There is one wildly popularFinal Fantasygame that I’d love to see a remake of, but I’m not entirely convinced it would actually work.There is a lot of discussion about remakes for games in the franchise lately, especially given the several rumors about the potentialFF9 Remake, which had its announcement expected on the game’s 25th anniversary, but ultimately didn’t happen. Even so, there are severalFinal Fantasygames deserving of a remake, especially a few older installments that haven’t aged as well asFF9, be it because of graphics or outdated gameplay mechanics.
There are a lot of fanrequests for aFinal Fantasy 6 Remake, for example, which would give one of the best installments in the series a modern facet, much like how theFF7 Remakeseries is adapting the original game released back in 1997.Not all games are taking the remake approach, however, as exemplified by the recently announcedFinal Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, which will be a remaster of the 1997 tactical RPG. Even so, remakes are on the rise now, even if they aren’t necessarily improving an old game, but adapting it.
Final Fantasy XIV Could Use A Single-Player Remake
The Game’s Story Could Reach Non-MMO Audiences
With this in mind, I believe a single-player remake forFinal Fantasy XIVwould be a spectacular addition to developer Square Enix’s roster. This is because the critically acclaimed MMORPG is an online game with hundreds of hours of content – a lot of which is free-to-play via a free trial period that includes the base game (A Realm Reborn) and the first two expansions (HeavenswardandStormblood).While hundreds of hours of gameplay is often a great sign, it can often be too much, andquittingFFXIVcan be commonfor those who don’t endure its long campaign.
The big issue for several players interested in the game is how long the MMORPG can last with its main campaign alone, not considering the majority of the extra side content that games in the genre can often bring.I’ve lost count of the number of friends I’ve recommendedFFXIVto, most of whom steered away from it because of how long it can be. It’s really disappointing to see so many players miss out on one of thebestFinal Fantasygamesof all time simply because it requires a time investment.
How FFXIV’s Remake Could Adapt Gameplay Features For Single-Player
The Game Could Retain Easy Job-Swapping
Within a single-player perspective, however, the campaign could be a lot more condensed while still giving players access to one of the best stories that Square Enix has ever released. On top of that, it could steer away from the MMORPG mechanics that also push some players away from it, and adapt the gameplay into a more traditional single-player experience.With a prospectiveFFXIVsingle-player remake, the game could retain the idea of job swapping for your Warrior of Light, allowing you to change your gameplay style without having to rely solely on character archetypes.
Changing jobs could also happen at some important narrative points, such as becoming a Dark Knight for certain sky-clearing moments in theShadowbringersstory arc. In addition to that,the franchise would also benefit greatly from giving players a party to work with, like in previous titles, and there is an abundance of great characters to help the Warrior of Light, from the Scions to other allies that join the adventure down the road. Severalgreat character arcs inFFXIVcould be explored through quests and gameplay simultaneously.
I particularly love how you swap between party members in theFF7 Remakeseries games, and that could work well in a potentialFFXIVsingle-player remake, for example. By keeping the game action-based, it would retain a certain fidelity to the MMORPG, but also make it easier to understand for players who aren’t adept at playing MMOs and mastering certain rotations. A single-playerFFXIVwould also make a greatfirstFinal Fantasygamefor those interested in starting, as it could offer a memorable story with unforgettable characters and good gameplay variety.
A Single-Player FFXIV Could Lose Its Narrative Appeal
The Game Would Struggle Condensing The MMO’s Story Contents
I do have one concern about a potential single-player remake ofFFXIV, however. Condensing the MMORPG’s story content could negatively impact its strengths. A lot of the narrative impact comes from how well-developed the story is and the emotional investment you put into the characters and their story arcs.By simplifying it for a single-player format, the game could lose its appeal. InEndwalker, the expansion that concludes the main story arc, this is made more evident than ever, as you reminisce on hundreds of hours of gameplay as you try to save the world.
I can’t imagine myself loving the game’s characters as much as I do had I spent only 50 hours with them, for example.
As such, the overall story ofFFXIVcould feel a bit bland. A solution for that would be to make the single-player remake divided into parts, but that could be tough, not only for the development team, but also for players. A Realm Reborn, for example, is a much weaker story arc than Heavensward, so those who play through its contents may not feel compelled to continue. I guess there isn’t a real solution for a single-player remake ofFFXIV, but this is oneFinal Fantasystory I’d love to see everyone experience eventually.
