A Mainstream FF as a Different Genre?

[Evastio]

Is anyone kind of doubtful on Final Fantasy XV being a radically different genre than the other games in the series?

Sure, FFXI and XIV were MMORPGs, but they were still command based RPGs. I personally don't believe games of a different genre than their predecessors should be counted in the mainstream games.

I have nothing against Square making an action based game like this rather than an RPG, don't get me wrong there. I mean, I really enjoyed Dissidia Final Fantasy which was a fighter. Though I really think games that are of different genres than their predecessors should be spinoffs, rather than mainstream titles.

[Pumpkin]

I think it was about time they came out with another numbered title. I'd been waiting on XV for a good while now. People like me are tired of spin-offs and would pretty much disregard it until several years later when it's on sale and I'm bored and have extra money. The fact that it's a numbered title means I'll be more willing to give it a shot and pay more for it. Not sure how many others think like me, but that might have been part of it.

[Aulayna]

Is anyone kind of doubtful on Final Fantasy XV being a radically different genre than the other games in the series?

Sure, FFXI and XIV were MMORPGs, but they were still command based RPGs. I personally don't believe games of a different genre than their predecessors should be counted in the mainstream games.

I have nothing against Square making an action based game like this rather than an RPG, don't get me wrong there. I mean, I really enjoyed Dissidia Final Fantasy which was a fighter. Though I really think games that are of different genres than their predecessors should be spinoffs, rather than mainstream titles.

That's a rather loose definition of "Command based RPGS" you have in relation to FFXI and FFXIV. The combat looks exactly like Kingdom Hearts and there are commands, spells and summons in that. Much like in XII too. It's an Action RPG sure, but there's still commands there. It's hardly a radical break from the norm that we've seen in XII and XIII - pretty much the only aspect that's being dropped is the turn timer as far as we can tell from this existing footage.

[Fynn]

Is anyone kind of doubtful on Final Fantasy XV being a radically different genre than the other games in the series?

Sure, FFXI and XIV were MMORPGs, but they were still command based RPGs. I personally don't believe games of a different genre than their predecessors should be counted in the mainstream games.

I have nothing against Square making an action based game like this rather than an RPG, don't get me wrong there. I mean, I really enjoyed Dissidia Final Fantasy which was a fighter. Though I really think games that are of different genres than their predecessors should be spinoffs, rather than mainstream titles.

That's a rather loose definition of "Command based RPGS" you have in relation to FFXI and FFXIV. The combat looks exactly like Kingdom Hearts and there are commands, spells and summons in that. Much like in XII too. It's an Action RPG sure, but there's still commands there. It's hardly a radical break from the norm that we've seen in XII and XIII - pretty much the only aspect that's being dropped is the turn timer as far as we can tell from this existing footage.

This. I don't think that qualifies it as a different genre.

[Del Murder]

Even if some of us don't like it, it part of the evolution of RPGs in today's world. It does make logical sense for SE to take the franchise in this direction.

I don't have any doubts that FFXV will be a fun game as I've liked it from the beginning, but my concern is more that I wish we had this game and a more 'traditional' FF RPG. Essentially rebranding this as FFXV means we'll have to wait longer for a game like that, if we ever get it at all.

My hope is that one of the spinoff games in the FFXV series involves a more traditional turn-based RPG format. Hopefully SE goes the route of using the spinoff games to try out different battle systems (like they did with FFX and FFXII) rather than it just being an upgrade of the core game's system (like with FFXIII).

[Rostum]

I wonder if the next Final Fantasy after XV will be more 'traditional'. I don't think we'll have to wait too long either, didn't they say they want to really ramp up the output of Final Fantasy games like they used to in the past?

[Aulayna]

I wonder if the next Final Fantasy after XV will be more 'traditional'. I don't think we'll have to wait too long either, didn't they say they want to really ramp up the output of Final Fantasy games like they used to in the past?

Very true. They've been saying that since X came out though.

Though I guess they can argue they are doing it with the amount of spin-offs and sequels they're making...

