This is why I don't understand WTF Toriyama and co. were doing... I mean really.
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII |OT| Toriyama's Bizarre Adventure
- Thread starter Kagari
- Start date
The Praiseworthy
Member
10 hours into the game now... it really start to grow on me, so many fan services like some classical music from the series like
really put a smile on my face and gave me a little hope that we might get more of the old classical for the future games in the series.
The story is really weird and feels like they came up with everything in two days only :\
OST is good, but not FFXIII-2 good.
Battle system is a downgrade.... but exploring the game and talk to people and do side quests and the all time limits concept which I hated so much at the start but now don't mind it..... is kinda fun.
Final Fantasy Main theme and Battle With Gilgamesh and the classic fanfare
The story is really weird and feels like they came up with everything in two days only :\
OST is good, but not FFXIII-2 good.
Battle system is a downgrade.... but exploring the game and talk to people and do side quests and the all time limits concept which I hated so much at the start but now don't mind it..... is kinda fun.
i just canceled my preorder, not because i don't want it, but because by the time i get to playing it i know i'm going to be seeing it for like $20 or something. i still have XIII-2 to play and that's exactly what happened... it's always what happens to me lately. hell, i wanted to finish platinum'ing XIII, LR is far off for me
I've been waiting for months for these posts and I can't stop lollin' IRL right now.
The Praiseworthy
Member
P.S: I just wish there was an option to shut Hope up... his conversations with Lightning are really REALLY annoying -_-"
Now I understand when they said the script is twice as big as FFXIII.... a lot of stupid unnecessary lines, even the NPC talk WAY to much.
Now I understand when they said the script is twice as big as FFXIII.... a lot of stupid unnecessary lines, even the NPC talk WAY to much.
CrimsonCrescendo
Banned
I have no earthly idea what the hell they were thinking. Because again, they were going ON AND ON about how they wanted "everyone to love Lightning." and about how "people were put off by Lightning's cold demeanor in XIII".
THEN WHAT THE FRESH HELL DO YOU CALL WHAT SHE HAS BEEN DOING THE PAST 10 HOURS!?
That was my breaking point. Knowing the ending and how much worse it gets, I'm throwing in the towel for a while. I need a holiday from this story.
PshycoNinja
Member
Were you expecting a different outcome from the guy who brought you XIII-2 and X-2, Crimson?
Tsundere. Apparently people absolutely adore tsundere
edit: Actually the more I think about it the more it makes sense in a twisted way. God save us all.
CrimsonCrescendo
Banned
But it isn't even Tsundere. I don't know what the hell it is.
Embrace the Goddess' light
JSoup
Banned
This is the position I'm in as well. My initial plan was to platinum XIII and XIII-2 before Lightening Returns is out, but the grind is taking way longer than I thought it would. That and I just got my copy of XIII-2 for next to nothing, so there is something to be said for waiting.
CrimsonCrescendo
Banned
Do you know what they said about it?
Tuesday is gonna be interesting.
LEVEL - 6/10
GameInformer - 7/10
OXM - 7/10
GamesTM - 7/10
Gamekult - 7/10
TC McQueen
Member
Psychological problems? Just being insane? Other things that Toriyama probably didn't intend?
Ari, no.
Yoshichan
And they made him a Lord of Cinder. Not for virtue, but for might. Such is a lord, I suppose. But here I ask. Do we have a sodding chance?
Not yet, sorry.
Yeah... after the massive amount of "repairing" they tried to do with XIII-2 based on XIII's reception I wonder if they were expecting LR to end up as it did.
MotionBlue
Member
What the fuck. So I've been expecting my collector's edition for LR for some time now, as I never received an email about it shipping together with my other orders.
Low and behold tonight. I finally get the email. What the fuck square, never use digital river again. It has been a god damn nightmare trying to change my order so I can actually get my god damn game I ordered months ago, to actually ship the week it is released.
Low and behold tonight. I finally get the email. What the fuck square, never use digital river again. It has been a god damn nightmare trying to change my order so I can actually get my god damn game I ordered months ago, to actually ship the week it is released.
SoraanTribal
Member
You know, oddly enough, some of these replies about the story are making me kind of excited about the game, lol... Like, just to see how bad the story actually gets (or to find out if people are just overreacting). As someone who thought XIII's base story was alright (just poorly told) and XIII-2's story had some interesting moments (Noel/Caius/Yeul parts mostly), I'm just not sure what to expect from LR. It seems all over the place. I haven't read any of the spoiler tagged stuff as I'm trying to avoid it. Maybe since I'm going into the game with such low expectations for the story, I might end up enjoying it somewhat? Who knows. Guess we'll find out in like a week or two (gotta finish Bravely Default first).
