Poll: "Final Fantasy XV is the last chance I'll give the series"

[shrekfan246]

After that I discovered western Crpgs and never looked back. With the resurgence of the genre in the last decade, I'm really wondering why people don't abandon Final Fantasy.

In your own words:

a very different kind of RPG.

The key here being that "different" also entails "appeals to different people with different things". I, for one, cannot stand most of the D&D-style CRPGs made before ~2005 or so. Knights of the Old Republic is the only exception I've found so far (though Planescape: Torment and Arcanum are pretty close), and that's partly because I grew up with it. While I don't mind the mechanics of Fallout and actually prefer them to the terrible real-time nonsense of Baldur's Gate, I don't really care for post-apocalyptic themes and settings in games. I prefer lush environments with bright visuals; Something JRPGs tend to provide in spades. Which isn't to say CRPGs don't have them, but they tend to go down the grittier, darker paths.

But even beyond that, what's wrong with continuing to enjoy JRPGs even if you like CRPGs? Is it somehow wrong of me to like Dragon Age: Origins and Persona 4: Golden? To run with this to an insanely over-exaggerated degree, at that point where's the line stopping me from saying I hate The Witcher 2 because it's an action-RPG instead of a "pure" CRPG?

 

[Torque2100]

*snip*

I get what you are saying, it's quite possible for for two people to look at the art design of Final Fantasy games, one person thinks it's gorgeous, the other thinks it looks retina-scorchingly garish and stupid. (Giant blue hair antlers?! ARE YOU BLOODY KIDDING ME?!!)

That said, there is an observable decline in the quality of the Final Fantasy series' writing since 6. I actually went back years later and played Final Fantasy 6, and the differences between it and the 7 and later games is striking. Since 8, especially the writing in Final Fantasy games has just seemed really slapdash. There's an extreme reliance on heavily contrived situations, character motivations have become practically nonsensical, and Final Fantasy has developed a real tendency since 8 to just up and break it's own rules in order to make really contrived endings work and offering up no better explanation than "the power of Love and Friendship, blah, blah Heart of the Cards blah." It just seems childish to me.

 

[camazotz]

I have to take each game on its own merits (or flaws). I loved FF VII, VIII and X, did not like IX. Played PSP and Android releases of I, II and III and at least enjoyed them from a historical context. Never got a chance to play XII. Hated XI. Love XIV in the "Reborn" edition. Playing XIII finally and find its not as bad as suggested, but the linearity is just less well disguised than in prior FF titles, which can be problematic. I really would like to see them do XV with lessons learned on design issues from prior titles, though.

 

[lostlambda]

It will have to do a lot to impress me like for one get back to turn based game play or at least something close to XII and get rid of the boring emo characters. The series has fallen pretty far the thing is that I dont think they are even trying to learn from there mistakes. I know that always listening to the game community isn't always the smart thing to do but still.

 

[camazotz]

*snip*

I get what you are saying, it's quite possible for for two people to look at the art design of Final Fantasy games, one person thinks it's gorgeous, the other thinks it looks retina-scorchingly garish and stupid. (Giant blue hair antlers?! ARE YOU BLOODY KIDDING ME?!!)

That said, there is an observable decline in the quality of the Final Fantasy series' writing since 6. I actually went back years later and played Final Fantasy 6, and the differences between it and the 7 and later games is striking. Since 8, especially the writing in Final Fantasy games has just seemed really slapdash. There's an extreme reliance on heavily contrived situations, character motivations have become practically nonsensical, and Final Fantasy has developed a real tendency since 8 to just up and break it's own rules in order to make really contrived endings work and offering up no better explanation than "the power of Love and Friendship, blah, blah Heart of the Cards blah." It just seems childish to me.

What made FF 6 stand out? 4-6 are the only ones I haven't yet played, curious if its worth the time investment...as to what about it makes it so much better (noting that FFVII was the game that taught me how to enjoy JRPGs).

 

[Tiamattt]

I picked "other" since FF15 seems too different from the other FFs to base the future on. I was never a fan of the Kingdom Hearts style of gameplay and they seems to be doing something very similar here, so dare to say I might just skip this FF altogether for that reason. One of the good things about SE is they do try to spice up the FFs with each game so really it's better to judge on a case by case basis anyway.

 

[loc978]

*snip*

I get what you are saying, it's quite possible for for two people to look at the art design of Final Fantasy games, one person thinks it's gorgeous, the other thinks it looks retina-scorchingly garish and stupid. (Giant blue hair antlers?! ARE YOU BLOODY KIDDING ME?!!)

That said, there is an observable decline in the quality of the Final Fantasy series' writing since 6. I actually went back years later and played Final Fantasy 6, and the differences between it and the 7 and later games is striking. Since 8, especially the writing in Final Fantasy games has just seemed really slapdash. There's an extreme reliance on heavily contrived situations, character motivations have become practically nonsensical, and Final Fantasy has developed a real tendency since 8 to just up and break it's own rules in order to make really contrived endings work and offering up no better explanation than "the power of Love and Friendship, blah, blah Heart of the Cards blah." It just seems childish to me.

