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[Regulus Tera]

Chapter 6 is cute even if it makes me believe that Sazh is the most incompetent father ever. Then I get to chapter 7 and Hope starts his "pets" rant and all the goodwill I had in me vanishes. I know Final Fantasy has never been known for its subtlety, but there's "being straight-forward" and then there's "getting hit with melodrama the size of an anvil".

OK I know I've only focused on the bads, but there's plenty good too! Like, the battle system. I don't love it, but I find it very fun. I like how they took a hint out of FFXII and made non-boss battles difficult again. I may hate it at first, but being cockblocked after staggering an opponent because I suddenly need to heal makes me play more carefully.

Yeah that's about it though.

 

[LiK]

ah, finally lost cuz of the Doom clock. booo at

Spoiler

Sazh Eidolin

my streak as ended...

 

[Community Forum]

So I'm still early in the game (chapter 5), and the whole shopping thing is so weird so far. New items keep popping up, but I can't possibly buy any of them!

It's like a kid going to Toys R Us, but Mom only gives him $2 to spend on whatever he wants.

 

[Fun Factor]

Just wait until chapter 3 where the battle system will really pick up. After chapter 4 you should have more options and more variations for battles instead of just mashing X button.

Ditto, I'm right at that part & the game still feels like it's in the prologue, but is still vastly better than the first 2 hours.

 

[RPGCrazied]

fookin finally! I beat his ass, with a 5star rating too. determination will get you everywhere.

I used sab/comando
then used ravager/sentinel
and some medic/sentinel

 

[Scythesurge]

Is there any way to keep paradigm decks when switching out party members and back in again? I'm getting tired of having to customize every time I switch.

That happens every time? Granted customizing paradigms isn't the most teddie-ous thing, but being able to save them seems like something this game should do.

 

[Xevren]

Is there any way to keep paradigm decks when switching out party members and back in again? I'm getting tired of having to customize every time I switch.

I fucking wish! Getting so annoying. Especially that crap after a cut scene where it just throws someone different in my party. Thanks assholes for making me set it all up again.

 

[Community Forum]

As I'm enjoying my 2nd adult beverage of the night, I am realizing this might be the first RPG I'll be able to play while drinking/drunk. If you die, who cares!

Thanks Square-Enix! No, really, that is awesome!

 

[Rebochan]

Bring back pre-rendered background, while I'm at it. They had so much more personality.

All aboard, everyone. It's time to visit the 90s!

Yea, because that would really address the complaints that FF and JRPGs aren't advancing

Seriously, let's just go whole hog. Strip off the 3D and multiple colors. Get rid of the orchestrated soundtracks. Throw out the storylines and characters with any depth. We'll go back to pure basics, 8-bit, nameless faceless characters with no purpose. You can only pick from Monk, White Mage, Black Mage, Red Mage, Fighter, and Thief. The only plot is dungeon crawling to save princesses and beat a vague evil.

Your characters have no dialog and you can't customize them in any way except very basic equipment. There is no MP - you only get a certain number of casts per spell. Combat is merely casting basic spells or using basic weapons. Halfway through the game you get a higher stat version of the same job.

Hope you don't like accurate targeting either. If you kill an enemy, everyone else that targeted the same enemy will be wasting their attacks.

Oh, and Thief? Sucks. Hope you weren't stupid enough to roll one! Because he can't steal anything. He eventually turns into a Ninja though - if you're willing to put up with that much of a crutch on your team.

No Cid, no Chocobos, no Moogles.

If you're going to talk about the basics, kiddos, we'll talk about the real basics. Anything beyond that is just pure fanboy whining about every FF not being a clone of FF6/FF7.

 

[DY_nasty]

... okay

As I'm enjoying my 2nd adult beverage of the night, I am realizing this might be the first RPG I'll be able to play while drinking/drunk. If you die, who cares!

I love it.

I got my ass handed to me by a miniboss at the end of a dungeon. But no problem! Save points are everywhere, you die in a battle and you get 'respawned' right in front of him, skip the pre-boss cutscenes, you even get the option to go into the menu to rearrange stuff if you need.

And even with all that, the game is still quite challenging.

Also, I just found out that you can pause during battles and there's actually a 'retry' option. :lol This is going to save me a lot of time. If I don't get my buffs up perfectly in my opening two actions, I'm usually in for a beatdown.

 

[Firestorm]

It'd be the same, but you could fool yourself into thinking it was better.

