Game

[iconoclast]

They're only using Hitman and Tomb Raider in that example because they own Eidos. That doesn't excuse it from being stupid though, just saying.

But his Uncharted 2 comparison is valid. He's only talking about how some of the cutscenes in U2 are interactive and he'd like to do that with FF going forward. Could be cool.

[Lucretius]

I'm about 17 hours in.  Loving it so far, though I'm ready for it to open up (glad I already know that it will eventually). 

I happen to really dig the music... some of the best in the series in my opinion.  Sunleth Waterscape was one of the most scenic areas in gaming, and the music gave it a kind of Phantasy Star feel.  I love the battle music "Will to Fight" that plays when you're in Palumpolum too. 

I love the story so far and the way it's being told.  I miss the exploration of older FF games, but the lack of it at this point gives the story a forward momentum that I appreciate.  I'm looking forward to later in the game when people tell me it opens up a touch and lets you do some side quests at your leisure. 

I think the characters and voice acting are all great.  I don't share everyone else's hate for Hope and Vanille. 

Battle system is fun.  I thought it was too easy at first, but I'm at a point in the game where I really have to manage the battles well or even common enemies will hand me my ass.

The weapon upgrade system seems useless so far.  Gil is so hard to come by.  Why would I want to equip this new weapon I just found when I've invested so much into the second weapon I found in the game?

Crystarium leveling system is so linear I wonder why I even have to bother dealing with it myself.

Overall, FFXIII is not disappointing me in what I expect from a FF game.

[Don Flamenco]

"hmm, what are some WRPGs we could use in the slide?"

"Fallout, Mass Effect, Deus Ex, Elder Scrolls..."

"..."

"what about games that are worse than ours"

[pilonv1]

Hitman is better than FF

[demi]

So how does upgrading work? Should I just go nuts and use every component I have?

[Lucretius]

So how does upgrading work? Should I just go nuts and use every component I have?

I think you use the lower xp components to give the weapon an xp bonus and then use high xp components on it.  *shrug*
I'm just gonna be annoyed if I get to the end of the game and find out I needed to upgrade a specific weapon in a specific order with specific components to get Excalibur or whatever the best gunblade is.

[demi]

I'm pretty sure nothing is actually missable in this game

[Van Cruncheon]

They're only using Hitman and Tomb Raider in that example because they own Eidos. That doesn't excuse it from being stupid though, just saying.

But his Uncharted 2 comparison is valid. He's only talking about how some of the cutscenes in U2 are interactive and he'd like to do that with FF going forward. Could be
cool.

qtes are not and will never be "cool"

[Lucretius]

I'm pretty sure nothing is actually missable in this game

One of the benefits of linearity.

Man, I'm about 20 hours in and loving it.  To all the gripers, I say this:  If you hate the game so much, go play something else.  There are so many awesome games coming out this season that no one has any excuse to be playing something they don't totally love.  I have a stack of three games I've purchased just this month that I'm dying to get to... and am picking up two new releases next week.  But for me, FF XIII takes precedence.  It's not perfect by any means; no FF ever has been.  But if you approach it on its own terms, it's extremely rewarding.

[demi]

Thats what I was explaining to slime. It's like, you clearly knew what the game was.

Whatever, more sales means more Final Fantasy. Bring it on I say

Just got Odin here. When does the Eidolon bar actually fill? When it reaches the G in Gestalt?

[demi]

Wow, I love the Eidolons. So flashy and wowza. And they're actually interactive this time. FF8 button mashing owned

[Lucretius]

Thats what I was explaining to slime. It's like, you clearly knew what the game was.

Whatever, more sales means more Final Fantasy. Bring it on I say

Just got Odin here. When does the Eidolon bar actually fill? When it reaches the G in Gestalt?

I don't use the summons a ton yet.  You can let them fight automatically by your side... they have two bars, I believe.  One bar goes down as they take damage and the go away when that bar is depleted.  The other bar (Gestalt bar) goes up gradually with time... you can enter Gestalt mode at any time, but you want to wait as long as you can before doing so because the more Gestalt bar you've filled up, the longer you can use Gestalt mode.  So you're basically waiting for the Gestalt bar to fill up and hoping the Eidolon's health bar isn't depleted before you can enter Gestalt mode.  You can enter Gestalt mode instantly, but you won't be able to use it for very long.  I usually enter Gestalt mode when the meter is about half full (that's about when my Eidolon's are about to lose all their health).

[Lucretius]

Oh, and I just now figured out there's no way to turn off Trophy notifications on the PS3.  Lame.  Apparently "Do Not Display" under Notification Messages in System Settings doesn't include Trophy notifications.  Just read that Heavy Rain devs had to get special permission to give players the option to turn them off from inside the game menu.