Sounds about right.
That Wont Fit In There
Member
The streets may be frozen here in Atlanta the day this comes out 
I hope not.
I hope not.Gargh. I don't know why I'm forcing myself through XIII-2. I'm really not enjoying it, and I can't see Lightning Returns being much better... I don't really get how it's considered an improvement over XIII either. The only improvement to me is the area's being bigger, that's about it. >.<
I'm not going to get into it in detail until I play the entire game, but I was under the impression, from what I've heard about the story, that there's a pretty huge story point that directly addresses what you're talking about.
Lightning is bipolar. Toriyama is so ahead of his time making a game about mental illness.
CrimsonCrescendo
Banned
Yes, and the story point is a load of bollocks. It adds nothing to Lightning's character (in fact it takes quite a bit away), is handled inconsistently, and causes massive dissonance between who we know Lightning is and what she is doing on screen (at some points she might as well be a different character). I, as someone who likes Lightning, do not like Lightning in this game. So if their intended goal was to open Lightning up to the world and get other people to like her, they've failed so miserably to the point where someone who likes Lightning is now on the fence about her.
bodine1231
Member
I didn't like XIII-2 either,but I loved XIII (did not like the monster training in 2). I'm looking forward to LR mainly because of the battle system.
Liferebooted
Banned
But God isn't real. =\
"Might as well be a different character" is literally the story point to a certain degree. It's actually pretty similar to the 3rd Birthday, which I thought was awesome. And it does add to her character, because it directly addresses her conflicting nature, and then seeks to resolve it by the end of the game. Not sure how that wouldn't be adding to her character.
PshycoNinja
Member
So they artificially create a personality problem for an established character just so they can "resolve" it in said game. And what's worse is that it is literally just there to pad the story. It doesn't help her image problem nor does it affect the plot in any significant way. It literally just makes the writers seem indecisive in what they wanted to do with her.
I don't know what "artificially create" means, since this is fiction, and it's all artificially created. That schism in her personality has been there since before the first game even started, when she took on the name "Lightning." It was the contrasting nature of an obedient soldier in the Guardian Corps who also had it in her to rebel against the commands of the fal'cie. It was the contrast between her then following Etro's orders for the greater good instead of being a free spirit and doing her own thing. It's the break between Claire and Lightning, and it's been there all along. It's the ending of XIII-2, where the whole point of her crystal sleep is to keep the memory of Serah alive within her, locked away like her childhood that she never got to have. I don't know why "resolve" is put in scare quotes, when that's exactly what the ending does - whether you think it's a good resolution or not.
I don't think she has an image problem. She's always been an extremely eye-catching character as far as her image is concerned. I've heard a lot of people on here talk about how she does conflicting things between XIII and XIII-2, and that aspect of the writing bothers them. The whole plot of LR, and her character arc in it seems to directly address that in an interesting way from what I've seen. So, I honestly don't see the problem.
As far as padding the story out, I kind of doubt it honestly. Every story in the XIII saga so far has been pretty much the exact opposite of padded. It's had tons of depth, and only a small part of it actually makes it on the screen - with lots of additional aspects of the story, world, and mythology expanded on in the datalog or in outside works. And even those seem like they barely scratch the surface. There's a ton they could get into, but don't have the time for in this game. Nova Chrysalia is pretty different, and all the other characters could have a lot more screen time than they get. I think it'll be a lot like the last two games in that regard, and the story will have a lot of depth not directly in the cutscenes. And most people on here won't even notice that depth is there, or won't take the time to read into anything happening in the game at all.
SoraanTribal
Member
So many spoiler bars. x_x I really should avoid this thread until after I beat the game, lol.
Ganon Dragmire
Member
Maybe we should do a spoiler thread.
Tizoc
Member
Not like the story is anything amazing to begin with, unless you don't want to be spoiled on the hilariously bad scenes.
Parakeetman
No one wants a throne you've been sitting on!
Ganon Dragmire
Member
There are people here that don't want to be spoiled, regardless of what others think of the story.
Dalibor_San
Member
Trust me man, just don't bother...it will put you off the Final Fantasy brand...hell it will put you off from gaming.
I say never force yourself to play a game if it isn't doing it for you, play something that is, I unfortunately did force myself through FFXIII-2 and I regret it.
