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The Last Story (US) |OT| One of Wii's epic last breaths.

Zekes!

Member
This game is gangster. It definitely could use a hell of a lot more polish, but I enjoy it more each time I turn it on
 

jmizzal

Member
So in this game can you play the entire campaign in online coop or is there a separate mode for it?

The online co-op is just boss battle modes, but it has online death match and team death match, but the online is really fun. You get items you win online that carry over into your offline game save file.
 

olimpia84

Member
The online co-op is just boss battle modes, but it has online death match and team death match, but the online is really fun. You get items you win online that carry over into your offline game save file.

I see. Hopefully by the time I fire this game up it will still have some people playing.
 

Sadist

Member
Bought it last wednesday, but the first hour and a half have been... well a bit tame. Hope it picks up the pace pretty soon.
 

Penguin

Member
Bought it last wednesday, but the first hour and a half have been... well a bit tame. Hope it picks up the pace pretty soon.

The pacing is interesting..

Anyhow my friend was kind enough to buy me a copy of this.. and have been working through it.. this morning.. about 5 hours in.. just started chapter 10.. enjoying it a lot
 

Doorman

Member
I suppose that so far in, my opinion of the game runs kind of similar to Credo's. I got this last Sunday and fired it up, and outside of pointlessly flipping over cover a lot of it just didn't really click with me. Over time, though, it's grown on me, primarily because the characters themselves have grown on me (Zael and Calista notwithstanding, their love story is annoying as hell to me), and the armor customizations have been borderline addicting. I spend way more time than I should changing colors and stuff around.

The combat is fun, though a bit frantic, and I wish that I could get the vertical slice to work a bit more consistently. I also wasn't a fan early on of how often the game seems to rely on the "seek" mechanic, and it hasn't done it any less of late, but it doesn't bother me quite as much as it used to. So far, my favorite parts of the game have been the "optional" chapters, since most of those involve some actual dungeon raiding and some fun enemy setups to take on. The pacing of the main storyline has felt a little awkward on its own, so I enjoy having those little interludes to keep me focused on the actual game part of the game.
 

Penguin

Member
See people mentioning optional chapters...

Is there a way to miss em.. or are you given a choice on whether to do them or not?
 

Dark Schala

Eloquent Princess
See people mentioning optional chapters...

Is there a way to miss em.. or are you given a choice on whether to do them or not?
You aren't given a choice, but it's more like, "explore places to find the trigger". You have to do some sidequests and talk to people in order to get them.

I'm almost finished up now, so I'll spoiler text them and how to get them. Oh, let Yurick and Mirania wander around in order to access Chapters 14 and 15. Chapters
20, 21, 24, 25, 42 and 43
seem to be missable. Anyone who's played it before can feel free to correct me.

Chapter 20: After completing Chapter 19, talk to Horace and agree to save his wife.
Chapter 21: In Chapter 20/19, go inside Ariela's Tavern and talk to a guy who says he's the worst father in the world and agree to save his daughter.
Chapter 24: After Chapter 20, go to Horace's store and agree to find a book for him.
Chapter 25: In Chapter 22, go to the castle, and enter the Great Hall, you will find a knight walking back and forth near the entrance to the courtyard.
Chapter 42: Go to Lisa's room and examine the portrait.
Chapter 43: Talk to Horace in the store. Speak with the knight to go back to the Underground Labyrinth.
 

chaosblade

Unconfirmed Member
Was going to start this, but it looks like all three Wii remotes in my house decided to die at the same time. Can't get them to come on at all. Tried changing batteries, but it didn't do any good.

Can't even rip the game to try to attempt to play it with Dolphin. :(
 

CorvoSol

Member
I missed Chapter 25 and am now in like, Chapter 27. Can I go back into the castle to do Chapter 25, or is it too late for that?
 
I picked this up day 1, been playing NSMB 2 and coming back to this game, I tend to beat the short games first, I loved what I've played so far!
 

