The Final Insult?

Months later, I am still in utter disbelief that Final Fantasy XIII is the first FF game that I actually lost all desire to finish in a very long time (FFXI not included). Not only did I lose my desire to finish the game, I traded it away without even so much as a second thought! That is madness! I still own Final Fantasy VII, VIII, IX, X, XI and XII.

Things had gotten me so disinterested in FFXIII, that I actually wanted to go back and just replay FFXII. That had freedom! That had characters I actually liked, unlike FFXIII where I wished more then half the group would just fall off a cliff or eaten by one of those brutally powerful creatures that roam around on the surface of Pulse.

Now I am beginning to see faint mentions of Final Fantasy Versus XIII and am I even hyped for it? In a single word, no. No I am not hyped at all over this future release and I am wondering if the ship has finally sailed on the series.

And what reinforces this mad thought is this article, which I saw over at Kotaku...

So Square-Enix pulls together some focus test groups and come to the realization that they apparently already knew: Western fans (didn't this game not get that well received in Japan also?) did not like the game all that much.

But it was obviously too late to change anything...

I... I don't understand something.

Aren't companies supposed to do the test groups and what not BEFORE developing their product? Isn't it a little counterproductive to try and understand your customers' desires AFTER you've all but completed your product?

After reading the article, I am just stunned and shocked to know that these guys sound to me like they are beginning to fall apart. As far as I am concerned, Final Fantasy Versus XIII will have to absolutely blow me away as being the most awesome game ever. Unlike Final Fantasy XIII (which I was sold because of the flashy CG promo videos), I am hoping Square-Enix takes a page out of some Western developers' books and introduce more production diaries. Show the ins and outs of the game and just give the world a better understanding of what's inside their games.

But knowing that isn't likely to happen, I think the safest bet would be to just sit it out and wait to see what the critics and fans rate the game after it's release. Yes, I think things have gotten that bad at this point. I am just frustrated with that game and I don't think I want to throw more money at something I ultimately won't enjoy to it's ending.