Final Fantasy XIII

[Carnivol]

In terms of presentation, Square had broadened their presentation and use of hardware with each title since FF7. The team always tried different things in this area (I have to say my love goes to Final Fantasy 9 for looking as the older titles charm for inspiration to bringing it out into 3D) and FF13 continues that. You could summarise how little has changed for game play overall (outside their combat and class systems) but I always get the feeling there was to it (how the game feel and played compared to others), thanks to the direction the specific title was based upon. I actually think Final Fantasy 11 and 12 was the biggest changes to some of the older elements (how the world was presented, combat and class system, etc). FF13 feels more like an older title high-resed with a few tweaks they tried doing.

I'm sorry, but could you try to articulate that in a slightly more comprehensive manner?

FFXII's big change was free-roaming in a battle. And being the first FF that I couldn't bring myself to finish because it was just so bad... but that's neither here nor there.

X-2 didn't have a world map either. But I know you guys don't like it like I do, so I guess we don't need to count it.

I was merely excluding X-2 as it... well... is about as much of a "main entry" as any Compilation of FFVII game is to be treated as one, I suppose. But I guess we're even now, since you excluded XI there by saying FFXII's big change was the free-roaming battles ('cause that stuff was pretty much already in place in XI.)



By the way, regarding music in XIII; I've not really had any tracks grow on me yet. They're not all bad or anything, it's just that none have really stood out for me yet. People have mentioned some of their favorites, but none of them have really clicked with me, so if possible, could more people direct me to some of their favorite tracks? 'Cause all name drops people on IRC have given me have either been for generic keyboard loops, the dreadful default battle theme or various "dramatic" tunes with no proper build up or direction (I have the feeling that people are easily sold on anything with an orchestra or something these days.)

[Canas Renvall]

One of my favorite tracks I just heard last night. It's epic... but too short. I wish someone could make an extension of it, but I dunno if anyone owns the soundtrack or not.

Anyway, Fighting Fate gives me that epic feel that I've been waiting for in an RPG for so long. As right it should, it plays in just the right place. But like I said, the track itself is just too short.

[Zombie Fred]

Sorry Carn, I think it was one of those days where I wasn't really paying attention to what the hell I was typing. I can't even tell what I was trying to say


What I was trying to say is that Square always tries something different with each Final Fantasy game, even if it has followed a traditional format since the beginning of the series, this was the impression I get when playing each title since Final Fantasy 7. This is my opinion anyhow but this might be due to how the game is presented with the art design and the minor tweaks in the combat and how the world is interactive (I.E, how the camera panned on the player, how the 3D world was open up, etc) with each passing title.

[BadWolfX]

By the way, regarding music in XIII; I've not really had any tracks grow on me yet. They're not all bad or anything, it's just that none have really stood out for me yet. People have mentioned some of their favorites, but none of them have really clicked with me, so if possible, could more people direct me to some of their favorite tracks? 'Cause all name drops people on IRC have given me have either been for generic keyboard loops, the dreadful default battle theme or various "dramatic" tunes with no proper build up or direction (I have the feeling that people are easily sold on anything with an orchestra or something these days.)

My favourites would be Lightning's Theme, Vanille's Theme, Hope's Theme, The Sunleth Waterscape, Chocobos Of Cocoon and The Archylte Steppe. As well as a whole bunch more (like the battle theme which you hate.)

[Gradon]

The Sunleth Waterscape

Best. Track. In. The. Game.

[Sephiroth]

I've had to take a break from XIII for a while becuaseSpoiler:

show spoiler

the second fight with Barthandelus getting anoying I thought the first battle was hard but with one has more tricks to it but doint get me wrong it still an epic boss fight but he just shemes to harder as his HP drops

[BadWolfX]

I've had to take a break from XIII for a while becuaseSpoiler:

show spoiler

the second fight with Barthandelus getting anoying I thought the first battle was hard but with one has more tricks to it but doint get me wrong it still an epic boss fight but he just shemes to harder as his HP drops

Everybody seems to have trouble with that fight which I find odd because I managed to beat it on my first go.

[A-J]

^ Likewise. I've been reading up on GAF and when I read people talking about dying multiple times on Chapter 9, I feel a bit happier knowing maybe it means i'm a good player :p

Chapter 12 is pretty effing intense btw. Pacing just picked up a massive notch.

[BadWolfX]

Oh yeah, from the word "Go" Chapter 12 is full of epic moments. The race track scene is a highlight.

[JcFFx]

I finally reached the Spoiler:

show spoiler

Orphan

fight. Taking a break until monday though due to an assignment I have to finish.

Thank god I finally ran into some enemies that drop more gil... Granted it would've been slightly more useful a few chapters ago, but whatever.

What exactly is Sazh's good for? He's one of my favourite characters and for a good chunk of the game I had him as the leader... But especially late-game it's getting harder and harder to justify having him on my team...
I nearly completed everyone's default 3 classes in the crystarium. I also got his default weapon to the first star (and I've upgraded more for him than I've had for Snow and Fang).
Yet the game seems to insist that he be almost useless...
- Lightning, Vanille, and Hope get better magic and end up being better Ravagers by end game. Once you near-max Hope's synergist class he gets the spells that you would usually have Sazh for anyways.
- Lightning, Snow, and Fang also get better strength stats, so they end up being better Commandos. Okay, maybe I shouldn't include Lightning since I have her using Ultima weapon, but I haven't even gotten Snow and Fang's weapons to first-star yet. Sazh's blitz is godlike, yes, but it's also very situational and is no longer worth it if his strength stat isn't as good...
- Sazh has decent HP, but Snow still gets better HP.

Seriously SE, what gives?
Like, am I doing something wrong? Is there a specific weapon I should go for?

[Sephiroth]

^ Likewise. I've been reading up on GAF and when I read people talking about dying multiple times on Chapter 9, I feel a bit happier knowing maybe it means i'm a good player :p

Chapter 12 is pretty effing intense btw. Pacing just picked up a massive notch.

The thing my party was well leved up I had good equipment and I was useing Light,Hope and Fang but I did not have Paradigm organized I should have had some defence so yeah I need to consider haveing my Paradigm more organized for my second attempted on the boss fight. The boss at fight went pritty well at first but when his HP was pritty low about 30000 left and I was low on HP my self and insted of changeing to medic to heal my party I thought I could beat him but I screwd up at the last second.

[A-J]

Finished it a little while ago finally. 42 hours in according to the game clock.

and now just like after finishing all previous Final Fantasy titles i'm feeling a bit depressed, in part because the ending was kind of sad and in part because I just wrapped up a very good game.

[BadWolfX]

Spoiler:

show spoiler

Did you spot the fantastic fridge brilliance? If not, look at the cover and then think of how Cocoon looked at the end.

[Sephiroth]

Ok my second attemped aginst the boss went alot better this time I got my Paradigm organized better im up tp chapter 12 at the moment on 12 im just leveling up and collecting chips to sell for money.

[JcFFx]

Ok my second attemped aginst the boss went alot better this time I got my Paradigm organized better im up tp chapter 12 at the moment on 12 im just leveling up and collecting chips to sell for money.

There are a bunch of enemies on 13 that drop items that can net you more cash than incentive chips (like, 10k+/item), just fyi.