Final Fantasy XIII

[Canas Renvall]

^Yes, CR29 was saying that the logo isn't as prominent. on the FFVII and FFX boxes (love those games, btw), the logo was still a lot bigger than that.

[Branden_Lucero]

^Yes, CR29 was saying that the logo isn't as prominent. on the FFVII and FFX boxes (love those games, btw), the logo was still a lot bigger than that.

not really. FFIX had a bigger font than both FFVII and FFVIII.

[RetroRain]

From the videos I have seen of this game, I'm not really impressed, at all. Sure, the graphics are great, but I don't like how there is so much going on, on the screen at the same time. You have all of this magic, special effects, and all of these other things that seem to be just thrown in there for eye candy. What ever happened to keep it simple? I lost in interest in the Final Fantasy series after 9. After the series went next-gen, it just sucked, majorly. It seems that they keep trying to re-create Cloud in some shape or form (either mentally or appearance-wise, they keep using these stupid-looking blonde-haired characters), the writing has been horrible, the characters and their names seem just thrown together, and it's almost like they don't know where to go with the series anymore.

And now FFXIV is supposed to be another MMORPG? Didn't they learn from FFXI? And I really think it is a bad idea having a number-game be an online entry.

FFXI should have been "Final Fantasy Online," not FFXI. FFXI should have been just like any other FF game. FFXIV should be Final Fantasy Online 2 or something like that. Ever since the PS1 era passed, Final Fantasy has been shit.

I hope you guys enjoy FFXIII, and I look forward to seeing the reviews, but I don't feel that this game will deliver either.

[Carnivol]

Still don't get people's hate towards FFXI as a mainline game. Don't get why people see it as a failure either. It's still got a healthy userbase and pick up new users frequently. Has many active servers. Has had 4 solid expansions so far + this year got 3 new DLC questlines. Only part of FFXI that is arguably a failure is the PlayOnline launcher (which I personally am a huge fan of, as I have a fetish for terminal OS'.)

The game is very much a mainline Final Fantasy game in every possible way (even more so than certain other numbered titles that disgracefully carries the name). And the story stuff in it is pretty sweet (and I honestly feel other MMOs should take cues from it, considering how it's got plenty of proper cutscenes and a rich soundtrack to go with everything... not to mention how the job system in it is a delight compared to most other games where you're locked down to whatever you initially picked.) Soloing might get boring in the long run for some, but partying is fantastic (and level sync makes it even sweeter)

[Zombie Fred]

Still don't get people's hate towards FFXI as a mainline game. Don't get why people see it as a failure either. It's still got a healthy userbase and pick up new users frequently. Has many active servers. Has had 4 solid expansions so far + this year got 3 new DLC questlines. Only part of FFXI that is arguably a failure is the PlayOnline launcher (which I personally am a huge fan of, as I have a fetish for terminal OS'.)

The game is very much a mainline Final Fantasy game in every possible way (even more so than certain other numbered titles that disgracefully carries the name). And the story stuff in it is pretty sweet (and I honestly feel other MMOs should take cues from it, considering how it's got plenty of proper cutscenes and a rich soundtrack to go with everything... not to mention how the job system in it is a delight compared to most other games where you're locked down to whatever you initially picked.) Soloing might get boring in the long run for some, but partying is fantastic (and level sync makes it even sweeter)

Something is wrong with you (), to me personally I thought Playonline is probably the worst launcher I come across a MMO, considering when it come to patches from their own servers (remember when my friend had to wait most of the day for a few patches many years back).

As for FF11 goes as a traditional Final Fantasy game, I think it's just because it went into the mmo space and many fans of the series didn't want to go into the massive multiplayer space and having to pay for a long transaction when they just wanted to do was to play a single player experience, at any time, in their own accords, without having to suffer any of the MMO design properties.

FF11 was very "hardcore" however. It's probably one of the best experiences out there to play online alone or with friends; square did try to cater both areas good, but some of the end bosses are ridiculous (almost a complete day for one raid instance was just ludicrous, come on, it's insane). I have much high hopes for 14 for regard to combat and classes. But I would like to see the job system still implemented the way 11 did.

[Carnivol]

Something is wrong with you (), to me personally I thought Playonline is probably the worst launcher I come across a MMO, considering when it come to patches from their own servers (remember when my friend had to wait most of the day for a few patches many years back).

People fail to see the significance of POL. It's pretty much in many ways a precursor to the current consoles' dashboard and XMB. Just half-a-decade before its time. You could also arguably say it may also be a bit of a precursor to some of the more elaborate platforms on PC too, such as Steam, but on the PC front there are plenty of other possibilities as for what could've been the inspiration and basis for things and who came first.

Either way, PlayOnline provided a full OS-like experience on the PS2 all the way back in 2001. Giving a full friendslist system, messenger services, built-in e-mail client (which can both access your POL e-mail +any pop3 account you may add to it), has file sharing for images/screenshots, VoIP in selected titles, full online user guide/Q&A system, game launcher for installed games, online patcher (which also has a file verification utility and redownload feature, to fix potentially borked files), and an online store system + more...

