A few years back, I wrote a blog on the subject of taking elements from other RPGs and incorporating them into Final Fantasy, so now I'm going to turn the question around and ask the good people of FF to come up with five things other RPGs do that you love that you would like to see FF incorporate in some way as well.
I'm not sure I can think of 5, but I shall try.
the levelling up of weapons, and combining those weapon levels to come up with powerful moves using SP (Grandia)
Mana eggs, and combo levelling of magic for powerful magic (Grandia/Grandia 2)
Fusion using Arcanas and Social Links (The Persona Series)
Food increasing EXP (Odin Sphere)
Weapon Powerups (Odin Sphere)
I'm still waiting for a Diablo style FF ARPG.
I like FF as it is... I guess.
Dunno, first thing that comes to mind of course SMT's combat system. But somehow it wouldn't feel right to apply that to weakness exploit thingy to FF without totally making it feels like SMT. :(
Social Links? Don't wanna :( It was good in Persona but in other games it's like fanservice.
Maybe a less linear story progression. But dunno about that too, too much of a western RPG stuff.
Shadow Hearts 2 and Grandia 2 have very good ideas with the way characters and monsters move about the battlefield and how spells and abilities have AOEs. Combining that with ATB could make an interesting battle system.
I'd also like for status ailments and buffs to actually matter, like they do in Shadow Hearts or SMT.
-Suikoden's character variety
-Many RPG's and their multiple endings
-RPG's that have an open-ended morality system. Meaning nothing obvious like kick puppy vs don't kick puppy, but actual thinkers. Bravely Second seems to be incorporating that so far
-Tales of and character relationships. Every character interacts with every character. None of this everyone only having relationships with the main two. Everyone is a team, they should all have individual relationships. Add the Tales of skits while you're at it
-Trails of Cold Steel and several other RPG's that have NPC's that mean something. Make them individuals. Let's see them develop, have victories and successes
I'M GOING TO CHEAT AND ADD MORE
-Suikoden plays and cooking contests
-OUTFIT CHANGES. It seems like maybe the other two XIII games do this but it needs to be more of a thing
True character creation and choice-driven gameplay decisions would be an interesting change. Imagine a Final Fantasy title care of Bethesda. An Elder Scrolls-esque exploration of a uniquely Final Fantasy world and story, building a party and experiencing the plot, but at the helm of a character you truly get to steer along the way, instead of just watching the story happen to people whose personalities and arcs are entirely predetermined.
More violence and gore. :bigsmile: