• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

FINAL FANTASY XIII-2 |OT| Change the Future

Lady Bird

Lady Bird

Matsuno's Goebbels
Reveirg said:
No. It's first explained pretty basically by Lebreau by speaking to her in a town. Then, if you want a more detailed explanation, there is one in the datalog.
Then, if you want an even more in-depth explanation, there is more details in a fragment.

That's what I call a well-designed game that makes good use of the possibilities video games offer as far as storytelling goes, instead of going through the boring/cliched story exposition mechanics most games, TV shows and movies use.
Click to expand...
First, the explanation of essential plot details must be given priority in the main narrative, while secondary details can be left to optional or secondary scenes/ text. This is fundamental in storytelling. It is not cliché; unless you're trying to imply that poor writing is original. It has nothing to do with boring story exposition (which, btw, the original FFXIII is plagued with, and FFXIII-2 should be as well if the demo and the same writers are any indication to me).

Second, the possibilities of video games are in the gameplay. Not in quick, boring recaps in optional manuals. That's already boring in book form, where it's all about text, and should be obviously worse in game form (when it comes to important plot details, I mean). In fact, that's the typical "boring/ cliched story exposition" you mentioned, just even worse, because it's not even in cutscene form, and 2 out of your 3 examples are not even on gameplay form.
 
Zoe

Zoe

Member
Grivenger said:
First, the explanation of essential plot details must be given priority in the main narrative, while secondary details can be left to optional or secondary scenes/ text. This is fundamental in storytelling. It is not cliché; unless you're trying to imply that poor writing is original. It has nothing to do with boring story exposition (which, btw, the original FFXIII is plagued with, and FFXIII-2 should be as well if the demo and the same writers are any indication to me).
Click to expand...

But what if it's something that's not understood, so all the townspeople can say is "it just happened?"
 
S

StuBurns

Banned
I'm pretty deep in at the moment, at
Chapter 5, just going to leave Noel's dream
, mostly loving it, best FF since X for me, I was wondering though, is
----Vanille's----
voice actor the same?
 
L

laika09

Member
StuBurns said:
I'm pretty deep in at the moment, at
Chapter 5, just going to leave Noel's dream
, mostly loving it, best FF since X for me, I was wondering though, is
----Vanille's----
voice actor the same?
Click to expand...

It's credited the same, but I agree that
she
sounded really different.
 
L

laika09

Member
RPGCrazied said:
Aren't all the voices the same as XIII? Save for the new characters. But why did they give Mog a voice?

Terrible.
Click to expand...

It's really easy to tell that they left in the Japanese VA's 'kupos' in all the non-event dialogue, because they're so much more believable. (I love holding L1 and listening to Mog squirm.) The English VA was... uninspired.
 
T

Toki767

Member
StuBurns said:
I'm pretty deep in at the moment, at
Chapter 5, just going to leave Noel's dream
, mostly loving it, best FF since X for me, I was wondering though, is
----Vanille's----
voice actor the same?
Click to expand...

I was wondering that too. Something seemed off about the voice...
like less of an Australian accent
 
cj_iwakura

cj_iwakura

Member
God that mega boss music is hot. Mega Otherworld vibes.

I shouldn't be fighting that giant flan, but with music like that, I'll do it anyway!
 
C

CountBlack

Member
Is it just me or does
A Dying World
remind you of pride rock from the Lion King? After an apocalypse of course.
23353606.jpg


Probably just me :p
 
B

BuckRobotron

Member
Been thoroughly enjoying the game as I'm about to enter
Academia (400AF)
iirc. The intelligent refinement of the FFXIII battle system and expanded world exploration are very welcome. While easy in general, there are some enemies and "marks" around that can at least put up a fight...or which I quickly discovered I needed to skip for now (
Gorgyra
).

And the story so far hasn't really put me off, interesting at least. Serah is actually not too bad, though I have been choosing the most intelligent responses so far. The one time I tested out a dimmer response Noel sighed saying "Work with me here..." Hah. Noel himself as has been noted by many is an agreeable straight arrow of a character, sporadically sullen but mostly of solid character. Excellent choices of voice actors as well.

But what I mostly look forward to in rpgs is an expansive and entertaining battle system to screw around with, and with the compelling monster ally system on top of the other refinements here, FFXIII-2 delivers.
 
Zoe

Zoe

Member
Jeels said:
The video titles themselves have spoilers and they show up if you are using the Neogaf Youtube Chrome extension. :/ Thanks a bunch.
Click to expand...

Extensions aren't officially recognized by these forums, so you may want to stay out of threads like this if you don't want to be spoiled...
 
J

Jeels

Member
Zoe said:
Extensions aren't officially recognized by these forums, so you may want to stay out of threads like this if you don't want to be spoiled...
Click to expand...

This is literally the first time something like this has happened, I'm not going to stay out of general discussion threads.
 
K

K' Dash

Member
uuhh, guise, anyone had trouble installing this on 360?, I looked it up on the googles and it said I had to sign out from live and try again, thank God it worked, is it just a few copies or every single one?
 
H

Hi2u

Banned
Ok so there's contradicting info for getting the casino coins achievement. Some people are saying you need to get it in one visit to serendipity. Other people are saying its cumulative and won't reset your coins gained on subsequent visits. So which is it?
 
R

Reveirg

Member
Grivenger said:
First, the explanation of essential plot details must be given priority in the main narrative, while secondary details can be left to optional or secondary scenes/ text. This is fundamental in storytelling.
Click to expand...

Really? The fact that the characters are able to use magic is an essential plot detail?

Grivenger said:
It is not cliché; unless you're trying to imply that poor writing is original. It has nothing to do with boring story exposition (which, btw, the original FFXIII is plagued with, and FFXIII-2 should be as well if the demo and the same writers are any indication to me).
Click to expand...

It does when it's non-essential details, which is the case now. So many games have huge pacing issues because of this (I'm looking at you, Tales of series)

Grivenger said:
Second, the possibilities of video games are in the gameplay.
Click to expand...

For me, they're also when story, sound design, visual art and music are not only great, but linked with the gameplay in an original way. In-game datalogs, textbook reading, etc. is a part of RPGs that I really enjoy, and I'm bummed when they're not included.


Grivenger said:
Not in quick, boring recaps in optional manuals.
Click to expand...

I thought we agreed they weren't recaps, but information that weren't available in the cutscenes? That's what we were arguing about...


Zoe said:
But what if it's something that's not understood, so all the townspeople can say is "it just happened?"
Click to expand...

This is also true. You can't expect the characters to know about everything, and having some details and story exposition coming from artefacts that you find in-game is a pretty cool game mechanism.


Grivenger said:
and FFXIII-2 should be as well if the demo and the same writers are any indication to me
Click to expand...

Oh, you didn't even play the game? Why am I arguing then >_>
 
K

Kagari

Crystal Bearer
burgerdog said:
I tried to do a couple of them without the site and it wasn't fun at all. The fact that they reset if you fail is quite stupid.
Click to expand...

The clock puzzles are downright bad. I beat the Japanese version without using them and spent hours being frustrated.
 
Zoe

Zoe

Member
Not all of the clock puzzles reset (unless that changed for the English version).

I actually liked the static ones.
 
D

Dark Schala

Eloquent Princess
Goli said:
Yomi, the re-skinned Vercingetorix.
Click to expand...
...! :D

Does Yomi use the same attack patterns as Vercingetorix? No, no, wait... is it as strong as Vercingetorix (without you using Tri-Defenders + poison because that's a boring strategy)? No, wait... is Yomi as quick as Vercingetorix, so that I have to Optima Shift often?

Er... Vercingetorix and Atticus were my favourite enemies in FFXIII, so...
 
L

laika09

Member
Dark Schala said:
...! :D

Does Yomi use the same attack patterns as Vercingetorix? No, no, wait... is it as strong as Vercingetorix (without you using Tri-Defenders + poison because that's a boring strategy)? No, wait... is Yomi as quick as Vercingetorix, so that I have to Optima Shift often?

Er... Vercingetorix and Atticus were my favourite enemies in FFXIII, so...
Click to expand...

They're basically identical, but Yomi is scaled down to XIII-2 level stats. It's still a fun fight, the same basic strategy applies.

The new Atticus dies in like 20 seconds though.
 
D

Dark Schala

Eloquent Princess
burgerdog said:
Aw yeah, if I had to choose my favorite battle in 13, that would be it.
Click to expand...
It's even more satisfying when you're not using a Defender! He's so quick, and you've just gotta find a way to pile on him since he isn't easily staggered the first time you fight him (well, I fought him without my Crystarium being levelled too much, and it was really fun). :3

The music helps too. So dramatic.

laika09 said:
They're basically identical, but Yomi is scaled down to XIII-2 level stats. It's still a fun fight, the same basic strategy applies.

The new Atticus dies in like 20 seconds though.
Click to expand...
Nooooooooo... :(

Yomi doesn't sound too bad, though. Looking forward to fighting it.
 
G

Goli

Member
Dark Schala said:
...! :D

Does Yomi use the same attack patterns as Vercingetorix? No, no, wait... is it as strong as Vercingetorix (without you using Tri-Defenders + poison because that's a boring strategy)? No, wait... is Yomi as quick as Vercingetorix, so that I have to Optima Shift often?

Er... Vercingetorix and Atticus were my favourite enemies in FFXIII, so...
Click to expand...

The fight is much much easier. And there are some Attacus like monsters on the Archylte Steppe during the cloudy weather, but they're pretty tame too.
It's disappointing how all of FFXIII-2's super bosses aren't that much hard at all ):.
Even Attil--- Raspatil is easy. The only thing is s/he/it summons Cie'th but they can be taken out so quickly it's almost as if they weren't there.
 
B

burgerdog

Member
Goli said:
The fight is much much easier. And there are some Attacus like monsters on the Archylte Steppe during the cloudy weather, but they're pretty tame too.
It's disappointing how all of FFXIII-2's super bosses aren't that much hard at all ):.
Even Attil--- Raspatil is easy. The only thing is s/he/it summons Cie'th but they can be taken out so quickly it's almost as if they weren't there.
Click to expand...

That's disappointing, I will not be happy if they're holding back the truly challenging boss battles so that they could add them as DLC.
 
L

laika09

Member
I'm beating Yomi in about 4 minutes, 3:15 if I get lucky with impenetrables. From memory (it's been 2 years!) I think Vercingetorix took about twice that long... honestly I don't mind the difference. You still need to be quick on the trigger once he starts Wicked Whirl.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Future Final Fantasy Titles more likely to be Day One on PC
Game Dev
0
270
Draugoth replied
What's wrong with the mainline Final Fantasy series?
2 3
146
4K
Jigsaah replied
Square Enix to Double Down on Xbox Releases, Final Fantasy 14 Producer Says
2 3
147
5K
LordCBH replied
Final Fantasy XIII Trilogy Remastered maybe coming to PC(and probably Consoles too)
News Rumor
45
3K
Werewolf Jones replied
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth | Spoiler Thread
2 3 4 5 6
252
18K
Nankatsu replied
Top Bottom