Poll: Has Final Fnatasy seen it's day?

[TN II Alpharius]

This is probably just me, but is the recent Final Fantasy a let down to the series? Don't get me wrong, the cutscenes are stunning and the battle system is fantastic but has the fun of roaming around and finding your own way to the story been removed for a more linear and straight forward way of playing? I personally think that the best Final Fantasy's out there have got to be FF VII and FF VIII with their quirky graphics and summons that blew my mind as a child were the best in the series.

 

[Amnestic]

No.

FF13 is a good additon to the series and anyone who says otherwise is likely blinded by nostalgia.

 

[Gigaguy64]

Nope.
FF just need to improve on the good things that FF13 did and people need to stop whining about the past.

 

[GundamSentinel]

No.

FF13 is a good additon to the series and anyone who says otherwise is likely blinded by nostalgia.

Well said! It is curious how many bash FFXIII when it did just what fans wanted: take the good stuff of the older games and make a great and comprehensive game out of it. I've just started chapter 13 and loving every minute of it. Can't wait for Versus.

 

[roflcopter368]

The irony is, it's always called Final Fantasy, but it's never the Final one.
It's just the start of "bad" FF games. I'm not saying it's bad though.

 

[The Wooster]

While I haven't played even a fraction of the game yet. Thirteen is the only game in the series (With the exception of eleven) not to grab me in the first few minutes. I've heard it gets better around the 4 hour mark but my initial impressions were not good. I wouldn't say I'm blinded my nostalgia either. I'm one of the upopular few that lists ten as their favourite (although I've just realised that final fantasy 10 is now a fucking decade old. Jesus) and thirteen plays a lot like ten apparently. But something about it seems... off.

 

[Space Spoons]

FFXIII is probably going to go down in FF history as the most divisive game in the franchise (possibly dethroning VIII for that particular honor), but I don't think it's a sign that the series is past its prime.

It's the plight of the modern game developer. Deviate too much from what's established, and you're strung up for "forgetting the roots of the series". Stick to the old ways, and you're crucified for "refusing to innovate". There's simply no way to please everyone, especially in an age when news travels fast and the loud and stupid are given soapboxes to stand on.

For what it's worth, I think FFXIII is a great addition to the series. There's a lot of talk about linearity, but come the fuck on, people. Be honest. If you've really played the old Final Fantasy games, you know what towns were really for: Inns and shops. Oh, sure, you might chat with the inhabitants once or twice the first time you arrive, but after that, it's strictly business. The games essentially boil down to a simple cycle: Grind, Inn/Shop, Grind, Inn/Shop, Grind, Dungeon, Boss, repeat. All FFXIII has done is boil that down into one smooth, streamlined process. They've done us a favor.

 

[-Seraph-]

No it surely hasn't, each game is it's own self contained story and world. There is no need to end a series that is only related in name and general themes. You could have easily slapped Final Fantasy onto any other JRPG out there. As long as there are fans, new stories to be told, and interesting new battle mechanics, then the series won't die. Hell maybe we may see a change in name, but it's spirit will always live on, ending a disambiguated series doesn't make any sense financially or franchise wise.

For what it's worth, I think FFXIII is a great addition to the series. There's a lot of talk about linearity, but come the fuck on, people. Be honest. If you've really played the old Final Fantasy games, you know what towns were really for: Inns and shops. Oh, sure, you might chat with the inhabitants once or twice the first time you arrive, but after that, it's strictly business. The games essentially boil down to a simple cycle: Grind, Inn/Shop, Grind, Inn/Shop, Grind, Dungeon, Boss, repeat. All FFXIII has done is boil that down into one smooth, streamlined process. They've done us a favor.

Oh my thoughts exactly. I never understood the complaints about lack of towns and lack of "exploration" Seeing as it was a whole pile of nothing. 13 pretty much stays true to the formula in making the first half pretty linear and the second half more free and...for some reason people still complain or don't realize.

 

[Wounded Melody]

I would like to see a return to true fantasy in FF15, or at the very least steampunk.

 

[dommyuk]

This is probably just me, but is the recent Final Fantasy a let down to the series? Don't get me wrong, the cutscenes are stunning and the battle system is fantastic but has the fun of roaming around and finding your own way to the story been removed for a more linear and straight forward way of playing? I personally think that the best Final Fantasy's out there have got to be FF VII and FF VIII with their quirky graphics and summons that blew my mind as a child were the best in the series.

