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[careful]

Just finished the game at about 62 hours.
Good god @ the ending. WTF is this shit?

Overall, I enjoyed the game despite all the flaws. I really gotta give them props for the environments, almost every set piece was jaw dropping beautiful.

 

[7Th]

Sure, they can be entertaining. But Avatar (depending on who you ask) is entertaining. Entertaining doesn't mean good, and since Square Enix is the biggest rpg development house in the world, their current efforts and attempts to push gaming story telling beyond what it is today is in truth, very disappointing.

Do you honestly believe S-E is actually trying to push gaming storytelling beyond what is it today? I didn't think you were that naive.

 

[ezekial45]

Just beat it as well. I have a few questions:

Spoiler

1. I went back to Gran Pulse and noticed that a new area has opened up and that Giant monster from the opening scene of chapter 11 is walking around in there. How can i enter that place? (Whats the name of that giant anyway?)

2. What a good place to grind for CP? I'm gonna need alot more than 6880 cp from that Behemoth King fight.

3. I remember reading theres a multi-level dungeon in the game. How can i get there?

4. Also, where that last part for the small robot? I found four of them around town, but the last one isn't showing up.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

so I beat the game a week ago but I wanna go back to gran pulse, how do I go about this?

There should be some portals in the Chapter 12 area.

I don't understand the complaints in regard to any Final Fantasy's story. Or the writing, for that matter.

Okay then, it's bad.

Plot holes, being heavy handed and vague at the same time, annoying characters, bad pacing, pretentious writing (i.e. "look how deep we are ;D")

 

[grumble]

Come on that's not a universal reaction at all... Snow looks like a giant white American and Serah looks like a little Japanese girl.

what? Aren't most people in FF games white? I get that impression, judging from the hair colours being those common to white people but not in asians (ie not black), the lack of an epicanthic fold, eye colour and the facial bone structure.

I actually found it a bit weird that people in FF games are generally white in a game which predominately sells in Asia. I see why that used to be the case (need to differentiate characters with low poly/texture counts so colour head differently), but why now?

 

[BocoDragon]

what? Aren't most people in FF games white? I get that impression, judging from the hair colours being those common to white people but not in asians (ie not black), the lack of an epicanthic fold, eye colour and the facial bone structure.

I actually found it a bit weird that people in FF games are generally white in a game which predominately sells in Asia. I see why that used to be the case (need to differentiate characters with low poly/texture counts so colour head differently), but why now?

The only two white people in XIII are Snow and Vanille... look at their names.

 

[firehawk12]

what? Aren't most people in FF games white? I get that impression, judging from the hair colours being those common to white people but not in asians (ie not black), the lack of an epicanthic fold, eye colour and the facial bone structure.

I actually found it a bit weird that people in FF games are generally white in a game which predominately sells in Asia. I see why that used to be the case (need to differentiate characters with low poly/texture counts so colour head differently), but why now?

It's anime convention based on what I imagine are strange complicated race issues. With exception to games set in Japan (or some other real life location), I just presume all JRPGs feature white people unless they are explicitly differentiated by skin tone or name or some other overt means.

The only two white people in XIII are Snow and Vanille... look at their names.

Lightning's real name is

Spoiler

Claire

if that means anything.

Just beat it as well. I have a few questions:

Spoiler

1. I went back to Gran Pulse and noticed that a new area has opened up and that Giant monster from the opening scene of chapter 11 is walking around in there. How can i enter that place? (Whats the name of that giant anyway?)

2. What a good place to grind for CP? I'm gonna need alot more than 6880 cp from that Behemoth King fight.

3. I remember reading theres a multi-level dungeon in the game. How can i get there?

4. Also, where that last part for the small robot? I found four of them around town, but the last one isn't showing up.

Spoiler

1) You need a Chocobo to get up to the area.

2) Behemoth and Mission 24 are good. Finish Mission 55 to get the growth egg to make it go twice as fast.

3) Isn't that the tower? No clue.

4) They should all be in the town. Just keep looking for places you can interact with (or use a FAQ).

 

[YYZ]

I'm near the end of chapter 11, should I try to update as much as I can or should I wait until I can come back to this area? Should I just get stuff like speed boots and move on? Some of the stuff that you need for upgrading weapons to higher levels requires some tough kills. I think it's too high for me. I can't do any hunts right now beyond ~37, too much work.

 

[jiggle]

I'm near the end of chapter 11, should I try to update as much as I can or should I wait until I can come back to this area? Should I just get stuff like speed boots and move on? Some of the stuff that you need for upgrading weapons to higher levels requires some tough kills. I think it's too high for me. I can't do any hunts right now beyond ~37, too much work.

just repeat mission 7 over and over for bomb core,
those will max ur tier 2 weapon at least
but u're right, to get to tier 3, u will need to come back with vanille once she has "death"

 

[7Th]

I didn't say I think that. I didn't think you were so illiterate!

