DLPB
Banned Flunky
- AKA
- Seifer Almasy, DanielReturns
I mean, let's be honest, I wouldn't spend this much time on any other series, and certainly not enough to warrant signing up at a forum and creating mods. So why then, did I come to love Final Fantasy, and why has that love turned to frustration and despair?
To answer this question, I will first need to explain a bit about my history with the series. Until the era of the Playstation, games to me had been mainly Platformers. I saw games as Sonic and Mario. Yeah I'd played a few games that bucked the formula, but RPG simply didn't exist in my world.
I first started playing games in the late 80's; my first console was the Atari 2600 and I knew from that point on that I had a close affinity with computer games. When I finally got a NES, I was stunned by the jump in quality from the Atari games, and how fun and long the new games were in comparison. I would come home every day from school and obsessively beat a given game. I remember vividly spending insane amounts of time defeating Mario 1, going through the game multiple times, until defeating the game was more down to procedural memory than it was skill.
These games are still great today. Sure, the graphics are dated but they are still playable and fun. You can see the effort placed into these games; I still rank Mario 3 as one of the greatest games of all time. It didn't need 720p or any p to be great. It just needed solid game play and some catchy music. It didn't even need a story. Games from this era are an example of pure game play.
I am trying not to get to the crux of my argument before time, but already you know where I am going with this post. It is too obvious. Even so, there is more going on here and a need to explain WHY things are now the way they are.
So, my line to the Playstation era was Atari2600 > NES > Megadrive > Playstation. I sadly did not own a SNES, being from a poorer background I could not afford both SNES and Megadrive so I had to choose. I think my mates Master System was the reason I ended up going for Megadrive... as much as I liked Mario, there was something new and exciting about the Sonic series... so maybe that's why. I don't know... but I don't regret the decision. I think Megadrive had far more going for it game wise.
One game I did miss out on of course was Final Fantasy VI. Although I feel today it is over rated, there is no doubt in my mind that for the time, it was leaps and bounds above most games. Definitely, I'd have ended up being a fanatic of that game had I not started with Final Fantasy VII, which raised the bar completely.
Final Fantasy VI is still a great game, and a game that holds true to the classic Final Fantasy formula. Graphics that are equal to if not pushing the system at times, a story based journey, great game play and music, good pacing and Replayability. I think this is the first Final Fantasy that really cemented the series into what would be a great run, lasting up until Final Fantasy X-2. That is April 1994 - March 2003. A whole decade of greatness.
So the point is- I did not know about RPG or Final Fantasy until December 22nd, 1997. The only reason I chose it (it was bought for me by a nice relative) was because it had a good cover and had 3 discs. I thought "3 discs = longer game", well... I was right. There was no deeper meaning to it than that. In fact, I didn't read reviews, I just wasn't that way inclined back then. I got the game at the same time as the console so it was my first Playstation game too.
Well, I get it home... and you can imagine my surprise. I had just come from the Megadrive era... I load the game to be presented with a cinematic opening sequence that just blew me away. I had never imagined it was even possible. But even then, graphics did not entice me enough to make me believe that Final Fantasy VII would be any good. I remember being sceptical, especially about the random based encounters (I skipped so many by escaping that I couldn't beat Materia Keeper when I got there haha).
But somewhere along the line, it dawned on me that this game was the greatest I had ever played. It was better than any Platformer... the story was great, the music was great, the game play was great... hell it even came with 2d mini-games! I had never seen anything like it. It had me hooked for months. I am not a believer in game guides, so 99% of things, I found out on my own and that was satisfying... every day was a new discovery and THAT is what makes games last. It could be a new item... a new weapon... a new cut scene... a new super boss... a secret Materia cave. These are the things that make me want to live. ;D
When Final Fantasy VIII came out, it was a preorder. I had never preordered a game before and I was not to be disappointed. The game lived up to the same general quality as Final Fantasy VII. It was no fluke. I had finally found my gaming utopia. Final Fantasy IX was great, Final Fantasy X was great. We had already transferred to the next generation console... it really did seem to me that Final Fantasy could not put a foot wrong. It never entered my mind that a main release could EVER be lacking, or something I would not like.
That changed with Final Fantasy X-2. You can't blame me really... I had been spoiled. In the time from Final Fantasy VII to Final Fantasy X, I had also played and completed VI... Final Fantasy was invincible. So I preordered Final Fantasy X-2- not a shred of doubt in my naive mind that this was gonna be good! I didn't even research it... I had pushed and deluded myself into believing this game HAD to be great... even when I saw the gun toting slag on the front cover (It sure wasn’t Yuna). I turned it on in wild anticipation... the same I had done with all the others... and...
What the f*ck!? What the f*ck is this? My jaw nearly left my upper skull. I didn't say or do anything, I just stared with amazement at this joke of an opening... and then I realised the story was gonna follow suit. But maybe it wouldn't? I played 2 hours. It went back in the box never to be played again (actually I blew it up with an aerosol, some weeks later). I talked myself into believing that it was a blip... everyone makes 1 mistake, yeah? And this was a sequel... so...
