The secret to enjoying FF XIII (and newer Final Fantasies)

[Kresnik]

DigitalDevilSummoner said:

BasilZero said:

This is true, but this is also because they try changing the overall gameplay aspect, which is probably why it kept the series popular and a million seller. I now understand why they did the remakes for the earlier games as well, as they want the new fans who enjoyed recent games to enjoy the older classics but in a more appealing way (graphics wise).

I think we are getting somewhere here, they could have made a great game with classic mechanics and all the familiar features.

 It would have been praised as a great game. IX has all that and is one of the most highly praised among FF games on GameRankings and Metacritic.

 But also one of the worse sellers. XIII ended up as an almost 7 million hit at a time when the rest of the japanese market is in the dumpster. They had to take risks.

FF IX released very much at the end of PS1's life, and after the PS2 had launched.  It kind of got lost in the hype for that console & the upcoming FFX (which only released a year later).  I suspect that had a much larger impact on sales than its mechanics.