FFXIII-2 - k thnx bai SE

[Absentia]

Re: FFXIII-2 - k thnx bai SE

Yeah, I think I was just annoyed and skimmed too much. It felt like another "Kotick is the devil" kind of deal.

[cidbahamut]

Re: FFXIII-2 - k thnx bai SE

Well it is Mal. The problem I have with it is that he took away the wrong lesson from his experience. He wants to rage at SE whereas I take this as just another item on the long list of reasons that both the pre-order and DLC business models are detrimental to the overall gaming experience of consumers.

[Satori]

Re: FFXIII-2 - k thnx bai SE

I think the final fantasy series needs to go and explore it's origins. I dont like how it's evolved as of late. The mixing in elements of other gaming styles/genre, At first it was fun but now it's just annoying. I don't want to run around like I'm in a shooting game like cod. I don't particularly care you can download skins to change appearances. it's a waste of time that could of been spent better doing something else.

I don't think it's SE alone in this I've not played an rpg that really stood out from the crowd in ages. All I want is a good story, some shiny cs's and none of the "taking children to see something that can end the world"
I know theres skyrim and the fable type games but they aren't really rpg to me. They seem like tomb raider with more equipment options.

I know gaming evolves and maybe my time for rpg's is over.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: FFXIII-2 - k thnx bai SE

I know theres skyrim and the fable type games but they aren't really rpg to me. They seem like tomb raider with more equipment options.

I know gaming evolves and maybe my time for rpg's is over.

Fable is story-driven, its just got good/evil flavoring.

Skyrim is more like exploring a section of a world's history, there is a story there but its layered in through your exploration and experiences. What things are, how they came to be, how parts of the world have changed since previous games. All this is taken in from lore you find, quests you partake in and the events that happen as you explore the game. There are tons of dungeons to check out, yes, but there's also gods and demigods to meet, a civil are to chooses in, dragons to deal with, and a ton of skill and powers to master. And you can play it however you like for the most par.

JRPGs just don't happen a lot anymore on consoles. What you're looking for is going to be more common to PSP, DS, Vita and 3DS. And its usually going to be about teenagers saving the world. If you're looking to get away from that trope, I highly recommend looking into Tactics Ogre; Let Us Cling Together or the Persona series on PSP, SMG; Strange Journey and Devil Survivor on DS. None of them are keen on the Final Fantasy formula of exportation and CG cutscenes, though.

There's also Radiant Historia on the DS, which is more like a classic SNES RPG. Grown-up lead, time travel, OST by Yoko Shimomura and a fun combat system, too.

[Firewind]

Re: FFXIII-2 - k thnx bai SE

JRPGs just don't happen a lot anymore on consoles. What you're looking for is going to be more common to PSP, DS, Vita and 3DS. And its usually going to be about teenagers saving the world. If you're looking to get away from that trope, I highly recommend looking into Tactics Ogre; Let Us Cling Together or the Persona series on PSP, SMG; Strange Journey and Devil Survivor on DS. None of them are keen on the Final Fantasy formula of exportation and CG cutscenes, though.

Actually, unless the game is deliberately aimed at kids not that many JRPGs have a teenage main character. SMT games, FFVIII (Forgot how old Serah is in FFXIII-2 since the game's not out here yet) and hmm. That seems to be about it...

FFX...Nah. Only 3 characters were teenagers and one of them being a teeanger was the reason WHY she walks around with a Ronso, Black Mage, Not!ForceGhost and Blitzball player.

Well Phantasy Star Portable and White Knight Chronicles let you make your PC so it could be any age...

I think Pokemon Black/White's characters were teenagers if we go by appearance.

I think a couple of them were teenagers in FFXII and Vaan was a teenager but the story was about Ashe, Basch and Balthier.

Valkyria Chronicles...Justified because there's a war on in 1 and so most will be conscripts fresh out of school and in 2 you're at a military academy...

