I don’t envy the key creators of Final Fantasy XIII-2, director Motomu Toriyama and producer Yoshinori Kitase. Shortly before the launch of their last project, Final Fantasy XIII, I spoke with them about the thinking behind creating such a streamlined, linear RPG. They offered the usual comments about broadening the appeal of the game and simplifying its mechanics, but they also told me something interesting: FFXIII was consciously designed to take cues from setpiece-driven shooters like Call of Duty. Of course, FFXIII played nothing at all like Modern Warfare in the moment-to-moment action, but I get what they meant: Rather than dropping players into a huge, open world and leaving them to find their way, Kitase and Toriyama hoped instead to propel gamers through a guided, cinematic experience. Their intent seemed to be to lure Western gamers with an experience similar to the big-budget shooters they love so much.
Upon arrival, though, it was precisely this stripped-down style that American and European fans rejected. The FFXIII team had gambled big with their project, and while it was hardly an abject failure — it sold several million copies worldwide — neither was it the resounding success they’d hoped. American may love their corridor shooters, but put an RPG in front of them and they expect the opposite: A world without boundaries. And the fewer anemic heroes with heavily accessorized outfits and teased-up hair, the better.
