BioWare: "Final Fantasy XIII is not an RPG" [5/14]

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In a recent interview, BioWare writing director Daniel Erickson addressed his opinion on Final Fantasy XIII, saying that he does not believe it qualifies as a proper role-playing game.

“Well, before I address the main point [on Final Fantasy XIII] I just want to take a slightly more controversial route,” Erickson told Strategy Informer. “You can put a ‘J’ in front of it, but it’s not an RPG. You don’t make any choices, you don’t create a character, you don’t live your character… I don’t know what those are – adventure games maybe? But they’re not RPG’s.”

We’ll keep quiet on this one.

Source: ScrawlFX
 
I think the guy has a point, I havent played FF13 myself but from all the things ive heard I think ive heard enough and thus I have to agree.
 
I've actually played the game, and I would have to agree as well... Mostly. I don't think it's a full fledged RPG, more like a glorified Action RPG. While playing it, other than me hating it, I just feel as if it's less of an RPG, more of an action adventure. However, when SE themselves said that they took inspiration from Modern Warfare 2 and Halo 3... It's not hard to believe.

Sure, trying new things is great, and I can say SE has some balls for that. However, ditching a huge chunk of your fanbase to appeal to new gamers is something that I wouldn't have done. I would have more or less stayed true to my audience, and capitalized on what I know that my fans like and made what was so great about my games in the first place, even better. Not just throw it all aside completely, and ignore portions of my fanbase.
 
I've been saying that for a while now. That's why I laugh when people say that they don't like RPGs anymore since they only play Mass Effect and Fallout 3 and not Final Fantasy XIII. When, in reality, the first two ARE RPGs and the last one isn't one. It doesn't have any qualities of an RPG besides the story and perhaps the gameplay. Do you role play in XIII? Then why call it a Role-playing Game when it isn't?
 
As much as I love Bioware and I hate FFXIII I can't completely agree with Mr. Erickson. I understand his point but the game isn't action-adventure either. While the game excludes major RPG elements that Erickson mentioned such as making choices, creating your character etc. The games still holds familiar RPG factors. such as organizing an inventory, buying and selling items, grinding, upgrading stats and equipment etc. I don't see it as any other genre, if it makes any sense. It's a Japanese game with RPG elements. Wouldn't it be easier to just label it as an RPG? since that's the only thing this game has? I don't know, I'm rambling.

I don't want to put on my ranting face, God knows I rant about XIII whenever someone mentions the name so I'll just say, it looks like an RPG then it is an RPG because that's the only way we can identify the game as.
 
I adore Bioware, but they clearly havent played the other Final Fantasy games. Or any other RPGs out there. I agree that a good RPG is one where you create your character and such. But most RPGs dont allow this, but we still call them RPGs. Bioware, do your research please. Still <3 you!
 
Role-playing doesn't entirely mean create a character from scratch I don't think.

Actors 'role-play' characters created by the writers of a film, simply guiding their character into the situations and speeches created for them.

In that sense, Final Fantasy is an RPG of some kind; you are in the role of Cloud, Squall, Lightning etc, leading them to places where they are supposed to go according to the script.
 
You don’t make any choices, you don’t create a character, you don’t live your character
Going by that, none of the FF games are RPGs then. Whoa, can you believe it guys. The last 20 years have been a farce by Square. Thank god Erickson finally cracked that nut, eh?

Although that "live your character", I dunno...that seems subjective. How is playing through a story from a character's perspective NOT living through them?

Anyways I still love FF more or less, and I enjoyed FFXIII for what it is and not what people deem it should have been.

EDIT: And I've been ninja'd twice xD
 
Personally, I hated the game for what it was, I hate it for what it is, and I hate it because of what it should have been. (Hating more than the KKK I suppose. /inside joke)

Though, if you want to say that if controlling a character, and playing the role of that character means it's a role playing game, you might as well call Zelda, Mario, or Pokemon an RPG. Aren't you playing in the role of Link, Mario, and the Pokemon trainer?

