Final Fantasy XIII

[Tales]

Can't say I'm fussed on that boxart. I always liked the simplicity of the white cover + game title + individual logo for each FF game.

 

 

 

Know what it was marked down for?

 

It will probably change for the PAL version. I know VIII, IX, X, X-2 and XII all had white version in Europe and "non-white" in USA.

[killer kirby]

Famitsu gave it a 39/40

 

And everyone was expecting a 41/40 from famitsu since the they have been giving them out like every month lately.

 

So acording to famitsu...Final Fantasy XII is still better then XIII

[Sheikah]

So acording to famitsu...Final Fantasy XII is still better then XIII

 

lol, in which case; this game will be shit.

 

I don't think Famitsu has any integrity to be honest...40/40 to FFXII and Nintendogs? Nintendogs is fun, but I wouldn't go as far as giving it anywhere near a perfect score. And FFXII...probably one of the least engaging titles of the series.

[Daft]

I've not heard amazing things about this. I suspect Famitsu were being generous.

[killer kirby]

lol, in which case; this game will be shit.

Of course it is, it's made by the team that made FFVIII, FFX, FFX-2 and now this, all their games have been the shittiest of the FF series.

[Shorty]

lol, in which case; this game will be shit.

 

I don't think Famitsu has any integrity to be honest...40/40 to FFXII and Nintendogs? Nintendogs is fun, but I wouldn't go as far as giving it anywhere near a perfect score. And FFXII...probably one of the least engaging titles of the series.

Ever since Nintendogs I've not really thought much of Famitsu's scores. It got dull really fast and didn't have many features at all.

[Hero-of-Time]

Of course it is, it's made by the team that made FFVIII, FFX, FFX-2 and now this, all their games have been the shittiest of the FF series.

 

Must...not...respond... Ah, to hell with it!

 

[killer kirby]

Must...not...respond... Ah, to hell with it!

 

I give props now too Final Fantasy VIII funny enough, I played it again some time ago, thought I would give it another chance, and I must say I really enjoyed the battle system and how much the game is easy then the rest of the series once you know how to use it. Plus it felt more free...I mean look how long it took to make you get to the overworld map.

 

Final Fantasy X on the other hand grabs all the shittiness from FFVIII brings it back in and throws everything that was good about FFVIII out.

A shitty fucking linear game that had a shitty story that had so many flaws in it with story telling, and the love story that Kitase makes for the games make Twilight love story seem more tolerable.

Yeah nuke Kitases team, they brought the series I once loved down to the shitty gutter and also ruined the way FFXII was being made and made one the 2 only good creators out of Square-Enix Yasumi Matsuno (Other being Yuji Horii) leave.

[Jon]

I thought VIII was the worst of the playstation era. I hated the junctioning systems and almost all of the sissyboy characters, though the card system and gunblades were awesome. Final Fantasy IX was almost my favourite. I just loved the magic system and the whole storyline, not to mention Zidane, Vivi and Steiner. It was nice to have main character who wasn't a bit of a pansy for a change I can understand why people didn't like Final Fantasy X, though I thought the whole sphere grid was possibly the best implementation of magic in the whole series. Not forgetting FFVII which runs IX very close as my favourite, I just didn't really like Cloud and Sephiroth.

[Hero-of-Time]

Not forgetting FFVII which runs IX very close as my favourite, I just didn't really like Cloud and Sephiroth.

 

Zack was a much better character than both these clowns.

[Jon]

Zack was a much better character than both these clowns.

 

Yeah, there's only so much 'everyone hates me, no one loves me' crap I can take. The man also used far too much brylcream.

[Sheikah]

Of course it is, it's made by the team that made FFVIII, FFX, FFX-2 and now this, all their games have been the shittiest of the FF series.

FFVIII IMO is the best game in the series, as it had pretty much everything. The characters were far more fleshed out than in VII, and the title felt much more polished. People who didn't understand the junction system baffled me...it was really quite simple. It was also something different to levelling up all over again, which RPG players have done plenty times before.

 

It's not who made which games, really. It's more or less the focus S-E have now...they're trying to make their games more about special effects, cinematics and MMORPG-like gameplay rather than going back to their roots. Which is why XIII probably won't be as good as the FF games we all knew and loved.

Edited December 21, 2009 by Sheikah

[Shorty]

It's totally not cool anymore to love FFVII, is it?

 

Well then I must remain uncool.

[killer kirby]

*Post of instant love for FFVIII

As much as I didn't mind the game more now, it made me hate the game even more, the game was flawed so badly it was hard not too laugh at times, hell if you knew what you were doing, it was basically a cake walk to the last boss which is also a walk in the park. The junction was an interesting idea but there were so many flaws in it that system.

 

I don't want to even talk about the story and the characters, I hate them more now.

 

Squall is a loser from start to finish.

Zell is a loser who no one ever picks anyway.

Quitist is the slut teacher

Rinoa is the slut princess

Selphie has no brain

Irvine was awesome to begin with, only to suck and get caught in the animu syndrome.

 

The story alone was laughable and made a lot of shitty fanfiction look decent.