FFT...Doesn't really count since it's set over a number of years and in only the first act which is a flashback is Ramza is teenager.

It's been far more common in Western RPGs than anything else. Fallout 3, Fallout New Vegas both has teenage protagonists. Dragon Age Origins, Dragon Age 2 and Star Wars TOR (if you are a force user) have protagonists that can't be any older than 19-20 (except the obvious in DA). Neverwinter Nights had a PC in both games that was implied to be barely into their twenties (or thier race's equivalent) at most. Jade Empire, Two Worlds 1 and 2 all with young protagonists.

Look at Mass Effect. Commander Shepard is impossibly young for the stuff that he/she has accomplished but the implication is that Shep isn't much older than 30 when you look at the "official Shepards".

Skyrim is an inversion since it's implied ingame that the Dovahkin can't be any older or younger than 40.

It's just one of those tropes that people think exsists but really doesn't. It's like trying to find an actual "Spiky haired emo teenager protagonist" in a JRPG:

Cloud was in his 20's and was only really emo in AC but given all the shit that happens to him in CC and FFVII, you can forgive him for brooding even if his life is good now. Spends half the game mind controlled by the man who murdered everyone he knew and loves growing up? Gets mind raped into beating his girlfriend by said guy? Girlfriend murdered in front of him while being mind raped into doing it himself? Continues to get mind raped for the rest of the game untill he falls into the lifestream? Realises that everything he knew about himself was a lie because his memories were replaced with those of his dead best friend who was gunned down in cold blood in front of him? yeah It'd forgive him for wanting to whine a bit there...

Squall was only emo for the first half of the game but got better. But mix a traumatising childhood, having a disfiguring facial scar inflicted by a troll with having to work with Zell and anyone would be emo. Didn't have spiky hair anyway.

Zidane was about 19 but also the direct opposite of emo. Same with Tidus, he was only whiny at the beginning but how would YOU act to being flung 1,000 years into the future where everyone you ever knew or loved is dead and you later learn that your new girlfriend is fated to die? Vaan was more like a lost puppy that you take along because it looked so happy when you said yes than anything else. Neither of them has spiky hair.

[Icemage]

Re: FFXIII-2 - k thnx bai SE

I think the problem that Square-Enix has been having lately is that they no longer understand their fanbase. Instead, they start by tuning out what the fans are asking for, and trying to make something that they think will focus-group well, and end up with... well... FFXIII. FFXIII-2 is their "gee, we totally screwed up" apology to the fans, and it checks most of the boxes for "things the fans wanted in the first place", but you have to wonder what is going through the heads of the development team. FFXIV had the same problem.

Hopefully Square-Enix learns from these mistakes before they finish any more titles (I'm looking at you, Final Fantasy Vs. 13).

P.S. Valkyria Chronicles 1 wasn't all teens. Half the cast is middle-aged or into their mid-20s, as are many of your squadmates. VC2... not so much.


Icemage

[Raydeus]

Re: FFXIII-2 - k thnx bai SE

And the numbers from 3 are even older than those in the first Valkyria game for the most part.


PS > I'm still lamenting SnV2 and 3 were released for the PSP instead of the PS3. SnV3 would've been particularly awesome to have for the PS3.


PPS > Hopefully one day they will release an HD collection with 2 and 3 for the PS3 like they did with God of War PSP games.

[Icemage]

Re: FFXIII-2 - k thnx bai SE

PPS > Hopefully one day they will release an HD collection with 2 and 3 for the PS3 like they did with God of War PSP games.

From your keyboard to God's ear, Ray. Seriously.

I like VCII mostly (except for those extreeeeemely stupid certification/diploma random drops), and I'll probably buy VC3, but moving the series from the beautiful pencil-sketch engine on PS3 to the much-less-beautiful PSP screen made me die a little inside.


Icemage

[Raydeus]

Re: FFXIII-2 - k thnx bai SE

I still need to get the DLC for the first game because at the time I wasn't able to get it due to regional card restrictions. <_<;