LIGHTNING RETURNS

[Himu]

I was going to get it used.

[thisismyusername]

i've decided to stop trying to defend rahx since he's being a casual racist again, but look up almost any ff8-related thread in the past to find my grievances

in short i think the only thing it did right was the cg cutscenes

Eh, we'll have to agree to disagree on 8 then. I find 8 fine. It's very flawed, sure. But it's a solid title to me.

Anyway, that slide from 10 and 10-2 kinda stopped with 12 which rose (I know you won't agree Oscar...) the series back up to being quality despite being "half-finished" in the story department. Then 13/13-2/13-3 went back to the same mistakes 10/10-2 pulled. :/

How is he being a casual racist? I didn't read that entire post because FISKING.

I never said the series wasn't in decline. Japanese gaming is in decline and quite frankly is terrible. I don't really care.

Unless he means "Jap" or something from earlier this month...?

[Himu]

10-2 does not have the same mistakes as 13 nor 10.

[thisismyusername]

10-2 does not have the same mistakes as 13 nor 10.

I'd make a long post, but I don't want to get into this with you. It does, if you look at the similarities that 13's series and the 10 series both have in regards to things 13 copied from 10.

The one good thing I'd give 10-2 in regards to it's "paradigm" system is that the dress-sphere system was kinda useful, as much as I disliked it.

[Himu]

i haven't played 13-2, so I don't even know man.

I haven't bought an FF since FF13.

[Human Snorenado]

I tend to agree with Oscar. I think that FF as a series, and jrpgs as a genre, didn't make the jump to 3d very well. The quality of the gameplay suffers greatly in my opinion. You have a lot of people wearing nostalgia blinders when it comes to FF VII and VIII because: 1) those were their first FF games; 2) the shiny cutscenes distracted them from the deficiencies in the gameplay; and 3) gamers in general are horrible people that should all be fed to crocodiles.

I have an irrational love for the Phantasy Star series for the same reason as 1) above, but let's be real: it's hard to make the argument with a straight face that 3d gaming has been good for the jrpg, unless you're some sort of cutscene loving fucktard. And I know some of you are, so whatever. Just be upfront about it.

[demi]

Fo real tho, 12 is anus juice.

Hype for the X-X2 remaster tho. Got that preordered.

[Himu]

I tend to agree with Oscar. I think that FF as a series, and jrpgs as a genre, didn't make the jump to 3d very well. The quality of the gameplay suffers greatly in my opinion. You have a lot of people wearing nostalgia blinders when it comes to FF VII and VIII because: 1) those were their first FF games; 2) the shiny cutscenes distracted them from the deficiencies in the gameplay; and 3) gamers in general are horrible people that should all be fed to crocodiles.

I have an irrational love for the Phantasy Star series for the same reason as 1) above, but let's be real: it's hard to make the argument with a straight face that 3d gaming has been good for the jrpg, unless you're some sort of cutscene loving fucktard. And I know some of you are, so whatever. Just be upfront about it.

Valkyrie Profile 2, Breath of Fire DQ, Grandia 2, and other rpgs are better than any 2d rpg. Especially if we're arguing combat. I think 3d has fully realized jrpgs potential and 2d severely limits what you can do.

[Himu]

After Gooch departed as in...no longer in a director role or when he left SE? I think Gooch leaving Square left a noticeable gap in FF, as he served as an adviser for 6-10 and I think all of those games have a light heartedness to them in spurts. I always felt it was odd how the oldscohol FF's complained 7 and 8 didn't have FF's old funny bone, when 7 features the main character dressing up as  a girl to save his childhood friend and other absurdities, and 8 has Laguna and other moments. It's like they're grasping for straws. FF12 is the first FF I can think of that is completely self serious in its content.

[Himu]

In any case, I just find it odd Creepy finds that the gameplay in 3d rpgs suffers, especially given the ps2 era, which was experimental and gameplay heavy as fuck. Just an odd statement. I don't find many older rpgs to be that much better in terms of depth, aside from games like Lufia 2. It isn't like SMT3 for instance, is lesser quality than SMT1 or 2. jrpgs as a genre definitely got better in 3d and I'm far from a cutscene whore. It wasn't until HD development that I think jrpgs started to have big obstacles in development. This applies to FF as well.

