People who have played Final Fantasy since its 2D era and up to the newest instalments or those who started recently but sought to play the older ones either through remakes or emulators (or actually found the originals) must surely understand/feel where the true soul of the series lies. Seeing how many fans and gamers in general say - I don�t like this FF because it�s not like the previous FF, this FF doesn�t have what others had, the 2D era was better than the PSX era or the Square era was better than the Square-Enix one � things like that are what initiated the spark for this thread.

My question is whatever opinion everyone has, have they ever questioned whether what they believe is what it truly is? I initially believed that it�s the plot and characters (characterization basically) that made FF the great games they are. I still believe it but have come to realize that a plot can be good and hold an FF game together without the twists or relying on tested recipes from the past. And characters don�t have to be tragic or extra cool to make the player be emotionally attached to them or care for them (although to confess my sin I love cool and tragic characters - especially when they�re both).

Now I believe that the true spirit of the series and regardless of whether they�ve managed to follow it or even make it true in the first place lies within the title of the topic. Not �straying from the roots� as in abandoning the standards of the FF franchise to make more commercial success and profit but rather �straying from the roots� as in continue to challenge itself by creating something totally different each time. Since the characters and worlds are different each time what I mean is that game mechanics should also change. For example all PSX FF rely on the same mechanics with little variations. FFX was quite different from the PSX era but after playing the first FFs I would say that 10�s system was the improvement of FF1�s system. I consider FFX�s system the absolute turn based system ever but rather conservative for the time it was released. And then you have FFXII where it really represents the title of the thread and being full of innovations (innovations for a FF game) and at least half of the fans started complaining (including myself - at first). And instead of embracing those changes and accomplishments they prefer to deny its existence. Why? Why can�t you quit this fanboism and see beyond that? FF is doing what it should have done from the first place. And that is changing, evolving. I can�t say which one will be your favourite in the series but don�t shut your eyes in anything new. For example if FFXIII is less turn based than the previous installments or even totally action-rpg, does that mean that it�s not a FF? Is being turn based or the same with older titles really where a FF soul lies?

I apologise for the very long post and welcome your opinions.

Aleluyah

I think it's part of the change, players keep atached to previous titles or formulas. The games are so different one from another that sometimes players get jealous over their old favourites, I was like that too.

Still, FF should keep changing and innovating, it would be tedious having new titles wich are the same, that's what remakes are for; new titles should be that: New, fresh.

I agree that the series should be new and fresh but still I don't think that Square Enix should stray too far from what made their flagship series so successful. Don't me wrong, I enjoy the Playstation era FF games and even the sequels can be tolerable but I want them to create new exciting characters instead of characters who are basically had tragic pasts or no memory of their pasts because of this I am emo character trope.

I love every single Final Fantasy game out right now. I love all the new fighting techniques or whatever that Square-Enix has thrown at us because to me, that's what makes Final Fantasy Final Fantasy. It's not just that, it's the story lines. And while I'll admit some are indeed better then the others, I love them all. I know IV has that romantic charm about it that goes on between Cecil and Rosa, and I guess that is why it's my favorite. Final Fantasy VII sort of had it, but not for long, as Aerith died by Sephiroth's hand. Anyway. I don't think that Final Fantasy is straying that far from it's roots. The only complaint I have about it is, it's become too scientificy. You got the airship in I. And in VI you got the whole Magitek thing going on. Oh, and Espers too. The Espers were kinda cool. X and X-2 had Machina, which, even though they were part of the story, I feel could've been left out in some way or another. I just wish Square-Enix would go back to it's roots completely and not make it all machina heavy.

I think FF had enough medieval settings. I mean from FF1 to FF5 that�s what it was. And then you have FF6 which had a medieval/sci-fi setting, FF7 and FF8 that had a fantasy/sci-fi setting and the rest from FF9 up to FF12 that were basically fantasy worlds with some sci-fi elements here and there. And since I believe that the sci-fi setting and elements in FF6 were overshadowed by the medieval setting the only ones that are left where sci-fi was more explored was FF7 and FF8 but still balanced with the fantasy setting. As for FF13, from what we�ve seen in trailers, it�s gonna be set too in a fantasy/sci-fi world so the only one that may be totally sci-fi seems to be FF Versus 13. I don�t know about others but I personally like that blending. Still I�ve always wondered how a FF would be with a let�s say post apocalyptic setting or a dark one.

Final Fantasy 13 is also bringing back the whole crystals thing and I hope they execute the crystals concept for this game in a unique way. Does anyone with Uematsu that FF games post Sakaguchi should not be made or is is just his opinion because after FFXI and FFXII deal, it seems like Uematsu may have a point. Also, is the series actually going down the tubes or can it still compete with the other games in the market?

Does anyone with Uematsu that FF games post Sakaguchi should not be made or is is just his opinion because after FFXI and FFXII deal, it seems like Uematsu may have a point. Also, is the series actually going down the tubes or can it still compete with the other games in the market?

You forgot a word.

Uematsu said something like that? Cause even if he did it's hard to believe that he actually meant it. I mean he DID work in some games where Sakaguchi had the position of the Executive Producer but was not so much involved in the actual projects. Anyway, I personally don't agree. I didn't even want to hear about it when it was announced but now I think it's better that Sakaguchi left Square. Looking back you can see that Sakaguchi was a man of vision. When most if not all games (referring to jRPGs) had nameless characters and silly plots he brought characterization and great and emotional plots into the picture. The problem is that years have passed and while he introduced new things to games then he stayed there and didn't move forward. Today decent or above decent characterization and a good plot are mostly things taken for granted. Sakaguchi doesn't seem to be someone who will look beyond that while still serving his old qualities. So that's why I think it's good that he left. What FF really needs is people with vision. While even without that the main series will still be of a good quality but even just for the sake of progressing it really needs someone to push it forward somehow.

FFXI was mostly destined for people who wanted/want to play online. I don't know if the game is good or bad. For FFXII I've seen from other posts that even the sharper ones here bash it (of course I'm also glad for the people that can see its merits). Mostly because they only focus on the aspects where it failed. I can see its flaws (its actual flaws) but I believe that for whatever it managed to do right it's a great game. FFXII is one of the best examples that FF and jRPGs in general do try to evolve. One may consider them baby steps but from FFX to FFXII there's a great difference.

Is that so? Well, I hope that Square Enix could find that man of vision who can not only utilize the advanced capabilites of new hardware but also can give us a great story, original characters, impressive graphics, solid game design and the same movie like quality that I can only from a company like Square Enix. They still create rather impressive games today but the FF series was the series I hope they will continue to innovate and evolve.