Final Fantasy XV

[Brandon Strader]

Maybe a little early to jump on this, but with E3 only a matter of maybe 5 days away (which will be passed before we know it), I am 99.9% certain that Final Fantasy XV is going to be announced. I think it'd be a bad move if it wasn't.

Smart money has been on Versus 13 being renamed to Final Fantasy XV, which may be the case -- we'll have to see. I hope the additional rumor that it is being moved to the PS4 is not true, although a version on PS3 and PS4 would not be bad at all.

But Square-Enix also teased (that's about all they did) at the PS4 conference about a big announcement at the upcoming E3, about a "brand new final fantasy game". I don't think that could be Versus, because they specifically said it was "new".

So this thread is for discussion of Final Fantasy XV when it is INEVITABLY announced in a few days. What would you like to see from the game in terms of art style or atmosphere?

Do you think Squeenix will be able to break away from the generic style of FF13 and "Angi's Philosophy"?

[The Legendary Zoltan]

I think that despite being called new, it's going to be Versus XIII renamed as XV. This not what I want but that is what I think will happen. They already have Lightning Return's coming and Versus is also a XIII game in some way I guess but really the do need to make it something completely different. For Heaven's sake, I don't want Agni's Philosophy to be a Final Fantasy game. Everything about that video felt NOT like Final Fantasy and it was way too brown and grey and AK47.

I hope I am wrong but I think we won't get anything REALLY new until FFXVI.

[XPRTNovice]

My only hope is that they'll stop driving the series into the ground with their J-Pop crap, ridiculous storylines, awful voice actors, and anything that looks, sounds, or smells anything like Snow from XIII. I want my old FF back.

[avaris]

My head has given up on Square Enix. But my heart hasn't.

[XPRTNovice]

My head has given up on Square Enix. But my heart hasn't.

I could have said this instead.

[Drachefly]

I haven't played any FF after 9, so let me get this straight.

10 is the one with the sphere grid and Tidus and the summoner and the guy in the red coat who's kind of already dead, right? And Blitzball. And a continuity-maintaining sequel (wtf) that seems to mainly be a dress-up game (wtf x2 combo)

Of FF's 11, 12, and 13, I think I remember that one of them was a MMO, and one or more was written for PC instead of being console-only.

Any distinguishing characteristics that I can grab onto in my head to keep them straight? Given what was said above, it seems that none of them are worth playing anyway...

[The Derrit]

My only hope is that they'll stop driving the series into the ground with their everything that is modern japanese culture but i don't think is because it's not what i like

I could have said this instead.

fixed for you

[avaris]

Any distinguishing characteristics that I can grab onto in my head to keep them straight? Given what was said above, it seems that none of them are worth playing anyway...

12 has a battle system similar to Xenoblade Chronicles. The main character is annoying but the rest of the game is pretty cool. If you enjoyed Xenoblade Chronicles FF12 should be fun. It's really a lesser version of Xenoblade Chronicles IMO.

[Modus]

The distinguishing characteristic of 11 is that it's my favorite game ever along with Skies of Arcadia, but not everyone is into MMO's so it kind of got ignored. However it was very successful as far as profits go.

The distinguishing characteristic of 13 is that it's extremely divisive. It was mostly a movie and if you didn't like the characters you're going to hate it. I didn't like the characters, except Lightening. She's amazing.

14 is another MMO. Had a bad start, so they're about to release the heavily revised version featuring a different storyline called "A Realm Reborn." I think it will be pretty good.

X-2 was wacky but nifty.

Never played 10 or 12.

[XPRTNovice]

fixed for you

good job bro, thanx

Anyway, that's kind of like saying that a game that reflects Jersey Shore isn't bad because it reflects a microcosm of American culture. Plenty of shit comes out of Japan that isn't all kawaii or whatever.

Edited June 6, 2013 by XPRTNovice

[Brandon Strader]

I'll be the first to say what I WANT from Final Fantasy XV, although this is about as likely as Square being bought by Yahoo and becoming successful again.

I want to see it have a unique art style, what comes to mind is FF: Crystal Chronicles. Also FF9 comes to mind as something clearly different, art-wise, from every other FF game. Maybe a more cutesy style with less "photo-realism" and more focus on refined graphics and augmented environmental effects (ashes, sun rays, dust particles floating around, all that cool stuff that makes games seem really beautiful and high end)

High-end graphic quality and smoothing, not like these half-baked remakes they're doing now with all the polygons and lack of AA.

If they don't hire Nobuo Uematsu which is ideal, they should get Motoi Sakuraba.

And finally, it should be released on PC. Hopefully the new President realizes the importance of PC releases, even if Tomb Raider didn't do particularly well. I can tell you it's not because there was a PC version, if anything that would help sell more than just having it on a console.

So there's what I want.

I guess I basically just described Blue Dragon.

But if they did Blue Dragon meets FF9 and focused on better storylines and characters, I think it could be the upswing that they need, not to mention a great game.