As for FFVII and VIII, they're very good games. I don't prop VII that much. It's pretty good, but I love VIII for its gameplay and not its cutscenes.

I'd like to hear what 2d rpgs have more depth than 3d rpgs. The ones on top of my head, in terms of jrpgs, are Grandia, Lufia 2, Ys games, and strategy rpgs. Even then, BoF DQ does the strategy rpg style perfectly. Even games like SMT1/2, it isn't like SMT3 has less depth. Quite odd that Creepy uses the nostalgia argument but also has the position that 2d rpgs are better in mechanical depth.

[Rufus]

I tend to agree with Oscar. I think that FF as a series, and jrpgs as a genre, didn't make the jump to 3d very well. The quality of the gameplay suffers greatly in my opinion. You have a lot of people wearing nostalgia blinders when it comes to FF VII and VIII because: 1) those were their first FF games; 2) the shiny cutscenes distracted them from the deficiencies in the gameplay; and 3) gamers in general are horrible people that should all be fed to crocodiles.

I have an irrational love for the Phantasy Star series for the same reason as 1) above, but let's be real: it's hard to make the argument with a straight face that 3d gaming has been good for the jrpg, unless you're some sort of cutscene loving fucktard. And I know some of you are, so whatever. Just be upfront about it.

I was going to ask why polygonal graphics were bad for a mostly turn based genre, but then you mentioned story and now I'm inclined to agree. The increased focus on overwrought plots and cutscenes was probably directly related to the greater fidelity they allowed. That and disc media. FFXIII itself is the pinnacle of self-serious, baroque, impossibly contrived nonsense and it's filled with nothing but stupid characters. The writers lost all contact with reality on that one.

[Himu]

Who are you talking to?

In any case, FF's issues aren't the bulk of jrpgs issues.

[Rufus]

Sigh. It's not that hard to figure out, but there you go, I edited it to clarify. I need to train myself to re-load pages before I reply...

[Human Snorenado]

[MCD]

Buying this today


Will probably beat it in summer...next year.

[Mr. Gundam]

My copy came today. I've got next week off, so I'll play while kiddo is napping and late at night.

[Rufus]

Buying this today


Will probably beat it in summer...next year.

To support the devs, huh?

[tiesto]

I'll get around to it later this year I think... hopefully this will be on the shorter side like XIII-2 and not the excessively long side like XIII.

[MCD]

Buying this today


Will probably beat it in summer...next year.

To support the devs, huh?

This isn't an indie game.

[Himu]

I wasn't trying to be an ass at all. I wasn't talking about you in particular either. I'm mostly commenting on the hilarious complaints in the letters that I'd read in EGM, PSM, and OPM about how FFVII just lacked the comedy of the snes FF's. It is a common argument and it is one of many reasons why FFIX is so whimsical and lighthearted as a direct response to VII and VIII.

I guess I'd frame it as the 3d FF's - for the most part - have a lot of the humor and lighthearted character humor of the snes FF's but in a different manner. It is just an argument I've grown tired of since 1998 so I apologize if I'm impatient and dickish about framing it.

[Human Snorenado]

I think those are legitimate complaints, though. FF VII and VIII (especially) were pretty grim storywise. I liked IX better than either, but I know that I'm in the minority on that.

[Himu]

That's my point though. They aren't. FFVI is far more grim than either and somehow gets a pass. Last night when I played VII I was on the ship to the western continent. You have Red XIII trying to stand on two paws, Barrett in a sailor uniform ("you look like a bear with a marshmallow on your head"). A few minutes before that I was fucking up Rufus' parade and laughing like an idiot.

FFVII and VIII are hilarious to me. They are not grim in any sense of the word and are extremely humorous and have both contain oodles of silly slapstick.

But FFVI halfway through the game the world ends and Celes tries to kill herself, Cyan sends letters to a dead soldiers lover posing as him, and more, and yet...FFVII and VIII are grim dark? The dissonance sticks out. And thats why I said that the more die hard 2d FF fans are grasping at straws: because they are.

