| IcaroRibeiro said: You cannot talk about a series identity when the series in question don't have fixed characters, art design, story, world, gameplay mechanics, nothing. You can look at FF X, XII, XIII, XV and XVI and see many links between them? I can think a few like summons and music, but otherwise you could as well say each one are different JRPGs franchises entirely, except in name Don't you see how great it is? We have a franchise that every mainline entry is a completely new game, just like if it was an original game, except with enough brand power to be financially viable to get AAA investment I don't want FF to become another Dragon Quest. Final Fantasy is great as it is. Sure some entries will disappoint people, but that's the risk it takes to innovate in every entry |
Do you know what series identity even means to be posting this? It's not just about same characters, world etc it's also about the central aspects and philosophy defining the series. FF's defining identity was that it was always a really good story with lite but adequate gameplay to compliment it, that's how the series started and was up until FFX the gameplay was similar but the underlying system driving it whether material, job system or junctioning etc... would change meaning different thought process and approach was required with each. It was like a heavily interactive story.
Changing identity each game isn't as good a thing as you think the is a reason why no such franchise really exists and why FF has displayed no growth because of it as the is no way to build up or retain a fanbase with it this is why these debates are even a thing about FF as other series have changed while retaining an identity.
Every game can be a new game without dropping identity and what's ironic is FF has not done anything innovative per say it's just borrowed from other games in FFXVI's case DMC and not done anything new Nier and Tales series for one has been doing action combat for over decades. All well and good saying for better or worse problem now is for worse in today's era is punishing.
It's better to just create new IPs for new identities that way you grow your library and allow current IPs to continue on with their own identity.