[Lucretius]

Wow... in so many aesthetic ways FF XIII is the next gen single player Phantasy Star game I've always wanted.
The Gremlin enemies even look like Rappys!

[demi]

I meant during the Eidolon fights, actually, sorry. I always hit X when it is touching the G but I guess it works fine because I win the fight.

[Himu]

Wow... in so many aesthetic ways FF XIII is the next gen single player Phantasy Star game I've always wanted.

Huh?

[Himu]

I'm pretty sure nothing is actually missable in this game

One of the benefits of linearity.

Man, I'm about 20 hours in and loving it.  To all the gripers, I say this:  If you hate the game so much, go play something else.  There are so many awesome games coming out this season that no one has any excuse to be playing something they don't totally love.  I have a stack of three games I've purchased just this month that I'm dying to get to... and am picking up two new releases next week.  But for me, FF XIII takes precedence.  It's not perfect by any means; no FF ever has been.  But if you approach it on its own terms, it's extremely rewarding.

How is FF13 rewarding? How are missable items a good thing? That means no secret shit. No secret shit in an rpg = fail. Also, please get over yourself, and this is someone who likes the game.

[Ichirou]

Wow... in so many aesthetic ways FF XIII is the next gen single player Phantasy Star game I've always wanted.

Huh?

IMO the Mass Effect games are closer to what I'd want from a next-gen single player Phantasy Star.  Traveling between planets, meeting alien races...really, the only thing it's missing is the ability to combine powers by using macros.

[demi]

Himuro how does FF13 look on a SDTV?

[Ichirou]

Himuro how does FF13 look on a SDTV?

HUAHUAHUAHUAHUAHUA

Bet it looks sharp with S-Video.

[Himu]

Himuro how does FF13 look on a SDTV?

Looks pretty swell. Looked good on my hdtv back home though.

[Ichirou]

Too bad the Triple isn't compatible with VGA monitors. Supporting more resolutions: That's The 360 Difference^TM.

[demi]

Would you say playing on the HD was a rewarding experience?

[Lucretius]

Wow... in so many aesthetic ways FF XIII is the next gen single player Phantasy Star game I've always wanted.

Huh?

There are so many areas that just look and sound like areas out of a Phantasy Star game... the Gapra Whitewood, the Sunleth Waterscape, the city of Nautilus (the way the townsfolk are dressed is straight out of PSO).  Many of the enemy designs are very reminiscent of Phantasy Star... from the Vespids (floating mechnized thingies) to the Gremlins (look like Rappys but not yellow).

The soundtrack is very PSO sounding, in my opinion as well.

[Lucretius]

please get over yourself

*gets over himself and onto demi*

[Lucretius]

Wow... in so many aesthetic ways FF XIII is the next gen single player Phantasy Star game I've always wanted.

Huh?

IMO the Mass Effect games are closer to what I'd want from a next-gen single player Phantasy Star.  Traveling between planets, meeting alien races...really, the only thing it's missing is the ability to combine powers by using macros.

I agree with you in terms of gameplay and exploration.  I just meant from an art design standpoint.  It just looks and sounds very much like a Phantasy Star game to me.

[Ichirou]

Too bad there haven't been any real Phantasy Star games since PSIV.  I'd really love to have a real new single-player PS game at some point...

[Himu]

Would you say playing on the HD was a rewarding experience?

Visually, sure, as it's a very pretty game.

[Lucretius]

Too bad there haven't been any real Phantasy Star games since PSIV.  I'd really love to have a real new single-player PS game at some point...

Never gonna happen.  PSIV was the shit.  PSU ruined my hopes of anything good ever coming out of that franchise again.

[Himu]

phantasy star 4 was the last good phantasy star

[Ichirou]

phantasy star 4 was the last good phantasy star

qft

[Lucretius]

phantasy star 4 was the last good phantasy star

For real.  I played and enjoyed the shit out of PSO, but everyone agrees it wasn't a real PS game.

[demi]

Yall nigras wrong. Only good game is PSO Ep3. Cards > Menus

[Lucretius]

Yall nigras wrong. Only good game is PSO Ep3. Cards > Menus

Never owned a Gamecube, so wouldn't know.

PSII has the best title screen of any game ever though.

[Lucretius]

Man, I've never had to use buffs and debuffs so much in regular battles in any other FF game.  Or maybe I just suck.

[Himu]

what chapter

[Lucretius]

what chapter

Chapter 8.  Mainly the Orions and similar big monstars... if I don't use buffs, the fights seem to become battles of attrition that take forever with one character constantly on Medic.  Buffs = quicker fights

[Stoney Mason]

I'm towards the end of Chapter 10.

Meh. I'm starting to get that feeling of having to drag myself towards the finish line.

