Don't get me wrong! I wish we lived in an age where big budget JRPGs with provocative writing, well thought-out storylines, and innovative combat systems existed. I wish we could, man, but the world is just not that way. It hurts to think of the direction JRPGs have gone, and what the fans have become.
The last Iwata Asks hosted Takahashi (Xenoblade Director, former Squaresoft) and Sakaguchi (Mistwalker, Final Fantasy creator). They discussed how JRPG development worked back in the day. Let me tell you, it was something incredible. The way teams worked back then was completely different.
Sakaguchi Quotes:
"You could say they’re missing that artisanal aspect, that craftsmanship."
"It could be that the ‘spirit’ that inspired that craftsmanship has grown weaker."
Sakaguchi admits that during development of games (FF6) back then, people would sometimes come up with amazing ideas that he would have NEVER come up with on his own, so he incorporated them into the game. Imagine being part of that creative JRPG thinktank.
There is a reason Square-Enix can't make another FF6/7, another Chrono Trigger, etc.
He also talked about Nobuo Uematsu would get so emotional while working with his friends on making games that he would often BREAK INTO TEARS.
Now all Square-Enix developers do is break into a sweat...
RIP JRPGS
