FAMITSU SCORES FINAL FANTASY XIII

Oh yeah I forgot about the card game extras..

post=113068
It just robs the characters of their individuality. They're all the same age, come from the same place, have the same background, and have the same occupation. Not to mention that throughout the game, the characters themselves are pretty boring and interchangeable. Really, the whole game should have just been about Laguna and co.

congratulations on sailing past the point completely

Actually, no: Refining cards is not only the most efficient way to get magic, it's also pretty much the ONLY way to get as powerful as you possibly could.

you're not doing it right ;)

Items and Magic

Tent -> Curaga, refine Curaga to Life(?) to Full-Life

Pass the controller to your cat and watch it beat the game after half an hour of refining this stuff

I get it, predestination, yadda yadda...

BUT IT'S BORING

maybe it would've been more interesting had you paid attention

(no you don't learn to game)

healing ring x3
regen ring x5
mystery fluid x10
fury fragment x20

will give you all the magic you need to crush ANYTHING

being less stubborn. also paying attention. (hint: if you already have that mindset it is very difficult for you to see anything but that because you're looking for it)

post=113066
How is it "no less of an impressive product than its predecessor" whilst gutting so many features, nearly halving the duration of the already tiny and linear single player campaign, and watering down the multiplayer? Usually sequels are supposed to be a step forward, not backwards.

I did give quick mention that cutting out multiplayer function does hurt gameplay. I can't comment much more than that, really, as I didn't play either game online. I did, however, play through all of single-player campaign mode on both games. I didn't count the number of missions, or the length of each, but testify truthfully that I did not at all feel cheated. I actually wondered if MW2 was longer, but apparently I am wrong. I was sad that the game ended when it did, as I did with MW, but that's to expected for games like these =)

Back on the point, I still think both MW and MW2 to be great games. If MW never existed, the gripes with MW2 would be reduced dramatically, and would still be viewed as a great game. I make no opinion on shady marketing, or whether it's worth its cost, but it's hard to deny that IW delivered another solid gaming experience.

Here's some choice things that people have said:

That said, it does have its flaws and I totally understand why some people hate it.

ps if you want another reason why ff8 sucks keep a tally of the number of times something happens and the party's response is "let's not think about it"

Things like this, along with Feld's discussion about plot mechanics he didn't like, are really what I mean. The words "hate" and "sucks" are being thrown around, and for what? The importance of card games? A gimmicky, but effective-if-not-optional game mechanic? Plot mishaps and story gaps? These are the things I identified as criticisms in my post. Issues with the draw system and refining magic having the most merit, the gameplay experience is still solid. The game is still GOOD with all of these flaws (which vary from one person to the next), it might even be GREAT, again varying with opinion, but I guess that just accentuates these criticisms.

F4
Well yeah, but in order to get the cool shit to refine into magic you have to play the card game.

Yeah but you can curbstomp the whole game with just that combo never mind converting other items along the way (or using the Card ability and converting those one of a kinds)

Also I'm curious what was missed with the orphanage scene too. So far I'm convinced it is just more proof that the hack who actually wrote FF8 has no concept of writing beyond coughing up phlegm all over a peice of paper and the only good thing to come from the whole game was motherfucking Doom Train

(oh and Triple Triad was fun and I spent half the game playing it until I accidentally spread the random rule everywhere or something and I got tired of spontaneous combos from the AI that flipped every card to them)

*edit*
Ah neat thank you

Things like this, along with Feld's discussion about plot mechanics he didn't like, are really what I mean. The words "hate" and "sucks" are being thrown around, and for what? The importance of card games? A gimmicky, but effective-if-not-optional game mechanic? Plot mishaps and story gaps? These are the things I identified as criticisms in my post. Issues with the draw system and refining magic having the most merit, the gameplay experience is still solid. The game is still GOOD with all of these flaws (which vary from one person to the next), it might even be GREAT, again varying with opinion, but I guess that just accentuates these criticisms.

In my defense, I have come across several people that really do hate the game (their words!). I don't share their viewpoints, since I loved it, but I can understand why some of the things didn't work for them, even though those things didn't bother me.

..because the idea of is that seven people the same age, with the same background and similar (not the same!) occupations can actually grow to become different people. basically making a point that there is probably some level of predestination in the way that they have come together again.. but don't bet your life on it because look how they turned out. the differences are more subtle than FIGHTER THIEF BLACK MAGE WHITE MAGE but hey, they're European after all. :)

Like I said before, I get all that. But to me, the differences were TOO subtle and they appear to be the same characters. Check it out the next time you play and you get the chance to take different characters with you for different events; they all pretty much say the same thing and give the same insights on whatever present situation, and the fact that they all have the same background prevents any chance of any one character expression individuality towards a situation, place or person.

"This is where I grew up guys" or "I played with this person as a kid" or "I feel this way about this thing because I'm a citizen of this country" moments are far and few between with the cast of FF8 because they're all a prime example of sameness and come from the same place, the same background, with the same circumstances. There's not even any real light shed on what they did before they all met up again. "WE ALL GREW UP IN AN ORPHANAGE IN CENTRA THEN WE WENT TO GARDEN *VAGUE GENERALITIES* NOW WE'RE HERE". Okay, what about the other what, decade in between? Not much!

I remember you saying you didn't like FFX, but one thing it had going for it was the individuality of characters (the quality of those characters of course are subject to personal opinion). Wakka and his struggle with his faith. Auron fulfilling a promise to a friend. Tidus trying to get back home. Lulu offering a cynical yet informative approach to the changing world around her. Yuna fulfilling a cultural duty. This didn't occur with FF8 because all of the character do the same shit, say the same shit, pretty much believe the same things, have the same goals, and that's about it!

I like to find subtlety in what's already there, not "I had to look really deep to find this basic character trait".