The only improvement is that it had towns and bit more open nature to the path(in reality?Still linear), still the same shit in a different package.
How did this series go from the promising 2006 E3 trailer to what we have now I really have no idea,I'm hoping FFXV is good.
None the less Final Fantasy XIII Returns will plummet in price really quick as FFXIII-2 did,I'll be more inclined to part with $15 to finish this travesty and never look back.
Dark_castle
Junior Member
Square Enix desperately needs new scenario directors and writers. I'm liking the story premise and the direction Nomura is going for in FFXV, but I'm just not sure Nojima alone is capable of transforming the basic plot into one full story properly. He's quite a hit or miss. I hope that Akiyama is one of the scenario writers as well like he did for KH1 in addition to being an Event Director. I tend to have a lot more faith in him.
Looking at the credits for XIII trilogy, Toriyama and Watanabe are the main culprits here, though I'm inclined to believe that Watanabe CAN do decent work like he did in FFXII under good story premise/direction/outline and supervision, whereas Toriyama is just fucking up everything here and there.
Looking at the credits for XIII trilogy, Toriyama and Watanabe are the main culprits here, though I'm inclined to believe that Watanabe CAN do decent work like he did in FFXII under good story premise/direction/outline and supervision, whereas Toriyama is just fucking up everything here and there.
Perfo
Thirteen flew over the cuckoo's nest
Once the game is out that should be done, absolutely.
PS: Play got Waifu on the cover:
http://www.play-mag.co.uk/news/play-240-out-today/
Is this the face of the future of the genre? Find it out!
Out today, how much it scored?
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Any platform comparisons so far ? So far the frame rate is a bit hiccupy (PS3) during general traversal. Battles are silky smooth though.
brandonh83
Banned
I've been reading all of these spoiler-tagged posts and answers and speculation and whatnot and I must say that I have magnificently no idea what to expect come Tuesday.
Perfo
Thirteen flew over the cuckoo's nest
Probably an entertaining story/quest that doesn't bore you most of the times like most of the genre. Crazy, written like shit, but fun.
This time they tried to make their own game and not a focus group's game, so it's for the better in any case and whatever it happens. Divisive games are always the best games.
Chance Hale
Member
Since Final Fantasy XV will never come out and I'll be shamed by my Thursday A&P lab practical I think I will just perform seppuku on valentine's day and wake up in (ending spoilers)
Maybe Toriyama will finally get started on that Third Birthday sequel teased way back when now that series is over
France with Lightning
Maybe Toriyama will finally get started on that Third Birthday sequel teased way back when now that series is over
Perfo
Thirteen flew over the cuckoo's nest
Maybe Toriyama will finally get started on that Third Birthday sequel teased way back when now that series is over
I'd love a sequel to that game but I think S-E's priority will soon shift to FFX3 or FFXV-2 before the first one is even out. Their plan remains still the same, like KH trying to release one major FF every year alternating big teams, so I guess Toriyama, Nomura, Tabata, Kitase and co. will be working on something different to keep the releases frequent enough and the brand alive, alternating sequels and new episodes each time.
Better told and more intereting story, no annoying characters like Hope or Vanille (Noel and Serah are cool actually), towns, a lot more exploration for sidequests and monster hunting, amazing OST, some mini-games through the game, the incredibly amazing City of Academia...
If you ended FF XIII-2 and you regret it, JRPGs are not made for you.
And if you think FF XIII was better... well I better shut up, lol.
If you ended FF XIII-2 and you regret it, JRPGs are not made for you.
And if you think FF XIII was better... well I better shut up, lol.
brandonh83
Banned
FFXV... 2? As in, the sequel to the game that still hasn't been released yet that used to be a game called FFvXIII that was in production for like seven years?
Fuck.
Perfo
Thirteen flew over the cuckoo's nest
They already made it clear the game will have sequels (or prequels or whatever) and we know S-E is going this way for sometime now (XIII-2, LR and the rumored X-3), it's easy to expect them finally being able to execute their original *wada* plan, that is doing like EA does with CoD: two teams, same IP, yearly releases. I think it's finally the time to do it. They sort of succeded this gen the same way alternating XIII, XIV, XIII-2, ARR, LR: FFXIII but obviously with XIV 1.0 and FFVersus they screwed up big so in the end it came out with a flat execution. Next-gen hopefully starts better and while the quality of new entry I don't think will be any better than now (but remember, I consider these games exceptionally good), we will never see again bugged messes like XIV or forgotten games like FF Versus. It'll be smoother.