One would reasonably expect a game in a series to improve upon its predecessors...
To be better in some quantifiable sense

quantifiable - definition of quantifiable by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

Just as well there are standards..as Gordon Ramsey likes to say on his kitchen nightmares show...
You can't serve people burned food.You can't pick food off the floor you have dropped and serve to the people.

Of course you could if you were serving them FF....and I agree that is what we are experiencing in the last couple of games.

shrugs...

FF isn't suppose to be barely acceptable.Or mediocre.

mediocre - definition of mediocre by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

It's suppose to be superior to other rpgs.Especially console rpgs.

So while a mediocre game might be acceptable for another rpg company to make..they can get away with it..Square shouldn't make a mediocre FF game.

That's my opinion.

Can you enjoy a mediocre game ?
Of course you can.

But the expectations of FF fans should be higher than that.

just my opinion.