Man you should read the article before anything. its traditional RPG's only so Secret of Mana, Vagrant Story, Parasite Eve don't count which I agree is total bullshit epically with Valkyrie profile on the list which is so borderline its insane.
I did read the article. There's nothing "traditional" about Dragon Quarter or Valkyrie Profile. That's my point, though. It's completely shallow and inconsistent.
How is it "shallow and inconsistent", I think the guy did a good job of stating his opinions about the game. I just think its one of those "this guy's opinions are different from mine so his points are completely moot."
Shallow - Six Final Fantasy titles, one of them (FFV) is hardly essential. Could replace four or five Final Fantasy's with the above mentioned games.
Inconsistent - Lunar disqualified because of Grandia being a "sequel", yet, again, six Final Fantasy titles. There's also the "traditional" blurb yet Valkyrie Profile and Dragon Quarter are on the list.
Personally, I would have picked BoF 2,3 or 4 to represent the series. Afterall, BoF2 was THE game that brought anti-organized religion themes to video gaming. (Or at least, this is what I've read. There may be some other major game released before BoF2).
Lunar 2: Eternal Blue came out at the same time as Breath of Fire 2 (in the US anyway) and did the anti-organized religion vastly better than BoF2 did. Much better game in general as well.
And the time limit in Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter added a lot to the overall feel of the game, I thought. It gave the story a sense of urgency that I have yet to see in any other RPG. Besides, once you get to know the game well, it's not a problem at all (if you know what you're doing, you can get through the entire game without restarting once and still have plenty of time left on your meter).
EDIT: Final Fantasy V is on the list because of the job system which was very influential. Other games before FFV let you choose the job of your characters, but FFV is the first one that I'm aware of that let you combine jobs to create your own custom uber jobs.
Man you should read the article before anything. its traditional RPG's only so Secret of Mana, Vagrant Story, Parasite Eve don't count which I agree is total bullshit epically with Valkyrie profile on the list which is so borderline its insane.
I did read the article. There's nothing "traditional" about Dragon Quarter or Valkyrie Profile. That's my point, though. It's completely shallow and inconsistent.
How is it "shallow and inconsistent", I think the guy did a good job of stating his opinions about the game. I just think its one of those "this guy's opinions are different from mine so his points are completely moot."
Shallow - Six Final Fantasy titles, one of them (FFV) is hardly essential. Could replace four or five Final Fantasy's with the above mentioned games.
Inconsistent - Lunar disqualified because of Grandia being a "sequel", yet, again, six Final Fantasy titles. There's also the "traditional" blurb yet Valkyrie Profile and Dragon Quarter are on the list.
Well...thing is...like 3 of the final fantasies are lumped together and one...and really I don't see how excluding one game makes the rest of the list invalid.
As for the traditional RPG...I have to ask what is tradition then. If I remember aside of the side-scrolling aspects in VP...it could still be considered traditional. You still level up, you still have a different screen for fields and for battles, you still gather items. Really, I don't see what makes VP or DQ not viable for the list(whether or not I agree with them).
Because the article specifically said that it wasn't going to include any Strategy/RPGs or Action/RPGs.
Except for Valkyrie Profile, cause mentioning it ups his cred.
Well...thing is...like 3 of the final fantasies are lumped together and one...and really I don't see how excluding one game makes the rest of the list invalid.
Excluding one Final Fantasy won't make it valid, but it would be a decent start. He could toss off FFVIII and FFXII as well.
As for the traditional RPG...I have to ask what is tradition then. If I remember aside of the side-scrolling aspects in VP...it could still be considered traditional. You still level up, you still have a different screen for fields and for battles, you still gather items. Really, I don't see what makes VP or DQ not viable for the list(whether or not I agree with them).
Dude, you can't tell me with a straight face that Valkyrie Profile and FFXII are traditional RPGs.
Because the article specifically said that it wasn't going to include any Strategy/RPGs or Action/RPGs.
Except for Valkyrie Profile, cause mentioning it ups his cred.
Well...thing is...like 3 of the final fantasies are lumped together and one...and really I don't see how excluding one game makes the rest of the list invalid.
Excluding one Final Fantasy won't make it valid, but it would be a decent start. He could toss off FFVIII and FFXII as well.
As for the traditional RPG...I have to ask what is tradition then. If I remember aside of the side-scrolling aspects in VP...it could still be considered traditional. You still level up, you still have a different screen for fields and for battles, you still gather items. Really, I don't see what makes VP or DQ not viable for the list(whether or not I agree with them).
