Blue Dragon is a great game

[Mondain]

In the 1-2% of chances that the discussion of illicit leaked copies of games is forbidden, then lock this thread. However I've seen it happen many times before on here, and I guess that this isn't GAF and that no one minds.

Just as I thought when it was originally unveiled, Blue Dragon is not a future classic to stand time by any means, but a great, solid console RPG.

I don't understand what the hell is some modern reviewers' beef with this. I wouldn't say that the characters are irritating or unlikeable, it's just that the plot seems fairly standard so far. Even that yellow rat has been somehow likeable in these first five hours of gameplay.

But the gameplay system is really great. If you liked Final Fantasy V you're going to love this. It's nice to see how the little touches of classic 2D RPGs have been ported over to next-gen 3D. The map system and the enemy encounter system really work well. Battles go by real fast, it's nothing like in the demo. And of course it's all accompanied by some lovely Uematsu music that is always a joy to listen to, and makes you feel about 12 years younger.

Any 360 owner should get it, it's definitely worth playing. It's the third 360 game with Condemned and Saints Row to really addict me, and so far it sounds more pleasing than these two. 6/10 out of 10? get the fuck outta here!

The whole game seems a bit too easy, that is true. It seems like Mistwalker wanted to make a game that any RPG newbie could play from start to finish without getting too confused about the plot. Yes it's all very standard stuff and the dialogue really isn't special, but it's still very, very enjoyable.

I already can't wait to go back playing it after five mere hours that seemed like they went away much faster yesterday, which is always a very good sign.

And also, it looks like there is less screen tearing and overall slowdown than in the japanese version! I saw many HD videos taken from the japanese build and remembered many precise instances of it, and in the same scenes in this version of the game there really seems to be much less tearing... good stuff.

However, the promised "hard" level of difficulty isn't to be found when starting your first game. So, it will probably become an option only when you complete the game a first time with "New Game +" or whatever.

[MrAngryFace]

ehhhhhh, the demo didnt sell me. There's weird technical issues and the gameplay system seems bloated with weird visuals cuts and whatnot. I dunno if I have time for Blue Dragon in a world with Eternal Sonata!

[Mondain]

the demo flew horribly, the full game flows really, really well

[MrAngryFace]

How is the framerate in battles? The demo had tons of hitches whenever the dragon came out to hit things. Im fine with an 'easy' rpg. Im most of the way through Brave Story and its been easy, but still a lot of fun.

[Himu]

Do you like Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger, jojo? If so, how would you say BD compares to those?

[y2kev]

Flew is not the past tense of flow.

[MrAngryFace]

Maybe he meant flue

[tiesto]

I think I'm one of the few people to actually enjoy the demo, even if the slowdown/tearing problems got annoying... so that's good to hear they fixed that in the US version. Fuck EGM, nobody should listen to their RPG reviews anyways. Eagerly awaiting this, Aug 31 bitches!

[MrAngryFace]

EGM reviews are garbage. If they fixed the slowdown and tearing ill pick it up. I just cant handle framerate issues in battle cause ill be seeing those issues A LOT in an rpg.

[Mondain]

How is the framerate in battles? The demo had tons of hitches whenever the dragon came out to hit things. Im fine with an 'easy' rpg. Im most of the way through Brave Story and its been easy, but still a lot of fun.

so far there hasn't been a single occurence of awful slowdown or screen tearing in battles, only very minor and infrequent instances of it that are barely noticeable

I still lack the "corporeal" attacks but as I said, it looks like the game's framerate has been optimized over the japanese version

[MrAngryFace]

you still dont have the dragons n such? Those are what cause the slowdown

[Mondain]

Do you like Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger, jojo? If so, how would you say BD compares to those?

Yes, both of them. They don't really have a lot in common save for Toriyama's art style. The game is much closer to older Final Fantasies instead... which makes sense considering who designed them.

[Himu]

Do you like Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger, jojo? If so, how would you say BD compares to those?

Yes, both of them. They don't really have a lot in common save for Toriyama's art style. The game is much closer to older Final Fantasies instead... which makes sense considering who designed them.

Well..I meant, generally, is the game more focused on OMG WE'RE GOING ON WILD AND CRAZY ADVENTURES LET'S HAVE FUN or is it LET'S BE EMO

[Mondain]

Flew is not the past tense of flow.

whatever, I'm still dizzy and half-awake because some neighbour woke me up with his lawn mower about ten minutes ago

[Mondain]

Do you like Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger, jojo? If so, how would you say BD compares to those?

