SquareEnix: Why Final Fantasy Needs a Reboot!

[siliconmessiah]

This might come down as a TLDR-post. But `ll go with it anyway. As a 30 year old gamer, I may say that I´ve seen some generations pass by. My first console was a NES, but it wasn´t until 1997 and the release of Final Fantasy 7 that I realized that videogames are not just simple videogames. It´s a companion, a hobby and culture in the magnitude of books or movies.

But something happened along the way as I grew older. Final Fantasy 8 came out, and it wasn´t even interesting. I chose Alundra and the Resident Evil-series instead. But then Final Fantasy 9 was released. I played it for hundreds of hours, convinced that FF8 was just a temporary dip.

Then...I bought a PS2 and Final Fantasy 10. I played for 2-3 hours until I realized that it had the same flaws as FF8. Then, Final Fantasy 11 came out, as some form of MMORG, unaccessible and weird. Someone tried to steer Final Fantasy 12 in the right direction, but well....we all know what happened in Final Fantasy 13.

What I want to know is if Square-Enix even considers a reboot of the Final Fantasy-series to its roots. To back when fantasy mattered, freedom, roleplaying and the amazing stories. I don´t know if I just grew old along the way, or if the quality of the games truly did go down the drain?

What are your take on the FF-series?

 

[emigre]

Personally I prefer it if SQUARE committed seppuku in light of their astonishing level of mediocrity over the decades.

 

[DiscostewSM]

I recently did a full solo clear of the original Final Fantasy on NES with only a Fighter/Knight. Now I'm doing the same thing, but with a WhiteMage/WhiteWizard.

I won't even attempt to touch FFX and FFXII again.

 

[Ryupower]

i would like to see them do a new classic FF, with, ATB, turn based battles, like the classic FF games are

the new stuff is ok, but the classic battle systems work well

 

[weavile001]

a 3d remake of FF1 would be epic

 

[siliconmessiah]

I won't even attempt to touch FFX and FFXII again.

Although, I want to state a big difference between those games.
I felt that FFXII was someone in the creation team trying to going back to the roots. But at the same time, it felt like 100 persons were dragging the team in the "wrong" direction.

FFXII is a much better game than FFX in many ways.
But it was released when people had started to buy PS3 and XBOX360.
If FFXII had been released as a 360/PS3 launch-title, things had been better for the series.

 

[emigre]

FFXII did nothing but illustrate the franchise had an identity crisis. And considering the Final Fantasy series is for the most part rather average, I think that says a lot.

 

[siliconmessiah]

FFXII did nothing but illustrate the franchise had an identity crisis. And considering the Final Fantasy series is for the most part rather average, I think that says a lot.

I think the identity crisis really got visual with FF8(bad game)/FFIX(good game)/FFX(bad game)

 

[Gahars]

I don't think Final Fantasy needs a "reboot" - just starting the counter back at one won't change anything.

Honestly, they need some new talent behind the wheels. Perhaps they should look outward as well; considering how RPGs from the West have been thriving, that could be a great source of inspiration. See what works for those games and incorporate those elements in a way that makes sense. Focusing on creating sensible, coherent storylines wouldn't hurt, either. They should also remember that experimentation is the best weapon against stagnation.

I would like to see a resurgent SE, one that actually produces great, worthwile games again. If they do this, it'll be hip to be Square once more.

 

[Lube_Skyballer]

i would like to see them do a new classic FF, with, ATB, turn based battles, like the classic FF games are

Square Enix did this. It''s called Final Fantasy Dimensions.
It has ATB, 2D sprites everything. One thing, IT'S FOR FUCKING IOS

 

[Foxi4]

Many people think that by making Final Fantasy games like in the olden days, Square-Enix would magically improve, but truth to be told, that's just nostalgia. The old Final Fantasies are just not up-to-scratch for today's standards:

1. Get a party
2. Ride temples
3. Fight bosses in temples
4. Get crystals
5. When you've collected all the crystals, fight the end boss
6. The End. When in doubt, grind in-between of steps

That's far too simple for a "proper" RPG these days, and Square-Enix knows this. Besides, they have released games like this - Final Fantast: The 4 Heroes of Light, anyone? Thing is, those RPG's have an aura of staleness surrounding them. Back in the day, you made games that way because you couldn't do anything else. Nowadays, RPG's and JRPG's are spectacles and they need to focus on storytelling and character development, and the latest Final Fantasies lack at both.

 

[FAST6191]

When I hear reboot I am not immediately turned away but I do usually jump to "new characters, new mechanics, new concepts" and though I can not say Square Enix's attempts at it have been successful I would certainly argue that they have tried to mix things up a bit (give or take every story largely being a world in peril/Gaea as understood from a reader's digest article rehash with a magical girl somewhere in the mix) and far more so than many other franchises on any medium.

Following on from that I think I will adopt the "old yeller" approach and there are plenty of things ready to take the place of it (my usual selection of eternal sonata, resonance of fate and MagnaCarta 2 being trotted out as a handful of examples).

 

[siliconmessiah]

they need to focus on storytelling and character development, and the latest Final Fantasies lack at both.

I agree with you. This might be the core problem. FFVII and FFIX had amazing story telling!

 

[chyyran]

A reboot will do nothing for Final Fantasy, since it's not just one continuous story. It would just cause confusion. They have a chance to start again with FFXV. Not a reboot, but a new storyline. If they can make FFXV a work of art, then that would be amazing.

 

[Elrinth]

Thank you Foxi4 for finally mentioning that they have indeed made a "reboot" of the game series.
I've enjoyed it for a bit, but I forgot where I was, so suddenly it's not so easy to make any progress. Basically, I'll have to try everything possible until I get further

No love for Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles? IMO that game had great potential. Too bad they screwed it up with simple controls, simple spell system, simple everything. But the graphics and environments were all top notch.

Anyways, my fav FFs are 6 and 7. I really liked 9 but I still haven't gotten to play thru it (CD2 was broken back when I was playing it)

I just hope for Versus to be a good game.

Didn't enjoy playing too much on my PSP, so I never got to enjoy Crisis Core enough.

 

[Deleted-236924]

Personally I prefer it if SQUARE committed seppuku in light of their astonishing level of mediocrity over the decades.

Lol that's funny, because yesterday, someone I know wanted to say "I committed seppuku", but said "I committed sudoku" instead.

 

[xist]

FFXII was an amazing path for the games to go down, improving the gaming experience immeasurably. If the story had been a little more developed, the characters a bit more fleshed out and the audio less compressed it'd have been nigh on a perfect experience. It certainly ranks amongst the best of the FF's and is certainly the best FF on the PS2.

VIII was also a great change for the series, and in my opinion immeasurably better than IX, with it's ability to do away with random encounters entirely very early on and the fully realised game world. The story itself, despite being a tad insane, had a much more serious tone which had enabled it to take on a darker aspect. Everyone knows i also think X-2 was better than X as an actual gaming experience (i bang on enough about it)

The point i'm trying to make is that you might hate certain aspects of FF games, but others won't. Whilst more recent FF's have lost the plot somewhat, this is only a symptom of this generation. Prior to that FF was fine. The cost of development and lack of focus needs addressing....in my mind if FF took some of what made Atlus's P3 and P4 good and mixed in elements of XII then they'd have a winner.

 

[GamerzHell9137]

FF X>FF VII

 

[xist]

FF X>FF VII

Making a comment you know will be inflammatory without any reasoning is verging on just being trolling.

 

[GamerzHell9137]

Making a comment you know will be inflammatory without any reasoning is verging on just being trolling.