I'd totally agree with the "Golden Age" assessment of the Playstation era games, they were all very good in their own way, and I agree the distinction should be broadened to include FFX, and I'd push it back by one to include FFVI as well. VI through X was definitely the high point of this series, I doubt we'll ever see JRPGs of that quality or perahps just... well, specialness ever again.
Oh that's right, I forgot how to Shinra. Hi OJ, if it helps I'm pretty sure I only quoted you and skootch.
I can live with that Jesus comparison. HELLO, GANYMEDE. Heh heh. They're not bad... it's strange to hear vocal heavy tracks in a FF game admittedly but it's probably one of the least offensive things they've done of late. The thing is, I can see the appeal of trying to hit that audience, because anime is pretty popular. In the last 10-15 years the exposure of japanese animation has grown astronomically in Western areas, and I'm sure it's all still as strong as anything in the motherland. The problem is that there's not too many anime offerings out there that really break out of the tropes we all know them for now, and from what I played of FF13, nothing of what they did made an effort to break that mold. Bad dialogue, mundane characterisation with a lot of the bit players... Vanille was a walking talking ^_^ face and I swear I would not be surprised if she pulled out a peace sign a couple of times. I really do think the reason why Squall largely failed as a lead character in FF8 is because Square made a protagonist they thought people would like (Cloud was occasionally brooding and people loved him! Let's take away all the humility and charm Cloud had and replace it with more brooding and then add prickishness!) rather than a protagonist of their own creation and I think there's been occasions of this same way of thinking ever since. They need characters to fit a story, not a roughshod plot to hang around archetypes we've seen before. I don't disagree with that at all, but I can't say I'm not disappointed they went, what I feel was, a few steps backwards with the battle mechanics and having the classic RPG grow balls and move forward.