Only flaw was that it came too early, didn't get much of a warm welcome, and only a handful of games on each platform supported it after companies pulled their planned support for it.

[Branden_Lucero]

People fail to see the significance of POL. It's pretty much in many ways a precursor to the current consoles' dashboard and XMB. Just half-a-decade before its time. You could also arguably say it may also be a bit of a precursor to some of the more elaborate platforms on PC too, such as Steam, but on the PC front there are plenty of other possibilities as for what could've been the inspiration and basis for things and who came first.

Either way, PlayOnline provided a full OS-like experience on the PS2 all the way back in 2001. Giving a full friendslist system, messenger services, built-in e-mail client (which can both access your POL e-mail +any pop3 account you may add to it), has file sharing for images/screenshots, VoIP in selected titles, full online user guide/Q&A system, game launcher for installed games, online patcher (which also has a file verification utility and redownload feature, to fix potentially borked files), and an online store system + more...

Only flaw was that it came too early, didn't get much of a warm welcome, and only a handful of games on each platform supported it after companies pulled their planned support for it.

wasn't this thing expensive?

[Carnivol]

POL was free to use. You just need a valid install disc + Content ID for it, which you'd have if you were a member of any POL open/closed beta (POL, FFXI, DoC, FMO), or if you bought POL compatible software or somehow got a trial version of a POL application.

[Branden_Lucero]

for some reason i thought it came preloaded and bundled with a PS2 HDD.

[Carnivol]

Well, in the US, the only way to get it for the PS2 was through the FFXI bundle (FFXI w/first expansion + 40 Gb HDD)

[Sephiroth]

I must say for the US cover it's quiet a change I mean just about every Final Fantasy game just had the Logo saying Fainal Fantasy and some time a charater in an artwork near the Logo not CGI hmm I wounder why the change fingers cross EU get just the old standed way just the Logo.

Before I foget some news just poped up on kotaku FFXIII will take 50 to 60 hours to beat the main story.

http://kotaku.com/5416590/final-fantasy-xiii-is-50-to-60-hours-long

[Carnivol]

I've heard punctuation is considered fashion this season.

Also, in the past, only EU covers have had "just" a logo. US covers have always had a variety of stuff slammed on them, JP releases have mostly had logo on initial releases with re-releases featuring random artwork.

Also, FFXIII supposedly being "50-60 hours" sounds like a step down. At least in marketing speech, as the PS1 era titles and up have been considered 80+ in most cases.

[BadWolfX]

Well it's a US box... to so that's to be expected (slap slap slap character art).

What annoys me is that I've seen the same box art with a PAL logo and PEGI rating around the web, which if real; breaks the nice tradition we've got going here of using the simplistic style of only having a blank white cover with the name + logo written on it (only exception to this here are some of the franchise spin-offs and the GBA/NDS ports 'n remakes post-Dawn of Souls, which all feature the FFXI Expansion Pack style of using logo + amano art)

Gah, I really hope we don't have the same cover as the US one. It'll be incredibly annoying for them to break tradition with the 13th one.

Also, FFXIII supposedly being "50-60 hours" sounds like a step down. At least in marketing speech, as the PS1 era titles and up have been considered 80+ in most cases.

I guess so....but considering on how shorter games have become (at least, in my experience) then I'm very glad. Plus, the 80+ hours in the PS1 games
included side-quests and grinding and I always got to the Final Dungeon type area in around 40~ hours so I'm pleased with 50-60 (not including side-quests).

ETA: This is the cover the Gamestation site has for the UK version.



I like it, much better than the US one.

[Carnivol]

I guess so....but considering on how shorter games have become (at least, in my experience) then I'm very glad. Plus, the 80+ hours in the PS1 games included side-quests and grinding and I always got to the Final Dungeon type area in around 40~ hours so I'm pleased with 50-60 (not including side-quests).

The 80+ number is from the same type of marketing speech (and also box text) that is now suggesting 50-60 hours for FFXIII. Either they've started excluding sidequests from their estimates, or FFXIII is to be considered 3/4ths the size of previous FF games (content wise).

ETA: This is the cover the Gamestation site has for the UK version.



I like it, much better than the US one.

Hope that's the final EU one. I'd be a very disappointed man if they even manage to bork up the EU cover for this installment.

[BadWolfX]

The 80+ number is from the same type of marketing speech (and also box text) that is now suggesting 50-60 hours for FFXIII. Either they've started excluding sidequests from their estimates, or FFXIII is to be considered 3/4ths the size of previous FF games (content wise).

The 50-60 hours is excluding sidequests and it's likely that we'll get SOME sort of DLC for the game.

Even if it is including side-quests....50-60 hours is nothing to be disappointed about.