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FINAL FANTASY XIII-2 |OT| Change the Future

W

weeaboo

Member
desu said:
So i have almost completed the game here is what I think.

Before I start I have to say that I really liked 13, but I was more than sceptical about 13-2, cant say my fears were pointless.

Random notes (only about the story time, not post game, stuff might change there):
- Roles/Paradigms:You need 3(atk,bla,hlr) roles and (3xatk, atk-bla-bla,atk-bla-hlr) paradigms to reach the end boss, more is not needed. I reached the final with those 3 paradigms I set in the beginning of the game and never changed them once. I suppose you might need the rest post game ...
- Weapons: wow all of them are just palett swaps, no new models ...
- Accs: well there are a couple but since there are restrictions (weight?) on accs now they are kind of pointless in the main game, once again only needed post game?
- Difficulty: game is so easy, its not funny, even worse the bosses are complete jokes (except maybe the final one)
- Recycling, about I dunno 5 new normal enemies and most bosses are new, otherwise only old models and color swaps.
-Stagger: you only need stagger in like the first 1/3 of the game after than you kill enemies before you can stagger them which leads to like playing 50%+ of the game with paradigm atk-atk-atk only since its faster and easier to play that way (bosses are excluded from this)
- Monsters in party: I would trade all those 150 monsters just for one more good party member ... that being sad there are some cool monsters which are sometimes stronger than even your own party members.
- Mog clock: Omg just how much I hate that thing, you guys love random encounters?, oh hell then you will love this! Honestly some areas have so high encounter rates, you literally walk 3-5 steps and the next random encounter happens, its totally annoying. I also hate that they removed smokes, in 13 you could mostly decide on your own if you wanted to fight or not, here you can try to run away ... which can lead to you having to restart from the last save point instead if repeating the battle.
- OST: Some really good tracks, but man all those bad vocal tracks ... not my thing.
- Story: well lots of people have seen the end, I think its total garbage...
- Locations: There are some pretty cool ones, but also quite some boring ones, in particular is so bad, looks ps2 and could be created in like a day ... really bad.
- Livetrigger and QTEs are just annoying, get away with them please ...
+ lots of stuff I probably have forgotten

Overall I always felt like there was a thought behind everything in 13, however in 13-2 it seems like someone just threw tons of random gameplay elements into mixer and at the end got a game. Its like they had no plan what they wanted to do when they made the game (which is probably due to the super short dev time.)
Click to expand...

Pre order definitely canceled, moving my budget to Graces f ~
 
F

FateBreaker

Member
salromano said:
Saw this on 2ch (in a much more difficult to read, cajumbled, text format - I cleaned it up in Excel). Not sure how accurate the numbers are or the poster's sources, but here it is regardless:

ffsaleszgo8d.png
Click to expand...

ouuuccchhh
 
UberTag

UberTag

Member
desu said:
Overall I always felt like there was a thought behind everything in 13, however in 13-2 it seems like someone just threw tons of random gameplay elements into mixer and at the end got a game. Its like they had no plan what they wanted to do when they made the game (which is probably due to the super short dev time.)
Click to expand...
Their "plan" was to let Toriyama shape his gaming equivalent of the Star Wars trilogy using recycled FFXIII game assets while latching themselves onto a handful of prolific FFXIII complaints (corridors, no towns, endless tutorial) as their "we listened to the fans" sales pitch while going out of their way to blatantly smokescreen people who purchased the game regarding Lightning (
15 minutes playtime total; gone after the opening act
), multiple endings, guest partner characters (
just Snow
) and letting gamers "change the future" and experience "hope and courage" by playing the game to completion (
there is no completion - please buy DLC and FFXIII-3 - Toriyama has bills to pay - shame everyone is dead right now - we'll make it all better with some lame deus ex machina twist if you pay us more
).

THAT was their plan.
 
S

Swag

Member
Damn I thought this was out, went to a Gamestop and casually asked for FF13-2, guy behind the counter looked at me real funny.
 
M

MechaX

Member
desu said:
*FFXIII-2 Impressions*
Click to expand...

Man, I didn't think the difficulty took that big of a hit. Yeah, I know that difficulty in some fights was one complaint in FFXIII, but I hoped that SE wouldn't swing the pendulum in the complete other direction.

At the very least, does the game have a lot of harder mobs like the missions seen in FFXIII? Outside of some paradox ending-related bosses, I actually haven't seen any difficult enemies in any of the streams in the same vein.

... I'm going to upend a table if they're meant to be DLC.
 
A

Appollowexx

Member
The soundtrack is fantastic, not quite as good as XIII though, but I like the change in style. It's definatley going to be one of the OST to beat in 2012.

