Even today, when the polygon-models of PlayStation era - the era I was introduced to the series - graphics have been long rendered obsolete and too crude to be called 'amazing' anymore, there still lingers something magical when I dust off my copy of Final Fantasy VII from the shelf, pop it into my PS3, and move that gloved hand over the "New Game" and press the start button. From memory I can recall that I have escaped from Midgar at least seven times in all my years gaming. I can attest that since 1997 I have: been forced to re-do an entire playthrough once when my sister accidentally overwritten the only save file I had on the memory card, played games where I have dated both Tifa and Aeris at the Golden Saucer before entering the Temple of the Ancients, spent countless frustrating hours breeding chocobos, cursing at the game during the Battle Arena (and swearing the penalty slot machine was possessed and wanted me to loose on purpose), defeated Sephiroth and saved the world on numerous occasions and still have yet to kick Ruby Weapon's cheap ass.
Every Final Fantasy since that time was my gaming equivalent of Christmas, and each entry was a highly anticipated journey of swords and sorcery, airships and dragons that demanded a young adventurer like myself to explore it. Much like many a Christmas, sometimes you are given an unforgettable gift of a game, and, of course, you do receive the occasional gift that you just didn't like as much and eventually grow to despise it - but this was okay. Any person well-versed about the franchise can attest that one of the great appeals of the games outside their quality was the series' ability to provide a whole other world with each release, allowing the developer to experiment with new game mechanics, visual aesthetics, stories and characters - yet is familiar enough that it invite the longtime fan to feel comfortable with the new, while inciting the potential new fan without feeling neglected for missing the prior games. It is this philosophy that regarded developer Squaresoft among the best in the industry. And for a time, especially with it's PlayStation era, things were going well. And like any fan of the series can tell you, once "Square" and "Enix" decided to bed another and put a ring on it, things started going downhill. And the rest is history.
Square-Enix sure cares alot about Final Fantasy XIII, so much, apparently, now they have announced over this past weekend the next chapter of a withering, defecating sack of horsemeat that just refuses to lay down and die as long as sub-series director/biggest fan Motomu Toriyama has a say in it. Quite a shame that I don't share his enthusiasm nor do I think highly of his contribution to the franchise, having his sticky fingers sticking into almost every major Final Fantasy game has worked on this generation; Final Fantasy XIII being the worst offender and my personal vote for the point where the series as sunk the lowest. And all the while, one question looms over my mind, "Where the hell is Versus XIII?" From where I stand, the only answer Square-Enix seems bothered to give is this (paraphrased for effect): It's coming. We won't say when. Satisfied? Now shut up and oogle at our new game - Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII! Get used to seeing it's face, because we're giving this piece of shit all the limelight. Translation: More of the ever expanding Versus XIII news drought, and that also means it's a no show at this year's Tokyo Game Show.
Fine. Fuck you, Square-Enix, up the ass. You're just making it that much easier not to care anymore. I had rather hoped that after XIII-2 that you would, I dunno, put your priorities into your other Fabula Nova Crystallis: Final Fantasy XIII projects that has been placed on the backburner. Where the hell is the English version Type-0? After Lightning Returns, should we already expect yet another goddamn sequel in the oven? How hard would it be just put an end to sick carrot-on-a-stick gag and just cancel the damn thing? Would save many of us what little patience we have saved for you, for one shred of hope that your collective head hasn't been crammed so far up your ass, prison style. Stop dicking around with us, dammit!
I want to believe...
I want to believe that this isn't how a beloved franchise deeply rooted in my childhood nostalgia would end. I want to believe that this isn't the best we can expect from a company with such a legacy behind it. I want to believe that Square-Enix could end this generation of gaming with something special, something profound, or at least prove that it's still in the business to provide gamers worldwide fantastic experiences. I want to believe that if and when Versus XIII finally gets the exposure that everybody wants, and when it finally is done and is shipped, that all the bullshit we had to endure to see it a reality was worth it.
I want to believe, but I'm finding it hard to care anymore.
"Somnus" composed by Yoko Shimomura for the game.
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