When Final Fantasy XII came out, like a true idiot-fanboy (which I was), I went out there and preordered that too without doing a shred of research (again). The game seemed like it was going to be just as good as the other entries to the series that I had grown to love, but when I reached the end of the game, I couldn't believe how lacking the whole thing had been. From the brainless battle system through to the 1 line wonder characters. It was Final Fantasy in name only. This was the first time I started reading reviews and took my head out of my arsehole. What did I find? Glorious reviews generally. I kept seeing "The story is deep!", "Wow so new, the political story is so intriguing", "The new battle system really does away with the old tired model..." , "This game is an inspiration! Truly the greatest Final Fantasy!" "A revolution is upon us"... Absolute bollocks. Anyone who thinks that about Final Fantasy XII is either stupid or brain damaged. Mixed in with these fanboy 10 ratings, I saw a few 5-7's which actually had the game to a tee. They called the game good but they made sure you knew that if you were expecting Final Fantasy VI-X quality, you were going to be disappointed.
I racked my brain for days, wondering how anyone could conclude XII was a masterpiece. So after Final Fantasy XII, I started thinking about possible reasons for the series seemingly going downhill. It couldn't be the new generation console, because Final Fantasy X is a masterpiece. I blamed the Enix merger for a long time. Then I thought maybe it was because the team that worked on XII was not the usual team...
But no. Any illusions I had that that was the real reason were shattered by more obvious money making spin offs. Final Fantasy XIII put the nail into the coffin for me. There are a few reasons why Final Fantasy has taken a spiral downwards... and I will discuss them now. As I see it, there was a trigger....
1. Sakaguchi's disastrous Spirits Within which was a massive box-office bomb. I think it would be fair to say that Square as a company needed a lot more money and that the games afterwards took a turn for the worst due to that need for money. The Enix merger, as far as I am aware, was necessary too given the company was in a financial nightmare. So perhaps it could even be said that the Enix merger has become the convenient scapegoat? I am not sure, but I personally think it did have an effect even if you take away Spirits Within.
2. Sakaguchi leaving. I am not sure really what effect this had... if any. I can't be sure. A lot of things happened in the time from Final Fantasy X to Final Fantasy X-2 to be sure of 1 main fault... but I think it would be silly to dismiss this as inconsequential. The guy was the father of Final Fantasy and must have had some input, especially guidance. Final Fantasy was his baby, and he wouldn't want to see it become a cash cow.
3. The merger. Again, as I said, perhaps this is too convenient an excuse but there can be no doubt that the games after the merger are less in quality and more driven to make a quick buck. And quantity also increased: http://www.metacritic.com/feature/how-does-final-fantasy-13-compare?page_comment=6 see the graph.
Now, it could be that number 1 was the real reason, and that everything else ended up that way because of that craving for cash... but I think the real turning point is the fact that people have bought into the Final Fantasy name. Whereas I was open minded enough to jump off the train when I realised the games were never going to get better, others have continued to buy Final Fantasy. It has sent the company a clear message that they can do as they please. Nothing would possess me to buy Final Fantasy XIII. After extensively reviewing it, the only good thing I can say about it (in terms of comparing to VI-X) is it has better graphics. That is it. XIII has awakened more people from their fanboy stupor, as many more gave this game a negative reaction in reviews, but it still hasn't sunk in with some (http://gematsu.com/2011/09/square-e...in-renews-final-fantasy-versus-xiii-trademark the people here must have a collective IQ of around 10, same here: http://thelifestream.net/forums/showthread.php?t=6458&page=186).
Final Fantasy continues to sell enough that Senix are making a large profit, and if they can do that by pumping out spin offs, graphic fests or remakes, they will (provided the remakes are easy to make of course, like the so-called HD version of Final Fantasy X). Simply put, they are not only getting enough sales from the fps generation of gamers, they are getting support from fans of the series who should have cast them aside after Final Fantasy XII, like I did. They don't. You cannot blame Senix for continuing to laugh in people’s faces when they are doing as they please with no repercussions. They know that Final Fantasy XIII was negatively received compared to the other games, they have even made statements that the western gamers "don't get it." But we do get it- they don’t care.
I understand all too well that the games are getting worse. I know this to be true when I see mini-games disappearing, towns disappearing, exploration disappearing, a literal gauntlet play through, quantity of things to do disappearing, dialogue becoming verbose and ridiculous, character development becoming amateurish, story becoming convoluted and nonsensical. I can see these things, I can demonstrate these things. They are not my imagination. One of the most laughable things I have seen people doing is making an excuse for Final Fantasy XIII by way of "Oh well, I didn’t really like towns." "Oh well, I didn't really care for NPC", "Well, I didn't even play mini-games". Am I the only person who realises how useless that argument is, and how stupid it sounds? Senix are turning an RPG series into a dumbed down shooter-type. The player is becoming an inconvenience to their graphic masturbations and they are selling out the same fanbase that got them to where they are in the first place.