What made FF 6 stand out? 4-6 are the only ones I haven't yet played, curious if its worth the time investment...as to what about it makes it so much better (noting that FFVII was the game that taught me how to enjoy JRPGs).

6 had a massive (main, playable) cast who, even though they're fairly cardboard characters, wouldn't be out of place in a cheap paperback fantasy novel. The plot is competent... the villains have understandable motivations (eventually. Saying more would be a spoiler), there are nods to geopolitical situations ripped off from Star Wars (original trilogy)... all-in-all, a very competently written game.

4 is up there too. Smaller cast, more focused story, more serious tone.

5... well, its story was fairly slapdash (elements of FF4 and FF1 reworked, but without the coherency of 4)... just acting as a vehicle for the updated FF3 job system they used... probably why it didn't see English localization until it could be considered a classic.

As for me (and for some of you, this will invalidate my opinion), FF10 was the series' last chance in my eyes... and that's where it dug its grave. If 7, 8 and 9 were a downward slide followed by a slight elevation in the shape of a ski jump... 10 was the quarry dug in the place of a landing hill.

 

[Maphysto]

I'm not seeing an "I lost faith in the series after X-2" option.

 

[starslasher]

I have played nearly all the FF games, and I anticipate I'll continue to play future titles, if my current situation maintains equilibrium. I hold a more unorthodox opinion that FFXIII wasn't really as deplorable as lots of people make it out to be, it's an overall good game, but suffers from not living up to its hype, as well as not living up to its standards as an FF game. I reckon if you take out the FF elements (e.g the name Odin, Shiva, etc.) and have it as its own game/series, it would not get as much of the flak that it's been getting. I'm not a fan of the sequels, i finished XIII-2, but have not taken up Lightning Returns. That is up in the air for me, depends on how i feel.

Now, concerning XV, I am trying not to get cynical, and hope that it will be up to the hype. I do think that it will be overall good, and I don't think that it'll affect my opinion on the rest of the series.

 

[balladbird]

*snip*

I get what you are saying, it's quite possible for for two people to look at the art design of Final Fantasy games, one person thinks it's gorgeous, the other thinks it looks retina-scorchingly garish and stupid. (Giant blue hair antlers?! ARE YOU BLOODY KIDDING ME?!!)


That said, there is an observable decline in the quality of the Final Fantasy series' writing since 6. I actually went back years later and played Final Fantasy 6, and the differences between it and the 7 and later games is striking. Since 8, especially the writing in Final Fantasy games has just seemed really slapdash. There's an extreme reliance on heavily contrived situations, character motivations have become practically nonsensical, and Final Fantasy has developed a real tendency since 8 to just up and break it's own rules in order to make really contrived endings work and offering up no better explanation than "the power of Love and Friendship, blah, blah Heart of the Cards blah." It just seems childish to me.

Perhaps the same could be said of all religions... but enough talk, have at thee!

no, but seriously, you're not wrong, it's just that the concepts of JRPG and WRPG have become so insular and confined by their genre that both have developed styles that you either love or loathe. I find the deluge of ultra grimdark medieval fantasy stories, with prose and dialogue that sound like a poor man's imitation of Tolkien, that make up the majority of the western RPG market to be tired and childish, as well.

...WRPGs are just more... childish in the sense of watching a young boy put on his daddy's shoes and try to imitate what he does, imitating the actions without the meaning behind them, whereas JRPGs are childish in their naive worldview and moralizing.

At the end of the day our problems are the same, though. more effort needs to be made to raise the writing bar in video games. XD Well, okay, so no amount of improved writing will change the japanese visual aesthetic... but you get my drift.


On topic, eh... I'm not one of those "this franchise is ruined FOREVER!" types. I'm an even-tiered man, and it takes a lot to anger me. I won't let hype alone be enough to purchase this one on faith, but if positive word of mouth spreads, I'll be happy to buy it not too terribly long after it's release.

 

[00slash00]

I loved the 13 series and I'm optimistic about 15. If there was one time I thought the series was dead to me, it was after playing 12. I just find it amusing that so many people hated 13 largely because of how much it deviated from the Final Fantasy formula, but are optimistic about 15, despite it seemingly deviating even further. Personally, I have no problem with change.

 

[Isra]

I'm pretty sure I'm already done with Final Fantasy. I haven't finished an FF title since 2001. That's almost half my life ago! And it's been even longer since I really loved an FF title. I don't feel -any- hype for them anymore, which I think says something because FF used to be my favorite franchise. Whatever thing FF has become, well, I don't really lament it, I just don't 'get' it. It doesn't click with me. It's like looking at an emo kid; I don't hate him, I just think... why? I just can't imagine what's going on in his head. That's how I feel about the FF devs these days, I can't understand what they're thinking. If I can't relate to these guys anymore, I'm almost 100% positive they'll never make a game that I personally enjoy.

