Final Fantasy - Alive, Dying, or Dead?

[Ver-go-a-go-go]

Since we've gotten yet another new trailer/information on Final Fantasy XV, I wanted to make a topic about the current state of the series. Even if you haven't played even a majority of the main series titles, I'd encourage your thoughts on the matter when it comes to the overall quality of the series in the modern age.

There's been an insane amount of hype over FFXV, because it was announced back in...2006, I want to say. It was originally called Final Fantasy Versus XIII, but was changed because it's taken forever for the game to get through development hell and actually be released. I feel like this hype is setting this game up for disappointment - the game looks good, but it doesn't look like something that's going to set the gaming world on fire. Call it my JRPG intuition, but the free-flowing combat looks like it'll be beyond repetitive once you've found two or three effective combos, and will end up being a mediocre version of Kingdom Hearts without the Disney charm that keeps that game afloat. Coupled with negative elements that Final Fantasy XIII normalized, my expectations are quite low

So what happens if FFXV is, once again, deemed a "failure" by fans of the series and maybe even critics?

If we look to the second most recent entry in the series, Final Fantasy XIV, we see perhaps the biggest failure of a Final Fantasy game ever. The MMO's sales and reception by fans and critics alike was so overwhelmingly negative, that SquareEnix was forced to scrap the whole thing and start from scratch with it again.

If we look to the third most recent entry in the series, we get what it definitely the most troubling trend to me. Final Fantasy XIII sold an incredible amount, and was met with near universal acclaim critically. However, it most definitely has the largest stigma of any main-series game among the fan-base. I make this generalization because I see it in nearly every facet of the internet; almost all review sites, forums, video sharing sites, etc etc. (Critical reviews of subsequent sequels would also support this, but more on that later). Personally, I found the game enjoyable enough. I didn't think it was the worst thing I had ever played, but I guess I appreciated the effort with it

But then we get to the not only one, but two sequels that followed FFXIII. The most disturbing thing about these sequels, completely independent of delving into the nuances of whether they're actually good games or not, is seen in the sales figures and critical reception. Final Fantasy XIII-2 has, in total since release, sold around 3.1 million copies, well short of FFXIII's 6.6 million. The next sequel, Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, did even worse at a middling 1.4 million. But sales don't necessarily reflect how good a game is.... unless they're accompanied buy bad fan and reviewer reception as well.

Again, I find that each title was 1.) Critically received worse than the previous one, and 2.) Met with worse and worse fan reaction. With the quality of the series and its sale numbers declining with seemingly ever recent installment, on top of the FFXIV debacle and what seems like ungodly expectations for FFXV, some are already preaching the downfall of the series as an A-tier industry staple.

So I suppose my question is this - do you think that the Final Fantasy series has lost its way, and that the four most recent games in the series are a testament to this? And if so, what previous Final Fantasy game should be emulated in an attempt to bring the series back to its former glory? I'd like to post my specific opinions after I get some feedback.

 

[Snow Queen]

It's kinda dead, but I think it could be Phoenix Down'd easily if they just try to make something good. Just try.

 

[Dio]

The only bad thing about ff13 was its repetitive and boring gameplay. 15 looks like it will correct that giving you instant control over what attacks you do rather than giving commands.
FF is like Ganondorf, you might think it is dead but it just isn't.

 

[Mercedes]

Alive. There's been so many Final Fantasy games and the only title that I'd consider to be quite sub-par was the original incarnation of 14, with that having been resolved now and A Realm Reborn being a much better game. In typical gamer fashion the problems with 13 have been vastly over-exaggerated, I didn't find it as good as previous entries (though it's worth noting many previous FF games are absolutely brilliant games so it had some harsh comparisons pulled) but it definitely wasn't objectively "bad". But why would anyone look objectively at a game when you can just join in on an internet hate train? Yet more reasons piled on why I detest most modern gamers.

I do think that Square's decision to carry on the 13 world was a bit of a mistake, but they were likely just buying themselves easy development time in order to concentrate on 15 and so it may have been for the best if it has helped have the latter game be the best it can possibly be. I definitely saw less hype for the sequels and it was to be expected, even though I enjoyed 13 I didn't really want more of that world and characters. 15 doesn't seem like a huge step-up though, I already want to punch every character in the face for looking like douchebags.

