E3 2013: Final Fantasy XV and the death of the Japanese RPG?

The Guardian: "Square Enix's decision to drop the turn-based battle system in favour of action-oriented play risks further alienating fans."

[KingKelloggTheWH]

Im a long time FF fan,Im glad to see them shaking it up a bit.Final Fantasy has always been about the stories and the amazing worlds for me,just because they got rid of turn based gameplay doesn't mean I will abandon the series.

Besides FF changes with each iteration,it is natural for it to change,and being turn based doesnt make it an rpg/

[Snookies12]

EXACTLY! I am a die-hard old school FF fan. Been here since FF1 back on Nintendo. I loved the turn based system, and am one of the people who doesn't care as much for entries post-FFX. (Not that they weren't good RPGs, just not up to the calibur that the older ones were.)

It's ALWAYS been about the stories that are told, the characters they revolve around, and the world they're set in. People who complain that it's not turn based and that it doesn't have the right to be a main entry are not looking at the bigger picture. When you think back to any Final Fantasy 1-9, are you recalling fond memories of the battle systems which were practically the same each generation? I sure don't, I always recall the epic moments in the story over anything else. My point being, just because it doesn't have the turn based battles doesn't make it any less of a Final Fantasy.

[lomion5]

Maybe not, but I miss turn based all the same.

[LordHiggens]

Precisely as we discussed Snook it is more modeled after the Kingdom Hearts battle system. With Tetsuya Nomura working on it that's not suprising this game has tremendous potential to just knock your socks off. I can not wait to play it.

[Snookies12]

@LordHiggens - Yeah, I've always been a fan of the Kingdom Hearts games. Having an evolved battle system in that style, with more mature and darker themes along with a brilliant story and wonderful music. I couldn't be happier with the result. Cannot wait to pick this game up!

Here's hoping we'll look back on this day years from now and consider this on par with the 1-10 legacy of the Final Fantasy series.

[lomion5]

Oh don't get me wrong, I can't wait for the game. It looks fantastic and I cannot wait to play it. I'm not upset or anything that the fighting isn't turn based either. That's been the way with this game from the beginning. The fact remains, a new turn based Final Fantasy would be pretty sweet. There's always hope for the next one, but I'm not holding my breath either.

[Outside_ofthe_Box]

Final Fantasy to me is:

- Massive world to explore

- Being able to travel this massive world with various transportation (i.e. airships)

- Great Story

- Great Characters

- The unique weapons each character wields

- Tons of side quests which includes hidden quests

- Summons which includes hidden ones as well

- Magic and Equipments

- Being able to control your entire party during battle

- character progression is based on simply leveling up

- ATB *type* battle system(Doesn't have to be turn based, just everyone has some sort of timer on when they can attack)

- near impossible to beat side bosses (i.e Ruby weapon)

- Chocobos

- Moogles

- Great Graphics

- Great Soundtrack

Granted not every single one of these must be in an FF game and some are more important than others. Besides we don't have all the gameplay details on XV, but from what I've seen so far it looks really good.

[VileAndVicious]

I dont mind them switching up the battle system. They did it in XII and I loved the way it worked (probably put more hours into that one than any of the others). The new system seems solid I just hope there some character customization.

[Thatguy-310]

It seemed like the combat is similar to the one in Kingdom Hearts series which has me intrigued and excited.

[CrossingEden]

bull**** you guys went on and on about how square enix should go back to classic final fantasy, I'VE SEEN YOU complaining and saying that they should go back -_- hypocrites

[KingKelloggTheWH]

Classic FF,good story,deep world,good characters.That's all I've wanted,and you can see in any of my comments.

[Irishguy95]

Classic FF does NOT mean the battle system. It means everything that FF13 left out. Which is quite a damn lot. Battle system was a part of it, however...it is not the important part.

[Godmars290]

The death of Square as an RPG maker anyway.

If not just "dead" completely...

[Irishguy95]

Action RPG's are just as much an RPG as Turn based ones.

[Xof]

Good JRPGs and Final Fantasy parted ways nearly a decade ago.

[paris007]

JRPG can be succesful just look at Wrath Of The White Witch you have to do it just perfect so it can succeed but i believe that its good they changed direction with this one

[ceedubya9]

I don't have a problem with the direction of this game. Looks to be a fun ride. But, I have no problem with a more traditional turn based offering every now and then either.

[Chrono]

FF fans, forever complaining.

