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Posted: Mar 03 2010 12:51 pm

So this game drops in a few days, and I am mildly excited. It's hard to imagine that Square has failed so miserably at making an epic Final Fantasy for this long. I enjoyed X, and while it really took the series to the new generation while remaining true to its roots, the story was a little off and downright ridiculous. X-2 was total garbage, and just seemed like a filler. Then came XI Online, which you had to pay to play. This is something I do not do (play online MMO's) so having never played it, it is my understanding that it is nothing more than a FF version of WOW.

Just when you think they can't fuck it up any worse they drop XII. Now I have heard some people say they love this game, but not many. The stripping away the turn-based fight scenes really put me off, as well as not being able to tell whether the characters were male or female. Mostly, with all the changes, this one just didn't feel like I was playing a Final Fantasy game. So with XIII on the way, is anyone else excited for this new game? Or has the blunders of the previous Final Fantasy let-downs worn off the franchise's luster?

Posted: Mar 03 2010 01:02 pm

I'm sorry to disappoint, but I'm not really excited about it. I somehow feel old towards videogames and the current trends in the industry... and Final Fantasies are something I played to exhaustion and enjoyed thoroughly many years back. I consider FF IX a "good-bye" of sorts to the Good Ol' Days, and I really liked FF X, but that's as far as I went. FF X-2 just made me yearn for a good job system as in FF V, FF XII felt like and offline MMORPG and FF XIII...

Well, as Einstein said in the Red Alert intro, "Time will tell". I've read some reviews, but I'd like to hear it from someone other than an editor. It doesn't sound too good. It sounds like they... axed most of the non combat aspects, turning it into some 60+ hour dungeon romp. But I'm not one to depend on reviews only. As I said, I'd like to wait and see. I hope they're wrong!

... When I want endless dungeon romping, I play NetHack.

Posted: Mar 03 2010 01:18 pm

I've only played FF VII-IX, so I'm not sure how that describes me. I loved both VII and IX. I never picked up X.....I think the appearance of the characters kind of turned me off, because it looked too much like VIII, which I didn't care for.

I got away from RPG's for a while, because I felt like they were getting too convoluted and just didn't really care for the "futuristic" themes that a lot of them were taking. Then I played Dragonquest 8 on PS2, which was amazing and refreshing due to being "old-school" in feel. I then moved on to Elder Scrolls: Oblivion for Xbox360. I loved the freedom and customization this game provided, although I think something was lost. It seemed to sacrifice a good storyline for open-endness. Now I'm playing Dragon Age: Origins, and it seems to have gotten the balance just right. It's a good blend of freedom and flexibility without sacrificing an interesting storyline (and without making the storyline overly complicated or WTF-ish)

I don't know if/when I'll return to Final Fantasy. I prefer my RPG's to have a medival tone rather than a sci-fi tone, so this one doesn't instantly appeal to me.

Posted: Mar 03 2010 01:28 pm

I'm pretty much with you there Ash, except for your criticism of the FFX story. While some of the characters were annoying, I thought the story and world itself were incredible, and one of the most interesting and mature FF has ever told. Well I mean, barring the whole "you were a dream" twist, but I loved the whole religion/pilgrimage/sacrifice thing, and even enjoyed the drama of Titus--brat though he was--trying to follow in his father's footsteps without being suffocated by them.

But anyway, that's just me. I've never played XI either (like you, not an MMO fan) a,d XII, while mildly interesting for a short time, just...I dunno. It just didn't work for me. Honestly, I lent it to a friend, and he still has it. There are just too many other fun things to play for me to bother bugging him to get it back.

Can't say I'd be all that excited for XIII even if I could play it at this point, but I will be interested in reading the reviews and seeing what people here have to say.

Oh yeah, and X-2...I'm all for putting women as heroes in video games....BUT DAMMIT SQUARE, THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!!! Evil

Ugh.

Posted: Mar 03 2010 03:53 pm

I haven't heard anything about this game nor seen any commercials... is it a total lack of faith or something?

Posted: Mar 03 2010 04:05 pm

SoldierHawk wrote:

I'm pretty much with you there Ash, except for your criticism of the FFX story. While some of the characters were annoying, I thought the story and world itself were incredible, and one of the most interesting and mature FF has ever told. Well I mean, barring the whole "you were a dream" twist, but I loved the whole religion/pilgrimage/sacrifice thing, and even enjoyed the drama of Titus--brat though he was--trying to follow in his father's footsteps without being suffocated by them.

I was typing really fast and jumbled up that sentence with the next. I meant to call X-2 ridiculous, and X a little off. I agree 10 had its annoyances, but the story was involving and there was game-play and side-quests galore. I pre-ordered XIII on Amazon so when I get into it I will put in my final verdict. It may be a while though because I am a little wrapped up in Dragon Quest VIII, a real RPG.

Posted: Mar 03 2010 05:37 pm

For me, the PS1 days were the best. FF VII, VIII, IX were a perfect trilogy for me. I used to hate X with a passion, these days I'm a litte more open to it, maybe due to a nostalgia factor. Everything FF since has been garbage, seems more about style over substance. XIII looks pretty retarded and over kill in the action department, like the retarded action in Advent Children. Seems FF went downhill once they became Square Enix.

Joined: Dec 15 2008 Posts: 199

I personally really enjoyed ffxii, and screw all of you who didn't. Balthier was a badass and it was nice that the "main character" was really just a piece of the puzzle, and not the be all end all.

The combat system in ffxii was still internally atb if you really wanted it to be, it just allowed for more streamlined combat of trash enemies, while also allowing you to micromanage your team if you wished.

