The Offical Final Fantasy Game Thread

[Havok83]

Ago to is coming to iOS and Android in NA

http://m.ign.com/articles/2014/06/12/e3-2014-final-fantasy-agito-announced-for-ios-and-android

 

[Nathan]

Final Fantasy VII G-Bike Could Lead To More Final Fantasy VII Games

Speaking with Famitsu magazine, Square Enix’s Yoshinori Kitase recently discussed Final Fantasy VII G-Bike, a smartphone game based on the mini-game from the Final Fantasy VII Gold Saucer. Kotaku have translated bits of the interview.

“Until now, whenever we talked with Nomura about a project that would require outsourcing, his first choice was always Cyber Connect 2,” Final Fantasy VII director Yoshinori Kitase said to Famitsu. Kitase explained that Square are not as adept at making action games as they are RPGs, whereas CC2 is a seasoned action game studio.

Kitase also says that if Final Fantasy VII G-Bike does well, it could lead to other games connected to the Final Fantasy VII universe being created.

“Well, FFVII has many spin-off pieces and for the fans, its image has spread rather diversely, so I feel that G-Bike will set the standard of if we were to make new a VII related piece now,” he said. “If more is to come, this is the starting point, so both myself and Nomura are closely observing its quality.”

As previously reported, Nomura is serving as Creative Director of character design on the game, while Kitase is serving as Executive Producer. Of course, given Kitase’s ties to the original Final Fantasy VII game, Famitsu asked about a remake.

Kitase replied with a laugh, “Who knows? Mr. Matsuyama [of Cyber Connect 2] is making the foundation, and after the path has been paved, we might think about making it… At least that’s what could happen. In terms of the quality level and consumer response, it may all depend on [G-Bike]. We’re looking forward to the results.”

Personally, we’d advise taking that last quote with a grain of salt. Speaking with Eurogamer earlier in the year, Kitase explained quite clearly why Square Enix do not want to remake Final Fantasy VII, even after all this time.

At the time, Kitase said that, while staff availability and budget were two factors that were keeping the game from being remade, there was also another factor—Kitase’s own motivation (or lack thereof) to work on such a project.

 

[Solidus]

That actually saddens me to see them say that. It’s like before…they have a messed up view of economics. To see if FFVII is popular…we will release an off shoot mobile game that could be terrible. So…if you don’t buy it, it means we won’t give you the remake. SE seems to have no understanding that a FFVII remake would be major hype and sell like crazy. Just like last time Wada said if XIII-2 did not sell well, it meant no FFVII remake. In other words, if you don’t buy our crappy other products we won’t make good ones that are in higher demand.

The spring board should be making classic FF games. I hope they realize that or they will be heading down the same path they did with Wada. Not listening to fans.

 

[Nathan]

Like I've seen someone else say, it's a lose, lose situation. You buy their crappy spin-offs, they will just continue to make more. Still not working on the remake. You don't buy their games, they'll simply assume there's no demand, and again, shelve development on a remake.

 

[Tron Bonne]

Oh God guys, you're going to get your ****ing remake. It's coming, but you're just going to be mad that it's for mobile or the next Nintendo handheld. No one can win anything, everyone loses.

 

[Solidus]

It's not even about just a remake. Just go back to what made FF good. They keep shooting themselves in the foot and telling themselves what they think the people want. To me I really don't care if we ever got an FFVII remake, but make something in the vein of IV-IX. To me what makes me just scratch my head is they know it would make them tons of money. They keep acting like it would be impossible. Yes it would not be a simple thing but a million times easier then creating another crappy game. Just update graphics, keep the story/core gameplay as is.

But again it's more of just a point. They seem to say (as was said above) "Buy our crappy games! Or we won't make any good ones." I just don't get that. Now of course I could be wrong and they may realize this, and the error of Wada's ways. But they need to do something to show that they are going back to their roots. And FFXV isn't doing that for me either. Nor is any mobile games that have nothing to do with FF in terms of gameplay.

 

[Tron Bonne]

I don't know, I'm sort of sick of the uber nostalgia that surrounds it all.

 

[Solidus]

I don't know, I'm sort of sick of the uber nostalgia that surrounds it all.

Nah it has nothing to do with nostaliga. There are tons of things I have great nostalgia for, and many of them that I realize how bad they were later on. FF is was not one of those. Hence why they put them on every mobile device in many different versions. People love the gameplay of IV-IX. I don't care if they never go back to FFVII. I just think to go back to the core roots of what made those games great, and go ahead and give them a modern twist. Like Bravely Default.

