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[Magnus]

Got to chapter 13, should be able to beat it soon, but I went back to do more hunts first. Did the end of 12 REALLY need those enemies constantly trying to cast Death on my party leader? It's like the game tries its hardest to make the game hard based on the combat engine's shortcomings.

Yes, exactly. The final encounter's death spell is the ultimate manifestation of that shit. "Here's a game over right before you win!"

the game also lacks cool bosses,its only random robots and monsters so far...i want to beat up that hot chick with the glasses

Agreed. Vast majority of the fights have no gravity and don't really bear on the story at all.

 

[Fuu]

At the end

Spoiler

I had no idea what Barthandelus' intentions were, what he was trying to get the l'Cie to do, what he was trying to get to happen to Orphan, what... this and that. I was just so lost at the end of the game because it wasn't explained well at all. Nothing was. The game literally starts assuming you know what every term means which is even more evident by the little "we have cutscenes and voice acting but here's some cliffnotes because you have no fucking idea what that dude just said" and just runs rampant without any intention of giving anything any sort of context. Oh, okay so Cocoon is terrified of fal'Cie, and there is a fal'Cie running around in Bohan, oh shit that's bad, but on the other hand we have fal'Cie that govern us and power our way of life and those are good fal'Cie, we think, but there's a Pulse fal'Cie in Bohan... I rest my case. It's convoluted as hell and I don't feel dumb for losing grip of it in the long run.

I didn't think FFVIII was nearly that confusing. Convoluted? Absolutely, but I was able to stick with it.

I didn't mean to imply anyone is dumb by not following it and yeah, a lot of things will fly over the head if one doesn't read the datalog. It's just that at no point I felt lost because my OCD compelled me to read all of those entries, including the recaps that repeated the same things all the time while throwing new info here and there. I'm not even near defending this practice, it's a terrible thing that they put so much information in recaps and notes that's nowhere else to be found in actual dialogues. I like when a game uses something like that to expand on its own concepts but not to the point that it substitues the usual in-game storytelling.

 

[badcrumble]

I wonder if there'll be a spinoff starring Team NORA. Their shitty-ass designs would be more at home in a much worse JRPG series like Star Ocean or something, so I hope not.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

I wonder if there'll be a spinoff starring Team NORA. Their shitty-ass designs would be more at home in a much worse JRPG series like Star Ocean or something, so I hope not.

Maqui returns in Versus as Noctis' rival.

 

[Crash Station]

I wonder if there'll be a spinoff starring Team NORA. Their shitty-ass designs would be more at home in a much worse JRPG series like Star Ocean or something, so I hope not.

I would actually love a game where Team Nora became L'cie and you followed their kooky adventures. Seriously, I want to know more about them.

 

[Fuu]

I'm fairly sure Team NORA will be heavily featured in FFXIII-2 if we ever get it.

 

[Zoe]

I thought for the entire game the no one lived on Pulse and it was all monsters and demons or something and when you finally get there

Spoiler

there are no people anywhere but they don't say anything about it. Were they all dead?. They also didn't make it seem like Vanile and Fang had been frozen for very long at all, but they were there at the last great war right? ugh

I won't go on more as people have covered it, but it went thin and rushed even for a FF game.

You make it sound as if they didn't address this at all.

Spoiler

In the very beginning of chapter 11, Light/Snow/Sazh are returning from scouting for people.

 

[polyh3dron]

Ahahaha no way is this story better than FF8's. NO WAY. :lol

I have to say the story is the weakest of any FF game I have completed. I never completed 12 though. It's almost like they thought all the criticism of previous FF games was how they were overly expository and then they overcompensated for it. People died and I didn't give a shit. I never really gave a shit about any of the characters.

Oh and Barthandeleus is the weakest bad guy EVER.

All in all it feels like a game that was rushed out the door when it was anything but.

And like BobTheFork said, the gameplay is actually AWESOME. Best battle system ever in a game, I just wish they could have made a leveling up system and equipment system that was good, the ones in this game come off a bit half assed.

 

[BobTheFork]

You make it sound as if they didn't address this at all.

