210°

How Square Enix Is Changing The Modern RPG

Changes in most RPGs tend to be minimal, particularly when you think about how closely most RPG fans will watch every little change in their series. But just like any genre over time, there have been some major changes since 'back in the day'. Square Enix is no stranger to changing times, and sticking around in the industry for so long comes with its own advantages.

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gamingunion.net
ShawnCollier5405d ago

Yeah, I am wishing that some of the other Japanese RPG developers would try rising up to SE's level.

mephman5405d ago

I think they have a happy medium too. Dragon Quest caters for one side of the market and Final Fantasy caters for the other. But they aren't afraid to experiment either with other franchises and new IPs.

Game-ur5405d ago

BioWere and Bethsaida and Atlus are the ones advancing the RPG genre, SE is suffering from lack of vision for some years.

Reibooi5405d ago

@Game-ur

While Bioware and Bethesda made great games it's kinda hard to say they are advancing anything.

Bioware games have basically been the same with better graphics since they found success with Baldur's Gate and very little has changed since then. Sure Mass Effect is a shooter RPG hybrid but at it's core it's just a science fiction version of Baldur's Gate.

Likewise Bethsda is know for the Elder Scrolls which as largly been the same since Daggerfall with the only thing changing being the graphics.

Compare that to SE where every single game had a completely different story and combat system and it's easy to see that SE is trying to advance the genre more then most out there.

Game-ur5405d ago

FF games only changed mechanics, they didn’t evolve and expand the experience, SE peaked at Chrono Trigger and FF6, and then the games advanced only in graphics and regressed in gameplay. Their were some exceptions like Vagrant Story, but very few. Before the merger there was always some fresh new RPG between FF games like Parasite Eve, Vagrant Story, Xenugears, FF tactics. But now they hardly pay attention to anything other than FF DQ and KH, imagine what a classic game Nier would have been if they produced it better.

In the other hand you have to credit BioWere for setting the benchmark in character interaction, and Bethesda for the amount of freedom and effect you have in the world, and also the random events that make the world fell alive.

Also Atlus have produced different kinds of RPGs while keeping the same magic system, Persona4&5 are fresh RPGs, and Devil Survivor on the DS is even better.

bakasora5404d ago

Too late, my love and respect for Squareenix is gone.

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Kain815405d ago

Yeah, I am wishing that some of the other Japanese RPG developers would try rising up to SQUARESOFT's level.

FIXED

Sanrin5405d ago

It'd be nice if they could do so, without outright copying them though.

Eamon5405d ago

completely agree.

Bring back command prompted ATB battles!! >.<

Game-ur5405d ago (Edited 5405d ago )

Imagine what Persona5 would look like running on the Catherin game engine, and Level 5 are making a great beautiful looking game in Ni Nu Kuni. And the new Tales game for the PS3 is taking the series to a new graphical level.

And don’t forget this generation already bright great JRPGs like Lost Odyssey, Tales of Vesperia and Valkuria Chronicles, so JRPG lovers don’t need to hang their hopes on SE anymore.

evrfighter5405d ago

have you tried ff14 beta?

I swear it's just like playing a f2p korean mmo

mittwaffen5405d ago

Enix make bad games, and this MMO shows they bit off Way more than they can chew.

Sarevok5405d ago (Edited 5405d ago )

@Game-ur
Persona 5? when did that come out? O___o;

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Nate-Dog5405d ago (Edited 5405d ago )

I don't think using Lightning as an example of character development was a great choice. She just pouted and moaned for a lot of XIII at, well everyone, and then towards the end was a bit nicer. We didn't get much info on her backstory and she didn't develop much in the title. Unfortunately too, she was probably the best character in XIII, which shows the low standard it's characters set.

Don't get me wrong, I liked her but she wasn't anything special nor a character I would remember.

Also I agree about SE trying ti cater to different times and audiences when they notice a change, although as pointed out, XIII didn't work out for them. Let's hope Versus will be a better turnout and will return to what was good about the earlier games of the series. I hope this "darker tone" does turn out to be just that.

mephman5405d ago

True, Lightning isn't the best example. However, Kainé is a fantastic example.

zatrox5405d ago

What's funny is that Cavia did something with NieR SE failed at with FFXIII, a great story with great characters.

Nate-Dog5405d ago

I haven't played FFIV (is that the one with Kainé...?) but have heard a fair bit about Kainé though.

zatrox5405d ago

Naw, Kainé's from Nier.

