People have a warped sense of what constitutes good writing when it comes to video games. The bar has been set so low, any time a story comes across as at least mildly comprehensible people want to heap praise on it. This irritates me. While Lost Odyssey was at least partially coherent in its narrative, I still don't think it is anywhere near what we should be calling "good writing."
It was coherent, period, and that's good enough. I blame the tendency most folks have around here to brand everything as either "gold" or "shit" with no in-between, and LO is planted firmly in that unpopular, un-sensationalist middle ground that just doesn't encourage any--"healthy" discussion. When you're dealing with a medium where people will quit your games because of a few seconds of loading times, of all things, you start really second-guessing your audience's attention span with often less-than-ideal results in regards to story events. And after years (decades?) of these supposedly "god-awful" stories, they still keep coming and people still enjoy them, for what it's worth. I don't know what has to happen or what's supposed to happen to ignite a change in how these things are written, but I'm not seeing much reason for them to do things differently. In the very least, it makes the well-writen stories stand out more -- 'cause, you know, if everyone could just pop a good story out of their ass with ease, they wouldn't be all that special to begin with.
You skipped the sidequests? Divide is a spell you learn from
defeating the King Kelolon at the Kelolon Village
. The spell basically equates the amount of damage done to the enemy based on what the current user's HP is. So if Ming has 6550 HP and casts Divide on an enemy, she'll deal 6550 damage.
So i finished Disk 1. 11 Hours and 39 Minutes. a bit right but could have been more but I skipped 2 dreams and missed 4. Can I go back and find the dreams I missed?
But anyways, story wise it had it's moment.
Visit to see Lirum
I swear I had tears. :lol Really did hate the flower/torch crap. it just made the previous moment terrible. Visually I didn't expect it to be mind blowing but it had its moment. so far the battles have been fairly easy. hope it shoots up in difficulty.
You skipped the sidequests? Divide is a spell you learn from
defeating the King Kelolon at the Kelolon Village
. The spell basically equates the amount of damage done to the enemy based on what the current user's HP is. So if Ming has 6550 HP and casts Divide on an enemy, she'll deal 6550 damage.
Yeah, I'm at the point where I just kind of want to finish the game. I loved it and everything, but I'm about 50 hours in and don't want to spend another 20 doing side quests. Also, with MLB 08 coming out this week, I want to knock this bad boy out.
Um, had to come in and post about the ring combo thing. I get a lot of perfects but I really want to know when the game registers it as perfect - when the thing came up for tutorial way early on, it never mentioned anything about perfects and I still don't get 100% how to get perfects even though I've tried. Which ring do you line it up to and when do you release trigger (when the outside line of your moving ring hits the inner circle - or when thick band of the moving circle falls into the inner circle). see? Confusing.
I'm on disc 4 and I really hated disc 3. The story/gameplay was good til it seperated the party to bits and was dreay as fuck to get through.
Um, had to come in and post about the ring combo thing. I get a lot of perfects but I really want to know when the game registers it as perfect - when the thing came up for tutorial way early on, it never mentioned anything about perfects and I still don't get 100% how to get perfects even though I've tried. Which ring do you line it up to and when do you release trigger (when the outside line of your moving ring hits the inner circle - or when thick band of the moving circle falls into the inner circle). see? Confusing.
The latter works for me. For some reason, it's even easier for me to hit Perfects with Ultra rings, even though it doesn't look like the "Perfect" area has increased at all. Maybe the "Good" area is too close to the "Perfect" area on normal rings for me as to be distracting. I'm not sure.
After I got it to about 20K hp, it did a Cube spell followed by 2 consecutive Shadowus, with no chance for me to do anything. Also, hahaha at its Divide spell.
Is there any item/skill/spell to avoid/reduce damage from Shadowus? Something else besides "Absorb Magic", or "Magic Defense 2"?
After I got it to about 20K hp, it did a Cube spell followed by 2 consecutive Shadowus, with no chance for me to do anything. Also, hahaha at its Divide spell.
