One of the things I've always loved about the franchise is the open world non-linear gameplay. Introducing Pulse at the end was too little too late for me. I also thought the paradigm system was a complete clunky headache. Sorry but I thought it was crap.

This is the first FF game that I have no interest in at all. Hated FFXIII. Sadly it was a complete franchise killer for me. Crap characters, crap story, crap gameplay, and this just looks like more of the same.

Is it just me or does that "plane" in Contra: Shattered Soldier look an aweful lot like Lonestar's flying space Winnebago from Spaceballs?

I forgot to mention the overall cheapness and repetitive fighting that this game is littered with. Each character only has about five or six moves and the computer picks about two or three and then just does them over and over and over. And Seth is the most generic looking and most impossible, cheap-bastard boss in any game ever. In case you can't tell, I hated this game. Hopefully Tekken will deliver where Street Fighter failed.

@tas232377 and BennyT

I couldn't agree more. Maybe one of you guys should have written this review. WORST...GAME...EVER!! I rented it because it got such amazing reviews and I liked the old arcade. I played it for about 45 minutes and wanted to hacksaw my face off. Horrible, horrible, horrible, horrible, horrible game and what a worthless review. Dave Houghton cannot be trusted. Don't buy. Don't even rent.

Actually i think GR just writes these to piss people off because they have nothing else to write about and people like me comment on them because we have nothing else to do.

I think everyone is sort of missing the point of the actual meaning of nostalgia. To be nostalgic means to have a sentimental yearning for something that is past or a longing for the happiness of a former time. Just because someone is nostalgic about something doesn't mean that that thing had to be the best or even good. It just had to mean something. I loved Oregon Trail, not because it was good (in fact it sucked), but it was one of my first video game experiences. But I guess I should forget about that because GR doesn't like it and so no one else should either. "You aren't allowed to like something for no reason. We tell you what to think!" The thing that is sad is that kids today won't have the same nostalgic memories for games. Like spending hours (and way too many quarters) playing a really stupid button-mashing arcade with your friends. Even splitscreen multiplayer is being replaced by online gaming and everyone knows it's more fun to play a game with your friend when they're actually in the room. Sorry, this one kind of struck a nerve. All I really wanted to say is that FFVII is awesome.