Shame to hear that the game can be beaten in around 20-25hrs at a casual pace but then again I suppose it was put together in less than 2 years. Also a shame to hear the story is pretty crappy again. Then again that's what I deserve for expecting anything more I suppose. Graphical downgrades are annoying too.

Gameplay sounds improved and I already loved the battle system in XIII so they nailed the key component it seems.
 
E

Electivirus

Member
Appollowexx said:
The soundtrack is fantastic, not quite as good as XIII though, but I like the change in style. It's definatley going to be one of the OST to beat in 2012.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure if I like XIII's or XIII-2's OST better. Really, I think both are absolutely perfect at what they try to do and both have tons of variety between them.
 
Z

ZephyrFate

Banned
Appollowexx said:
The soundtrack is fantastic, not quite as good as XIII though, but I like the change in style. It's definatley going to be one of the OST to beat in 2012.

Shame to hear that the game can be beaten in around 20-25hrs at a casual pace but then again I suppose it was put together in less than 2 years. Also a shame to hear the story is pretty crappy again. Then again that's what I deserve for expecting anything more I suppose. Graphical downgrades are annoying too.

Gameplay sounds improved and I already loved the battle system in XIII so they nailed the key component it seems.
Click to expand...

Agreed, XIII-2's OST is just fantastic as hell. I'm getting it for that reason alone.
 
S

Styles

Member
The sales were less than I had hoped for, I would have thought it would at least do a little more than half of XIII's opening week.
 
L

Lissar

Reluctant Member
Dark Schala said:
One of my friends imported the game and just got to those quizzes. They're apparently soooo bad and soooo vague. Maybe you need to talk to NPCs to get the answers? Is there a guide for it? Edit: I think this is it.

And looking forward to your translations. You put a lot of effort into translating them, so I'll read them. Isn't there an epilogue novel coming out? Fragments After or whatever?
Click to expand...

The quizzes really are insane. I mean I talk to all the NPCs I come into contact with, but it's some really random information they want you to remember. It would be nice if the NPCs in the area would give answers to the quiz, but most of them just seem to say things like "Hope is so awesome~" so they're pretty much useless. I used the guide, but it's not complete. Fortunately I've usually been able to guess the ones they don't have. Unfortunately it doesn't help at all with the ones where it could be either one :/

Thanks, I can't wait to translate them! I just have to finish my paid translation work and then I can get onto it. Fortunately the first section is just Episode i again (or unfortunately since I'm planning on taking that down whenever the official English version is out...) I don't know how the rest is since I haven't had a chance to read it yet. Hoping for something a bit less silly than Episode i. I think there is supposed to be a Fragments After, but I haven't seen anything of it yet.
 
K

Kagari

Crystal Bearer
Omega DLC is up on JPSN for free for a limited time right now. I'm only going to get the free content... SE's splitting up by region/retail/console really killed it.
 
D

Deleted member 20920

Unconfirmed Member
Lissar said:
Ahahaha, this game. Paradox is just their catch-all concept for them not having to make the plot make any sense. Why did this happen? Paradox! Just what FF needed, our own version of nanomachines. At least the plot in some sections is so bad it's hilarious. Unfortunately not quite Star Ocean 4 levels of entertainment, since most of it is just mediocre.

And oh my god those quizzes. Using a guide it's all fine (even if they have questions like: What is the first line of the opening theme song of the popular Cactaur detective TV series? I mean, what? Although I managed to guess that.) But when they have questions like, "Which hand is the candy in? Right or Left?" and then the answer is whatever they feel like at the time, it's maddening! (I dread seeing Lucky Questions. You'd think since there are only two choices, you'd get them 50% right, but I've gotten 100% wrong.)

In any case, got the new book so I'll be translating the story! I don't know why I'm so excited to translate this thing. Even if it's really good it isn't going to help with the game plot. Oh well, look out for it soon I guess?
Click to expand...

Haha I have a feeling Toriyama doesn't entirely grasp the concept of the word Paradox... But I still think the plot isn't all that bad (from what I can understand).

Are they any ways to know the answers to the quizzes in the game anyway? The ones about FFXIII were easy but most of them are really random questions especially the ones about Kochus, Cactaur, Moggles and Tonberries.

Example questions for those not playing:
What sort of man gets called a Tonberry Man?
What is Tonberry parenting?

And yay for getting the new book:) If I'm not mistaken I hear there will be another book that deals with the events after. Called Fragments After.
 
K

Kagari

Crystal Bearer
entrydenied said:
Thanks:) I managed to do 3 of the quizzes before I found any guide...Took me really long lol...

Have you been doing the quizzes by
Daddy Bear/Amodar lookalike
in Academia? Can't seem to
find him after the first time
.
Click to expand...

