Dont you think Square Enix knows Final Fantasy is losing its luster? They're doing everything to get the fandom back to the way it was, including changing the gameplay style. They are experimenting in so many ways judging from FF XIII to what you see now. Even though the gameplay is missing their intentions are still intact their intent is still the same to keep FF the top JRPG franchise while going downhill fast.The Nova Crystallis universe expands upon multiple FFXIII titles so no one can tell me they aren't trying. The Resident Evil is no longer horror, and Capcom does not care, period. Its a modern western action/ shooter. Its obvious and right in your face. One has been trying to save themselves from failure because the creator and brain of the franchise left and the others creator left so they changed the genre to the same audience Capcom has always tried to endear themselves to.

FFXIV is the savior of MMO gaming, so I'd vote Resident Evil as the series that has truly fallen.

:P

I actually do hear A Realm Reborn is good, but it's a case of too-little, too-late. 

Not really. Sure, people may currently be playing GW2 or Star Wars/WoW or what-ever, but the PS3 base is still there. Also all current/previous pc customers get a free upgrade with 30 days free. Eventually people will get bored and try it. If they don't like it, then nothing happens. Not really a "too late" thing.

what??? FFIII was and is still a masterpiece!!!

For me its not the gaming that is deteriorating. Its the fanbase.... I grew up with gaming magazine and back then the reviews were often fair. Now with the coming of the internet I feel a loss of professionalism. Who is willing to pay for an independant review when you have "free reviews" on the internet that are financed via advertising.

Thats the problem with metacritics... if all the base reviews are of questionable quality, what does that mean for the total rating?

Take Skyrim or the average WRPG.... they launch sometimes with heavy bugs and glitches, have severe technical issues (freezing, etc.) and they still get stellar reviews.

The next problem with old franchises is that a part of the hardcore fanbase will just bash every new entry, because a 10 year old game of the franchise is still the best game of all time.

Why is it that RE6 is getting harsh reviews because they are going COD gameplaywise while COD still gets top reviews for the same game mechanics?

To be honest, Final Fantasy XIII and RE 5 are still among the very best PS3 games that I have played this generation. They went away from their roots... but you know what. If I want to play Final Fantasy 4 or Resident Evil 2 I STILL can play them on modern consoles. I am glad that they try to do something new. Being able to play RE 5 in Coop-Mode was simply awesome for example.

A real problem for me is, however, that the top "Western Developers" somehow always try to deliver the same old game with minor tweaks... Its not just Fifa, F1 or Need for Speed with yearly entries. Its the same with Shooter and Action-RPGs... I somehow feel that I am always playing the same old game. Well, maybe thats what the mainstream gamer ultimately really wants if you look at the sales figures.

Definitely Final Fantasy. At least RE got one great game this year. The best thing FF has gotten in a while is... a spinoff rhythm game.

Regardless of whether you liked RE5 and Final Fantasy XIII, the fact remains that they arent the inspired titles the franchise creators (who both departed which started the decline of the franchises). They arent the same in quality and are trying to cover it up with linearity, flash and flair. Dead Space is closer in feeling to the feeling got playing Resident Evil as a child. It was chilling and horrific at times but since Shinji Mikami left Capcom Resident Evil lost its inspiration and turned into an action game.

Final Fantasy

An attitude, not a belief.