Qays on 26 August 2010
Honestly I really think the OP hit the nail on the head. Matsuno tried to make XII his masterpiece and a true spiritual successor to the likes of Tactics and Vagrant Story, but was stimied by the idiot Squenix brass who couldn't see past the angsty teenage demographic targeted by the likes of VIII and X - the same brass who oversaw the pile of shit that is XIII.
It's really disappointing. I wish Sony or someone would hire Matsuno and just let him make a game the way he wants to make it. It would be unbelievably good. XII was a great game and I'm sure it's just a shadow of what Matsuno had in mind - Basch as main character would have changed everything.
