FFs do play the same.
--I'm not counting Tactics or Crystal Chronicles, or XI. All FFT games play the same, all Crystal Chronicles games will play the same, etc.
Most FPS DO play the same.
And yes, most video games play the same.
Anyone who thinks that there's a fundamental difference between the original Command and Conquer and the latest crop of RTS games is the one who needs to get their head examined.
Anyone who thinks that the battle systems among various (main) FF games are fundamentally different needs to get their head examined.
These games all play the same. Anyone who thinks SE has been innovating all these years is fooling themselves. Has Capcom fundamentally changed how I play Megaman? Is there a new way to play Generic FPS 1426 that I'm unaware of?
We have seen some great games lately that try something new.
We have the Wii and DS which do fundamentally change the way you play. (Too bad there's nothing but crap on the Wii.)
We have games like DDR and Guitar Hero. (Which I personally hate, but hey, others like them)
We have the PlayStation Eye. (Which is still being completely ignored)
You have developers that look at such changes, trends, and opportunities, and try to create something new. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
Then you have developers that sit there and build a game around the same damned gameplay concepts over and over and over. Yes, sometimes this works too (TF2, Galaxy, Halo, WoW, etc).
But the fact is that 90% of games are mediocre and not worth my time or money.
It's a competitive market, and trying something new is really the only way to stand out from the crowd. You may blame WiiFit, but the market disagrees with you. People, especially in Japan, want something new. Is it any wonder that SE is looking into western developers?
The Wii may be a toy to SE, but for the last 5 years FF has been about as exciting to me as an excel spreadsheet. SE can cry all day long. I'll take my toys and play elsewhere, thanks.