However, relevance is another issue. The same discussion was being had about Halo on GAF; it's a powerful game series, has sold a lot of titles, and it looks like some amazing iterations in the franchise are coming out, but is it still a relevant title among modern games? I think Final Fantasy will have an easier time remaining relevant since large Japanese RPG games popular in the West don't come any bigger than it, whereas Halo has COD, Titanfall, Battlefield, etc. Time will tell but unless 15 actually bombs then there's very little ground to argue that the series, as a whole, is dead or even dying. I mean, I hated Skyward Sword. Didn't like that game at all, didn't enjoy it one bit. And yet that's just 1 title in a huge franchise which has given me countless hours of fun. So arguing Zelda is dead because I didn't like 1 iteration in the franchise would just be stupid, correct? Yes, it would.

 

[Kylo Ken]

I would say...dying. I never really liked them before. To me, the story never made sense to me. Maybe more people think the same thing nowadays. Even if that's wrong, XIII really turned off hardcore fans. Still, some people find it to be a gem.

 

[mαrkαsscoρ]

coming from an outsider's view [as in i've never played a final fantasy before],the series sorta looks like its dying
i hear plenty of praise for the earlier titles and a lot of criticism for the recent ones,couple that w/ the deteriorating sales you have yourself a dying franchise

 

[Ver-go-a-go-go]

In typical gamer fashion the problems with 13 have been vastly over-exaggerated, I didn't find it as good as previous entries (though it's worth noting many previous FF games are absolutely brilliant games so it had some harsh comparisons pulled) but it definitely wasn't objectively "bad". But why would anyone look objectively at a game when you can just join in on an internet hate train? Yet more reasons piled on why I detest most modern gamers.

Yeah, this is probably where I stand on the matter too. I don't see any hate for the likes of FFXII or A Realm Reborn, because it doesn't fit into the the "modern FF sucks" schema that seems to be so popular these days. I honestly don't see how one can despise FFXII especially, with its open world and "town"-based overworld that was very reminiscent of the first few titles.

I think it was just the repetition of the XIII series that burnt everyone out so much. When there's a new world, cast of characters, and battle system each game, it's easier to look forward to new things and not be worn out by existing trends. But where there's FFXIII sequel after FFXIII sequel, there's only so many times you can get away with it before preexisting notions come into play, and your audience starts to think "it's the same game, therefore it's terrible."

I'm eagerly awaiting FFXV, albeit with a bit lower expectations that everyone else seems to have at the moment. But I do think the series is "alive" as well.

 

[NintendoCN]

I'd say dying you can only take so much water from a well! I have brought it upon myself to obtain all Blue magic/ enemy skills in all the FF games. However that doesn't seem to be a thing anymore I've only played FF I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, IX, X, and XIII (V being my fav!) But I don't see it coming back ever. When it finally dies RIP.

 

[Djinn]

Well FF is certainly having much more luck in the handheld market than console atm since they have churned out two this year and I think three handheld games counting the ios ones last year. On handheld they are maintaining the classic style gameplay with the old job system and 2D sprite graphics. It is just the console market that they are playing around with various weird and different ideas that have a lot of fans turned off. But FF14 still seems to be doing well.

 

[Jamie]

FFXIII sold extremely well, as outlined in the OP. It is natural for sequels (FFXIII-2 and Lightning Returns) to sell worse than their predecessors in a franchise with very few sequels like Final Fantasy, as it restricts the audience. If you didn't play FFXIII, or didn't like it, you aren't likely to buy FFXIII-2. I don't think the sales of FFXIII-2 and Lightning Returns are indicative of anything. Crisis Core sold only 2.5m, and this was a sequel (or prequel, rather) of FFVII, easily the most popular game in the franchise. FFXIII is actually the best selling FF game since FFVIII, beating IX and XII by considerable margins and just edging FFX. Interestingly enough, FFX-2 sold about the same as FFXIII-2, and FFX and FFXIII also had similar sales numbers. I think that the FF franchise is extremely far from dead.