21st century cowboy Posted May 14, 2007 Posted May 14, 2007 I haven't played a final fantasy game before and I've just got a PS2 so I want to know whick game you think I shuld get first? There is no story progression between the numbered games are there?
KKOB Posted May 14, 2007 Posted May 14, 2007 No direct progression (except between X and X-2), and X is a better example of what the series is like than the radical XII although both are definatly worth the money.
Smiter Posted May 14, 2007 Posted May 14, 2007 Nah, each Final Fantasy has a different story. The only exceptions are FFX2 (sequel to FFX, but you're not missing anything) and of course the FF7-spinoff-overhype-juggernaut. Anyway, I've completed FFX and am playing through FFXII. Both FFX and FFXII have excellent stories. Graphically, FFXII looks better and it has a free camera, whereas FFX uses pre-set cameras. FFX still looks nice. However, the biggest difference by far is the battle system. FFX uses the usual RPG battle system - turn based combat where the next turn is decided by how fast your characters and the enemy are, and you have the usual random encounters. But FFXII makes a real break with it - the battles are all in real time (with an option that lets you pause the action to input a command) and there are no random encounters (you might have surprise attacks, but those are rare and confined to certain types of mobs, such as snakes springing out of the ground). You can see almost all of the enemies in the surrounding area and can usually avoid them if you're running low on HP. It also uses the Gambit System, a set of rules you can define for your party. Such as: Foe: Fire-weak - cast Fira. Ally: HP < 40% - cast Cure. You do sometimes need to think carefully on how best to use the Gambits to defeat certain enemies, it's just like planning a strategy and telling your party what to do. In the heat of battle you can interrupt whatever your characters are doing and tell them to do something else, so you still have full control. Personally, I prefer FFXII and it definitely is far more vast than FFX. The only thing I'm not totally convinced about is the License Board - where you spend License Points (accumulated by defeating enemies) on new abilities and Quickenings (FFXII's Limit Breaks in a way). It can be a pain to keep switching between the shops and the License Board when you're trying to decide what armour/weapons to equip (you need to buy the ability to equip on the LB with LP, THEN buy the armour). But FFXII is definitely worth it, in my eyes. Hope that helps.
21st century cowboy Posted May 14, 2007 Author Posted May 14, 2007 Wow thanks for the advice Smiter. Yeah it helps alot. I think I'd prefer the real time battles of FFXII and it seems as though the game has made quite the impression on you. The gambit thing also sounds quite interesting.
Smiter Posted May 14, 2007 Posted May 14, 2007 Wow thanks for the advice Smiter. Yeah it helps alot. I think I'd prefer the real time battles of FFXII and it seems as though the game has made quite the impression on you. The gambit thing also sounds quite interesting. No problem, glad to help. Yeah, it has made quite the impression on me, lol. I'm currently hooked and I have to wrench myself away now and then to make sure I keep up my studies. Some FF purists hate FFXII, but the real time battles and Gambit system do definitely speed up the game and save you from having to input the same command over and over again. The Flee command no longer relies on random stuff to succeed, you can just hold R2 and run like hell. Indispensable when you come up against an unexpectedly strong enemy.
Hellfire Posted May 14, 2007 Posted May 14, 2007 I totally prefer XII. While some find X's story more interesting I find it very soap opera-ish and there's next to no gameplay. Nice "level up" system though. XII on the other way has great gameplay, lots to do and more discreet story telling.
mariosmentor Posted May 14, 2007 Posted May 14, 2007 Well I'm one of those that rathers FF X. X was dramtic, cinematic and emotional. Alongside a good story, it has its short shortcomings in that it is too driven and lacks any real freedom. XII I felt was quite shallow, gambits being a poor way to replace true 'AI' characters seen in games such as Kingdom Hearts and a really lacking story this game felt to me like FF 11 remade for single player. It shares alot of the same gameplay such as real time battle, loot, obtaining crystals to create items, free camera, expansive fields along with same running and fighting set up . Because of this to me the game feels very cheap, easy and rushed, playing through it all I can think about is how they could have done it better. But hey thats just me, this forum seems to have a boner for FF XII so your probably making the right desicion.