I'm pretty sure that's why people prefer Japanese voices. It's just as bad, but they can fool themselves into thinking it's better.

 

[DMeisterJ]

Finally... Chapter 9! No more being tied down to shitty party members.

Thank jeebus.

 

[LiK]

yea, take that

Spoiler

Sazh Eidolin

! 5 stars too bitches!

 

[Kagari]

yea, take that

Spoiler

Sazh Eidolin

! 5 stars too bitches!

Pretty sure the summon battles always end in 5 stars.

 

[LALILULELO]

Significantly better world mythology and layout than anything else by this team, at least. Datalog really adds a lot. That and three characters I like opposed to 0 from FFVII, 0 from FFVIII and 1 from FFX.

I'm sure it'll tank in the second half, they all do, but I'm at least interested in some of the character backgrounds and motivations and the general worldview. So, IMO, it's above average for the genre.

I'm not a guy who plays for story though.

Same impression here,
Characters are well motivated and likable.
The world, the political agenda is interesting.

don't get the hate for Hope, as a 14 yo kid being deported then losing his mum then
getting a death curse and having to tag along with (in his eyes) his mums killer.

Vanille's is not annoying to me neither, I do wonder why she is so positive but I'm sure that will be revealed later (only chap 4 now)
the datalog states that she is overly positive in a hopeless situation, seems to me she pretends, to protect herself.

Lightning is a lot more down to earth then most of the FF heroes to me.

VA is terrific and make the characters believable even in their super model outfits.
Story is interesting and keeps me wondering and that's enough for me.
Datalog is great too, making you understand the universe and character motivations much better.

Battle system ,as many already said, is fantastic and to me the best in any FF.
Finally having to think and pay attention during normal battles is a godsend
don't mind no towns, shops and other functionality still exist.

Linearity is not as bad as some do make believe, have to say that the map destroys the illusion of freedom.
Playing with it turned off make it feel like any other FF.

Shaping up to be my favorite FF!

 

[DMeisterJ]

Pretty sure the summon battles always end in 5 stars.

Yeah, the recommended time is like 28 mins, so 5 starring an Eidolon battle should be Ace.

 

[shwimpy]

Pretty sure the summon battles always end in 5 stars.

:lol

 

[Dresden]

Same impression here,
Characters are well motivated and likable.
The world, the political agenda is interesting.

don't get the hate for Hope, as a 14 yo kid being deported then losing his mum then
getting a death curse and having to tag along with (in his eyes) his mums killer.

Vanille's is not annoying to me neither, I do wonder why she is so positive but I'm sure that will be revealed later (only chap 4 now)
the datalog states that she is overly positive in a hopeless situation, seems to me she pretends, to protect herself.

Lightning is a lot more down to earth then most of the FF heroes to me.

VA is terrific and make the characters believable even in their super model outfits.
Story is interesting and keeps me wondering and that's enough for me.
Datalog is great too, making you understand the universe and character motivations much better.

Battle system ,as many already said, is fantastic and to me the best in any FF.
Finally having to think and pay attention during normal battles is a godsend
don't mind no towns, shops and other functionality still exist.

Linearity is not as bad as some do believe, have to say that the map destroys the illusion of freedom.
Playing with it turned off make it feel like any other FF.

Shaping up to be my favorite FF!

Let's not get too crazy here.

Played this game the whole day, still loving it. It does get weary in parts though, simply because you always keep moving. Even an action game like Resident Evil 4 had parts where you could relax a bit and shop for guns and shit. Here, it's... save points?

 

[Feep]

yea, take that

Spoiler

Sazh Eidolin

! 5 stars too bitches!

Eidolon battles automatically give you five stars.

P.S. What's this "Eye-DOHL-in" crap? It should be "EYD-o-lon".

Edit: Beaten like an egg

 

[Big Papa Husker]

Well... I was just thinking this game was easy and I just

Spoiler

ran into Odin

. I have been trying different things for about 15 minutes and I keep getting completely owned. What should I do?

 

[Einbroch]

So, what's everyone's "final" team?

 

[DY_nasty]

Let's not get too crazy here.

Played this game the whole day, still loving it. It does get weary in parts though, simply because you always keep moving. Even an action game like Resident Evil 4 had parts where you could relax a bit and shop for guns and shit. Here, it's... save points?

Can't even shop, there's no money.

