Too Much Lightning and FFXIII?

[Evastio]

Since there isn't a general Final Fantasy XIII series forum I though I'd post it here.

So, does anyone think that they're focusing on Lightning a little too much lately?

A lot people on GameFAQs (I know, shoot me) think that Toriyama and the group are way too obsessed with Lightning (especially after the video that first revealed Lightning Returns), praising her as some sort of goddess and claiming she's the face of Square Enix. Although their comments are really exaggerated, I can't help but feel that they do have a point. I haven't played any of the FFXIII series games, but even so, I really think they shouldn't be focusing so much on one main entry of the series, especially when there was a lot of mixed reception for the original FFXIII. FFVII was also in a similar boat, but at least the original game had a big enough fan following to justify it. I can understand one sequel for other FFs like FFIV: The After Years and FFX-2, but a third game for a mainstream FF (with the first two games getting mixed reviews) seems like overkill.

I'm not trying to bash FFXIII or start any flame wars. Even if they were making a third game for my most favourite FF (FFIV), I'd still think it's too much. But what do you guys think about all this focus on FFXIII?

[CimminyCricket]

Way too much Lightning and FFXIII.

[Laddy]

*gasp* Really...ya think?

[Yar]

I guess my thing is... please, more original content. I-IX didn't have sequels (except IV, and that was seventeen years after the fact, and of course VII, but I didn't really like that one either). X's sequel of X-2 was good, but was it really necessary? Why wasn't the story okay where it ended in X?

Those games without sequels were good enough to stand up on their own.

Also, I didn't like XIII. The battle system wasn't good enough its extreme linearity bothered the hell out of me, cliché character archetypes, and just-okay story.

Spend less time on this mess and just move on to FF XV and XVI already!

[ShinGundam]

Not only way too much Lightning and FFXIII but we have far too much ports, remakes and homage. I am more bothered by constant stream of old games at the moment than i am with XIII games because after all they are still new games regardless the name or brand or whether i am interested in it or completely hate it. I think FF suffers from serious lack of new content.

it seems like there are some people actually interested in moving this series forward but if this was the case then why would we just use XIII games as scapegoat, why not add tons of ports, remakes and nostalgia for sake of sakes.

[maybee]

Yes. I didn't mind the original Final Fantasy 13 thinking that it was step above in my eyes the dreadful Final Fantasy 12. However Enix has gone nuts with this whole Lightning and FF13 thing. It wasn't even a excellent game, it had tons of flaws and not really worthy of all this attention and praise. Something like FF 6 should really be getting this, a Final Fantasy that is amazing and superb in every way and in every movement.

FF13 is not even bronze award material. And Lightning isn't even that great of a character. She's just Cloud with a female body. The face of SquareEnix games should be a character that isn't just flavour of the month and a character that is truly worth it.

Sometimes I think that SquareEnix are the only ones that really hardout love Lightning and her game. Like to obsessive amounts. I know that there is FF13 fans and Lightning fans, but even they are not as obsessive and delusional towards her and her game as SquareEnix are. It's like they are smoking some FF13 drug.

[Shauna]

The only reason people think this is because they didn't like FF13 very much and just want to see it moved on from. Which is entirely fair enough, it obviously just makes for some hyperbole when discussing anything relating to it.

There are three FF13 related media (aside from Versus, but lol we'll discuss this when SE are willing to start discussing it). Nobody kicked up any kind of fuss when the FF7 compilation came around - which put the number of FF7 related media up to... what, 5? It's fine for them to milk money from the fans when it's the fan favourite, obviously.

[Loony BoB]

Shauna - People definitely got annoyed at the plethora of FFVII spinoffs. I remember people getting sick of it pretty clearly.

I look at it both positively and negatively.

Positively
- I liked XIII & XIII-2, so I don't mind having more of these games (although Lightning was never my favourite character in XIII/XIII-2).
- I see XIII-2 and Lightning Returns as Square-Enix taking the time to figure out what players want from them. They were lambasted by many for XIII and I don't think they want to start working on XV until they know it's going to be better received. In the main series, not including sequels/prequels and MMOs, they have released just one single player numbered game in in six years. I believe these other XIII sequels/spinoffs are being made to get an understanding of the modern gamer and what they can do to please people. I think that once they have a better understanding, they will start to really push on a new game. By using XIII sequels/prequels, they can minimise costs that would be spent on concepts, design and development for monsters, worlds, lore, characters which they would have had to pay a lot for if they were to come up with a completely new game.

Neutrally
- I also see XIII-2, LR etc. as them paying off the development costs of XIII.

Negatively
- I find Lighting to be one of the least interesting XIII characters, with only Fang being less interesting and Hope being borderline.
- I really, really, really look forward to a completely new Final Fantasy single player game. ;_; I want to hear about it nowwwwwwwww!

[Shauna]

I feel that the level of vitriol is elevated in this situation. xD People really hate this current iteration of Final Fantasy. But, I will admit that I am probably not remembering anything right.

I was also probably purposely prodding in my previous post, I definitely should have worded my second point better. I should really stop posting when I have been awake for like 10 minutes. xD

[Loony BoB]

You're definitely right in that it's worse with this, not in that people are angry but in that people just don't care. xD

[Goldenboko]

I'm sure part of the reason is it is quicker, easier, and cheaper to put out a sequel than to immediately move on to a new game in the modern gaming environment.

[Shoden]

They are obsessing but it could be worse, they could be beating a long dead horse, digging it up, beating it again, violating it in horribly graphic ways.... kinda like what's happened to Final Fantasy VII, at least XIII-2 was a decent game unlike DoC.
They're pushing the whole XIII thing but not to the point its destroying all that the fans hold sacred... like Final Fantasy VII... Since, not many people actually like XIII in the first place so there's really not that much damage done.

With me, I enjoyed XIII, the characters, eventually, the story, eventually- yes, I am serious here! D:
Were pretty damn good and I rate it along with IV VII VIII and XII as a favourite of mine, I really enjoyed Lightning as a character, she was a return to the type of hero Cloud and Squall were, just a lot less socially retarded throughout the game and ending up as soppy and cringeworthy shadows of what made them iconic at the start of the game.

I would take Lightning well over the likes of the happy go lucky cheese heroes you see in things like One Piece, I'm talking Zidane, Tidus and Vaan (if you dare consider him a hero XD)

So, someone here, is going to reply here, pick out my points, counter them and question me about them all triggering a quote pyramid war. WELL I KNOW, I have seen the future and the future is orange, derp...

Right er, back to the point. I don't mind another XIII, especially one based on Lightning. I still hold its sequel well above the whole prequel/sequel thing that was shot into FFVII but hey, I'm talking bollocks, there's no way anyone can not love and speak great good of a game as perfect and flawless in every way imaginable such as the flagship game of the entire FF series that is VII, riiiiiiiight?

Ok... Well, that was fun.

[charliepanayi]

You can say what you like about FFVII spinoffs or FFXIII, but slating Zidane is going too far!

[Shoden]

Maybe so. I honestly never have liked him.

[charliepanayi]

Square can't win with their main characters really - either some people don't like the Cloud/Squall types or people don't like the Zidane/Tidus types. Zidane has always been my favourite of the latter category though.