those who keep saying that 'FF is dead', 'square cant bring good story anymore', 'there is no good ff anymore', 'square dont have new talent' etc and stuff similliar like this.....clearly never play FFXIV. or they didnt even get pass the base game ARR.
not far-fetched to say that game is the one save the franchise. also the one that restore people faith toward square. not XV, not VII Remake.
it baffled to me that there a people that trying to ignore its existance. trust me, i also used to be in same boat, disregard the game to the point complaint back saying that 'mmo never should been considered a mainline' game. but i never been so glad to be wrong in many ways. the FF people been searching for is right there. it has more than 'soul' for a final fantasy games. that game could even easily be among the best ff and rpg as whole even if they stripped its online component.
i learn in good way that there is more define a final fantasy game than just a combat system. square did make a list of what define a game is a final fantasy in a press conference for Agni Philosphy tech demo 2012 .
- magic - well this is obvious
- summoning - also this
- gorgeous beauty - visual presentation, i believe
- refinement - refine gameplay or graphic for example from previous entry
- change and challenge - each entry not just change its the world and story, also on gameplay aspect. the challenge might refer to the ambition that devs has to push each title.
FF constantly change its core gameplay. they always come with unique and ambitious system. we can see how devs challenge themself bring out lot of idea and innovation and its always changing with each entry. from turn based to ATB, then later materia system, sphere grid, later to the tactical system in FF12 (this game is not turn based, are we consider it not a FF? how about tactics then?), then another new system in FF13, later 15 is action game (except combat in 15 is weakest and aimless in the series) then to hybrid action and command in FFVII R. there also mmo combat in 11 and 14.
im not suprise after 16 they trying another form of system again.
see, this kind of ongoing 'spirit' or tradition is what define what a 'Final Fantasy' is. the franchise is dead if they stop trying to challenge, try new and innovate things. it is dead if they stick to same repetitive formula over and over again.
this is a Final Fantasy, not a dragon quest or persona series. this is what makes the franchise stand different compared to other franchise.