Zell Posted May 14, 2007 Posted May 14, 2007 PS2 is backwards compatible you know... So get FFs 7, 8 and 9 first, as they are better than 10 and 12.
MoogleViper Posted May 14, 2007 Posted May 14, 2007 FFXII is completely rubbish. I played it until the Tomb of Raithwall and the only reason I got that far is because I forced myself to play it further desperately hoping that the story would open up. But there is no story. It's just travel the land, go through a dungeon, fight a boss. They may have developed a new way of fighting, but they really went backwards with the story.
Zell Posted May 14, 2007 Posted May 14, 2007 FFXII is completely rubbish. I played it until the Tomb of Raithwall and the only reason I got that far is because I forced myself to play it further desperately hoping that the story would open up. But there is no story. It's just travel the land, go through a dungeon, fight a boss. They may have developed a new way of fighting, but they really went backwards with the story. Totally agree. I mean, what's the point in trying to save the world when you couldn't give a rat's arse about the world and its characters you're trying to save? There's just no inspiration to play it.
Samdecahedron Posted May 14, 2007 Posted May 14, 2007 FFXII is completely rubbish. I played it until the Tomb of Raithwall and the only reason I got that far is because I forced myself to play it further desperately hoping that the story would open up. But there is no story. It's just travel the land, go through a dungeon, fight a boss. They may have developed a new way of fighting, but they really went backwards with the story. Couldn't agree more, the game is a chore to play, and the battle system is overrated, too. X really is amazing, with a brilliant storyline that makes you care about what happens next, XII doesn't. I'm still shocked at how much i was let down by XII.
Ramar Posted May 15, 2007 Posted May 15, 2007 For a minute I thought I was the only one who found playing FFXII a chore. I've barely got anywhere on it, I got to like some under ground railway thing with electric bugs. I might force myself to play it in the summer, I want a better opinion of it. I love FFX btw. Brilliant game, shame they brought out X-2 which was diabolical.
Darkspine S Posted May 16, 2007 Posted May 16, 2007 I'm starting to feel at home here.:wink: FFX, all the way. FF12 isn't even worthy of the name, let alone its existance.
Hellfire Posted May 16, 2007 Posted May 16, 2007 Ahah it's really cool to hate FF12 isn't it? Well, it's you opinion and no one can take it from you, I have no beef with that. But saying the gambit system is a weak attempt to reproduce AI isn't very smart. In all FFs you controll manually each party member, here you can do that or give them strategies (gambits). No FF rellies on AI for party control.
Domstercool Posted May 16, 2007 Posted May 16, 2007 Oh the Anti good game people are in this thread too.
Hellfire Posted May 16, 2007 Posted May 16, 2007 Oh the Anti good game people are in this thread too. They're everywhere!
Zell Posted May 16, 2007 Posted May 16, 2007 Oh it's definately a good game. No question. Whether it's a good final fantasy or not is a different matter...
mariosmentor Posted May 16, 2007 Posted May 16, 2007 No FF rellies on AI for party control. Kingdom Hearts does. Saying no other FF has relied on AI supports the claim that this game isn't a typical FF, and for me it just plain isn't FF. And They've already stated that Final Fantasy XIII battle system will be more like Kingdom Hearts. It's obvious that its the direction they want to take it in, and the started with FF XII. In all FFs you controll manually each party member, here you can do that or give them strategies (gambits) Have you tried playing it controlling each character manually? The gameplay is not designed for it and in turn makes the game feel worse than it is. In effect it is an alright Action RPG. I just feel Action RPG's are a bane upon the gaming society. The gambit system just creates an element of laziness. Too many times I've just left my guys to "go at it" while I watch Becker then come back to upgrade the license board. To me it just feels like Kingdom Hearts characters with deeper customizable AI and less skill which has all really been done before. Tales of Symphonia anyone? Personally I thin the Gambits are an attempt to create an MMORPG feel to the game and simulate playing with other players as the game has many MMORPG elements and runs quite a few parralels with FF XI to the extent I think they just got lazy and threw a game together out of it's engine.
