Final Fantasy fans howl on the canvas to be heard. Should we expect major changes to come for the license? In any case, the latest events give all players for once. Go Square Enix, a little effort!
If we have been following the news of the video game a little bit lately, it is difficult to have missed the two bombs of the past few weeks. There is of course GTA 6his postponement and his new trailer that everyone is talking about, but at the antipodes of the Rockstar blockbuster, another game makes a lot of noise: Clear obscure Expedition 33. A true ode to art, dripping with love for video games, the RPG of the French studio Sandfall is a box. Even more than that, he shakes up one of the biggest licenses in history, which he is very inspired by in a sense: Final Fantasy. The reason? Fans use clear dark to prove Square Enix that they are wrong on the whole line concerning the future of Final Fantasy. Things could change …
Final Fantasy has completely changed, this is no longer what it was
Even the hardcore fans of Final Fantasy cannot deny it, the license is no longer what it was, for the better as for the worst. From Final Fantasy 12 (We do not count the online game just before) The cult saga has taken a turn, navigating slowly, but surely, towards total action, then abandoning what had made its charm to the tenth episode: the fight in turn. Final Fantasy 13, FF15 et FF16 have mutated the gameplay to the pure action. FF16 is closer to the Beat’em all way Devil May cry than the traditional jrGP which has almost become a fantasy in the collective imagination as it seems far. Even the very good FF7 Remake got started, while the original game offered an excellent very strategic, classic combat system.
For years now, Fans howl and ask for a homecoming. Heard, but swept away by Square Enix. The firm believes that the turn -by -turn is a brake for the games that aim for the general public. In 2022, Naoki Yoshida, in full promo of FF16, explained at Famitsu that The choice to orient yourself towards action was also due to the fact that the young audience “Might not understand the attraction of selection of commands in the games of the genre. »» We can completely understand the maneuver given the issue around such productions. After all, a lot of players say they are resistant to this system, often categorized as slow, not enough dynamic, even downright soporific. However, for the past few years, many games opting for a turn -by -turn combat system have proven that it was possible to change the opinion.
Is the turn -by -turn an obstacle? Yet a packet of games have a hit, including a Goty
If clear obscure Expedition 33 is obviously the trigger for this new wave of discussion, almost protest, Other games in turn are very good examples of successeven if they offer turn -by -turn. We can automatically quote Persona 5 and its other version Person 5 Royalavailable for a while, even if the genre is detached a bit from the Final Fantasy style. The game is considered by many as a masterpiecepraised by players and criticisms and now sold to several million copies. Persona 5 has largely popularized the whole license, so that several spin-offs have emerged, and even a remake of Persona 3. We can also mention Metaphorsurprise of 2024 nominated several times at the Game Awards.
Here again we are talking about an excessively atypical game and yet he made a great launch on Steam in particular, in addition to collecting extremely positive feedback. Finally, How not to talk about a turn without mentioning Baldur’s Gates 3 ? Yes, we get out of the JRPG here, we are very far from Final Fantasy, but We remain on a combat system that was cooling more than one at the originand yet!
Very tactical and strategic, the game really takes its time and some clashes can last a moment. However, Baldur’s Gate 3 was crowned Goty, it is one of the most played games today on Steam in particular. The fans are legion and the game sold whole pallets on all platforms. He will have succeeded in the feat of seducing skeptical players, or even completely refractory to the turn -based system, something that is currently happening with clear obscure Expedition 33.
Clear obscure Expedition 33 gives a turn to turn
The game of Sandfall draws without depriving oneself, nor hiding, in big games like Final Fantasy and even Persona in a certain way. However, he manages to offer his own leg, whether from a purely gameplay or artistic point of view. The result is final: it’s a frank success. Turn by turn fights are dynamic here Thanks to a mechanics watch like the world: QTE. Placed intelligently, these keys to press with the right timing, sometimes with a certain rhythm, force the players to stay on the alert, active at all times.
Even when it is no longer our turn to play, we have to dodge, parry, counterattack by hammering our keys with precision, sometimes long seconds under a burst of blows. Strong, explosive blows, which give rise to successful animations and striking visual effects. This is how we kick a game system that everyone thinks they are out of their time.
Fans want change for their favorite license
Clear obscure Expedition 33 walks in the footsteps of his elders, but also surpasses them on several points by daring what no one has finally dared to change things. The fans all agree on it, the turn by turn is not dead, far from it And it has its place in large productions. He should no longer be forced to confine himself to less -scale productions. Lovers are simply forced to turn away from certain licenses which were once spearheads in the genre, Final Fantasy in mind. It is for this reason, brandishing clearly dark at all times, that they collectively push a new rant in front of the digital doors of Square Enix.
If some obviously do not go there with a dead hand, do not hesitate to say that “Clear obscure walks on Final Fantasy” without blinking, others are fortunately more temperate. But the message is clear as rock water: If a studio like Sandfall can succeed in a feat like this, Square Enix is also in full ability to do it.
Can the Final Fantasy series still change? In our opinion, yes
Final Fantasy fans want and even seem to need a homecoming. While the publisher and the developers do not seem satisfied with the sales of FF16, the hope is perhaps allowed. As a reminder, Final Fantasy 16 sold nearly 3 million copies in a few days. Unfortunately, Sales fell violently And began to stagnate. It’s not folichon for a game of this caliber. However, The license still has time to change here the inevitable final Fantasy 17 Who will necessarily end up seeing the light of day at one time or another.
In the meantime, maybe the franchise will try two or three things. Maybe with the potential return of Final Fantasy Tactics or FF9 Remake Who knows. The two games are the subject of many rumors, but have never been officially confirmed yet to be in production. On the other hand, Square never said that they were not either. Anyway, Final Fantasy still has playing cards, maybe he will listen to some of his fans for the futurethe future will tell us.
Source : Famitsu via VGC, X.com
