Wikipedia said:It is difficult to summarize criticism of Final Fantasy since there are so many titles in the series, and each title has significant differences from the others. In addition, there are many types of gamers who like the series for a variety of reasons. As each new title is released, those who feel that the new game has departed from why they like the previous games in the series will tend to complain about the game, while those who feel that the game has supported or enhanced what they liked about the games will tend to praise the new title. It is not uncommon for the same title be considered one of the best by some fans, and yet as one of the worst by other fans.
One characteristic of the Final Fantasy series is that virtually each title in the series is different than all the other games. Certain features will appear in more than one title, but at a minimum the characters are different, the world itself is different, usually the battle system is different, etc. A comparison between the only sequel in the series (X-2) and the original title finds that even though both take place in the same world, and with many of the same characters, the battle system, as well as the general feel of the two games are drastically different. In many cases, there are more differences than similarities between any two titles in the series. This makes it difficult to objectively compare the individual titles because there is no single benchmark to define what is a good Final Fantasy game.
For some gamers, a good RPG is like dining at a fine restaurant: the goal is to enjoy the experience rather than seeing how fast you can finish the meal [1]. These types of gamers enjoy being immersed in the game's world, exploring different areas, playing all the side quests and mini-games, etc. It is not uncommon for such gamers to be at the point where they can finish the game, but instead choose to continue to play, possibly leveling up, exploring remote areas, etc. in order to either discover more about the story, or simply to enjoy the atmosphere of the game. For these gamers, the more diversions there are in the game the better they like it. On the other hand, there are many other gamers who enjoy the challenge of finishing a game in the shortest possible time. These gamers consider time spent in cut scenes and side quests as a waste of time. They will also tend to level up their characters only when they have to because of stronger enemies. Clearly, these two groups will evaluate the same game quite differently.
In the earlier titles, where graphics were very limited, the appearance of the characters was communicated mostly by comments made in dialogue. In the more recent titles, the sexuality of a character is more obvious, and some fans feel that this has gone too far. A source of frequent criticism along this line is Final Fantasy X-2, where Rikku wears a bikini top and a skirt that has been described as one "that folded in half would make a fine belt" [2], and Paine makes suggestive comments during in-battle chatter. Many of the costumes leave little to the imagination, and the in-game battle scenes where they change costumes are often quite suggestive.
Many long time fans of the series blame what they perceive as a fall in standards on the departure of character designer Yoshitaka Amano after Final Fantasy VI. Tetsuya Nomura, who has handled character design for the majority of the post-Final Fantasy VI series', has been criticized by the Amano fans, especially those who feel that Nomura's designs look too juvenile when compared to Amano's work.
No matter how many fans there are that hold this belief however, there are just as many who believe that the character designs of Tetsuya Nomura have improved the games immesurably. While the earlier games tended to consist of fairly simplistic storylines (often involving the retrieval of crystals in order to save the world in Final Fantasy I through V), under Tesuya Nomura both the characters - and subsequently the story itself - became arguably more complex and 'characteristically complete'. Themes such as redemption; individual identity; personal sacrifice for a greater cause; and whether ends can ever justify the means have been explored through the development of characters throughout the later games. This increased complexity can also partly be attributed to the advance of technology allowing more intricate and in-depth scenes to be played out, thus advancing the characters' stories.
Similar to the debate of characterisation in the 'Final Fantasy' series, some fans have felt the impact of the departure of long-time series music composer Nobuo Uematsu since Final Fantasy X, where he shared the role of composer with Masashi Hamauzu and Junya Nakano. Final Fantasy XII sees Uematsu's role diminished to a single song. The game's theme song is performed by Angela Aki while the rest of the soundtrack is composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto. Final Fantasy XII has neither Amano nor Nomura as character designer, but instead has Akihiko Yoshida.
Final Fantasy is also known for "re-inventing" the series with almost every game, as each game takes a different approach in gameplay to the last, though the plots generally remain very similar in regard to their central structure and use of certain repeated plot devices and themes. Although some feel this keeps the series from feeling stale with repeated sequels, fans of one game may not like the other games in the series. Of the more recent installments in the series Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy X-2 have been most frequently singled out for criticism: Final Fantasy VIII for its radical story and cast of entirely human teen-aged characters; Final Fantasy XI for switching to a MMORPG format; and Final Fantasy X-2 for its status as the first direct sequel to a previous Final Fantasy game, taking a radical departure from the serious tone of Final Fantasy games (especially Final Fantasy X), and for its supposed overreliance on fan service, as the playable characters are frequently featured wearing revealing clothing (Final Fantasy X-2).
Still others view the series as straying from its roots in general in hopes of garnering more money from those who would follow the series solely because of its name. These people feel that recent projects rely too heavily on older, more popular projects and characters, such as Final Fantasy VII and its primary protagonist, Cloud Strife. The apparent attention given to these more-renowned installments has incited some animosity in long-standing fans of the series; particularly those who cherish games that they feel have been ignored by Square Enix. Part of this animosity may stem from the belief that greater attention toward the more popular and recognized games in the series is tantamount to a betrayal to those fans who stuck by the company before it became such a worldwide success. Another factor of this approach to newer works within Final Fantasy may come from Tetsuya Nomura's perceived tendency to avoid anything he has not created himself, although he has arguably relaxed this personal rule in the recent Kingdom Hearts II.
This debate has further been fuelled by some fans requesting that certain games in the series get more attention by the company. Since games made in the 8-bit and 16-bit eras of gaming tend to get only a conversion to new formats, with only a few minor tweaks or additions, fans of the earlier games feel that more money should be directed toward new projects for the older, less well-known games of the series; or else otherwise for brand-new projects entirely. A case in point is that of Final Fantasy VII, which as of 2006 has had at least seven spinoffs as part of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, with demand continuing for a full remake of the original game in order to take advantage of new formats. While some fans believe that this is too much, other fans argue that earlier games do not harbour the content to warrant such 'special' treatment, and as such argue that the only reason for such 'spin-offs' of more recent games is that there is "much more story to tell". However, this attitude doesn't address the notion of a remake for those games, which would not require "much more story to tell." Additionally, one could argue that Final Fantasy X didn't have enough content to deserve a sequel; the only two important things that Final Fantasy X-2 addressed were the state of religion in Spira after two years and what happened to Tidus. Everything else was created brand new by Square-Enix for that installment. Just the same, Final Fantasy IV could easily focus on the origin of the crystals, or some new threat that exists beneath the underground, or racial issues, or any number of other concepts. Whether or not a game has enough content, then, becomes purely point of view.
It is a debate that carries on to this day, and one suspects that it will rage on for many years to come. The main point on which both parties can generally agree is that in their opinion the series must be experienced first-hand in order to fully appreciate it. Everything else is arguably up for debate.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy Bottom of page.
Anyways, what side are you on and what is your opinion on this?