Game-ur5405d ago

Why don’t people talk about FF6? I'm I too old? A shame it doesn't get rereleased, it had the best set of characters in FF games, and their wasn't a main character, everyone had a spotlight.

Aleusia5403d ago

We heard you the first time. You said FF peaked at 6. You like 6 alot, we get it. Nobody cares.

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TotalPS3Fanboy5405d ago

Lighting and Hope. Worst character development ever. Square Enix needs to understand that whining for 40 hours straight isn't character development.

darthdevidem015405d ago (Edited 5405d ago )

This "whining"....what is it?

I've seen more whining about things from people like you than any whining from characters itself.

I'd be whiny if my mother died and I got turned into a time bomb who had to destroy his own world. Oh I'd whine A LOT.

The characters need to be realistic.....if they didn't whine, that would be very unrealistic. And Hope stopped whining in Chapter 7.....15 hours into the game.

Lightning never whined, just got angry.

Its so simple to disregard characters by saying, "oh they whinedz, they suckz"....offer constructive criticism.

Tell me what is Character Development then.....

And if you think FF13 character is the "worst" I don't think you have played very many games.

Eamon5405d ago

darth, it is the worst in the series.

I don't think you've played many FF games. FIXED.

The level of angst in some characters in FF13 is beyond astronomical. Not to mention, we have to put up with it constantly during the first 13 hours.

The only decent character in FF13 was Sazh.

Homicide5405d ago (Edited 5405d ago )

Exactly Darth!

****FFXIII SPOILER***

Hope's mom died, and Hope thought Snow was the cause of it. Throughout the game, Hope wasn't really whiny - I mean not whiny as in Tidus whiny. He was angry at himself and Snow, and he had a good reason for it. He didn't have the courage to confront Snow about his mom's death, so he hated himself for being able to tell Snow about it. Finally, he had the opportunity to confront Snow about his mom's death when Snow was in a similar situation. Also, he matured and gain confidence when he spent time with Lightning.

That my friend's, is a good character with great character development. He went from a scared, lonely kid to a strong, brave, independent child. Much better than emo Cloud and Squall's character development.

***END SPOILERS***

Lightning was angry at herself for not believing Sera, and that was the only scene where it shows she was angry. She was not whiny.

TotalPS3Fanboy5405d ago (Edited 5405d ago )

How can you guys say Squall and Cloud are emos? Those guys are some of the most badass mofos in video game history.

Hope, on the other hand, is such an emo, whining until Chapter 7. Squall and Cloud are nothing like Hope. Cloud is an arrogant guy who lies and brags. Squall, he just doesn't say much. But they're both still pretty badass.

Seriously, when you really look back at FF13, half the time, they're just walking around whining.

Sazh was actually the only character with great character development in FF13.

SE chose to developed Hope in an annoying way. It could have been done better. Less whinning.

oldjadedgamer5405d ago

You expect Hope to act like Squall/Cloud? A little unrealistic considering he is between 10 - 13 years old. Not a soldier. It's reaching, but any of us would whine a shit load more than Hope.

Eamon5405d ago

Actually Cloud's 'real' personality is that of an emo. Look at him in Crisis Core and Advent Children.

But for the majority of FF7, when he's under the "fake personality", he's pretty cool.

Homicide5405d ago

Cloud was acting as someone else, or Zack I should say, for the entire game. In actuality, he was this inexperienced, low-ranked soldier.

As for Squall, he was a whiny loner throughout his entire life. In FFVIII's plot twist, we found out Squall was a loner in the orphanage and cried a lot because of it. Now grown up, he's still a loner and rarely talks or interacts with others.

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gamingisnotacrime5405d ago (Edited 5405d ago )

is it worth buying? amazon has it for $20
At that price, it might be tough to ignore

Edit
Already Have it!!
VC is such a pretty game

kratos1235405d ago

Listen to this guy vc is just too great to pass on after playing ff 13 fore 20 hours I went back to vc and started to play it fore a second time ff 13 isn't any fun just too boring fore my Damn and ff was my moat beloved rpg ever hopefully vc can take that spot now

SprSynJn5405d ago

For $20 it is a great deal. I wouldn't advise it for the full price though. And if I can offer some advice if you do plan on getting it, do not think of it as a Final Fantasy game. If you do, it might ruin the experience.

R4202475405d ago

lol no world to discover, no personalized characters names or jobs, its not very immersive as a real world FF13 is just a grindfest action game with nice graphics and cute girls, a poor rpg by most standards.

CountDracula5405d ago (Edited 5405d ago )

Well yeah after repeating the same mechanics for the last countless games, you would expect them to eventually change things up a bit.

