Lately there’s been a lot of negativity surrounding the Final Fantasy series so instead of focusing on why I was disappointed in the latest outings, I decided to focus of the positive and build myself the ideal Final Fantasy game by combining things I loved from the previous entries in the series. So here is what I’ve come up with:

• The cast would feature around 10 playable characters. I’d also like for characters to drop in and out of your party like they did in Final Fantasy IV. It would keep me on my toes, never knowing if one of the characters might die or disappear to come back later (like Rydia in FFIV).
• The story could split up and follow characters as they progress in different locations like in Final Fantasy IX.
• Each character would have his speciality/class like Final Fantasy IV or at least start with abilities that fit with their character and in the end game they could learn stuff from other classes (like with Final Fantasy X’s sphere grid).
• The main villain would be memorable (like Kefka or Sephiroth) but there would be other villains of lesser importance (like the Turks and the members of Shirna in Final Fantasy VII)
• Towns, the world map and vehicles (controllable airship!) would make a return. I want to be able to barge in people’s homes and raid their closets for 10 gil or a potion!
• The game would use an active time battle and would feature a way to easily switch between your available characters in battle like in Final Fantasy X allowing me to level up the whole group without having the reform my party. Otherwise, I always end up with underleveled characters (I remember my unused members finishing the game at level 15 in Final Fantasy VIII)
• I would be in control of the whole party. Not just the leader, everyone dammit!
• There would be a maximum of 4 characters in a party not 3.
• Equipment would be expanded, no more of that only a weapon and 1 or 2 accessories bullshit. I want to manage the helm, armor, gloves, weapon, shield, accessories (the relic system from Final Fantasy VI would be good)
• The game would feature a fun mini-game (like Triple Triad in Final Fantasy VIII) and tons of end-game sidequests (like in Final Fantasy VII) some requiring you to level up your characters near the maximum capacity (like the Monster Arena in Final Fantasy X).
• The difficulty level would be upped a few notches.
• Summons would return and the blue mage would not suck.

That’s all I can think of for now, so what do you think? Would you play my Final Fantasy game? What would your ideal Final Fantasy game be like?

You had me at Final Fantasy IV and sphere grid. I would buy this.

Totally agree. Enough with the western approach, we want the good old final fantasy back.

One of the most classic Final Fantasy games right now in terms of content is XI. I recommend it, as there is a new expansion coming out this March with 2 new jobs (Geomancer and Rune Fencer). Blue Mage is already in the game and it has a ton of good magic spells!  Plus White Mage has a ton of spells, Black Mage does too, Red Mage is more about solo enhancing magic, Summoner has a good wealth of summon Avatars to have and obtain (even Odin, but I'd recommend Fenrir when you are able to get him).

Right now I'm hooked on XIV as I cannot wait for A Realm Reborn to come out. We will get Arcanist first and then later Summoner. The graphics are awesome

However, I've been writing a fanfiction for years and it is actually a Pokemon and Final Fantasy mix. Trainers can have jobs and they fight alongside their Pokemon in battles against other trainers. There are also classic Final Fantasy monsters in the story. I'm using a lot of elements from FFXI and FFXIV in the story. I have one Trainer who is a Dragoon and rides a Charizard, and her sister is a Monk who owns a Blaziken (they are both military leaders). The main character has my real name and he's wanting to become a Warrior, and his Pokemon is a Growlithe (lol). But meh, I haven't had time to write that story in years.

Sounds like you want another FF like the quality and structure of FFIX. If only Square Enix made a FF like they did on the PSone.

I'm sure Final Fantasy XI is very good. I work with a guy who still plays it daily to this day but I have so little time for video games that I can't justify paying a monthly fee for a game.

Someone's gonna have to explain that game title to me one of these days.

I would play your Final Fantasy game.

In my opinion, Final Fantasy VI was close to perfect. I'm sure I'll get a lot of heat for this, but I think Final Fantasy VII was a step back in a lot of ways.

First, for my own Final Fantasy game, I would return to a medieval fantasy atmosphere, with knights and magic and that kind of thing, with perhaps a little steam-punk thrown in. Pretty boy characters with stupid fashion sense would be out. There would be a lot of characters, with a split story, as the first characters would be forced apart, where they would have to gain new party members. A memorable, evil villain that makes actual sense would be a must. The story would not be a complete mess that's twisted and convoluted to a ridiculous degree in an effort to appear complex. It would not be overly emo, though it would have emotional depth.

The part where I differ from many is towns. I tried to play an old PS1 RPG awhile back and the part where I hit a large town killed me. It was boring and made me realize how much of a time sink that segment was designed to be. That's all it was, a time sink. Still, I had to talk to everyone and check everything just to make sure I wasn't missing anything, which was annoying. One thing I liked about FF XIII was that the story kept you moving forward pretty well.

Something I would like to see in a Final Fantasy game, though, would be a Suikoden-style castle near the end, with pretty much everything you need in one place.

I'd like to see the return of something that was a big part of my two favorite games ever, FFT and FFVI, which is the ability to have every character learn different jobs or skills.

I agree except for the fake deaths or whatever that were in 4, that's annoying and imo dead characters should stay dead not like rydia getting eaten by the whatever, the kids turning to stone, or Sahz shooting himself etc.

4 party members I don't generally like atleast in most JRPG's. the battles always go to slow and it doesn't end up being more strategic because you just press attack on a different person, instead of a speed up 3 person battle system., but persona does 4 members just fine ( the difficulty is much better in that series than any FF game so maybe that's the issue).

sphere grid is awesome but multiply it to 10.... im serious.... i want it to branch out very well so you actually think which grid you wanna unlock...