Yes, both of them. They don't really have a lot in common save for Toriyama's art style. The game is much closer to older Final Fantasies instead... which makes sense considering who designed them.

Well..I meant, generally, is the game more focused on OMG WE'RE GOING ON WILD AND CRAZY ADVENTURES LET'S HAVE FUN or is it LET'S BE EMO

the first option, though so far the characters have been pretty laid-back in nearly all of their replies

and apparently there is a love triangle that occurs later in the game... still I doubt that the game's style will dramatically shift

[MrAngryFace]

TEH DRAGON IS WHEN SLOWDOWN APPEARS! PLAY ON AND CONFIRM NO SLOWDOWN!

[Himu]

Do you like Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger, jojo? If so, how would you say BD compares to those?

Yes, both of them. They don't really have a lot in common save for Toriyama's art style. The game is much closer to older Final Fantasies instead... which makes sense considering who designed them.

Well..I meant, generally, is the game more focused on OMG WE'RE GOING ON WILD AND CRAZY ADVENTURES LET'S HAVE FUN or is it LET'S BE EMO

the first option, though so far the characters have been pretty laid-back in nearly all of their replies

and apparently there is a love triangle that occurs later in the game... still I doubt that the game's style will dramatically shift

Great. That's the thing I love about DQ, CT, Skies of Arcadia and earlier FF's. You know that vibe I'm talkin' about.

[Error2k4]

yeah apparently this game is more like old FFs than any DQ despite the toriyama designs.

if I had a 360, I would've given this game a shot (maybe when I buy one later)

[bud]

i like the art-style of this game and bebpo said it's awesome

[MrAngryFace]

SLOWDOWN WITH DRAGON IS IT THERE!??!?!??!?!?!??!

[Mana Knight]

I originally hated the demo, despite being big into JRPGs.  I forced myself to beat the demo while downloading BioShock.  Now I like the game, but I won't buy until it's $40 or less.  I have a few small problems with it (mostly having to do with the battles), but not a bad game.  Eternal Sonota is a priority for me to buy though.

[hyp]

i'm skeptical about this one after playing the demo.  but i'm getting it anyway since i've got a hookup at MS.  the transition to battle sequences is soooo fucking long, did that affect gameplay much mondain?  i mean, after a while i can see it becoming a pain in the ass.  then again, it's good that you initiate battles instead of them randomly happening. 

the gears of war reload minigame thing was kinda cool though.  i can see myself wanting to master it.  it's like playing virtua tennis 3 and trying to get MAX serves. 

[Mondain]

battles go by pretty fastly, honestly, in spite of the constant monster animations

[bluemax]

I liked the demo and the gameplay seems to appeal to the right portions of my old school nostalgia. I'll be trying to fit this game in somewhere during the fall season. I really wish they'd released it before summer. Would've been the perfect summer game.

[DJ_Tet]

SLOWDOWN WITH DRAGON IS IT THERE!??!?!??!?!?!??!

Judging by his avoidance and his classic style, I take that as a resounding yes.

Otherwise he would have answered you.

[Mondain]

uh after 10 hours I'm apparently near the end of disc one and still haven't gotten the corporeal attacks

when the shadows attack however there doesn't really seem to be that much slowdown or screen tearing... maybe a bit here and there but it's very minor

and even at that, in the PSOne generation most of these games ran at 15 frames per second during every combat, and no one seems to mind... so don't fret over a few minor blemishes

[MrAngryFace]

its not minor, the slowdown in the demo is crap. especially if I have to see it every freaking battle. Dont be a fuk moran

[DJ_Tet]

Dont be a fuk moran

Are you sure you know with whom you're speaking?


Anyway, Jotaro, yes those RPGs did run at a crap framerate, but that was 12 years ago, and the good ones had something we all like to see in RPGs, a good plot.  Quit sugarcoating things.

Nice to see you not be a corporate shill though, keep it up, just with good games.

[Mondain]

eh, so far it's nothing like the demo

now I've made some progress with disc two, and overall cutscenes are more ambitious, so slowdown and screen tearing became a bit more frequent... but still it isn't omnipresent and remains pretty tolerable IMO

I've left a town and since it's full of inhabitants it did slow down far more, but so far it's the only area in the whole game where I found slowdown to become somewhat grating