Sorry, but I'm really not going to go on as to why Squaresoft is square... more less I wonder what the problem is with them. It seems that the further along we go with them, the more ho-hum they get. I'm sorry folks, and I might change my mind later - but I'm just not "all juiced up" over Final Fantasy XII and XIII hype. At the writing of this article, I have seen a plethora of images and information about FF XII, and just enough about FFXIII to get the impression that Square is doing away with he "party" concept. I'm sure that isn't the case - I hope not, because I'm done with the Final Fantasy series if they go there.

You may notice that my reviews are very hard - but this isn't Square specific, it's all games. I am very easy to tick off when it comes to entertainment. My long history of gaming makes me intolerant of bull-funky, media ploys, marketing manipulation, and anything that subtracts from what I think should be pure fun and SENSE in a game series. Unfortunately, Square is one of those companies that continually step on my controller when it comes to respecting the games, giving the customer what they want, and responding to the market in a speedy yet surgical manner. It's as if their motto is "we will do what we want - screw the market!". It's very sad, and many f thier moves have exposed a side of ... desperation.

So, I might write criticisms that look like I am against them, but I am actually for them - to make better games than the dribble they've been squirting out of their nostrils. I want them to start responding to the market, and have respect for their built-in audience. They seem to think that they are growing new additions to their fans, but are blind to the fact that with every new person they are losing 2! They are putting pins in their own balloon. I don't care about Square so much as I want the FF series not to be destroyed by mis-management. I hope they will at least sell it to a reputable company before it all comes crashing down.

My criticisms, particularly in the RPG genre, are qualified by game experience reaching beyond the days of computer games. My viewpoints may be different because I have a larger set of blocks to consider. I look for other things out of a game than many new or neophyte gamers. I would compare for example, FFX to FFI or even Dungeoun & Dragons... the PAPER game, and /or the video version or the board version or even the card version. And  no, I don't mean playing the old games on an emulator (even though I can speak from there too...) - I was there, and nothing compares to that. Sorry.

Does that mean you should listen to me more than anyone else? Heck no! Make up your own mind; believe what you want. But it DOES mean that just as you want me to respect your opinion (not AGREE - RESPECT) that you should respect mine. And maybe we can even convince each other once in a while.

Going back to Square, with the recent crop of duds they have dropped on us - FFX, X-2, XI, SO3, and we'll see about XII and XIII I hold little doubt that they will continue being the juggernaught they used to be. Lets not even get into the other games and genres they have failed us in. In the forums, people often express how they don't have resources because they are working on this or that next dud-bomb game... why they don't just stick with the genre they are good at I'll never know - but like I said, I hope they at least sell of the series they hold licenses to before they sink.

Alas poor Square - I knew thee well...