Final Fantasy

Very disappointing that they've taken out the victory theme though. Square really are shooting themselves in the foot. They seem to be slowly taking away everything that makes Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy.

They took away the victory theme in X-2, changed the battle system completely in XII, and now both those changes seems to be in XIII.

Don't get me wrong, the game looks awesome and I'm sooo excited. But it's the little things that make it Final Fantasy. And when you take those out, you're just left with a game that could quite easily go by any other name.

You just know you'll be singing it outloud, anyway; even if it's just to make it feel more like a FF

If there are no Chocobo and no Cid (or variation thereof), then it's no longer a FF game, in my opinion.

Chojin wrote:You just know you'll be singing it outloud, anyway

You know me far too well. >_>


Squeeeee!! Just saw the ad for it on TV!! Can't wait!!

And if I'm lucky, as I always am with Play, I'll end-up getting it before it's official release date. XD

I really should've started my complete FF playthrough when I said I was going to, I might've been ready for FFXIII. I wish I had the money for it, I'd order it right now, if I could ¬_¬

I've really gotta kick my ass into gear and finish as much of AvP and BH as I can before FFXIII arrives. XD

Hoping, as always, that this game is as epic as it looks. If I can't play through it twice without getting bored; it fails. Coz I always have to play it through at least twice - first time alone, and second time with a walkthrough to make sure I experiance every part of the game.

I'm alright for now, but once I get hold of FFXIII, you probably won't be able to gontact me for love nor money for a while. With it being on XB360, there's going to be loads of achievements; and you could say I'm a bit of an achievement wh**e

Wheeeee!!

Loving it!! It's so pweetty!! And the voice acting's great!!

And, much to my happieness, turn base system is restored!! Yays!! But, so far, you only seem to have control over one character during battle. The rest act on their own.

I'm on Chapter 3 at the moment, with almost 5 hours of game play. So, without spoilers, here's how things are going so far...

I'm really enjoying it!! As with all Final Fantasys, there's alot to learn. But everything's laid out in short tutorials as and when you need them. And it's all very easy to understand and master if you're used to playing Final Fantasy games. I'm not entirely sure how anyone else would find it, but it's probably almost as easy, seeing as you have to learn new things with any game you play really.

Leveling up your abilities in the Crystarium, is very pretty, and very similar to Final Fantasy X's Sphere Grid system - which I love!! =D

But it limits you to how far you can go, depending on where you are in the game. So it doesn't just through you in at the deep-end and expect you to plan everything according (like with the Sphere Grid - though I didn't mind that at all and I started with the Expert Grid from the get-go - lol).

The game as a whole feels the smoothest of all the Final Fantasys I've played.

But the loss of the Victory Theme does irk me, and the little jingle they've replaced it with is... well, rubbish. If they were gonna have a jingle at all, why not stick with what we all know and love?

To an outsider, it's just a jingle. But to us Final Fantasy lovers, it's a must. And it's one of the little things that keeps it a Final Fantasy. So, with that missing, it's already broken itself into not feeling quite like a Final Fantasy.

The battle system is great, dispite the fact that, again, it doesn't quite feel like a Final Fantasy, as you only have one character's action to really worry about (aside from mainly keeping an eye on if you need to switch Paradigms when you need a medic in your team). But, saying that, there is so much going on and everything plays so fast and smoothly, that it's probably a good thing you only need to worry about one character most of the time.

The other times, however, you do feel slightly bored. Which brings me to the level of difficulty in this game thus far... it's easy. I've yet to have any problems, and I've never been killed.

Mentioning death though, it's kind of annoying that if Lightning dies; it's Game Over. Why? In all the other Final Fantasy games, it doesn't matter if a character dies as long as you still have at least one other alive on your team. So why the change? Once again, just another little thing that takes away from the Final Fantasy feeling.

Oh, I forgot to explain Paradigm. It's basically a job change system. You get two sets to start with, and you may get more later (I'm not sure yet), but you also have the option of making new ones yourself... though they are limited to whatever the system chooses for you anyway. Once you know what the different jobs do, it's pretty easy to judge which are best for you during certain battles, and you can switch back and fourth as many times as you like/need during battles.