You did:

their current efforts and attempts to push gaming story telling beyond what it is today is in truth, very disappointing.

It is impossible for S-E's "current efforts and attempts to push gaming storytelling beyond what it is today" to be disappointing because there are no "current efforts and attempts to push gaming storytelling beyond what it is today" from S-E. S-E isn't trying to do anything but deliver accessible "ham-and-cheesy" that the largest possible audience would be able to enjoy.

Okay then, it's bad.

Plot holes, being heavy handed and vague at the same time, annoying characters, bad pacing, pretentious writing (i.e. "look how deep we are ;D")

I don't find Final Fantasy characters annoying at all. Forgettable and badly defined? Probably; but most of the time they have so little presence that wouldn't be able to annoy anyone.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

I don't find Final Fantasy characters annoying at all. Forgettable and badly defined? Probably; but most of the time they have so little presence that wouldn't be able to annoy anyone.

Not all of them obviously, just the ones that are whiny or say really stupid things.

 

[Firestorm]

just repeat mission 7 over and over for bomb core,
those will max ur tier 2 weapon at least
but u're right, to get to tier 3, u will need to come back with vanille once she has "death"

YOUR
YOU'RE
YOU

U IS A LETTER NOT A WORD
</rage>

 

[Majima Everywhere System]

So I'm at chapter 11, and I want to know if I'm doing this right:

Spoiler

I was running around the gran pulse area moving between objectives and mission targets. I got to mission 10, but then the objective marker leads me undergound. The mission markers are accessible, the enemies are getting tougher, and the treasure guarding enemies are near impossible. Now I'm in some flooded underwater cavern and it is getting worse. Am I going to get a chance to go back to the first area and go through this all again? I figured Vanilles village would be a short jaunt away, and they would give me a chocobo, and then I would have a chokobo. The further I go down this path, it seems more and more like it is a going to be a one way street. Should I keep going, or turn back and start grinding?

 

[B.K.]

Lightning's real name is

Spoiler

Claire

if that means anything.

She's

Spoiler

Claire

only in the English version. In the Japanese version, her real name is

Spoiler

Eclair.

 

[Cep]

She's

Spoiler

Claire

only in the English version. In the Japanese version, her real name is

Spoiler

Eclair.

Japanese version makes more sense, but good decision by the translators.

I don't find Final Fantasy characters annoying at all. Forgettable and badly defined? Probably

Err, you mean definitely.

 

[careful]

She's

Spoiler

Claire

only in the English version. In the Japanese version, her real name is

Spoiler

Eclair.

Spoiler

Eclair is just Lightning in French

:lol

 

[B.K.]

especially given the fact that they are THE rpg development house in the world.

Not anymore, they aren't. The quality of their games has been steadily going down hill ever since the merger.

 

[Cep]

Not anymore, they aren't. The quality of their games has been steadily going down hill ever since the merger.

They are still riding on their old stuff. Eventually, they will certainly not be regarded as such, but for now, they definitely are.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

:lol

It was either that lame pun or

Spoiler

a delicious pastry.

 

[Cep]

I agree completely but I'm talking strictly in terms of riches. These mother fuckers are rich but they don't seem to be willing at all to, I don't know, evolve beyond 90's jrpg storytelling.

But c'est la vie, I have SMT so I don't really care.

Lucky you, I have nothing :{

 

[B.K.]

they don't seem to be willing at all to, I don't know, evolve beyond 90's jrpg storytelling.

We could only wish that the game had 90s storytelling.

 

[Fun Factor]

The story telling that is presented in FF13 is a total joke.

Apparently you are one of the few to think so. Seeing as Final Fantasy franchise is one of the few if only jRPG that sells in the millions across the U.S. & Europe (outside that pokemon crap, but the audience for that is a completely different age group). While most other big jRPG get lucky to break 500,000k wordwide.

The presentation in the game/cutscenes & voices are leagues better that your average crappy anime-ish RPG that comes out of Japan.

Sazh, Fang, Lighting & even Hope (NOT Snow) are depicted as actual human beings that act like something real humans remotely would in Europe or America & not just like one would in Japan. This game could have been made outside of Japan & nearly all their characters could have been the exact same.
Even Vanille (after her twist) is more life-like that the vast majority of other shitty jRPG characters.

 

[Cep]

You haven't replaced anything with FF as your go to rpg series?

No, and after some thought, I do not believe it ever was my goto, I just wander aimlessly looking for good games in the refuse pile known as the modern RPG.

I thought the tales series was for a time, but they no longer make any good ones in 2d.