I've only done the ones inside the HQ building :eek:
 
D

dragonlife

Member
"Run" is probably my favorite track. It's so awesome. Where does it play? An escape scene? Most of my favorite tracks aren't even from Hamauzu--they're from Naoshi Mizuta. I've never heard of him before but he's gooooood, at least from what I hear in this soundtrack.
 
K

klee123

Member
Kagari said:
For the three major regions, it's estimated around 18-19% of sales were on 360, ~82% on PS3.
Click to expand...

I suspect sales between the two platforms would have been a lot closer in the US though.

On another note, FFXIII-2 360 didn't even chart in Japan. Sometimes I even wonder why S-E even bothers with the system there.
 
K

Kagari

Crystal Bearer
klee123 said:
I suspect sales between the two platforms would have been a lot closer in the US though.

On another note, FFXIII-2 360 didn't even chart in Japan. Sometimes I even wonder why S-E even bothers.
Click to expand...

62/38 in the US.

And yeah... FFXIII-2 360 in Japan was a total non-event.
 
D

Deleted member 20920

Unconfirmed Member
http://andriasang.com/comzgp/media_create_20_to_30/

It didn't even chart in numbers 20 to 30.

•[WII] 21: Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo, 04.10.2008)
•[PSV] 22: Disgaea 3 Return (Nippon Ichi, 12.17.2011)
•[WII] 23: Minna no Rhythm Tengoku (Nintendo, 07.21.2011)
•[PSP] 24: Lord of Apocalypse (Square Enix, 12.17.2011)
•[PS3] 25: Gundam Extreme VS (Namco Bandai, 12.01.2011)
•[PS3] 26: The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim (Bethesda, 12.08.2011)
•[3DS] 27: Nintendogs + Cats (Nintendo, 02.26.2011)
•[PSV] 28: Ridge Racer (Namco Bandai, 12.17.2011)
•[NDS] 29: Tamagotchi Collection (Namco Bandai, 11.10.2011)
•[PSV] 30: Shin Kamaitachi no Yoru (Chunsoft, 12.17.2011)
Click to expand...
 
L

Lissar

Reluctant Member
entrydenied said:
Haha I have a feeling Toriyama doesn't entirely grasp the concept of the word Paradox... But I still think the plot isn't all that bad (from what I can understand).
Click to expand...

The story isn't absolutely terrible I would say (barring some moments and some of the dialogue... although honestly I found less cringe-worthy lines in this game than in the first one.) But for the most part the story is just kind of there. While playing I was having to also translate on the fly, and sometimes I didn't know what to translate because they weren't really saying anything important or critical, just noise to fill up space. I guess that is my problem with the whole story, it just felt like a tacked on filler story. It doesn't really add anything except making the universe needlessly confusing. A simpler story may have been more compelling.
 
S

StunandStab

Member
Kagari said:
Omega DLC is up on JPSN for free for a limited time right now. I'm only going to get the free content... SE's splitting up by region/retail/console really killed it.
Click to expand...

Any chance the Japanese DLC will work with the NA release of the game? (I'm assuming it's a no, but I'm gonna download anyway)
 
ULTROS!

ULTROS!

People seem to like me because I am polite and I am rarely late. I like to eat ice cream and I really enjoy a nice pair of slacks.
Kagari said:
62/38 in the US.

And yeah... FFXIII-2 360 in Japan was a total non-event.
Click to expand...

So... 3.977m units for PS3 and 800k units for 360.

US = 1.116m for PS3, 684k for 360.
EU = 961k for PS3, 116k for 360
 
K

Kyon

Banned
Did not notice the 360 exclusive DLC...... Square now deserves this game bombing.
-____- I can't believe this crap
still importing lol

EDIT: Is the Platform DLC that significant? What is it exactly?
 
D

Deleted member 20920

Unconfirmed Member
Kyon said:
Did not notice the 360 exclusive DLC...... Square now deserves this game bombing.
-____- I can't believe this crap
still importing lol

EDIT: Is the Platform DLC that significant? What is it exactly?
Click to expand...

It's just a weapon that ups the chain bonus and looks different from the ones offered in the game.
 
L

Lissar

Reluctant Member
Anyone else notice that Noel's battle phrases (at least some of them, it has been awhile since I've played XIII) are exactly like Fang's? It just stood out to me since his outfit is quite similar.

Also just finished Vile Peaks:
Haha, Lightning had a whole team of people with similar code-names? What? I mean I guess, but it sort of changes the feeling I get behind her changing her name.
 
