Calm down guys, everyone has their own opinions and the diversity is one of the best things if people know how to appreciate it.
Personally I've to confess that I got just very recently FFXIII and FFXIII-2, and currently I'm in the middle of the disc2 of the first game. While I'm really excited to play Final Fantasy my first impact was far from being one of the best: while I really like the structure of the world and the characterization in itself, so far many of the events or the dialogues seemed a little silly or unrealistic: I got the impression that the writers made a good job with the events of the story and the reason for making allow them, but the execution was poor (of course my judgement remain temporary until I don't complete it). The death of Hope's mother on everyone, while the event has a precise role in the development of him and indirectly on other characters of the party, seemed to me something truly forced and without pathos. Immediately I made the comparison with the old FF games and in particular VIII that I loved, but I also started to ask me if maybe that great impression that I got from the past game was just the effect of me being a child with a different vision and focus on the game. Indeed at least one of the things that at the time appeared to me pretty singular in VIII as the discovery that all the party was actually related in thier childhood, nowadays it would be very likely considered a forced development even from me.
So it's in the end a mix of personal opinions tied also to the personal experiences made: not only people have different tastes, but even playing something in different ages can bring different outcomes. All of us become naturally more critical toward the things, and personally I envy people that are able to work behind the concept design of products addressed only or also to young people, just because they are surely able to keep part of that amazement and admiration that people naturally end to lose aging.
Why do some people hate FFVII? I know the fanbase can be annoying sometimes, and me being a fan of the games it is one of the most successful Final Fantasy games to date even if some think it overrated and can be somewhat true.
Some will say FFVII is bad, some will say FFX is bad, some will say FFXIII is bad. If some of these games weren't as popular people's views would probably be way different I think.
I agree, and in particular I consider very true the last sentence. For me the worst thing that can happen to a work is not getting critiques not unanimously good, but to get few attention or care. I believe that between the modern numbered offline FF games, the one less talked or discussed is not the XIII saga but rather FFXII (that actually got even a sequel). I admit to not know the game and so I can't judge it, but this alone make me think as it could be effectively the one considered most unsuccesfull or less memorable.