Dark Schala

Eloquent Princess
I missed Chapter 25 and am now in like, Chapter 27. Can I go back into the castle to do Chapter 25, or is it too late for that?
I'm not sure, tbh...

Chapter
31 (ie: when you need to start Chapter 32)
is pretty much the point of no return, so while you're in that chapter you could see if you can still access those chapters you missed when you ask someone to take you back to Lazulis City if you want to do other quests and stuff. Sorry if that's not much help. :/
 

Zekes!

Member
Man I'm starting to really like this game. :D

Just did chapters 14-15.

Yeah, it just seems to get better and better as it goes along. I'm a little further than you.

I can't imagine how much more awesome this game would be with more polish and the technical hiccups fixed, 'cause I like it a lot so far. I ought to give online a try sometime soon.
 

Seik

Banned
Yeah, it just seems to get better and better as it goes along. I'm a little further than you.

I can't imagine how much more awesome this game would be with more polish and the technical hiccups fixed, 'cause I like it a lot so far. I ought to give online a try sometime soon.

Same here, the more I play the more I'm enjoying it. :) I play on Dolphin here, so the game looks quite polished.

tls2jeuk1.png


But the lags are still there, that's a shame but the game is still quite enjoyable. ^^
 

Dereck

Member
Besides the "I found a girl who is actually royalty but withdraws her royal past for something else more meaningful" story, this game is fantastic. This is the only RPG game I've played on the Wii, this game turned out to be a good investment. I'm 5 hours in, juggling between this and SMG2.
 

CorvoSol

Member
Oh man, I have to say they do a GREAT job of making me hate Jirall.

And Syrenne is officially the smartest character in the party because
she points out to Dagran that the Court is incredibly capricious, hating Zael, then loving him, then all too ready to hate him again.
I mean, Calista DID
warn Zael
but since Zael is a starry eyed dreamer and Dagran is
so painfully, obviously in cahoots with the Count and ready to drop Zael and/or betray him for the sake of his ambitions
it all comes together nicely.

But still, Syrenne is the best woman in the game.

The best man in the game is Ganondorf Dragmire, because Ganon is always the best man.


UPDATE: Made it to Chapter 30, and a few things. While thus far the story has been very standard, generic JRPG fare, I applaud the game for Chapter 29. That was an incredibly good way to develop Zael's character, and a legitimately moving moment in an RPG. I was wearing the Lazulis Knight's Attire upon beginning the chapter, too, so it just made it that much more of a WHAM episode having Zael stand there, in his shiny new Knight get-up, watching
knights slaughter innocent women and children in cold blood. Then having the Gurak flat-out say that Zangurak attacked the humans for the same reason Count Arganan attacked them, with the terrifying knowledge that 1) Zangurak was incredibly polite during his attack, killing only soldiers, warning Zael not to throw away his life, and politely escorting Calista and 2) Count Arganan's stated reasons for attacking the Gurak are undoubtedly not the truth, as his ambitions are very clearly not those of a man who only wants to help his race.

In other words, Chapter 30 completely alters the players view of who, truthfully, are the good guys, and who are the bad guys in the war. Especially since, several chapters earlier, it is revealed that
humans had expelled the Gurak from the Continent because they feared them, meaning humans had been the aggressors in the beginning as well.

My opinion of Sir Therius has also changed. When I first met the guy I was SURE he was gonna be as annoying as Jirall, but thus far, Sir Therius has been the single nicest guy I've met on Lazulis Island. He might look like a chick, but he really is the most upstanding man around.

And as of chapter 30 Syrenne has forever cemented her place in my heart as the best character in the game. Oh, Syrenne, you crazy, drunkard with a heart of pure, solid gold and moonshine.
 

Credo

Member
My opinion of Sir Therius has also changed. When I first met the guy I was SURE he was gonna be as annoying as Jirall, but thus far, Sir Therius has been the single nicest guy I've met on Lazulis Island. He might look like a chick, but he really is the most upstanding man around.

