Final Fantasy XIII Non-Spoiler Thread

[Strangelove]

If a game was just a series of shooting Spaniards in the face or beating up some small animals for EXP, I probably wouldn't be that interested in playing it.

I want to feel like I'm getting something from it, and personally that's seeing a story or the world the game creates.

 

[Makoeyes987]

If a game was just a series of shooting Spaniards in the face or beating up some small animals for EXP, I probably wouldn't be that interested in playing it.

I want to feel like I'm getting something from it, and personally that's seeing a story or the world the game creates.

The fact you don't get anything out of beating up small animals speaks to your flawed human nature.

Hell, to be honest, I don't need an RPG to do that! I'm goin' seal clubbin' this weekend!

 

[Strangelove]

I always knew there was something not right about you.

 

[Bex]

The only thing I don't like about FFXIII so far is that it doesn't pick up until Palumpolum, really.
The battles start to get alot better then imho.

Just reached Gran Pulse, and omg. Too much space. ;.;

 

[Alessa Gillespie]

Meh. Combat in most FF games is just serviceable. I never saw it as a main draw.

It's not like with Mass Effect 2, where the core shooting gameplay is really fun and engaging, AND the exploration, character interaction and plot are phenomenal.

IAWTC. Fighting in Final Fantasy is generally boring because you do the same shit over and over, that typically being 'whitemageheal, blackmagefire, everyoneelsehitwithweapon'. OH LORD GUYS STOP ME BEFORE I GET ADDICTED.

Whereas with some Bioware games (alright, just Mass Effect pretty much, since I get pretty dang sick of KotOR-like games that are like 'HIT! 12! MISS! MISS!' and you can pretty much walk away and go get a pop while you wail on some bad guys) is pretty satisfying, since you know when you've hit an enemy, and moreover, exploration of other areas is fun and different, while I would complain ME1 has not had planets like Feros where I can explore the colony and most of the rest are battling terrain on a Mako. But the main reason I enjoy the games is because I enjoy how much I as a player am effecting my crew's personal development and how much I am able to help/be a dick to everyone else. It's awesome.

On the other hand, besides rather dull fighting for a majority of the FF games I've played, I've really enjoyed the storyline and inter-character discussions. If I could add something to Mass Effect, it'd probably be getting to know how Garrus feels about Tali more than just 'grr-you-quarians-made-geth!' and to see that develop, but it hasn't. Perhaps I just haven't played the game long enough to see anything like that, but whatever.

I enjoy the feeling I get from some JRPGs that I'm affecting character growth, but moreover that the characters grow on their own. I don't get that so much with a lot of Bioware games I've completed (Jade Empire and KotOR). I think that sort of feeling of being able to watch characters grow is something that has lead me to coming back to Final Fantasy time and time again despite disappointment with the series (I AM LOOKING AT YOU FINAL FANTASY VIII YOU ARE LUCKY I ONLY PAID $5 FOR YOU.) I know that Zidane forming the party effected Steiner, but so did Beatrix coming back to their side to fight against the queen. I guess that's just something I enjoy as a player.

 

[Tennyo]

The fact that you'd spend 60 bucks for the LOTR trilogy reeks of failure, right off the bat. Sorry.

You would be better off doing that. Or at the very least getting those movies off the discount DVD aisle.

I think I'm going to have to give a great big NO U on that one there, Mako.

What he said.


I got the extended editions as well and don't regret a penny of it, Mako.

^This

I have enjoyed past battle systems, but I saw them as a means to an end (advancing the story) than something to enjoy on its own. Unless it's for levelling up or some other gameplay goal, I'm going through the battles to get to the next part of the game and the story. I might enjoy myself along the way, but it's not really my goal.


I was wondering if there was stuff that would alleviate Ultimania workloads. Because that's be muy bueno

But take pictures of the arts, plz.

Well said. I think I've enjoyed the battle systems in KHs more than Final Fantasy. Except for X. That game had some really good bossfights.

Truth be told a lot of past FF's can become tedious with time. Random battles had a tendency to really piss me off sometimes when they happened at the wrong moments.

But boss fights and story kept me going.

 

[Max Payne]

Truth be told a lot of past FF's can become tedious with time. Random battles had a tendency to really piss me off sometimes when they happened at the wrong moments.

But boss fights and story kept me going.

pretty much.

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

I have enjoyed past battle systems, but I saw them as a means to an end (advancing the story) than something to enjoy on its own.

That's the way I had to play every FF except for VI, VII, VIII, X and Tactics. I especially had to play III, IV and IX that way.

