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FF XIII Timeframe Set, FF XIV Confirmed
Square Enix announced at E3 that Final Fantasy XIII is planned for release this winter in Japan, and spring 2010 for North America. A new trailer was released as well. A separate announcement brought details about Final Fantasy XIV Online, an MMORPG due out in 2010 for Windows and the PS3. A teaser website was launched, with a trailer and some information about the developers working on the project. "Final Fantasy XIV Online is being developed with a simultaneous worldwide release in mind. The game will be initially released in English, Japanese, French, and German. The game will be produced by Hiromichi Tanaka (Final Fantasy I, II, III, and XI) and Nobuaki Komoto (Final Fantasy IX and XI) will serve as director. Longtime Final Fantasy fans will be happy to hear the Nobu Uematsu will return to provide the score."
So more insanely difficult piano pieces to learn.
Signature v3.0, now with 42% less memory usage.
How about Chrono Trigger 2?
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Final Fantasy XIV Online is the official name of the much-rumored "Project Rapture", that is the new MMORPG that the Final Fantasy XI Online community had been speculating for the past three years (IIRC, a tech demo was shown at 2006's E3). Personally (as one who still occasionally plays FFXI almost six years after signing up) I'm quite happy: this gives the chance to start fresh and improve what FFXI was (despite being no WoW, it still has a reasonably stable population, even if the game mechanics are old and have evident flaws).
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Joel Veitch said it all.
Oh no. A random encounter.
Meta will eat itself
You need to catch up to Mario, Square-Enix. Here is a recommended list of titles that you should make if you are trying to cash in on your IP:
Dr. Final Fantasy
Final Teaching Fantasy Typing
Sephiroth Paint
Cid's Time Machine
Aeris is Missing!
Super Final Fantasy Kart
Kefka Tennis
Then, in a few more titles, release "Final Fantasy 64", which will be a remix of your classic styling on a brand new system. You'll undo much of the damage that you did to your brand on the above crap. You can then go on to make a 4 player Final Fantasy versus fighting game, a never-ending stream of Final Fantasy "party" style games,
I really didn't like the gambit system in XII. It made me feel more like I was programming the game to play itself than actually playing it. Once I decided to give all the characters the ability to cast cure on each other, and to do it when they got to about 20% HP, there was nothing left for me to do.
I'm not suggesting they go back to the fully turn-based, monsters-appear-from-nowhere system they used in the past, but they need to make the player use more strategy than simply deciding when to heal the party, which seems to be the case in almost every JRPG(especially on the Nintendo DS). Maybe make player positioning a stronger factor, make the battles more meaningful and involved, and put some limits on the character powers so you have to think about when you should use your big stuff.
No, no! At least let's wait for Final Fantasy XXX. heh.
Invaders must die
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DisContinuity
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A lot of people beg to differ.
Final Fantasy VII was arguably the most popular of the Final Fantasy series.
I've heard from several people, who've played both VI and VII, and most of say VI was better in most aspects, but VII was very close.
I wouldn't had minded if you had said "Final Fantasy went downhill after VII", because I deem VIII and IX both failures (yes I know people disagree with me on VIII, but it just never catch on to me). X was great though, imo, and is on my second place, whereof X-2 isn't even on my list. It's toilet paper mostly. Haven't tried XI, and got very disappointed with XII. Not sure why, but it didn't appeal to me the same way.
So in conclusion, I'd agree somewhat if you shifted the version one up.
- Don't do what I do, it's probably not healthy nor safe. -
FF9 was awesome, it had a pretty rich storyline and decent execution. 8 had a good storyline too, but sort of wonky with this wizard from the future bit; the main antagonist was mostly a faceless being hiding behind a banal character. In 9, you had several antagonists (Queen Brahne, Kuja, Garland), all active; the characters had depth, and lacked sanity. Kuja was like Sephiroph, but actually aware of wtf was going on and just on a huge ego trip instead of just being nuts.
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The original Final Fantasy was actually supposed to be the last one ever produced. The company was facing bankruptcy and the lead designer was planning on retiring from the games industry altogether if the game didn't do well. It did so well though, that they were able to produce a second Final Fantasy within less than a year. The tradition has continued since then :) Wiki Link
VII was good, but didn't really excel in any one area. A -lot- of it's fame comes from the fact that the Playstation brought a lot of new game players, and VII was the first RPG they ever played. If the first RPG you play is a good one, that one usually holds a slightly more elevated opinion than it should. If you really take a look at the mechanics of the material system, it's more of a constraint system rather than an augment system. FF7 was the only system (that I can remember), where your access to spells was limited which really drove it, more than other Final Fantasy games, to using a heavy melee focus. Outside of a few support materia combos that don't work when paired with master materia (and a few ultimate weapons), using anything other than a master magic, master summon, or master command materia is pointless.