Spoiler

In the very beginning of chapter 11, Light/Snow/Sazh are returning from scouting for people.

Spoiler

well been a few weeks since I saw that exact part but what did they say? Do they say why there are no people?

 

[Rpgmonkey]

Got to chapter 13, should be able to beat it soon, but I went back to do more hunts first. Did the end of 12 REALLY need those enemies constantly trying to cast Death on my party leader? It's like the game tries its hardest to make the game hard based on the combat engine's shortcomings.

Yeah I kinda freaked out when they started doing that crap.

Fortunately this game has one of the worst death spell success rates ever, so before I learned that little fact, at some point I assumed they were just using the spell because it did a large amount of damage. :lol

 

[User 10639]

I'm fairly sure Team NORA will be heavily featured in FFXIII-2 if we ever get it.

This is why I want a prequel, people. God help Square Enix if I ever have to look at Team NORA again, omg.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

Spoiler

well been a few weeks since I saw that exact part but what did they say? Do they say why there are no people?

Cie'th

 

[Fuu]

Oh and Barthandeleus is the weakest bad guy EVER.

And a creeper. I lol'd at the part where he

Spoiler

turns into Serah and hugs Snow, going back to his normal appearance right after

.

 

[polyh3dron]

Well tough luck for everyone who hates it, I'm really enjoying it!

What chapter are you in?

 

[Pappasman]

I've been thinking about the ending for a couple days now and while I initially thought that it ended well, but the more thought I give it the more I've come to realize that the story is a giant clusterfuck. The characters and world are interesting but the game doesn't explain shit. The characters seem interesting but there is almost no character development. Not having a direct goal or clear antagonist for the majority of the game was my biggest problem with the story though.

 

[Zoe]

Spoiler

well been a few weeks since I saw that exact part but what did they say? Do they say why there are no people?

They don't say it outright, but

Spoiler

yeah, what Fimbulvetr said.

 

[Chris R]

Found a sweet ass point to grind at with my party in Chapt11 with no risk (can't preempt bemoths 100% of the time) Easy to reset too. It's right in the area of mark 3 if others fresh to Chapt11 like me want to grind.

 

[-COOLIO-]

MAAAAN

so im playing this game but i dont understand nothin. why do they house these fal cie thangs if they dont like em and they make people lcie? or should i not know this from the begging?

 

[polyh3dron]

And a creeper. I lol'd at the part where he

Spoiler

turns into Serah and hugs Snow, going back to his normal appearance right after

.

Man that shit was so telegraphed...

meh.

 

[polyh3dron]

MAAAAN

so im playing this game but i dont understand nothin. why do they house these fal cie thangs if they dont like em and they make people lcie? or should i not know this from the begging?

People of Cocoon don't like PULSE Fal'Cie. The Cocoon Fal'Cie however make their way of life possible.

 

[bunbun777]

I'm having trouble with mission 55 for the

Spoiler

Growth Egg

. I get destroyed on the first or second round. Non of my characters are over 10k hp but they are close. Maybe I should grind some more.

Any advice gaf?

You can

Spoiler

spam death

got him on second try that way.

 

[BobTheFork]

They don't say it outright, but

Spoiler

yeah, what Fimbulvetr said.

ok, that does make sense.

 

[marathonfool]

The entirety of the motivation and actors in the story are explained at the end of chapter 11.

If you don't read any datalog and don't pay attention at the end of chapter 11. You will have no idea what's going on in chapters 12 and 13.

The first 10 chapters is about the gang trying to figure things out and learning their backstories.

 

[-COOLIO-]

People of Cocoon don't like PULSE Fal'Cie. The Cocoon Fal'Cie however make their way of life possible.

wasnt that a pulse falcie floating around at the start though? why did they bring it in?

 

[polyh3dron]

wasnt that a pulse falcie floating around at the start though? why did they bring it in?

Yes it was a Pulse Fal'Cie but I'm pretty sure it was not welcome there.

 

[-COOLIO-]

Yes it was a Paulse Fal'Cie but I'm pretty sure it was not welcome there.

