Yea, I have been thinking the same thing ever since reading that article. Just about the only original feeling JRPG i've played recently is Demon's Souls and Baten Kaitos (most of you have probably never played that game).
A long time ago, WRPG took a leap forward in gameplay when they set the principle of damage prevention as opposed to damage healing. Most JRPGs are heal fests aka: you have to heal constantly to stay alive, and there is little incentive to use other spells. When I played Baldur's Gate, I set my expectations for an RPG higher. I know they basically ripped off the dungeons and dragons system, but it worked. The game was so strategically minded, it puts most JRPGs since then to shame. I say JRPGs, but there are several bad WRPGs too. It is just that JRPGs seem to consistently create shallow heal-fests.
Bottom line, if I find out that FFXIII is a heal fest, I'm not buying or playing it. I was very disappointed in that regard when it came to FFXII. However, if Final Fantasy came into dominance again with an outstandingly original and polished FFXIII and FFXIV, I would be estatic. Why does it seem that Final Fantasy names are starting to look like old sundials?
