LETTER TO VIDEO GAME DEVELOPERS / PRODUCERS / ANYONE ELSE WITH PRODUCTION POWER (Final Fantasy Edition):

I would hope developers / publishers and whoeverrrrr that has any say in producing video games watches fan made YouTube analysis / response videos to their video games, because man, it really helps out developers for future projects, since ultimately the fans and players decide what’s good enough to buy next. It would be dumb not to listen. Why would you repeat mistakes? Especially when some of these fixes are clearly do-able and would instantly be beneficial and revolutionary / evolutionary, until even becoming fundamental for all games after. Here’s looking at Final Fantasy XV (15), the most recent addition to the series, and the first single player experience since the 13 trilogy, of which also received heat for gameplay decisions.

Say, for example, how they could have incorporated towns into the game, so that it complemented the narrative, rather than going against it. That’s one little thing, that going to add to all the other little things to make for a bigger thing. A better bigger thing, all thanks to little things that don’t beg for innovation or some experimenting: they’ve already been tried and true.

Another example of easy improvement present in past games is how Final Fantasy XII executes it’s battle system without loading in and out of battles!! Ugh… after alll these years, that isn’t the norm?! And for what? Is there any more fun to be had with pop up battles? If surprise was a considered gameplay factor, well then even surprise could be implemented/ preserved still, like with giving teleport abilities to enemies. But just cut outttt that load before and after every battle!! It used to be okay because everything used to load slowly, but now this isn’t even necessary, since we’ve seen it done before, at least in Final Fantasy 12.

Little things like that are what j/rpgs need: ways to unslow them down, at least where unnecessary. Less loading screens is obviously a big one, as long ones take you out of the experience more than short ones if there has to be any at all.

Another lil upgrade: Final Fantasy X/10 let’s you use summons and then find even more “secret” ones! It’s like adding a Pokémon feature, albeit with only legendary monsters who are overpowered a bit, but totally useful (versus having extra ones nobody uses), and that is ALWAYS better than having none. Actually, kind of the best thing, since all aeons/ espers / summons are useful, depending on what type you need for that specific battle. But man, that just made the game awesome: having that one character (Yuna, in this case/ game) that could do that. It adds to the story and characters and gameplay, because she’s this seemingly fragile, flower-type girl, really, that’s been put on a pedestal due to fate, but also for being able to tame these beasts. So, she’s unique, just as her abilities are basically each a separate , unique Aeon/summoning, with a separate, unique set of tricks with different/unique type effects. And then, it adds even more to gameplay by adding optional secret missions to go get those extra-special, unique aeons, each with unheard of new, unique powers. That was unbelievable and pretty unique for a video game. Games just don’t give you that unique feeling of wonder, outside of FFX (and what feels like only a few other games with their own unique “pulls”). But this for me as a jrpg fan was sooooo exciting. To say THE LEAST.

For the most part each game in the series (mostly the numbered classic “canon” ones, 1–15, with some other entries outside those also having their own unique “pulls” that could be used for future games in combinations with others to make the best yet) has its own magical thing going for it, but there are some things that should be incorporated into all of them, because we love Final Fantasy. Not some other game that’s not Final Fantasy. That’s what other games are for.

Currently starting to play (so what, they made me wait years too) Final Fantasy XV (15 for some of you…), waiting for FF7 Remake on PC, which is at least announced.

Gloves on:

Kris Tash, out.

• @KRISdapper
• Aka @jawHONEY