Final Fantasy XIII

[sodacat]

Originally Posted by arctic eagle

you know, I allways wonder, how long would final fantasy charecters last in a western RPG, IE D&D or dragon age,


or mass effect for the techie ones...

I imagine they'd do OK up until they ran into a pair of mages with a Maze Contingency. Or a 12th level hasted fighter with whirlwind.

[Clickme]

THe numbered score is a more detailed version of hte Star Ranking basically. Letting you know who well you did. IT ties into the Point Per Second listing in the results screen.

[JBird]

Originally Posted by Clickme

THe numbered score is a more detailed version of hte Star Ranking basically. Letting you know who well you did. IT ties into the Point Per Second listing in the results screen.

Meh; it's really pointless, in my opinion. The only numbers I'd ever want to see flashing in my face are the ones that contribute to Experience Points >_>

[arctic eagle]

or untill they run out of hair gel


I jest, I jest

[Clickme]

You can still buy older games like FF9 from the Square Enix Store for like $15

I'm not kidding.

[sodacat]

Well, again, I will strongly recommend 4. I think my favorite part is how the developers realised that the combat system of the previous games wasn't really going anywhere so they totally gutted it and replaced it with something that is at once fast, engaging, and not just a time sink between cutscenes. Wild Arms 2 (on the PSX) was also good, but if you're one of those people who has trouble with PSX style graphics you will have trouble with WA2. 3, as I've said, is a mess, and Alter Code F is a remake of the first game. A remake that totally needed to be made, since the original game was as close as you can get to a walking simulator while still making a game, but it didn't quite improve the game enough to validate its existence. I've yet to play 5 (although it's on my list now) and XF on the PSP is supposed to be great but I don't have the system so

Speaking of the PSP have you guys seen the videos of Metal Gear Peace Walker? Holy shit!

Holy Shit!

Holy Shit!!

[JBird]

So, I've done the unthinkable and restarted the game. Even though I was at the halfway point in the game, I did it anyway. And, I gotta say, I am not regretting it.

Skipping cutscenes asides, I am just blasting through fights like a madman. And the only thing I'm doing that's different from my first play-through is that I'm not selling away anything or dumping junk into my weapons. If it ever comes to that, I will upgrade my weapons. But until then, it's been a lot easier.

[JBird]

(The following rage is based solely on my second play-through, which was the result of making a few bad leveling decisions the first time. During my second play, I've hit a brick wall, called Odin. This is caused by even more bad leveling decisions.)

F*ck Final Fantasy XIII. It's story is flippin' stupid, being based around a ridiculous xenophobia plot; the linear progression of leveling characters is asinine, and the Paradigm system and arbitrary rules required for defeating certain boss encounters is just unnecessary strategic padding. The majority of the characters are either uninteresting or straight up pointless and are just there because the plot says so.

One sad thing to take away from this is Square-Enix most likely made a boatload of cash, based solely on the franchise name alone. When's Final Fantasy IX going to be coming out, so I can actually enjoy Final Fantasy game.

[sodacat]

Originally Posted by JBird

One sad thing to take away from this is Square-Enix most likely made a boatload of cash, based solely on the franchise name alone.

The game's already had a price drop in Japan.

The president of SQEX said that they plan on never making another game the same way as XIII. Considering development of XIII was basically throw money at the title for five years until it looked ready to release, I'd say that's probably a good idea for the company.

[JBird]

Originally Posted by sodacat

The game's already had a price drop in Japan.

The president of SQEX said that they plan on never making another game the same way as XIII. Considering development of XIII was basically throw money at the title for five years until it looked ready to release, I'd say that's probably a good idea for the company.

Well, I wouldn't know all that. I wrote up that post in a mind-set of rage. Seriously, this game makes me angry. Would you happen to know how well it sold in the States?

[Jaran]

Originally Posted by JBird

(The following rage is based solely on my second play-through, which was the result of making a few bad leveling decisions the first time. During my second play, I've hit a brick wall, called Odin. This is caused by even more bad leveling decisions.)

F*ck Final Fantasy XIII. It's story is flippin' stupid, being based around a ridiculous xenophobia plot; the linear progression of leveling characters is asinine, and the Paradigm system and arbitrary rules required for defeating certain boss encounters is just unnecessary strategic padding. The majority of the characters are either uninteresting or straight up pointless and are just there because the plot says so.

One sad thing to take away from this is Square-Enix most likely made a boatload of cash, based solely on the franchise name alone. When's Final Fantasy IX going to be coming out, so I can actually enjoy Final Fantasy game.

I happen to like the game, so you're about to get slightly nit-picked.

If you don't like the story, that's fine, I can't fault you on an opinion.

As for the linear leveling progression: How is it any different than leveling up and getting new abilities every few levels? It's just the same system with different numbers, and you get to pick what you want first, I don't really see a problem here.

I will agree that the Eidolon fights are extremely frustrating, Odin isn't even close to the hardest. Vanille's is almost impossible. I enjoy the paradigm system, but I would also agree that besides paradigm switches, you can auto-battle your way through things. I haven't tried it on slow battle, but on normal, there's no time to make any meaningful decisions, the ATB fills way too quickly. Just auto-battle and go for it.

I also hate the healing AI's. They won't cast raise until everyone is in the green, even if the downed person is a healer who could fix us up instantly.

On pointless characters: I would agree to a point. The other members of NORA didn't get nearly enough involvement. I really wish they HAD involved more characters though, because it's so LONELY late game. No shop-keepers, no towns, just you, monsters, and save points.

Now that I'm most of the way through my rant, I realize I've said more bad than good. >_>

Well, most of your gripes are legit. I still like the game anyway though.

Also, difficult =/= bad.

[JBird]

Originally Posted by Jaran

As for the linear leveling progression: How is it any different than leveling up and getting new abilities every few levels? It's just the same system with different numbers, and you get to pick what you want first, I don't really see a problem here.

How can I pick what I want if I'm forced to go through a long, expensive path? I spend more time trying to grind points, just to dump them all into one class type just for the sake of being effective. In previous games (pre-FF7), you'd gain experience points that automatically level your characters and then you automatically game abilities along the way. I know how similar it is to what is in FF13, but it's presented in a completely unnecessary mechanic.

Originally Posted by Jaran

I will agree that the Eidolon fights are extremely frustrating, Odin isn't even close to the hardest. Vanille's is almost impossible. I enjoy the paradigm system, but I would also agree that besides paradigm switches, you can auto-battle your way through things. I haven't tried it on slow battle, but on normal, there's no time to make any meaningful decisions, the ATB fills way too quickly. Just auto-battle and go for it.

Auto-battle is not the issue here. I never go out and pick individual abilities, because of how much the auto-battle holds your hand to the point that it hinders the game. Neither is changing the battle speed, which I left on normal throughout my time playing the game.

What is the issue is that (for the Odin battle) while Lightning is trying to frantically heal Hope, and in turn he can buff up the party, Odin's attacks constantly interrupt any action both characters make. And because of this, I end up using a ton of Phoenix Downs on Hope so he can finish his job before switching Paradigms. And during all this, precious time is wasted while Doom ticks away happily.

Now, as to following the arbitrary, fight-lengthening rules for most encounters, I do that. But they. Take. Forever. Especially Eidolons. I swear, no matter what I do, that gestalt bar fills up one pixel at a time.