What do you think about Final Fantasy?

[Wyverian]

Its my belief that since 8 it has gone down hill with a sharp jerk up on 11 and back down again. I find the first 8 and 11 to be great but 9, 10, 10-2, and 12 to be a waste of bloody time.

[Alastor]

Wyveian, I understand where you're coming from if you started with FFVII, but most agree that FFIX is really how a Final Fantasy game should be, it's a classic. I think you have to ignore the whole deformed-character-style they have because it's all good fun. More equipment allows for more diversity in FFIX, different character combinations, no dull aspects of gameplay (Draw? Who came up with this? He or she should die!) and the story and music is really great (the story has similarities to FFVI, which is pretty cool).

I think FF started going downhill basically when Sakaguchi stepped down as a Producer. While this allowed them to reinvent themselves, they've really lost track of what the vision of Final Fantasy is.

I mean, in all honesty, wtf was FFXII's story about? It was politics here and there again and your characters were shallow as HELL.

[Prizm]

Could never get into FF. I played IV, V, and VI back in the day, and I never finished them. I couldn't care about the characters, and the plots were just plain boring. Crystals this, crystals that, airships, save the world yet again blah blah. I played 7 for a week or so, and that too just wasn't interesting.

The series is just fanboy fodder now. Like Megaman.

[Alastor]

Excuse me but umm.. what're you talking about, Tenchu? :P

Square is milking Final Fantasy. I mean, they're just doing remakes, spin-offs and whatever. Why the hell is Nomura and Kitase working with shit like Dirge of Cerberus and Crisis Core when they should focus on XIII? YES, they did work with DoC and CC, although Kitase was only the producer of DoC.

I would much rather they started making different games, but in the end, all Square can do is Final Fantasy (possibly Kingdom Heart as well) and that really shows that their game designers are lacking in creativity.

Also, I can tell that you're a very isolated gamer yourself, having a rather limited view of what games to play. You say you like FF? Try playing different RPG's like Grandia or the Shin Megami Tensei games. I find Grandia III to be an excellent game. You like Resident Evil? Why haven't you played Parasite Eve II? What about Silent Hill and Project Zero? Try Uncharted if you like Tomb Raider.

If you don't appreciate FFIX, it's because you don't know the roots. The nostalgia feeing you get from playing FFIX is just really overwhelming, as you see bits and pieces form all previous FF games.

[Alastor]

Selling the most doesn't mean it's the best. 2 titles isn't anything to flaunt with. Especially considering that one is Final Fantasy, and the other is Final Fantasy + Disney.

I mean, you're allowed to like FF, I'm not saying your opinion is wrong, but you really have missed lots of other great titles. I recommend you try out at least one of these games:

PS1:

Parasite Eve II
Adventures of Alundra
Metal Gear Solid
Silent Hill


PS2:

Project Zero/Fatal Frame
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Okami
Devil May Cry
Onimusha: Warlords
Grandia III
Silent Hill 4: The Room


Grandia III especially since you like FF. It was made by Square-Enix. And since you also dig Resident Evil, try the first or latest Silent Hill.


EDIT: To clarify, I don't really play much at all, haven't done so the past 2 years or so. I'm a very picky gamer myself, and since I want to be a game designer, that makes me all the more picky. If I sit down and play a game and see too many flaws in game design, I immediately get turned on. It takes a lot to impress meas I don't have time to play a bunch of games, either. So, as a fellow picky gamer, heed my advice and try either of those games. Personally, I'm looking forward to FFXIII because it seems to have interesting and involving gameplay.

[Alastor]

My friend finished this Mario game very quickly omg it's lame because of that? Yes it must be, despite the fact that it's MArio Galaxy, crowned the best damned game ever made.

I post regularly at one of the oldest FF sites, and the general consensus there is that Final Fantasy is a good franchise, they're good games but they're not OMG SO AMAZING THEY'RE THE BEST. Most of their opinions differ from mine, but no one there really absolutely oves playing them, they like FF for other reasons. I don't listen to fanboys either because they're blinded by love for their games. I was like that with Devil May Cry too, but then I opened my eyes.

Also, you said you know the games and don't like them? You haven't tried either Silent Hill I suggested. I'm very certain you haven't tried Alundra or Okami. Ever given Project Zero a genuine shot?

I think you're one of those gamers who only play games you're familiar with, and refuse to try out a game with a title you're unfamilir with. So let's just leave it at that, because I really won't be arguing with you anymore about this. You have your opinion, I have mine.


Now, as for game designer... ahh, no. Take a look at Massive Entertainment, where I want to work. Applying for game designer, among a few other things, only require 3 years worth of experience. I don't want to work at Square-Enix or Capcom or Konami or any other hot shot Japanese game company.

[Genkaku]

Overrated.

[animelover32]

Originally Posted by Alastor

I never liked the first five Final Fantasies, but Final Fantasy VI is really a masterpiece. IF that game gets redone and released on DS, PSP or PS3, I am SO going to buy it. I can't replay it simply due to graphics because I already have beaten the game and so I need a better experience actually playing the game.

You really need to play Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy IX. The latter is basically what Final Fantasy really is, and after that, Final Fantasy has never been the same. Really.

I've been dying to play both of those. I'm a fan of all the other VII things they've made now i just need to play the game that started them all. Hopefully, this summer, my friend is going to be coming over where I live and he'll let me borrow both of them. It took me forever to pursuade him to let me borrow VII.

[LittleFallenAngel]

i loveeee finalfantasy<333333...

[chaseme]

Overated or whatever
you do realize that your rants to FF is minor fraction of the gaming community and majority do support the franchise, How many games do you know bears XIII at the end of its name? i think that have prove how the public accepts the title. If there is a demand in the market they will continue to produce it,

Your right selling the most doesnt mean its the best, but when VI sells then VII sell more and then VIII sell so much more and IX sell just as much.... That is when its the best.

Resident evil(in my case) i didnt like it i didnt buy any succeeding releases.
Final fantasy V i love it i bought VI-IX loved them, except i never finish IX(after i got the girl's*forgot the name* odin in DISC 1 which made all my friends envious at that time i stop, i was disappointed how weak odin is at that time)


To sum my points up not everyone have your "game designer" expectation
we are just people that played what we love, we love FF we want more of FF i wanna see a FFVIII movie i am looking forward for XIV

If you are really are aiming to be a game designer and wants to improves FF you should have presented something to the public that points out where the ff franchise fail and SOLID suggestion to improve it not just take a poll and have make everyone accept your view.
Thats what a game designer do they dont just whine they work to improve.