[XPRTNovice]

*vision for FFXV*

I noticed this in one of the other threads about what people liked about different FFs, and I think it's really interesting to see what different people value in different games. I could ask a dozen people that question and there not be a single modicum of commonality in all of them. I wouldn't have ever thought to even bring up what Brandon just said. I just think it's interesting

[Brandon Strader]

I noticed this in one of the other threads about what people liked about different FFs, and I think it's really interesting to see what different people value in different games. I could ask a dozen people that question and there not be a single modicum of commonality in all of them. I wouldn't have ever thought to even bring up what Brandon just said. I just think it's interesting

Yeah well I mean it's what I'd like to see, I really loved the FF8 style and I have had that game on my mind a lot but I'm kind of weary of SE's attempts at the photo-realistic sword and gun-based game based in reality... I think they've had enough attempts at that lately and Versus 13 if it ever comes out will be that type of game... So yeah I'd like to see something completely different.

[Malaki-LEGEND.sys]

Brandon, you had me until you mentioned Motoi Sakuraba. Seriously, I can't think of music more generic. Have you not heard most of his recent Tales stuff.

I think they could actually make a great Crystal Chronicles game for the Wii U if they actually grew a pair and just went balls out with it.

[Brandon Strader]

Brandon, you had me until you mentioned Motoi Sakuraba. Seriously, I can't think of music more generic. Have you not heard most of his recent Tales stuff.

I think they could actually make a great Crystal Chronicles game for the Wii U if they actually grew a pair and just went balls out with it.

I haven't heard recent tales stuff. But still, I love his style, and he makes an immense amount of music. He's probably working on 3 soundtracks as we speak. I don't think he'd drop the ball with Final Fantasy

[Garpocalypse]

My only hope is that they'll stop driving the series into the ground with their J-Pop crap, ridiculous storylines, awful voice actors, and anything that looks, sounds, or smells anything like Snow from XIII. I want my old FF back.

You know Snow was Troy Baker right? Baker was really the only voice actor I could stand in FFXIII. Well, him and the guy who did Sazh. I thought the chicks were awful for the most part.

If SE really wants to do this game right they are going to need Troy for every voice for every character in the game.

Including the women...

Edited June 6, 2013 by Garpocalypse

[Brandon Strader]

Troy Baker? How about Joy Behar?

Ha ha ha ha ha ha...... (ffx laugh)

What I'd like to see voice acting-wise, to go with what I posted earlier, I think they should try to find some people who sound real despite going for a more fantasy setting. Part of the problem lately has been the writing. Everything is so over the top and the way it is voiced really over-emphasizes all of the cheese. They need natural writing and natural voices. And whether they choose to represent the characters as kids or adults, they should stay away from forced "tough guy" dialogue and just keep it real.

Eh?

I really like the FFX voices even if others don't. And I also thought the voices were terrible and one-dimensional in FF13 and that's basically what I am hoping they avoid for the future.

Here's SE's E3 line-up not including FF titles: http://www.videogamer.com/ps4/thief/news/square_enix_reveals_e3_2013_line-up.html

Doesn't look too interesting.

Here's more info on Murdered: http://www.computerandvideogames.com/410581/square-enix-releases-murdered-soul-suspect-details-and-trailer/

Sounds......... overly cheesy.

EDIT: But after watching the trailer it looks amazing, great voice acting, and it's on PC. I'mma get.

Edited June 6, 2013 by Brandon Strader

[Garpocalypse]

Troy Baker? How about Joy Behar?

Ha ha ha ha ha ha...... (ffx laugh)

There's a joke in here somewhere. Still looking for it...

It's always easy to blame the voice actors but i think people should be quicker to blame the voice acting directors.

[Annie Felis]

It's always easy to blame the voice actors but i think people should be quicker to blame the voice acting directors.

Agreed. Very often the actors are just doing what they're told to do, but not always. Yuna's rushed or stuttering lines are a result of her actress trying to mash english lines into japanese mouth movements with that a priority over acting and realism, but a director could have told her to knock that crap off and change up some lines to make them more natural. Whoever directed her in X-2 had a better clue.

[Thalzon]

I really just want some whimsy back in the series. There is something seriously dour about saying the token over-30 party member is the "old man" just because everyone else is under 20.

[The Derrit]

I really just want some whimsy back in the series. There is something seriously dour about saying the token over-30 party member is the "old man" just because everyone else is under 20.

this is also japanese culture and something any young person would say to the oldest person in the group

legit EVERY non-gameplay related complaint in this thread has been about something a japanese person wouldn't even bat an eyelash at so what i hope everyone is realizing is that you actually don't like japanese culture (even though you think you do)

[djpretzel]

legit EVERY non-gameplay related complaint in this thread has been about something a japanese person wouldn't even bat an eyelash at so what i hope everyone is realizing is that you actually don't like japanese culture (even though you think you do)

Because FF13 epitomizes all aspects of Japanese culture? Your theory here is all sorts of weird, as if the later FF installments could somehow encapsulate an entire people. I wouldn't presume to speak knowingly about what a Japanese person would or would not bat an eyelash at - or an American person, for that matter.

