What you see above, as the title to this window, might very well be my new slogan for life. As great as the past was, IT IS NEVER COMING BACK. The days of decent punk music are gone, sadly. No more Sex Pistols--now we have to put up with Blink 182. Now we have to put up with Madonna's version of American Pie. Now we have to put up with the New Adventures of Jonny Quest. This is a new generation, a new time, a new world. Old things are dead. Bitching and moaning about how great they were will not bring them back, OK? Sorry. But on to what this rant is really about.

Squaresoft has gone modern. Modern in the sense that they are making games with much better graphics, much more impressive movie-like stories, and many more options to customize your party's attacks and whatnot. The days of games like the first FF are gone. I am sorry, but they are. And if I see one more person bitch about how Square should go back, I just might show up on said person's doorstep with a baseball bat and a pot of hot grease.

No matter how much you hated FF8 , no matter how linear you thought FF7's storyline--SQUARE DOES NOT CARE. THEY ARE NOT GOING BACK. They will continue to produce whatever brings the money in. So you say you'll never buy another Square game again. Guess what--you're one fish in a sea of millions. They don't care, even if you were the second person in the whole history of the world to buy FF, even if you are the president of the FF fanclub, even if you claim to be Square's most die-hard fan. They're making millions off of these games, and if everyone hates them so much--then where is all the money coming from?

"I'll never buy another Final Fantasy game again! ...What's this? FF8? Well, maybe just for old time's sake..."

When FF7 came out, it could Do No Wrong. Everything about it was cool. Sephiroth was the best villain. Aeris' death induced torrents of tears. The tormented love triangle between Cloud, Tifa, and Aeris set everyone to debate. And everyone agreed that Hojo was a twisted bastard. A select few grumbled about the simplicity of storyline, the linearity, but other than that it was all gushing praise. I think every video game mag on the face of the planet named it RPG of the Year, and needless to say, it's sold so many copies that it's become a Playstation Hit now, and you can buy it for 25 bucks.

Then, for some reason, people started thinking it was cool to flaunt their history with Square games. FF7 was the first FF game many people had played, having purchased it because of advertisements and whatnot. "What? You've only played FF7?! *Well*, I remember when FF*2* (4j) came out, and I was first in line to buy it! Now *that* was a game! Blah blah blah..." People started thinking it was cool to dis the newer games, because it made them look like veterans or whatever. In actuality, it just made them look like people who would better be left in their dark rooms, clutching their D&D books, and worshipping in front of their Buffy posters. (Not that I have anything against D&D).

I've been playing FF games for as long as I can remember. Albeit, my memory is highly selective and retarded, but I do remember playing the first FF when I was about...eh...9 or 10 (I think). I remember playing most all of the games, except for FF2 (4j)...that seems sort of shady in my memory. But let me just say this--when I take FF7/FF8 and compare them to the first FFs...I (in no way, shape or form) do not find myself yearning for the return of old school RPGs. People say "There's no character development these days!"

*pauses to laugh riotously* Bullshit!

Would you rather be playing a game with a new, innovative storyline and deep, three dimensional characters; or one with the same old "fake-king-save-the-princess" schpeel, and cheesy little people who can do only good and brush their teeth after each and every meal?

Now, let me go off on another tangent here for a moment. FF8. I know a lot of people didn't like the whole gooey-ooey love theme. I know a lot of people wanted to see Rinoa hurled through a glass wall doing about 70 miles an hour (myself included). I know a lot of people said it didn't have the same sense of urgency that FF7 had, and that Ultemecia as a villain wasn't all that threatening. Maybe they're right. FF8 did lack in some things. But it was still a damned good game that I bowed down to and worshipped. *I* liked the gooey-ooey love theme. I liked the modern backgrounds.

Now, if only they could do something about that damn Junction system...

FF8 was named RPG of the Year in EGM, and in probably every other VG mag known to man. Once more, I ask you--if everyone hated it so much, said it was so phony, said it was pointless and too modern--then who the hell voted for it? There had to be someone, y'know. It didn't just magically appear there. The VG faerie didn't come in the night and say "Ooh, lookie now, you're RPG of the Year! Hoo-haa!"

/End insanely bitter rant here./