This is terrible. What the fuck is going on? They have a trilogy for this busted series, and none of them connect in any way. It's like the writers got bored and decided to do something else with the same assets each game.
Summary of what the fuck is going on (massive spoilers ahead):
Lightning: So, she turned her ass into a popsicle....somehow... after failing in her duty as the Guardian of Etro. The fact that she failed because the writers wrote the story so as to make it impossible for victory is besides the point. Lightning failed, so Etro is dead, which released Chaos, which ate away at the world, which created Nova Crystallis, which cut off the flow of time, which is why everyone is still alive, which is now ending the world. Which leads us to...
Serah: She's dead. She's very dead. Thanks for that, Etro. The jist of it is that Etro made Serah her Seeress... for whatever reason, no one is really clear on when, where, or why this happened... which causes her to be fated to die after seeing the future too often. Lightning sent Serah on a journey to change the future, so you can guess how that ended. This is partly why Lightning froze her ass: She felt such overwhelming guilt. Now that leads us to...
Snow: He be all mad and depressed since his fiancee was all corpsified and shit. He blames himself and stuff. Because of his guilt, he doesn't care if he lives or dies at this point. Now, you may be wondering why he has all dem funky powers back and why he has a brand again. The answer is simple: He went to a Fal'cie and got himself branded again... off screen... in a novella. Anyway, about why he seems to be the pimp of the night club: He has become the protector of Yusaan. Which leads us back to...
Lightning: She became the Savior after the light touched her. Yes, that's how she describes it: "The light touched me". After being touched by the light and being put into contact with Bhunivelze (or "God" as the localization team is calling him) and made her The Savior. Now, the job of the Savior is to save the souls and bring them into the next world. As such, Lightning has to kill everyone, take their soul, and "save" as many people as possible within the next 13 days. Why 13 days? Well, to answer that, we now need to talk about...
Caius: Bat shit insane guy in a purple trench coat and a massive bone to pick with the universe. Long story short: Caius was given the Heart of Etro... for reasons... which doomed him to a life of immortality. Etro, being the brilliant Goddess she is, decided it would be a good idea to pair the mentally unstable immortal guy with the cursed to die and be reborn for all eternity girl. Predictably, Caius became attached to Yeul. Enter XIII: Party fucks shit up, relies on Etro to save them, Etro saving them causes paradoxes, paradoxes and multiple futures causes Yeul to die younger and younger. Didn't go over too well with Caius. So Caius creates a convoluted plan to end the universe by getting someone to stab him in the heart to kill Etro, which will end time, which would free Yeul. Long story short, he succeeds. This leads us to the fallout which created...
Nova Crystallis: A quaint little land surrounded by the Sea of Chaos released when Caius killed himself. Chaos is forever eating away at it, which will eventually cause the universe to end. Everyone knows this, so they party hearty as much as they can. Basically: This land is fucked, everyone knows it, and Lightning has to save people by killing them.
Now, you may wonder who the Gothic Lolita is. Well, we all are at this point.
Lumina: Insufferable little troll who works for "God". She trolls the fuck out of everyone and seemingly has no fucks to give.
And finally, we have...
Hope: He's a kid again... for reasons. He's this game's version of Otacon.
And now you have an explanation for the first 5 minutes of the game. Good luck with the next 5 minutes!
Seriously, how the fuck do they expect newcomers to understand a damn thing? There had better be one hell of a summary portion in the datalog.
story stuff
Seriously, how the fuck do they expect newcomers to understand a damn thing? There had better be one hell of a summary portion in the datalog.
I'm all for CG cutscene intros but it needs to be coherent and cohesive. That intro was not and I'm extremely disappointed at how it turned out. Sure it's a visual spectacle but that's all it is.
And now you have an explanation for the first 5 minutes of the game. Good luck with the next 5 minutes!
Doesn't excuse the intro from being crappy.XIII and XIII-2 intros didn't explain what was going on until there's been some action. Lots of games do this (Bayonetta comes to mind). I don't think there's anything particularly wrong with it, personally. I'd rather start in the action than feel like I'm being dragged through the story before I've even done anything.
I'm not sure why people are more confused by this intro than by most.
No, and no.Serious question, what's been up with Square Enix?
I lost track in Square after being turned off by FFX-2 and FF12.
I lost track in Enix after DQ9.