And as of chapter 30 Syrenne has forever cemented her place in my heart as the best character in the game. Oh, Syrenne, you crazy, drunkard with a heart of pure, solid gold and moonshine.

I agree about both of those. I figured Therius would play the role of the jealous student who comes to hate you more and more, but I was surprised at how he turned out. And I don't know why I like Syrenne, but I just do. I guess it's a combination of the blunt honesty and the heart of gold thing.
 

CorvoSol

Member
Oh HAHAHA WOW. Freaking Chrono Trigger moment there in the bottom of Chapter 31. Like, seriously, the blue flames on a black expanse leading to a reveal about
someone summoning Lavos
. WOW.

I'm convinced that if Sakaguchi DID return to making Final Fantasy games, they WOULD in fact be like the old days after playing this game. That's not necessarily bad, but there would certainly be a return to those conventions in story telling.

And looking at Toriyama's absolute crap-fest, I think that's not at all that bad of an idea. I mean, Nojima did a good job with the FNC's mythos and background, and Tabata proved that something good could come out of the FNC, but let's face it, Toriyama is the absolute dead weight of story-telling over at Square. Nomura's Kingdom Hearts is undoubtedly confusing, but it avoids the absolute ball-busting stupidity of Toriyama's stuff. I mean, sure, in KH everyone is Sora, Ansem, Riku or Kairi, but at least Kingdom Hearts hasn't ended yet with the clusterfuck of plot holes that was XIII-2's ending. And, to my mind, no KH game has gone and done like XIII-2 and invalidated the entire efforts of the player in a single cut-scene, either. Nomura also has the chance to prove his mettle if Versus ever comes out. Toriyama's stained himself beyond redemption with stuff like The 3rd Birthday.

So I think Sakaguchi's return would not be worse than their current state. Though I actually think Tabata and his team are the golden boys.

Back to Last Story, though, I really am diggin' the Arena. It gave me a chance to put Dagran's clothes back on him, too! I'd had the whole team in their skivs for a mission, and then a bunch of serious cutscenes happened where Zael was in full armor and Dagran was just in his tiny briefs.
 

Doorman

Member
Oh HAHAHA WOW. Freaking Chrono Trigger moment there in the bottom of Chapter 31.

Agreed! Without going too far into detail, I definitely made that association too.

Also I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one whose opinion about Therius turned! He might actually be my favorite character in the game, or at least he's among them. I was worried about how he'd be after the first encounter with Syrenne, but he has become such a bro the rest of the way through.

"Within that man beats the heart of a true knight!"
Rock on, white knight.
 

zroid

Banned
shiiiiiiiiiiit tracking status lied to me, it indicated I was supposed to get it today ;__;

BETTER BE TOMORROW
 

CorvoSol

Member
So as of this point I honestly don't know why Sir Therius couldn't join the player's party. The guy has BEEN in as many, if not more fights than Calista or Yurick, I think. Was he just too badass? Were they worried I'd mess with his white armor motif? WHY WHY WHY!?

It's like Yaag Rosch all over again. There's always that one guy who is too cool to hang out with your party. Which is a shame, because Rosch would've been so much better than Snow and Hope.

But I digress, one of the things I enjoy doing is changing costumes with the plot. Like I had Zael in his Knight Armor during the attack on the Gurak Continent, and in all white prior to
his not-wedding
. I've also got Dagran in the Dragon Armor because, well,
Dagran is pretty much the second most evil guy on the island now.

I'm really enjoying this game. It was most definitely worth my money. This is, in some ways, exactly what I wanted FFXIII to be. While I still have my love for that flawed game, it's so nice to play a console JRPG like this again. I certainly hope that Xenoblade also lives up to its hype.

My Wii has become a thoroughly satisfying system, what with these two big JRPGs, the two Zelda games, Mario Galaxy and NSMB, The After Years, and so much else. I really am very pleased with the console. It's a shame the generation will end soon. It's finally perfect.
 