[Lucretius]

I'm towards the end of Chapter 10.

Meh. I'm starting to get that feeling of having to drag myself towards the finish line.

How many chapters are there?

I got the dragging feeling last night.  The linearity and constant combat makes the game relentless at times.  I totally understand the criticism of the battle system not being able to bear the weight of the game.  Had to take the night off from it last night.

[demi]

I always start the battle with a Saboteur as my default. Then I go to my main combat when the necessary debuffs are on

[Lucretius]

I always start the battle with a Saboteur as my default. Then I go to my main combat when the necessary debuffs are on

Yeah, I'm doing that with the bigger enemies... starting with a Saboteur and a Synergist.

[Stoney Mason]

Up until where I'm at the game hasn't honestly been that hard. I found Lost Odyessy for example to be a "hard' game at least for me and probably because the battles took so long.

You will hit the occasional wall where you come across an ultra tough boss or situation or something but that's just generally because you haven't come across the tricks he is going to throw at you before and you don't know how to shift exactly. The toughest fights so far have been the eidolon battles for me. The actual monster and boss stuff by comparison is generally a case of oh I died. I wasn't shifting fast enough between a healing formation and an assault formation. Or when he does his crazy thing halfway during the battle I have to remember that next time and be prepared for it.

I'm not saying I don't die ever. But the dying is almost always because I was trying to stagger something faster than I should have been trying.

[Lucretius]

yeah, I wouldn't say the game is hard yet either.  It's probably due to the fact that, unlike most other FF games, it's just designed in such a way that if you kill everything in your path, the game assumes you'll be ready for the bosses that follow.  I mean, you can grind in some areas, but it's not really necessary.

[Stoney Mason]

I didn't play much this weekend because I couldn't motivate myself to load the game up. I had a second where I just thought about sending it back to gamefly but I said fuck it, I've gone too far. And I don't hate the game. It's just that its pretty average in most ways.

My other thought as I play that I was saving for my end review when I beat it but I might as well say now is that this game is linear in the bad way. Where as a game like Mass Effect 2 is also somewhat linear but its linear in the good way. Not to mention it also has some openness in its game design that breaks up some of the linearity. In fact I'm generally a poster boy for linear games as I often prefer a crafted linear experience in general but this game has got it wrong.

It's a whole thing I'll elaborate on when I'm finished but god damn man. It's somewhat depressing to start a chapter in this game because you know will be doing nothing but a straight line run for the next hour or two or three of mostly very easy battles.

People need to stop comparing Final Fantasy 13 to COD or Mass Effect 2 because while those games are linear in a general concept, they are nothing like this experience remotely. First because those are action games. And second because this is literally walking down tubes and mostly hitting the A button for more than half the game.  

And if I found the story interesting and enthralling, I might even be able to tolerate that. But this story is not. Its kind of unfair in a way for them to put all this pressure on the story because that's all there is really.

Chapter 11 has reached this mythical status for me since it has a bit more traditionl FF flow and I know it won't be able to match my hopes but that's mainly what I'm hanging on for at this point.

I just get this sense that I've moved out of the demographic of who this game is aimed at. Which is fine. I was never the biggest final fantasy guy anyway. Not every game has to appeal to everyone. But I can't help but wonder how somebody who is new to the franchise would regard this game.

[demi]

wowza, the whitewood is purty

[Lucretius]

Yeah, there's no real way around the linearity criticism.  I mean, Mass Effect 2 was like a hub with branching linear paths.  I'm really looking forward to Chapter 11 too if that's when it opens up.  I happen to really dig the story though, so I can deal.  But I can see if you didn't like the story, this would be pretty excruciating.

[Lucretius]

wowza, the whitewood is purty

Told ya!  Just wait till you get to the Sunleth Waterscape.  SOOOOOO lovely... and the background music there is like a cross between PSO and Persona 4, which you will either adore or loathe.  I adored it.

[Stoney Mason]

The thing is you can do a linear game and have it be awesome. You just gotta break that shit up. Switch locations. And switch gameplay actions occasionally. The perfect example of this game not getting it was that one part where

spoiler (click to show/hide)

You get in the mech and start destroying enemies. But that lasts all of 2 minutes. I mean what the fuck was the point of that. To just tease me or something before you plunge me back into more tube running. Literally that part made no sense although I assume there has to be some tie in in the last couple of chapters otherwise that was stupid as fuck. They needed to do little things like that all over the place.

[close]

[Lucretius]

agreed

spoiler (click to show/hide)

As much as those flying cycles are featured in this game, I wanna fucking control one at some point... stuff like that would be a perfect thing to break up the chapters.

