Any thoughts on why the direction of Final Fantasy has become... Poor?

[Hyunickel]

I think it's mainly due to Square-Enix themselves not knowing where they should be going with the series. With FF 13 they essentially tried to target a broader audience by making the game more accessible. While some of the things they added are commendable, that's not how the series should be headed to moving forward. FF was all about story, interesting battle system, and a gorgeous expansive world. These three are things they need to start focusing on just like they used to with previous entries.

 

[gregorthegame]

I think it's mainly due to Square-Enix themselves not knowing where they should be going with the series. With FF 13 they essentially tried to target a broader audience by making the game more accessible. While some of the things they added are commendable, that's not how the series should be headed to moving forward. FF was all about story, interesting battle system, and a gorgeous expansive world. These three are things they need to start focusing on just like they used to with previous entries.

I agree 100%. Story, Characters, Atmosphere.
What I mean in the old FF's by Open World is you get an airship go wherever the hell you want... Hell in FFIV for you could go to the moon, underground, etc... It was sweet... I dunno.

All I was doing was giving an opinion sorry if you felt that It was an attack, I just kinda laugh at how many of these threads were made that they could go into one thread...

But I will this...

What makes a Final Fantasy game a Final Fantasy game in your opinion?
They don't follow the same protocols ever, leveling up system is always different. Story, Characters, gameplay, all are different.
So when you Say "Final Fantasy is on a downhill" How can it be when it was never a stationary game like... Zelda, or Fire Emblem (from what i understand I only played two of them)

I mean I understand if you don't like X-XIII or whatever numbers you don't like, I'm just saying that Square has done what they always do with Final Fantasy...try and make it new, might not be to every fans liking, but they need to attract new fans also, which is what X-XIII did.

I know that every FF Game is different. Each has there own unique leveling system, etc... Hell, before XIII and XIII-2 came out I thought the worst FF was FF2 just because of the leveling style..
A good FF Game to me is A good story, likable characters, great atmosphere.
I know FF8 has that draw system, FFVI has the Esper system, FFIV just the certain character has a certain job system, FFVII the great Materia system, FFIX The ability system.. FFXII's gambit system was pretty cool once you got the hang of it (Even tho I was not a fan of Penelo or Vaan's attire, I thought Balthier, and Basch, and Ashe were pretty solid Characters), FFX's leveling system was... meh in my opinion. FFX-2 while I like the job system, I could not stand the Charlie's Angels crap... FFXI had a great job system and Chains of Promathia was fantastic, however It should have been called FF Online... not XI... (now I can't go back and play it when I'm 40 on nintendo's next handheld.. lol)
And... Look, not everyone is going to have the same opinions, but do you really think the FFs they're putting out here now are better than the old style FF's?
Also... I understand games take time to make, however, when you set a deadling like the did with FFX... FFX HD was supposed to be released for the "10th Anniversary." They announced this at E3 2011... The 10th anniversary was 2011... and they are STILL working on it... We won't be seeing it until 2013... possibly even later... Well it's not so much 10th anniversary anymore...
Don't get me wrong.. I love SE to death believe me.. It's just they're making some bonehead decisions don't you think?
Also... the remake every FF game 1-6... (Remake on the GBA with extra summons, jobs, etc) Skip over 7-9... and go to an FFX HD remake... doesnt make sense.
Either way I'm frustrated at the games theyve put out lately... I know I won't like every FF Game they put out. I know this. But at least keep that Final Fantasy Feel... Don't turn Shiva into a fucking motorcycle......

 

[Razberry Knight]

Man how many threads do we need like this????

Alright I am going say this...yet again...

What do you think made Final Fantasy so bad at X or after X?

Final Fantasy has always been an experiment when it comes to RPG's, it has never once been the same game or same level up system or anything. Even before X it was all a new game over and over. That is what I think most people are forgetting. Even when it comes to sequels it was never the same system or anything.
Final Fantasy is taking a new thing and trying it out. sometimes it will work and sometimes it wont. XI was a test for online rpg's and who can blame Square for trying to get into that?
XII was a test of an Open World-ish rpg, almost a sandbox-ish RPG. XIII was testing a whole new system all together. Now sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Look if you wanna say Final Fantasy XIII sucks or whatever it is fine by me. but in reality, look at all the RPG's that sell now days around the world (outside of Japan) I have to say..most of them are Westernized or Action RPG's very few end up being JRPGs, and with that, the whole video game industry is kinda in a huge slope.
So yes you can say "Final Fantasy after X was all terrible" But I can't think of one thing they did wrong.

I can think of several tjings what they did wrong and its been repeated for a long time. For one, XIII lacked VISION. Out of all the other final fantasy games including XII, final fantasy XIII was the game.that didnt even rry to be an RPG, and the debelopers admit it. The entire game had lack of control.

The series always introduced pieces of new aspects that hold each final fantasy games strengths or focus on a new stremgth without the expense of the others. Now that began with Final fantasy XIII, it couldve been avoided.

Final fantasy XII, chose to focus in a different style of story. Personally i didnt mind because it reminded me of Star Ocean.

But XIII, you camt just say "hey, this aint my style and therefore i didnt enjoy it" with XIII, it had all the style all the graphics yet lacked evertthing else.