FF XIII

[VLSmooth]

mini-rant:

If lack of story options == dull, then you probably won't like it. In my opinion, the game traded options for great focus and pacing (the latter only if you pay attention).

Summary: I like it.
Tags: tutorial_phase, no_one_size_fits_all_difficulty, blaming_the_game_for_not_paying_attention

There's admittedly a long orientation/tutorial period (see Jason's PA reference), supposedly to widen the audience/appeal, due to the complexities involved. Story-wise, they throw you into the thick of it and reveal key information through intermittent flashbacks which end around chapter 11 of 13. The problem is, some people don't pay attention, dismiss the beginning, then get confused, refuse to read the data log to see what they missed, whine about difficulty, etc. The gameplay situation was a bit of a catch 22. If SquareEnix threw all the gameplay options at the beginning, people would complain things are too complicated, and give up early. On the flipside, people now complain the game is too easy, and quit before the difficulty (and sense of accomplishment) increase drastically. Grinding (both CP and upgrading), is mostly optional, at least until chapter 12 (I haven't beaten the game yet). I completed everything before the optional hunts with un-upgraded weapons and smart paradigm setups / shifting, yet I've read massive complaints about difficulty as soon as chapter 4 (reference, ganked while crossing a bridge!), since people don't understand the system that the game so carefully explains.

I could go into a larger discussion, but I don't feel up to it right now. If a dismissive rationale is required, feel free to call me easily amused. To me that's a blessing more than a curse.

[VLSmooth]

There consensus on the first chapter which is actually fun? Cuz my friend has this and I might check it out if he plays through the dull bits for me.

Depends on your threshold. In my experience/opinion, the successive chapters seem more fun than the prior (ie. fun is approximately monotonically increasing), but that's probably skewed to the content being newer and me wanting to learn more. If you really desire "openness", then you'll get your chance in chapter 11.

[VLSmooth]

Not sure if I've mentioned it on these forums yet, but I'm a huge fan of complete coverage (pseudo-ocd?). In Dragon Age: Origins I took the effort to see every possible conversation tree, searched every nook and cranny, if there was a permutation, I experienced it, etc. Then I stopped before finishing Ostagar after ~20 hours... (ps. I restarted one of the origins even). The consequence of this is that I'm biased against non-linear games with exclusive paths.

[Jonathan]

Not sure if I've mentioned it on these forums yet, but I'm a huge fan of complete coverage (pseudo-ocd?).

everyone here has lived with you for at least a couple years, you know. i think I figured it out after you embarked on your quest to play every FF in order.

[Jonathan]

My take from reviews and PA and this thread is I would quite like the challenging battles. If I am armed with beer I can slog through story, but I am liable to lose interest in the easy chapters.

[Dave]

God... Playing this game again and can't stand how emo these characters are... But I have nothing better to do since in literally waiting for paired to dry

[Alan]

You should play Dark Souls!

It's the best game I've played since...Demon's Souls. I went to explore a new area, and within 2 minutes of arriving I fell through a floor, losing half my health, and looked up to see the area boss one shotting me with a gigantic hammer-axe-thingy from across the room. I lost all my humanity and souls (the game's currency, which are fair game for losing unless you spend it on either items or leveling up), and couldn't recover them unless I got to the boss without dying. I wanted to find an alternate path that didn't involve me losing half my health, so I went exploring the rest of the level. I inched forward bit by bit, carefully looking around every corner, and backtracking to the bonfire to heal as I painstakingly learned the level.

Then I ran into a Black Knight (the enemy on the game's cover) that destroyed me, thus causing me to lose all the humanity and souls I'd dropped against the boss - permanently.

Instead of feeling enraged - you kind of get used to this sort of thing after a while - I felt strangely relieved. Now I had nothing left to lose. I died against the Black Knight again and again, finally killed him, then encountered a second. This time, I knew how to fight it; and killed it on the first try. I managed to find a couple other items, but sadly, no other way of getting to the boss.

So I dropped through the floor, avoided the telescoping hammer-axe, and was killed by an explosive firebomb AOE attack.

I dropped through the floor again, and was killed when the boss flew in the air and sat on me.

Then I was killed by the hammer-axe again. Then the firebomb. Then the firebomb. Then the firebomb. Then the axe.