 

[Tron Bonne]

I don't mean nostalgia in the sense that those things are bad, but this constant grabbing and pining for the past is something that Square internet fandom have fallen into very badly. It's easy to say, "Well, if things were better blah blah", but whatever. I don't believe one game killed this franchise, a franchise that is basically built on changing with each installment anyway.

 

[Solidus]

I don't mean nostalgia in the sense that those things are bad, but this constant grabbing and pining for the past is something that Square internet fandom have fallen into very badly. It's easy to say, "Well, if things were better blah blah", but whatever. I don't believe one game killed this franchise, a franchise that is basically built on changing with each installment anyway.

True. But I still think post X they walked way too far away from what made FF, FF. If they want to do both kind of games fine whatever. But to me it's saddens me that it's been over a decade with no real good FF games. They would change, but never radically. That's why again I say "core gameplay". Even from IV-IX each changed a bit, and added/changed things, but the core elements were still there.

 

[Tron Bonne]

I don't know, I really liked XII. It clearly had some big issues (I've always heard that there were a lot of behind-the-scenes problems, but I don't how much of that is true and how much is ********).

 

[Solidus]

XII wasn't bad. But it got boring I thought as time went on. But not a bad game like XIII was. My point still is, name something like XII "Last Journey" or something. Keep FF like FF. I look at things like Bravely Default and see that it still can be done.

 

[Tron Bonne]

Eh, I don't know, that sounds way too close-minded to me.

 

[Solidus]

It's not. Make whatever games they want. But keep the core gameplay with FF. It's part of the genre that carried it. It has nothing to do with being closed minded. Square can make any game they want give them different names. Or whatever they want call them FF something something. Just bring us some classic style Final Fantasy with modern twists as well.

 

[Tron Bonne]

I think anytime you put something in a box and say, 'this can not change', it's pretty much the definition of closed-mindedness. I'm not saying your opinion is wrong or bad or whatever, but it is what it is. Things change with time no matter how hard you resist or how much you dislike it.

EDIT: And honestly, I don't think the "core" or FF is nearly that defined to begin with. It's essentially an anthology series that changes with each installment. Sometimes not much, other times radically. I wouldn't be surprised if some fans thought the job system in FFIII was too much, or that the characters in FFII were just too much actual characters which is so different from the first.

 

[Solidus]

I think anytime you put something in a box and say, 'this can not change', it's pretty much the definition of closed-mindedness. I'm not saying your opinion is wrong or bad or whatever, but it is what it is. Things change with time no matter how hard you resist or how much you dislike it.

If you notice I don't mind small changes. So no. But the core elements. I mean why not just make FF a FPS like Titanfall then? There is a point where open-mindedness is just as insane. Let's do anything! Type of stuff. Things change, but not as much as you would think . Games still play the same, most movies tell the same stories that have been told for thousands of years. Some elements change...but for the good things the core elements remain.

I think the biggest core elements that most RPG's have like a world to explore (not linear) a feeling of exploration. But most importantly to me is the I-X turn-based combat. Not what XII/XIII tried to go for.

 

[Tron Bonne]

If you notice I don't mind small changes. So no. But the core elements. I mean why not just make FF a FPS like Titanfall then? There is a point where open-mindedness is just as insane. Let's do anything! Type of stuff. Things change, but not as much as you would think . Games still play the same, most movies tell the same stories that have been told for thousands of years. Some elements change...but for the good things the core elements remain.

Of course, I noticed you said that, but eh, I still think whenever you put anything in a box, even if you want to label it the "core elements" and say "these are the rules of God", I really don't know how one can perceive that otherwise.

I'm not saying you have to like it or that any change is good. I mean, I probably wouldn't enjoy a MGS that was a FPS COD-inspired game, but I'd go in with an open mind if it were to happen. And that isn't even an anthology series like FF is.

 

[Tron Bonne]

I think the biggest core elements that most RPG's have like a world to explore (not linear) a feeling of exploration. But most importantly to me is the I-X turn-based combat. Not what XII/XIII tried to go for.

Aren't XII and XIII both turned-based, though? You're just able to move your characters around as opposed to them standing still. XII had an overworld as big as any of the classic FFs, I thought.