 

[Fun Factor]

So I'm at chapter 11, and I want to know if I'm doing this right:

Spoiler

I was running around the gran pulse area moving between objectives and mission targets. I got to mission 10, but then the objective marker leads me undergound. The mission markers are accessible, the enemies are getting tougher, and the treasure guarding enemies are near impossible. Now I'm in some flooded underwater cavern and it is getting worse. Am I going to get a chance to go back to the first area and go through this all again? I figured Vanilles village would be a short jaunt away, and they would give me a chocobo, and then I would have a chokobo. The further I go down this path, it seems more and more like it is a going to be a one way street. Should I keep going, or turn back and start grinding?

You don't have to grind, & you can warp back at the start of Chapter 13, otherwise just backtrack if you want.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

Apparently you are one of the few to think so. Seeing as Final Fantasy franchise is one of the few if only jRPG that sells in the millions across the U.S. & Europe (outside that pokemon crap, but the audience for that is a completely different age group). While most other big jRPG get lucky to break 500,000k wordwide.

Just because someone bought a game doesn't mean they think it has good writing.

Just because someone thinks a game has good or bad writing doesn't mean it does.

 

[FateBreaker]

So I am doing the Adamantoise trick (summon, death), and obviously I need time to refill my tp. I just noticed something--none of the stores allow you to purchase this??

Also, I thought winning battles gradually gave you back more tp. Am I wrong? How do you get it back?

 

[Rpgmonkey]

So I am doing the Adamantoise trick (summon, death), and obviously I need time to refill my tp. I just noticed something--none of the stores allow you to purchase this??

Also, I thought winning battles gradually gave you back more tp. Am I wrong? How do you get it back?

You can recharge TP five ways:

1.) Elixir - Dismantle a Doctor's Code*.
2.) Ethersol - You also get one for dismantling a Doctor's Code*, among other ways, can't be bought.
3.) Killing an enemy - There's some accessory that recharges TP through that, forgot the name.
4.) Winning a battle - I assume the amount recharged is based on your score.
5.) Combo - Do a full chain of attacks. Slow process; great for levels 1 and 2, useless for anything higher.

 

[FateBreaker]

The story telling that is presented in FF13 is a total joke.

Well, I don't know about that. The way the story is cinematically presented is fairly good, I think. The problem is it's all incoherent and usually a waste of time. And, also, things become nonsensical + they leave valuable information out and instead leave it in the codex. But in terms of just presentation, this isn't too shabby. Everything else just gets in the way.

You can recharge TP five ways:

Elixir - Dismantle a Doctor's Code*
Ethersoil - You also get one for dismantling a Doctor's Code*, among other ways, can't be bought
Killing an enemy - There's some accessory that recharges TP through that, forgot the name
Winning a battle - I assume this is based on your score
Combo - Do a full chain of attacks, slow process, great for levels 1 and 2, useless for anything higher

Thanks for the fast response!

Even Vanille (after her twist) is more life-like that the vast majority of other shitty jRPG characters.

I would argue that Sazh and maybe Hope (even though he was annoying and unconvincing the whole time) were decent characters. None were better than, for the sake of comparison, a recent Tales character. Like Himuro said, it's weird we have to resort to this comparison.

 

[Majima Everywhere System]

You don't have to grind, & you can warp back at the start of Chapter 13, otherwise just backtrack if you want.

Thanks, I'll press on and see what happens. I'm the guy developers hate who, when faced with a fork in the road, walks halfway down one road and then backtracks and chooses the other road.

 

[Diablos]

Haven't touched this game in a week and it's bothering me :\

I will resume tomorrow or Tuesday... too busy lately.

 

[dreamer3kx]

Hmm seems lots of peeps dislike the story, am I the only one who enjoyed it, it started off a bit slow but it did get better, I read all the info in the datalogs once it popped up and really got into it but I can see how one would be turned off, it can be a bit confusing if you dont pay full attention to it.

 

[Dragon]

So it's pretty obvious but I'm in chapter 7 and

Spoiler

If Vanille and Fang aren't from Pulse than I must just be seeing things :lol , the accents and the way Vanille always hints at it are almost like Square is banging people over the head with it, can anyone just tell me if I'm right or wrong?

 

[firehawk12]

Spoiler

Eclair is just Lightning in French

:lol

Jesus Christ. :lol

 

[sdornan]

Okay, I've gotten to Chapter 11 and I've completely lost interest. The game has opened up, sure, but at this point I just want to be done with the thing and can't be bothered anymore. Every minute I play it, I'm thinking of what other game I could be playing instead.

 

[Styles]

So it's pretty obvious but I'm in chapter 7 and

Spoiler

If Vanille and Fang aren't from Pulse than I must just be seeing things :lol , the accents and the way Vanille always hints at it are almost like Square is banging people over the head with it, can anyone just tell me if I'm right or wrong?

Spoiler

They are from Pulse or did you mean to say they aren't from Cocoon?