Dude, you can't tell me with a straight face that Valkyrie Profile and FFXII are traditional RPGs.
Umm...well...really...what is a traditional RPG? Because I mean I look at action RPG...and I can in no possible way understand how you get action RPG from it.
As for FF12...I thought it played like a MMORPG without the MMO part...so I can't really commit on that one.
Ugh, why the hell is FF8 on there? Gah... I can understand the others but... 8? Come on. Even 12 is a bit of a stretch, imo, but I guess I can understand why it's up there.
You could read the article rather than just whining like a retard? It does a pretty good job of explaining why it's on the list.
Pardon me for insulting your precious FF8. I read the article but I don't think a terrible cast, terrible story and broken junction system merits an entry on an Essential RPGs list. The 'why' still stands.
8 did nothing that other FFs haven't done better. 6, 7, 10 (haven't played 9) and 12 have a better cast, better story, 10 has an infinitely better love story, and you can break the game -so bad- with the junction system that it alone cannot redeem 8.
How is XII not traditional? The only thing you could really mention is the battle system, which is still turn based, but they did away with pausing the action. You don't have to use gambits, but they sure as hell help given how fast everything moves. Also you can pause the action if you really want to.
I know what it means to me, but my definition would even exclude Earthbound from the list as well since, while it's gameplay is fairly "traditional", the story, characters, pacing, outcome, etc, hardly qualify.
Dragon Quest VIII is fairly traditional. FF IX as well.
Pardon me for insulting your precious FF8. I read the article but I don't think a terrible cast, terrible story and broken junction system merits an entry on an Essential RPGs list. The 'why' still stands.
Final Fantasy VIII was completely outdated even before it's release by Panzer Dragoon Saga. That's my excuse, anyway. Your's is pretty good, though.
Strange that they but DQ5 on the list instead of a DQ that western gamers can actually play.
yakul on
0
DragkoniasThat Guy Who Does StuffYou Know, There. Registered Userregular
edited March 2008
That's the thing I mean...your idea of traditional seems to be different from my idea of it. That's why I don't have a problem with VP because I think when you get down to it's core that's pretty much what it is.
Ugh, why the hell is FF8 on there? Gah... I can understand the others but... 8? Come on. Even 12 is a bit of a stretch, imo, but I guess I can understand why it's up there.
You could read the article rather than just whining like a retard? It does a pretty good job of explaining why it's on the list.
Pardon me for insulting your precious FF8. I read the article but I don't think a terrible cast, terrible story and broken junction system merits an entry on an Essential RPGs list. The 'why' still stands.
8 did nothing that other FFs haven't done better. 6, 7, 10 (haven't played 9) and 12 have a better cast, better story, 10 has an infinitely better love story, and you can break the game -so bad- with the junction system that it alone cannot redeem 8.
Okay, so, there are these new things out there, called "opinions." They're pretty cool.
Just because Final Fantasy VIII isn't on your list of "essential JRPGS" doesn't mean it shouldn't be on any list ever ever never ever if you put it on a list you're a dummy poopy head.
FFVIII could be essential in demonstrating the excesses of companies with too much money and resources in the early PS1 era. Of course Legend of Dragoon could do that too.
Every time I see Chrono Cross mentioned as "great" or anything beyond "average", I'm suddenly the rage filled 14 year-old-obsessed-with-chrono-trigger and terribly terribly disappointed again.
Okay, so, there are these new things out there, called "opinions." They're pretty cool.
So?
It aggravates me to no end when threads like these pop up and only the author is allowed to have a say so on what counts and what doesn't. Fuck you*, I have the right to my opinion too, and this forum is here to express it.
And I'm of the opinion that I could create a better, more well rounded article than this.
*Not YOU you, as in BlackJack, but in general.
Every time I see Chrono Cross mentioned as "great" or anything beyond "average", I'm suddenly the rage filled 14 year-old-obsessed-with-chrono-trigger and terribly terribly disappointed again.
Maybe someday I'll get over it. . . someday.
Seconded. Insanely disappointed. I went through alot of trouble to make sure I got that game. Skipped school, ditched girlfriend, pissed off my parents by not showing up to work...
Okay, so, there are these new things out there, called "opinions." They're pretty cool.
So?
It aggravates me to no end when threads like these pop up and only the author is allowed to have a say so on what counts and what doesn't. Fuck you*, I have the right to my opinion too, and this forum is here to express it.