Is there any item/skill/spell to avoid/reduce damage from Shadowus? Something else besides "Absorb Magic", or "Magic Defense 2"?
Oh, I do right away. The problem is not when there's one of them. The problem is when it's following a Cube, and another Shadowus spell. Barrier won't do jack in that case. It almost seems like it's due to luck; whether you at least have someone survive the attack. I had my immortals equipped with Persistence, but even with that, the barrage that followed annihilated me.
I am pretty sure you can do sidequests after that, i never tried, but it does return you to the main map after the battle there. Just keep a secondary pre-Sea save just incase, as i am not 100% sure about it.
I do know that as you head to the next and second to last location, it asks again if you want to continue, and after that, too, it returns you to the world map. i never tried sidequests in between, as i just wanted to finish the game at that point.
Oh, I do right away. The problem is not when there's one of them. The problem is when it's following a Cube, and another Shadowus spell. Barrier won't do jack in that case. It almost seems like it's due to luck; whether you at least have someone survive the attack. I had my immortals equipped with Persistence, but even with that, the barrage that followed annihilated me.
I see. Yeah, that battle does require a great deal of luck. I had to use All-Heal items to stall until my magic users revived themselves, alternate Zephyrus and All-Regenerus constantly, and pray someone absorbed Divide early in the fight while the jerk still had more HP than anyone in my party. I was so happy when it casted Divide and barely took a quarter of my party's HP. "Bitch, you gon' die."
BenjaminBirdie said:
Is
The Sea Of Baus
the Endgame? Or can I do that and then come back to Sidequest Country?
Oddly enough, the point of no return is the one part where they don't give you the "You can't return to this point." prompt, and that's the final boss.
In Saman, the dude that needs you to help him find the bird - where is the bird?
Also, I feel like a complete idot. Just figured out you can actually equip different skills for the immortals. Kaim is a fucking monster with the combo move now. How the fuck did I miss that for 30+ hours?
The inn, I think. There's only one large tree, though, and the store, or stand I should say, is sitting right next to the base of it. It's the same stand the bird was running before.
After I got it to about 20K hp, it did a Cube spell followed by 2 consecutive Shadowus, with no chance for me to do anything. Also, hahaha at its Divide spell.
Is there any item/skill/spell to avoid/reduce damage from Shadowus? Something else besides "Absorb Magic", or "Magic Defense 2"?
It really, REALLY helps if you have Kaim and Seth equipped with the Level 8 Spirit Magic Skill and have the spirit spell Reversa. Let the Immortal use Cube on your guys that way when Kaim and Seth cast Reversa, it'll deal the amount of HP missing from your full HP. So if Kaim and Seth have 9999HP and Cube causes their HP to go down to, say, 200, Reversa will deal 9799 damage when cast. It also helps to have Absorb Magic, Absorb Attack, Persistence, and Reduce Casting Time 2, and Ming cast the spell that protects all your characters with Wind Mine (The Immortal is weak against Wind) while Sarah casts All-Generatus incase the Immortal casts Shadowus and not all your party members absorb the spell's damage.
In Saman, the dude that needs you to help him find the bird - where is the bird?
Also, I feel like a complete idot. Just figured out you can actually equip different skills for the immortals. Kaim is a fucking monster with the combo move now. How the fuck did I miss that for 30+ hours?
Wow you didn't know that for 30+ hours? You were totally missing out on the hotness. It's one of the most enjoyable aspects of the game imo.
