Geek Fight! - Ep. 6 - Square Enix yearly report!

[Aschen Windseer]

GEEK FIGHT!

Welcome to Geek Fight!
This is a semi-regular thread around here, where we pit two characters, items, events or concepts from the different Final Fantasy games against each other. So, let's start out with our rules.

Rules of Geek Fight
1 - Each Geek Fight will take the time needed. No more, no less. You can change your vote, though. Votes get tallied when they do. Get over it.
2 - If you can't decide, there will be a third option. This option is always awesome. And it shall no longer be a sexy one. You guys make me sick. Or maybe just sad.
3 - In your post, you must voice and defend your opinion. This may include nifty images. Or fan art. Or insults against the other sides progenitors.
4 - To defend your opinion, you must use Geek Logic. Geek Logic consists of any arbitrary opinion you like, as long as it backs up your preference. This means using any version of the concept, going after any particular aspect, or just plain random thoughts.


Previous Winners
Ep. 1 - White Mage vrs. Black Mage - WHITE MAGE
Ep. 2 - Moogles vrs. Chocobos - MOOGLES
Ep. 3 - Squall vrs. Cloud - THE GREAT CORNHOLIO
Ep. 4 - Sephiroth vrs. Kefka - KUJA'S THIGHS...?
Ep. 5 - Krile vrs. Relm vrs. Eiko - RELM ARROWNY

So, this year was pretty intense for Square Enix, what with FFXIII and FFXIV and what not. There's been a load of debate, with strong arguments on several fronts, on both sides of the issue of Square Enix's behaviour this year.

But, it seems that good ol' Kris Kringle is the only one who can't make up his mind on this. He's packing his bag o' goodies (maybe Aeris will finally get that Phoenix Down) and setting aside some coal (except for Golbez, which is when Santa's gotta take a crap real bad), but needs us to make the final decision before he commits his yearly quota of animal abuse by forcefully overdosing his flying chocobos with dead peppers for his drunken yule joyride.

SO, GEEKS. WAS SQUARE ENIX NAUGHTY OR NICE THIS YEAR?

[Kupo]

Nice!!

Only because I'm super excited about some of there up-coming releases. Dissidia 012 being the main one but with Versus and Agito as close seconds. I personally loved XIII and I never did get XIV so for me Squeenix have been very good this year. We all know the messed up with XIV but I barely consider the MMO's to be main series hits anyway. Finally, I'm totally addicted to Chocobo's crystal tower of facebook so I love them right now.

[Griever]

I've gotta second Kupo's vote. XIII is one of my favorite games EVER, and if I could pick favorites within the series, I'm sure it would be tied for the top spot. Well, okay, it IS tied for the top spot...with all the other ones. Anyway. XIII and Birth By Sleep are amazing, Versus XIII looks like it's GOING to be amazing, and the upcoming releases are really, really exciting. One game's failure can hardly mess up all of THAT awesome. <3

[Aschen Windseer]

About FFXIV, outsourcing to China is still outsourcing to China, and for some reason, I can't find many people who liked both FFXIII and the classics. So, I've gotta say Naughty; sure they were awesome before, and scored some major points in the secondary games department, but this year their "backbone" games were kinda rushed.

Also, someone in the neutrals needs to change their vote, since there's a tie going on.

[Kupo]

I like the classics! Well I and III at least. And I love XIII. I agree that some of the games seemed rather rushed but I don't think XIII falls into that category. And the games that are still in production e.g. Versus have the potential to completely make up for the mistakes they made on the rushed games. And now we have the announced release of the IV collection - I'm super excited because it's one I haven't played. This boils down to a matter of personal opinion and taste when it comes to games. If you don't like the changes made then your not going to like Squeenix for making those changes. I mean I hate XII but you've gotta respect Squeenix for being bold enough to throw the old system away and try that stuff. The hardcore classics fans are never gonna like the newer games and those who only really got into the latest generation aren't gonna see what was so good about the golden oldies.

[Aschen Windseer]

But it's that classic system that made the games so successful.
If you're gonna drop gazzilions of bucks on an idea, you have to trust it. Make small changes if you want, but certain basics have gotta stay.

[Kupo]

No they don't! FF would not be half as successful if they only made tiny little changes. I mean FFII made a tonne of money on name recognition alone but over all it was not all that different from I. Then III came along with the job system that threw everything up in the air and it was very different from the previous games but it's still considered a classic. If the changes were small the whole way through the series we'd see Squeenix struggling to attract old and new members. The games would all be repetative to the point they would bore the classic fans and newer fans wouldn't see the point in the games. I loved I, I really did but when you compare it with the later games it doesn't really stand out. It was the beginning of an era and was fantastic for it's time but with the games we have now it's rather flat and it's understandable that newer gamers don't love it or respect it for being the start of it all.

Squeenix are never gonna please everyone - that's impossible. Sometimes they need to make huge changes. Sometimes it's a gamble. That's how it's always going to be with a huge series like Final Fantasy.