I don't understand all this whining. Everywhere I go I hear that Final Fantasy is RUINED FOREVER! The game that ultimately ruin it is always another one. Some say it's VIII, some say it's X but it's always the same. But really, I like X and XII although my favorite Final Fantasy is VI. That may seem like I'm insane (apparently it isn't possible, or at least not allowed, to like any 3D FF when your favorite is VI) but it I really like them, especially XII. I think one of the reasons are the high expectations. I don't think there will be any FF that surpasses or even reaches VI. Another reason is the "they changed it now it sucks"-mentality. Something that is visible in the first post in this thread.
But I like Final Fantasy and I will buy XIII, too. Not because I'm a stupid Square-Fanboy (probably the reason why so many bought FF X-2 and then complained that it was just a fanservice game ) but because I genuinely like FF.
You're miss-quoting what I wrote. I didn't say FF XIII sucked, or was bad. No I thought it was good for a JRPG. It is just lacking that something special that says: I'm a Final Fantasy game. It seems to only share in the name sake. I love every Final Fantasy game in its own way before twelve.
I first rpg ever. Good solid lets you goof around with some party variations.
II a real revolutionary change in rpgs at the time with a use-driven ability system, cool!
III first one to try and give you all the classes for ultimate party customization.
IV. My most favorite and nostalgic one with some of the best music and story ever.
V. An updated system to III and a couple of nice ideas you'd see later.
VI. The first break from the "four crystals" story idea and the beginning of the materia system.
VII. Not my favorite but you know it did a lot of things right even though the story was hit or miss.
VIII. The junction system was actually awesome but it took a lot of work but that was still much less than the grind of XII. Gunblades rule...
IX. A pure powerhouse of nostalgia and allusions to the series. How the 2D games would have looked in 3D.
X. I liked a lot of it, didn't care for Tidus but I could get behind the journey and the sphere gird was something new.
(Don't play MMOs so no XI)
I'm saying that love it or hate it each of those games was engaging in some way. Now maybe it's like I said and now that Uematsu is gone the lack of his music really makes them hard for me to deal with. I'll play any game with Uematsu music in it. I probably wouldn't have played Lost Odyssey very long it wasn't for that oh-so-familiar music. I just think that XIII doesn't have that magic that I'm used to feeling.
XII is the only game in the series that I think is truly a bad game.