FF13

[Kachiko]

pssst

VIII = 8
XIII = 13


I got bored with the second Uncharted. I liked fidning the hidden treasures and trying for various trophies, but right about the time I got the grenades and found out what they were really up to, I decided I really didn't want to keep going, and traded it in while it still had a high trade-in value.

[PRWraith]

I guess what I expect when i pick up a final fantasy game is the ability to leave the storyline for a bit and find hidden dungeans and super mode bosses. Min/maxing my characters for certain areas.

I expect to be able to go out of my way to find their ultimate weapons and have it actually feel ultimate.

As far as the story goes I guess It just took way way to long to get started for me, by the time the whole team finally comes back together I've completely lost interest in playing. And the, SPOILER, transformation once they get their brands doesn't feel like they've gained anything at all. The characters showed next to no weakness prior to acquiring it.

It's probably just me I expected something different.

[noc]

I have played every one from start to finish, some maxed levels/dungeons/items My thoughts thus far, and a few questions for those farther in the story line.

Graphics are amazing, altho can be a bit busy and the fight scenes have a slight tendency to be over cinematic and hard to see really wtf is going on. The story has begun to take shape and is really quite entertaining. I have to say the first few hours, (while they cover alot in tutorials) tends to be quite boring, but after you get paradigms the speed and tactical side begin to show. There are a few characters voices (like always) that i absolutely hate and get odd enjoyment watching them eat shit on the battle field, but so far its bearable.

I'm wondering what if any travel there is in the game?

If i could bring one thing back to final fantasy games.... Explorable Overworlds... like every game up to 9 =/ I really miss overworlds...

[Kachiko]

that's one of the things I hated about 8. I couldn't freely explore the overworld. If you weren't meant to go there, there was some artificial barrier preventing it, whether it be a rock slide that vanishes later, or just an invisible wall.

[prolifik]

One of the things that Final Fantasy VIII lacks is exploring, but to be honest, exploring worlds is Soo 10 years ago. FF VIII did it right this time~!

[PRWraith]

exploration + secret dungeans/bosses = replay value

[hawthorne]

That's interesting because I felt that FFX, even with it's more linear storyline, had a lot more replayability than even VII did, due to the sphere grid. You could build your characters in so many different ways that it changed the complexion of the game based on what you did. Ultimately, these games are always going to finish the same way.

Sadly, with the attention span of younger gamers in particular, and gamers in general dwindling, games have been getting shorter for a while now. The death of a thousand cuts that EQ is suffering versus the 11 some odd million playing WoW is but another example of that. Nowadays, games, especially console games, are made with a certain number of playable hours in mind, and no more.

Why? Because they want you to buy more games. They don't want to make a game that you can replay 10 times, a different way each time, because you buy less games if you are still playing Elder Scrolls: Oblivion for the 8th time, this time building your character as a destruction magic wielding mage, instead of a stealthy ranged sneak attack specialist.. the same sort of thinking has been creeping into FF, MGS, and many other titles. Some have replayability purely in the fact of their multiplayer component. Halo/CoD style FPS have shorter single player campaigns but sine in their multiplayer capabilities. RPG's don't have that. And with a certain point. If you want a replayable RPG, they expect modern gamers to go play an MMO, not their 20-40 hour long console RPG.

[PeteSampras]

You can roam in chapter 11 and max/min your toons there. It still is mostly linear but you can max stuff out and upgrade your gear if you want. or you can just blow by it. I am personally doing all the missions I can prior to going past that area. Which has maxed out my exp and will allow me to get several weapon upgrades in the process.

You are also able to go back to that area once you beat the game so you can get trophies and beat the mobs in better times with your super weapons but meh. i dont really ever feel like playing a game after i "beat" it..

I love the graphics, the story is a bit linear from chapter 1-10. 11 is whatever. 12-13 are linear iirc. hour wise.. i have spent as much in chapter 11 as 1-10 and i will likely have over 60 hours played once i beat it. I doubt I will replay it any time soon but thats just with any game that is beatable that isnt multiplayer. It was worth the purchase for me about $1 an hour for entertainment.. though it might have better been a 2 week rental all things considered.

[hawthorne]

Interesting article about FF13 and FF in general.

http://egotvonline.com/2010/04/08/fi...final-fantasy/