@StevenRafael: That is so true. Games that leave nothing up to the imagination really don't stick with you the way older games like Final Fantasy VII do. The fact we are still talking about the game so fondly after all these years is a testament to that fact.

@RealmRPGer: Those are pretty specific changes that may be implementable by just hacking the original game. In other words, no need for a remake. Also, the materia changes you're suggesting have the potential to make the game even easier than it already is. I'm not quite sure that's the right way to go with it.

@BMT: I actually should make a correction there. It used to go by that name, but now it goes by the name "Final Fantasy VII Phoenix Rejuvenation Project". I hadn't kept up on it for a while so I wasn't aware of the name change until I did some googling.

@ToiletNinjas: It's kind of hard to make sequels when you don't own much original IP to begin with. But just give it some time. They're already well on their way to turning Blue Dragon into a sequel machine.

I have a question. What is wrong with just playing the original game? Will shinier graphics make Final Fantasy VII more fun? Will they make the story and characters more interesting? When you look at Square's attempts to revisit the FFVII universe, they have been mediocre at best. Should we really even trust them to…

@SirBrau: I still don't think they'd have written the article if JRPGs were still selling well.

@Guybrush Threepwood, Mighty Pirate™: Ok, whatever. To each there own I guess. But based on your tone it sound more like you're trolling than making a legitimate criticism.

@Guybrush Threepwood, Mighty Pirate™: So I take it you are either a fan of western RPGs or FPSs then?

@SirBrau: It wasn't that clear. I actually only used FPSs in a few of my arguments, so I fail to see how that would invalidate the whole thing. And frankly, I don't see why it would invalidate any of it. My point was that people are criticizing JRPGs for stagnating, while FPSs get completely left off the hook for…

@SirBrau: My purpose was to illustrate that most of the arguments IGN put forth were either invalid to begin with, or hypocritical in light of what western gamers expect and western developers typically deliver. I threw in some opinion to be sure, but I'm not exactly sure what you think makes my arguments "invalid".

This guy was truly a legendary voice actor. I feel very sad that he had to go this way. I took a look at the list of his credits and was dumbfounded by just how many outstanding characters he managed to bring to life. I wonder if he realized just how many people he touched with the consistently outstanding quality of…

I pretty much agree with everything the Japanese people had to say. Especially this one:

@ngork: Ok, here's what I want you to do. Go back, and read your comment, word for word. Be sure to read it carefully, paying attention to all the details and nuances. If you still can't figure out what you did wrong, give yourself a good smack on the head and try again.

@ShaggE: Cracking Eggs Of Wisdom: What!? Someone apologizing for being an ass on the internet!?

@Amathev: First of all, how often do we get original Japanese voice acting and English subtitles in our localized JRPGS? Maybe half the time? I don't see how how you can't be used to hearing English voice acting by now.

@buddhathing: I'm really glad to hear that there are still kids in this world that appreciate colorful imaginative games rather than games with mindless violence. I'm not saying there isn't a time and place for those kind of games... But really, aren't games like Nuts and Bolts the kind of games kids should be…

@Scorpi0n: There are a few things you have to keep in mind. First, if you just do a down the line comparison of specs, you'll find my comparison to be more or less accurate. The N64 had a main CPU speed of 94MHz and a co-proccesor at 63MHz, while the DS had a main CPU of 67MHz and a co-proccessor at 33MHz.

"Just like the Game Boy Advance was a Super Nintendo. And the Game Boy a NES. Put the dots together and it's not hard imagining the DS's successor having the graphical punch of, say, a GameCube. Or, for that matter, a Wii."

Take the coconut harvesting mission, for instance. You could "play by the rules" and make some vehicle with a huge cargo space to bring all the coconuts to the vacuum in the middle of the game world. OR you could just knock the vacuum off its stand and bring THAT to the coconut field.

So in a way, the pre-built vehicle's were possibly the games biggest mistake? When I was first playing through Nuts and Bolts, I generally switched between making new vehicles and trying to challenge myself by finding ways to win with old vehicles that were ill-suited for the current level. I made it a point to avoid…