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RPGamers are going to heaven soon. The release of several excellent RPGs in the last few years (Disgaea, La Pucelle, Tales Of Symphonia) is merely a prelude to the slew of heavy hitting games slated to be released over through the end of 2005. There are no less than nine big ticket titles scheduled to hit American retailers (most of which have already been released in Japan). While this will certainly be a fierce fight all around with so many quality games being released in such close proximity, there is really only one competition that really matters: Game of the Year for 2005. While many people may have personal favorites or games they hope will win, anyone who knows anything about video games knows it will come down to the two giants of the industry: Final Fantasy XII versus The Legend of Zelda.
Despite an incredibly strong class of RPGs being released (Suikoden IV, Star Ocean 3, Xenosaga Episode 2, Phantom Brave, Paper Mario 2, etc.), it is clear that both Final Fantasy XII and the new Legend of Zelda games will trounce the competition. Both series are viewed as leaders in the industry in their respective fields, standard console RPG and Action/Adventure game, respectively. Both series have also led the industry in innovations; the Zelda series with the popularization of lock on targeting aka "Z-Targeting", and the Final Fantasy series with the introduction of FMV en masse in RPGs. And both series are home to the two games that are the most often referred to as the "Greatest Game of All Time" (if such a title truly exists): LoZ: Ocarina of Time and Final Fantasy VII. So its no wonder that when both Nintendo and Square-Enix decide to release their flagship titles in the same year, it makes for quite a heated contest. This time, though, the competition is even more intense,due to hype and a drastic change in the Final Fantasy formula.
No one will argue with the assertion that the surprise showing of the LoZ video was the runaway hit of this year's E3. Fans had been clamoring for a more realistic Zelda ever since the first screenshots of LoZ: The Windwaker were released. Not only has Nintendo delivered on that request, bt they have also constructed a much darker, foreboding world than Windwaker, or even Ocarina of Time. Add to this the possibility of equestrian combat and an improvements to the Windwaker battle engine, and it seemed as if every Zelda fans wildest dreams had been realized.
The Final Fantasy series also went through a bit of a transformation around the same time as Nintendo's experiment with Windwaker, as they ventured into what some would describe as the greener pastures of online gaming. Final Fantasy XI was a strictly online game, and quickly became the second most popular online game today (second only to Everquest). However, many fans felt as if Square-Enix was venturing too far away from its roots, and its fan base. Final Fantasy XII returns to the console-style RPG guide, but does what no Final Fantasy has ever done before: hte elimination of random battles.
This is where the battle for Game of the Year 2005 reaches its apex. The Legend of Zelda series is the undisputed king of Action/RPGs (although technically speaking, it barely even fits into that category). There have certainly been other Action/RPGs (Tales series, Dark Cloud Series to name a few), but none have garnered the massive following that young elvin boy named Link has managed to accrue. Yet here comes Final Fantasy, the undisputed king of ALL RPGs, stepping into Zelda's territory. With two companies as large and successful as both Nintendo and Square-Enix are, there isn't enough room for both to live in the land of HacknSlash.
In closing, there are several excellent offerings coming up soon for American RPG gamers from that place known only as Japan. In the end though, the only two who have a chance at nabbing top honors next year are Final Fantasy XII and The Legend of Zelda. Despite the recent risks taken by both companies with their best sellers, they have still demonstrated that they know how to make good games. 2005 will be a year to remember, as the two titles battle head to head, and as we RPGamers cheer them on by throwing millions of dollars behind them. Who will win? Link, the boy with freakishly long ears, or Ashe, Square-Enix's latest attempt to pander to horny 13 year-olds? Only time will tell.
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