The Very Big Final Fantasy XIII Thread - Page 35

Kim · 03-24-2010, 05:27 PM

FFVII has a group of rebels with a meaningless name, dedicated to defeating the existing authority which has little characterization beyond being evil because they're evil. The group itself has little characterization either, beyond that they are generic good guy rebels opposing the generic bad guys. The rebel group plays only a minor role in the story, and ceases to be relevant after the first disc. The rebel group has three boring NPCs who only show up for the first disc, and then are never heard from again. At least FFVII had the balls to kill its boring NPCs though.

Of course, the whole NORA = Avalanche thing was very minor, and hardly the focus of my argument. It was just a really obvious and pointless similarity. It was another bit of Toriyama going "Hey this previous FF had this! FFXIII should have it, too!" And that he was doing that at all was more the focus than anything.

EDIT: Am I being meaner to the game's plot than it warrants? Yes! Certainly! I make no claims to the contrary. The thing is that it just bores the hell out of me, and I find it frustrating to see these plot points in the game when I've seen similar ones before, but done better. The game isn't as bad as I make it sound, but that's because what isn't bad isn't enough for me to really get talkative about. The combat's good, but since that is the only thing you do, it is quickly wearing on my nerves.

bluestarultor · 03-24-2010, 06:05 PM

Welp, you heard it here, folks! Nonsie says he just likes to bitch!

I'm kidding, but really, as other people have noted, a lot of the stuff you're complaining about didn't bother them/they actually liked it, and you have to admit you've been hating on the game since a year before the release, so I think you can understand why people are having problems with your arguments. Not that there aren't valid points in there, but boy who cried wolf and all. I'm sure it'll be a good anti review once you crank it out.

Kim · 03-24-2010, 06:08 PM

Yeah, but if I was hating on the game for no reason but to hate the game, I don't think I'd give even Sazh any credit, nor would I be liking the combat as much as I did.

bluestarultor · 03-24-2010, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NonCon

Yeah, but if I was hating on the game for no reason but to hate the game, I don't think I'd give even Sazh any credit, nor would I be liking the combat as much as I did.

BTW, did you figure out the full-bar bonuses? If you shift from one Paradigm to a similar one with a bit charged in the bar, you get an automatic full bar right off the bat. It really helps to abuse the crap out of it.

Kim · 03-24-2010, 06:24 PM

Yeah, I noticed. Haven't really abused it yet, because when I have haste on my guys, the length of time to change paradigms, especially if it's the first change of the battle, is almost as long, or at least feels that way.

EDIT: Also, can anyone confirm/deny if I can go back to Pulse after Chapter 11?

Ape Boy · 03-24-2010, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NonCon

Yeah, I noticed. Haven't really abused it yet, because when I have haste on my guys, the length of time to change paradigms, especially if it's the first change of the battle, is almost as long, or at least feels that way.

EDIT: Also, can anyone confirm/deny if I can go back to Pulse after Chapter 11?

It becomes almost necessary to abuse the Switch for ATB technique against some of the more powerful enemies.

That's another thing I like about the game, is that it nurtures experimentation. Sure you may lose a fight until you figure out the best strategy, but you'll spawn seconds away from what killed you, pretty much welcoming you to try again.

RE: EDIT: From what I understand, you're able to travel all around Pulse through 12-13. That may be inaccurate, but you can roam Pulse post-game.

bluestarultor · 03-24-2010, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ape Boy

It becomes almost necessary to abuse the Switch for ATB technique against some of the more powerful enemies.

QFT.

Quote:

Sure you may lose a fight until you figure out the best strategy, but you'll spawn seconds away from what killed you, pretty much welcoming you to try again.

Also, skippable cutscenes. Lifesaver.

Kim · 03-24-2010, 10:48 PM

So, what are all y'all thoughts on the monster designs in this?

The animal monsters I'm okay with. The flying things, turtles, and wolves I'm more or less fine with, even though there are details I'm not too fond of, like the wolves have like giant fucking crab claws for a face, but otherwise I'm fine with them.

