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[RevenantKioku]

Shouldn't reviews from the major sites be out yet?

IGN? Gamespot?

Fuck if I know. Don't read that stuff. I just copied/pasted from others who said scores. You could say Dick Mower's Monthly gave it 10/10 and I'd put it up in the OP.

 

[duckroll]

Fuck if I know. Don't read that stuff. I just copied/pasted from others who said scores. You could say Dick Mower's Monthly gave it 10/10 and I'd put it up in the OP.

I heard Penis Lord Weekly gave the game 9/10.

 

[Macstorm]

The reviews are still embargoed till tomorrow.

 

[rainking187]

You know, normally I'm right there on SquareEnix's dick day one, but from everything I've seen so far this game does absolutely nothing for me. I had more interest in Infinite Undiscovery then I do in this one. Maybe I'll pick it up on the PS3 after a price drop.

 

[Witchfinder General]

Fuck if I know. Don't read that stuff. I just copied/pasted from others who said scores. You could say Dick Mower's Monthly gave it 10/10 and I'd put it up in the OP.

I'm the same, but if the game turns out to be great (which I imagine it will be) it'd be nice to see others get behind the game.

 

[duckroll]

The TLR Blog updated today with a mini-interview with Kazutoyo Maehiro. He's the Battle Director of TLR, and he was previously the battle system designer of FFXII, as well as the background planner/director of VS, and the director of the Interactive Novel sections of FFT. He also worked as a planner on FFTA.

 

[Vorador]

I will wait for reviews and impressions before dipping in. The Famitsu score is not really trustworthy due to moneyhats.

 

[Llyranor]

The battle system seems to have potential - 'Gambits 1.5' sounds interesting.

I think it would have been better if they allowed you to customize the conditions for specific actions per character. Sure, you could argue that there'd be too many characters (up to 25?). But 1) some people love that amount of customization 2) you could still make it optional; default would be what the devs have planned out for you, and you can make changes as you see fit. I think the system would have been a tad more deeper if this was allowed. I'm hoping the system is deep enough

Two other concerns:

1) The pacing of the battles. Turn-based is awesome, I love turn-based games. However, the battles shouldn't take ages. It's not so much the length of the actual battles (SRPG battles lasting 30-60 min as long as they're awesome? no problem!), but the amount of stuff that happens in it. If I register a command, it should be inputted with a very fast animation, and it should already be the next character's turn. Length of the battles shouldn't be determined primarily by the animations' length. Animation is not gameplay. At least make them skippable. If the shallow QTE crap is what prevents the animations from being skippable, urg.

2) The pacing of the dungeons. From the RPGamer's blog, you fight a whole of encounters in dungeons. I don't want to have to fight the same encounters over and over more than I need to. The saving grace of this is if you can easily avoid the enemies (since no random encounters). I'd be quite pleased if this made for a more challenging game overall. If the game is designed in such a way that good tactics can compensate for lower levels, good. If it requires you to grind, tsk tsk.

Cautious optimism, but I'm waiting on news of the PS3 version first (re: dual audio).

 

[RevenantKioku]

Granted it was the TGS demo but the battles were pretty speedy, even when I pulled in like 4 or 5 enemies.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

.

Will buy once the PC version is out.

Hey look, it's Rutger Hauer.

IM gonna buy once the PS3 version comes, but it seems that you'll have a longer wait for the PC version.

 

[Llyranor]

Granted it was the TGS demo but the battles were pretty speedy, even when I pulled in like 4 or 5 enemies.

Were they? I'd have to see what an extended battle looks nice, but the videos don't exactly portray a sense of speed. Character A attacks dramatically, character B attacks dramatically, character C attacks dramatically. It just seems to take so long. I just want to see numbers popping up and then poof, next character. Lost Odyssey seems to have increased my disliked of needlessly prolonged battles.

 

[Macstorm]

I think it would have been better if they allowed you to customize the conditions for specific actions per character. Sure, you could argue that there'd be too many characters (up to 25?).

It's not really like gambits and whoever said that hopefully explained why it's not like them. If you go in thinking this will be anything like FFXII, you will be wrong. You've got to start thinking of unions as characters and you can customize your "character" by the swapping around the members inside of it.

I'm currently using three unions with five characters in each. One union is typically more melee focused, one mixed, and one magic based. This totally depends on the unions you've picked to join you. Some units cast spells, some do weapon based attacks, some are potion focused for buffs/debuffs, some are a mix. It's up to you to decide who to recruit and then up to you to decide how to organize your unions.

