I’ve been diving into a lot of Final Fantasy games recently, both old and new, like FF I to VII Remake, Crisis Core, and XVI, and now I’m onto XII and XV. While playing both of these, I realized what really bothers me about the newer installments, especially XV, XVI, and the remakes.
In FF XII, I did a side quest involving helping a sick person by gathering items to make medicine. Even though it was a classic fetch quest, it felt satisfying because there were no markers or lists guiding me. You had to engage with NPCs to kick off quests, remember to return after gathering items, and piece things together on your own. Completing it gave me a true feeling of accomplishment.
In contrast, in XVI, side quests boil down to just following map markers, talking to quest givers (who often have dialogue you can skip without losing anything), complete a task (usually just defeating some monsters), and go back. It feels so mechanical and less rewarding, like you can pop in two years later and still complete it without any real thought.
Moreover, in XII not having a side quest list meant you didn’t feel forced to do them; you could ignore them without feeling guilty. In the newer games, there’s constant pressure to complete quests, which just adds to the clutter. I get that XII has its own issues, like identifying NPCs among the crowd, but overall, the lack of guidance in older games creates a more immersive and engaging experience. What does everyone else think?
3 Answers
Personally, I really prefer having quest markers. Otherwise, I’ll either forget the quest or get lost trying to figure things out while I have other quests mixed in. I see the appeal in having no markers, but for me, it makes the experience frustrating more than engaging. I like having some guidance, even if it’s a little too much at times.
True, but it’s difficult to balance a game with no hand-holding with modern expectations for game accessibility. It’s also a hassle to spend too long wandering around.
I get what you’re saying. Not having map markers can be confusing for some players and often leads them to complain that they need to use guides. Maybe a good middle ground would be allowing us to toggle markers on and off? That way, those who love the exploration can enjoy it, while others can still get through without too much hassle.
I think a compromise could be adding a side quest tab in the menu with descriptions, so you don’t get completely lost. Then players can look for clues in the game without being handed everything on a platter.
That’s true! But if there’s no direction, NPCs should give clearer hints or there should be multiple ways to achieve quests. It’d feel more rewarding without the constant hand-holding.
The introduction of trophies changed the game, didn’t it? Feels like players now feel pressured to do everything and not missing out. Back in the day, not doing side quests didn’t feel like a big deal, but now it can feel like you’re missing story if you don’t bother. Do you remember discovering things by just talking to NPCs back in the day? That felt way more rewarding!
Totally! I loved just stumbling into things in older games. Nowadays, it’s just follow the markers, which sometimes kills the sense of wonder!
Exactly! Finding stuff like Zack’s backstory in FF VII was all about exploration and not being told where to go. Now, missing something feels like a huge sin!
I feel markers can dull the experience. They make quests feel rote and take away that sense of adventuring. Like, when you get lost exploring, you discover so much more.