 

It's not who made which games, really. It's more or less the focus S-E have now...they're trying to make their games more about special effects, cinematics and MMORPG-like gameplay rather than going back to their roots.

 

Sadly yes, it's now become a series focused on shitty teen soap opera love story that kids could write within a week and no gameplay whatsoever

 

Which is why XIII probably won't be as good as the FF games we all knew and loved.

H-O-T will love it and act like how Dante is acting over Bayonetta, and I am sure a lot of other people will love it.

I already know that I will hate the game, it's all over the screen when I watch a single trailer. I for once wish the next FF game (Besides the online one) can lay off the shitty 'trying to be a serious story' syndrome and just make something that is....FUN! (I heard FFXIII is linear as fuck for the first half of the game that you don't have any sidequests at all for that time)

 

It's totally not cool anymore to love FFVII, is it?

 

Well then I must remain uncool.

 

FFVII wasn't bad at all, some of the characters were quite interesting to be honest Red XIII, Cid and Mr T...I mean Barret, but the game was a very typical RPG which I ain't complaining really.

Edited December 21, 2009 by killer kirby

[McMad]

Zack was a much better character than both these clowns.

 

Ignoring the bastardisation of Cloud's character in recent years (Kingdom Hearts, Advent Children etc.) he's actually a very likeable character in the original game with a lot of development.

 

EDIT: Holy shit Killer Kirby. Quistis is a slut because she had a crush on her student? Take your bullshit character analysis and 4chan/neogaf fuelled 'opinions' somewhere else.

Edited December 21, 2009 by McMad

[Sheikah]

Did you really play the game?

Squall is a loser from start to finish.

Zell is a loser who no one ever picks anyway.

Quitist is the slut teacher

Rinoa is the slut princess

Selphie has no brain

Irvine was awesome to begin with, only to suck and get caught in the animu syndrome.

 

Those are the generalisations I would expect someone to say after just literally looking at the characters appearances or going by their first ever conversations. Rinoa isn't a princess, so I'm not sure what you're talking about! Irvine was probably the most annoying character because he was a cocky chauvanist who thought he could bag any girl...unless that is what you consider to be cool?

 

As for Squall, I wouldn't say someone who defeats the sorceress, practically becomes the leader of Garden and opens up and finds someone he loves is a loser! Rather, winner.

 

 

The story alone was laughable and made a lot of shitty fanfiction look decent.

 

Please post the specific points that you found laughable relative to other FF plots and we shall discuss whether they really are laughable, or if you're just trying to make a point.

 

Bear in mind that every FF plot is aimed at teenagers. Once you're 22 like me, every plot becomes ridiculous compared to a good book. In FFVII, the game makes a big deal about Cait Sith sacrificing itself to pick up the black materia. Then 5 seconds later a new one instantly arrives at seemingly no inconvenience to the puppet master. Cloud also manages to tell himself that he was in SOLDIER, and thus completely forgets that he never was. In similar memory-related nonsense, In FFVIII they all suddenly remember that they were in an orphanage together and blame it on GFs. In IX, the final boss comes out of nowhere and serves no purpose to enhancing the story whatsoever. Also, everyone's memories were meant to have come from the crystal, which was another slice of horse shit.

 

Let's face it...they're all stupidly silly stories with holes or ridiculous plot devices. The fact you're drawing on VIII as having a shit story makes me think that you must have thought the other stories were relatively sensible and good. Otherwise, I don't see why you're pointing to just VIII. And really, that is a bit of a worry!

 

 

Ignoring the bastardisation of Cloud's character in recent years (Kingdom Hearts, Advent Children etc.) he's actually a very likeable character in the original game with a lot of development.

 

Cloud's personality and development has never amounted to any more than a biscuit. He managed to foceably forget something and live a lie for most of the game. It's silly!

 

Edited December 21, 2009 by Sheikah

[McMad]

Cloud's personality and development has never amounted to any more than a biscuit. He managed to foceably forget something and live a lie for most of the game. It's silly!

 

No where near as silly as a group of childhood friends forgetting each other due to magical creatures affecting their minds though?

 

Every Final Fantasy story is silly to some extent. But VIII simply had a poorly written plot.

 

Which is a shame as I really liked the game's style and battle system.

[CooInTheZoo]

Anyone else surprised at the lack of official reviews for this game so far? So far I've only seen the Famitsu scores and one (questionable) importers review.

[Sheikah]

No where near as silly as a group of childhood friends forgetting each other due to magical creatures affecting their minds though?

 

Every Final Fantasy story is silly to some extent. But VIII simply had a poorly written plot.

 

Which is a shame as I really liked the game's style and battle system.

Well I already mentioned that point in my post. FFVII was no stranger to people's memories conveniently erasing themselves, and at the very least VIII provided a reason behind it. Cloud somehow forgot he was never in SOLDIER simply through the shame of failing to become one. Which is weird, because the things you tend to be ashamed of are typically the hardest things to forget.

