It's basically an action RPG when you get down to it.

I'm not about to go listing off figures for top jrpgs in japan for each gen to compare. But you do get the sense that things aren't going very well outside of the top jrpg trinity over there (Pokemon, Dragon Quest and Monster Hunter). Even Final Fantasy is likely to take a hit this gen if Famitsu's predictions are to be believed.

Its because JRPG's have not innovated anything since the PS1. All we get is the same gameplay, same horrible story, and same freedom that a SNES game had years ago but with better graphics. You can only play the same game so many times before they get old and you have to move on to something more open and advanced.

Unfortunately for JRPG's, the minute games like Daggerfall, Baldurs Gate, Diablo, EQ and other were released it spelled the end of the JRPG golden ara because games like that instantly stole 50% of the RPG fanbase. It took a while to go from PC to consoles, but eventually those other rpg styles surfaced on the consoles and now you are seeing the effects of competition.

JRPG's were never that great, but they were the only option for a very long time. Dont misunderstand, some were indeed great but Id say 9/10 were garbage rehashes and FF joined that crowd in FFX.

Joke post? Because this doesn't make sense.

Don't offend FFX like this! Sure the game have it's mistakes, but still awesome to many!

It's all okay with don't liking it, but just don't call it garbage!

Anyway, this proves my point that Japanese industry of RPG are relying in FFXIII to bring the momentum again to the jrpg in west. This game such a huge responsibility, it have to regenerate the interest in the genre, regenerate the FF series itself and even reaffirm Japan as gaming producers.

What I think will be a problem to convince FPS people to try it, I mean, even if they spend 150 million in marketing like Activision did with MW2 they won't reach the same results(or will?). People in West are much more interested in fighting terrorists and shoot people in street than in summonings magical creatures and discovering a fantasy world.

Resonance of Fate seems to be able to make the transition easier, the game play fuses some shooting and hack'n'slash elements.

Yeah FF10 was FULL of whiny kiods, like tidus and ummmm....hmmmmmm.....ermmmmmm

& Tidus's whininess was justified, bad parenting can lead to that easily

Actions speak louder than words. The fact remains, that the entire FF series started to decline right after FFX. If FFX was a great game then the following games would have seen huge sales increases. This is not the case. As a matter of fact, I believe the only reason FFX sold so well was because of previous FF games especially VII & VIII. On its own merits, if FFX was called Odin Sphere or any other name it would not have sold nearly as well and it would have gotten 7's-8's across the board on reviews. that is my opinion at least.

Also for the record, games like Baldurs Gate, Dragon Age, Morrowind/Oblivion, Diablo, and every other MMO on earth are all fantasy based RPGish games that sell well in the west. Its not fantasy that we shun, its the games themselves that have not innovated. I hope FF is a good game because I really miss JRPG's but at the same time I cant imagine myself playing them when I have these other games that I believe are vastly superior in every way. Hopefully, FF proves there is still some innovation left in the genre.

Er, after FFX was also when the series started to deviate and experiment? Doesn't that actually go against your claim that JRPG decline is due to stagnation?

@ Marc
FF X was a great game one of my favorite FF. Had an interesting story. It's one of the great JRPG on the PS2. You may not like it but it's one of the best.

I am not really sure what you mean by "experiment." Even FFXIII remains true, for the most part, to older FF games albeit it shamefully copied star wars in many ways but that doesnt really bother me granted I couldnt stomach to finish the game. X and X2 both had settings that were very similar to VII and VIII. IX was a throwback game. So far, nothing new aside from graphics. The stories always play out the same way too. A drama about a bunch of tweeny people that were in the right place at the right time who somehow become stronger than anyone around and fall in a meritless and completely unbelievable romance before saving the world from a weakling boss. The premise is fine for the most part but the writing in most jrpg's is so bad and cheesy that it become unbearable.