Final Fantasy XIII

[nitnit]

Who's got it? I'm on the second disc, and for you PS3 people that equates to chapter 5 of the game.

Are you guys liking it?

All I'm going to say is so far I'm really liking it. If you do play it, try to not compare it to other final fantasies, it's not supposed to be yet another rehased jRPG.  

[Haratio TaFotter]

I don't have it yet, mostly because I'm seeing a fair amount of mixed reviews. As someone who has the game, what exactly do you like about it?  

[Tron714]

Who wants to play FF13 when you can play Metro 2033 instead???  

[nitnit]

Horatio - Here's what I like:


-Graphics. Play this game on a HD TV at all costs. The cut-scenes look almost as good, and in some cases better than advent children. The in game graphics can only really be rivaled by the likes of Uncharted 2, and even then, this game has advantages.
- Combat system, it starts off pretty simple, but ends up as easily one of the most complex, fast-paced, and strategy based in the series. It's definitely more action-oriented, but there is a lot of strategy in when to use what classes, and what to use as them.
- Square-Enix is trying new things. Sure, FF4, 6, 7 (and to some 8, 9, 10) are all highly regarded classics, but Square knows that people don't want to play the exact same thing again. They experimented with XII for mixed results, and XIII tries even more stuff, this is not just another rehashed jRPG. I'm pretty convinced that anyone who enjoys the feel of the sci-fi world can find some enjoyment in this game.
- Plot, I'm a bit of a sucker for dystopian futures, so mix that with the typical FF convoluted narrative to suck you in, and I was sold. Every time I think I understand everything that's going on, it throws a crazy curve-ball, whether or not it all wraps up nicely is to be determined (I'm on disc 3, but it's the longest disc)
- Characters, I like the cast, and they're all developing as the story progressing, much more so than in most games, and even most final fantasies.

Lightning is your typical female cloud, but as the story goes on she softens up a bit, while retaining her badass which is cool.

Sazh (the black dude) is the man, and one of the best black characters I've ever seen in a game. He has the most sensibility, and one of the most tragic stories, plus some of his lines are priceless.

Vanille... well, she's kind of annoying. She's basically Rikku, but she's starting to show her true personality and grow as a person.

Hope (14 year old boy). He starts off as a sniveling brat (though with valid reasons), but as the story unfolds he ends up becoming a cool character... well as cool as a 14 year old can get

Snow. He starts off as your typical super macho hero with a soft spot for his girl and friends. So much so that he's pretty comical. As things go on he shows just enough emotion for you to come to like him, and not enough for you to cringe.

Fang. Fang is the other hot badass girl in this game. She manages to have enough attitude to not seem like a Lightning clone.


My main issue that I haven't decided on is "is this game too linear?". On one hand, it's extremely linear, especially for a jRPG. In most of the scenarios I've been in, this is just as linear story-wise as Gears of War, Halo 3, etc, and the maps are usually straight lines with a couple paths that lead to a treasure chest guarded by enemies. It's sometimes so linear that after 3 hours of playing, you pretty much have to tkae a break because you've had enough of the combat. (I have this problem with most action games).

In its defense, this has provided quite possibly the strongest narrative in any Final Fantasy game. You are a group of fugitives, and it damn well feels like it. You're always on the run, and you don't have time to go to the inn, talk to the townspeople, or breed chocobos. One of the reasons why I like Fallout 1 is that there is a time limit, and you will fail if you don't meet it. In Final Fantasy 7 for example, there was a giant meteor headed for earth, but you could lolligag all day.

In conclusion, this is definitely worth at least renting if you're interested. If you like it, buy it. I'm gameflying it (I've learned how to use the system to get new games on launch date if I want to, lol), but all estimates are making this out to be a 60+ hour game... much more value than the majority of single player games out there.

And yes, I am having a very hard time putting the game down. It's a good thing I started it just as spring break began.







Tron - I'm sorry, but this is probably the dumbest comment you've ever made. They are two completely different types of games. One is a first person shooter survival horror game, and the other is a jRPG.

So, to properly answer your question, anyone who's interested in the latest installment of the most influential jRPG series (and one of the most 'important' series, period) would want to play this over metro 2033. Funny enough, even though this is yet another Final Fantasy, I'm pretty sure it has more original elements to it than Metro 2033.

I'm not going to randomly go out and say Metro 2033 is going to be bad, but I'd wait at least 2 months for patches before I'd play it since its developers messed up big time in STALKER with bugs.  

[Kunx the Mighty]

Tron714

Who wants to play FF13 when you can play Metro 2033 instead???

Everyone with a brain, and I'm pretty sure that even a rehashed jRPG game like Heart Gold/Soul Silver has more features (compared to D/P/Pt), better gameplay (again compared to D/P/Pt), and story than Metro 2033  

[Tron714]

nitnit

Tron - I'm sorry, but this is probably the dumbest comment you've ever made. They are two completely different types of games. One is a first person shooter survival horror game, and the other is a jRPG.