Simply playing as a character, in that role, doesn't make it an RPG. Or every game you've ever played is an RPG.

Also, I think LionheartCS said it best. (Even though I can count the number of times we've seen eye to eye on one hand...) The RPG qualities of FFXIII simply aren't as numerous as an RPG should be. (If that makes any sense to you guys. :hmmm:)
 
I think Zelda and Pokemon are both RPGs. If you can put your name as the character, it's an RPG in my book. Mario not so much. Final Fantasy I-X, then, could be considered RPGs by my standards, while XII and XIII aren't.
 
Role-playing doesn't entirely mean create a character from scratch I don't think.

Actors 'role-play' characters created by the writers of a film, simply guiding their character into the situations and speeches created for them.

In that sense, Final Fantasy is an RPG of some kind; you are in the role of Cloud, Squall, Lightning etc, leading them to places where they are supposed to go according to the script.
I think the main problem is the name we choose to give this genre of game. Role-playing Game isn't that specific. If you want to give it the definition as above, then pretty much all games with a story and characters is an RPG.

The games still holds familiar RPG factors. such as organizing an inventory, buying and selling items, grinding, upgrading stats and equipment etc. I don't see it as any other genre, if it makes any sense. It's a Japanese game with RPG elements. Wouldn't it be easier to just label it as an RPG? since that's the only thing this game has? I don't know, I'm rambling.
Another problem is that there are many games that are not considered RPGs, but include RPG elements. For example, in the action-adventure game, Ratchet and Clank, there may not be much of an inventory of items to handle, but you can upgrade your weapons and equipment by either buying upgrades, or using the weapon a certain amount of times against enemies (which I would say is similar to gaining AP in FFIX). You can also upgrade your health by defeating a certain amount of enemies. Similar to leveling up. However, even though you play the role of Ratchet, and do these other things, Ratchet and Clank is not considered an RPG. Not even an action RPG.

Then again, the classification itself is only arbitrary, and depends on how an individual would define the genre. For Erickson, making choices, creating a character, and 'living' a character are probably the most important things he believes RPGs should have. Therefore, he doesn't consider any games without them to be RPGs. Other people believe that what games like FFXIII does is enough for a game to be considered an RPG. This problem would have been way less complicated back in the days when Final Fantasy was first created. Today, however, we mix genres so much it gets confusing.
 
Personally, I hated the game for what it was, I hate it for what it is, and I hate it because of what it should have been. (Hating more than the KKK I suppose. /inside joke)

Though, if you want to say that if controlling a character, and playing the role of that character means it's a role playing game, you might as well call Zelda, Mario, or Pokemon an RPG. Aren't you playing in the role of Link, Mario, and the Pokemon trainer?

Simply playing as a character, in that role, doesn't make it an RPG. Or every game you've ever played is an RPG.

Also, I think LionheartCS said it best. (Even though I can count the number of times we've seen eye to eye on one hand...) The RPG qualities of FFXIII simply aren't as numerous as an RPG should be. (If that makes any sense to you guys. :hmmm:)

Indeed you have said what there needs to be said, I salute you.
It is what it is PERIOD.
 
People have different ideas of what an "RPG" should be. Nowadays it's just an umbrella term that is really not specific at all. With the blending of the genres (Borderlands, Fallout 3 etc.), it has become more and more difficult to define what makes an RPG.

For FFXIII, the guy's right about slapping the "J" in "RPG" - because on a basic level, that's what JRPGs have always been. Scripted character, scripted story, very little freedom, mostly linear, stats-filled battles etc. Calling FFXIII a JRPG as opposed to just "RPG" would probably make more sense.
 
Going by that, none of the FF games are RPGs then. Whoa, can you believe it guys. The last 20 years have been a farce by Square. Thank god Erickson finally cracked that nut, eh?

Although that "live your character", I dunno...that seems subjective. How is playing through a story from a character's perspective NOT living through them?