D

Deleted member 20920

Unconfirmed Member
Lissar said:
Anyone else notice that Noel's battle phrases (at least some of them, it has been awhile since I've played XIII) are exactly like Fang's? It just stood out to me since his outfit is quite similar.

Also just finished Vile Peaks:
Haha, Lightning had a whole team of people with similar code-names? What? I mean I guess, but it sort of changes the feeling I get behind her changing her name.
Click to expand...

My Japanese isn't good but I thought/assumed
the team named themselves such as a tribute to her
?

Also for those who have reached Academia
AF4XXX
and have given this particular fragment from Xanadu to a particular person there(
Hope and the fragment is the Chaos Crystal
), can you choose
both weapons eventually say through closing and reopening of the gate/

Kagari said:
I've only done the ones inside the HQ building :eek:
Click to expand...

Found out that his location is random and saving before
answering his quiz
doesn't work since the game always loads in the Historia Crux...

EDIT

http://tinyurl.com/cvr2vbm

Found a page containing
Daddy Bear's
possible locations and the clues given by random NPCs ^_^
 
R

Realyn

Member
weeaboo said:
Pre order definitely canceled, moving my budget to Graces f ~
Click to expand...

My biggest problem: it´s too easy. Sad you dont need Jammer at all. First FF I am not getting on release. Would have bought the stupid expensive crystal or whatever edition+ + limited book.

Excuse me SE, I want to be challenged.

Edit: I didn´t hated 13 like many people did, but aside from Dark souls, the last good RPG I played has been ToV. LONG and GOOD story with some twists. Funny chemistry with Rita, the little guy(damn can´t remember his name .. something with K). A lot of extra content. Good old RPG style Art / weapon system. Whenever you enter a town, you buy new stuff or craft new weapons, thats it. I Could fkn go on and on and on ...
 
I

Isaccard

Member
Realyn said:
My biggest problem: it´s too easy. Sad you dont need Jammer at all. First FF I am not getting on release. Would have bought the stupid expensive crystal or whatever edition+ + limited book.

Excuse me SE, I want to be challenged.

Edit: I didn´t hated 13 like many people did, but aside from Dark souls, the last good RPG I played has been ToV. LONG and GOOD story with some twists. Funny chemistry with Rita, the little guy(damn can´t remember his name .. something with K). A lot of extra content. Good old RPG style Art / weapon system. Whenever you enter a town, you buy new stuff or craft new weapons, thats it. I Could fkn go on and on and on ...
Click to expand...

Karol/Carol. Or Karl/Carl. I forget. ._.
 
Y

yogaflame

Member
FF magic is gone, not the same as before because of fallen quality. Multiplatform FF killed the quality of the game and since most of there great developers and designers are gone(Sakaguchi, amano, etc), FF is dead. Thank you MS for killing the quality of FF. Moving on.
 
C

crazygambit

Member
I've skimmed the thread, but haven't seen anything about voice over languages.

I assume the american version will just be an english dub and not have the option for japanese voices with english subtitles as has been the norm for every Final Fantasy ever.

However last time I imported the chinese version that came with the japanese voices and was completely in english. It made the game much more tolerable. Is there any such version for XIII-2? I'm willing to import, last time it was actually cheaper than buying locally, so I don't mind. If I can't get the original voices, but with subs and menus I can understand I'll be passing on the game.
 
N

Neki

Member
yogaflame said:
FF magic is gone, not the same as before because of fallen quality. Multiplatform FF killed the quality of the game and since most of there great developers and designers are gone(Sakaguchi, amano, etc), FF is dead. Thank you MS for killing the quality of FF. Moving on.
Click to expand...

I can't tell if you're being serious.
 
T

thematic

Member
crazygambit said:
I've skimmed the thread, but haven't seen anything about voice over languages.

I assume the american version will just be an english dub and not have the option for japanese voices with english subtitles as has been the norm for every Final Fantasy ever.

However last time I imported the chinese version that came with the japanese voices and was completely in english. It made the game much more tolerable. Is there any such version for XIII-2? I'm willing to import, last time it was actually cheaper than buying locally, so I don't mind. If I can't get the original voices, but with subs and menus I can understand I'll be passing on the game.
Click to expand...

PS3 version : http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-1v8w-71-bp-49-en-84-j-70-4f7c.html
X360 version : http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-1v8w-71-dw-49-en-84-j-70-4hxo.html

both is "Chinese Language Version"
 
V

V_Arnold

Member
yogaflame said:
FF magic is gone, not the same as before because of fallen quality. Multiplatform FF killed the quality of the game and since most of there great developers and designers are gone(Sakaguchi, amano, etc), FF is dead. Thank you MS for killing the quality of FF. Moving on.
Click to expand...

No sir.
Thank you.

Thank you for your amazing insight.
 
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