[close]

[Bebpo]

Chapter 11 has reached this mythical status for me since it has a bit more traditionl FF flow and I know it won't be able to match my hopes but that's mainly what I'm hanging on for at this point.

I just get this sense that I've moved out of the demographic of who this game is aimed at. Which is fine. I was never the biggest final fantasy guy anyway. Not every game has to appeal to everyone. But I can't help but wonder how somebody who is new to the franchise would regard this game.

Chapter 11 is not traditional FF, it's the opposite side of the spectrum that FFXIII is.  Instead of being too linear, it's too open and unstructured.  It's fun because it's something different, but I wouldn't expect a traditional FF experience out of it.

[iconoclast]

What party are you guys using? I think at this point I'll be using Lightning/Fang/Vanille until I finish the game. I'd like to work Sazh in there but I have no room for him unless I drop Lightning, which I'd rather not do. Oh well.

They're only using Hitman and Tomb Raider in that example because they own Eidos. That doesn't excuse it from being stupid though, just saying.

But his Uncharted 2 comparison is valid. He's only talking about how some of the cutscenes in U2 are interactive and he'd like to do that with FF going forward. Could be
cool.

qtes are not and will never be "cool"

But Uncharted 2 didn't have QTEs... some cutscenes were just interactive. Or more accurately, they seamlessly transition from cutscene to gameplay. I thought that was the best part of Uncharted 2 really since the game itself was pretty average. For the record, I don't like QTEs either. I think they're the worst thing about gaming right now besides motion control.

[Stoney Mason]

Chapter 11 has reached this mythical status for me since it has a bit more traditionl FF flow and I know it won't be able to match my hopes but that's mainly what I'm hanging on for at this point.

I just get this sense that I've moved out of the demographic of who this game is aimed at. Which is fine. I was never the biggest final fantasy guy anyway. Not every game has to appeal to everyone. But I can't help but wonder how somebody who is new to the franchise would regard this game.

Chapter 11 is not traditional FF, it's the opposite side of the spectrum that FFXIII is.  Instead of being too linear, it's too open and unstructured.  It's fun because it's something different, but I wouldn't expect a traditional FF experience out of it.

Interesting...

Well I'll probably reach Chapter 11 sometime tomorrow evening.

[Himu]

Lightning, Fang and Hope is the best party

[Himu]

how much longer till i'm done with ch 9? the never ending enemy onslaughts and bland level design is getting to me. I can't play the game for more than 30 minutes now.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

met up with sazh and vanille, fought a mini boss crashed into some place and then saved

[close]

[Lucretius]

Problem with linearity in FF XIII:
In other FF games, when you get tired of doing one thing, you go find something else to do for a while.
In FF XIII, that something else can only be Turn Off FF XIII for a while.
That's what I'm doing for the evening.

Just finished Chapter 8.  Will start Chapter 9 tomorrow.

[iconoclast]

Lightning, Fang and Hope is the best party

Eh, Hope and Vanille and kinda interchangeable for me. Hope has party buffs and Vanille has debuffs, so I prefer using Vanille. I haven't leveled up Hope in a while though (I have like 200k CP to use on him) so maybe he is a little different than I realize. And I think you're like right at the end of ch. 9, but I can't remember too well.

[recursivelyenumerable]

You get in the mech and start destroying enemies. But that lasts all of 2 minutes. I mean what the fuck was the point of that. To just tease me or something before you plunge me back into more tube running. Literally that part made no sense although I assume there has to be some tie in in the last couple of chapters otherwise that was stupid as fuck. They needed to do little things like that all over the place.

I suspect there were more gimmicks etc. in maps (and battles for that matter) planned at various times but they ended up getting cut (possibly because when they were implemented they turned out to kinda suck).  It's known there was a heavier (manual) platforming element in maps at one point, for example.

[recursivelyenumerable]

So do you guys think at this point Agito and 3rd Birthday would be more relevant to the Western market if they were ported back to mobile phones?   

[Lucretius]

So do you guys think at this point Agito and 3rd Birthday would be more relevant to the Western market if they were ported back to mobile phones?   

iPad exclusives!

[Bebpo]

Lightning, Fang and Hope is the best party

That's a terrible party Himuro.  Having 2 attackers is stupid because if you break an enemy only one will attack it and the other will go hit some random enemy.  That party only works when fighting 1 enemy.


Personally I never used Fang.  Thought she was the worst character story-wise & gameplay-wise.  Her atk is the highest of everyone, but her def sucks and jammer or whatever they call it in the US is a shitty job to have as one of your 3 mains.


I used Snow, Sahz, Hope as my main.  All 3 jobs for each character are good.  Snow is the best lead attacker imo because he has the 2nd highest atk, the highest def and highest HP, plus he's a blaster as well so he can break the enemy really quick.