I was grinding for like 3-4 hours just racking up on Incentive thingies to sell. Had like spent it all upgrading weapons that I don't even use now. :lol

Turned Lightning into the speed boss. Sucks that Fang is better. If only Lightning could heal...

Well... I was just thinking this game was easy and I just

Spoiler

ran into Odin

. I have been trying different things for about 15 minutes and I keep getting completely owned. What should I do?

Libra

 

[Kagari]

So, what's everyone's "final" team?

Lightning/Hope/Vanille.

 

[Dresden]

Well... I was just thinking this game was easy and I just

Spoiler

ran into Odin

. I have been trying different things for about 15 minutes and I keep getting completely owned. What should I do?

Buff with Hope at the start, have Lightning heal him to keep him alive while he buffs. So start off Med/Syn, then switch to Com/Rav then Rav/Rav to deal damage. When you get aoe'd, switch to Med/Med then switch back to Com/Rav-Rav/Rav. Also have a Paradigm for Med/Rav in case Hope is getting plastered but Lightning isn't. I also used two potions in the fight, when Hope was near death and I didn't think I could get a cure out fast enough.

 

[LiK]

Pretty sure the summon battles always end in 5 stars.

cool, so annoyed with the Doom timer. terrible way to amp up the so-called difficulty. had no trouble surviving the attacks themselves.

 

[Styles]

Still experimenting, but I'd say Lightning/Sazh/Hope will probably be my final team. God, all of those buffs.

 

[bluemax]

So, what's everyone's "final" team?

I used Lightning, Fang and Hope in the Japanese version. Lightning and Hope had by far the best weapons I found in the first 9 chapters so they made sense. Fang because her paradigm's complimented the other two perfectly. She was slightly weaker than Snow but made up for it in utility.

 

[DY_nasty]

So, what's everyone's "final" team?

Right now its Fang/Vanille/Sazh - but I intend to play for 10 more hours just experimenting before I move on.

 

[Community Forum]

It's a good thing these beams of light are telling me which direction to go. I would be totally lost otherwise.

 

[Kagari]

cool, so annoyed with the Doom timer. terrible way to amp up the so-called difficulty. had no trouble surviving the attacks themselves.

Yeah, I hated the doom timer :/

 

[shwimpy]

So, what's everyone's "final" team?

My 3 favorite characters... Light/Vanille(that's right!)/Sazh.

 

[Dark Octave]

Lightning/Hope/Vanille.

All female team. Not bad.

I'm only on chapter 5 (I think) so I'm not sure who my final three will be. I always go with the main character as number one slot though...even Vaan.

 

[runlikehell]

So, what's everyone's "final" team?

Lightning/Hope/Fang

 

[DY_nasty]

It's a good thing these beams of light are telling me which direction to go. I would be totally lost otherwise.

:lol

 

[LALILULELO]

Let's not get too crazy here.

Played this game the whole day, still loving it. It does get weary in parts though, simply because you always keep moving. Even an action game like Resident Evil 4 had parts where you could relax a bit and shop for guns and shit. Here, it's... save points?

True, maybe cause I can only play it in 3-4 hour chunks.
But to me the gameplay, which was getting really boring over the FF's has been fixed for me.
Not having to pay attention till you hit a Boss or Sub-Boss is over.

The rest of the game gives me enough interest, motivation to want to play it more from
a story perspective.

For now (chapter 5) things are terrific for me.

 

[Perfect Blue]

Lightning/Hope/Fang

This.

 

[Kagari]

All female team. Not bad.

I'm only on chapter 5 (I think) so I'm not sure who my final three will be. I always go with the main character as number one slot though...even Vaan.

 

[LiK]

ah, taking a break. playing through 2 Chapters in one evening is pretty tiring, lol. gotta say that there are some good character moments that happened. Hope's

Spoiler

father was cool. not the stupid cliche shit i was expecting. i was hoping he would care about his son and he did, and as he should

also really like Fang's character.

 

[Spirit of Jazz]

But to me the gameplay, which was getting really boring over the FF's has been fixed for me.
Not having to pay attention till you hit a Boss or Sub-Boss is over.

Could you elaborate on this for me? It's just that I like the game outside of the battle system, which I find fucking atrocious.

 

[avatar299]

Anyone have advice for the chp 9 boss

 

[Ferrio]

So what are the big secrets in the game. Hidden summons? Weapons? What lightning dodging crap do you gotta do in this game.