Right now, I can use a max of 15 characters total, only 6 of which can be the more powerful leader characters. I can create up to 5 unions. Since HP and turns are shared throughout a union, I currently only am using three unions with the max of 5 characters in each. If I wanted, I could shuffle some around and have four or five unions with fewer characters, but that's not what I want.

I hope that makes sense. If not, ask and I can clarify.

The pacing of the battles.

I love the boss battles, as hard as they are, because they feel like boss battles. You have close calls and have to plan carefully for them and they take a long time. When I finish one, I feel like I've accomplished something.

However, due to loading times (which hopefully NXE might help with), normal battles take a long time, too. It's not horrible and you can avoid them, but you really do need to fight to gain stats and items.

The pacing of the dungeons. ... If the game is designed in such a way that good tactics can compensate for lower levels, good. If it requires you to grind, tsk tsk.

Oh, there are no levels. You gain stats after each battle you survive. Your spells and skills improve as you use them, a la FFII. Want to be more melee focused, keep using melee arts. You can even level up your skills and spells during combat, so that's nice.

The battle system is deep, that's for sure. It's even harder to explain than it is to just get your hands on and figure out, just because there is so much to it.

 

[Error]

the QTEs are there to keep the players attention to the screen, since after entering the 'commands' you won't be entering any new ones after awhile (specially when you have a lot of unions under control), the player would lose interest in seeing the action.

QTEs fix that by popping up during attack/defense animations, giving players the choice to counterattack/do more damage/dodge. It keeps the player IN the game.

It's not like they went and said "Lets include QTEs just for the sake of it", I don't normally approve of QTEs but in TLR, they make sense and I don't see anything wrong with them.

 

[Macstorm]

the QTEs are there to keep the players attention to the screen, since after entering the 'commands' you won't be entering any new ones after awhile (specially when you have a lot of unions under control), the player would lose interest in seeing the action.

QTEs fix that by popping up during attack/defense animations, giving players the choice to counterattack/do more damage/dodge. It keeps the player IN the game.

It's not like they went and said "Lets include QTEs just for the sake of it", I don't normally approve of QTEs but in TLR, they make sense and I don't see anything wrong with them.

Plus it does actually help in combat. If you are a trigger command during your attack turn and successfully pull it off, it bumps a character that might be lower in the turn order up higher and gives that next character a chance to hit a trigger to continue this. It means going first and getting the first attacks in and that helps. They are not required though, so you can suck at them and just suffer from not getting the bonuses.

 

[eznark]

Microsoft Windows
Who cares?

I was looking forward to this thread. Now you can go straight to hell.

 

[Fuu]

the QTEs are there to keep the players attention to the screen, since after entering the 'commands' you won't be entering any new ones after awhile (specially when you have a lot of unions under control), the player would lose interest in seeing the action.

QTEs fix that by popping up during attack/defense animations, giving players the choice to counterattack/do more damage/dodge. It keeps the player IN the game.

It's not like they went and said "Lets include QTEs just for the sake of it", I don't normally approve of QTEs but in TLR, they make sense and I don't see anything wrong with them.

Agreed. I dislike QTEs too, even more when they're abused for no reason and are totally random but from what you said it really sounds like something thought out.

And since I mentioned randomization: I haven't watched much videos but do the buttons you have to press have a certain consistency to them? Like the same button always when the QTE is for a counter, another for dodge, etc.

Release Dates
Microsoft Windows
Who cares?

:lol

It's UE3, you can bet a lot of us do.

 

[duckroll]

And since I mentioned randomization: I haven't watched much videos but do the buttons you have to press have a certain consistency to them? Like the same button always when the QTE is for a counter, another for dodge, etc.

I don't know for sure, BUT there was a Japanese guy playing and streaming the game online earlier today for a while, and in his battles the QTE indicators were all off, and yet he was hitting most of them successfully. Based on that I would say there has to be some sort of consistancy. As for why the button indicators were missing, I have no idea if it's a setting of some sort, or a blindfold accessory like in Shadow Hearts.

 

[RevenantKioku]

I was looking forward to this thread. Now you can go straight to hell.