Recently, Eidos slam dunked (IMHO) with Sleeping Dogs and Tomb Raider.
Have I missed anything substantial in the Square Enix part, or is this their return to form?
Thanks.
I'm all for CG cutscene intros but it needs to be coherent and cohesive. That intro was not and I'm extremely disappointed at how it turned out. Sure it's a visual spectacle but that's all it is.
XIII and XIII-2 intros didn't explain what was going on until there's been some action. Lots of games do this (Bayonetta comes to mind). I don't think there's anything particularly wrong with it, personally. I'd rather start in the action than feel like I'm being dragged through the story before I've even done anything.
I'm not sure why people are more confused by this intro than by most.
12 years since FFX.
8 years since DQ8.
Wow.
You don't need XIII or XIII-2 to understand the story. You won't understand it ANYWAY!
See... you say that and yet Kingdom Hearts 2 and FFXIV:ARR were both able to set up their stories in their CG intros with almost zero confusion. AND IN THESE OPENINGS CHARACTERS DONT SAY ANYTHING!
FFXIV
Ugh...that little girl on the chandelier made me want to throw up. I hate that cutesy Japanese stuff
XIII and XIII-2 intros didn't explain what was going on until there's been some action. Lots of games do this (Bayonetta comes to mind). I don't think there's anything particularly wrong with it, personally. I'd rather start in the action than feel like I'm being dragged through the story before I've even done anything.
I'm not sure why people are more confused by this intro than by most.
Summary of what the fuck is going on (massive spoilers ahead):
Seriously, how the fuck do they expect newcomers to understand a damn thing? There had better be one hell of a summary portion in the datalog.
Lightning: Its locked. Can we get through somehow?
Hope: Probably not by force. Let me see if I can break into the security system. Give me a minute.
Lightning: Beyond the door lies a vortex of Chaos
Hope: And Snow went right inside. Thats not something a sane person would do.
Lightning: Its rather understandable, though. Hes lived through hundreds of years without a single glimmer of hope. And on top of that, now the whole world is close to ending. The average person is bound to lose a few bolts.
Hope: Are you saying that Snows soul is beyond saving?
Lightning: I dont want to believe it, but
Guard: There she is! Its that woman!
Lightning: !!
Hope: Not good. Weve been spotted. Light, lets retreat for now.
Lightning: I cant turn back now! Im the only one who can relate to his pain of losing Serah.
Hope: Yeah, I get it. You, the Savior, are the only one who can save Snows soul. And thats why you need to take better care of yourself! If you act rashly and fail, this world will end without a single soul saved!
Lightning: I understand. Take me back to the Ark.
Hope: Got it.
Lumina: Relate to his pain? Save all the souls? Her nose is certainly high in the air! Just who does this Savior think she is!? *giggles*
Lightning: I committed a terrible, irreversible sin. I sent my only remaining family, my younger sister, out to battle. My sister, Serah I led her to her death. I I couldnt forgive myself. But at the same time, I didnt know how to make myself pay. I only wished to someday save my little sister. And with that wish, I fell into a death-like sleep. After hundreds of years, seemingly an eternity, passed by I felt a light. That light was the form of a shapeless god. Divine ruler of all in the world, a god above all other gods Bhunivelze. The light was the voice of God. It swelled into a strong intention and spoke to me. If I became his servant and fulfilled the duties bestowed upon me, God would reward me with a miracle. He promised to revive my beloved sister, the sister I killed. Under Bhunivelzes command, I became the one to guide souls into salvation the Savior.
Hope: Welcome home, Light.
Lightning: Hope Estheim, a boy who once shared the same fate as me and fought against it. In the beginning, he could only curse his unfortunate fate. But he quickly developed into a dependable comrade. And as he continued to move forward with unwavering determination, he even became a strong leader who guided the people and watched over their future. At least, thats what he once was But when I heard Gods voice and awakened from my long slumber, Hope had returned to his child form, as though he had leapt back in time. And in this familiar form, Hope - the master of The Ark - introduced me to Bhunivelzes divine plan.
Hope: The god of light, Bhunivelze, is incapable of stopping the Chaos from destroying this world. So he has decided to, instead of saving this world, create a whole new one. However, there is no point in creating a new world if there are no people to live in it. This is where you, the Savior, come in. The Savior will release the souls trapped within this dying realm and guide them to the new world. Only you hold the power to save every soul - including Serahs.
