Not coincidentally, both FF8 and FF13 are the results of heavy influence and control of Yoshinori Kitase and Tetsuya Nomura. Kitase directed 7 and 10, so he's not totally bad, but I think 8 and 13 both have elevated amounts of Nomura, and that's the difference maker. He seems to favor flash and style over substance. If the game looks pretty, if the characters are wearing the latest in Japanese pop fashion, then to him it's a good effort. There are definitely a lot of visual parallels between 13 and 8, and the character roles seem to be similar as well. Snow seems to parallel Zell, for example. I really think that's Nomura's doing. As for what took four years... I'd really like to know. Kitase and Nomura gave an interview after FF13's Japanese release where they said that they cut out enough material from FF13 to make another game. Now that I'm finally in chapter 13, I can say that they cut out enough material to make the rest of FF13. If the graphics are the reason why this game took four years, then S-E upper management is going to have to step in and tell these guys that this sort of turnaround time is unacceptable. FF8 is really an apt comparison. The more I think about it the more sense it makes. Both had battle systems that deviated from the FF norm, but their stories were illogical and poorly planned out. That really seems like the case here. The difference is that FF13's characters are well-written, and a lot of effort went into developing them as persons. Just... the story is very superficial. I'll probably trade FF13 after trying out some of the post-game sidequests. Dragon Quest IX is due out this summer, and I KNOW that game won't let me down.
Looks like I won't be getting this unless it's out of a bargain bin in a couple of years or something. Oh well, got my copy of God of War 3 reserved for tomorrow.
It's worth at least an experimental rental. The core game is very good, the characters are excellent, it's just that the plot seems like an afterthought.
Agreed. It's not a terrible or a weak game. It's just weak compared to the very strong Final Fantasy series. It could definitely hold it's own against other jRPGs of late. My team that I'm pretty much steam rolling through the game with: Spoiler Lightning - Ravager by default but Commando when enemy is staggered. She's also backup healer. Hope - Ravager by default but Heals regularly. Also used as Synergist for buffs on occasion. Fang - Commando by default but used as Sentinel to absorb large attacks pretty regularly. Also used on occasion to debuff enemies.
Coming from a non hardcore FF player this game is very good..Im sure it is considered FF "lite" for the hardcore guys but this game is visually STUNNING it is by far the best looking game I have ever seen and number 2 isnt even close. Havent finished it yet im probably not quite halfway through but coming from a guy that found some of this series to be a little intimidating this game is right up my alley.
I have no doubt that it is a good game. It's the Final Fantasy purists that have waited 4 years for this that will find themselves like me (and Desides from what I've read) and that's severely disappointed.
I have no doubt...as Ive been playing it seems fairly easy and not as in depth as 7 was but that game was a monster for guys that arent hardcore..the graphical achievement this game provides is extraordinary and Im very invested in the characters its ticking a lot of the RPG boxes for me. I just figured some might be getting scared away from this game that might actually enjoy it. *didnt realise I used the same first phrase when I wrote the reply *
More or less dead-on. I wouldn't call myself an FF purist though. Dragon Quest, yes. FF, nah. I was just expecting a top-tier game. I got a very good battle system, some of the best characters and character development in the series, but the developers forgot to elaborate on the plot. I'm not sure I'd ever replay FF13, but I'm glad I picked it up. Of course, that's commentary in and of itself: I've replayed FF3, FF4, and FF6 more times than I can count. I'll mess around with the sidequests after the credits (I'm halfway through chapter 13, haven't played much since yesterday) and then trade this in later in the week. Fair warning: at about the end of chapter 9, the difficulty curve spikes upward and impales you. The game is still navigable, but the deadliness of the average battle increases quite a bit unless you grind for a while and fill out your Crystarium. As for FF7... well, I realize most people hold that game up as the gold standard of RPGs, but to me it's just a good--not great--game. FF13 surpasses it in a lot of ways, but falls behind it in some ways as well. But as long as you're personally enjoying it, that's all that really matters.
Took the words out of my mouth. 7 had the benefit of having one REALLY F'n cool character. Take that out of the mix and it's just like the rest of 'em.
Just beat it. Credits are rolling on my TV as I type. The ending is good, but just as nonsensical as the rest of the plot. The game clearly encourages you to keep playing after the story is concluded, because beating the final boss unlocks the final Crystarium level. (And you're given enemies worth 32,000 CP just before the final boss. I took advantage of that.) I'm going to give the sidequests a try and see if they're more than just filler. Like I keep saying, the game itself is fun, and the characters are good, but the plot just isn't there. There are a lot of missed opportunities in this game: Rosch and Nabaat get no elaboration or definition, so you don't care what happens to them. Cid tried to come across as sympathetic but he needed more screen time. The ending could have used 3 or 4 additional minutes to explain what happens next, though I suspect Versus XIII and Agito XIII might tie into that somehow. On a technical note, for a game in development this long, the occasional slowdown during cutscenes is unacceptable. There's no reason for the framerate to dip with just 2 characters in the shot, but for six character shots to be perfectly smooth. Very strange. Beyond that, the game is gorgeous, though there are the occasional jagged shadows that look a little jarring. The character models are also pretty low-poly once you get a good look at them: look at Lightning's legs and Fang's shoulders to see what I mean. Tentative rating: 8/10. I'm not sure what took four years, but I'm glad I decided to pick it up.