Anyway, ffxiii looks like it might be ok. I enjoyed ffxii for how open it felt and the different take on combat. (btw my favorite in the series so far is IX, because Vivi is awesome)

Posted: Mar 03 2010 06:02 pm

I've played I - VIII and X, and I think the Nintendo era games were better. The 3D ones I've played are allright, and VII is awesome, but I prefer the older ones. IV is one of my favorite games, if not my top favorite, and V and VI are really good, too. I'll still buy XIII, but XII and possibly IX come first.

Posted: Mar 03 2010 06:11 pm

From my trusted source in Japan, the first half of the game is a straight line. No seriously, there are no branching paths, no exploration. Also, they are going with the weapon and two accessories set up. You can still only control one of your characters. I blame Nomura for all of this.

Posted: Mar 03 2010 06:25 pm

My two favorite FF games are 6 and 12. I can say that Final Fantasy games were the push I needed to upgrade to a new console. When 7 came out I got a PSX, when I got a PS2 (and Xenosaga 1 and 2 in the same purchase) I saw I could finally play 10 (I want to play X-2 as a completionist). However, I don't have the money to get it, but if I do, I'll get a 360 to play 13 on. Oh, and I'm reminded of this:

Posted: Mar 03 2010 07:11 pm

I think Syd and a few others will agree with me, that the last GREAT Final Fantasy game was VI. It's gone downhill since. Now the PS1 games (VII,VIII,& IX) were GOOD as was X, but they didn't have the epic greatness that I,IV,V,and VI offered.

Posted: Mar 03 2010 07:26 pm

Hey! I liked X-2. Like, a lot. But then again, my favorite FF to date is the severly underrated FFIX that not many people liked while I found IV to be banal and tedious and X to be generic and boring. And I still just cannot play VI for more than a few hours, so I guess I have eclectic tastes when it comes to Final Fantasy.

From what I've heard from reviewers though about XIII is that it is much more linear than previous installments with little exploration, but the combat system is the best the series has ever seen. And at the end of the day, because of Square-Enix's insane production values, it's another solid entry into the franchise.

Personally, I find linearity and lack of exploration a plus because I hate games that are so open ended that it's difficult to find the next objective. Most people will find that a fault though so maybe that means I'll like XIII as much as I did the other black sheeps, IX and X-2.

Posted: Mar 03 2010 07:28 pm

IX is my favorite also. I'm glad it's not popular because Square Enix seems all about milking the shit out of their most popular titles and ruining them.

Joined: May 22 2008 Location: Goshen, VA Posts: 6544

I don't know many men that enjoyed FFX, and I don't know any women who disliked it. I got bored with that shit when I went for 20 minutes without having to hit a button, I felt like I was watching a goddamn movie. That shit might be for some, but it ain't for me. I mean, after playing 9, which was fabulous I just felt so let down and I didn't feel like I was even playing a Final Fantasy game. XII was fucking gay.

Posted: Mar 03 2010 08:14 pm

Nine was definitely the best of the PS era. So much exploration, so many side quests, characters that made some sense, and LAWWWWD was it pretty. Nomura has this fetish for ambiguity in his characters that leaves you not caring.

Posted: Mar 03 2010 08:32 pm

I took a big jump from the first Final Fantasy to Final Fantasy VII. After that I went back and played the Nintendo ones either through the remakes or emulators. All I can really say is if the story is good, then it will keep me hooked. No Lie, Two, Three, Ten and Twelve all failed to do so... Never got around to VIII or IX, but I really wanted to play VIII...

Posted: Mar 03 2010 08:47 pm

I'm glad to see so many people who consider IX the best or their favorite. It's good to know I'm not alone =)

Also, Amarant kicks ass.

Posted: Mar 03 2010 09:42 pm

I think the characters in IX are the best written of the series, they are all very distinct and deep. I remember reading the character descriptions in the manual and all it was was a quote. I thought to myself, "that's it!?" but by the time I finished the game I realized those qoutes said so much about those characters. Man I'm getting excited just talking about the game, I think I'll start a new game this weekend.

Posted: Mar 03 2010 09:45 pm

I never played IX, but I did recently pick one up at a flea market for 5 bucks. Hearing so many good things I'm excited to go back and check it out.

Posted: Mar 03 2010 09:51 pm

It's fangirls that helped ruin the main character in XII. Originally it was going be manly man's-man Basch, but sooo many fangirls loved bishonen girly boys they shifted it to Vaan.

Posted: Mar 03 2010 09:51 pm

Ash Burton wrote:

I never played IX, but I did recently pick one up at a flea market for 5 bucks. Hearing so many good things I'm excited to go back and check it out.

Crack a guide, a lot of shit gets lost forever there.

I still prefer VI and V.

Posted: Mar 03 2010 09:58 pm

Ash Burton wrote:

I never played IX, but I did recently pick one up at a flea market for 5 bucks. Hearing so many good things I'm excited to go back and check it out.

Well worth it. As much as I love X, I think IX is my single favorite FF game of all time. Enjoy it! Very Happy

Robo is right about the guide though...man oh man. A lot of the stuff you miss isn't really integral to the game, but if you're a completest like me, you'll want it.

2010 SLF Tag Champ Joined: Jun 07 2006 Posts: 12294

Pandajuice wrote:

Personally, I find linearity and lack of exploration a plus because I hate games that are so open ended that it's difficult to find the next objective. Most people will find that a fault though so maybe that means I'll like XIII as much as I did the other black sheeps, IX

I agree with this.

Posted: Mar 04 2010 12:40 am

I am going to pick this up.

I know it won't be near the caliber of past FF titles, but it is sure to beat alot of other games on the market.