Everything else though... just doesn't work. The bombs are now giant dice? "Vampires" look like really, really dumb golems. Vetalas look like... well... they don't look like Hindu spirits that possess the dead, that's for sure. It doesn't earn any points with me for having a lot of the designs of the smaller ones making it near impossible to tell which way they're facing, yet making sneaking up on them a gameplay mechanic.

Love the animal ones, but everything else is... no good.

Kerensky287 · 03-24-2010, 10:51 PM

I love all of the monster designs except for the bird things with mouths for asses.

Also, I think I could have done without the wheel-headed Shivas and that Eidolon in the one cutscene that had a ludicrous wing-hair thing going on.

Kim · 03-24-2010, 10:53 PM

I dunno. I think I'd be less annoyed at some of them if they didn't take something shit out of a volcano and call it a vampire. Or take a floating... something... and call it a vetala. It's like... Why call it that if it looks nothing like it?

03-24-2010, 05:27 PM	#341
Kim adorable Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 12,950	FFVII has a group of rebels with a meaningless name, dedicated to defeating the existing authority which has little characterization beyond being evil because they're evil. The group itself has little characterization either, beyond that they are generic good guy rebels opposing the generic bad guys. The rebel group plays only a minor role in the story, and ceases to be relevant after the first disc. The rebel group has three boring NPCs who only show up for the first disc, and then are never heard from again. At least FFVII had the balls to kill its boring NPCs though. Of course, the whole NORA = Avalanche thing was very minor, and hardly the focus of my argument. It was just a really obvious and pointless similarity. It was another bit of Toriyama going "Hey this previous FF had this! FFXIII should have it, too!" And that he was doing that at all was more the focus than anything. EDIT: Am I being meaner to the game's plot than it warrants? Yes! Certainly! I make no claims to the contrary. The thing is that it just bores the hell out of me, and I find it frustrating to see these plot points in the game when I've seen similar ones before, but done better. The game isn't as bad as I make it sound, but that's because what isn't bad isn't enough for me to really get talkative about. The combat's good, but since that is the only thing you do, it is quickly wearing on my nerves. Last edited by Kim; 03-24-2010 at 05:55 PM.

03-24-2010, 06:08 PM	#343
Kim adorable Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 12,950	Yeah, but if I was hating on the game for no reason but to hate the game, I don't think I'd give even Sazh any credit, nor would I be liking the combat as much as I did.

03-24-2010, 06:24 PM	#345
Kim adorable Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 12,950	Yeah, I noticed. Haven't really abused it yet, because when I have haste on my guys, the length of time to change paradigms, especially if it's the first change of the battle, is almost as long, or at least feels that way. EDIT: Also, can anyone confirm/deny if I can go back to Pulse after Chapter 11?

03-24-2010, 10:48 PM	#348
Kim adorable Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 12,950	So, what are all y'all thoughts on the monster designs in this? The animal monsters I'm okay with. The flying things, turtles, and wolves I'm more or less fine with, even though there are details I'm not too fond of, like the wolves have like giant fucking crab claws for a face, but otherwise I'm fine with them. Everything else though... just doesn't work. The bombs are now giant dice? "Vampires" look like really, really dumb golems. Vetalas look like... well... they don't look like Hindu spirits that possess the dead, that's for sure. It doesn't earn any points with me for having a lot of the designs of the smaller ones making it near impossible to tell which way they're facing, yet making sneaking up on them a gameplay mechanic. Love the animal ones, but everything else is... no good.

03-24-2010, 10:51 PM	#349
Kerensky287 Just That Good Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 3,426	I love all of the monster designs except for the bird things with mouths for asses. Also, I think I could have done without the wheel-headed Shivas and that Eidolon in the one cutscene that had a ludicrous wing-hair thing going on.

03-24-2010, 10:53 PM	#350
Kim adorable Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 12,950	I dunno. I think I'd be less annoyed at some of them if they didn't take something shit out of a volcano and call it a vampire. Or take a floating... something... and call it a vetala. It's like... Why call it that if it looks nothing like it?