Lightning: So, basically, this is all a trade. If I want to save Serah, I have to play along as Gods little messenger-girl.
Hope: Only you can fit this role. However, I also find it unpleasant that he is using Serah as leverage.
Lightning: I dont think so.
Hope: What?
Lightning: My little sisters life is being held in a bargain. Normally, I would never forgive something like this. But the feeling just doesnt resound within me anymore Its like theres a hole in my heart.
Hope: I know what you mean. Its the same with me. I can recall experiences from my past, but I cant remember how I felt during them.
Lightning: Perhaps its one of those divine blessings from God. His loyal servants have no need for emotions. Thats why we have none.
Hope: Then I should suppose it was also part of his plan to put me back into this body.
Lightning: I never had a choice. I was the one who led my sister, Serah, to her death. To save her, I could only agree to obey this so-called God. And in this way, Hope and I became servants of God. I as the Savior - guiding souls to the new world. A servant of Bhunivelze, the god of light.
Hope: Light? Lightning? Whats wrong? Umm Are you okay?
Lightning: I was just thinking. Dont worry about it.
Hope: Approximately five hundred years ago, stability was destroyed and Chaos flooded into the world. Despite the vastness of our world, the Chaos has managed to corner all life within a rather short amount of time.
Lightning: And when the Savior loses all strength to go on, the bell will toll for the end of the world right?
Hope: The echoing sound will awaken Bhunivelze, signaling him to establish the new heavens and earth.
Lightning: The question is, how many souls can I save before then..?
Hope: Yes. The souls we are unable to save will disappear along with the old world.
For those interested in some of the "Why?".
SPOILERS
In this video, which takes place a bit after the dragon fight, Light narrates what is going on and why she is God's servant:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Omn-MfSj5xw
and the translation:
How the fuck is Lightning feeling the "strain" of being the Savior, obviously feeling emotion when confronting Snow, and "becoming more girly" IF SHE DOESN'T FEEL EMOTION! They pulled the same bullshit with Etro! You don't feel emotional distress IF YOU DON'T HAVE THEM!
Seriously, if Lightning is without emotion, why does Lightning not want to believe Snow is beyond saving? Why does she want to save Serah? Why does she want ANYTHING if she is as "emotionless" as a fucking Fal'cie!?
They keep using that word "emotionless" or imply it, but I really don't think they know what it means. Etro is emotionless, yet she feels love, pity, jealousy, and self-loathing. Lightning is emotionless, yet we clearly see emotion on her face and hear it in her voice!
If anything KH shows way more concept consistency and integrity between games than what happened with FFXIII's plot, universe and characters.This story is almost Kingdom Hearts level bad.
You know Crimson, your 'summary' is part of the problem. When you make a ridiculous thing like that, people get even more confused and the game gets misrepresented again to people unfamiliar to the title. I do find it odd that people who paid attention to XIII's story do not have problems understanding it. It is no means the greatest JRPG ever told but it is not as hard to follow/ insane as people make it out to be.
Summary of what the fuck is going on (massive spoilers ahead):
Lightning: So, she turned her ass into a popsicle....somehow... after failing in her duty as the Guardian of Etro. The fact that she failed because the writers wrote the story so as to make it impossible for victory is besides the point. Lightning failed, so Etro is dead, which released Chaos, which ate away at the world, which created Nova Crystallis, which cut off the flow of time, which is why everyone is still alive, which is now ending the world. Which leads us to...
Serah: She's dead. She's very dead. Thanks for that, Etro. The jist of it is that Etro made Serah her Seeress... for whatever reason, no one is really clear on when, where, or why this happened... which causes her to be fated to die after seeing the future too often. Lightning sent Serah on a journey to change the future, so you can guess how that ended. This is partly why Lightning froze her ass: She felt such overwhelming guilt. Now that leads us to...
Snow: He be all mad and depressed since his fiancee was all corpsified and shit. He blames himself and stuff. Because of his guilt, he doesn't care if he lives or dies at this point. Now, you may be wondering why he has all dem funky powers back and why he has a brand again. The answer is simple: He went to a Fal'cie and got himself branded again... off screen... in a novella. Anyway, about why he seems to be the pimp of the night club: He has become the protector of Yusaan. Which leads us back to...