And I'm of the opinion that I could create a better, more well rounded article than this.
*Not YOU you, as in BlackJack, but in general.
My point was more "don't be a cock while expressing your opinion" more than "don't express your opinion."
I skipped over Star Ocean/Tales/Lunar not because they didn't qualify, but because I just didn't think they were awesome enough to warrant a place on the list. I mean, I loved Lunar growing up, but outside of the excellent translation, there's little going for it. A historical landmark (in the US anyway), but not good enough. As for Star Ocean/Tales - I always liked that they tried to implement an action-type system, but they've never up to snuff as far as I'm concerned.
I still don't understand why Mario RPG if valued as highly as it is. I'd understand an argument for Paper Mario though.
I skipped over Star Ocean/Tales/Lunar not because they didn't qualify, but because I just didn't think they were awesome enough to warrant a place on the list.
Yet... we get Final Fantasy V. How did Lunar not have anything going for it? Full animation and voice work on a 16 bit system doesn't count or something?
Still doesn't explain why FFV is included, but not Lufia or Vagrant Story.
I still don't understand why Mario RPG if valued as highly as it is.
Dude man, dozens of JRPGs during the 16-bit era had cutscenes, especially CD games, so that's hardly significant. Lufia II is an excellent game, but not quite excellent enough.
Vagrant Story is a borderliner in the same way that BoF: Dragon Quarter and Valkyrie Profile are, but I didn't include it because I don't like it at all.
Also, the job system is the best customization system found in any RPG ever. Hence, FFV.
But yeah, whoever suggested Mother 3? I've barely played it. I've been waiting till a translation comes out. On the other hand, I played through DQV in Japanese, which is much easier to understand than Mother 3. But there is a fan translation out there for those who want to play it, and I'm betting Square will release it in the States for the DS eventually.
If you qualify "different" as "pressing a button before you hit a bad guy", then yes, I suppose that argument would make sense! To the rest of us - the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi games did it better. I didn't particularly think it was all that interesting there either, but at least those had some quality writing.
Again, the lack of consistency is astounding.
I'll try my hardest to agree more with your opinions in the future then!
I skipped over Star Ocean/Tales/Lunar not because they didn't qualify, but because I just didn't think they were awesome enough to warrant a place on the list.
Yet... we get Final Fantasy V. How did Lunar not have anything going for it? Full animation and voice work on a 16 bit system doesn't count or something?
Still doesn't explain why FFV is included, but not Lufia or Vagrant Story.
I still don't understand why Mario RPG if valued as highly as it is.
Because it was fun?
It mixed platforming and RPGs together?
Looked great?
Sounded great?
Had a fun and different battle system?
Again, the lack of consistency is astounding.
You keep trying to say that games should have been included for their quality. Quality has very little to do with this list. It is a list (Not a ranking) of games everyone should try because of how they impacted the genre itself.
Man, everybody and their mother hates FFVIII. I actually very much like the game in almost every respect, the almost part being that I don't have the CD's anymore. Damn, I would kill for a remake, with maybe a slight refinement over the original formula.
And I guess Final Fantasy can get away with having multiple entries mentioned, since the games are mostly connected by their name alone and not much else. As stated by the author.
Overall, I'm impressed - the list is pretty comprehensive.
I'll try my hardest to agree more with your opinions in the future then!
Thank you. I'm more than happy to help out anyone making "essential" lists with genres that I'm intimately familiar with.
You keep trying to say that games should have been included for their quality. Quality has very little to do with this list. It is a list (Not a ranking) of games everyone should try because of how they impacted the genre itself.
How often do "bad" games impact a genre? How often is a bad game essential? Will you give someone a copy of Daikatana to play simply because it shows what not to do? No, you'd tell them to stay the hell away from it, and if they want to break into the FPS genre, you'd give them something like Goldeneye, Quake 2, Half Life, etc.
Something can't be "essential" and "crap" at the same time.
I'll try my hardest to agree more with your opinions in the future then!
Thank you. I'm more than happy to help out anyone making "essential" lists with genres that I'm intimately familiar with.
You keep trying to say that games should have been included for their quality. Quality has very little to do with this list. It is a list (Not a ranking) of games everyone should try because of how they impacted the genre itself.