So, to properly answer your question, anyone who's interested in the latest installment of the most influential jRPG series (and one of the most 'important' series, period) would want to play this over metro 2033. Funny enough, even though this is yet another Final Fantasy, I'm pretty sure it has more original elements to it than Metro 2033.

I'm not going to randomly go out and say Metro 2033 is going to be bad, but I'd wait at least 2 months for patches before I'd play it since its developers messed up big time in STALKER with bugs.

Yes that was the dumbest comment I have made and it was posted in more of my benefit to humor myself xD

As for FF13 having more original elements than Metro? Maybe, Im still waiting for Dream's friends to let me borrow the 1st disc, and so on. From what I have read of reviews for Metro 2033 it has recieved 3 9/1, 8.5, and a 7. They say the story is great, and the only downplay to it is the poor shooting mechanic(oftenly compared to Bioschock). Nothing about bugs yet...

But I will find out if those reviews are true sometime this week after I am done working overtime.

I expect a lengthy review from you for FF13 if I do not get the 1st disc of the game anytime soon!  

[Haratio TaFotter]

Thanks for the help nit. Being an unemployed gamer, I try to get as many second opinions as possible when trying to pick up new releases nowadays. The characters, my favorite part of any kind of story, sound good, better than what I've read up to this point (though most were described in a line or less, and I'd never heard of the Hope kid before). Anyway, thanks again.  

[nitnit]

Now that I've logged 25 hours with the game...

The monotony is kind of catching up. Then again, I have this exact same problem with every other jRPG I've ever played.

Recently hit the open world area, let me assure you, on an HDTV, it's breathtaking.

Plot had a couple cool twists, and it's only just hit the real first stupid point (There's no real logical reasoning as to why the group has gone to this open world area). Only other real problem is the typical jRPG dialogue. If you're fine with that sort of thing (even the classics like 7 had its fair crop of stupid dialogue) then you'll probably like the story as much or more than me.



As for metro, it definitely looks cool, I just had to call you out on comparing such vastly different game genres xD  

[Xashowd]

I watched a decent vid on Youtube from Bizkit about it, and it looks awesome. Only the first boss, and it's music is epic (The one part is still in my head). I wonder how epic the final boss music will be? Guess I'll find out in the future. Sazh is really cool (from what I've seen). He has the Chocobo in his afro, he does have some good lines (Does anyone else recognize the voice? It sounds familiar), and he seems very laid back when not in battle. I've only seen the beginning part (up to when the "1st chapter" shows up on the screen), but I like it.  

[dxxknight]

I am personally a big fan of all in the FF series they seem to get better and better which is why square enix is so successful they put alot of time and effort in their games makes the games more fun to play!  

[Tron714]

Mmmmk, I finally got the 1st disc from Dream's friend and we are making our way through it slowly while also playing Twilight Princess and Halo 3.

So far I like that battles are very fast and makes things simple. Also, that after every battle your party is healed (just like Dragon Age: Origins). As far as the character personality roster goes, it is better than most. The story for some reasons makes me remember FFX a lot. The game looks great visually and everything is so far so good. Still have 20 hours of linear story to go through.  

[Link_Noroshima]

I haven't got the game yet but it looks quite anticipating and the only thing that I'm confused about was why Square Enix decided to go with one of Leona Lewis's songs as the theme (not saying that I dislike it) than one of their songs for the theme; was it a player suggestion or was it just because they couldn't come up with a good theme to use??  

[nitnit]

I'm on chapter 13. I've actually been on chapter 13 for quite some time now, just haven't been playing. I'm anticipating some sort of mission grind in order to beat the final boss and get some of the achievements, and I just haven't set aside time/motivation to do so.  

[pathetic_negi_magician]

nitnit

I'm on chapter 13. I've actually been on chapter 13 for quite some time now, just haven't been playing. I'm anticipating some sort of mission grind in order to beat the final boss and get some of the achievements, and I just haven't set aside time/motivation to do so.

Believe me, the only missions that are worth bothering with prior to beating the final boss are the ones to gain access to Chocobos (as well as the Bhakti side-quest for the major cash spoils).

It's very difficult, but you could also *technically* obtain 3 Genji armlets prior to beating the game (though the only real chance of doing so is by being willing to spend hours farming CP and TP.  

[nitnit]

Heh, I decided to just continue before even reading that, and you're right. I don't understand why people are whining so much about this game's final boss (I won't say its name since that is kind of a spoiler in context to the game's plot)

I beat the first form on my second try, and the second form on the first. Didn't use the poison trick, and didn't do any special grinding or anything. Didn't even kill most of the enemies leading up to him, lol.

Now that I've finished I'm going back and completing the missions for achievement/completion sake. Just did the death trick on the guy with the growth egg, and I'm about to do it again for mission 63 to get a genji glove.

Not going to lie, I really liked this game's story up until about chapter 10. Then it all fell apart for me =/