nightwolf Posted March 16, 2010 Posted March 16, 2010 I'm finally about 2/3hours into this and I'm not entirely sure what to think. On the one hand I actually quite like the way the story is heading, its interesting enough, the cut-scenes aren't boring and I love the characters. But the battle system? ARGH, I don't know why I can't get on with it, but its starting to really piss me off already, its incredibly easy to use which is good, but really like Pit-Jr mentioned you can easily look away from the screen and still kill things with 5 stars. I just don't feel like I'm playing all that much, sure I run around and shoot things, but when I played 7, 8,9 10 even 12 I felt like I was a complete part of the battle system, here I just feel like I shouldn't even bother. That being said I do really like the game, it seems interesting, but I wish I'd waited and not forked out the £40.
Deathjam Posted March 16, 2010 Posted March 16, 2010 I'm finally about 2/3hours into this and I'm not entirely sure what to think. On the one hand I actually quite like the way the story is heading, its interesting enough, the cut-scenes aren't boring and I love the characters. But the battle system? ARGH, I don't know why I can't get on with it, but its starting to really piss me off already, its incredibly easy to use which is good, but really like Pit-Jr mentioned you can easily look away from the screen and still kill things with 5 stars. I just don't feel like I'm playing all that much, sure I run around and shoot things, but when I played 7, 8,9 10 even 12 I felt like I was a complete part of the battle system, here I just feel like I shouldn't even bother. That being said I do really like the game, it seems interesting, but I wish I'd waited and not forked out the £40. After that many hours, it's still gonna be like that. As The game gets a lot more challenging in about another 1-2 hrs depending on how fast you have been progressing. One way to look at it is that for a lot of time, you could not even upgrade your characters properly so that whole time is like some giant tutorial just spread out. It gets a heck of a lot better.
Dan_Dare Posted March 16, 2010 Posted March 16, 2010 Has anyone ever heard the actionbutton.net podcast review of FFVII ? It's one of the best hatchet jobs I've ever heard- all delivered in a faux Patrick Bateman voice ala his review of Huey Lewis and The News. I looked for it online but to no avail so far. a shame- it's gold.
Aimless Posted March 16, 2010 Posted March 16, 2010 But the battle system? ARGH, I don't know why I can't get on with it, but its starting to really piss me off already, its incredibly easy to use which is good, but really like Pit-Jr mentioned you can easily look away from the screen and still kill things with 5 stars. It starts off (too) slow, presumably to accommodate those that have never really played an RPG before. All I can really say is that there is no way in hell you'll continue to 5-star battles like that once you get further in, the game is just overbearingly protective to start with; I imagine the next game in the series will offer players more scope to screw up right from the off. In some ways the combat has more in common with something like Bayonetta than a traditional Final Fantasy. The actual abilities you're using are more of a secondary consideration — auto-battle isn't just an easy mode, it's really useful even when you know what you're doing — the primary focus being on the Paradigm you're in and the timing of attacks. Later on juggling enemies in the air becomes a key tactic, at which point unleashing your attacks in between the volleys of your teammates — and judicial use of interrupts and move cancelling, using Triangle/Y and Circle/B, respectively — become the key to a good star rating. It's a real shame the game takes so long to introduce all the mechanics as it highlights the lack of extraneous activities like talking to NPCs and other busywork. Largely that sort of player agency is purely illusory, but there's nothing wrong with a bit of smoke and mirrors if it makes for a more enjoyable experience. If the pacing of tutorials had remained exactly the same whilst also offering up some form of sideline content to keep veteran fans distracted, I don't think the A-to-B nature of early areas would be raising nearly as much ire as it has; it's no more linear FFX, really, and the shock value of chapter 11 is almost worth all the preceding linearity. I'm really looking forward to seeing how Versus turns out. It would seem they're already reacting to fan criticisms of vanilla XIII; we know there will be an overworld of some description, although it could be anything between X's cursor-driven map and XII's interconnected third-person fields.
Deathjam Posted March 16, 2010 Posted March 16, 2010 LOL Odin just owned my ass in seconds! This usually never happens to me in the FF series. Time to regroup and re-think my strategy....admittedly i forgot to set up an important paradigm.
Happenstance Posted March 16, 2010 Posted March 16, 2010 Potentially major FFXIII freezing problem Anyone noticed anything like this then?
Deathjam Posted March 16, 2010 Posted March 16, 2010 Potentially major FFXIII freezing problem Anyone noticed anything like this then? Pfffft no problems here. Read the text then went to look at the pretty screenshots although the text below did make me chuckle, but it could be true... It is possible, then, that this issue has only affected a certain batch of discs, or is the result of the game's popularity causing many gamers to boot up dusty systems which were about to crap out anyway (though that theory is a stretch).
nightwolf Posted March 16, 2010 Posted March 16, 2010 I've not noticed any issues, which usually with games like Fable 2 I encounter quite a lot. Aimless, thankyou! I do hope it turns out alot better, I have no faith in it whatsoever right now!