Also, as I mentioned, this game is easy so far and I've no need to train/grind yet. But I've been doing it just now anyways to build up CP (Crystogen Points), and max-out my characters (as far as they can go at this stage in the game anyways) in each of their jobs.

What else... Summons (known as Eidolons)!! I've not come across any yet, but I'll let you know when I do. Unfortunatly though, there aren't many in this game anyways. One per character, apparently. But I might be wrong. I haven't checked my guide (coz I like to complete games all on my own the first time round, before then using a guide the second time, so that I get the most of the games).

Characters!! They're pretty cool and I love the designs... except that Lightning looks too much like Cloud, and Hope looks too much like Vaan.

Lightning's also permantly stuck in an attitude problem at the moment too. She has her reasons to be kinda emo right now (which I won't mention), but her personality is very 2D thus far. You get a glimps into other sides of her, but that's all. Well, for now anyways. It's still early on in the game and hopefully she'll develop as the story continues and we get to know everyone better. And she is awesome to use.

Snow's pretty damn cool. He knows what he wants and he's prepared to fight for it. He has his own reasons to be emo, but he's not. Though you do feel for him and, seeing as you don't really know the truth from the myth right now, you wonder if everything he's resting his hopes on might turn out to be a lie and tear him apart emotionally later in the game.

Sazh is kinda cool. And he has a little chocobo chick that lives in his afro. XD So awesome!! He seems to be caught-up in something he wasn't prepared for, and his character is played perfectly. But he does seem like a lesser character right now, and if I had all the characters together at the same time (very rare right now), he may not be one I'd chose for my main line-up.

Vanille is the obvious Rikku replacement, but she is sooo cute when you first meet her!! Her accent seems to be a mix of Australian, British, and American. It's so confusing. Lol!! But it actually makes her all the cuter... until her accent actually starts to switch. o_O

Hope is a whiney little emo p*ssy. Sorry, but that's how he is right now. XD He's got a problem with Snow (which you could see coming a mile-off), so he's being an ass. But right from the start, he's a little p*ssy. Now, I don't expect any little kid to jump into battle, but this is Final Fantasy... why put him in the party if he's just gonna useless and annoying? And he is pretty useless right now. I only use him if I have to. And by that I mean, when the games makes me!!

The only other character is Fang, and we haven't officially met her yet (you see her at the bar in one of the cut-scenes, and apparently in a few other places later on as well).

And that just about does it for now, I guess. Lemme know if there's anything I missed or anything you wanna know and I'll tell you what I can based on where I am in the game. ^^

Update:

Just aquired Shiva... and it was stupidly easy. There's a trick to beating each Eidolon (well, a few tricks). You just have to figure out what works best for which Eidolon, and do it before your Doom Curse kills you. XD

And got another glimps into Lightning's less moody self during a recent cut scene. Yay!! She's much more likable when she's not being moody. XP

I'm also on Chapter 4 now. Hehe!!

Update:

Still on Chapter 4, with almost 8 hours of game play so far. Not much grinding, but I've got new skills to learn, so I'm gonna try grind for abit when I find a good spot for respawning enemies.

Lightning's alot more likable now we get to see more character. She's not so 2D anymore. =)

Hope's not as whiney, but he's not much use either.

I'm now stuck with him on my team... just him. And Lightning of course. But as the enemies are starting to get stronger, he's the last person I want on my team.

Vanille's showing more than just her straight forward positivity now too. There's alot more going on in her head than she lets on. Even from her narative, you can get that. But now it's coming out more in her expressions too. =)

Update:

On disc 2 now, with about 9 and a half hours of game play so far.

Also, something I keep forgetting to mention: Limit Breaks. Non-existant. Yep. Just another thing that makes Final Fantasy a Final Fantasy, that they've taken away.

Slight character spoiler:

Spoiler:

Squee!! Just met Cid!!

Eidolon spoiler:

Spoiler:

Aquired Odin!! The battle was definatly tougher than with Shiva, but I got through it first time... just. XD

Well i know i cant say anything about FF13, because i will get killed for spoilers (Aside from the fact that it took until chapter 11 for side-quests to emerge, one of which unlocks chocobos! ), so i'll say this instead...