[fsfsxii]

Death of FF that has made a revolution in the JRPG genre back in the day

[CrossingEden]

the tales of game series has been doing what this game is doing for a long time

[fsfsxii]

I got into the Tales series recently, loving it and can't wait for Tales of Xillia

[Timesplitter14]

More like evolution of the JRPG. Just because it's not turn-based anymore doesn't mean it's not an RPG. Look at FF13, it was only pseudo-turn-based. They're just exploring new ways JRPGs can be played

[Tommymk2]

They have a right to, I enjoyed 13 but man 13-2 was crap I mean time travel with long loading times what a waste of time n story was boring final fantasy x is still the last great game hence the remaster

[TheOneWhoIsTornApart]

I find it completely ridiculous that so many people are bashing FFXV because its an action RPG. It was always going to be an action RPG since the beginning and the trailer from 2 plus years ago showed the same kind of gameplay that we see in the new trailer. Everyone was so excited for this to be shown knowing that it was an action RPG and then the see gameplay are like screw this what is this sh**? this isnt Final Fantasy. It's so bizarre. I have been a Final Fantasy fan since the beginning and I love turn based combat but i am glad this entry is different. Final Fantasy to me requires 5 things to be good. Story,Characters,Music,Art, and Setting and everything else is secondary to those things including combat and with that said bring on the amazing looking game.

[TongkatAli]

Looks more epic. Yeah, turn base combat next gen, no. I love that the game is huge like a sandbox world. FFXIII was a hallway.

I want everything to be like a sandbox cause next gen got the power to do it and really detailed too. We are talking about massive worlds, this game is going to be so huge can't wait to see the world map :D

[Hadoukameha]

NO. N. O. NO!

I hate big, empty, ugly worlds full of boring missions. That shit needs to be kept in garbage action games for stoners and idiots.

[TheOneWhoIsTornApart]

@Hadoukameha. Next gen open worlds will not be ugly, boring, empty games with fetch quests. Not sure why you have to insult people who like open world games by calling them only for people who are stoners and idiots. I dont want every game to be open world but I do like them. The ones they showed at E3 looks stunning. The Witcher 3, Metal Gear Solid V, and Destiny to name a few look quite incredible and are going to be great.

[xGrunty]

I'm upset not because of how the game looks, it looks amazing! I'm upset because this is the 3rd trailer in 7 years and we still don't have a damn release date. I barely know anything about the story, who those guys were on the latest trailer, why everyone is fighting who they are fighting. Don't you think after this long we should have a lot more info on idk....THE GAME! Instead we get another trailer, a platform switch, and still no release date. I'm sick of getting games I don't want instead of the game everyone wants.

[Asuka]

exactly. its as if everyone woke up and forgot that FFXV was SUPPOSE TO BE and WAS ALWAYS a more action-orientated jrpg. Its being developed by the KH people for crying out loud. No one complained about the reveal 7 years ago, or the gameplay trailer from 2 years ago. So why now?! Makes no sense.

[TheOneWhoIsTornApart]

To be honest I think it looks far better than I ever dreamed and I had complete faith that it would be awesome and have amazing graphics. It seriously surpassed my expectations. They took what they showed 2 years ago and made it into something far more incredible. I love the darker tone and modern fantasy setting which is what everyone was excited for. I cannot believe there are actually people who loved what they saw 2 years ago and are now hating on it. I cant wait to see what the chocobo's look like in this style of Final Fantasy. We get a big world to explore , airships, Towns and cities,Yoko Shimomura composing the soundtrack and some fascinating characters and an interesting sounding story so how can anyone be upset right?

[Asuka]

Lmao a name change, really? Grasping for straws are we now? Seriously cant please you guys no matter what. Wanted ffversus for 7 years, you get it and your not happy because its named something different even tho its the exact same game everyone has been asking for. All your complaining is completely baseless for you have no clue how future titles will be.

[Dark11]

"Square Enix's decision to drop the turn-based"

and this is why , i'm looking forward to FF XV.

[Summons75]

Ummm it's still a Jrpg, still Japanese made....complainers scratching at something to cry about. Move on folks.

[ThyMagicSword]

The Action RPG move was the best they've made with this game. Turn based, traditional japanese gameplay seems boring to me, I've played FF XIII, not the best FF, the combat System was just ugly, not dynamic enough in order to have exciting battles against enormous creatures of FF universe like behemoth's and so on. Imagine FF XV having a similar System to FF XII on Ps2, where you can roam in the world with dynamic weather effects, night/day-cycle and the spawnings of rare creatures in certain situations with this Action based combat. Man, that would be a masterpiece...

