Nah, good review. I played this a coupla hours at my friend's house and it seemed interesting.
When is some game here going to get some other score than four stars besides No more heroes 2? It would also be better if there were also star halves to give, I've always had trouble with the difference between 3 and 4 stars.
Good review, have to say that I agree with most of it, especially the combat and graphics. Though I also cant wait for FF15 either, playing as such future memorable characters as Hail and Percipitation
"FF13 feels like a direct reaction to many fans' criticisms of Final Fantasy XII: It was too open-ended and sprawling; there wasn't enough focus on the story to carry things through; it was too easy to get lost, etc."
Good review. I haven't quite finished it yet, but I did finally get to choose my own party, hit the open-world section, and opened up the Crystarium so I have actual options. I still wish that I had hit this point about 10 hours earlier though.
Zahri: Thank you sir, now i want to play it, despite the goofy names.
The only thing worse than the names is Vanille's voice acting.
Nice review. I loved it for all the reasons most people hate it, and I don't know if it's any consolation for Final Fantasy fans who can't imagine playing something with a linear story, but after the first twenty or so hours, the game becomes a massive open-world grindfest. Sadly, my love of the storyline has put me into the trap most people I know have fallen into playing ANY Final Fantasy game - didn't grind enough, can't beat a boss, fucked over in sight of the ending.
It's really, really soured me on the Final Fantasy series, even more than before. Have Japanese people heard of scaling enemies!?
I know what they're TRYING to do with these early hours (thankfully I'm past them myself) but I agree with John, it's a ROUGH design choice that doesn't entirely work. Tycho of Penny Arcade puts it well, why are we given bronze characters who turn into gold instead of gold characters who turn into platinum? Why do only Sahz (and in my case Snow as well) start out as likeable?
Anyway, good review, I'm glad that The Escapist's blind prejudice against JRPG's doesn't extend to the actual staff/magazine.
Chipperz: Nice review. I loved it for all the reasons most people hate it, and I don't know if it's any consolation for Final Fantasy fans who can't imagine playing something with a linear story, but after the first twenty or so hours, the game becomes a massive open-world grindfest. Sadly, my love of the storyline has put me into the trap most people I know have fallen into playing ANY Final Fantasy game - didn't grind enough, can't beat a boss, fucked over in sight of the ending.
It's really, really soured me on the Final Fantasy series, even more than before. Have Japanese people heard of scaling enemies!?
I never really "grinded" in the game, I just defeated every enemy that was in front of me. Hell, I managed to avoid most of the enemies in the entire last two sequences abusing Deceptisols, and I still managed to beat the game.
Excellent, exactly what I was waiting for Mr Funk. Now I just need to complete the God Of War Collection and God Of War III, then it's FFXIII for me, I'm looking forward to it more now. And with a bit of luck I'll find it on the cheap somewhere.
Chipperz: Nice review. I loved it for all the reasons most people hate it, and I don't know if it's any consolation for Final Fantasy fans who can't imagine playing something with a linear story, but after the first twenty or so hours, the game becomes a massive open-world grindfest. Sadly, my love of the storyline has put me into the trap most people I know have fallen into playing ANY Final Fantasy game - didn't grind enough, can't beat a boss, fucked over in sight of the ending.
It's really, really soured me on the Final Fantasy series, even more than before. Have Japanese people heard of scaling enemies!?
I never really "grinded" in the game, I just defeated every enemy that was in front of me. Hell, I managed to avoid most of the enemies in the entire last two sequences abusing Deceptisols, and I still managed to beat the game.
Really? How did you beat...
Spoiler: Click to 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
Time's a factor, I've only rented it until 10 tonight (so that's, like, 7 hours...)
Chipperz: Nice review. I loved it for all the reasons most people hate it, and I don't know if it's any consolation for Final Fantasy fans who can't imagine playing something with a linear story, but after the first twenty or so hours, the game becomes a massive open-world grindfest. Sadly, my love of the storyline has put me into the trap most people I know have fallen into playing ANY Final Fantasy game - didn't grind enough, can't beat a boss, fucked over in sight of the ending.
It's really, really soured me on the Final Fantasy series, even more than before. Have Japanese people heard of scaling enemies!?
I never really "grinded" in the game, I just defeated every enemy that was in front of me. Hell, I managed to avoid most of the enemies in the entire last two sequences abusing Deceptisols, and I still managed to beat the game.
Really? How did you beat...
Spoiler: Click to 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
Time's a factor, I've only rented it until 10 tonight (so that's, like, 7 hours...)
Stick Sazh or Hope in your party somewhere (if you've leveled Sazh's SYN enough so that you have Protect and Shell, use him for his offensive buffs and higher HP, otherwise take Hope), and try to keep the buffs up at all time. I'd go with Sazh/Vanille/Lightning, make a SYN/SAB/MED or SYN/MED/MED Paradigm, just do that first.
Buffs and debuffs help a *ton* in this game. You'll need them against the final boss, too.
Also, getting Sazh to take at least one level in Medic and Lightning to take a level in Sentinel/Synergist (just to get Protect and Shell) will help you heavily in the final dungeon.
Chipperz: Nice review. I loved it for all the reasons most people hate it, and I don't know if it's any consolation for Final Fantasy fans who can't imagine playing something with a linear story, but after the first twenty or so hours, the game becomes a massive open-world grindfest. Sadly, my love of the storyline has put me into the trap most people I know have fallen into playing ANY Final Fantasy game - didn't grind enough, can't beat a boss, fucked over in sight of the ending.