:\

ah

it seemed like it was brought in by the psicom people but maybe they were taking it out?

 

[brandonh83]

COOLIO is playing FFXIII, this is going to be awesome :lol

 

[polyh3dron]

:\

ah

it seemed like it was brought in by the psicom people but maybe they were taking it out?

ehh I don't fucking know, but apparently there's some kind of animated prologue that may explain it all.

oh and you should probably read the datalog, 75% of the damn story is in that thing.

 

[Zoe]

:\

ah

it seemed like it was brought in by the psicom people but maybe they were taking it out?

They didn't know it contained a fal'Cie until shortly before the Purge. Once they found out, they took any action necessary to get rid of it.

 

[Die Squirrel Die]

:\

ah

it seemed like it was brought in by the psicom people but maybe they were taking it out?

500 years ago during

Spoiler

the War of Transgression

the surface of Cocoon was damaged. The Cocoon Fal'Cie took parts of Pulse to repair the damage, which brought up debris from Pulse into Cocoon.

Spoiler

The Pulse Cocoon Anima's Vestige

was one such piece but was assumed to a harmless piece of architecture. It wasn't until centuries later that they discovered

Spoiler

that the Vestige contained a Pulse Fal'Cie, resulting in the Purge of all the people who lived in the nearby town, and the destruction of the Vestige

.

 

[Brazil]

:\

ah

it seemed like it was brought in by the psicom people but maybe they were taking it out?

Spoiler

That Pulse fal'Cie was hidden inside the Vestige in Bodhum. They didn't know it was there until it suddenly opened. When they found out, they ordered the Purge and threw the Vestige away.

 

[Amir0x]

Pretty good write up, Himuro. Atm I'd give FFXIII a 4/10, with the caveat that its story is still better than FFVIII's by a country mile (also, Mass Effect 2 is the best looking console RPG this gen. Full stop. Way more consistent)

 

[ZephyrFate]

Pretty good write up, Himuro. Atm I'd give FFXIII a 4/10, with the caveat that its story is still better than FFVIII's by a country mile (also, Mass Effect 2 is the best looking console RPG this gen. Full stop. Way more consistent)

Mass Effect 2 looks just as plasticky as all the other Bioware titles released this gen. Yawn. Okay then.

 

[DualShadow]

- And that one distinction separates those who love FF13 and those who really just aren't fans of it: the emphasis on story. Me, my favorite Final Fantasy's are 5, 6, 8, Tactics, and 10-2. All of these games place an emphasis on freedom, exploration, and customization. They are story-based, but not to the point where the story dictates how I should I play. I'm free to make only Terra and Celise be the only mages in FF6 as everyone else relies on their main roles. I can make RedXIII only deal with summon/enemy skill material as he's an animal and such skills are befitting an animal. I can craft my own custom roles and custom jobs out of thin air using merely my imagination in these games because the game does not restrict how I choose to play it.

FF7 isn't included in your favorites but you make reference to it? (RedXIII)

It's still a valid point but i just thought that was strange :lol

Spoiler

Unless RedXIII is in another FF?

 

[Kagari]

Nice review, Himuro. Seems most of the long time fans are in agreement on a lot of the same points.

 

[Scythesurge]

Well I'm still just in chapter 11 but I really agree with a lot of what you said, Himuro. And yet I've still managed to find a lot of enjoyment from the game, though its problems are loud and clear. But you did a very good job at describing a lot of very valid points.

 

[AgentOtaku]

excellent review Himuro

...shit, now I'm wondering if I should even bother with it at all =/

 

[dreamer3kx]

The game had soooo much potential, I enjoyed it but it could have been a great FF game if they did some things differently, man so much potential.

 

[brandonh83]

Really enjoyed your post, Himuro. I wanted to make a similar mega post like that but instead just focused on a few things. But you really summed up a lot of my very same thoughts there. I also completely agree with your points about the environments. I thought the graphics were amazing as was the art direction for the most part, but the game lacked character. Those Midgar locations with the deserted playgrounds just invoke so much thought and personality, I think, and that's something that FFXIII severely lacked. Hell I think most FF games do that right, except XIII.