How often do "bad" games impact a genre? How often is a bad game essential? Will you give someone a copy of Daikatana to play simply because it shows what not to do? No, you'd tell them to stay the hell away from it, and if they want to break into the FPS genre, you'd give them something like Goldeneye, Quake 2, Half Life, etc.
Something can't be "essential" and "crap" at the same time.
Final Fantasy VIII is not a great game, it does however, have tons of conventions that were absolutely brilliant and should be shown and known by a wide audience.
The idea of variable stats based on magic conservation, while at the same time using the Draw system to NOT have to conserve magic, that is some genious shit right there.
The only reason I disapprove of FFVIII being on the list is because there are five other FF games on it.
And with the exception of his copping out and using Three FF's in one Entry (Rather then just taking a stand on which one illustrates his point best) all are on there for well explained reasons. They don't have anything in common and each one is a great example of his point.
And with the exception of his copping out and using Three FF's in one Entry (Rather then just taking a stand on which one illustrates his point best) all are on there for well explained reasons.
Are we reading the same article? He spends two to three paragraphs on FFIV tops, and his first sentence labels it cheesy and one dimensional. Then he summarizes the game and moves on to FFVI. He doesn't give me many specific reasons as to why it's "essential" other than "it did a lot of stuff really good".
They don't have anything in common and each one is a great example of his point.
If his point was to throw as many Final Fantasy games in to his list as possible, then yeah, I think his point was well presented.
If anything, it sounds like this guy started playing RPGs when he got his PS2 for Christmas.
The internet makes it pretty easy to know a game without ever playing it.
How often do "bad" games impact a genre? How often is a bad game essential? Will you give someone a copy of Daikatana to play simply because it shows what not to do? No, you'd tell them to stay the hell away from it, and if they want to break into the FPS genre, you'd give them something like Goldeneye, Quake 2, Half Life, etc.
Something can't be "essential" and "crap" at the same time.
There are no bad games on his list. Several of the games are love it/hate it sort of affairs and it would be rare to find a gamer who liked every single game on the list, but every game on the list has its share of diehard fans who would attest to it being an incredible game.
And with the exception of his copping out and using Three FF's in one Entry (Rather then just taking a stand on which one illustrates his point best) all are on there for well explained reasons.
Are we reading the same article? He spends two to three paragraphs on FFIV tops, and his first sentence labels it cheesy and one dimensional. Then he summarizes the game and moves on to FFVI. He doesn't give me many specific reasons as to why it's "essential" other than "it did a lot of stuff really good".
They don't have anything in common and each one is a great example of his point.
If his point was to throw as many Final Fantasy games in to his list as possible, then yeah, I think his point was well presented.
If anything, it sounds like this guy started playing RPGs when he got his PS2 for Christmas.
The internet makes it pretty easy to know a game without ever playing it.
Dude, I am starting to think we didn't even read the same article. He was trying to show the idea of gameplay balanced with story, vice XII which is entirely gameplay with little story, or X, which is ALL story and very little gameplay.
And with the exception of his copping out and using Three FF's in one Entry (Rather then just taking a stand on which one illustrates his point best) all are on there for well explained reasons.
Are we reading the same article? He spends two to three paragraphs on FFIV tops, and his first sentence labels it cheesy and one dimensional.
He calls it cheesy and melodramatic (with character sacrifices and betrayals left and right) and you know what? It is. He also said that it was a major turning point for stories in JRPGs and that's true as well. I don't see a problem here.
How often do "bad" games impact a genre? How often is a bad game essential? Will you give someone a copy of Daikatana to play simply because it shows what not to do? No, you'd tell them to stay the hell away from it, and if they want to break into the FPS genre, you'd give them something like Goldeneye, Quake 2, Half Life, etc.
Something can't be "essential" and "crap" at the same time.
There are no bad games on his list. Several of the games are love it/hate it sort of affairs and it would be rare to find a gamer who liked every single game on the list, but every game on the list has its share of diehard fans who would attest to it being an incredible game.
It's not a question of whether or not a game is good or bad or whether one likes it.
"Essential"
That imparts, "You need to play these games". He doesn't really give a reason as to why we need to play Final Fantasy IV.
He calls it cheesy and melodramatic (with character sacrifices and betrayals left and right) and you know what? It is. He also said that it was a major turning point for stories in JRPGs and that's true as well. I don't see a problem here.
*facepalm*
You guys have really low standards.
Three paragraphs for FFIV out of a 21 page article. He summarizes the story in a few sentences and moves on. If that's good enough for you, that's fine.