Anyways I still love FF more or less, and I enjoyed FFXIII for what it is and not what people deem it should have been.

EDIT: And I've been ninja'd twice xD

first things first... pokemon and the new zeldas are RPGS lool :)

i'm on chapter 4 at the moment on ffxiii and i am loving it :) great storyline

ffxiii is a RPG, you are following the roles of lighting and the others
 
first things first... pokemon and the new zeldas are RPGS lool :)

i'm on chapter 4 at the moment on ffxiii and i am loving it :) great storyline

ffxiii is a RPG, you are following the roles of lighting and the others


You are not seeing the point that Bioware have pointed out, that more and more many RPG's are so in name only and are straying too far from there grass roots to keep with the market trend, which in a way is alienating the RPG audience.

Look at fallout 3 or dragon age for instance, both excellent games that have stayed more or less true to the genre of the RPG without sacrificing the "choice" factor that defines an RPG as an RPG but at the same time introducing newer styles of play (fallout 3's first person shooter with implemented bullet time, dragon ages squad command and spell comboing) However to look at FF XIII you can see the lack of the key ingredient that makes every good RPG great, choice has been more or less completely removed and you are basically playing a sandbox style game where you can only go where you are told and only do what you are told to do.

Personally I hope SE take heed of the words from Bioware and bring back choice, as personally the chapter sandbox aspect does not, nor will it ever suit the FF genre, the story may be good, but when a game lacks a soul...it lacks a soul and that is evident clearly with FFXIII.
 
I agree that this isn't an RPG game. Sure you can buy weapons and learn spells, but everything is so scripted for you. I couldn't hang out in one area for too long before I ran out of things to do and had to move on the linear path that was set for me. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it as an action game. I just don't see this as an RPG.

One more thing: just because you follow someone's role doesn't mean it's an RPG. By that definition, every game is essentially an RPG.
 
I can see Pokemon being an RPG now that I think about it. (And that after reading LionHeartsCS's post) However, I don't think I could ever look at Zelda as an RPG. As much as I love Zelda, and all of the games for it, it's always been an Action Adventure to me. :hmmm:
 
Well, when comparing it to the likes of Dragon Age...no, FFXIII is definetely not an RPG. It barely qualifies as a game at all, in fact. XD;

Still, as has been said, there are numerous different types of RPG floating around these days. Just because it doesn't give you any sort of sandbox (I hate sandboxes, by the way) until 11/13 of the way through doesn't mean its not an RPG. It just deviates from the standards a little...and there isn't anything wrong with that. At least, not when its done right. Whether FFXIII actually did it right or not is debatable...

Honestly though, the only thing that makes me think of FFXIII as an RPG is because its an FF title, and nothing else. I'd liken it more to an action game like Bayonetta than I would one of its predecessors...
 
I think Zelda and Pokemon are both RPGs. If you can put your name as the character, it's an RPG in my book. Mario not so much. Final Fantasy I-X, then, could be considered RPGs by my standards, while XII and XIII aren't.

So if you couldn't rename Cloud/Terra/Squall, those games wouldn't be RPGs? That seems to be an incredibly minor aspect of the game.
 
True, it does seem like a minor thing, but if my name isn't in it I'm not role-playing in it. I'm guiding some character around, where they make the decisions and they experience the things. Whereas, in the likes of Fallout 3, I make all the decisions and I experience whatever I want. Legend of Zelda does a very good job of blending both together. I still feel involved, but I'm following the guide of the creator. Fallout 3 lets me do what I want. Final Fantasy XIII says "DO WHAT I WANT AND LIKE IT" and I don't like a lot of it :/ so...it's not my favorite game in the series. The past Final Fantasies did that too, to an extent, but they did a much better job of keeping me enthralled and interested. This is all my opinion, of course, but I'm hoping to provide a different perspective about RPGs in general. I could be just rambling, though :/
 
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