It's really, really soured me on the Final Fantasy series, even more than before. Have Japanese people heard of scaling enemies!?
I never really "grinded" in the game, I just defeated every enemy that was in front of me. Hell, I managed to avoid most of the enemies in the entire last two sequences abusing Deceptisols, and I still managed to beat the game.
Really? How did you beat...
Spoiler: Click to 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
Time's a factor, I've only rented it until 10 tonight (so that's, like, 7 hours...)
Stick Sazh or Hope in your party somewhere (if you've leveled Sazh's SYN enough so that you have Protect and Shell, use him for his offensive buffs and higher HP, otherwise take Hope), and try to keep the buffs up at all time. I'd go with Sazh/Vanille/Lightning, make a SYN/SAB/MED or SYN/MED/MED Paradigm, just do that first.
Buffs and debuffs help a *ton* in this game. You'll need them against the final boss, too.
Also, getting Sazh to take at least one level in Medic and Lightning to take a level in Sentinel/Synergist (just to get Protect and Shell) will help you heavily in the final dungeon.
Ahh OK, cool, I'll try that!
I've been playing my characters pretty much as a steamroller so far - there hasn't been anything my COM/RAV/RAV can't beat with an occaional switch to COM/RAV/MED. I thought I'd broken the game at one point when one of the boss fights* took half the Target Time :P
Spoiler: Click to ViewPHA+Rmlyc3QgQmFydGhhbWFuZGFsdXMgZmlnaHQuICBJIGdlbnVpbmVseSB0aG91Z2h0IGhlIHdhcyBnb2luZyB0byB0cmlnZ2VyIGFub3RoZXIgZXZlbnQgYW5kIEknZCBoYXZlIHRvIGZpZ2h0IGhpbSBhZ2Fpbi48L3A+
Chipperz: Nice review. I loved it for all the reasons most people hate it, and I don't know if it's any consolation for Final Fantasy fans who can't imagine playing something with a linear story, but after the first twenty or so hours, the game becomes a massive open-world grindfest. Sadly, my love of the storyline has put me into the trap most people I know have fallen into playing ANY Final Fantasy game - didn't grind enough, can't beat a boss, fucked over in sight of the ending.
It's really, really soured me on the Final Fantasy series, even more than before. Have Japanese people heard of scaling enemies!?
I never really "grinded" in the game, I just defeated every enemy that was in front of me. Hell, I managed to avoid most of the enemies in the entire last two sequences abusing Deceptisols, and I still managed to beat the game.
Really? How did you beat...
Spoiler: Click to 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
Time's a factor, I've only rented it until 10 tonight (so that's, like, 7 hours...)
Stick Sazh or Hope in your party somewhere (if you've leveled Sazh's SYN enough so that you have Protect and Shell, use him for his offensive buffs and higher HP, otherwise take Hope), and try to keep the buffs up at all time. I'd go with Sazh/Vanille/Lightning, make a SYN/SAB/MED or SYN/MED/MED Paradigm, just do that first.
Buffs and debuffs help a *ton* in this game. You'll need them against the final boss, too.
Also, getting Sazh to take at least one level in Medic and Lightning to take a level in Sentinel/Synergist (just to get Protect and Shell) will help you heavily in the final dungeon.
Ahh OK, cool, I'll try that!
I've been playing my characters pretty much as a steamroller so far - there hasn't been anything my COM/RAV/RAV can't beat with an occaional switch to COM/RAV/MED. I thought I'd broken the game at one point when one of the boss fights* took half the Target Time :P
Spoiler: Click to ViewPHA+Rmlyc3QgQmFydGhhbWFuZGFsdXMgZmlnaHQuICBJIGdlbnVpbmVseSB0aG91Z2h0IGhlIHdhcyBnb2luZyB0byB0cmlnZ2VyIGFub3RoZXIgZXZlbnQgYW5kIEknZCBoYXZlIHRvIGZpZ2h0IGhpbSBhZ2Fpbi48L3A+
Yeah, fights take longer but they're also safer.
Buffs and debuffs can actually REALLY boost your damage output/survivability. On the final bosses, stick DeProtect and DeShell on them, with Faith/Bravery/Haste/Protect/Shell/Vigilance on your guys? RAV/RAV/RAV gets them staggered in no time, then COM/RAV/COM (that was my setup with Light/Vanille/Sazh, respectively) once they're staggered to dish out the pain? It does a *ton* of damage. Then SEN/MED/MED if there's anything big incoming, MED/MED/MED to heal up, and MED/SAB/SYN or RAV/SAB/SYN to rebuff anything that's fallen off. That was pretty much my entire battle plan for the last few bosses.
Yeah, I half suspect that this is the result of some international translator going "Hmmmm? Lightning? How will that sound in english? Thunder maybe? No. He's a character in Fable. Lightning it is!". This is a complete guess, though. I do, however, know things that sound tough and awesome in one language rarely sound as cool in another.
Great review, tho. Never disappointed by Escapist reviews. Even Yahtzee seems to notice the same flaws in games that I do.
BlueHighwind: "FF13 feels like a direct reaction to many fans' criticisms of Final Fantasy XII: It was too open-ended and sprawling; there wasn't enough focus on the story to carry things through; it was too easy to get lost, etc."
Who are these people? They sound ill of mind.
Me, I hated FFXII because it just wasn't a FF game any more.
OT: Why did you say the linearity was a bad thing to people that enjoy exploration? This is a FF game, people who don't like linearity shouldn't buy it.
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Review: Final Fantasy XIII
Final Fantasy XIII stumbles out of the gate, but catches up by the end once it finds its Focus.
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