Zekes!

Member
I came in to this game thinking it was going to be just 'pretty' good, but I find myself loving the shit out of it. I really wish this game was going to receive more attention, but it's not, and that's a damn shame.
 

Dark Schala

Eloquent Princess
Have to concur. A lot of people didn't seem too hot on it. After a while with it, though, despite its flaws, I've come to enjoy it.
 
Finished the game tonight. Have to say that I enjoyed it a lot.

Characters were very likeable, I can't say there was anyone that annoyed me.

I liked the more mature take on the party members, as in no small children with high pitched voices.

They don't really annoy me in the RPG's that have them, but it's great to see a break from the norm.

Story was good I thought. European voice overs I think suited this game more than North American ones ever could.

Battle system was unique and not what I was expecting at all going into the game.

I kind of wish this game was on PS3 though with FF13 level of graphical fidelity for comparison.

There were a number of areas that really showed the Wii's age.

The graphics were serviceable, but I can't help but think how much cooler everything would of been if the game ran on better hardware plus higher quality assets to suit increase in hardware capability.
 

CorvoSol

Member
Speaking of absent character tropes, can I just say I am overjoyed not to have a hyper girl character this time around? Mirania and Syrenne are so many leaps and bounds beyond it. Vanille was worth it because she subverted it part-way through, but then she went right back to being hyper-perky.

Had to stop for the night, but I am SO hyped for the final battle between Linkcel and Ganonbez.
 
If you haven't beaten the game yet. Do not go to GameFAQs.

Some idiot just spoiled the final boss in his thread title.

Funny part is he actually tried to justify it in the thread.

Regardless, do not go to GameFAQs.
 
I've had this since the EU release and still need to finish it, the shaky framerate and disc sounds indicating the Wii having some kind of heart attack sort of deterred me from carrying on.
Last thing I did was some side chapter I think,
in a haunted house with a boss that wouldn't stop running all over the place
, I may pick it back up today.
 
If you haven't beaten the game yet. Do not go to GameFAQs.

Some idiot just spoiled the final boss in his thread title.

Funny part is he actually tried to justify it in the thread.

Regardless, do not go to GameFAQs.

I try to stay away from GameFAQs anyway. Bunch of trolls there.
 

jorgeton

Member
I also completed the game last night. I thought it was fantastic. I really warmed up to Zael by the end. At first I found him very annoying and juvenile, but that was the point, as you really watch him grow and mature.

And the love story between him and Calista was pretty great. It was understated and felt "real." I think my biggest problem, story wise, is the twist that comes at the very end. You know what I'm talking about. That felt very false and rushed. Twist happens, then the game is pretty much over. I wish there was some breathing room to fully digest the implications. But I can give it a pass as it fits in with the theme of maturing and adulthood
your friends will let you down, etc etc
.

Overall, the game is a solid 9 in my book. I had tons of fun with the multiplayer, all the side quests, exploring the town. It was just a great experience top to bottom.
 

Bladenic

Member
If you haven't beaten the game yet. Do not go to GameFAQs.

Some idiot just spoiled the final boss in his thread title.

Funny part is he actually tried to justify it in the thread.

Regardless, do not go to GameFAQs.

Gamefaqs should never be visited for their forums anyway. Just the faqs.
 

jorgeton

Member
How does this game stack up next to Xenoblade?

Well, for starters Last Story is about 1/3rd of the length. Xenoblade feels epic, this is much more intimate. Xenoblade tells a more interesting story overall, but Last Story has way better characters.

Also Last Story is more of an action game, whereas Xenoblade is more RPG - more micromanaging of stats and equipment. I give the edge to Xenoblade just on its massiveness and scope alone. Both are worth owning though.
 

zroid

Banned
Oh my god, XSEED. It's beautiful. SO BEAUTIFUL!!! *____*

I never would have expected even the reverse to have an embossed logo, it's incredible.

And the art book is absolutely lovely.
 
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