[Human Snorenado]

Yeah, well, that's just like, your opinion, wo-man.

[Rufus]

This isn't an indie game.

So buy it from the bargain bin when you actually have the time.

[Himu]

I guess. Humor is subjective so it makes a lot of sense.

I find FFVII-X all brimming with lightheartedness and it is one of my favorite things about them. I don't think FF became too self serious until XII but XII doesn't need to be humorous and I think what it tried to set out to do works. XIII is the one to make me go "what" in that the game was outright self serious but not self aware enough to know it was distinguished mentally-challenged. I mean, in FFVIII all the characters make fun of Squall for being a social loser - especially Quistis and Seifer. But in FFXIII the whole thing takes itself too seriously like a really bad anime.

[magus]

why would anyone write so many words about ff?

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Oscar ™

[close]

[Joe Molotov]

Got the Japanese voices downloaded, time to weeb it up.

[MCD]

Time element sux.

[MCD]

Game isn't doing it for me. No EXP system so you are gonna be forced to fetch quest in order do enough damage to weak ass level 1 monsters.

And I don't see anything innovative about the battle system. They just changed the paradigm shift to outfits and now with only one character for the entire game.

[SantaC]

buy or no buy? Even  if the game is garbage is it still worth to play if you played the other two FF13 games?

[MCD]

For completion sake, I say buy it but wait a bit if price is a factor.

I just want to see how this all ends.

[SantaC]

For completion sake, I say buy it but wait a bit if price is a factor.

I just want to see how this all ends.

it's a fuucking disgrace how SE handled a mainline FF game this badly. 6 and 7 scores all around the board. It seems that this Company has given up.

[MCD]

They should have done another 13-2. One character with endless timed fetch quests is just...lazy.

[SantaC]

They should have done another 13-2. One character with endless timed fetch quests is just...lazy.

they should just had stopped at 13-2 and put more resources into  finishing FFXV.

[demi]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lightning-Returns-Final-Fantasy-XIII-Yuna-Spiras-Summoner-Outfit-DLC-/221372598538?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item338ad5c90a

Yuna DLC auction going for $80 (wut)

[Mr. Gundam]

I haven't redeemed my Yuna or Cloud DLC codes yet... tempting...

[MCD]

Game gets a bit better once you beat some sidequests along with the first main quest in Luxerion.

I'm trying to finish the main quests with some sidequests here and there because I don't find them fun at all with the dumb time restrictions.

[Mr. Gundam]

Game gets a bit better once you beat some sidequests along with the first main quest in Luxerion.

I'm trying to finish the main quests with some sidequests here and there because I don't find them fun at all with the dumb time restrictions.

I'm not a gaming completionist, but the time restriction makes me slightly anxious. Do I bother accepting the side quest or wait for the next day? Should I just push through and move the storyline on? Am I dooming myself if I don't spend some time and complete more side quests? Argh.

[demi]

The restriction is not an issue at all. Spam Chronostasis. Do quests. You cant complete them all. Some quests just take too much time, or require you to fight way strong enemies.

I'm on Day 3 and I feel comfortable where I am at right now. I fucked up a quest by giving the person the wrong item.

It helps if you dedicate each slot to a class.

I have 3 suits set up like COM - RAV - SAB/SEN

[Mr. Gundam]

My concern is making sure Lightning is strong enough to get through the game, since stat raises only occur after beating main bosses and completing side quests. As long as I'm ok, I don't really mind missing out on stuff.

[demi]

Chances are you will do shit going off of Square's rankings. I fought Noel pretty easily in my opinion, but I got 0 stars and a score of 1

Yes, 1 point

Lol

You will be fine. Just do quests, upgrade your abilities (this is probably the most important part), and upgrade your equipment.

[Damian79]

So what is the verdict on this game?

[demi]

Pretty sweet

[Damian79]

Sigh I had the opportunity to buy the game but with so many games to play on pc and the lack of talk on this board i thought i shouldnt get it.  Guess i was wrong.