Ramar Posted March 16, 2010 Posted March 16, 2010 Sometimes if I've farted about on the menus for a long time it takes a tad longer returning to the game, more like a slight delay not freezing.
Aimless Posted March 17, 2010 Posted March 17, 2010 Sometimes if I've farted about on the menus for a long time it takes a tad longer returning to the game, more like a slight delay not freezing. Is this after changing party members? If so I think that's just the game loading in the new models. I didn't have any problems during my playthrough which came in at around 45 hours; I've still got a fair chunk of post-credits things to do but I'm putting the game to one side so I can finish Yakuza 3. I'd be tempted to chalk the issue up to general hardware issues, such as Blu-ray diode failure. The only thing that can be said for sure is that I never want to read a Games Radar article ever again.
Ramar Posted March 17, 2010 Posted March 17, 2010 Is this after changing party members? If so I think that's just the game loading in the new models. I didn't have any problems during my playthrough which came in at around 45 hours; I've still got a fair chunk of post-credits things to do but I'm putting the game to one side so I can finish Yakuza 3. I'd be tempted to chalk the issue up to general hardware issues, such as Blu-ray diode failure. The only thing that can be said for sure is that I never want to read a Games Radar article ever again. I think it is just loading and stuff, but I've not got to the point of being able to switch members.
killer kirby Posted March 17, 2010 Posted March 17, 2010 Decided to stop playing this game now, I really don't see the point...as a matter of fact, just like a terrible book I read in my old english class that makes me from stop reading for a bit, FFXIII has now made me stop playing games for a while...I think I need it too to be honest. So I am leaving this thread for now...so now you can all gloat about how awesome the game is while ignoring the flaws of the game I still enjoyed the game, I found it...average, which is never a bad thing. So I agree with Edges's score, it does deserve a 5, it's a game for casuals and hardcore RPG fans. the characters are very meh and average, the story is very predictable and very simple (Perhaps on the trying too hard to make something sound really complex when it's not). music is dull and boring, and the lyrics on the chocobo song sucks donkey balls...if it should have lyrics it should have this song. May as well put in what I would love in a Final Fantasy game while I am here. No Nomura Move him over to the Kingdom Hearts series or something for a while, I wouldn't mind seeing a Final Fantasy game have no Nomura artwork for once. Yoshitaka Amano style should be created into the game for once in full glorious HD/SD whatever 3D anyway. I would love to see his style be truly be created into the game if anything he truly creates the best artwork when it comes to a fantasy style, heck make it cel-shaded or something, just bring his artwork to life. No Kitase team. Have a fresh new team with perhaps Yasunori Mitsuda as the composer and Masato Kato as the writer for the game. It would feel fresh yet to magical in a fantasy way, those two guys know what they can do. No FMV's/CGI (Whatever you call it, but you know what I am talking about) It's so 1998, I would love to see everything in-game for all cutscene. Wait, I take that back, only the opening should really have it and the reast be in-game. Would be awesome to see an intro as epic as this. A WORLD TO EXPLORE!!! Yeah, I want to see a world (Perhaps even one country) in a style kind of like Zelda or Dragon Quest, everything is the same size. No big guy and a town for midgets world map. Make the story interesting Only 2 games have ever made me think, Chrono Cross and Baten Kaitos Origins, you may have good intentions, but it makes you sometimes wonder if you are doing the right thing, both of these games even go to the lengths of asking you if you truly are the good guy or the bad guy, shit like this makes me more amazed then dull boring characters saving the world. I want games to feel mature, none of the modern day final fantasy games have grasped that maturity. I guess what I want is something magical, the magic to Final Fantasy for me is really dying in the modern ones. This post ain't trying to have a go at any modern Final Fantasy games, but where is the magic in the games I once knew and loved? That's why I loved the older Final Fantasy so much was because of the magic that it was able to produce within the game, but now...it just feels dull...boring, it's not because the older games were old school, if they were set in the future I would still love them dearly. The modern Final Fantasy games feel like it has no soul within the games. Well, thats all I have to say, you can nit-pick everything I said there and say how I am wrong and so fourth, but I don't care now. I ain't going to come to this thread anymore since I have no reason too. (Until I decide to play FFXIII again and who knows when thats going to happen) byez
Solo Posted March 17, 2010 Posted March 17, 2010 As preachy/whiny as that sounds I pretty much agree with you. (and I am also enjoying FFXIII but not on the level of previous installments)
Ramar Posted March 17, 2010 Posted March 17, 2010 So I am leaving this thread for now...so now you can all gloat about how awesome the game is while ignoring the flaws of the game You're a pleb, most people who have complemented the game have highlighted that it has flaws and is far from perfect. Thank god you're not coming back in this thread because you evidently aren't reading what people are posting.
