Expedition 33’s Sublime Success Sparks Chatter About Final Fantasy’s Future

The triumph of Expedition 33 in Clair Obscur has ignited heated debates about the direction of the Final Fantasy series on various social platforms.

Some supporters believe that Square Enix’s shift towards a more action-based style for the series, aimed at drawing in a wider audience, could potentially leave lasting, detrimental effects on the franchise.

Expedition 33, as evidenced by its high Metacritic score and a million units sold, underscores the vitality of turn-based combat in gaming today.

It’s important to mention that Square Enix hasn’t openly criticized turn-based combat systems; however, they’ve made several statements aiming to explain their shift towards more dynamic, action-oriented gameplay styles over time.

During the marketing phase for Final Fantasy 16, director Naoki Yoshida expressed to Famitsu magazine (through VGC) that some younger players might find it hard to appreciate the charm of choosing commands in video games.

The Final Fantasy 7 Remake cleverly combined elements from character action games and strategic commands, creating a unique blend that merges contemporary battle systems with the classic, traditional approach from the original game.

As a gamer myself, I’ve got to say that Square Enix hasn’t completely let go of the classic turn-based combat system. Titles like Octopath Traveler and Dragon Quest are living proof that these timeless mechanics are still going strong. It doesn’t look like they’ll be ditching them any time in the near future.

Additionally, numerous well-known game titles published by others, such as Honkai: Star Rail by HoYoverse and the Trails series by Falcom, continue to employ turn-based battle systems too.

Indeed, although Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 undeniably reinforces the enduring popularity of turn-based gameplay, this style has remained a constant presence in gaming to some extent.

It seems intriguing to contemplate what plans Square Enix may have for Final Fantasy series as we move forward.

It’s evident that enthusiasts are eager for the publisher to revisit the roots of the franchise, possibly by incorporating turn-based combat once more. To be honest, we don’t have strong opinions on which specific systems the company chooses, as long as they create an outstanding game.

Read More

2025-04-28 08:06