Quote Originally Posted by edczxcvbnm View Post
I think the biggest problem with the games was that they took a development approach that was incorrect. They should have done like .hack and developed 1 game engine that they would use over the course of 3 games and put in lots of side quests and other things into each game. Give each game some new on screen action or new combat ability to make them seem not so carbon copyish.

As it turns out they wasted a ton of time and money with 3 sets of character models, art styles, gameplay engines and so on. If they used just 1 and the games were not overly high selling the lower developmental costs still might have made them a success. I think they should give it another go but use the same successful model that another game company does that Namco-Bandia produces and distributes.
Unfortunately that's a problem for just about every Japanese developer. Most of them think a new game requires a new engine, even if they've already got several that could easily be adapted and improved in some areas. It's a lesson Square seems to have taken to heart in the last few years.