Tales Posted March 17, 2010 Posted March 17, 2010 (edited) I'm not surprised he doesn't like the game. Just look at his previous posts in the thread(the search option), it's quite obvious he made up his mind about the game way before he bought it. The funny thing about it, is the fact that I feel like it's going to be shit, it's going to be good...if that makes sense. Buuut it's a Team Kitase game with a linear gameplay, lame story and lame... Final Fantasy VIII and Final Fantasy X/X-2 had lame characters and a lame story, so coming from the same team I am guessing it's going to be the same. Plus from the people that have been playing it they have been saying how it's not as good as the characters from Final Fantasy VIII and Final Fantasy X/X-2. Plus the trailers also prove my point in taste as it's sooooo over-dramatic. Well what you stated is exactly what FFXIII will be all about, a linear game with no freedom, so if you like a type of game that has a real animu story in it, then you will love it I guess. Well tomorrow it's out in Australia, I'll be hiring out the game since I am in need of a comedy flick. Why buy something worth $120 when I can hire it for $10 and spend the other $110 on something liiiiiiiiike Blazblue Anyway, still at chapter 11 at 45 hours. Nothing to add besides that yet, other than that I'm having a great time. Edited March 17, 2010 by Tales
Sheikah Posted March 17, 2010 Posted March 17, 2010 I'm not surprised he doesn't like the game. Just look at his previous posts in the thread(the search option), it's quite obvious he made up his mind about the game way before he bought it. Wow, well put. You did something I could never be bothered to do. Yeah, he had judged the game before it was released simply because of the person sitting at the top (which is ridiculous, as staff and direction constantly change so you rarely end up with the same sort of game anyway). That, and the fact that he was constantly wishing for games he was playing as a child or teenager, which is foolish. Partly what made games you played during your childhood great is because they were part of your childhood. If I was Oxigen_Waste I would say 'objectively, this game is definitely above average' simply because of its overall very positive reception backed up with people actually buying it. But instead I'll say that the vast majority think it's great, so it's pointless to come in here trying to rally people to think otherwise. Waste of fucking time.
nightwolf Posted March 17, 2010 Posted March 17, 2010 Feeling alittle bit better about this game now, the story is lovely, the grid system and battle system are alittle easier to work with although I'm still figuring things out.
Deathjam Posted March 18, 2010 Posted March 18, 2010 I have died quite a few times. Leaves me wondering if I suck at the game, even though I thought I had the system down. I mean, when lightning and hope are partnered up in that garda woods place, mobs were dropping like flies, then when i reach the plant boss, it takes me something like 5 or more tries before I can take him down! Boy did I relish the challenge though, and the fine tuning of paradigm required to beat him
Ramar Posted March 18, 2010 Posted March 18, 2010 Just got myself to chapter 10, 20 hours played. The Fal'Cie boss (don't want to attempt to spell his name) was a right pain in the arse, the first boss I had to attempt several times.
Hero-of-Time Posted March 18, 2010 Posted March 18, 2010 I've been making quite a bit of progress with the sidequests/64 missions that are in the game, im about 65-70% of the way through them now. Its really racking my game time up, close to 50 hours now! Guess the 80-100 hours time for a full 1000/1000 or Platinum Trophy isn't that far off. Alot of reviews marked the game down for being linear yet I have to wonder whether they actually played the sidequests because doing these sets you off all over the game world. At the start it is a little tedious but when you get the ability to teleport to certain areas and ride around on chocobos to speed up the travelling process. The sidequests also make for some great fights, alot of which are very challenging, especially as you start to hit the B and A rank missions. To add to the challenge if you want an achievement/trophy you have to 5 star all of them! So for anyone who says the game is too easy/linear have a crack at the sidequests when your done with the game.
Tales Posted March 21, 2010 Posted March 21, 2010 (edited) If the trophies are hidden, can you let it be that way? Thanks. Spoiler tag details on sidequests too(enemies, locations, rewards etc). I want the experience fresh Well over halfway throught the sidequests and you're close to 50 hours? :P I'm still at chapter 12 at 48 hours! EDIT: A final boss that can instant K.O my main character at anytime in a 20 minute battle. Nice. Edited March 21, 2010 by Tales
Hero-of-Time Posted March 21, 2010 Posted March 21, 2010 Just slap some Cherub Crowns on, does the trick nicely. I've just redid the last boss for trophy reasons and butchered the sucker in 3 mins! Power levelling FTW! I've just got 2 trophies left to get ( dont worry Tales these aint secret ones ) I have to max every character & have every weapon/accessory, its certainly going to be a grind. 60 hours on the clock now.
Ramar Posted March 21, 2010 Posted March 21, 2010 After the final boss can you go back and do all the Cie'th missions and what not? Or is it wise to create a save point whilst on Gran Pulse? Btw a simple yes you can, will suffice (still only on chapter 11).
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