[Del Murder]

I wonder if the next Final Fantasy after XV will be more 'traditional'. I don't think we'll have to wait too long either, didn't they say they want to really ramp up the output of Final Fantasy games like they used to in the past?

Very true. They've been saying that since X came out though.

Though I guess they can argue they are doing it with the amount of spin-offs and sequels they're making...

Exactly. 'Final Fantasy games' means something different than it did in the past. They now realize they can slap 'Final Fantasy' on any old RPG and that would cover them.

[DMKA]

It's something that used to bother me. When Final Fantasy XI and XII came out, I was quite peeved by the changes. The fact that the gameplay mechanics that I loved so much had changed so radically.

But you know what? I'm fine with it now. Every Final Fantasy after X has been nothing like any other FF in terms of battle system. But I still enjoyed them all, and as long as it's a fun and rewarding experience, I've found that straying from tradition really doesn't bother me anymore.

Was I just a tad disappointed that FFXV is straying even farther from the classic gameplay? Oh, of course I was. But it looks like it's going to be fun none the less, so I'm looking forward to it. Seeing as it's still retaining the party mechanic and you can switch between characters at any given moment (giving you far more control than FFXIII did), it's not going to be so different from the gameplay of FFXII, after all.

I do honestly believe people who have written the series off would flock back in droves if SE would just release another FF with the old style of gameplay and world setup.

[Jinx]

As DMKA has said, every battle system since X has more or less been different. I think they might just be testing to see what works with the series, and what will become the new normal.

As much as I love the old ATB games, the battle system is stale. And there are other great series out there that you can play that still use a very similar system if you miss it.

[Psychotic]

I think there's absolutely nothing wrong with experimenting. If you stand still in video games then you may as well be going backwards. I've played all the previous FFs, and if I wanted to play them again then I would. Those old games will always be there to play whenever I want. A new experience sounds good to me.

[Mercen-X]

I want them to make another DoC-style game but with improved gameplay. Who knows, though? XV just be might be it.

[Loony BoB]

Anyone who has read this post I made knows how I feel about SE experimenting. I'm all for it. Will I like every game? Probably not (haven't liked all the FF's I've played as it is), but at least I'll get a new experience and in the end, that's why I pay money for new games.

[Evastio]

You mean FFXI to XIV didn't have the same command based RPG gameplay that FFI-X did? I did not know that, actually. I've only played FF1-7, so I'm not very familiar with the other FFs (especially XI and onward, since I've at least watched quite a lot of gameplay from VIII, IX, and X).

So I guess Final Fantasy XV being a different genre of RPG isn't really that new to people that have been keeping up with recent FFs. I still think Final Fantasy XV having Kingdom Hearts type gameplay is a bit too big of a genre shift, similar to making Double Dragon V a traditional fighter rather than keeping it in the beat 'em up genre.

Oh well, let's just hope that it works well and Square Enix won't get too much hate about Final Fantasy XV when it actually does come out.

[Bolivar]

I said the same thing as Shion in our E3 wrap-up article, that's it's about damn time we had another FF and that Versus came to surface. I just wanna play the damn thing.

At the same time, I do see this as the shift Evastio is describing (if not as drastic in light of XIII). If I can't control every action my party members take, once you start filling the gaps with AI, then it's not an RPG anymore. It becomes a bastard-child of a taboo love affair between real-time action games and RPGs, that tries to fit in with both parents' backgrounds, but can only do so with, at best, inconsistent levels of success. I know millions of people adore Mass Effect but it's really not my thing. As a big fan of both shooters and RPGs, I'd rather go play a masterpiece in one of those genres rather than endure the easily identifiable flaws in its gameplay. White Knight Chronicles was more my style, but the best part was the multiplayer, where every action the party takes is decided by you and your friends.

This is why FFXII was brilliant, because I could control every one of my party member's actions while still having seamless, semi-real time combat. Removing RPG gameplay to appeal to a wider demographic is not innovation; rather, it's the reason why we haven't had a really kick-ass, epic-adventure RPG on a console in years.