Burruni
Smash Hero
Damn... 10 years come and gone; and FFXV's finally gonna come.
And... I gotta say, even as a self-proclaimed fan of the series.. I am probably not even gonna buy it.
This's gonna be a long one, so I'll spoiler it.
29 long years this series has been going on.
Started as a... Death Rattle, really, of Square. An attempt to make one last big splash by recreating the charm of Dungeons & Dragons and similar tabletop rpgs in a way new to the world.
The tale of 4 wayward, effectively nameless strangers traveling the world to save the 4 crystals of the world; relics of pure magic for the prime elements. Ultimately leading to a massive twist of time travel to stop Garland and Chaos.
Each subsequent title and boundless spinoffs being their own, effectively self-contained narratives spanning a bunch of different means and countless faces.
But for me... it's gone too far past what I enjoyed.
I understand that after 1-5, they felt too limited in their narrative based on the Crystals. That brought us a more... Steampunk-y than traditional Fantasy world for FF6. Which is held beloved just the same and largely felt like an evolution of the narrative than straying away from it.
Then we go to FF7, the one that truly made the international head turn. One of the single most impactful and legendary games ever. Driving further into this clash of Nature and Industrialism with the entire structure of Mako and the evils done with it.
FF8, an effectively "modern" world with monsters rampant between cities. The SeeD forces to be an organized train army. The manipulation of it all by the Sorceress Who Collapsed Time, Ultimecia.
FF9, released in the twilight of the PS1 and largely overlooked... an attempt to bring back the Fantasy and "childlike wonder" lost in recent titles.
FFX, the game that's just a bad version of Grandia II.
FF11, an MMO I must've clocked aroud a hundred hours in but barely remember a thing.
FF12, a crappy Star Wars parody that soiled the canvas it was painted on; Tactics Advanced's wonderful world of Ivalice.
FF13, proof that Lightning doesn't strike twice trying to capture the Cloud in a Jar that was FF7 for the modern era.
FF14, a first launch so bad they had to publically apologize for and the rebirth has only recently caught up to what FF11 left on, or so I've heard.
So after a crapshow for main titles since, pretty much, the PS2, what does Square-Enix now market for FF15?
A boyband of a party I couldn't care less for with any particular member. A painfully tech-driven society once more. A disappointing "Action RPG" system that almost makes me dry heave. An utter Bimbo female Cid that they've pulled back on by not making her a better character but by respelling her name and writing it off as "Oh My Uncle's the actual Cid." The only other Female we've seen in pre-release being a damn damsel in distress. I could not care less for this game.
I've gone through a MYRIAD of this series's spinoffs; Chocobo Racing and Dungeon, Mystic Quest, the Tactics Games, Record Keeper, World Of Final Fantasy, and Bravely games.
And damn if they don't cap some of the biggest parts of what I've missed in main games.
Fantasy Settings, Likeable Characters (villains included), a world to explore and not just a few set pieces, scenes I can unironically laugh at to bring levity to a grand journey, a drive to play more, turn-based strategic combat.
And y'know, it might be a lil' pandering to say but dammit if FF hasn't given us some of the best girls in gaming! Rydia, Faris, Celes, Aerith, Quistis, Garnet...
Since back when it was "13 Versus" or whatever when we saw that first trailer, even then it was met with little more than "meh" and 10 damn years hasn't changed that.
And... I gotta say, even as a self-proclaimed fan of the series.. I am probably not even gonna buy it.
This's gonna be a long one, so I'll spoiler it.
Started as a... Death Rattle, really, of Square. An attempt to make one last big splash by recreating the charm of Dungeons & Dragons and similar tabletop rpgs in a way new to the world.
The tale of 4 wayward, effectively nameless strangers traveling the world to save the 4 crystals of the world; relics of pure magic for the prime elements. Ultimately leading to a massive twist of time travel to stop Garland and Chaos.
Each subsequent title and boundless spinoffs being their own, effectively self-contained narratives spanning a bunch of different means and countless faces.
But for me... it's gone too far past what I enjoyed.
I understand that after 1-5, they felt too limited in their narrative based on the Crystals. That brought us a more... Steampunk-y than traditional Fantasy world for FF6. Which is held beloved just the same and largely felt like an evolution of the narrative than straying away from it.
Then we go to FF7, the one that truly made the international head turn. One of the single most impactful and legendary games ever. Driving further into this clash of Nature and Industrialism with the entire structure of Mako and the evils done with it.
FF8, an effectively "modern" world with monsters rampant between cities. The SeeD forces to be an organized train army. The manipulation of it all by the Sorceress Who Collapsed Time, Ultimecia.
FF9, released in the twilight of the PS1 and largely overlooked... an attempt to bring back the Fantasy and "childlike wonder" lost in recent titles.
FFX, the game that's just a bad version of Grandia II.
FF11, an MMO I must've clocked aroud a hundred hours in but barely remember a thing.
FF12, a crappy Star Wars parody that soiled the canvas it was painted on; Tactics Advanced's wonderful world of Ivalice.
FF13, proof that Lightning doesn't strike twice trying to capture the Cloud in a Jar that was FF7 for the modern era.
FF14, a first launch so bad they had to publically apologize for and the rebirth has only recently caught up to what FF11 left on, or so I've heard.
So after a crapshow for main titles since, pretty much, the PS2, what does Square-Enix now market for FF15?
A boyband of a party I couldn't care less for with any particular member. A painfully tech-driven society once more. A disappointing "Action RPG" system that almost makes me dry heave. An utter Bimbo female Cid that they've pulled back on by not making her a better character but by respelling her name and writing it off as "Oh My Uncle's the actual Cid." The only other Female we've seen in pre-release being a damn damsel in distress. I could not care less for this game.
I've gone through a MYRIAD of this series's spinoffs; Chocobo Racing and Dungeon, Mystic Quest, the Tactics Games, Record Keeper, World Of Final Fantasy, and Bravely games.
And damn if they don't cap some of the biggest parts of what I've missed in main games.
Fantasy Settings, Likeable Characters (villains included), a world to explore and not just a few set pieces, scenes I can unironically laugh at to bring levity to a grand journey, a drive to play more, turn-based strategic combat.
And y'know, it might be a lil' pandering to say but dammit if FF hasn't given us some of the best girls in gaming! Rydia, Faris, Celes, Aerith, Quistis, Garnet...
Since back when it was "13 Versus" or whatever when we saw that first trailer, even then it was met with little more than "meh" and 10 damn years hasn't changed that.