The materia is what set it apart. leveling up your materia, swapping the materia with different weapons, obtaining different slots for each weapon, all of that is what made FF7 a masterpiece. Lets face it, you spend almost all of your time in these games fighting. If you knock that aspect out of the park, which FF7 did, then you've created one of the best RPGs of all time. The story is allowed to be ridiculous and full of plot holes, because all that matters is if you're willing to keep fighting. Oh and limit breaks! where the **** did limit breaks go and why!? Especially now with all these over-stylized videos for summons and other attacks. How come lightning doesnt have some ridiculous limit break that cuts to her powering up in all this beautiful HD glory?
Final Fantasy games didn't need Limit Breaks before FF7 and can survive without them. I don't miss them at all. That said, between Eidolons, Stagger juggling, and Lightning's ridiculous acrobatics (how does she have the strength to backflip with legs that skinny?) you should have all the overpowered eye candy you need. Edit: Forgot to mention, each character has a full ATB Gauge attack they can unlock near the end of their Crystarium segments. You've got to manually select them, and they function something akin to Limit Breaks. Lightning's Army of One is a series of sword swings that helps to drive up the Stagger gauge, for example.
It's my favorite game. Only thing that would have made it better was to be longer IMO Battle system was great, story was great, I loved the characters, music was too notch, materia combos were endless....my favorite of the series honestly. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Im in Chapter 5. I'd say its taking me an avg of 2-2.5 hours per chapter. but thus far, there is really no option for side quests or anything of that nature. it seems very straight forward, thus far.
There aren't any side quests until chapter 11. Even then, most of them are pretty much impossible until you beat the game and come back.
The stats and leveling really open up once you've beaten the game and unlocked the final Crystarium level. There are also a couple of nice spots to gain high-value drops. A couple hundred thousand gil can go a long way... Spoiler
So, in need of playing a good Final Fantasy game i started X again this weekend. Some things I noticed in comparison to FF13: 1. The world feels WAAAAAY more alive being able to enter towns and see NPCs doing random crap. Even if it's primitive. 2. The characters are introduced much slower thus allowing you to really get a feel for each one. 3. Tidus is still a whiney *****. 4. Battle systems are like a strong car engine. If it ain't broke, don't **** with it! This game is MUCH more pleasurable to play than 13 is.
FFX definitely did a better job of making the world seem alive. FF13 tried to do that with the "thirteen days" flashback segments, but it didn't really pan out.
yeah those video's didn't do anything for be but look pretty. The whole game i felt like we were the only ones alive. The more I play it, the more I dislike it and the more I realize how everything they did was done better in previous games in the series (minus graphics of course). I think it'd rate it a 6.5 at this point (my personal standpoint of course a lot of people will think I'm crazy). I got to Gran Pulse and the world is more "open" but still feels empty. You get missions (hunts from FF12?) from those stone things... Again, done better in 12. There's not a whole lot to keep me playing. I have no desire to finish it or put it back into my 360. I don't care what happens and I don't care about the character. Another HUGE mistake imo: I'm 30+ hours into a game and I still don't know who the "bad guy" is. No villain. We're doing all of this because we're L'cie... That's it. I know the Fal'Cie is bad or something or other... But some direction would help. Every classic RPG or Adventure game has a villain... Keeping him/her/them secret works sometimes... But 30 hours in? CRAP. /rant
Generally agreed, though I still stand by my 8/10. Would have been a 10/10 if the plot was better. I'm also having fun with the mark hunts from the Cie'th Stones. As for the villain... the chapter 9 boss appears a couple more times. He's your primary antagonist. I agree that he's introduced far too late to make a personal impact, but given the way everyone whines and moans about becoming l'Cie, it's pretty obvious who the party stands in opposition to. It just isn't personalized until chapter 9.
i didnt even know his name until I fought him. Even lord Vaughn from 12 was developed better... And I thought Vaughn was a terrible bad guy. They just don't explain anything well. Expecting players to open and read the data logs was huge gamble that didnt pay off in my experience with the game.
Vaughn... who? I haven't played FF12 all the way through, made it to Raithwall's Tomb. I presume you mean Vayne, in which case, I can't comment because I'm not far enough along. The Datalog is nice as a reference, but it was definitely a mistake to use it as a crutch for the story. For example, Pulse's background is revealed through a Datalog segment called the Analects as you complete monster hunt missions. It's silly. If I were one of the FF13 characters, I'd definitely be more curious about what the hell is going on. But it's still an 8/10 game.
i.hate.this.game. im at the end of chapter 5, fighting some big spinning bug type thing. its like 124k HP. im lightning 680 hp, and hope 550 hp. this is a joke. stoopid, useless Odin doesnt even put a dent in him. this is ridiculous. any tips?