Posts
Shallow - Six Final Fantasy titles, one of them (FFV) is hardly essential. Could replace four or five Final Fantasy's with the above mentioned games.
Inconsistent - Lunar disqualified because of Grandia being a "sequel", yet, again, six Final Fantasy titles. There's also the "traditional" blurb yet Valkyrie Profile and Dragon Quarter are on the list.
Lunar 2: Eternal Blue came out at the same time as Breath of Fire 2 (in the US anyway) and did the anti-organized religion vastly better than BoF2 did. Much better game in general as well.
And the time limit in Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter added a lot to the overall feel of the game, I thought. It gave the story a sense of urgency that I have yet to see in any other RPG. Besides, once you get to know the game well, it's not a problem at all (if you know what you're doing, you can get through the entire game without restarting once and still have plenty of time left on your meter).
EDIT: Final Fantasy V is on the list because of the job system which was very influential. Other games before FFV let you choose the job of your characters, but FFV is the first one that I'm aware of that let you combine jobs to create your own custom uber jobs.
Zeboyd Games Development Blog
Steam ID : rwb36, Twitter : Werezompire, Facebook : Zeboyd Games
FFT easily beats half the games on that list in terms of both quality and gameplay.
Because the article specifically said that it wasn't going to include any Strategy/RPGs or Action/RPGs.
Zeboyd Games Development Blog
Steam ID : rwb36, Twitter : Werezompire, Facebook : Zeboyd Games
Well...thing is...like 3 of the final fantasies are lumped together and one...and really I don't see how excluding one game makes the rest of the list invalid.
As for the traditional RPG...I have to ask what is tradition then. If I remember aside of the side-scrolling aspects in VP...it could still be considered traditional. You still level up, you still have a different screen for fields and for battles, you still gather items. Really, I don't see what makes VP or DQ not viable for the list(whether or not I agree with them).
I guess us strategy players aren't cool enough for your list.
Except for Valkyrie Profile, cause mentioning it ups his cred.
Excluding one Final Fantasy won't make it valid, but it would be a decent start. He could toss off FFVIII and FFXII as well.
Dude, you can't tell me with a straight face that Valkyrie Profile and FFXII are traditional RPGs.
Umm...well...really...what is a traditional RPG? Because I mean I look at action RPG...and I can in no possible way understand how you get action RPG from it.
As for FF12...I thought it played like a MMORPG without the MMO part...so I can't really commit on that one.
Pardon me for insulting your precious FF8. I read the article but I don't think a terrible cast, terrible story and broken junction system merits an entry on an Essential RPGs list. The 'why' still stands.
8 did nothing that other FFs haven't done better. 6, 7, 10 (haven't played 9) and 12 have a better cast, better story, 10 has an infinitely better love story, and you can break the game -so bad- with the junction system that it alone cannot redeem 8.
Do... Re... Mi... So... Fa.... Do... Re.... Do...
Forget it...
I know what it means to me, but my definition would even exclude Earthbound from the list as well since, while it's gameplay is fairly "traditional", the story, characters, pacing, outcome, etc, hardly qualify.
Dragon Quest VIII is fairly traditional. FF IX as well.
Final Fantasy VIII was completely outdated even before it's release by Panzer Dragoon Saga. That's my excuse, anyway. Your's is pretty good, though.
3DS: 1607-3034-6970
Maybe someday I'll get over it. . . someday.
So?
It aggravates me to no end when threads like these pop up and only the author is allowed to have a say so on what counts and what doesn't. Fuck you*, I have the right to my opinion too, and this forum is here to express it.
And I'm of the opinion that I could create a better, more well rounded article than this.
*Not YOU you, as in BlackJack, but in general.
Seconded. Insanely disappointed. I went through alot of trouble to make sure I got that game. Skipped school, ditched girlfriend, pissed off my parents by not showing up to work...
I completely blame Square.
Are you kidding? What has he done since CC and Xenogears? I'd have to say that either Sakamoto or Sakuraba have surpassed him.
3DS: 1607-3034-6970
Koji Kondo. Jesus.
What happened to "have a well researched and well rounded opinion"? That falls under "dickery" to me.
Again, not you specifically, bro.
I still don't understand why Mario RPG if valued as highly as it is. I'd understand an argument for Paper Mario though.
Yet... we get Final Fantasy V. How did Lunar not have anything going for it? Full animation and voice work on a 16 bit system doesn't count or something?