[Rahxephon91]

I've had this sense it came out and haven't had the the desire to play it more then a few hours.

It's honestly quite ugly.

[Damian79]

What did you think of the gameplay?

[demi]

Beat Snow, doing some quest cleanup before moving onto the Wildlands. On day 4 right now.

[MCD]

Yeah...ending is some serious animu wack.

[SantaC]

timelimit adds nothing but stress to the game. Especially when the areas are quite huge.

I am on day 7 and it feels I missed a shiton of quests.

 

[magus]

so what's thebore opinion on this in the end? i've realized the new atelier is coming next week and i'd really like to play some other console rpg while waiting but this is pretty much my only option beside replaying some oldass games so...

i guess alternatively there is that tales of symphonia HD version, did they bother vocing the skit in this version or do the character still open and close their mouth without emitting any sound like fish gasping for air?

[demi]

I think its pretty good.

There is a huge lack of quests, since I finished all main quests and 60 side quests and canvas quests (120 total) - and I still have almost 7 days until the final boss. I can either make all the monsters extinct (boring) or sleep my way forward and periodically check for quests.

I'm not using a guide, either.

[MCD]

Game play is legit good. I spent more than 40 hours even though I don't go for cheevos these days due to lack of time and tolerance.

The game is extremely stressing at first but once you get to the third day or so, you won't even look at the time limits.

It's not my fav in the serious due to the ending but a great entry nonetheless.

[demi]

Just beat Aeronite, one of the "super" bosses of the game.

Crazy fight.

He has 11 million HP and you have to stagger it 4 times before you can actually beat it. In between those staggers, you have 3 minutes, or it flies off and you have to start all over.

You have to set up one of your schema to null magic, then stock up on Ether/Turbo Ethers (only obtainable through Otherworld, or being extremely lucky to find it on an Unappraised Item) and then save as much EP as you can until the final phase, where you Overclock and spam Artemis Arrows.



This dude is pro

[demi]

Got 1000 last night - beating Borys to the goal, as usual. Maybe he should stop making useless babies.

+ Best battle system of the three, since enemies have their own quirks to be taken advantage of, plus being able to guard, dodge, and all types of ill shit
+ NG+ (and beyond), plus Hard Mode when finished, carries your stats and more
+ Customization is best of the three, despite most suits being shit and only useful for seeing Lightning's teen titties
+ Actual difficulty at points; enemies get stat buffs at certain day intervals, including bosses (p.s. if you play Easy mode you're bitch-made)

+- Ending was wtf, but I enjoyed it since it felt extremely like Illusion of Gaia's ending which was awesome and emotional

- Lack of content, since you can practically finish every quest with 4-5 days to spare. Borrrrring. Could have used at least one more area to explore.
- Most quests largely a chore, back and forth tedium, some standout ones of course
- Final Boss was a disappointment, but the music was so good (Orphan 2.0 literally)
- Music is mostly a retread of all the prior games, felt like only a few new actual songs


Towards the end of the game, they really hammer it home that this is in fact the end. Very nostalgic.

I rather liked this, only because it was like, wow, I wasted all these years on these games. I'm fucking stupid.

It's hard to rank the three games, because each game seems to do something RIGHT, while doing things WRONG.

[SantaC]

game is fun but very short. Let's hope that FFXV is meatier.

[Positive Touch]

xv better be dq7 length after how fucking long they spent on it

[a slime appears]

I rather liked this, only because it was like, wow, I wasted all these years on these games. I'm fucking stupid.

demi

Playing these games so I don't have to.

[MCD]

Demi nailed it with that review. Game is amazing yet weird. If only they made more story content instead of fetch questing some NPC's dog shit...

[Junpei the Tracer!]

I found the main bosses in this so fucking difficult but I'm finally done with of them except the final. Especially since I didn't really know what I was doing at first, I ended wasting days and had to fight the + versions of two of them. Army of One

And the fields/areas are way too big, when you have to do a fetch quest and it's like half way across town/in another village. Or fucking time locked areas.

[MCD]

Please come back at 3 AM.