There is only one western review from a lowly site and Japanese import impressions, but I am Setsuna looks to be another budget title from Square Enix clocking in at around 20-25 hours...hmmm, sounds similiar to STAR OCEAN but now I reminded of something.

From SE President:

Dunno
But i'll tell you what certainly wouldn't work, bigger budgets.
Small chance is better than no chance

A lot of people tend to forget that Chrono Trigger is painfully short by RPG standards. If the story is good enough, the length issue will fall by the wayside.

Plus, in SO5's defense, I've heard mostly positive things from actual fans, just not reviewers.

I definitely agree with sentiment, but if they want to have plan in which budget is increased in respect to popularity... I dont see alot of games making it pass first entry.

After seeing some reviews i decided it's not really worth it to get. The whole game is spent in the snow. That is literally the only envyronment there is (plus some ruins).
So, it really turned me off from getting it. That is not the good way i see "budget" working.

But World of FF for example, i'm sure will do well.

THEY SAID FUCKING WHAT?? And SE still hasn't started production on it yet? WTF? And instead we get some shit like Exist Archive? WTF is wrong with these guys.

Oh btw... if low budget is exist archive production levels. Valkyrie profile was always low budget, so i don't really mind. I really have no problem with 20 hours RPG's.

But, i do have with variety.

I dont think a couple of you read the whole thread. Being low budget is not the problem. I like the plan, but will it backfire like it did with SO5 . SO5 is divided by People who are "playing" the game and are enjoying it in spite of budget and those who just read reviews completely took it off the table because of low budget approach.  

They can do it gradually. It's how many RPG series have done it. 

Pricing readjustment could help a bit. Digitally at least, SO5 could have been 40 instead of 60 and Setsuna could be 30 instead of 40. I know with a lot of japanese games there is the (correct) idea that pricing low budget games doesn't help because the audience interested will buy it regardless and those who aren't won't no matter how cheap, but the Square Enix brand has the kind of pull (and marketing strings) to create a middle ground where their games could benefit from lower prices, as opposed to, say, releasing an Atelier game at a lower price which would have no effect on sales.

But retailers are a problem as I don't see 60 retail vs 40 digital happening because of their still-high influence. But with Setsuna being digital only though makes it a mistake, imo, to price it at 40. It's a bit much.

More importantly though is getting it out on more platforms. It's good that Setsuna is going to PC, the additional revenue, regardless of how much it sells compared to PS4, could very well tip the balance in favor of SE being pleased with the game's performance. I'd say put SO5 on PC too, but given the critical reception I don't think any sales numbers are going to save it, unfortunately. 
Oh and ofc they could also put Setsuna on the Vita.. in the west...cause it already exists in Japan.

edit: I don't think the changes that'd come from a bigger budget would change the result of SO5, not when you have people complaining about traditional save points instead of ultra-convenient checkpoints. let's face it, the budget is not the really problem for most of those people.

I'm really digging SO5 and glad I gave it shot after being disappointed in 3 and disgusted by 4. I will credit myself with 2 sales of that game for SE.

I want them to keep up with the big projects but these smaller lower budget ones work for me. Setsuna is a buy for me, most definitely.