In Response to "If you don't have anything nice to say..." or Can't we all just get along...?

by Daniel Hamamura

"Come if you wish, and keep an open mind."
Jeff Marshall

Before I begin, I'd like to state something: I loved FFIV. I toiled through FFVI several times, enjoying the game every time. I loved FFVII, sweating through each cut-scene, my experience culminating with the very last movie, explaining just what happened to our fearless hero.

Wait. That can't be right. Someone who enjoyed both the SNES FF games AND FFVII? He must be insane. We'd better truck him off to an asylum.

Mr. Marshall is very forceful and very eloquent in his editorial, showing us his viewpoint that those who are nostalgic about the old 2-D sprite games should "go play FFV or Saga Frontier, but don't go sticking your noses into Xenogears or Final Fantasy games for Playstation which will only cause the editorial section to be clogged with empty words." I thank Mr. Marshall for pointing out the error of my ways (not to mention the ways of thousands of other fans). I see now that nostalgia has no place in the fast-paced, ever-changing world of RPGs. I have no right playing games such as Xenogears.

"Come if you wish, and keep an open mind."
Jeff Marshall

There are a few problems with what Mr. Marshall says. Let's take a brief look at them now.

Fallacy #1: Target Audience. Nintendo's philosophy has always been to promote towards younger gamers, and their games have always reflected this. The fact of the matter is, FFII and III were aimed at gamers 15 and below, whereas FFVII (and Playstation games in general) are aimed more at the 12-13 and up market. Naturally, the focus on younger gamers means a more toned-down script, development, etc.

Fallacy #2: Hardware Limitations. Let's face it; you can store a lot more into a CD than a SNES cartridge. Even text, in all its simplicity, takes up storage space. The sheer lack of storage space limits the amount of description and development possible in FFII and III.

Fallacy #3: Nostalgia. Nostalgia is an extremely powerful force, one which can drive our emotions and opinions. This, I feel, is why many gamers feel they enjoy FFIII more than FFVII. When I first played FFIII, I was still an impressionable youth, and the characters grew on me. When I first played FFVII, I was now an impressionable teenager, and to feel that same magic, to get that same feeling, a greater experience would be nessecary.

"Come if you wish, and keep an open mind."
Jeff Marshall

But through it all, what saddens me about Mr. Marshall's message the most is his inability to keep an open mind. Mr. Marshall gives us two large SLAP!s and tells us in no uncertain terms that there were dozens of undeveloped characters in FFII and III. Of course there are. Any character that's not a main character is going to be undeveloped. That's simply a fact of RPGs. Mr Marshall also asks us things such as:

"Are the 2000 RPGamer visitors who prefer FFVII to any other silent, or have they been silenced?"

-Personally, I don't know. Perhaps they don't want to impose their viewpoint on others?

"Why are all of the people that despise FFVII the ones who had to spend over $150 on a Playstation because they ran out to buy a Nintendo 64 first?"

-Honestly, I have no idea what you're asking here, Mr. Marshall. Maybe they're bitter because they're broke?

"Why can't people acknowledge that if they care about plot and character development, then FFVII is the present pinnacle of the series?"

-Ah! A real question. Because, Mr. Marshall, and this may come as a shock to you, other people don't see it the same as you. In other people's opinions, and you stated this yourself, FFVII had a "terrible plot". You then proceded to slap all those who believed such a thing. Just remember, Mr. Marshall: you can make opinions, you can state them, but it isn't so easy to change someone else's opinion, especially if you insult them in the process.

Perhaps it's time for us to end our useless debates about "FFVI(III) vs. FFVII". It seems as though we're getting meaner, angrier, and louder. Furthermore, we're not changing anyone's mind, so what's the point? We all have our favorites: let us keep these to ourselves and not judge others simply because they do not see things the way we do. And let us not INSULT others simply because they do not see things the way we do.

"Come if you wish, and keep an open mind."
Jeff Marshall

I couldn't have said it better myself, Mr. Marshall.

Original Editorial: If you don't have Something Nice to Say....