Hmm seems lots of peeps dislike the story, am I the only one who enjoyed it, it started off a bit slow but it did get better, I read all the info in the datalogs once it popped up and really got into it but I can see how one would be turned off, it can be a bit confusing if you dont pay full attention to it.

I liked it.

 

[Otheradam]

Okay, I've gotten to Chapter 11 and I've completely lost interest. The game has opened up, sure, but at this point I just want to be done with the thing and can't be bothered anymore. Every minute I play it, I'm thinking of what other game I could be playing instead.

I'm on chapter 8 or 9 and I feel the same way. I know everyone says it's supposed to get better but it's taking too long to get there. This is the first FF that I've actually have no real motivation to play. This game sums up a lot of what is wrong with Japanese game design for me this gen.

 

[Papercuts]

Are all of the extras themes? I got the Sazh one for getting the Loremaster trophy, not sure about the rest.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Are all of the extras themes? I got the Sazh one for getting the Loremaster trophy, not sure about the rest.

I think so, you should get one for just beating the story (the best theme IMO).

 

[marathonfool]

Hmm seems lots of peeps dislike the story, am I the only one who enjoyed it, it started off a bit slow but it did get better, I read all the info in the datalogs once it popped up and really got into it but I can see how one would be turned off, it can be a bit confusing if you dont pay full attention to it.

I enjoyed it for what it was. The analects are interesting, giving you the mythology of the entire Fal'cie, Cocoon, and Pulse.

I didn't mind the beginning chapters at all, the characters and story were interesting enough for me to keep playing to find out more and see what would happen to the characters.

 

[Crash Station]

Spoiler

Eclair is just Lightning in French

:lol

Well that doesn't sound very tasty at all :lol

 

[Otheradam]

I'm not seeing it. This game is almost nothing like the Japanese games I've played this gen.

I'm mostly talking about the way the story and gameplay mechanics unfold. It just takes way too long to get to the good stuff. I feel like I'm playing an interactive movie more than when I play any Metal Gear game :lol At least that game would be over by now. I know the battle system is really deep and stuff but they really are discrediting players by introducing it piecemeal every 2-3 hours.

 

[Diablos]

Vanille's VA needs some work...
but it's not as bad as I thought it would have been.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

I'm mostly talking about the way the story and gameplay mechanics unfold. It just takes way too long to get to the good stuff. I feel like I'm playing an interactive movie more than when I play any Metal Gear game :lol At least that game would be over by now. I know the battle system is really deep and stuff but they really are discrediting players by introducing it piecemeal every 2-3 hours.

Really? That still seems to be just an FFXIII problem, maybe a few other JRPGs as well.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

Are all of the extras themes? I got the Sazh one for getting the Loremaster trophy, not sure about the rest.

They are all themes. I got one for using the Vanille Death Trick on Giant Enemy Turtle until it fell over. Oddly enough, the theme for the Limit Breaker trophy is Vanille. :lol

 

[Fimbulvetr]

Tales of Vesperia is heavily layered in features similarly to FF13, but it's far better paced so you don't even notice.

Well then it isn't a problem, it's just a point of succeeding where XIII failed.

 

[marathonfool]

Are all of the extras themes? I got the Sazh one for getting the Loremaster trophy, not sure about the rest.

If you 5-star the final battle, you get a Lightning theme. Didn't care about the rest.

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

I'm mostly talking about the way the story and gameplay mechanics unfold. It just takes way too long to get to the good stuff. I feel like I'm playing an interactive movie more than when I play any Metal Gear game :lol At least that game would be over by now. I know the battle system is really deep and stuff but they really are discrediting players by introducing it piecemeal every 2-3 hours.

They hardly introduce it 'piecemeal every 2-3 hours'. They start the game, and the unlock the rest of the battle system 2-3 hours later, in its entirety. There are a few things that aren't introduced until a little later (like weapon upgrading), but that's not part of the battle system. Pretty much every RPG I've ever played (and many games in other genres) do something like that. Introducing everything all at once is a quick way to insure the players wind up in over their head. Not to mention that keeping some mechanics until a little later (and really, we're talking five or six hours into a 60 hour game) makes sure that things don't settle into monotony.

 

[firehawk12]

Are all of the extras themes? I got the Sazh one for getting the Loremaster trophy, not sure about the rest.

Yeah, and one of them is for getting the Platinum. :lol

 

[Oli]

Just beat mission

Spoiler

16

. Good grief! I accidentally skipped a few so I was a bit out of my league, so I just spammed Ruinga like mad and summoned midway. Pretty desperate tactic, but I won, so hey who cares?

 

[ZephyrFate]

I must be one of the few with absolutely zero interest in Tales of Vesperia. So tired of Tales games, and I already have a Yuri (Hyuga) to love.

I also love this game's battle system too much to want to play any other RPG at the moment (aside from Demon's Souls).