I could actually enjoy battles in VI, VII, VIII, X and Tactics, but the only ones that I've ever found myself turning on just to do some battles were X and Tactics. I could literally play Tactics at any time just for the fun of it.

I was wondering if there was stuff that would alleviate Ultimania workloads. Because that's be muy bueno

It's possible. This thing does do an impressive bit of talking about the story. We'll have to compare notes and see how much or how little workload it alleviates.

But take pictures of the arts, plz.

Will do.

 

[ForceStealer]

How many of you have actually played through one of XIII's tough battles? Regardless of whether you think there is enough gameplay or not, this battle system is A TON of fun. It approaches strategy in a completely different way, "paradigm shit" was a surprisingly accurate term. The focus on higher strategy vs the traditional micromanaging approach is really different and fun, imo.

And so much customization! There are a lot of tough decisions to make with the limited gil (compared to other FFs), weapons upgrades and classes....

I sure feel like I have the controller in my hand for most of it.

 

[Max Payne]

For those of you worried about the lack of content and linearity in FF games, go read this thread http://thelifestream.net/forums/showthread.php?t=4419

 

[Tetsujin]

The battle system is FUN.

I think this is the most fun for me in an FF game so far.
I could play this game just for the battles. Unlike all the other FFs where the battles were of secondary importance to me.

 

[Cthulhu]

For what it's worth, I kinda liked XII's battle system too.

But, I have to admit, maybe because it wasn't as tedious as that of previous FF games, not because it was compared to other games. It was closest to that of ye olde Bioware games (KotOR, mainly), afaik. But still rather repetitive eventually .

 

[Tetsujin]

Fuck's sake man. Odin's one tough motherfucker. D<

 

[Strangelove]

Fuck's sake man. Odin's one tough motherfucker. D<

Get used to it. Most of the summons are.

Or were for me

 

[Bex]

Hecatoncheir is the hardest imho.
Then Brynhildr.
The rest were relatively easy.

 

[Strangelove]

I found Odin hard because that's the first (or was that Shiva?) one and you have to get used to the whole summon battling. Brynhildr because I had the wrong Optima set up first time around. And Hecatoncheir because it was fucking powerful and kept killing me off.

Shiva was relatively simple, I don't think Alexander or Bahamut took me that many tries (2 or 3 at the most).

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

What are the odds of anyone making it through the whole game without dying once? There are some FFs where it's possible to do, and not that hard.

And then there's this one.

 

[ForceStealer]

Given that only your party leader need die for a game over, it's pretty easy to do so.

And I don't think I passed a single Eidolon battle in one try.

 

[DLPB]

What are the odds of anyone making it through the whole game without dying once? There are some FFs where it's possible to do, and not that hard.

And then there's this one.

No game is too difficult, believe me you get people who spend their lives on games and do it. Euro Extreme mode in MGS2 was hard as nails to complete but someone did it without dying, and there are those that can do it without rations and with instant game over mode on. (I completed every mission with a no.1 rating on the VR special missions MGS1, and that was HARD)

Nothing FF can throw is as hard as that.

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

You're probably right. Somebody will make a point of doing it just to show that it's possible. Like that guy who beat Halo 2 on Legendary without dying once. Fucking insane.



By the way, guys, here's those art scans I promised from the strategy guide:
http://www.mediafire.com/?nlo2dnztllo

I'd intended to just scan the entirety of the pages from the story section, but the hardback nature of the book made that prove impossible.

As well, I apologize for the lack of perfect quality in the scans. My scanner is several years old.

 

[Dark and Divine]

By the way, guys, here's those art scans I promised from the strategy guide:
http://www.mediafire.com/?nlo2dnztllo

Thanks!

Any info in the guide about

Spoiler: who or what this is?

 

[Bex]

ACTUAL SPOILER

Spoiler

It's one of the fal'Cie who guides you through Orphan's cradle

 

[Strangelove]

Spoiler: actual spoiler

It's one of the bodies/representations of fal'Cie Eden, isn't it?

 

[DLPB]

Like that guy who beat Halo 2 on Legendary without dying once. Fucking insane.

Yes that really is insane...the amount of time required to get that good is ridiculous. You have to know exactly where everything is and when it is.

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

Just wanted to let you guys know that if you're interested in the story analysis section of the strategy guide, PM me or ask here and I'll send you the text. I typed it all up since scanning the pages proved unsuccessful.

I would just post it here, but I'm not sure that I should given that, unlike the Ultimanias, this is the exact text used in a book written in English and accessible to most any westerner.