Who the hell are you?
Look, if you want to talk about how Windows is a viable gaming platform, go spaz in another thread. Until then, keep jerking off to your hopes of playing this awesome game in the coming months. By then I'll have finished it and then you guys can come shit up this thread, or fuck, make another one!
Point is, PS3 and PC versions aren't out in the foreseeable well... shit we have no idea, do we!
So if you've got some console bias or are so excited that your PC gaming is mathematically free or whatever bullshit PS3 crack lovers are going on these days, that's great, but as of tomorrow we'll be playing this game, and since it has been decided that it is out on the 360 first, so be it.
But shut up. No one cares about your silly little biases.

 

[eznark]

Who the hell are you?
Look, if you want to talk about how Windows is a viable gaming platform, go spaz in another thread. Until then, keep jerking off to your hopes of playing this awesome game in the coming months. By then I'll have finished it and then you guys can come shit up this thread, or fuck, make another one!
Point is, PS3 and PC versions aren't out in the foreseeable well... shit we have no idea, do we!
So if you've got some console bias or are so excited that your PC gaming is mathematically free or whatever bullshit PS3 crack lovers are going on these days, that's great, but as of tomorrow we'll be playing this game, and since it has been decided that it is out on the 360 first, so be it.
But shut up. No one cares about your silly little biases.

That was a joke, and you are a lunatic.

 

[RevenantKioku]

That was a joke, and you are a lunatic.

Hey, I'm just covering the bases for anyone who wants to play the bullshit game.
Plus, your joke was bad and you should feel bad.

 

[Calcaneus]

Hey, I'm just covering the bases for anyone who wants to play the bullshit game.
Plus, your joke was bad and you should feel bad.

Now now, indoor voices.

 

[eznark]

I actually the PC version came out tomorrow, so I was disappointed by the thread.

 

[RevenantKioku]

Now now, indoor voices.

But I'm outside.
It's so cold.

 

[Dark Octave]

He is an older man with long silver hair and crimson clothes, and is designed to appeal to Western gamers.

:lol Does Japan (or SE at least) really think this is what we appeal to?

 

[Torquill]

:lol Does Japan (or SE at least) really think this is what appeals to us?

fixed

 

[Macstorm]

I don't know for sure, BUT there was a Japanese guy playing and streaming the game online earlier today for a while, and in his battles the QTE indicators were all off, and yet he was hitting most of them successfully. Based on that I would say there has to be some sort of consistancy. As for why the button indicators were missing, I have no idea if it's a setting of some sort, or a blindfold accessory like in Shadow Hearts.

I haven't seen the video, but I can say that the QTE stuff in battle is not for every single attack. It is random in when it comes up, or at least I've not found the pattern for making them appear. They are not required in order to hit.

 

[duckroll]

I haven't seen the video, but I can say that the QTE stuff in battle is not for every single attack. It is random in when it comes up, or at least I've not found the pattern for making them appear. They are not required in order to hit.

I know that, but in his game you can tell when the stuff is happening (there are silver motion lines and the attack animation slows down) but there's no visible button indicator at all. Yet he is able to press the correct button and get a Perfect or whatever. Sometimes he misses too.

 

[Fuu]

I don't know for sure, BUT there was a Japanese guy playing and streaming the game online earlier today for a while, and in his battles the QTE indicators were all off, and yet he was hitting most of them successfully. Based on that I would say there has to be some sort of consistancy. As for why the button indicators were missing, I have no idea if it's a setting of some sort, or a blindfold accessory like in Shadow Hearts.

I see. If there's a way for them to become invisible I'd also guess there's some sort of way for balancing that out.

I haven't seen the video, but I can say that the QTE stuff in battle is not for every single attack. It is random in when it comes up, or at least I've not found the pattern for making them appear. They are not required in order to hit.

That's not what we're talking about though. Even if there's not a pattern for making them happen it would be cool if there was some consistency for what button does what in the QTEs.

He is an older man with long silver hair and crimson clothes, and is designed to appeal to Western gamers.

There is something that bothers me about this pic. It looks like he's walking away from the spot where that massive blotch of blood hit the wall since there's a cartoon-like silhouette of him on the wall, so taking the amount of blood in consideration he should be completely covered in red. At first I thought he put up some sort of force field at the time the blood hit but that doesn't seem to be the case as there's still some blood on him.

Edit: or maybe he has magical retractable wings. Oh well.

