Squaresoft to Square Enix. Was it worth it?
In my opinion, square just hasn't been the same since the merge with Enix Corp. I dont think that they've put out a game since the merge that equated in quality with the games that came pre-merge. I remember playing FF10 (my first final fantasy game) and saying that it was the best game i had ever played. I loved the battle system, the music, the story, all the back stories of the characters and the history of Spira. I loved everything about it! so much that i have multiple gamesaves of 60+ hours (one over 110 hours). Then the merge came and, being so new to square games, i didn't know anything about it.
I recently played FF7 also! This game has been known as the crown jewel of the final fantasy series since it came out. The PS1 games are sought after by collectors like they were gold, and i can clearly see why. No, the graphics aren't that great. Heck, they SUCK by today's sandards, but back in the days of PS1, the cut scenes were revolutionary. A clear win for squaresoft, as this was there first 3D FF game. The characters are unforgettable, the story was gripping, twists around every corner and the embodiment of all things evil: Sephiroth himself. Sephiroth was, in my opinion, the greatest villain in the history of the world. To say why would be giving away more details than i would care to. If you've played this game, you know what i'm talking about. This is one of the few games that i would ever give 10 stars out of 10. It had everything that a good FF game should.
onto post-merge stuff.
I saw FF10-2 on the shelf and when i played it for the first time, i was less than impressed. The story was shallow, battle-system completely changed (reminiscent of FF7 im thinking which isnt a bad thing, but not good when used with the next point), job system incorporated (which im not a huge fan of to begin with), and the entire game is played in missions? wtc is this? This isn't final fantasy X.
I never really forgave that game.
A few years later, i saw FF12 on the discount rack at gamestop and thought i'd try it. I popped it in, and an hour or two into the game i was getting hooked. I thought the battle and level-up system in this game were unique. You get to program your characters to do what you want in certain situations? heck yes! (well, thats what i said at first)
After a few boss fights and several level ups, i realized that the game just wasn't really worth it. I never ran from a battle, used the gambit system to the best of my abilities and i still had to level grind after every boss. I got tired of level grinding and gave up on the game.
Looking back, i dont really understand The character's reasons for journeying. It seems that Vann (the main character) is just along for the ride and everyone else has their own motives. You'll have to forgive me if there's some explanation later in the story that i haven't gotten to yet.
btw, I never played FF11. never appealed to me to pay 15 dollars a month to play a game, but apparently Square Enix aced the online gaming aspect of the series? idk.
Finally FF13. They're finally starting to get their act together again. The visuals are stunning. The battle system is inventive and fast paced. The story is interesting. The level up system actually gives jobs necessity (GASP!). I didn't really care very much about how linear the game was(although it would have been nice to have some more freedom to explore). I rarely found myself grinding for experience points, so i didn't get bored. My only complaint thus far (i havn't finished it yet) is when you get to Pulse. It's as though they drop the story and its ALL exploration, incorporated with an indirect kind of mission system. The enemies are too string for the characters at this point, so almost every battle I got into, I died. It took a decent amount of strategy to win a few battles with the lesser monsters. Now, im getting stronger and can almost beat the lesser monsters consistently.
Sorry, Square. You can't simply make everything linear in the game and give us all the exploration all at once with NO lineage. Both aspects have to present through the whole game.
I think that FF13 was the closest thing in quality to the pre-merge games. Hopefully, square will get its feet on the ground again with FF15, since 14 is going to be another online game. They seem to be getting closer and closer, but just missing one little undefined detail.
I recently played FF7 also! This game has been known as the crown jewel of the final fantasy series since it came out. The PS1 games are sought after by collectors like they were gold, and i can clearly see why. No, the graphics aren't that great. Heck, they SUCK by today's sandards, but back in the days of PS1, the cut scenes were revolutionary. A clear win for squaresoft, as this was there first 3D FF game. The characters are unforgettable, the story was gripping, twists around every corner and the embodiment of all things evil: Sephiroth himself. Sephiroth was, in my opinion, the greatest villain in the history of the world. To say why would be giving away more details than i would care to. If you've played this game, you know what i'm talking about. This is one of the few games that i would ever give 10 stars out of 10. It had everything that a good FF game should.
onto post-merge stuff.
I saw FF10-2 on the shelf and when i played it for the first time, i was less than impressed. The story was shallow, battle-system completely changed (reminiscent of FF7 im thinking which isnt a bad thing, but not good when used with the next point), job system incorporated (which im not a huge fan of to begin with), and the entire game is played in missions? wtc is this? This isn't final fantasy X.
I never really forgave that game.
A few years later, i saw FF12 on the discount rack at gamestop and thought i'd try it. I popped it in, and an hour or two into the game i was getting hooked. I thought the battle and level-up system in this game were unique. You get to program your characters to do what you want in certain situations? heck yes! (well, thats what i said at first)
After a few boss fights and several level ups, i realized that the game just wasn't really worth it. I never ran from a battle, used the gambit system to the best of my abilities and i still had to level grind after every boss. I got tired of level grinding and gave up on the game.
Looking back, i dont really understand The character's reasons for journeying. It seems that Vann (the main character) is just along for the ride and everyone else has their own motives. You'll have to forgive me if there's some explanation later in the story that i haven't gotten to yet.
btw, I never played FF11. never appealed to me to pay 15 dollars a month to play a game, but apparently Square Enix aced the online gaming aspect of the series? idk.
Finally FF13. They're finally starting to get their act together again. The visuals are stunning. The battle system is inventive and fast paced. The story is interesting. The level up system actually gives jobs necessity (GASP!). I didn't really care very much about how linear the game was(although it would have been nice to have some more freedom to explore). I rarely found myself grinding for experience points, so i didn't get bored. My only complaint thus far (i havn't finished it yet) is when you get to Pulse. It's as though they drop the story and its ALL exploration, incorporated with an indirect kind of mission system. The enemies are too string for the characters at this point, so almost every battle I got into, I died. It took a decent amount of strategy to win a few battles with the lesser monsters. Now, im getting stronger and can almost beat the lesser monsters consistently.
Sorry, Square. You can't simply make everything linear in the game and give us all the exploration all at once with NO lineage. Both aspects have to present through the whole game.
I think that FF13 was the closest thing in quality to the pre-merge games. Hopefully, square will get its feet on the ground again with FF15, since 14 is going to be another online game. They seem to be getting closer and closer, but just missing one little undefined detail.
