematic feel to it, rather than a gaming one. I still enjoyed FFXIII, but that may have been because I had recently been playing MGS4 which also had massive cutscenes everywhere.
I liked FF7 but yes, I believe it's overrated. I enjoyed FF8 more than it, and even FFXII much more than that. I would've been happy if they made more games in FFXII's style, but since people complained I don't see that being likely. FFXIII-2 looks to me like FFXIII again but with a few differences. The paradigm system is still there, but now we get choices of multiple hallways rather than just one
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It's true. JRPGs have kind of started taking a turn for the worse when it comes to console releases. I think the last decent console JRPG I played that lives up more to the classic elements was Star Ocean: The Last Hope. I'm also a big fan of Namco's Tales series, but I don't think we'll be seeing many more of their console titles here in the states. Graces F will probably be the last one for a good while.
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FFXIII-2 shows a hell lot of potential, they took the fans seriously and changed the core completely, there's free roam now and you can actually get lost for hours as reviewed by famitsu's editor " its linearity, its lack of meaty gameplay -- are a thing of the past" - ive seen gameplay videos too and it made me finish FFXIII.
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I actually own a lot of clasic rpgs but Lately they are all crap... That's why i modded my PS3, if they throw better games then i buy them if not... they sux... When i first bought my PS3 i was thinking ( I will REALLY love my PS3 if they throw more RPGs than the PS2) Like FF1-10 they where awesome. What I will really like is RPG turnbased or like Star Ocean, Tales Games style. Why do they use a BlueRay if they only use like 2-12 GB a games... Use voice actors for every dialogue ... even if the RPG sux, the Voice will give it POINTS... Even NPC... ~.~ '
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Every Game have good and bad side so don't complain so much =)
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It's funny how you've just typed out three paragraphs complaining about other people complaining.
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Terrible graphics? Have you not imagined what FF XIII would look like if it was made for the PS1? or what FF VII would look like if it was made for the PS3? Well, there's a tech demo of FF VII for the PS3 so i think you can imagine that... but imagine FF XIII for the PS1 if you can!
They were just trying something different with each FF series.
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@ Wohdin....dude, seriously chill. It's normal for gamers to compare newer final fantasy titles with older ones, they HAVE evolved immensely. I personally prefer the "typical jrpg" grinder with the (albeit somewhat archaic) turn based fights and recycled musical scores (victory theme I'm looking at you) I actually felt a deep connection to the plight of the main protagonists in my fave picks (Squall, Cloud, Locke...(HATED ZIDANE....but i digress....) FF13 felt like a step away from the type of story telling that made you feel for the characters, By the end of the game I didnt care what the outcome would be and would have felt nothing it everyone died. Maybe It's just nostalgia for the old titles that remind me of a childhood past where i could play my ps1 for 10hrs straight or maybe SQUARE has moved beyond what had once defined a genre....whatever the reason, it is a fact that gaming has changed and Final Fantasy has changed. There are those who appreciate the new direction and there are those who don't in the end it's the gamer's choice to cheer or bitch.
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FFVII imo was the lowest point in the "evolution" of S/E(oh wait forgot about the XI abortion). Take away the 3D, which in the end is a technology issue, not an innovation in gameplay or story, it brought nothing to the table. I am never one to shy away from being the devil's advocate in my life, but still able to be sucked in to the character's mindset. As queer as Zidane or the Onion Knight ever were, I never had a desire to watch them die at the hands of the grand evil the character is destined to destroy. There is never a moment where i did not wish to see that one winged bastard Sephiroth sink every inch of his comically long katana into Cloud, freeing me of the poison of single dimensional characters this game was flooded with. I was even disgusted when cloud popped up in FF tactics.
VIII was beautiful on so many levels. IX was campy, yet quirky, with nods to many of the early games. Dissidia and Duodecim created a mixed and addictive environment, where the concepts of good and evil, right and wrong, and the frivolity of it all, give depth to this rpg/fighter hybrid. Still the best thing they have put out in some time is the "Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection" on psp.
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I shall condense my post for you plebians.
1) Of course nostalgia plays a huge part in the perception of Final Fantasy as a franchise. The JRPGs of the PS1 era changed the face of video gaming irreversibly, and with how popular FF7/8/9 were, it's no surprise that that's what everyone expects FF to be.
2) Of course Final Fantasy has changed. It has ALWAYS changed. That is the whole point. But since most Westerners don't seem to understand this (unsurprisingly , since probably 99% of them were introduced to FF and JRPGs in general with the melodramatic and shakily translated FF7) is exactly why people bitch about every FF that isn't FF7HD.
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i want the old retro style RPG BACK!
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Every FF game after 8 was downhill. 9 was ok, but the story was horrible. 10 was really the beginning of the decline. Horrible characters, terrible music. Stories feel like their aimed at 13 year old emo kids. No world map. too much of an MMO wannabe feel. I've been saying it for years. They should go back to the line up RPG's of yesterday. Focus on story, character, and music. Forget about the dumb action sequence in fights. I've been saying that square's RPG's have gone way down hill since they merged with Enix... They used to be my favorite game company. I would buy everything they put out from the early 90s on. Now, I might google their new game, but doubt I would ever buy one of their products again...
in summation:
1-8 - brilliant.
9. decent
10-13. I will never play again.
It's a shame too... With quality games like Xenogears and the old FF series, one would expect better products from the company that introduced RPG's to the mainstream world.
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Nice thanks man.
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I am a HUGE FF fan and have been since ff3 snes . I have played all the games except ff5 and xii. I even finished 13 and kinda enjoyed it. But I must say I have been looking for an old school style game like final fantasy 1-7. If that is what you are looking for, try eternal sonata. Also try lost Odyssey and blue dragon which were made by Sakaguchi, the creator of final fantasy. Then there's the xenosaga series, and xeno blade, not to mention the 4 heroes of light or whatever for the ds. There are plenty of old school games out, many by square might I add. You just have to go searching for them.
if you want the most ff like experience in new gen, play lost odyssey. Playing through it I kept thinking this was ff8's successor.
(sorry this isn't more well thought out, I am typing on my touchpad and autocorrect is getting the better of me...)
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I am a HUGE FF fan and have been since ff3 snes . I have played all the games except ff5 and xii. I even finished 13 and kinda enjoyed it. But I must say I have been looking for an old school style game like final fantasy 1-7. If that is what you are looking for, try eternal sonata. Also try lost Odyssey and blue dragon which were made by Sakaguchi, the creator of final fantasy. Then there's the xenosaga series, and xeno blade, not to mention the 4 heroes of light or whatever for the ds. There are plenty of old school games out, many by square might I add. You just have to go searching for them.
if you want the most ff like experience in new gen, play lost odyssey. Playing through it I kept thinking this was ff8's successor.
(sorry this isn't more well thought out, I am typing on my touchpad and autocorrect is getting the better of me...)
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Me too...
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I've tried most of those games, and they don't satisfy me. I hate having to control any character movement. I also hate not being able to tell what each character can do. in FFXIII the "paradigm" system is annoying to me. Just like the "Gambit" system in FFXII. Square's problem is, they are trying to make their standalone RPG's feel like MMO's to satisfy the Asian markets. I understand they are JRPG's but they lost their path somewhere along the way. I blame the merger with Enix.
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then i bet you can't wait for the X remake for ps3/vita *giddy schoolgirl squee*
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