Quote:
Originally Posted by Resolute 14
Complaining about how a series that has always changed and modernized should go back to design decisions from a quarter century ago has always been silly to me. They aren't going to hold a AAA game back to ancient standards just because a handful of fans are stuck in the past.
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Menu-based isn't really an "ancient standard" though, it's an artistic choice. It's especially disappointing because for all its flaws, FFXIII had some of the most well-designed combat and boss battles of
any game in the last decade. Of course the combat needs to evolve from the basic FFVII combat, but it still needs to utilize the parties in a way where AI isn't just playing the game for two thirds of your party, which is the problem in a lot of Action RPGs.
There are many ways to make immensely entertaining, unique, challenging, and creative turn based battle systems. It's not about being stuck in 1997... I don't really even consider the original FFVII playable anymore due to the random encounters and dated combat and weak dungeon design. But I do think turn based is a legitimate genre and games that have kept it alive in the last few console gens - FFXIII, Eternal Sonata, Baten Kaitos, Radiant Historia, Arc Rise Fantasia, Devil Survivor: Overclocked, clearly show that it's not only possible, but can be insanely fun in a way action RPGs can't quite emulate no matter how elaborate their gambit system is.