Having a blast with the battle system. The concept of how mortals and immortals differ in how they gain new abilities is fantastic it really adds so much to the game. I know not every game will use a system like this, but I actually wish more would because I can't get enough of it. Then we have the ring assembling system,
I think FF13 has a tough act to follow with this game. I know that's a bold statement to make, but I really believe that. No doubt FF13 will probably win in the technical department by a wide margin I don't doubt that, even if I do think that Lost Odyssey represents itself fairly well in that department. Artistically LO is up there with the best of them and is possibly only held back by UE3 itself. Even so, they achieved some amazing things with it. Impressive character and enemy models (with great animations), stunning spell effects, incredible environmental design. Pretty much this game excels in every way that I expect a Final Fantasy game to excel with some little technical issues aside, but I really do believe that this game handles the story it has exceptionally well. I'm one of those people that played the Japanese version as well, but now that I can actually understand the thousand years of dreams and can finally get the most out of the game's many nuances, especially true for the battle system, I actually feel very strongly that this is better as good or better than any previous FF game. That's my opinion of it at least. There is no joy greater than reading about something in one of the thousand years of dreams stories then begin noticing things taking place in the game that directly relate back to something you maybe read hours ago.
All in all just can't get enough of this game. If I were to review it I would probably give it anywhere between 84-88, but the only thing that brings it down is the small technical issues. Were this game a perfect game in the technical department it would be 92-96 easy. That is all just my opinion anyway.
Man, I really can't fucking put this game down. Disc 2 was kinda a chore to get through, especially that evil fucking Black Cave dungeon, but hot damn Disc 3 is just non-stop awesome. Jansen continues to be one of the best characters ever.
finally made it to disk 3 and quit. I think I'll spend the first few hours revisiting town and leveling up. I really overdid it on buying healing herb and mana before going into the tunnel. disk 2 felt a little short, but still a great experience.
So. I need a new jRPG. At the end of the day, is this game better or worse than Blue Dragon? I'm heavily leaning towards BD at this point, because this thread gives me the impression that this game is frustrating as fuck at times.
On the last disc of course and its side quest hell. Somewhat enjoyable running around but it feels like the main game has disappeared of the radar for now.... I don't know if I can keep this up, its sort of boring.. .:S I'm levelling up at the Temple of Divinity or whatever its called. You get there and Mack says something is drawing him in. The one with super monsters and lotsa of experience points. Man, the white lion thing with the retarded shadowus spells. Like I said, I don't know where the main story disappeared to. I really didn't enjoy the 3rd disc party splitty hell + now this non-descript non-story advancing gameplay. :S
So. I need a new jRPG. At the end of the day, is this game better or worse than Blue Dragon? I'm heavily leaning towards BD at this point, because this thread gives me the impression that this game is frustrating as fuck at times.
I agree 100% was more pointing them out to not appear too bias about the game, but I absolutely love this thing.
I definitely didn't get the best of the experience in the Japanese release. I'm so much more out of the game this time around. The ring system is pretty damn awesome tbh I would be so pissed if they got rid of it. It's one of the better parts of the game in my opinion so I hope that it stays.
Don't want to sound too in love with the game, but I really don't think any FF title has ever managed to get as much of an emotional reaction out of me as this game has managed to. Off the top of my head as I'm trying to think of some awesome moments from the ff games I can't really think of any that match the best moments from this game. From a combination of nicely directed scenes, to great music and the incredible English voice acting (first time I willingly choose to use the english VA for any game) and of course the story itself and the relationship you have with the characters, it all comes together for a very pleasing end result. Lost Odyssey is also next gen game so of course the benefits that come with a game being next gen likely also play into it. I all around just really love the focus on the characters and for anyone that hasn't played it yet I'm pretty sure that if and when they do get around to playing it they'll actually be pretty damn surprised as to the quality of game they're getting.
I also saw some people saying that they think it's better than Mass Effect and I also thought so myself, but wasn't going to be the one to say it. Seeing as how I'm not the only person that thinks this I suppose all is well
It would be completely criminal for this game to not sell well. I want a sequel ASAP.
So. I need a new jRPG. At the end of the day, is this game better or worse than Blue Dragon? I'm heavily leaning towards BD at this point, because this thread gives me the impression that this game is frustrating as fuck at times.