 

[Macstorm]

Ah, I hadn't looked at the options closely since around the time I first started, but there is a setting to make the Critical Triggers automatic, so I'm guessing that they hit and miss at random.

Edit: Tested, yup, random.

 

[Fuu]

Ah, I hadn't looked at the options closely since around the time I first started, but there is a setting to make the Critical Triggers automatic, so I'm guessing that they hit and miss at random.

Hmm, that's most likely what sets them invisible then.

 

[cleveridea]

this is the most unexcited I have ever been for a Square Enix RPG release. After the disappointment that was Infinite Undiscovery, my expectations from Square have been reduced. Next Gen Western RPG's have been excelling IMO (Oblivion, Mass Effect, Fallout 3, Fable 2 etc) yet I have yet to become as addicted to any classic JRPG's (Eternal Sonata, Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey etc). I'm still looking forward to WKC, FFXIII's, Star Ocean etc but for me traditional J-RPG's haven't delivered for so far this gen after so many classics from the PS2 era.

Anyway, thanks to the amazon $40 I ordered this already so hoping for the best but expecting the worst (are you gonna drop the bomb or not)

 

[FateBreaker]

Reviews
Famitsu 10/10/9/9 (￥3800万/40)
Game Informer - 7 (Second Opinion - 6)
OXM - 7
Penis Lord Weekly - 9/10

:lol

 

[Llyranor]

It's not really like gambits and whoever said that hopefully explained why it's not like them. If you go in thinking this will be anything like FFXII, you will be wrong. You've got to start thinking of unions as characters and you can customize your "character" by the swapping around the members inside of it.

Oh yeah, I think I understood the explanation. However, having an extra layer of customization would have gone a long way for those who enjoy micromanaging the finer details, and I think it would have provided further depth. Better yet, it'd be optional, and sticking with the default 'gambits' would still work well.

Does this remind anyone else of Riviera and Ogre Battle?

 

[chaostrophy]

The battle system looks cool but does anyone know what this game plays like outside of battles? Are there actual towns, dungeons, and fields to explore or is all that stuff done through menus like FFT? Are there smaller scale battles where you fight smaller groups of enemies, or is every fight in the game against a large enemy force?

 

[duckroll]

Oh yeah, I think I understood the explanation. However, having an extra layer of customization would have gone a long way for those who enjoy micromanaging the finer details, and I think it would have provided further depth. Better yet, it'd be optional, and sticking with the default 'gambits' would still work well.

Does this remind anyone else of Riviera and Ogre Battle?

From what I can see, there's more than enough micromanagement in the game for those that enjoy it. There appears to be tons of options in terms of equipment customization, materials collection, formations, recruitment, etc. The point of the battles is NOT to allow the player to have complete micro control over all the characters, period. Part of the strategy in the game is indeed that you have to use the commands and options you have to successfully command your unions to victory. Since many of the characters are recruitables and non-story characters, it really makes no sense that you would even have micro-control over their actions.

The battle system looks cool but does anyone know what this game plays like outside of battles? Are there actual towns, dungeons, and fields to explore or is all that stuff done through menus like FFT? Are there smaller scale battles where you fight smaller groups of enemies, or is every fight in the game against a large enemy force?

This is a RPG, not a SRPG, so yes there's a game outside of the battles. There are cities where you buy and sell items and equipment, get quests, talk to NPCs, etc. There is a menu based main world map, and cities, fields and dungeons are connected on them. There's exploration and there are no random encounters. Enemies are visible on the map. You can either take on each enemy encounter one at a time, or attract many of them on the map and take them all on at once for a bigger battle with higher risk/rewards. The boss battles are the REALLY long battles.

 

[batbeg]

Still can't believe this is out tomorrow

Oh yeah, I think I understood the explanation. However, having an extra layer of customization would have gone a long way for those who enjoy micromanaging the finer details, and I think it would have provided further depth. Better yet, it'd be optional, and sticking with the default 'gambits' would still work well.

Does this remind anyone else of Riviera and Ogre Battle?

I think that extra layer of customization would have ruined it, personally. I much prefer the idea of having to pay attention to the orders that I assign, and being given more of a strategists' position, than having absolute control. It's one of those things I like about this.

The battle system looks cool but does anyone know what this game plays like outside of battles? Are there actual towns, dungeons, and fields to explore or is all that stuff done through menus like FFT? Are there smaller scale battles where you fight smaller groups of enemies, or is every fight in the game against a large enemy force?

