Speaking as a long time fan, in recent years I've found myself feeling alienated from the franchise I grew up loving. Sequels, fashion contracts, protagonists I can't relate to, the inclusion of j-pop...I'm not sure Square knows what demographic their older fans are. Since seeing the new trailer; and reading the game informer article where Tabata mentions Fallout, the Witcher, and Elder Scrolls as influence, I feel better about the direction of the game and franchise. Anyway, the game looks great; and I would recommend it as you may not have any expectations of what it [i]should[/i] be. You can enjoy it for what it is.