Still doesn't explain why FFV is included, but not Lufia or Vagrant Story.
Because it was fun?
It mixed platforming and RPGs together?
Looked great?
Sounded great?
Had a fun and different battle system?
Again, the lack of consistency is astounding.
Vagrant Story is a borderliner in the same way that BoF: Dragon Quarter and Valkyrie Profile are, but I didn't include it because I don't like it at all.
Also, the job system is the best customization system found in any RPG ever. Hence, FFV.
But yeah, whoever suggested Mother 3? I've barely played it.
Re: Super Mario RPG:
Lots of games are fun! That doesn't make it essential.
So did Xenogears...and neither did it very well, although that did have the benefit of being in 3D.
Seriously? You LIKE awful mid-90s CG rendering? Well then!
I disagree. Yoko Shimomura was on one of her off-days with this one.
If you qualify "different" as "pressing a button before you hit a bad guy", then yes, I suppose that argument would make sense! To the rest of us - the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi games did it better. I didn't particularly think it was all that interesting there either, but at least those had some quality writing.
I'll try my hardest to agree more with your opinions in the future then!
You keep trying to say that games should have been included for their quality. Quality has very little to do with this list. It is a list (Not a ranking) of games everyone should try because of how they impacted the genre itself.
I got overzelous in that I should of said. hes one of the best.
also this is his credits
And I guess Final Fantasy can get away with having multiple entries mentioned, since the games are mostly connected by their name alone and not much else. As stated by the author.
Overall, I'm impressed - the list is pretty comprehensive.
Thank you. I'm more than happy to help out anyone making "essential" lists with genres that I'm intimately familiar with.
How often do "bad" games impact a genre? How often is a bad game essential? Will you give someone a copy of Daikatana to play simply because it shows what not to do? No, you'd tell them to stay the hell away from it, and if they want to break into the FPS genre, you'd give them something like Goldeneye, Quake 2, Half Life, etc.
Something can't be "essential" and "crap" at the same time.
Final Fantasy VIII is not a great game, it does however, have tons of conventions that were absolutely brilliant and should be shown and known by a wide audience.
The idea of variable stats based on magic conservation, while at the same time using the Draw system to NOT have to conserve magic, that is some genious shit right there.
The little bit I did play a long time ago was awesome and the "cut scenes" were very impressive.
It's on the Sega Genesis Collection for the PS2.
NNID: Glenn565
3DS: 1607-3034-6970
Also on PSP collection.
And with the exception of his copping out and using Three FF's in one Entry (Rather then just taking a stand on which one illustrates his point best) all are on there for well explained reasons. They don't have anything in common and each one is a great example of his point.
Hmm, the wiki I read said it was still coming.
Well, good then.
Are we reading the same article? He spends two to three paragraphs on FFIV tops, and his first sentence labels it cheesy and one dimensional. Then he summarizes the game and moves on to FFVI. He doesn't give me many specific reasons as to why it's "essential" other than "it did a lot of stuff really good".
If his point was to throw as many Final Fantasy games in to his list as possible, then yeah, I think his point was well presented.
If anything, it sounds like this guy started playing RPGs when he got his PS2 for Christmas.
The internet makes it pretty easy to know a game without ever playing it.
There are no bad games on his list. Several of the games are love it/hate it sort of affairs and it would be rare to find a gamer who liked every single game on the list, but every game on the list has its share of diehard fans who would attest to it being an incredible game.
Zeboyd Games Development Blog
Steam ID : rwb36, Twitter : Werezompire, Facebook : Zeboyd Games
Dude, I am starting to think we didn't even read the same article. He was trying to show the idea of gameplay balanced with story, vice XII which is entirely gameplay with little story, or X, which is ALL story and very little gameplay.
He calls it cheesy and melodramatic (with character sacrifices and betrayals left and right) and you know what? It is. He also said that it was a major turning point for stories in JRPGs and that's true as well. I don't see a problem here.
Zeboyd Games Development Blog
Steam ID : rwb36, Twitter : Werezompire, Facebook : Zeboyd Games
It's not a question of whether or not a game is good or bad or whether one likes it.
"Essential"
That imparts, "You need to play these games". He doesn't really give a reason as to why we need to play Final Fantasy IV.
*facepalm*
You guys have really low standards.
Three paragraphs for FFIV out of a 21 page article. He summarizes the story in a few sentences and moves on. If that's good enough for you, that's fine.