And it isn't just Final Fantasy that has this problem. Resident Evil, Command and Conquer and Metal Gear Solid, have all gone worse in recent years. They are all about dazzling the audience with graphics, and to hell with quality game-play or decent pacing. Who cares, right? It sells. I despair the number of people who have been sucked into this, and buy these games on the back of nostalgia... you are deluding yourselves like a religous fanatic would his religion. Nothing changes when you vote for the same political party and nothing changes when you continue to buy a game on the back of graphics, hype, fanboyism or nostalgia.
I know there are a number of people out there who genuinely like Final Fantasy XII, XIII, MGS4, Resident Evil 4 and 5. Like them all you want, but they are shallow compared to what went before. They are lacking in the very things that MADE them what they are. When you tear out engaging puzzles, real suspense and a haunting soundtrack from Resident Evil, it isn't Resident Evil. When you make your game a heap of nostalgia with 100 lengthy cut scenes, the worst pacing of all time, rip out all the fun sneaking aspects, and make it a near first person shooter, it is no longer Metal Gear Solid. When you sacrifice tactic and brainpower for graphics and explosions, it is no longer Command and Conquer and when you f*cking well rip out what makes a jRPG a jRPG, it is no longer what I fell in love with.
Like these "new" games all you want, but don't tell me I should accept it, see it as normal, or god forbid, see it as an "innovation". It isn't. It is just a simple, easy way for them to make money, and your enjoyment comes second. Now, the usual response to this is to point out that all companies care about money and whilst that is true, there used to be a decent balance. There used to be a striving for creativity and quality. That balance has firmly shifted to the money side, and it is as plain as a pair of tits.
The fan inaction may be the main reason for the demise of the games I once loved, but it isn't the only reason. I have realised that the next generation consoles themselves have had a huge effect on this issue. Once upon a time, graphics could be a talking point, but not usually a game seller. The medium the games came on, and the power of the system itself, restricted what could and could not be done. Final Fantasy came on 3 CD's because of the FMV. Those FMV had to be carefully chosen at the correct places, and the game had to have more going on than just FMV's... the graphics could not carry the game, they could only enhance it. Likewise, a DVD did not allow them to do as they pleased with Final Fantasy X.
But then we get 50GB Blu-Ray and cell processors. Now you have a company that can almost do as it pleases... amazing sequences can be so frequent that they don't have to think as much about design. The term here is 'Art from adversity' and this is lacking in today's games. A company has to have responsibility when they are given that much freedom... it isn't as easy as you think. It takes a person to realise that sometimes, more is less... and most people don't get that. Hideo Kojima certainly doesn't.... he thinks that when you have a 50GB Blu-ray disc it is a really just a challenge to see how much of it you can fill up, even if the end user has to then spend half the time installing acts because the game design is retarded. Obviously didn't think MGS4 through at all. Give them a 50GB Blu-ray disc and watch as they try to fill it. Pathetic.
Then we come to the "professional reviewers". When I saw that Metal Gear Solid 4 and Final Fantasy XII had gained so much praise, I naturally wanted to know why the "professional reviewers" seemingly missed massive, glaring issues with the games. Frequently I see a tactic of completely ignoring the story in a story based game, or filling up the space with verbose waffle. The only conclusion I can make is that either these companies too, are infested with fanboys, or they are scared of a negative backlash or they are in the pocket of big business. Probably all 3. What reviewer can gloss over the story like it doesn't matter to an RPG? What reviewer can give a game 40/40 or 10/10 when there is so much wrong with it? Very few games are "10/10" but most of these "experts" don't have the balls to mention any of the issues, and the fanbase parrot along nodding. It seems that graphics and name will get you far even with the "professionals" same as anyone else. Just slap in graphics, call it Final Fantasy and watch it sell like Hot Cakes. No don't bother giving me a full impartial break down of how you arrived at those insane scores, just crap out verbose waffle about graphics, innovation, style and presentation.
Those are what I see as the main reasons for the demise of Final Fantasy and other game series'. The phrase now is "Quick buck, don't give a f*ck." Final Fantasy has become a victim of its own success.
DLPB
originally
http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=12677.0
Since writing this I have had to concede that there are more reasons for where games are going these days and the latest post there is correct that gaming has gone mainstream. It is now possible to cater to the lowest common denominator. Still, as I see it, intelligent gaming is being sacrificed simply for profit, and it is people like me that are being kicked in the teeth. I have been going back to PS1 and 2 games recently to rekindle my passion, as I get no satisfaction from brainless shoot em ups or cash-in spin offs...
I remember being stuck in my bedroom glued to a new game release, now all I can do is go back to older games. I can appreciate some people don't mind mediocrity and are easily entertained, but I am not one of those people, and I won't shell out big money for a game unless it is a very good game.
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I tried mail, it didn't really work. I don't mind sacrificing some dignity for the job at hand.
