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[Llyranor]

I think Commando attacks help to keep the gauge up.

 

[Coop]

Okay got it working. I loaded an early save with no problem. then i went back to my original one and loaded it. Phew..

 

[ZeoVGM]

Wow he directed the worst FF game...

X-2 has a mediocre story but a fantastic and fun battle system. I thought it was pretty much widely recognized for being an incredibly fun game at this point.

 

[teh_pwn]

I just got to Chapter 11. When is a good place to grind CP? There's a ton of crystal nodes, but it's taking 5,000 CP per node and battles are chump changing me 300-700 CP.

 

[ULTROS!]

For the next FF, I'd rather have Kitase direct it and Shinji Hashimoto produce it (producer of Versus XIII and KH).

 

[ZeoVGM]

After that epic chapter 7, it goes back to Sazh and Vanille. I mean, I know it has to and that's fine. I just forgot about them completely in all the excitement. :lol

 

[Relaxed Muscle]

X-2 has a mediocre story but a fantastic and fun battle system. I thought it was pretty much widely recognized for being an incredibly fun game at this point.

Yes, I agree, still I consider it the worst FF, the great battle system just couldn't make it for all the other amount of sins....

 

[ZeoVGM]

For the next FF, I'd rather have Kitase direct it and Shinji Hashimoto produce it (producer of Versus XIII and KH).

Well wouldn't he most likely be going from Versus XIII to KH3?

I'm hoping we get FFXV this generation though. I would hate to break the 3-mainline-FFs-every-gen rule.

 

[Diablos]

I just got to

Spoiler

The Sunleth Waterscape

.

The battle system is so unbelievably addicting; the maps you explore, while linear, are not as bad as they were made out to be. Really, it's like a glorified FFX, and in a weird way that helps the exploration aspect. If PS2 could handle environments of this scale and detail, it probably would've been about the same kind of thing. Maybe. Either way, I don't see what all the fuss is about. I'm ~10 hours in,

Spoiler

apparently halfway to the point where the game "opens up" by getting to Gran Pulse or whatever.

Battles + story are the meat and potatoes of this game, not running around some huge open map finding treasure chests, and having boring conversations with NPC's in towns scattered throughout -- that being said, I've already had opportunities to go down different paths and engage enemies for an added challenge, and finding treasure chests. Really, I'm finding that, absolutely, the "straight path" linear maps aren't quite as linear as I was told.

I don't really mind being limited as to how I'm forming my party, although I do wish I could at least switch leaders. Again, though, not as bad as importers/reviews would suggest.

The characters are likable, and I'm enjoying how the story is progressing thus far. As I've said before, the OST is the best in the series. Save Vanille and Snow, all of the main characters are really likable to me. And, honestly... Vanille really isn't that bad, save her voice. Snow is definitely in the vein of a cocky/preppy/arrogant character like Zell, and while he has his moments, he is who he is and they seemed to do a good enough job of placing him into the story. While I'm still fairly early into the game, so far, this is the most impressive thing I've played bearing the title of "Final Fantasy" since 2001.

I seriously cannot stop playing; even though I want to... I can't.

 

[survivor]

COM is the job who makes the chain gauge get dwon more slowly.

Does the Saboteur do something similar? I have noticed that when I have a Saboteur up, the Chain Gauge goes down slowly.

 

[Durante]

I don't get this association of "blurriness" with the 360 version.

I was thinking that maybe he saw the difference between real-time graphics and prerecorded (compressed) sequences -- since the resolution is constant throughout the game on both systems it obviously couldn't be that. It's a topic for the other thread but I thought I'd clarify.

 

[ULTROS!]

Well wouldn't he most likely be going from Versus XIII to KH3?

I'm hoping we get FFXV this generation though. I would hate to break the 3-mainline-FFs-every-gen rule.

It "could" be possible, he was the producer of FFIX anyhow.

Maybe they should rename Versus to FFXV (if they get lazy to make a new installment)?

 

[teh_pwn]

I just got to

Spoiler

The Sunleth Waterscape

.

The battle system is so unbelievably addicting; the maps you explore, while linear, are not as bad as they were made out to be.

It stays pretty linear. But a few chapters in it stops feeling like you're on a rail.

 

[Diablos]

It stays pretty linear. But a few chapters in it stops feeling like you're on a rail.

Well, if it only gets better from here I may be inclined to later say that people were perhaps overreacting about the linearity of this game. I'll have to see for myself.