Cities seem to be given graphical representation, though I've also heard it can/will be done through menus, so I'm not sure. There are things to do there, though, like recruiting new members, or taking on quests. In the dungeons and fields there are other things to do, like dig for items, and you yourself decide the size of the enemy force, as you link in the enemies from the dungeon (like Blue Dragon).

 

[Dark Octave]

fixed

That's what I meant, thanks.

 

[duckroll]

Cities seem to be given graphical representation, though I've also heard it can/will be done through menus, so I'm not sure. There are things to do there, though, like recruiting new members, or taking on quests. In the dungeons and fields there are other things to do, like dig for items, and you yourself decide the size of the enemy force, as you link in the enemies from the dungeon (like Blue Dragon).

Cities have a larger view map which is menu driven. When you select which area of the city you want to go to, you get to explore that area. It's like Romancing SaGa Minstrel Song. It makes the cities feel and look much larger than just the explorable areas.

 

[Llyranor]

Well, I don't mean having more control DURING battles. I do agree that the strategist role is part of the game's appeal. However, having a bit more control outside the battles would have been nice (setting up conditions, hence 'gambits').

 

[batbeg]

Well, I don't mean having more control DURING battles. I do agree that the strategist role is part of the game's appeal. However, having a bit more control outside the battles would have been nice (setting up conditions, hence 'gambits').

It's the same thing to me. You'd be given total control, because that's effectively what the gambits are - if you are setting the conditions for each and every unit in each and every situation, then it'd be too "easy" I think. However, you may like to know that I've read certain units work differently depending on who else is with their union, so there will be an element of finding different units who do different things in different situations? Even if not, I definitely agree with ducky, there's more than enough customization, and it hardly sounds as if the battles are weak given all the impressions we have anyway.

 

[Llyranor]

In any case, what with flanking or back attacks and so on, how much influence do you actually have over movement and positioning?

 

[duckroll]

Well, I don't mean having more control DURING battles. I do agree that the strategist role is part of the game's appeal. However, having a bit more control outside the battles would have been nice (setting up conditions, hence 'gambits').

There are formations that you select for each Union, and you also get to select which unit is in which position in the formation. This affects stats, perks, and probably commands as well. I really don't see what conditions there are to set up at all, since you're still giving commands in battle. This isn't FFXII, where you script the characters so they behave as you want without having to select anything. There are several commands you can give in the battle, and they usually cover everything that you need to do. If you can edit what those commands do then they become meaningless. If I give my union a command to do an all out attack, I don't expect them to do... anything else than attack. If you can edit scripts such that if a unit is low on HP, even if you give the all out attack command he'll still heal, then it makes the entire command meaningless to begin with.

 

[AgentOtaku]

Sigh...

My Amazon shipping estimate is Nov.25th =(

Guess I'll playing alot more Resistance2 MP and Fable2 then...

 

[gregor7777]

RK is a lunatic, but he's GAF's lunatic.

Well done sir.

I'm more excited for this game than I thought I would be.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Sigh...

My Amazon shipping estimate is Nov.25th =(

Guess I'll playing alot more Resistance2 MP and Fable2 then...

1 Day delivery rocks, but I hope you didnt choose Free Super Saver Shipping!

2009 get here fast...Im tempted to buy this and then borrow my roommates Xbox 360 to play it.

 

[Paznos]

IGN's review will be up on Friday.

 

[batbeg]

IGN's review will be up on Friday.

But I'll have the game on Thursday! How will I play it without knowing what IGN thinks of it?

Seriously, I hope places actually have this in on the right day here. One reason the Thursday release is kind of annoying.

 

[sciplore]

Excited for this game but I may be getting it a few weeks later and also,

Lord Penis Weekly gave it a 9/10? GOTY!!!!!!!

 

[batbeg]

Video interview with the director. Some interesting stuff, though I don't know how much of it is new (some of it I didn't know, though, like that you do not personally change the equipment of other party members, only Rush - the others change themselves). He's very happy to hear the bribery of Famitsu was successful, too.

 

[asmodeal]

Oh my, I don't know if it's because we, French, are evil but I just saw a webcast (gamekult) with a little review of the game, and well the guy who tried it wasn't convinced at all.
According to his opinion, too much loading, too straightforward, town too much similar, boring combat (but with some good ideas), a game easily forgotten.