For my money, I'd summarize the problem with two bullet points:

• The FF universe has not survived the move to voice acting all that well; what once was text dialogue that the reader could imbue with emotion & gravitas now leaves less to the imagination, and suffers from it. I'd rather SE spent HALF of their CG budget on A/B testing different voice actors & voice acting directors, & writers that understand the difference between written dialogue and spoken dialogue. At this point, if that's not possible, I'd prefer they just switch back to text. I actually like the system that Fire Emblem: Awakening uses, with little mini-phrases & expressions substituting for the full text of what's being said, augmenting it. OR just make it ALL in some gibberish made up language. ANYTHING is preferable to what we've been getting.
  
• There seems to be a general, fundamental mistake that MORE ELABORATE = BETTER. It's easy to confuse intricacy with quality; I'm not saying that as FF games develop they shouldn't alter the formula a bit, but it feels like there's this false pressure to make most changes additive, when I think stripping away & making subtractive (or even regressive) changes makes a ton of sense, based on the story you're trying to tell.
  

I really TRIED to play FF13, but for the life of me, everything felt so elaborate but simultaneously so devoid of soul that I simply couldn't proceed. Storytelling has been at the heart of the series & is what I feel it has excelled at in most of its cherished installments. It makes no sense to attribute bad storytelling & pacing to Japanese culture when they've gotten it right so many times in the past.

Edited June 7, 2013 by djpretzel

[XPRTNovice]

Storytelling has been at the heart of the series & is what I feel it has excelled at in most of its cherished installments. It makes no sense to attribute bad storytelling & pacing to Japanese culture when they've gotten it right so many times in the past.

Yes. And I'm not really sure why it matters if people think they like a culture but actually don't (?) or what bearing that has on what makes a game good from the player's perspective, regardless of the player's nationality.

[Lyrai]

Because FF13 epitomizes all aspects of Japanese culture? Your theory here is all sorts of weird, as if the later FF installments could somehow encapsulate an entire people. I wouldn't presume to speak knowingly about what a Japanese person would or would not bat an eyelash at - or an American person, for that matter.

For my money, I'd summarize the problem with two bullet points:

• The FF universe has not survived the move to voice acting all that well; what once was text dialogue that the reader could imbue with emotion & gravitas now leaves less to the imagination, and suffers from it. I'd rather SE spent HALF of their CG budget on A/B testing different voice actors & voice acting directors, & writers that understand the difference between written dialogue and spoken dialogue. At this point, if that's not possible, I'd prefer they just switch back to text. I actually like the system that Fire Emblem: Awakening uses, with little mini-phrases & expressions substituting for the full text of what's being said, augmenting it. OR just make it ALL in some gibberish made up language. ANYTHING is preferable to what we've been getting.
  
• There seems to be a general, fundamental mistake that MORE ELABORATE = BETTER. It's easy to confuse intricacy with quality; I'm not saying that as FF games develop they shouldn't alter the formula a bit, but it feels like there's this false pressure to make most changes additive, when I think stripping away & making subtractive (or even regressive) changes makes a ton of sense, based on the story you're trying to tell.
  

I really TRIED to play FF13, but for the life of me, everything felt so elaborate but simultaneously so devoid of soul that I simply couldn't proceed. Storytelling has been at the heart of the series & is what I feel it has excelled at in most of its cherished installments. It makes no sense to attribute bad storytelling & pacing to Japanese culture when they've gotten it right so many times in the past.

While the second point is something I think you'll find little resistance to, I do think it very important to recall the fallout after FF13 crashed and burned. It's a bitch finding articles for it now, but I believe the CEO of the company ended up screaming at the dev team to "Stop making games you want, and start making games people want to play."

The problem seemed to be even more pinpoint than elaborate = good; it seemed to be Square-Enix getting its head stuck up it's own ass after frequent repeated colossal successes. It made them headstrong, and they continued to think their fans would pied piper them wherever. FF11's initial slam into a wall barely phased them. It took 13 and 14 being colossal failures to shake them out. Seriously, both games were such broken messes, I kept looking for the EA Logo on both.

I have 13, I'm probably going to slog through to the end, but it'll be one of the few games that I push through out of obligation (I make it a point to beat every FF possible. It started when I realized I'd already done that up to FF10)

It's just so dull. It's someone's pet project, Lightning is definitely someone's wish fulfillment waifu, the whole thing just drips that it was made to appeal to a very very very limited type of person, to the complete destruction of anyone else enjoying it.

[XPRTNovice]

The problem seemed to be even more pinpoint than elaborate = good; it seemed to be Square-Enix getting its head stuck up it's own ass after frequent repeated colossal successes. It made them headstrong, and they continued to think their fans would pied piper them wherever. FF11's initial slam into a wall barely phased them. It took 13 and 14 being colossal failures to shake them out. Seriously, both games were such broken messes, I kept looking for the EA Logo on both.

This is probably the best summary ever.