 

[-COOLIO-]

Oh, right. I forgot one note:

- The dialogue. It is terrible. "Mom's are tough!""Didn't you say you were gonna save her HERO?","Heroes don't die!"," Wishing and praying won't do anything, all I can do now is dream!","Ciao!". Ad infinitum.

And to think we had dialogue like this in the last game:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLBGbUGryRE

the dialouge has been really bad so far, i dont mind a little a cheese but damn. the moms are tough lines have been the worst so far. while playing i was actually thinking about how amazing it is that 10s of millions of dollars are going into projects that are written like this :\

the art direction, character design, and over arching story so far have been great though

 

[Pappasman]

Oh, right. I forgot one note:

- The dialogue. It is terrible. "Mom's are tough!""Didn't you say you were gonna save her HERO?","Heroes don't die!"," Wishing and praying won't do anything, all I can do now is dream!","Ciao!". Ad infinitum.

And to think we had dialogue like this in the last game:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLBGbUGryRE

but "Worst birthday ever" redeems it :lol

 

[Kagari]

Oh, right. I forgot one note:

- The dialogue. It is terrible. "Mom's are tough!""Didn't you say you were gonna save her HERO?","Heroes don't die!"," Wishing and praying won't do anything, all I can do now is dream!","Ciao!". Ad infinitum.

And to think we had dialogue like this in the last game:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLBGbUGryRE

The script is just all around bad. Even in the Japanese version it had its moments of terribleness.

 

[Cep]

Oh, right. I forgot one note:

- The dialogue. It is terrible. "Mom's are tough!""Didn't you say you were gonna save her HERO?","Heroes don't die!"," Wishing and praying won't do anything, all I can do now is dream!","Ciao!". Ad infinitum.

And to think we had dialogue like this in the last game:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLBGbUGryRE

Wow, that review was very well written and thought out.

I am impressed.

Also, I forget how ridiculously well written that particular scene is. One of the few times that Smith was able to completely override Watanabe's shittiness and show us how it is done.

 

[-COOLIO-]

Wow, that review was very well written and thought out.

I am impressed.

Also, I forget how ridiculously well written that particular scene is. One of the few times that Smith was able to completely override Watanabe's shittiness and show us how it is done.

is the smith fellow the guy in charge of localization for ff games?

 

[Cynar]

Oh, right. I forgot one note:

- The dialogue. It is terrible. "Mom's are tough!""Didn't you say you were gonna save her HERO?","Heroes don't die!"," Wishing and praying won't do anything, all I can do now is dream!","Ciao!". Ad infinitum.

And to think we had dialogue like this in the last game:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLBGbUGryRE

seriously this makes me so sad. 13 is a good game but a bad final fantasy. Stupid animu story.

 

[Kagari]

Smith localized Vagrant Story, Final Fantasy 12, and Final Fantasy Tactics psp. So basically, all of the Ivalice games. But he also did FF10 iirc.

Yes.

 

[-COOLIO-]

Smith localized Vagrant Story, Final Fantasy 12, and Final Fantasy Tactics psp. So basically, all of the Ivalice games. But he also did FF10 iirc.

this agent smith is a good man, i wonder how different ff13 might of sounded with him.

 

[Awntawn]

The script is just all around bad. Even in the Japanese version it had its moments of terribleness.

I theorize that the scenario writer watches a shitload of anime both good and bad, can't tell the difference, and throws all the cliches into one big orgy without understanding how they're supposed to be used. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the first script he's ever written. It's unacceptably horrible even by cheesy anime standards.

 

[Kagari]

I theorize that the scenario writer watches a shitload of anime both good and bad, can't tell the difference, and throws all the cliches into one big orgy without understanding how they're supposed to be used. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the first script he's ever written. It's unacceptably horrible even by cheesy anime standards.

I believe Toriyama also wrote Blood of Bahamut. Watanabe has worked on a few things.

 

[AgentOtaku]

I wouldn't suggest getting it at full price but I guess it's worth playing. You may have a different reaction than me.

Well good thing I got it for $19 then