"Advertising budget."
Production value is more like it. Production value always used impeccably. Other rpgs just don't have the same amount of polish that Square almost always brings to their games. The difference with Lost Odyssey is that Sakaguchi was still living in 2001 when he went about making it. However, FFXII had already moved the bar beyond that and no other rpg since has done so. Star Ocean 4 could (I think it will get a 9 at least). But FFXIII certainly will.
My most anticipated games: Whatever Hideo Kojima is going to do next, Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy Versus XIII, Gran Turismo 5, Alan Wake, Wii Sports Resort. Cave Story Wiiware.







