A Happy Medium

by Jeffrey Lloyd Heatherly 

There has been a long-lasting debate concerning the linearity and the challenge of RPGs. I consider the two tightly correlated. I have heard arguments declaring that FFVII was far too linear. On the other side is the despairing cry over the complete freedom available in SaGa Frontier. The discussions on the two game's difficulty levels have been mirror images.

To be honest, SaGa is not on the top of my list. I think that the game seriously needed a tutorial or expanded instruction booklet. But the things told to me by my fellow gamers have been quite drastic. Upon my attempted purchase of SaGa, the clerk at Electronics Boutique looked me straight in the eye and said, "Don't buy this game. I can't recommend it." Having heard the pleas of others on the net, I had been prepared. When I stated that I still wished to buy it, I was informed, "It is a horrible game. It is not possible to play it without a hint book. Everyone who works here has played it and we all... it's just a horrible game." I was totally taken aback. Upon playing the game, I understood his frustration.

This is not to say that SaGa is a bad game, but it is very aggravating to find yourself killed in your very first battle. From the very beginning of the game you can go virtually anywhere. Untimely demise is hardly uncommon.

Death in FFVII was a sparsly recieved outcome. The game was easily paced; there was no need for the hard-core level building required by FFI and FFL. This was a good selling point because it gave all the novice players who bought the game because it was "pretty" a chance to learn our domain. The only other Square game I'd recommend for beginners is FFMQ, and let's be honest: that's a game that's not going to make an RPG fan out of anyone. (I think it should be said that MQ was the easiest and most linear RPG released within the last eight years.)

It is far too difficult to regulate RPG difficulty. You can make it too easy or too hard; just right is an impossibility. People will always feel compelled to level-up; some people always run. I consider myself a good RPG player. I don't go to level 99 in every game, or any game for that matter. I don't feel the need to be a god. Some people do; these people will always cry out for more challenge.

The price of linearity is usually the story. If you don't agree, then you write a story where every character is a variable. You can't do it.

Non-linearity is the source of challenge. Let's look at the polar opposites: FFMQ (easy, you do what we say) and SaGa Frontier (hard, where would you like to go today?).

Both these games constantly take shots due to their exclusively linear or difficult gameplay. Of course, MQ is generally frowned upon. But if people say FFVII is too linear and too easy, they also say that SaGa is too hard or confusing. I think everyone will agree that there needs to be a happy medium.

Should we demand this acceptable middle ground? No. It isn't possible to manufacture a game that has the right settings for everyone. You sacrifce plot for linearity and you gain frustration with difficulty. Some people are more determined level builders while others are proficient tacticians. Still others are just trying to learn.

We shall all hope for this unatainable mystery value that lies between the games we play, but there will always be one who cries into the masses that a game just isn't done right.