Hellfire Posted May 16, 2007 Posted May 16, 2007 Kingdom Hearts isn't FF, what you're saying doesn't make a single drop of sense. And yes, I manually give orders a lot. I don't use gambits that much, except in normal battles. You guys cling too much on the past, let FF evolve.
McMad Posted May 16, 2007 Posted May 16, 2007 I thought FFX was really weak in the battle system department, I thought the grid system was very restrcitive and the game showed how aged the Final Fantasy formula had become, it just wasn't fun anymore, the story was good but Tidus was the worst main character ever. FFXII on the other hand has this great, easily manipulated battle system that doesn't force characters to be certain classes unlike FFIX and FFX, and the gambits work very well if you know how to use them. As for the story it is very over-complex and there really is no main character, although you could say their is a bigger focus on Vaan than other characters while he isn't really connected to the overall main plot. For a Final Fantasy FFXII has paved the way for future FFs to follow and FFX proved that the same gameplay can get old and tired. As for a videogame FFXII is a great real-time RPG while FFX is okay if you haven't played Final Fantasies before it. As for people who bash FFXII, obviously you either have bad taste in RPGs or miss your soap-opera love stories too much.
Guest Jordan Posted May 16, 2007 Posted May 16, 2007 Oh the Anti good game people are in this thread too. Says you and your Viva Pinata hate :p
mariosmentor Posted May 16, 2007 Posted May 16, 2007 Kingdom Hearts isn't FF, what you're saying doesn't make a single drop of sense. And yes, I manually give orders a lot. I don't use gambits that much, except in normal battles.You guys cling too much on the past, let FF evolve. What I'm saying is that FF is heading more in the direction of Kingdom Hearts style gameplay and away from FF. My argument is that FF XII isn't entierly an FF game. You said that AI insinuation wasn't very smart because FF doesn't use AI, well FF's didn't use Action RPG elements so your argument is defunct, FF XII is not FF in a traditional sense so there no point trying to compare FF XII with the series. It's not so much letting FF evolve but it is changing into a different genre. Turn based RPG's are a genre on their own and now FF have decided to become completely action orientated (entierly with the next installment, FF XII being somewhat inbetween) I'll try and put it into terms you can understand. It's like growing up with Command and Conquer series, buying every game and absolutiely loving it, then one day it takes a complete shift from RTS to FPS. And suddenly the game you loved is now something completely different. It may not be that bad but it's not what you loved anymore and it never will be. Thats just the way I feel so don't go about trying to disput that.
Zell Posted May 16, 2007 Posted May 16, 2007 Kingdom Hearts isn't FF, what you're saying doesn't make a single drop of sense. And yes, I manually give orders a lot. I don't use gambits that much, except in normal battles.You guys cling too much on the past, let FF evolve. FF is hardly evolving, while the battle system has become more flowing, the story in FFXII is a huge step back.
MoogleViper Posted May 16, 2007 Posted May 16, 2007 What I'm saying is that FF is heading more in the direction of Kingdom Hearts style gameplay and away from FF. I love Kingdom Hearts. If FFXII had a KH style battle system then it probably would have been a lot better game. But instead it had a half-arsed attempt at making a new, more realistic, more MMO style battle system. And it spoiled the game. I liked how you could walk in and out of battles without the game stopping or the screen dissolving, but the actual fighting was really poor and didn't make you feel as if you were part of the game. This game didn't even have a good story to make up for it. It barely had a story at all.
Smiter Posted May 17, 2007 Posted May 17, 2007 This game didn't even have a good story to make up for it. It barely had a story at all. Just chiming in here to say that's a bit unfair, considering you only went up to the Tomb of Raithwall. You didn't even see what happens afterwards. As Hellfire said, FFXII's story develops more slowly and is broader. While FFX mainly focused on a small band of people making their pilgrimage (and as such was more focused on their relationships), FFXII zooms out and looks at the whole world, taking in the viewpoints of several different people. At present, I've just finished a section of the game and I'm now really worried about Ashe's intentions. There have also been little twists along the way. The character progression isn't blaringly obvious like FFX, it's more subtle. Anyway, I do respect that you don't like FFXII and won't try to make you like it. Agree to disagree, and all that.
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