They say hindsight is 20/20, but that’s not always true. People may remember an experience in a certain way only to have a vastly different impression upon revisiting it. This phenomenon can easily affect video games, including RPGs.
Many a ’90s kid found themselves wowed by these role-playing gems. Their intricate mechanics seemed so advanced at the time. Instead of simply jumping on blocks and bashing enemies, fans could steadily build their characters from the ground up, dictating virtually every aspect of that growth by interacting with the fictional world. The setting would then evolve based on those choices. It was all so immersive, but this bliss couldn’t last.
As the industry moved on, gamers became versed in more intuitive titles. Granted, growth is natural for a healthy market, but it means that older products feel awkward and outdated when viewed through modern lenses. This realization can be crushing, as it shatters any nostalgic warmth that these classics once carried. On the other hand, it can also be a healthy change. Looking at these RPGs from a more learned perspective lets players truly judge their quality. They can then tell their peers whether the oldies really are goodies.
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Final Fantasy 8
Final Fantasy 7 (1997) was such a smashing success that studio SquareSoft (now Square Enix) has tried to milk it ever since. The earliest example is Final Fantasy 8 (1999). The game follows the sullen Squall Leonhart, who’s training to become a SeeD. This mercenary force dispatches its operatives on contract missions across the world. During one assignment, Squall discovers that the sinister Galbadian Empire is scheming to seize control of rival nations. Pulling the strings is a mysterious sorceress with ties to the hero’s history and SeeD’s inception. Of course, that plot is only the tip of the iceberg. The full picture is a mess of half-baked ideas.
The developers clearly want to emulate FF7 with the self-serious tone and steampunk setting, but they don’t think these things through. The characters are too cartoonish to carry any gravitas, and the story falls apart once you ask the most basic questions. The same goes for the gameplay. FF8‘s junction system has players draw magic spells from enemies and equip them to strengthen their stats. The more spells drawn, the greater the stat boost. This system is totally nonsensical and actively discourages spellcasting. It’s also pitifully easy to break, making most battles a breeze. Luckily, like most Final Fantasy titles, the next entry replaces it with something new.
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