Lightning: She became the Savior after the light touched her. Yes, that's how she describes it: "The light touched me". After being touched by the light and being put into contact with Bhunivelze (or "God" as the localization team is calling him) and made her The Savior. Now, the job of the Savior is to save the souls and bring them into the next world. As such, Lightning has to kill everyone, take their soul, and "save" as many people as possible within the next 13 days. Why 13 days? Well, to answer that, we now need to talk about...
Caius: Bat shit insane guy in a purple trench coat and a massive bone to pick with the universe. Long story short: Caius was given the Heart of Etro... for reasons... which doomed him to a life of immortality. Etro, being the brilliant Goddess she is, decided it would be a good idea to pair the mentally unstable immortal guy with the cursed to die and be reborn for all eternity girl. Predictably, Caius became attached to Yeul. Enter XIII: Party fucks shit up, relies on Etro to save them, Etro saving them causes paradoxes, paradoxes and multiple futures causes Yeul to die younger and younger. Didn't go over too well with Caius. So Caius creates a convoluted plan to end the universe by getting someone to stab him in the heart to kill Etro, which will end time, which would free Yeul. Long story short, he succeeds. This leads us to the fallout which created...
Nova Crystallis: A quaint little land surrounded by the Sea of Chaos released when Caius killed himself. Chaos is forever eating away at it, which will eventually cause the universe to end. Everyone knows this, so they party hearty as much as they can. Basically: This land is fucked, everyone knows it, and Lightning has to save people by killing them.
Now, you may wonder who the Gothic Lolita is. Well, we all are at this point.
Lumina: Insufferable little troll who works for "God". She trolls the fuck out of everyone and seemingly has no fucks to give.
And finally, we have...
Hope: He's a kid again... for reasons. He's this game's version of Otacon.
And now you have an explanation for the first 5 minutes of the game. Good luck with the next 5 minutes!
Seriously, how the fuck do they expect newcomers to understand a damn thing? There had better be one hell of a summary portion in the datalog.
She's so moe.
You know Crimson, your 'summary' is part of the problem. When you make a ridiculous thing like that, people get even more confused and the game gets misrepresented again to people unfamiliar to the title. I do find it odd that people who paid attention to XIII's story do not have problems understanding it. It is no means the greatest JRPG ever told but it is not as hard to follow/ insane as people make it out to be.
I was being playful, Toth, but that is the jist of what happened. Just take out the swears and the extraneous bits and that plot summary holds.
Nova Crystallis was created because the Heart of Etro was destroyed. It was destroyed through the efforts of Caius. It's destruction lead to the release of Chaos which flooded the land, ate away at everything, stopped time, and is destroying the universe. Nova Crystallis is doomed. Lightning is the Savior and she did fail her role as Etro's guardian. Snow is the protector of Yusaan. He's also depressed and doesn't find life worth living anymore. Serah is dead. We don't know why Hope is a kid again or what Lumina is truly up to. The reasons given for Caius' actions are true. My description of XIII's ending and it's relation to XIII-2 and LR, while told in a light-hearted manner, is true. Etro did give Serah the Eyes of Etro which did kill her.
Nothing of what I said was a lie, Toth.
So I went in with an open mind even If I'm not buying the game.
The beginning was kind of cool, gave me X-2/VIII vibes since it looked like the concert and the parade. Lightning's voice actress is still awful and Snow is a lot more acceptable looking after XIII-2 though I wish they just cut his hair. He was already half way into looking like a Seifer clone.
Didn't really understand anything after the monsters. Especially that girl that looks like Serah. Who the hell is she?
I'm not expecting to know her entire backstory and purpose, just some small details to explain why they know her. I know her name is Lumina since I did watch the openingLumina, which Snow calls her. No one knows what she's up to or where she came from.
That'll presumably be revealed in, you know, the rest of the game.
?? Seifer's hair is much shorter and is combed back...
XIII and XIII-2 intros didn't explain what was going on until there's been some action. Lots of games do this (Bayonetta comes to mind). I don't think there's anything particularly wrong with it, personally. I'd rather start in the action than feel like I'm being dragged through the story before I've even done anything.
I'm not sure why people are more confused by this intro than by most.
I skipped the previous games... I have no idea what's happening here. But, I do know I heard Kanji and Laura Bailey.Any ETA on the super mega FF13 ultra pack?I think.