Somewhere along the line, my view of what I wanted in an FF title and Square's vision of FF just stopped overlapping. Now it's a franchise that I lack any interest in, like Halo or Gears of War, because I know just by looking at a 5 minute video that I don't want to play it (frankly I thought their 2013 tech demo looked far more interesting than the FFXV trailer, which to me looked completely ridiculous and definitely not my kind of game at all).

 

[KarmaTheAlligator]

I enjoyed FF XIII and XIII-2 (haven't played Lightning Returns, yet, apart from the demo), and I'm really looking forward to XV. The series is far from being dead or even dying, contrary to the more vocal belief.

 

[RandV80]

I'm a life long JRPG fan, if Square screws up the single player Final Fantasy a 2nd time in a row doesn't mean I won't be interested in their next title. When you're a fan of a genre in general you should pretty much be able to tell if you're going to like something without having to play it. And by all accounts FFXV is looking pretty good right now... though apart from a Wii I've yet to adopt last gen's console, never mind the new one!

 

[chikusho]

Rather, if Final Fantasy XV is good, I might pick up the series again.
The last game I played was FFXII, and that was pretty great until I painted myself into a corner with my character leveling and couldn't progress. I haven't even touched XIII or the online ones, since they seem to be so universally disliked.
But when a game is good, it's good, and that is reason enough to start playing again.

 

[Gizmo1990]

I went with other. There was a time that I would buy anything with the name Final Fantasy on it because I had enjoyed every game in the series at that point. Then I played x-2.

X-2 was very dissapointing but I give it a pass as it gave us the happy ending I wanted X to have (what can I say I like the cliché happy endings, and that new audio drama can fuck right off)

Then I played XII and was extreamly dissapointed. Apart from the visuals I did not like a single thing about that game but I still gave the series a pass because of the past.

Then I played XIII and it broke the FF fan in me. To me that game was so unbelivably bad that I I will no longer buy a Final Fantasy game without reading some reviews (both reviewers and gamers), watching some youtube videos and considering how much I hated the stories of XII and XIII (which was always the thing I loved most about FF games) I might even read what happens on wikipedia.

So I guess my answer is if XV is good then I will pick it up but no game is going to get me to buy a FF game day of release again. I have been burned too many times.

 

[shrekfan246]

I consider Lightning Returns to be a great game, with excellent combat, although your milage may vary on the story, I found it alright, better than XIII for sure.

Are you SimonAJ... ?

(Just joshing, he's an LRR fan who said he thought it was great too, I'm sure more than one person in the world likes the game.)

I'll admit I can't speak with any authority on Lightning Returns because I haven't and don't plan to play it and I've only seen the first ~7 hours or so, but the whole thing seems riddled with bad, weird, and dumb design decisions that would just make it tedious and frustrating for me to play.

I can understand why people would like the new spin on the combat system, but the game does a terrible job of actually incentivizing you to actually use it, because all you gain from the combat is items since they completely removed the EXP system. And despite the complete lack of EXP, meaning you can't grind to get more powerful, they still have that ridiculous Stagger system in the game, meaning they constantly throw sudden massive difficulty spike enemies at you because you're supposed to know how to Stagger them even though the game gives you every reason to avoid combat rather than charge into it. All of the quests you do to gain stats and bonus time on your "End of the World"-o-meter are boring fetch quests given by bland, lifeless NPCs, and all of the actual interesting characters from the rest of the XIII series have been basically reduced to pointless cameos for the sake of Lightning's plot, their importance removed in lieu of shoving more Lightning and Hope in our faces with some of the most unsubtle, insultingly simple dialogue I've ever seen used straight-facedly before ("Time is money", indeed, Lightning Returns).

Which isn't to say I wasn't amused by watching the game. I've thought for a while that I probably would've enjoyed XIII itself much more had I merely watched it rather than played it. But Lightning Returns just seems like it's scraping the bottom of the barrel to me.

...

Sorry, I just can't help myself when it comes to Final Fantasy XIII. It's the one topic where I actually understand all of the people who get enraged about things like Mass Effect or Sonic the Hedgehog or Metal Gear Solid or whatever else.

 

[DarkhoIlow]

I'll play it if they port it to PC..time will tell.

Otherwise, no. I haven't played any FF games since FF X-2 so I can't say that I've lost that much by not playing the XIII ones.

FFXV does look interesting, but I do wonder if Square Enix's stance on the whole article regarding "We are considering bringing future FF games to the PC" will come to fruition or not.

 

[sextus the crazy]

I think I'll stick to the Squaresoft iterations. There's enough of them already, and I'm not to interested in a series that had the creative leads all jump ship ages ago, especially considering how bad XIII (1-3) and initial XIV were.