 

[Solidus]

Of course, I noticed you said that, but eh, I still think whenever you put anything in a box, even if you want to label it the "core elements" and say "these are the rules of God", I really don't know how one can perceive that otherwise.

I'm not saying you have to like it or that any change is good. I mean, I probably wouldn't enjoy a MGS that was a FPS COD-inspired game, but I'd go in with an open mind if it were to happen. And that isn't even an anthology series like FF is.

Of course I'll go with an open mind. If it's a good FF game that's great! But sadly the more they've walked away, the worse and worse it's gotten since IX. My point is they can have FF games that do different styles, but why not try to bring back the classic style with a modern twist? I will go into anything with an open mind, good is good. But so far FF games that have strayed away from this have not been good to me.

I just think you can do new things, but also create a few that are like the classic FF's that bring a modern twist that can get people liking them. Bravley Default has done a great job with that, so I'm thinking up the production values and do that for FF.

So, ya I'm game for anything, but I"ll be more skeptical. I won't fold my arms just because it did not do what FF I think should do. But I think they should at least try since they are losing fans like flies. Because I think in the end that's what FF fans came for.

 

[Solidus]

Aren't XII and XIII both turned-based, though? You're just able to move your characters around as opposed to them standing still. XII had an overworld as big as any of the classic FFs, I thought.

Ehh you can call em that, but they did not feel like turn based. They felt like "actionized" versions of that. XIII rewarded people on going through it as fast as possible. Where the strategy, and depth felt lost. To me none of those games captured what the older ones did with that.

 

[Tron Bonne]

Are they really losing FF fans like flies, though? Internet fandom seems to spread that idea, but XIII was still a very big seller. Yes, there was drop off for the sequels, but there was drop off between X and X-2, which tells me there's just less people interested in the spin-offs than the mainline titles.

Not to mention, FF is still the only JRPG that has any real international presence outside maybe Pokemon and KH. Eyes are all over FFXV, despite the brand being so apparently damaged.

I've often said, and stand by saying this, that the "death" of Final Fantasy has been greatly, greatly exaggerated by the internet fandom.

 

[Brother Jack]

I almost do not want a VII remake at this point. Square of today is definitely not the company it once was and I'm almost sure they would screw it up somehow. Like making it look like Advent Children.

 

[Solidus]

Are they really losing FF fans like flies, though? Internet fandom seems to spread that idea, but XIII was still a very big seller. Yes, there was drop off for the sequels, but there was drop off between X and X-2, which tells me there's just less people interested in the spin-offs than the mainline titles.

Not to mention, FF is still the only JRPG that has any real international presence outside maybe Pokemon and KH. Eyes are all over FFXV, despite the brand being so apparently damaged.

I've often said, and stand by saying this, that the "death" of Final Fantasy has been greatly, greatly exaggerated by the internet fandom.

Eh, but the love for em are not that great. And yes I think it will hurt them with their next big main title. Even the "main" XIV did pretty bad at first. XIII was hyped and grabbing at a new generation of gamers with "next" gen. Hell even I was stoked for it. Eyes are all over XV because people are hoping for redemption, that and the game has been in production for ages.

I don't think it's the "death" of FF, but I think it's hurt the brand. The attach rate still was not that high for XIII especially since it was the first "multi-plat" FF.

 

[Solidus]

I almost do not want a VII remake at this point. Square of today is definitely not the company it once was and I'm almost sure they would screw it up somehow. Like making it look like Advent Children.

And that is true, and I admit, something I have thought about.

 

[Tron Bonne]

Eh, but the love for em are not that great. And yes I think it will hurt them with their next big main title. Even the "main" XIV did pretty bad at first. XIII was hyped and grabbing at a new generation of gamers with "next" gen. Hell even I was stoked for it. Eyes are all over XV because people are hoping for redemption, that and the game has been in production for ages.

I don't think it's the "death" of FF, but I think it's hurt the brand. The attach rate still was not that high for XIII especially since it was the first "multi-plat" FF.

Love amongst internet fandom, perhaps, but does that translate to hatred amongst the more general population? I'm not sure. It seems to me to mirror the hate that COD gets from the internet fandom each and every installment, yet, they always release to huge sales time and time again. I feel the multi-plat thing didn't matter so much, it was a much more fractured install base than the PS2 era.

We'll see. Internet fandom is really only a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of actual sales and opinion. I have a feeling that FFXV will be as relatively big big as any of it's predecessors, and the "damage" will remain mostly within the internet fandom.