Sequels can be taken loosely, Final Fantasy main number names hasn't been set in the same universe, some games are reboots like Mortal Kombat 9, or take place in an entirely different universe with same lore and species like Mass Effect Andromeda. Just because a game doesn't fit into someone's definition of a sequel doesn't mean that it's not a sequel. There are things people need to take into consideration: first, it's a really long break between 2 and 3, they need to make it accessable for mainstream, so it shouldn't be a direct continuation. Things like lore dump like with Pillar Eternity and things like that confuse new players. Gameplay style has to evolve as well. Some old fans complain a lot about Final Fantasy 7 remake, but really, the turn based style of old JRPG isn't popular anymore. Developers want to make games, but they also need to pay bills. When it comes to big budget games, they want a return on their investment. No one intentionally wants their game to fail, if the old real time style of Baldur's Gate is something most people would want, they would have gone with it.
double post, but i totally agree with this. I played FFVII when it first came out and the new one feels like a pretty version of a Nomura bastardized Final Fantasy game to me. things do change, and not everyone will always be happy about it.