 

FFVIII had one ridiculous aspect that for all we know could have been down to GFs. It's just that we aren't buying it, as they made very little mention of it up to that point, or thereafter. Every FF has numerous stupid plot devices, and I'd actually say VIII has fewer than most other FF games. To write off the FFVIII story because of the one point while claiming other FFs have good or decent plots is silly.

[Solo]

IX was the best, no contest. How can you dislike such lovable cute characters!

[Hero-of-Time]

IX was the best, no contest. How can you dislike such lovable cute characters!

 

The only character I really liked out of IX was Vivi, the rest I didn't really care for that much.

[darksnowman]

Every Final Fantasy story is silly to some extent. But VIII simply had a poorly written plot.

 

Was it not a poorly translated plot more than anything?

[McMad]

Was it not a poorly translated plot more than anything?

 

VII's localisation was a lot worse than VIII's but the merits of it's writing managed to shine through anyway.

 

Here's what I mean when I say VIII was poorly written:

 

The plot lacks structure. From Disc 1 to Disc 4 there is no over-riding quest for Squall and his comrades. The story telling is much more episodic rather than being a whole, coherent piece of work. The game constantly throws new allies and adversaries at you (Edea is the primary antagonist for the first two discs, and the joins your party in Disc 3) instead of clearly establishing two opposing forces and creating a convincing fictional world. Throw in some silly plot twists which add nothing to the story and time-travel and you have a very messy plot. VII in contrast establishes Shinra and Sephiroth as the primary antagonists very early on and the main story can be either be seen as a group of eco-warriors fighting for the survival of their planet or one man's quest for revenge.

 

Many video-game plots lack structure though. And sometimes a strong cast of characters can save a poorly structured plot. It worked for me and Final Fantasy IX. The problem is that the only developed character in VIII is Squall. Squall starts the game as a cold loner - emotionally scarred by the abandonment he suffered as child - but through the power of love he is able to begin trusting others once again and finds happiness. The boy becomes a man. The other characters seem like card-board cut-outs in comparison. In fact the majority of the main party except for Squall and Rinoa become irrelevant after Disc 2. Much of the main cast lack back stories, development and even motives. (apart from the fact that they're all on the payroll) They don't share interesting dialogue with one another and many players often find VIII's cast simply un-likeable. In fact Laguna and his trio were far more charming, in my opinion, than Squall and his party.

 

Then there are the awkward set-pieces such as the train mission that defies physics and logic. The fact that Irvine would have been aiming at the back of Edea's float during the assassination mission. Time compression. And I'll let you lot decide whether the dual narratives complemented each other or not.

 

I also find that the game also lacks themes apart from love and growing-up. VII was crammed full of themes: Life, Death, Mothers, Nature, Industrialisation, Identity and I'm sure there are others I've missed. In comparison there never feels like there's much point to VIII's story.

 

And Sheikah I don't write VIII off because of the story. I just believe that it lets the rest of the game down. I've said it before: I love the Junction System and the game's style.

 

I'd really love to debate about this but I'm not sure I will post in this thread again as typing all this up was horribly tedious. Maybe some kind forum poster will drop by now and kindly explain to me why I'm completely wrong - offering me some new perspective on VIII and consequently shutting me up.

[Hero-of-Time]

Many video-game plots lack structure though. And sometimes a strong cast of characters can save a poorly structured plot. It worked for me and Final Fantasy IX. The problem is that the only developed character in VIII is Squall. Squall starts the game as a cold loner - emotionally scarred by the abandonment he suffered as child - but through the power of love he is able to begin trusting others once again and finds happiness. The boy becomes a man. The other characters seem like card-board cut-outs in comparison. In fact the majority of the main party except for Squall and Rinoa become irrelevant after Disc 2. Much of the main cast lack back stories, development and even motives. (apart from the fact that they're all on the payroll) They don't share interesting dialogue with one another and many players often find VIII's cast simply un-likeable. In fact Laguna and his trio were far more charming, in my opinion, than Squall and his party.

 

Even though FF VIII is my favourite FF game I agree with pretty much all of this. Laguna and his boys were far more lovable than Squalls crew, especially Laguna himself, he was such a laugh. I still love Squall to bits though, I thought his attitude was class. Even though his supporting cast was pretty thin in terms of story Squalls growth throughout the game more than made up for it for me.

 

The thing is when it comes to the FF games they are all unique and everyone takes away something different after playing each one. Some fall in love with the characters and story while others just don't care for them at all. The same goes for the differenrt battle/levelling systems they use. What one person thinks is a masterpiece another thinks is a greek tragedy which is why you get so many different opinions flying around on the series.

 

Does anyone know how the battle system works in XIII? I couldn't get into XII because I hated the battle system, I only played a few hours and had to knock it off. I much prefer the turnbased system from the older RPGs ( probably why I adore Blue Dragon on the 360 ) so I hoping that it features in some way in this game.

[Deathjam]

I love FF games, especially VIII and X, but they get kicked to the game by another game called Vagrant Story. It's a shame that game didn't reach the success that FF did as imo, it deserves it more.

 

One funny thing though, as a kid, I remember most of these plot holes, but somehow, you just plough on and totally forget about them. Did you guys forget that you enjoyed the games despite the arguably poorly written script?