I want a 2D mainline Final Fantasy on current hardware.

It would be interresting, and probably incredibly awesome^^

I would love that.

But, a Final Fantasy with visuals resembling Yoshitaka Amano's art. I would kill for that

How do you know it would be shit? Frankly, I think it would be interesting. I'm sure you'd agree Oblivion and Fallout 3 were absolutely amazing! Now calm down go huff some ether or something.

I'm not the only one then? That's nice to know.

no i think there overrated and im not going to go into detail as to why just no i have seen better.

Wow, this thread definitely has gone back and forth with no real resolution (then again I guess its expected, it is VGChartz! lol)

Here is a new take on what I'd like to see to refresh a tiring franchise that (IMO) is declining in quality.

1) The stereotypical characters that FF has been throwing out need to become more realistic. No more spiky hairs, no more annnoying little brat that won't shut up but for some reason is an addition to the party, no more teenage heroe full of angst for dumb reasons,etc.

2)The storyline needs to grow up. I'm tired of the typical love story between the main character and some girl that's never resolved for some reason. This has been typical in all FFs since 7. Also the typical we have to save the world deal. I can't recall a Final Fantasy that in the end require you to save the whole world. I haven't played 12 and on so this might've changed but highly doubt it.

3)I absolutely hate the fact that when you get to the very end to fight the main evil character just to end up fighting something else that has no part whatsover in the story or was just a small detail in the story but some reason the cause for another final final evil boss. Talking about the boss, can we make the bosses full of evil like Kefka was? Most bosses in FF have been lame and it started with Sephiroth.

4)I think Japanese humor is weird. I can stand it and sometimes I'll laugh but FF have been adding so much of it lately that it just gets on my nerves. I'd like to see a good balance of oriental and occidental humor since this game is released world wide.

Those are the few that come to mind but I feel are critical to change to create a mature experience.

Pokemon is not in decline.  If anything, it is in an upswing as people have said.  Sure, it probably won't see record sales like its first gen saw, but it will see amazing sales, well beyond any Final Fantasy title.  Other series like Tales and Persona, etc are also not in decline.  Aside from their 'side' games, they are actually gaining sales (albeit slowly).  And despite your view that these series are 'niche and irrelevant', they are relevant.  I suppose if FFXIII sells badly, we can call Final Fantasy irrelevant and you won't call us out on it?

Secondly, the battle system for FFXIII, the little we've been told, looks quite a bit like the traditional Final Fantasy battle engines of the PSX/PS2 era, just with more effects to make it 'look' like there's real time actions going on.  In all reality, it appears to be more of a combination of the battle engine of FFVII and FFX, with the skill upgrading system of FFXII to boot.  All just redone to make it appear like the characters are moving around the battlefield and attacking creatures in real time.  But more than any Final Fantasy title before, they seem to be trying to reuse ideas from the past, and it makes sense.  They want to appeal to their fanbase.  Its a smart move, as their going to be selling the game on the HD systems and need more than simple graphics and storyline to sell the game this time.

A secondary group in SE is actually creating a DS title called 'Final Fantasy Gaiden' which is actually looking pretty good.  Looks a lot like the early Final Fantasy games, but brought into the modern day.  I'm actually more interested in this game then I have been in any FF game in years, and more interested in it than something like FFIV DS or FFXIII.  It just seems to have that extra bit of 'old school' charm while still focusing on the gameplay.

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/tgs-09-4-warriors/56963

When you mean not realistic, do you mean in terms of character design or personality?

Personally, I though the love story between Tidus and Yuna was very believeable and among the most realistic of any video game.

When it comes to stories, the way the story is told is more important than the story itself.  I will gladly take a cliched story that is told well over a story that is full of originality but is poorly executed any day.

Japanese humor is weird because the humor was written for the Japanese, not for us.

Realistic in both, character design AND personality. Their characters are always teenagers that saved the world and they end up being extremely superficial in the way they are. 

And I agree that it is important to be able to express a storyline well. Can't that be done?

And obviously I understand their target is the Japanese public hence the reason for their type of humor. That's wh i'm asking for a Western oriented Final Fantasy!