Despite all the support behind FF7, i need to throw in my hat and say 6 was the best game in the series, all due to one character; Kefka. Not only was he the first FF Villain to go after that big ol' title of Godhood, he actually pulled it off. For over a year. He also is again a rarity that, unlike most FF villains who start off all-powerful and stay at their peak, he grows in power over the game. He starts off by attacking someone with a morning star, then later he uses some magics which, at that point in the game, are pretty powerful but nothing compared to all the magics available in the game, and by the end he is literally the God of Magic, having access to magic which is almost 50% stronger than the strongest magic available to the player.

Also, he really is sociopathic... i'm sure after 14 years its safe to spoil the plot a little, but just in case, have some spoiler tags!

Spoiler:

Whilst through the first half of the game, Kefka rises to power, he is mostly known for becoming a God by reshaping the world through moving the statues (The warring triad), and quite literally reshaping the surface of the world, before draining them of their magical power in his ascent to godhood. One thing that is overlooked though is his attack on Doma, where despite the overwhelming military might of General Leo's army, Kefka still decides to go out of his way, and poison the city water supply, killing hundreds of people in a moment, just because he could. And after his ascension to godhood, he still takes glee in wiping out entire cities, with his "Light of judgement", which wipes out entire towns in a flash of searing light if there is any sign of dissent at all.

Even the path to the final battle is brilliantly scripted, reflecting Dante's Divine comedy. Starting out fighting the huge demon beast at the bottom of the pillar, before moving up through beasts and people and machines, arriving at the angelic pair, "Rest" and "Lady", before meeting God, who like in the Divine comedy, laments on the meaning of life... except in the Divine Comedy, God never told Dante that life is futile and meaningless, and must be destroyed.

As a final note, if you have never read it, i highly recommend reading "Final Fantasy VI: The Epic". It is a retelling of the entire story of FF6, in a huge poem

kazenone wrote:Well i know i cant say anything about FF13, because i will get killed for spoilers (Aside from the fact that it took until chapter 11 for side-quests to emerge, one of which unlocks chocobos! ), so i'll say this instead...

You can always use spoiler tags. =p

I can't believe I have to wait 'til Chapter 11 to play with chocobos!!

And where are the moogles!?

I'm only just on Chapter 7 now, but I'll be here for a while... grinding. XD

Kia wrote:You can always use spoiler tags. =p

I always press the button to spoilerfy, then get annoyed, and there are BIG revelations. NB:

Spoiler:

The game.

.

I can't believe I have to wait 'til Chapter 11 to play with chocobos!!

And where are the moogles!?

Actually you get to meet the chocobos in Chapter 8 in Nautilus with Sazh and Vanille Theres a big theme park with a whole petting zoo full of them ^^. And the worst chocobo remix i have *ever* heard, especially compared to it's Pulse counterpart.

And i havent seen any moogles yet, dare i say... they may not be there :O *checks wikia* Hmm... apparently they only make a small cameo as a logo on the shop "Moogleworks!" D:

kazenone wrote:

Kia wrote:You can always use spoiler tags. =p

I always press the button to spoilerfy, then get annoyed, and there are BIG revelations. NB:

Spoiler:

The game.

.

I hate you... XP

kazenone wrote:

I can't believe I have to wait 'til Chapter 11 to play with chocobos!!

And where are the moogles!?

Actually you get to meet the chocobos in Chapter 8 in Nautilus with Sazh and Vanille Theres a big theme park with a whole petting zoo full of them ^^. And the worst chocobo remix i have *ever* heard, especially compared to it's Pulse counterpart.

A zoo!? A CHOCOBO ZOO!? *squeespazzattack* OMGOMGOMG!! Can we go? Canwecanwecanwe?? *tugs*

kazenone wrote:And i havent seen any moogles yet, dare i say... they may not be there :O *checks wikia* Hmm... apparently they only make a small cameo as a logo on the shop "Moogleworks!" D:

Well that sucks... it seems Square are slowly but surely filtering out all the little (but key) elements that make a Final Fantasy what it is... =(