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170°

It Shouldn't Take Expedition 33's Success to Remind Square Enix That Turn-Based Still Sells

TNS: Expedition 33 was the wake-up call Square Enix needed, telling it turn-based RPGs are still popular, but that shouldn't have been the case.

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thenerdstash.com
Relientk774d ago

True, but if it does get it through their thick skulls, then that works.

Although, the Dragon Quest 1 + 2 HD remakes will be turn-based and (the worst kept secret) Final Fantasy IX remake should be turn-based I would imagine. Let's see if any newer games go turn-based too.

thorstein4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

DQIII HD Remake was turned based and very successful. Then there was a really obscure turn based game came Balder's Gate 3. I heard it might have done well.

Profchaos4d ago

I wouldn't be shocked if they switched ff to the vii remake combat system

PapaBop4d ago

It won't get through to them though, despite E33's success, they still won't risk going fully turn based for their big budget projects simply because they are still in the mindset that it needs to be action combat to appeal to the mainstream audience. I hope I'm wrong but don't underestimate just how stubborn Japanese execs can be

barom3d ago

Ya'll are hyping up Expedition 33 too much. Reminder that FF XVI sold 3 million in a week and it took Expedition 33 approximately a month to get to that (33 days to reach 3.3 million).

barom3d ago

1 platform vs 3 platforms
1 week vs 1 month

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DivineHand1254d ago

While it is true that Sqaure Enix has moved away from turn based games compared to how they were in the past, there is a good reason for it.

Older gamers will know this but during the ps2 era, we were flooded with turned based games from Japanese studios and this created a form of fatigue back then going into the next generation.

When Square released FF13, they received heavy criticism for making the game turned based like every other FF game and not doing enough to innovate. This is why they made FF15, FF7 Remake and FF16 have real time combat. It gave the series a fresh spin and has brought in new fans to the series.

I personally would be happy with either turned based FF or the real-time combat version we see today.

Shane Kim4d ago

Remake and Rebirth have "turn based" if you set it in the settings.

Lexreborn24d ago

Dang wish I saw your post before I made mine because we definitely feel the same way lol

Profchaos4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

Yeah hit the nail on the head but its like ww2 games we get hundreds of them then a decade of nothing and people start missing them i think we're going to start seeing them return

Claire, dragon quest even yakuza have seen turn based return

Runechaz3d ago

Every Pokémon game is also a Turn Base RPG.. and selling millions

andy854d ago

Only need to look at their own game DQ 11 approaching 10 million to show there's a market. And that's not as big of a name as FF

Runechaz3d ago

you can also look at the Pokemon game number

Tacoboto4d ago

Another article about Expedition 33 and Square Enix and turn-based games? This is starting to sound like propaganda.

The game didn't sell because it's a turn-based game; it sold and is enjoyed because it's a really freaking good game that released completed at a good price without gamer drama attached to it. No Mtx, no wait-until-it's-patched, minimal bloat, a self-contained story, no multiplatform BS. Just a solid original game that absolutely nails what it intended to do.

Redemption-644d ago

I was just about to say the same thing.

anast4d ago

This comment should have a 100 upvotes, at least.

CrimsonWing694d ago

Maybe try actually listening to the fans who have supported the series for decades. This habit of ignoring your core audience just to chase people who were never interested in Final Fantasy in the first place makes no sense. And when that approach fails, doubling down on it is beyond baffling.

The battle system has never been the main reason non-FF or non-JRPG players stayed away. Gutting the series’ identity to chase a broader market doesn’t attract new players. It just alienates the loyal ones.

Keep going down this road and we’ll end up with Final Fantasy Fortnite abomination or a F2P Battle Royale game.. Oh wait…

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170°

Final Fantasy IX 25th Anniversary Lottery Announced

Do not miss the Final Fantasy IX lottery commemorating its 25th anniversary and see the new merch release by Square Enix.

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gamersocialclub.ca
jznrpg23d ago

It would be nice if they had the lottery in other parts of the world as well.

CrimsonWing6923d ago

I’m hoping Xbox Showcase will be where the Remake gets announced… freaking all this stuff with FF9’s anniversary and still nothing on the Remake…

50°

Square Enix Sales Drop but Profits Grow as it Aims to Shift from Quantity to Quality

Square Enix announced its financial results and the continued strategy for the Medium-Term Business Plan that will span two more years.

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simulationdaily.com
franwex47d ago

If Capcom managed to turn things around, I’m hoping that Square can too!