Will Final Fantasy XIII get a rating over 90%?

[dunno001]

ZenfoldorVGI said:

dunno001 said:

I can't speak for everyone, but I can for myself. My thought is that S-E abandoned their fanbase from way back when, and have sold out to the mainstream when it comes to the FF franchise. I want to see a game that puts focus back on the story, gameplay, and challenge, rather than graphics. Some of the later ones have had okay stories, but they all pale in comparison to 6. (Or, for that matter, even 4.) You don't need cutting-edge graphics; Dragon Quest proves that point for Japan. What they really need to do is remarket the genre in the west, showing the deep gameplay and plot, then you can get a more unified fanbase who will happily buy your games, rather than having to get some new fans with each game as you continue to alienate others. Yes, this plan will cause a large reset, but I really think that even with "just good" graphics, they can keep many of the current fans, and bring back some of the old ones. They can have me back too, once they start to do what made the older ones good again.

How did they sell out to the mainstream when FFXII was the most niche title in the franchise, with the most in depth battle system, and which totally turned the main-stream gamers off from the game?

Hell, the one before that was a MMO.

If anything, I think they are turning away from their mainsteam fans, and catering to the niche' who prefer innovation and in the case of XII, inpenatrable depth in their games, rather than remaking Final Fantasy VI yet again can calling it something new?

I guess if "turning away from your hardcore fans" means not making games that only appeal to the mainstream, and making each entry in the franchise, completely different from any other, then that is exactly the reason I love the series....

I wish more series' had the balls to change it up with each entry. We wouldn't have this stagnant sequel fest we see every christmas, full of boring, overhyped, and non-innovative games that are exactly the same as their predecessors, but with better graphics.

I never said innovation itself was bad. I just want the things there to back it up. FF12, at its core, was not a bad game. However, I do disagree with swapping characters out at will, especially during a fight, I hated the gambit system and thought it was too limiting, and the license grid was annoying, and in the end just made the character abilities horribly generic. If the gameplay itself were better, I probably would have it up with the SNES games for quality. Unfortunately, it's a risk that one takes with innovation. Some things work out to me. (Learning abilities/spells from equipment in FF9, for instance.) Other things are, well, a dud. (Just as long as the draw system NEVER comes back.)