It is a total no contest imo. Lost Odyssey all the way. It's all around just a much superior game. I say this as someone that loves Blue Dragon to death. There are some parts that can intimidate you for a short while, but they never usually continue being a nuisance as I'll figure out how to deal with it. Early on the frustration was with some of the early boss fights in the game and later it became some specific puzzles or sneaking missions. All around though the pay off has always been a good one and by the time I got through it I really came to appreciate it's design. If people want to consider it an FF clone then I feel strongly that it's an FF clone that is better than the majority of the actual ff titles.
I know FF13 will probably stomp it into the ground in the graphics department, but as much as I want FF13 I'm not entirely convinced it will end up better than LO. That is of course a wild assumption based on the path I think Square is going with the FF games of late. LO is a game that tries pretty hard to connect with you on an emotional level each chance it gets and I honestly feel it succeeds practically every time it tries to.
I thought the scene when you
were reunited with Lirium on her deathbed and found out Cooke and Mack were your Grand Children and the moment that followed it was so impressive and the voice acting really put it over the top
I also absolutely loved when
Cooke and Mack sung to Sarah in order to keep her from destroying herself
The cut to Tolten standing at night in the rain and what took place there
Some might find those moments cheesy, but I loved them to death and there are many other great scenes that I'm leaving out.
Now that I've popped in 50+ hours into the game I think I finally have some complaints, but none too major or gamebreaking.
I think that if the immortals were given a limited amount of slots you could add or skills you can learn, that would increase the viability of the mortals. But once you just start farming them for their skills, receiving the null element/ailments and hardcore stat boosts, and 20+ skill slots, their pretty much whack in the face of their immortal counterparts. Plus I wish their stats weren't so lousy in comparison. I can understand Sed since he's fucking old, but at least throw an A grade for some of them in any random stat. Tolten with his ballin ass armor should at least get some A's in any defense.
I still love the game for what it's worth. I would definitely jump on a sequel/prequel if it were ever made. This has been a really engrossing game in every aspect from gameplay, music (f-ing godly), and presentation. I'm glad I've been taking the time out to sit down and play it these past 2 weeks.
I really do enjoy the sidequests though. There's a shitload of them and I've probably spent at least 15 hours doing most of them. The world map design really made it a lot more tolerable running around and jumping from point to point whenever I remembered where something was.
Now that I've popped in 50+ hours into the game I think I finally have some complaints, but none too major or gamebreaking.
I think that if the immortals were given a limited amount of slots you could add or skills you can learn, that would increase the viability of the mortals. But once you just start farming them for their skills, receiving the null element/ailments and hardcore stat boosts, and 20+ skill slots, their pretty much whack in the face of their immortal counterparts. Plus I wish their stats weren't so lousy in comparison. I can understand Sed since he's fucking old, but at least throw an A grade for some of them in any random stat. Tolten with his ballin ass armor should at least get some A's in any defense.
I still love the game for what it's worth. I would definitely jump on a sequel/prequel if it were ever made. This has been a really engrossing game in every aspect from gameplay, music (f-ing godly), and presentation. I'm glad I've been taking the time out to sit down and play it these past 2 weeks.
I really do enjoy the sidequests though. There's a shitload of them and I've probably spent at least 15 hours doing most of them. The world map design really made it a lot more tolerable running around and jumping from point to point whenever I remembered where something was.
Oh I definitely don't doubt their usefulness, especially in the first 3 discs. But after level 60 and learning all of their best skills, their viability in my lineup dropped considerably. Jansen and Sed are still rocking though.
has been beaten. Id., I was using basically that same tactic, but apparently I got very unlucky that time. Well, I tried again, and this time his barrage with Divide, Cube and Shadowus, left a few of my immortals alive (albeit with less than 200 hp; 2 of them are at 9999, and 2 at 7000+). From then on, I was able to beat him.
I agree 100% was more pointing them out to not appear too bias about the game, but I absolutely love this thing.
I definitely didn't get the best of the experience in the Japanese release. I'm so much more out of the game this time around. The ring system is pretty damn awesome tbh I would be so pissed if they got rid of it. It's one of the better parts of the game in my opinion so I hope that it stays.