 

[teh_pwn]

Well, if it only gets better from here I may be inclined to later say that people were perhaps overreacting about the linearity of this game. I'll have to see for myself.

If you're okay with lots of stuff being predetermined, you'll enjoy the game. A lot of reviewers that hated the game either are disappointed because it's not their idea of Final Fantasy or it's not a Bioware style game.

 

[dramatis]

Yes, I agree, still I consider it the worst FF, the great battle system just couldn't make it for all the other amount of sins....

Funny, I could say the same about XIII.

 

[Ferrio]

It stays pretty linear. But a few chapters in it stops feeling like you're on a rail.

Uh. I'm liking the game a lot, but I'm on chapter 8-9 and it's still just a rail. Single Path -> Cutsecene -> Single Path -> Cutscene. Unless something amazing happens in the next chapters to change that, you shouldn't be lying to people.

 

[Kagari]

Well wouldn't he most likely be going from Versus XIII to KH3?

I'm hoping we get FFXV this generation though. I would hate to break the 3-mainline-FFs-every-gen rule.

Versus basically IS a mainline game.

 

[teh_pwn]

Uh. I'm liking the game a lot, but I'm on chapter 8-9 and it's still just a rail. Single Path -> Cutsecene -> Single Path -> Cutscene. Unless something amazing happens in the next chapters to change that, you shouldn't be lying to people.

I didn't say it wasn't linear. It just stops being a single path. Branches off and merges, and some dead ends, sure, but it isn't a straight line like the first few chapters.

 

[Teknoman]

Does monster design also fall under character design? If so, Nomura is really good at designing enemies. Some of their mannerisms remind me of FFVII monsters (subtle movements, really strange looking, etc.)

 

[Ferrio]

I didn't say it wasn't linear. It just stops being a single path. Branches off and merges, and some dead ends, sure, but it isn't a straight line like the first few chapters.

I think you're really reaching. A path that goes... in the opposite direction/alongside for... a couple steps isn't much of a branch. At this point I wish they'd just put the damn item in the road, since whenever I see a branch "Oh, they'll be an item at the end, maybe some guys guarding it" surprise surprise. Whole point of having other areas to explore is for the exploration and surprise, which these little tiny offshoots have none.

 

[Kagari]

Does monster design also fall under character design? If so, Nomura is really good at designing enemies. Some of their mannerisms remind me of FFVII monsters (subtle movements, really strange looking, etc.)

No. Nomura only designed the 6 main characters.

 

[duckroll]

Versus basically IS a mainline game.

I dunno. It's an action RPG, and Nomura himself said that he would not have been able to do the things he wanted to do if it was called FFXIII. So.... it's clearly not FFXV or whatever. There's no question that it has the production values of a major S-E game, but so did Chrono Trigger in comparison to FFVI, and Xenogears in comparison to FFVII. Or even KH2 in comparison to FFX. That doesn't make them "mainline FF" games though...

 

[dramatis]

No. Nomura only designed the 6 main characters.

Do Cid and Galenth count?

 

[Relaxed Muscle]

Was this posted? seems like linearity will be the future of the saga...

Toriyama GDC's keynote

Some nice post mortem about FFXIII

also:

Toriyama also compared Japanese RPGs to Western RPGs by using screenshots of Hit Man and Tomb Raider as an example

Oh, Toriyama you crazy! :lol :lol

 

[Kagari]

Do Cid and Galenth count?

Ah yeah, he did them too. But that was about it.

 

[ULTROS!]

Wasn't Versus XIII set to be a PS3 game ever since unlike FFXIII (initially a PS2 title)?

 

[Kagari]

I dunno. It's an action RPG, and Nomura himself said that he would not have been able to do the things he wanted to do if it was called FFXIII. So.... it's clearly not FFXV or whatever. There's no question that it has the production values of a major S-E game, but so did Chrono Trigger in comparison to FFVI, and Xenogears in comparison to FFVII. Or even KH2 in comparison to FFX. That doesn't make them "mainline FF" games though...

I'm just repeating what Square's official press release states!

Wasn't Versus XIII set to be a PS3 game eversince unlike FFXIII (initially a PS2 title)?

Right.

 

[NameIess]

I have to agree that chapter 6 looks amazing! The only vistas that compare to this game is Uncharted 1 & 2. The team really did a great job with the visuals and I'm interested to see what they come up toward the end of the console cycle.

