Although the press have tended to use Final Fantasy as a measuring stick since the success of FF7 as a killer app, even many Square fans think that the series has gone down hill in recent years. Some people did not like FF12, and some felt dissatisfied with the merger between Square and Enix. Should the gaming press still be using the series as a yardstick for everything when there are perhaps more worthy games in the JRPG genre today? Isn't this a little unfair to the diversity of good games that exist in the genre?
Persona 3 and 4, both released late in the PS2's lifespan, were critically acclaimed as AAA quality games. The Megami Tensei meta-series that they are part of, has long been an underground hit, with a hardcore fanbase, a ton of history, and is probably the third most popular in terms of sales, after Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. In terms of number of games, it is probably the biggest JRPG franchise by a long margin. Known for dealing with themes that most games don't touch upon, such as philosophy, spirituality, religious mythology, magic, the occult, and modern society, it is also a heavy hitter in the 'depth' department. Both Persona 3 and 4 were released after FF12, and are contemporary to current gen-titles like Lost Odyssey on the 360, despite being on a last-gen console. They are therefore representative of the current state of the genre.
I cannot say this of many games, if any, but the Persona games are actually a spiritual experience (and by spiritual, I don't mean gods and ghosts, I mean they are profound). Like the best art, they convey truths about the human condition, through symbolism - I can't think of any other game, where a gameplay mechanic (the social link), is actually a metaphor for the psychological importance of friendship and trust! For a person stuck in a crisis of confidence, or lost in existential dread, as many young men and women in our times are, the game could even be a revelation about how to live one's life. In this respect, it is similar to many of the best shonen or seinen manga and anime. That is not to say the game takes itself too seriously either, as you can expect laughs, as well as typically Japanese playful use of artistic license to 'sex up' mythological creatures.
Lost Odyssey is not a perticularily innovative game in terms of gameplay or themes. Out of all the games I have ever played, it is the one that feels closest to traditional Final Fantasy in terms of how you play it, especially FF7. Where the game truely shines, is in the quality of the narrative, and characters. Hironobu Sakaguchi wanted to create a game that was, as in all great fiction, emotionally powerful. The game's story is touching, and the optional short stories which are unlocked, are down right amazing. If you played the Final Fantasy series for the quality of its narrative and emotional impact, rather than for its CGI cutscenes, then you will adore Lost Odyssey. Reviewers treated the game unfairly - it was found on thirdworld gamer blog that all the major review sites; IGN, Gamespot and Gamespy, did not even bother to complete the game, in their rush to be the first to put out reviews, looking at their reviewer's gamertags. So much for journalistic standards. Additionally, many reviewers played an unfinished copy of the game.
It is easy to see why some fans of Sakaguchi and Final Fantasy VII and VIII, consider Lost Odyssey "the (Real) Final Fantasy". Some people complain about putting effort into JRPGs like this - but just like with Persona, and all the best novels, you will have to invest some effort, in order to gain an emotional payoff - this is life. Experienced JRPG fans know this. But people new to the genre, need to bear this in mind, rather than giving up so easily.
In conclusion, don't always take the opinion of the masses or the press, to mean the truth, even though they often are right.
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