10 Dumb Video Game Mechanics We Should've Hated

10. Removing Turn-Based Battles - Final Fantasy XII

Going against the mould is tricky when it comes to a well-established franchise. Even though each Final Fantasy instalment keeps things fresh by implementing new ideas, certain staples are seemingly set in stone. For SquareEnix to do away with any of the tried-and-tested fundamentals is unwise. (FFII validated this, since it was lambasted for removing the Exp. Points system.)

That's why veterans were concerned when FFXII discarded random encounters and turn-based battles. Because it included a programmable battle system with AI-controlled teammates, this entry sounded like Final Fantasy in name only. As such, fans wondered why it wasn't packaged as something else altogether.

But after playing FFXII for an hour or two, the player quickly sees how many drawbacks the old system had. No longer was the main campaign interrupted every five seconds by a random encounter.

Long gone are the days of grinding for hours, hoping for a specific enemy to spawn. Battles are less tedious, since the player can prep moves for themselves and their team, while waiting for their turn.

Final Fantasy XII's new direction may have been bold, but it was so well-received, similar mechanics have been established in nearly every follow-up since.