All things considered, Square Enix actually did a pretty good job with this title. The game was a very risky release for the studio, and no matter how they handled it, it was guaranteed that some players would end up unhappy with the new style.
But some changes were inevitable after so much time had passed. Some of the core values of the franchise don’t work that well in modern times either, and it was important for Square Enix to evaluate the current status of the series as best as possible, and trim the fat accordingly.
It’s also worth pointing out that some critics are actually quite happy with the changes, especially regarding the game’s combat system. It just goes to show that it can be tricky to create something that satisfies the tastes of everyone fully.
The game is also enjoying a pretty strong performance on the market, so it looks like Square Enix won’t have to worry about the future of their studio, at least as far as their involvement with the series is concerned. There was some skepticism among fans at first, with some convinced that the game won’t manage to sell that well, but it looks like those voices were wrong, and it’s been performing quite well so far. Let’s see what the bottom line will be in a few months though.