Did Final Fantasy 16 Leave Old Fans Behind?

In the run up to and release of Final Fantasy 16 I noticed a small but growing part of the internet claim Square Enix's newest take on the famous RPG franchise was not Final Fantasy anymore. This is my response.

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#finalfantasy16 #finalfantasy #squareenix

[CinnamonToastKen]

FF16 is the first instalment I've really sat down and enjoyed since 10

[arellajardin]

I dunno, trying to pin it down to any one thing as the reason, feels like trying to hide the forest with trees. For those saying that (clarifying, not me, I haven't played it), it's more a sense of everything being different, that they can't see any DNA of what led to this evolution. Yeah, the series constantly adapted, but most people aren't sitting down and making a chart to determine that each connects to 16. They "feel" like it's not. Having a guy named Cid and chocobos isn't enough to say, "Final Fantasy".

Maybe for those people, enough planks have been replaced on the Ship of Theseus, that it no longer feels like the Ship of Theseus.

And, yeah. Sometimes when you appeal to a new audience, you shed the old one. That's inevitable. If a series is always changing, there's always going to be a threshold where many old fans feel like it's no longer what they fell in love with in the first place. And if people "feel" left behind, you can't logic away their feeling.

[GFS]

I started with the first FF, 45 years old now and still loving the series.

[Adlehyde.]

Ironically, or maybe not at all, 16 feels the most "Final Fantasy" I've felt a stand alone final fantasy game feel since maybe 10 or 12. WHICH WAS 20 YEARS AGO!

[Travel-Adv]

Been a fan since 1987 and FFXVI hasn’t dampen my love of the series. The new take and mature storyline really felt appropriate for me.

[alaskanfreezer]

Man, whoever was the editor on this episode fucking KILLED it. Especially the ending, with the swelling music. Well done!

[Norbert_Sattler]

You brought up a whole host of issues... that nobody seems to really care about, but did not address the one thing that the majority of complaints are about: It is not an RPG.

Anyway, here's my opinion on the matter:

I think they should have given this game a spinn-off title, rather than a main-line FF title...
They've done it with Crisis Core, Tactics, Lightning Returns, Dirge of Cerberus and more already, so why was there this pressing need to call it Final Fantasy 16?

For me Final Fantasy means an RPG with a party, not an action game with a single character. I was not fond of how FF13 stretched this party issue and 15 essentially did away with it almost entirely.
I love FF14 and have more than 1000 hours in it, but I still think it and 11 should not have been part of the main-line numbering, but given their own line.

It's not like this is a matter they couldn't have seen coming either. The very same arguments came after FF13 and FF15 and to a lesser degree also Lightning Returns, but at least that had a different name and wasn't just called Final Fantasy XIII-3. And yet they leaned into the main-line title anyway, either because they didn't care, or because the marketing department expected the "controversy" to happen and work as free advertisment.

[christinezwergle]

The TB footage is always gonna hit hard, but seeing those amazing days will always leave me with a wistful smile. Incredibly insightful video!

[Msyk]

Oh man, you bringing up the terraria footage with TB sent me rocking back with nostalgia... I was there when those were airing on both of your channels.

Also once again, excellent little essay video. You are absolutely right, FF6 is what captured me, and I've given them all a chance since them. They're not all my favorite, but I can totally respect the willingness to push the boundries of the franchise.

[Mtorsagmannen]

i think the point about Final Fantasy always evolving is so true, and i think your love and knowledge of the series shines through in your analysis.

[ozfroggirl]

I was not prepared for this video. The footage from PAX with TB hit me hard. Then the way you brought it all around as a love letter to the whole series and the fans who love them had me sobbing at the end. Perfectly constructed and edited. Never stop making vids like this.

[AleixASV]

I don't know if anyone will read this but I've been watching Jesse play FF since way back when, and I discovered the many worlds of the series through that, such as the crazy FF6 marathon (holy shit it was fantastic in many ways), and it made me aware of the many ways this series expresses itself. I can only say thank you for bringing me these moments.

[clarehidalgo]

I'm really enjoying watching Jesse play the story and the characters. Like I like Clive he's not a shounen hero or cold or angsty, he's just a pretty normal guy that just so happens can turn into a kaiju and I love that about him

[juggaz]

Let's agree to disagree. My FF is turn-based. If FFXVII is an FPS, it might still be a good game, and people that like FPS will perhaps like it, but I doubt core fans would appreciate it.

[sadramenbowl]

I’ve been a fan of yourself since 2015. Seeing your willingness to grow and change has always been something that I’ve admired about you.

[BlueJeiVA]

To me, Final Fantasy has always been about the overall experience: a collection of it's parts. It's about the story, the world, the characters, the music, etc. To me, the mechanics have never mattered. However, I respect everyone to have their own opinions.

[nuxcreativeworks]

Thank you! This is how I've always viewed FF. I played 10, 12, 13 Trilogy, Type-0, 15, 7R and what I appreciated most was that they all tried something different. They all had pros and cons, but I enjoyed them all because it was a new experience each time, and I took them for what they were. FFXVI completely immersed me with the demo. It's right up my alley and I plan to pick it up soon.

[Jov]

Jesse Cox always has the best editorial-type videos man. Wish they did better in viewcounts so we can have more of them.

[unrrear]

i mean isnt the biggest "fault" with the game, that ive heard at least, is the dumbing down of the rpg elements? its the main thing ive heard and well you didnt really address this in the video jesse you addressed everything else except that

[PsychoDroid]

The main gripe for me, is the cosmetic RPG system in this game. Levels are pointless and don't mean anything. I was hunting things 10 levels above me with no problem. The combat while good and flashy isn't very fleshed out for me. I feel like trying to do all these fancy combos doesn't equate to anything. Maybe if I was rewarded more experience based off my combos or something like a DMC, it's mainly just for arcade mode. I don't like the fact that there are no status effects anymore. Remember when Bad Breath did something? Now, all I do is fall down. Not being able to customize "party" members, be it abilities, equipment, or even the way AI controls is another thing. The sense of exploration is non-existent. I no longer feel the need to go out of my way in hopes of finding a chest with gear that would help buff my character. It's great more people are getting into it and are buying the game, that's the point, but it's just no longer a game for me and that's totally fine. There are a lot of games out there.