 

[Kagari]

So what are the big secrets in the game. Hidden summons? Weapons? What lightning dodging crap do you gotta do in this game.

:lol :lol

 

[cnizzle06]

It's a good thing these beams of light are telling me which direction to go. I would be totally lost otherwise.

:lol I thought the exact same thing.

 

[Community Forum]

:lol :lol

:lol :lol :lol

Spoiler

No really, I have read up enough on this game to realize there's really nothing "hidden", am I right?

 

[Kagari]

:lol :lol :lol

Spoiler

No really, I have read up enough on this game to realize there's really nothing "hidden", am I right?

You're so right.

 

[RPGCrazied]

My team is lightning, hope an Sazh

 

[MechaX]

I'm definitely done with this game for the night. Things got pretty exciting in Chapter 9, but it had a Chapter 4's problem of "fucking ungodly long dungeon with a shitload of long fights." The main boss the chapter was pretty fun to fight, even if he did almost OHKO my entire team. It pretty much becomes a rush to break him out of his ultra attack. Too bad we couldn't fight

Spoiler

Code Color Glasses Girl. Actually, did Mecha Pope actually kill her?

But I'm finally glad that I have a full party at my disposal and now I'm able to start branching people out in the job classes. But I'm still not quite sure on what "final" party I should start to stick with. Lightning/Hope/Fang worked out a little bit too well for me in the previous chapter, so I need to give that team a break. I tried using Lightning/Snow/Vanille a little bit in the next dungeon, but that team didn't work out nearly as well as I thought it would. For me at the moment, Vanille's main advantage is that she has Deprotect/Deshell, which elevates her Saboteuring a bit better than Fang's. Too bad she's not quite good at being a Medic or being a Ravager as Hope is right now.

I need to find a way to work in Sazh into the mix, as he has all of the good buffs and works as a decent Ravager. Snow... I have no idea about him. Right now, it's leaning towards Lightning/Hope/Fang with Sazh substituted in every now and then. Sorry Vanille fanatics.

 

[Chamber]

Chapter 7 is so good. I love the Sentinel ability.

EDIT - Fuck, that boss took forever to stagger.

 

[Dead]

Whats the verdict on upgrading the other 3 Crystarium levels when you get em?

Im early in chapter 10 and have maxed out pretty much all 3 main crystarium levels for my characters.

Should I start leveling up the extra Crystariums, at least for the stats, or should I just save my Points for the next Level unlock for the main 3 of each character?

 

[dramatis]

Oh my GOD at the cutscene on this airship

Spoiler

"Code purple? That means we're in code yellow! No wait, blue!"

DAMN L'CIE!!!!"

*throws glasses*

"Desperate times demand flexibility. CODE WHITE!!!!"

:lol

Obviously, what they needed at the time was

Spoiler

Code GEASS

.

But I'm finally glad that I have a full party at my disposal and now I'm able to start branching people out in the job classes. But I'm still not quite sure on what "final" party I should start to stick with. Lightning/Hope/Fang worked out a little bit too well for me in the previous chapter, so I need to give that team a break. I tried using Lightning/Snow/Vanille a little bit in the next dungeon, but that team didn't work out nearly as well as I thought it would. For me at the moment, Vanille's main advantage is that she has Deprotect/Deshell, which elevates her Saboteuring a bit better than Fang's. Too bad she's not quite good at being a Medic or being a Ravager as Hope is right now.

I need to find a way to work in Sazh into the mix, as he has all of the good buffs and works as a decent Ravager. Snow... I have no idea about him. Right now, it's leaning towards Lightning/Hope/Fang with Sazh substituted in every now and then. Sorry Vanille fanatics.

I had Lightning/Hope/Fang as my final party. For farming CP, though, Vanille is probably going to be a necessity. It's hard to want to change party members because that entails redoing all Paradigms. Best you choose one and stick with it.

The sad thing is, Sazh is pretty much a non-factor with regards to final party. Hope is best Blaster, and Vanille's stats and special ability make her a shoo-in. Lightning is probably the one you can swap in and out, because she receives mediocre abilities and her attack never climbs as high as Snow's or Fang's. She even ends up with less HP than Vanille.

Should I start leveling up the extra Crystariums, at least for the stats, or should I just save my Points for the next Level unlock for the main 3 of each character?

Save your points. Finish the game, then worry about the other Crystariums. Those upgrades cost an arm and a leg to begin with anyway.