Don't want to sound too in love with the game, but I really don't think any FF title has ever managed to get as much of an emotional reaction out of me as this game has managed to. Off the top of my head as I'm trying to think of some awesome moments from the ff games I can't really think of any that match the best moments from this game. From a combination of nicely directed scenes, to great music and the incredible English voice acting (first time I willingly choose to use the english VA for any game) and of course the story itself and the relationship you have with the characters, it all comes together for a very pleasing end result. Lost Odyssey is also next gen game so of course the benefits that come with a game being next gen likely also play into it. I all around just really love the focus on the characters and for anyone that hasn't played it yet I'm pretty sure that if and when they do get around to playing it they'll actually be pretty damn surprised as to the quality of game they're getting.
I also saw some people saying that they think it's better than Mass Effect and I also thought so myself, but wasn't going to be the one to say it. Seeing as how I'm not the only person that thinks this I suppose all is well
It would be completely criminal for this game to not sell well. I want a sequel ASAP.
It is a total no contest imo. Lost Odyssey all the way. It's all around just a much superior game. I say this as someone that loves Blue Dragon to death. There are some parts that can intimidate you for a short while, but they never usually continue being a nuisance as I'll figure out how to deal with it. Early on the frustration was with some of the early boss fights in the game and later it became some specific puzzles or sneaking missions. All around though the pay off has always been a good one and by the time I got through it I really came to appreciate it's design. If people want to consider it an FF clone then I feel strongly that it's an FF clone that is better than the majority of the actual ff titles.
I know FF13 will probably stomp it into the ground in the graphics department, but as much as I want FF13 I'm not entirely convinced it will end up better than LO. That is of course a wild assumption based on the path I think Square is going with the FF games of late. LO is a game that tries pretty hard to connect with you on an emotional level each chance it gets and I honestly feel it succeeds practically every time it tries to.
I thought the scene when you
were reunited with Lirium on her deathbed and found out Cooke and Mack were your Grand Children and the moment that followed it was so impressive and the voice acting really put it over the top
I also absolutely loved when
Cooke and Mack sung to Sarah in order to keep her from destroying herself
The cut to Tolten standing at night in the rain and what took place there
Some might find those moments cheesy, but I loved them to death and there are many other great scenes that I'm leaving out.
It goes by their position in the formation, then is determined by each individuals cast or attack speed.
you can see their attack speeds and casting speeds in status in the menu there. Its basically decided entirely on actions chosen, with ties being decided by the formation. Generally items are quicker than attacks which are quicker than skills which are quicker than spells, but some of your spellcasters can cast faster than others can use their skills.
It goes by their position in the formation, then is determined by each individuals cast or attack speed.
you can see their attack speeds and casting speeds in status in the menu there. Its basically decided entirely on actions chosen, with ties being decided by the formation. Generally items are quicker than attacks which are quicker than skills which are quicker than spells, but some of your spellcasters can cast faster than others can use their skills.
Yeah, that much I figured, but I should've been more clear: I meant the order of the enemies next to yours. If I remember correctly, in Blue Dragon (as well as Shadow Hearts: Covenant) you could see who would attack first before you chose all of your moves.
I still cannot find the bird in Saman. Looked everywhere.
I got the crown from the boss in Ice Canyon. Went to take it back to the littles dudes who accused me of stealing it and there's no way to give it to them. Is that a bug?
Yeah, that much I figured, but I should've been more clear: I meant the order of the enemies next to yours. If I remember correctly, in Blue Dragon (as well as Shadow Hearts: Covenant) you could see who would attack first before you chose all of your moves.
I guess LO levels the playing field a little more, as enemies turns are based the same way. depending on attacks/skills.
siamesedreamer said:
Two things:
I got the crown from the boss in Ice Canyon. Went to take it back to the littles dudes who accused me of stealing it and there's no way to give it to them. Is that a bug?
