Final Fantasy XV (was Versus XIII)

[Hisako]

Spoiler: wallpaper get

 

[Kai Schulen]

When was the last time we had seen a trailer that had 100% new content and wasn't basically them rehashing old trailer footage? (I'm sure it wasn't that long ago, but it feels like my mind has been playing tricks on me.)

Between this trailer and the wallpaper image, I'm just getting the feeling that it's Noctis and Friend's very excellent roadtrip. I mean, that feeling has been there before but now it just feels stronger. XD

 

[Hisako]

It's something. I wouldn't mind the entirety of FFXV being a bunch of Japanese dudebros yukkin' it up on a road trip, it'd be something different at least

"Yo Noctis, I'm like so high right now man we're like surrounded by giant house-sized bulls"
"Duuuude check out that Luna man are y'all goan tap dat"

 

[Ghost X]

I can't say I don't like the looks of it. I get the impression this trailer is only showing one small point of the game, with perhaps brief glimpses of other points. I get a particular sense of some grand story, and that there's a big world to be explored, but that sort of thing can be just my imagination getting ahead of me . Worst element is still the boy band thing (also where is the female presence besides that one girl? ) and the slow development process. As with FFXIII, I'll probably wait until its release, and get a sense of what its like from reviewers before I think of buying it.

In addition, I find the hyper ditsy guy (the blonde one?) too unrealistic / distracting / would not exist in my social groupings . The music I am really liking however.

 

[Kai Schulen]

Ah, I just remembered that the wallpaper of Noctis and everybody doing barbeque reminded me of old school FFs and using tents on the overworld map. XD (BBQ restoring HP and MP, I can get behind that.)

 

[Lex]

I am like super super super into stories involving travel (every FF game ever really) so this appeals to me so much I could explode.

 

[Kai Schulen]

Also, it looks like the article about the playable XV Demo is back.

 

[Hisako]

Also I would really prefer Yoko Shimomura to be the lead composer for future Final Fantasies. If there's anyone who could be capable of capturing the same sense of wonderment and fun as Uematsu did, Shimomura would come pretty close.

Other past leads like Hamauzu and Sakimoto have been pretty good, but I'm personally not a huge fan of Hamauzu's overall direction and I really haven't heard Sakimoto display a whole lot of range

 

[Tetsujin]

Dat Shimomura music. <3

Every time I think I'm out, they pull me back in.

 

[ForceStealer]

I like Hamauzu, but his apparent disdain for the FF leitmotifs irks me. I've been eager to see what Shimomura does with a main FF entry. So far, so good.

 

[Lex]

I thoroughly enjoyed that trailer and it made me PUREASE BE EKKUSAITEDU muchly a bit kind of

Poignant fan-nod end to the trailer too. I'm calling it now though - that combat is going to be hard to master, it really is quite similar to KH and I could never quite get into how the character just darts around in random directions when you perform an action, I find it annoying as fuck.

we shall see

 

[ForceStealer]

Looked more Monster Hunter-ish, from that trailer

 

[Lex]

I'm not familiar with the combat style in Monster Hunter - what's it like?

 

[ForceStealer]

Not button-mashy. Weightier. Bigger focus on timed strikes and positioning than on flashy combos a la Kingdom Hearts.

 

[Lex]

I like the sound of that actually. A combat system that awards developing timing skills appeals to me and I didn't think it would until I learned to block properly in Lightning Returns.

 

[Hisako]

Kind of reminded me of a step up from Lightning Returns, actually (except more focus on positioning and more timing-related gimmicks)

 

[Carlie]

Don't remember if it was mentioned before but Nomura is no longer the director.

 

[Lex]

thar b a thrad my kind mistress

OK actually going to bed now. I'm too drunk on referendum excitement.

One last thing: when I was listening to the music in the trailer I found it really reminiscent of Hamauzu's work on XIII, so I was actually surprised to learn that it was Shimomura. Though the music towards the end doesn't really fit Hamauzu's style, but the beginning definitely sounds like his work.

