I think the focus should be on fun and not on creating a realistic/serious world or realistic/serious characters. Like WK mentioned, FFIV's story just keeps getting more and more ludicrous but I never noticed it as a kid and I appreciate it even today. The fact is that you were on an adventure and it was just plain fun. That light-hearted feel where a talking purple octopus or an 8-armed giant with low self esteem don't seem out of place is gone from FF these days.

Also please bring back battles where you control the whole party. I'm sick of this AI nonsense. At least give me the option of controlling them like in the latter Persona or DQ games.