Final Fantasy General Chat

[DisturbedSwan]

7 hours ago, one-armed dwarf said:

If I remember correct what he said was that the artwork for FFXIII had to be retroactively linked with an event in the story, I think? If I'm thinking of the thing you're referring to. 

 

The thing to remember there is that FFXIII was announced in 2006 and released in 2010, that's a long ass time. When the game was announced and conceptualised the artwork was just a pretty picture, so concepts probably got changed along the way. The same thing happened with FFXV, that artwork on the logo was supposed to be some sort of Goddess in the Crystal mythos or whatever it was called that linked the universes of FFXIII and Versus XIII, before they changed it to XV and made the art of Luna instead.

 

Basically it doesn't matter much. Or you're talking about something else, I didn't finish that spoiler mode

 

To me XIII's opening is actually way more like VII. Two people who don't get along really well, one a mysterious Ex-soldier who's a bit of a dick. You fight a scorpion or something. 

Ah yeah you’re probably right and I misheard him, I think we’re referring to the same thing anyway ?

 

Ah right interesting, I think my head must’ve just merged the two games or something.

 

I have to say I don’t get the 13 linearity complaint now I’ve played a couple of the games. FFX is very linear so far (which is cool, I don’t mind it) and FFVII OG and Remake were both very linear throughout the time I played them. I think looking back it might of been because XII has these huge open world segments and going into 13 it didn’t until 10 hours in or something. But even then from my - I know very limited - experience of the series so far it isn’t known for huge open worlds and a ton of side quests. 

 

[one-armed dwarf]

So VII does open up, it's actually a very cool moment when it does. Probably the effect doesnt really work in 2020. But yea it is 'technically' linear but masks it very well. But the moment it opens is like a Hyrule Fields moment but for playstation.

 

X is linear but what was annoying about XIII imo is how it railroaded your team composition and gated your sphere grid thing constantly until that 10 or 20 hour mark. There's a major lack of agency for a long while until the game gets proper good. X let's you mix things up a decent amount with swapping people around, also it has a great mini game and lots of life in its towns which XIII didnt.

 

So that's kinda why X gets the pass, tho 13 year old Dwarf was frustrated by how linear it was back then.

 

I think what a lot of the classic series is best known for is having a mostly directed mainline but having some mini games along the way that can actually go extremely deep. Like VIII did with its card game which is imo the best thing about it. Or X does with underwater basketball. They are linear but not in a smothering way.

 

XIII was very no frills until the very end.

[Rikzilla]

Brilliant retrospective on XIII, this

 

 

[one-armed dwarf]

I remember being totally taken in by that pre-rendered FFXIII trailer, it still looks mind blowing (and completely fake).

 

That crystal tools stuff also fucked the original FFXIV. Yoshi P talks about it on Danny O'Dwyer's documentary on its failure and how it really hurt development on FF titles back then.

 

I really think XIV tanking was the wake up call which got the series back on track, with 2.0 XIV and VII remake

[DisturbedSwan]

That video was great @Rikzilla I kinda wanna play XIII next now ?

[Rikzilla]

Yeah I'll be honest it's next on my list too ?

[Rikzilla]

I already played it around 10 years ago, I don't remember much of the story though.

 

Spoiler

I vaguely remember fighting the Pope who turns into a mecha owl or some bollocks like that.

 

And Leona Lewis - My Hands is the song that plays during the ending and it made me tear up ?

 

I do remember I really enjoyed it though, so I'm interested to see if it still holds up for me.

 

I am expecting a lot of people to change there minds on XIII though, especially considering similarities between it and VII-R (linear map, no choice over party members, crystalium/weapon upgrade, etc).

 

But that's my opinion, I'm sure someone will tell me I'm wrong ?‍♂️

[Rikzilla]

In other news I picked up Final Fantasy Type-0 in the PSN sale.

 

I've never played it so looking forward to trying something new. I'm planning on playing through the (what would have been) Fabula Nova Crystalis games.

 

I know XV and Type-0 were reshaped and made into their own games and whatever, but they started out as XIII spin-offs so I'm gonna play them together.

[one-armed dwarf]

To be clear, I did enjoy XIII once I pushed through the first half of it. The part of that video where they show end game combat reminded me of how satisfying the swapping mech can be. I think once it opens up its combat is still a bit better than Remake, or at least the stagger mech works better in it.

 

Got very close to the Platinum but there was some thing where you had to grind turtles for a 1% drop to upgrade weapons. Shame XIII doesnt have X3 fast forward

[DisturbedSwan]

4 hours ago, Nag said:

You two best get ready for Snow to be a hero!

Is that Troy Baker?

[DisturbedSwan]

2 hours ago, Nag said:

Yeah, he did the voice work.

Cool, only realised he was in 13 from the video Rik posted, now I think about it that Snow dude kinda looks like him as well.

[Rikzilla]

That would be purely circumstantial though.

[OCH]

So as more of you are jumping on to the FF train, any particular moments that have grabbed you so far? Plot/Spoiler-wise or not. 

[Rikzilla]

Googled "FFVII remake update" and the results just threw up a bunch of Tifa body pillows.

 

So that was nice.

[one-armed dwarf]

With all the XIII talk I spent some time looking at what it takes to play XIII-2 and Lightning Returns on PC.

 

XIII-2 is a disaster, maybe one of the worst console to PC ports I've played. It has hardcoded in slowdown for where it detects strain on console even if your PC could handle it, that is so weird. It also has a constant check for a controller which will cause stutter if you don't have one.

Also it's single threaded which is nice ?

 

Lightning Returns on the other hand is pretty good, but bare bones. It's combat system is sort of like FFX-2 meets God Hand where you build out 'schemata' (jobs) out of different equipment and assign different skills to the face buttons. It's very fetch questy sadly and looks like a budget game but that battle system seems interesting.

[OCH]

Spoiler

 

Really interesting video on the strongest FF bosses over time. As it covers FF1 to 15, there are by definition, spoilers within...

[Rikzilla]

Great video comparing themes and settings between Final Fantady VII and X

 

 

[OCH]

I've got into listening to some FF OST of late. Thinking on the theme songs of the villains, honestly I think there are only three that are amazing and I can't really pick between them. Although I am leaning towards my current game, FF9.

 

 

Spoiler

 

Dancing Mad (Kefka's Theme) - FF6

 

 

Those Chosen by the Planet (Sephiroth's Theme) - FF7 (Note: This is Sephiroth's actual theme song. One Winged Angel plays in the final battle alone.)

 

 

Immortal Melody (Kuja's Theme) - FF9 (Note, Kuja has three theme songs. This is the one you hear the most)

 

[one-armed dwarf]

Remake version of second track is pretty good imo, end game spoilers for ffvii remake

Spoiler

 

 

 

Can't find a standalone track that loops because Square ninjas keep deleting them.

[Maf]

Late to the party as always I recently discovered dynamic themes for the PS4. So I downloaded a bunch to try out including the Tifa one and the theme kicks in and gaaawwwwwddd broken? It’s always been my favourite song from the game and I don’t know if this is the version from the remake or not but it’s enough to move FF7R up to the next game on the list. Sorry, Ninja Blade, you have to wait another week. 
 

Aww, it’s so purty