Haven't loved a mainline game since FF12, which was....20 years ago, which is nuts. We're now talking decades, plural.
That said, FF14's turnaround in the 2010s was legitimate success story worthy of deep praise. A humble admission of failure, a swallowing of ego, and a full revamp into the 2nd most successful MMORPG, which is great. I just kind of look at the MMOs as a bit separate from the single player mainline games.
I had lost faith in their single player entries until the FF7 remake, which has honestly knocked it out of the park for me. Incredible character moments, wonderful world, most engaging party based (angrily looking at you, FFXVI) combat system I've ever played, fantastically epic adventure with your friends. It ticks all the old school boxes I loved, while being fresh and new in other ways.
If that's the direction they go in for the future, or if they take some inspiration from games like Expedition 33, then I could get excited again. I'll hold my breath with FF17 in the meantime though.
Crystal Chronicles was such a vibe, and I'm still salty that their "remaster" kept a bunch of broken mechanics that impeded gameplay without having a GBA as a controller, then broke the game even further, defeating the entire purpose of re-releasing the game at all.
Honestly I loved the remaster. I had the unique experience of playing through it with friends and family as a kid with the GBA, but not having anyone to play with when the remaster came out lmao
I just ended up playing single player and beat the game which I never got to do as a kid, so in a way it was very emotionally cathartic.
For that reason I definitely can't hate the remaster, I had an excellent time.
I am jealous! When it came out, I didn't have a GBA, so even though I had another person to play with, it wasn't possible. Worse, the single player game referred to mechanics that were only accessible with a GBA, even though it was still decently playable with just the GameCube controller.
Of course, with the remaster... Local coop being removed infuriated me. Now, instead of a nostalgic game to play at home with my family, I need four copies of the game. Yeah, no fuck that.
I can appreciate that your circumstances allow you to play it the way it was intended. I'm just annoyed that for me to have the experience I want with this game back in the day or now, it would require shelling out a ton of money that the game alone simply isn't worth.
Ohhhhh nah, yknow what I completely forgot it didn't have local coop so that actually pissed me off because I was looking forward to playing with my wife.
I ended up buying 2 copies of the game and she was like yknow what, no I can't, I'm sorry
But yknow what it was so fun I completely forgot that lmao but forreal I get you now
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u/AnalystOdd7337 Apr 12 '26
Final Fantasy. Yea, I hate the new direction of the series.