REBUTTAL TO: Let the Remakes Continue
There seems never to be a shortage of hemming and hawing about RPG remakes and makeovers. It would be pointless to beat around the bush and not point the finger directly at Square Enix. Even as it was being lowered into its grave, the Game Boy Advance (GBA) saw the release of two Final Fantasy titles - V & VI - with IV released not long before them; and Square Enix seems to have no trouble selling their wares. So, what's the problem?
Are any of these products less than what the makers advertised them to be? Not so far as I can tell. Why, then, all the upset about these products making it to market?
When I shop for something - anything - I merely want two things: 1.) I want the product to do what it says it's going to do; and 2.) I want it at a reasonable price. The latter is perhaps more subjective than the former, but, with respect to their games, Square Enix has, for the most part, delivered on their promises.
Then there are games like Dirge of Cerebus. Though not a remake, it was an offshoot of Final Fantasy VII, and the action orientation of the game seemed to piss off more than a few fans. Perhaps the artificial intelligence in the game was a bit lacking, and the shooting a tad repetitive, but my guess is that its main turn-off to fans was in its mere existence. Many purest have made it all too clear that they don't want you messing with the seminal Final Fantasy game: VII. And this one wasn't even a true RPG - faux pa!
However, none of these games seem to have bogged down the publisher with too much to do, leaving no time or desire to make new masterpieces. Your personal opinion, as well as my own, aside, Final Fantasy XII was a huge critical success, as was Dragon Quest VIII the year before it. They've given us Valkyrie Profile 2 and Dragon Quest Heroes, and are pouring a ton of their attention into the Nintendo DS system - Dragon Quest IX, here we come!
Yes, they're milking many of their older titles for all that they're worth, but for those folks who have yet to experience those games, or, as in the case of Cerebus, are looking for a taste of something a bit different, Square Enix is offering products of value.
I'm not a fanboy - okay, I'm a fanboy - it's just that I don't see anything wrong with offering a little something for everyone. I never played the original Final Fantasy III, so I was very pleased when the game was remade for the DS. There are also quite a few other well-respected gems, such as Secret of Mana and Chrono Trigger, that I've never had the pleasure of playing; if Square Enix decided to remake those games as well, I'd be overjoyed. In any case, the publishers don't seem to be neglecting their base, and we are now seeing some of the finest games they've ever made. So, relax; have a Coke and a smile.
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