I'm enjoying the visuals of the ingame cinemas as much as the CG sequences.
Also the game is running at 1080P on the PS3 without having to mess around with the resolution settings!

I really like the combat engine and the characters are pretty good, but the story is a convoluted mess, just like every FF title...

I would recommend this game to any RPG fan, I'm more of a casual RPG fan and I'm really enjoying the game.

 

[Crash Station]

Was this posted? seems like linearity will be the future of the saga...

Toriyama GDC's keynote

Some nice post mortem about FFXIII

also:


Oh, Toriyama you crazy! :lol :lol

So Tomb Raider is a JRPG all of a sudden?

Seriously though, despite Toriyama's crappy interviewing skills, I agree with him for the most part. I want a story driven Final Fantasy, not an open world one. I would just take Nojima as the writer over Toriyama any day even if I do like FFXIII's story.

 

[Yoshichan]

God, some songs in this game are fucking incredible.

Final Fantasy music delivered, definitely.

 

[Chamber]

Come on now. Lightning has to stop punching people.

 

[Yoshichan]

Come on now. Lightning has to stop punching people.

Agreed, it came to that ridiculous-point.

 

[gkryhewy]

I was thinking that maybe he saw the difference between real-time graphics and prerecorded (compressed) sequences -- since the resolution is constant throughout the game on both systems it obviously couldn't be that. It's a topic for the other thread but I thought I'd clarify.

Oh yeah, that would make sense.

 

[duckroll]

I'm just repeating what Square's official press release states!

I knew it! You're viral!!

Spoiler

Don't hate me!

 

[Regulus Tera]

Ah yeah, he did them too. But that was about it.

In Dissidia 2, who would represent Chaos' side? Cid or Galenth

 

[ULTROS!]

Something really random:

Hope's hair is nicely modeled (gameplay + cutscene wise). Lightning's hair is the crappiest.

 

[Yoshichan]

Something really random:

Hope's hair is nicely modeled (gameplay + cutscene wise). Lightning's hair is the crappiest.

Yeah I agree on that. It's weird, didn't they work the most with Light? Everyone's got better looking hair than her.

 

[burgerdog]

Is ch8 long? I want to have my full party!

 

[Diablos]

Come on now. Lightning has to stop punching people.

Lightning is a badass! I <3 her

 

[Yoshichan]

Is ch8 long? I want to have my full party!

It's not long at all.

 

[Teknoman]

No. Nomura only designed the 6 main characters.

Well whoever did the monster design for XIII is great.

 

[Peff]

Is ch8 long? I want to have my full party!

The shortest chapter in the game, but has a VERY good "grinding" spot.

Some of the HP tanks in Chapter 9 are a bit annoying, considering you just mostly juggle them in the air for a minute :-/

 

[Yoshichan]

The shortest chapter in the game, but has a VERY good "grinding" spot.

Where's this grinding spot? Spoiler tag

Well whoever did the monster design for XIII is great.

Tell me about it. Best enemy design since VII.

 

[Jrmint]

I think the story is absolute crap. I mean who the hell wrote this. It's just a whole bunch of ridiculous babble. And I am kind of getting bored of this giant linear tunnel of a map.

I don't know where this is coming from. Story is one of the strongest points of this game. I'd say it is the best story since FF7, or at least the one that makes the most sense.

 

[Castor Krieg]

Anyone knows where I can get Shroud Collector? I was careless and upgraded it to Item Collector by mistake.

 

[burgerdog]

Oooh, that's good to know and I'm sure it's been mentioned a thousand times but Nautilus has insane graphics.

 

[Diablos]

Very early in so I can't say much for the story, but so far, I agree -- could potentially be the best since VII.

 

[ULTROS!]

I don't know where this is coming from. Story is one of the strongest points of this game. I'd say it is the best story since FF7, or at least the one that makes the most sense.

That reminds me, have you tried comparing FFVII's story with FFVI's story? They're "almost" the same. :lol

 

[Jrmint]

Where's this grinding spot? Spoiler tag

You're talking about Chap 8 right?

Spoiler

At the clocktower area there is 5 of those small enemies and they give a combined 640 cp. You ran back to the "mall" area to respawn them. Don't run beyond the chest at the mall though, or else you'll respawn everything else.

I actually think the Grind spot in Chap 9 is better:

Spoiler

The outside area and then into the crew quarters (I think it's called), not only do you get great cp and it is easy to respawn the enemies, but they drop great component items, and incentive chips like crazy (2500 gil).