 

[Carlie]

And I'm sober and didn't know about the thread until you told me.

 

[Kuja9001]

The beasts they were facing when Noctis was hurt is from FFV.

 

[Monterosa]

I'm glad to see a trailer that isn't comprised wholly of battle gameplay. For me, even though battles are an important part of any RPG, the characters and how they carry the plot are more significant. Unfortunately, we still have very little idea of what the story is going to be about, but at least we got to see more of how these four men interact with each other, and I liked that a lot. It was great to see them supporting each other in battle and talk about things while they were driving.

I have a feeling the part of the trailer where they hear news about the emperor negotiating with the king is from a very early part of the game and will be in the demo bundled with FF Type 0.

Visually, this new trailer is astoundingly beautiful. The only part that looked a little off, graphics-wise, was the car.

Finally, I have to agree with all those above who are praising the music. I have full faith that Shimomura will deliver a wonderful soundtrack. She and Hamauzu are my two favourite composers working for Square-Enix by a country mile.

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

I'm glad to see a trailer that isn't comprised wholly of battle gameplay. For me, even though battles are an important part of any RPG, the characters and how they carry the plot are more significant.

Normally, I would agree, but up to now, we had seen disproportionately less of how the game is supposed to play as a game.

 

[Kai Schulen]

I'm glad to see a trailer that isn't comprised wholly of battle gameplay. For me, even though battles are an important part of any RPG, the characters and how they carry the plot are more significant. Unfortunately, we still have very little idea of what the story is going to be about, but at least we got to see more of how these four men interact with each other, and I liked that a lot. It was great to see them supporting each other in battle and talk about things while they were driving.

To be fair, in earlier trailers we had a little bit of plot here and there (mafia kingdom thrives well under the powers of the crystal, it's 2101 war is beginning, somebody set them up the bomb, they have no chance to survive the mystery of Etros' mythology) and character interaction between Noctis and Stella. I mean, I remember the first few trailers of XIII Versus was just basically them showing off cutscenes (to this day, I swear the one woman wail will forever echo in my mind) And then SE releasing "new" trailers that really was just 80% old things and 20% new content. I think it was only maybe until recently (being relative) that they showed any extended gameplay like in this trailer.

Edit: Balls, Tres said it better than I did.

 

[Claymore]

It looks absolutely gorgeous ... I just hope that everything hasn't been sacrificed for the sake of graphics yet again.

 

[Monterosa]

To be fair, in earlier trailers we had a little bit of plot here and there (mafia kingdom thrives well under the powers of the crystal, it's 2101 war is beginning, somebody set them up the bomb, they have no chance to survive the mystery of Etros' mythology) and character interaction between Noctis and Stella. I mean, I remember the first few trailers of XIII Versus was just basically them showing off cutscenes (to this day, I swear the one woman wail will forever echo in my mind) And then SE releasing "new" trailers that really was just 80% old things and 20% new content. I think it was only maybe until recently (being relative) that they showed any extended gameplay like in this trailer.

Edit: Balls, Tres said it better than I did.

You make a very good point, and I agree with you and Tres that gameplay should be the main focus of any new trailer, especially given that the first ones were just cutscenes. However, for me, gameplay is not made up of battles alone. It looks like those driving scenes in the latest trailer are part of the gameplay (I assume you can control the vehicle), even though they are not fighting the whole time. I love boss battles, but those ordinary battles are absolutely not what sell any RPG to me, so I'm glad to see more than just that.

Check out the new FF Type-0 trailer for an example of how not to make a decent gameplay trailer. For all I know, that could just be button mashing. I don't know who those characters are so I have no reason to care about them. The same goes for the world they're living in. Of course I am interested because it's Final Fantasy, but compare it with the FFXV trailer and tell me which is more exciting. It goes to show that battle footage is not enough alone.