Along the way, I learned the range of the firebomb, the range at which it would attack me with the hammer-axe, and how to manage range and direction so that I wouldn't die within a minute. And I killed that motherfucker. It was the most satisfying thing I did in a game since...

I can't really remember. It may have been the most satisfying gaming moment of my life.

Here's a clip of someone fighting that boss. My experience was eerily similar. The real action starts at the 5 minute mark.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIN_bfaD7Qw

[Alan]

http://tap-repeatedly.com/2011/12/19/da ... ths-1-133/

Related article for me to read later.

Edit:

As with Demon’s Souls, it’s often amazing to turn around and realize how little physical progress you’ve made, despite the sensation of having battled through endless adversity.

This happens frequently in this game. I remember going through the first real area (past the tutorial level); after what felt like (and may have been) a long, terrifying hour I reached the next bonfire (basically a checkpoint that respawns all non-boss enemies), I turned around to go back to the starting area to check something out. And then found that it takes less than 5 minutes to get from the starting bonfire to the second bonfire once you know where the enemies are.

Edit 2:

As with its predecessor, when you engage with a boss demon in Dark Souls, chances are you’re in it for the long haul. There’s no escape, no retreat; so if it kills you, you have little choice but to return again and again unless you want to abandon all the souls you dropped. Moreover, you keep adding to that soul pile every time you re-engage the boss – whatever you collected on your umpteenth journey toward its lair. So 700 souls becomes 1,400, becomes 2,100, becomes 2,800, and on and on… provided, of course, you have the approach down to a science and don’t get yourself killed on the way. To die on the way would be a reprieve of sorts, because you’d have to accept the loss of all the souls and you’d be able to go to bed. But if you don’t, if you just shut the game off, there’s a good chance you’ll have lost your approach mojo by the next day, so one wrong move and your beautiful collection of souls are gone for good.

[Dave]

I read about that game and think it is probably too hard for me. I play easy mode as much as I can!

[Alan]

http://www.gameranx.com/features/id/418 ... ark-souls/

I found myself actually loving this game. I thought it impossible a year ago. I thought I wasn’t hardcore enough to pull it off, only to find out that the game doesn’t even want me, the player, to be a hardcore son of a gun, but a carefully measured player who doesn’t run headfirst into a large group of sword wielding undead. This is not Devil May Cry. If anything, Dark Souls is more alike to old school Dungeons and Dragons. It’s a game that may look like an all out action game, but actually consists of planning and tactical thinking and observation rather than a game of insanely quick hand-eye coordination. These days I can even fire up my PS3 after a long day at work and actually unwind playing this game, “hard” as it may be. It is a rewarding experience unlike, well, unlike anything other contemporary games have to offer.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011- ... uls-review

If role-playing is to put you in the boots of an adventurer in a strange land and let you pick your path through it, then Dark Souls is a great role-playing game. If action is to test your skill in thrilling situations, then Dark Souls is a great action game. If adventure is to surprise and mystify you and invite you to uncover the secrets of a forgotten world, then Dark Souls is a great adventure game.
If entertainment is fun without failure and progress without pain, you'll have to find it somewhere else. But you'll be missing out on one of the best games of the year.

[Alan]

Here's video of the area I just finished. I think this guy was on the verge of a breakdown. You too can experience Dark Souls!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1EB39pW ... re=related

[Dave]

Grinded my way through a good chunk of FFXIII over the break, and my opinion of the game has improved. The characters are still annoying, but in starting to appreciate the combat system more. Died 4 times to the tower boss in Chapter 11 which made me change my usual relentless assault strategeries. Heard about FFXIII-2 coming out, not sure I will get that since I couldn't make it past the first few hours of X-2.

Stopped to grind some gold and cap some roles in C11, not sure I will continue I play after the story is over, guess you are got all the achievements and upgradd everything Vinny? I need more sprint boots and a bazillion more gil!

[Dave]

and... I beat it. last two chapters were pretty easy since I grinded enough to cap stats and star equipment by the end. Now I don't really feel like killing a turtle to upgrade a weapon, though I might if i get really bored. But overall, not a terrible FF, the mechanics and battles were fun enough to make up for a weak story and annoying characters.

My current post ranking: FF6 FF7 FF9 FF12 FF13 FF8 FF4 FF10 FF5 FF3 FF2 (FF11 doesnt count!)