PM your email address if you are interested in the .pdf version of the FFXIII Collector's Guide. Here is the guide's hint to the boss you are on. Spoiler Major Encounter - Aster Protoflorian: Select the Supersoldier Paradigm to enable Hope to protect the party with a full set of vital buffs, then use Libra to scan your opponent. During this period, use Symbiosis whenever you need to heal (enabling Hope to continue applying status enhancements). This enormous creature has the ability to change its elemental strengths and weaknesses. In its first state, it halves all elemental damage. However, it will soon use one of four alternate Exoproofing states (Fig. 7) to slightly adjust its elemental affinities (absorbing one element and becoming weak against its opposite). Once Libra has built up a picture of the enemy's prowess, your party will automatically switch attacks to suit. As soon as the party is sufficiently insulated by at least Protect and Shell, build the Aster Protoflorian's Chain Gauge to approximately 30% with the Slash &Burn Paradigm. When you reach that point, switch to Dualcasting to vastly accelerate its growth. You will need regular transitions to the War & Peace Paradigm to keep your party in good shape. Once your opponent is Staggered, change back to Slash & Burn . The Aster Protoflorian is susceptible to Lightning's Launch ability (only available in the Commando rolel. which offers a period blessedly free of incoming attacks. Due to its colossal HP, you will not come close to destroying the boss with the first Stagger. Switch to Symbiosis as soon as it ends to have Hope reapply status effects before they expire while Lightning heals the party, then begin the process of building the Chain Gauge all over again. Once it reaches approximately 50% health, the Aster Protoflorian will become more aggressive. To be doubly safe, switch to War &Peace whenever a party member's HP falls to around 60%.
Gabranth definitely stole the show imo. The Judges as a whole were uber win. There's absolutely nobody as lovable (or love to hate-able) as this in 13.
I have to say I'm enjoying the leisure of FF13's post-game. I'm also enjoying twinking out my party. I'll probably go for some of the more obscure trophies at some point. Spoiler
Honestly... not really. I did an hour of grinding at the end of the game in a one-time-only room whose enemies give you 32,000 CP per battle. I've gotten some money and some nice drops from chocobo treasure hunting and some of the mark hunts. It's not THAT tough to get some twinked out items. The worst part was getting the Trapezohedrons needed to upgrade weapons to their third level. I found out that you can use Death against Adamantoises, and they have a chance to drop those. Since there's a save point nearby... save, spam Death until the thing dies, reload until it drops the item, go upgrade. I also got a Growth Egg from a mark, which doubles the CP you earn in a battle. Filling out the remaining Crystarium levels will be relatively trivial. What's tough are some of the trophies, like the one you get for holding every item in the game at least once. I wish I had kept a checklist.
This game is a mixed bag.... 1. I don't mind the characters as much as some of you do. Snow can be a bit gung-ho but it's a FF game, i expect this. He's the only one that really rubs on me...except hope..that whiny *****. I actually like the characters. 2. Graphics are great as always, but I'm a bit confused as to why square seems to have regressed with the hand modeling. The cut scenes have a lot of hand shots and the fingers are really blocky...someone needs to get a better grasp on mudbox or whatever they use, because the geometries just aren't cutting it. 3. The story is decent so far. I enjoy the world enough but that brings me to my main gripe.... 4. It's WAAAAY to linear. I hear it branches out at the end, but why make me wait til the end to interact with anyone besides a main character? It's REALLY becoming a grind. FF always has some grind areas, but this is kind of absurd. 5. Character Development: My next big-ish gripe. The crystal system is too linear IMO, and unlocking stuff is tied to the story. Often times I'll be maxed out, but can't do anything about it til the next boss. Maybe I'm just being thoughral (getting all the treasure orbs and stuff) so I'm outpacing the game more than usual, but I don't remember having this problem in other versions. 6. Battle system: I'm don't mind the system, but I find most battles to be way to easy. I personally like the FF7 turn based system, but I undestand why the feel the need to keep things moving along. I like this better than FF12's pre-programmed commands. This falls somewhere in the middle..you can't micro-manage as much as you could in past games, but the characters seem to be smarter and generally do what you need them to do when you make a padagrim shift (or it has worked out find thus far at least). It flows nicely at any rate, but as I said it's too easy IMO. Potions heal everyone, you seem to move faster than 90% of enemies, etc. I'm enjoying it, but I can't help but feel short-changed in the depth. And DAMN I can't wait to get to walk around a bit. This path is linear to the point of absurdity!
Walking around a bit is a looooooobg ways away. It wasnt till about my 25 hour mark (maybe more, i forget). And you pretty much never interact with NPCs. No towns. No talking at all (minus a few VERY small parts). In essence, they took all the life out of the world and felt that it was a good idea.
This changes around chapter 9, as does the game's difficulty. Keep plugging away. Also, for all you guys complaining about Hope, beat chapter 7.
I've logged about 35 hours into the post-game sidequests. I've maxed out my Crystarium: all six roles for all six characters. I've completed 67% of the mark hunts. I've gotten some nice trophies along the way. And I'm still nowhere near finished. The amount of gil needed to fill out your weapon and accessory lists is simply insane, not to mention how much the high-level upgrade components cost. I can't believe I'm doing this.
My Buddy at work was saying the first part of the game is basically an "intro" does that make any sense?
