Linear is not a wirty dord.

By: Chase C | December 26th, 2009

I’ve noticed people complaining about Final Fantasy XIII and it’s lack of linearity.  Now, I know this may come as a big surprise to all of you, but I wouldn’t count any Final Fantasy game (in the core series) as “non-linear.”  In fact, each game is quite linear.  In Final Fantasy VII, when you finally escape Midgar and peer into the yonder, you can’t really DO anything.  Sure, you can walk around, but it isn’t until the very end of the game – or after getting all of the vehicles – that you can actually do any side quests anyway.

It reminds of a river delta.  You know, when the river separates into the ocean.  Here’s a picture.

Notice how there is one distinct path, with pathways that branch out.  Final Fantasy follows a river delta formula that simulates freedom, but it ultimately guides the player along a set path.  There are goodies for those that venture away, but completing them offers little to no progression.  In non-linear titles, such as Fallout 3, the world takes front seat while the story sits in the back.  You can walk to one end of the map to the other. This is the complete opposite for Final Fantasy.  Every town has a set path, and the overworld is a large map made up of a series of points of interest.

This is what a non-linear title looks like.

That’s right.  It’s the F****** ocean.  You can do whatever you want, however you want, whenever you want in any direction.  In Final Fantasy, you don’t have to progress the story if you don’t want to, it’s not a level based game.  However, there is a limit to what you can do for each section of the story.  In a non-linear game, it shouldn’t matter where you are in the story.  Everything should be available to the player from the onset, or somewhere close to it.

Look back at all of the JRPG’s.  Most of them are linear, even the awesome ones.  So, why don’t we worry about whether the story is going to be any good.  Or if the turn-based system is going to set the standard for next-generation RPG’s, because the genre desperately needs the help.