11 Things We Miss From Final Fantasy

By 'substantial', we're talking more layered than a stripper on the Copacabana. Give us some reason to care about the characters other than one primary motivation. Make them feel like real people. Develop them throughout the course of the game. It really is a remarkably simple concept, but one entirely lost to modern day Final Fantasies.

Final Fantasy VI had none of the technological prowess or dazzling glamour of Final Fantasy XIII, released some fifteen years later, but the depth of its characters was practically bottomless in comparison. Despite having an enormous cast, all the characters had their own backstory, motivations, and reservations. Even secondary antagonists such as General Leo were sufficiently developed to the point that they remain memorable today.

Come on, admit it: you can't remember the name of a single villain in XIII. Heck, can you name any protagonists in XII? If the PS3 outing's characters had all the depth of a thimble, it's predecessor's had that of a saucer. I've known pigeons in my garden with more personality than the utterly forgettable Ivalice troupe.

It'd be easy to point to VIII and say that most of its playable characters were also lacking any true development. It's a fair point, but the entire focus of VIII was centred around a love story between Squall and Rinoa. The subtle building of their relationship and the gradual evolution of their personas actually means Final Fantasy VIII has some of the most accomplished character development to ever appear in a game (or at the very least, a JRPG). So take that.