But it does have gameplay elements; albeit fewer in comparison to other FF titles, but they're still there.
That's what makes it inferior. They didn't evolve and take the genre or franchise further, they went backwards. That's a sign of laziness.
Could you even consider it a movie if all the cut-scenes shorter than last time and are split up between chunks of gameplay?
It depends on the "chunks of gameplay." If the gameplay is repetitive, weak, and easy, then its basically worthless filler. FFXIII's gameplay can basically be compared to FFX-2's except in a prettier package.
Is dialouge really that important? It's not like he was only around long enough to say his line and get the hell out.
....Um, considering dialogue is the main avenue where we see a character interact, and converse with the characters in the movie. Hell yes, dialogue is important. All he did was fight in the Bahamut Shin fight and get slapped on the head by Cait Sith.
Honestly, why is dialouge so important? Just because a character doesn't speak much, it doesn't mean that character is any less important than the chatterbox right next to him.
...Are you serious? Again. A character not speaking at all in the film, basically makes them a fixture in the background. Dialogue is how a character interacts, converses, and interject themselves in the scene. I guess if dialogue isn't important.... Cloud could through the entire movie and not say a word and it'd be just as good. Or Tifa. Or Sephiroth. Or Cid.
You need dialogue. Especially in characters who've demonstrated speech before and were important, main characters to the story.
And what, pray tell, has XIII really gotten rid of? Towns and open maps for the first 66% or so of the game? The battle system doesn't even make you simply press a button. It gives you a choice you don't even have to take. Exploration happens eventually, and, from what I hear, the final dungeon even gives you the option of leaving so you can run around Pulse.
Towns, people, explorable environments, items, weapons, character customization, shops, optional bosses, optional dungeons and overall difficulty are pretty damn important elements that have been lost. The replay choice being optional doesn't make the game anymore difficult. The fact its a choice and not an inherent requirement to the difficulty and challenge of progression makes the game easier. And FFXIII's maps are already smaller than the previous PS2 installment of the franchise. That's a big problem.
And of course I play RPGs for gameplay, but I mostly play them for the story that I wouldn't really get out of an FPS or a puzzle game. Granted there are FPSes with amazing stories, but they're not particularly common.
There are lots of FPSs that have amazing stories, and even RPG elements. Furthermore, RPGs tell their stories through gameplay and player interaction. Ripping story from gameplay in an RPG is rather bizarre.
VII, and I'm willing to admit I'm too young to have been alive to play anything pre-VI.
Okay, that's cool. Have you played any of the other past FFs before?
Or VI, for that matter. Being an infant makes it difficult to play video games.
Well you could always play them now.
Yes, but FF has recently developed a reputation of have immersive stories. You're complaining because FF has consistently given games with good gameplay, just like it's been giving games with good stories more recently. My point was that RPG elements that are associated with FF aren't enough to make it a game the fans are expecting or want. If SE suddenly came out with another game like III or V, I might be acting the sames as you are now.
That reputation for immersive stories started with FF1, IV, and VI. And that was back in the late 80s. And FF's RPG elements aren't enough to make a full game today? I'd have you look at FFT:A2, FFIV DS, and FF Gaiden. They've done it plenty of times.
Why doesn't an understandable cop out make it acceptable? They didn't include towns, so they have a plotline-relevant reason as to why.
Because it still doesn't excuse it. The fact of the matter is, they cut corners. And writing the story to justify it, still doesn't justify or give adequate reason to them cutting corners and being lazy.
Just what WAS going through their heads when they decided to stop caring so much for the consoles?
I think its either fear, lazinesss, or both, personally.
From what I understand, there are side-quests in the form of missions (there might be more for all I know), and the cut-scenes are cut up, so they don't drag on forever.
A side-quest where you just kill shit, is not enough. That's basically a stripped down version of FFXII's Hunter/Clan HUnt Side Quest, except FFXIII's is not nearly as numerous, in depth, or amusing in terms of its interaction with people and understanding the world of the game. A side quest of just killing shit is pretty weak. How does a first era PS2 game (FFX) manage to have more side quests and exploration than a PS3 era game that took years to develop? Matsuno was able to squeeze so much content on a PS2 disc over around the same period, yet these guys spent the same amount of time, with a higher capability disc and technology, and gave us less? There's seriously something wrong.
Damn, do I feel like I'm playing devil's advocate. Stop bringing me down, guys; I want to still be excited for this when it finally comes out, instead of tired from all the damned debates.
Hey...if you read the initial post in this thread, I warned you.
But the facts need to be said. An inferior product needs to be called out.
