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There is an increasingly popular trend amongst the RPG community these days. I was first introduced to it inadvertently by a friend of mine, who refused to finish Final Fantasy IX on the grounds that it was "too boring", and then, even though he did beat Final Fantasy X, he said the ending "sucked". Curious, I asked him why he thought that to be so. He responded, "It just can't hold a candle to FF VI." As if that even answered my question.
What is the deal with people who can't seem to get past their favorite 'Old-School' RPG? Why has it become the cool and popular thing to bash on new games before they've even come out, and then once they do, either refuse to play them or play them grudgingly, going into them with an attitude that they won't like it anyway?
Ok, real quick, let me start by giving you an idea of my RPG roots. I must inform you all that I did not experience RPGs back in the SNES days. The first RPG I ever played through was Final Fantasy VII, and even that one I played about three years after its initial release. I borrowed my friend's PSX and FFVII, VIII, and IX. I played them through in order, and loved each of them - taking careful note that, in my opinion, they got progressively better. Shortly after, I decided I wanted to see where these great games come from, so I borrowed a friend's cartridge of Final Fantasy III (as in VI). So I did play the 'classics', albeit a little out of order.
When it comes right down to it, perhaps FFVII was the game that introduced the rift between Old-School and New-School RPGamers - and I believe that rift has held back some of the potential in the newer games. I say so because it seems Square-Enix has decided that it doesn't want to alienate their Old-School fans, but it seems as though these fans won't be pleased with the new games anyway! Consequently, the new games have fallen into the grey area where the storylines are what I like to call 'simplisticly complex'.
Now, I don't want anyone to get me wrong - I have played every Final Fantasy aside from IIIj. I have a special place in my heart for each of them. I absolutely love FFIV, I enjoyed FFVI, and I even sort of enjoyed FFV (I said sort of). But I want to make clear that I believe that these games do not get worse, as some people believe; no, rather, I believe they get better with progress. But it's the unpleaseable Old-School fans that impede the progress in these great games. The first issue I will address is the one that matters most to me - the storylines.
It is a matter of opinion whether or not a complex storyline is superior to a simple one, but subjectively, it is a sign of progress. As the graphics, sound, and gameplay evolve, so do the storylines (or at least that seems to be the case, with few exceptions). Is the reason the Old School games are more loved related to their simple storylines? Is it that simplicity that makes FFIV and FFVI enduring classics? Perhaps. But let's look at the flip-side. FF VII was decidedly more complex than any of the previous installments, and it was without doubt an experiment in the storyline field. Then came FFVIII, with something of a compromise; at first glance, it seemed to be a simplistic love story, but there was also a deeper complexity in the subplot invloving Squall and Laguna, and eventually a conflict was revealed that was pretty complex, with time in the balance. Then rolled in FFIX, with a good blend of complex and simple. As it was intended to be a return to the series' roots, it brought back in a fairly straightforward, character-driven storyline, but threw in some decent complexity around disc 3, and even more right in the last moments of the game before the ending. It wasn't until FFX that a full-blown complex storyline was reintroduced, to a smashing success.
The reason I've described the newer games is beacuse I'd like to emphasize that these newer games gave returning to simplicity a shot around FFVIII, and fully realized in FFIX, but fans still complained. Suddenly, FFIX was "too boring", as my friend said, and he was far from the only one who said so. He wouldn't even finish the game. For others, FFVIII was "too complicated", with the Drawing and Junctioning systems. Some gamers even complained that FFVII was "too confusing" to even understand, but like I said, I view it as an experiment. I have another friend who is of the unchangeable opinion that the story of FFX "fell apart" near the end, but he won't explain why he thinks so. What's with the unwillingness to explain these negatory feelings towards these great games?
Ok, please don't misunderstand me - I am not at all saying that a simplistic game cannot be a good one. On the contrary, Skies of Arcadia, one of the true unsung games in the RPG universe, was extremely simple, but it was also excellent. All I'm really trying to say is that just because a story is complex, it is not inherently bad. Likewise, a game is not inherrently bad just because it was made within the last 5 years.
Here is my call to Old-School gamers: defend your favorites! Prove me wrong. There are few things I like more than good, healthy debate - just please don't get hostile. I like these games too. I just think they're getting better over time as they evolve, and that hostility towards anything new can be constraining on them. But I want to hear the Old-School gamers defend their favorites. Show me why you believe that Old-School games are better than newer ones, in a matter that is unlike my friends' empty complaining.
Likewise, here is my call to New-School gamers: support your favorite games as well. Is FFX your absolute favorite? Tell us why! Is the battle system in Xenosaga your fave? Explain the advantages. I want everyone to hear each other resonably explaining why a certain game is the best and no ther can compare.
There are, of course, several further issues I'd like to discuss about the contrast between Old-School games and New-School games, and if possible, I'll try to address them in future editorials.
In the meantime, if you've never played an Old-School game, go pick one up and give it a try. If you've never tried these newfangled graphicy games, then try them out as well - but for Pete's sake, give them a fair chance.
Happy Gaming!
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