Finding your own way through the story? You were either progressing through the story how the game wanted you to or running around aimlessly until the game opened up near the end. I though FFXIII was awesome, my only complaints are the lack of the iconic victory theme and the Leona Lewis song. I personally hop that FF continues for many, many more years to come.

 

[TN II Alpharius]

FFXIII is probably going to go down in FF history as the most divisive game in the franchise (possibly dethroning VIII for that particular honor), but I don't think it's a sign that the series is past its prime.

It's the plight of the modern game developer. Deviate too much from what's established, and you're strung up for "forgetting the roots of the series". Stick to the old ways, and you're crucified for "refusing to innovate". There's simply no way to please everyone, especially in an age when news travels fast and the loud and stupid are given soapboxes to stand on.

For what it's worth, I think FFXIII is a great addition to the series. There's a lot of talk about linearity, but come the fuck on, people. Be honest. If you've really played the old Final Fantasy games, you know what towns were really for: Inns and shops. Oh, sure, you might chat with the inhabitants once or twice the first time you arrive, but after that, it's strictly business. The games essentially boil down to a simple cycle: Grind, Inn/Shop, Grind, Inn/Shop, Grind, Dungeon, Boss, repeat. All FFXIII has done is boil that down into one smooth, streamlined process. They've done us a favor.

I completely agree that games development is always in a constant battle with the old ways and the new. Sometimes it's impossible to please both the old nostalgic gamers and the new generations where this would be their FF VII. As to the towns, the towns were integral to the game, It made a portion of the game up where there would be nothing to do. It may have been a laborious process but it made the rewards that little more special. I have no bones with the way the new Final Fantasy has been presented, but I believe that the linearity of it hasn't
made it as exciting as I found VII all those years ago.

 

[irishdude]

well it sold close to 2 million in japan, and am guessing its going to sell 3 million+ in the us and 2 million+ in europe, so no. at least square make each ff game different so people dont get bored of them

 

[darkhawk918]

I don't think FF has completely seen it's day and by jove have I just spent a lot of time on FFXIII but there are quite a few things that they could have done better.

The game is too linear. In this day and age linear is frowned upon with the widespread of sandbox games and it was nice to see a game that is quite linear however, going around towns and talking to people, having a little card game or even blitzball game...little things like these made the FF series for me.

FFXIII, despite it's beauty is just walk, fight, cutscene, walk, fight, cutscene.

The battle system that everybody is raving about is also quite bad. I don't want to just control one character and have the other two on auto-pilot in their roles. The system of roles was designed to make it more tactical and diverse, well there isn't any more diversity than choosing which sort of spell to cast on each character. To top it off, if your main leader character dies, game over. WHHHHHHHAT?!?! Why can't my mates just phoenix down me like I can to them?

The story is a little overcomplicated. Only about half way through the game do you start to understand what you were told at the start, not through unveiling of story but due to the shear WTF factor.

Although, that being said it is still a Final Fantasy game. There is still that glimmer, that insane beauty and that incredible feel to the game. FFX-2 think was the let down, not FFXIII.

Personally, I think it has been too westernised and they need to stop trying to appeal to everybody and appeal to their fanboys because we're the only ones who understand

 

[TheSupremeForce]

13 is making a strong push toward being my favorite Final Fantasy ever, so I would disagree strongly with your premise. The game isn't even more linear than previous games in the series. They simply didn't bother with creating an illusion of options/choices that don't really exist.

 

[Ranorak]

For me FFX-2 and FF12 were the let-downs.
FF13 picked up the fallen crown and conquered back my respect and love for this series.

 

[Thaius]

Final Fantasy XIII is a great addition to the series. Just because it's not exactly like all the other games in the series in no way means it's worse.

Final Fantasy has seen its day. It started long ago, and it has yet to end.

 

[Thaius]

Final Fantasy XIII is a great addition to the series. Just because it's not exactly like all the other games in the series in no way means it's worse.

Final Fantasy has seen its day. It started long ago, and it has yet to end.

 

[LeonLethality]

The irony is, it's always called Final Fantasy, but it's never the Final one.

-sigh- The title comes from the fact that while Square co. was on the verge of bankruptcy Hironobu Sakaguchi was working on a fantasy game and knowing it could be squares last game they called it "Final Fantasy" and they made a sequel using a similar formula so of course it would keep the title, you don't change the title of a game for a sequel.

OT: I enjoyed XIII and while it is not the best in the series (VI or XII holds that place for me) it is definitely a welcome entry.