Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth,for example, has a lot ofhigh review scores, including one from me.
This tells me thattheFinal Fantasyseries' issue isn’t a matter of gameplay, but likely something else.
Its combat is the perfect blend of modern action and classicFinal Fantasymechanics like the ATB gauge and Summons.
The story is emotionally rich and thematically relevant while also managing to be downright absurd at times.
Hot swapping between Eikon powers was fun and opened up a lot of possibilities during fights.
However,Final Fantasy 16was another disappointment in terms of sales.
Despite being so well known,Final Fantasymay have a serious branding issue.
I remember a time when people I knew would describe JRPGs simply as “likeFinal Fantasy.”
I thinkone issue could be the titling convention used for the series' mainline games.
Titling conventions in general forFinal Fantasygames could also use a bit of work.
Andthat’s to say nothing of games with even more unclear titles, likeCrisis Core: Final Fantasy 7.
TheFinal Fantasyseries may also feel a bit inaccessible to an outsider.
To help combat this, I thinkFinal Fantasyshould look to other media series for guidance.
For instance,Final Fantasy XIVcould just have beenFinal Fantasy Online.
Now, I’m not saying this is a perfect solution, or that I have all the answers.
Image via Square Enix
Of course, the company shouldn’t stop innovatingFinal Fantasygameplay.
The games obviously need to continue being good if they’re going to sell.
Square Enix needs to consider the other aspects ofFinal Fantasythat aren’t working as well as the games.
Image via Square Enix
