Alright, so a friend and I were malining the drop over recent years in the quality of Final Fantasy writing, and we got onto the subject of the FFXIII sequels and described them as feeling like XIII fan fiction.
Then we started to wonder what we meant by that. We knew what we meant, but couldn't really describe it.
For example, Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII (because switching the title and subtitle around is soooo artistic) is an official product. Every aspect of its creation was handled by Square Enix, THE makers of Final Fantasy, so by definition it is the total opposite of fan fiction - a work of fiction (typically but not limited to literature) made by somebody - anybody outside of the propper licenced company/individual(s) who produce works in that IP.

But tell me I'm wrong: don't Lightning Returns, FFXIII-2, FFX-2, etc, feel like bad fan fiction?
Fan fiction must be typically possessed of certain qualities that are also found in the writing of recent Final Fantasies, but what are those qualities that typify lousy fan fiction?

Discuss. Do you think the dive in writing quality as of late in Final Fantasy feels like we're playing fan fiction? And if so, can you do a better job of explaining it than I can?
What exactly does "fan-fictiony" elicit?

Fan-fictiony can describe anything that goes off on indulgent tangents instead of staying within canon. Developing Mary or Marty Stus, giving in to ships, characters constantly acting against type, mood whiplash (happy go lucky characters go full steam emo etc). That's a wide net to cast though, especially to describe Square/Enix games. Anyone who's played FFVIII knows that thing went left field big time.

That was very concise. And I think you're on the money.
FFX-2 for example. Yuna was a sweet, innocent, magical summoner lady, but wouldn't it be cool if she were a sexy popstar/seeker of fortune type adventurer with duel handguns?!
And then there's whoever it is over at Squenix who desperately wants the FF fans to like Lightning as much as they do, throwing any idea they can think of trying to make her appealing to people.