[ThyMagicSword]

Collecting tons of materials/items, rare Drops, forging weapons and armors with Monster materials... I Keep dreaming...

[-Gespenst-]

Absence of turn based fighting = death of the JRPG?

Probably should have played some more jrpgs before he published this.

Also, FF has always been about innovating and constant change. Each game is supposed to be super different. Granted there have been some mainstays, but X-2, XII, XIII, XIII-2, and now XV have all been doing things differently.

[Abriael]

Leave it to the Guardian not to have the slightest idea on what a JRPG is. Action JRPG = Still a JRPG.

Lately generalist websites love to write about videogames. Just they don't do a very good job with it.

[My_Name_BTW_Is_Dante]

Final Fantasy is a franchise that died years ago. FF13 was bad and FF15 looks even worse. I want an actual Final Fantasy game that is turn based. I don't want Kingdom Hearts 15 (especially when they're making a Kingdom Hearts 3 anyway). This is why Square-Enix continues to fail and will never get better. All of the good people left.

[Asuka]

ummm, not every jrpg was/is turn-based. besides, when this was announced 6~7 years ago, it was revealed as having a KH like battle system. It was always meant to be this way, so i do not see why people are complaining about it now when everyone has been asking for it all this time. What did everyone expect it to be lol?

[DEATHxTHExKIDx]

This is what I've been waiting for at least 1 final fantasy to be like. I think at least one action based Final Fantasy is worth a shot it could end up one of the best in the series.

[project_pat36]

crisis core was similar in terms of combat, maybe not as simplified as XV though.

ff7cc
zack

ffxv
leviathan+ :)

[DEATHxTHExKIDx]

Yea I know I have that its great. I just meant a main number final fantasy

[project_pat36]

"DEATHxTHExKIDx + 5h ago Yea I know I have that its great. I just meant a main number final fantasy "

totally agree man

[izumo_lee]

Squarenix may be the biggest & most well known JRPG maker they are not the only ones. They may be abandoning the traditional JRPG but others will take up the mantle.

There is Level-5 (Ni no Kuni), Atlus (Persona), Gust (Atelier), Bamco (Tales), & the lesser knowns like Compile Heart & Idea Factory to supply us with more traditional JRPGs.

Sure FF15 looks great but if i wanna play something more simple we do have options. So this suggestion that JRPGs are dead is a dumb poorly thought out article.

[Hadoukameha]

The simple game is this FF15. Looks fun, but not FF fun. Just hack and slash, luk how kewl i am i chop chop dmc.

[Kyosuke_Sanada]

Really wish Mistwalker was on that list, I would kill for Lost Odyssey II.

[Firan]

The "old school" JRPGs seem to release mostly on handhelds these days. Which is good in a way since I love handhelds.

[Elda]

I'm living for this next chapter in the FF games,the trailer for FF-XV just blew me away,I loved the fast paced battle system in FF-XIII even though it was turned based but I got an adrenaline rush looking at the action sequences with Noctis swinging his sword as the barrier around him look as if there were multiples of crystal swords,this game so far with the amazing production & the stellar graphics,FF-XV is looking like a MASTERPIECE in my eyes!

[JackVagina]

Wasn't Versus meant to be a spinoff?

Werev seen the realtime combat since 2010... why is this such a big topic now?

remember these?

[rextraordinaire]

That title... It's stupid.

Final Fantasy is not the start and the end of the JRPG genre.

There are still some turn based JRPGs out there, like the Atelier series, Shin Megami Tensei, Pokemon, Mario & Luigi series, Disgaea, Neptunia...

That said, I'm happy with what I saw for the next two Final Fantasy games (not counting XIV).

XIII-3 looks like a good conclusion to a shaky, but well crafted trilogy. (I never thought any of the two first games was bad. Just not what I expected from the Final Fantasy brand) And XV looks really cool from what we've seen at E3.

Also, Square didn't completely went away from turn based, they did release a charming little Final Fantasy title on DS some time ago, Four heroes of light, and that was as turn based as possible.

[Need4Game]

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Buy them Millions of times to fund the Next SQUARE TURN-BASED JRPG !!!

[Hadoukameha]

So, MGSV, FF15, DMC, RE6...the list goes on...my favorite series are shadows of their former selves. Switch the titles, let the series die in peace...

This may be my last generation as a gamer.