I also dislike that characters earn experience when they're not in the active party, even if it is at a reduced rate.
My point is that FF7 showed a shift towards coming up with clever game mechanics. They try to make them a game within the game, which can sometimes overshadow some of the flaws with the game, or it can utterly wreck the enjoyment of it (FF9 for me). It's gotten excessively worse as well. FF12's license grid, and the limited effect that accessories have means there's very little incentive to use any accessory other than a Golden Amulet so you earn double LP for it until you've earned every license. From FF6 and before they didn't have these clever systems. Sure they had a few things, like Espers granting stat bonuses on level up and being required to use/permanently learn magic, but FF6 and early had to rely on their story. The biggest gripe people have about FF6 I believe is the major factor that prevents it from being bar-none the best Final Fantasy, and relegated instead to a debate. That gripe is that the story goes south after the world breaking. You have this grand, intricate story in the World of Balance. Then you get to the World of Ruin, where the story is lackluster. If the story in the WoR had been on par with the WoB story FF6 would be the best Final Fantasy.
Final Fantasy VIII was brilliant. The storyline was subtle, and it was good at misdirecting the player. For most people that dislike FF8 there's two major gripes, the junction system and the love story in it.
Final Fantasy IX had an awesome storyline from what I remember, but game system killed the game for me.
Final Fantasy X didn't really have that grand of a story. I think my biggest issue was that FF10 wasn't about Tidus, it was about Yuna. I personally don't like RPGs where the focus character isn't the central character.
Final Fantasy X-2? That game doesn't exist.
Final Fantasy XII has the same issue that FF10 does, though I haven't beaten it yet. The story revolves around Ashe with Basch and Balthier on perimeter, but the focus character is Vaan. At least the Basch-Gabranth and Balthier-Cid is interesting. What does Vaan have? Nothing. His only link is Reks and that is such a piss poor link it's not even worth considering. Vaan is like the red-headed step-child. Sometimes I think Penelo has a better link with what appears to be a bit of a budding crush between her and Larsa with Larsa being Vayne's brother.
"Lack of speed can be overcome. In the worst case by patience." --Znork
Cause it jumped the shark around FF VIII?
There is a war going on for your mind.
Do they really need to _confirm_ FFXIV? I mean, who did not see FF XIV come after FFXIII? Might as well announce it now: FF XV will also be confirmed in the future. As will FFXVI.
Goodbye Slashdot. You've changed.
Holy shit! Enough cheese with your trailer?
Square really needs to back off trying to make movies.
It's far too easy for the Japanese to create superheros who seem over-pretty and lacking in charisma. The old, "You Lack Honor! Your Brother hates you because he is too proud to accept your love. My Fight-Magic is Stronger! Huraugh!" characteristic is so bloody boring and predictable and, frankly, lower-functioning that I have a hard time taking Japan seriously half the time.
Still, I get it. Any society is going to have a hefty dose of Retarded Ape dominating its pop culture. In the West, we are simply so surrounded by our own brand of Retarded Ape that it has blended into the background.
But honestly, if you threw into any Square story an average American individualist, it would pretty much only be the language barrier preventing him from becoming their leader within about half a day. --All based on the sheer inability to embarrass him into servitude. And on his ability to embarrass into servitude any dope so emotionally stunted that he hates his brother because he is too proud to accept his love. --That and sustain eye-contact with somebody who can see instantly the tangle of social awkwardness and fear of embarrassment scarcely hidden a half millimeter beneath the surface of your studiously maintained socially sanctioned "cool" fashion sense.
But don't worry. Having a big robot or super-power will make your friends stop beating you up and taking your lunch money. When they see that you have a super-power, then they will like you!
Newsflash: Stop Daydreaming, Fuck the System and Get Real Friends.
Nice graphics though.
-FL
A honest question: why? I think most of the player base got misled by the introduction movie and by the "2" in the title. I bought and played it, and while not exceptional, it is a decent game overall (not to mention it closes off the FFX story). Why all the hate?
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Are you sure? I couldn't get the best ending only because I got too frustrated with the last hidden boss. But you can get it on first play.
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Perhaps... perhaps not. Given that character portrayal / character development is so critical to the Final Fantasy series, I think one of the best ways to compare the games is by looking at this aspect (and focusing on the protagonists... I'll leave the Kuja vs. Kefka vs. Sephiroth debate for another thread). I'm deliberately ignoring everything from graphics to soundtrack to battle mechanics, but I think it's an interesting comparison nonetheless. I threw this together a while ago, so I figured I'd dredge it up for this occasion.
... er... all of you.
... I'm a good guy! *holy* ... I'm his wife! *swoon* ... etc.
... ... End of game: I'm emo, I'm goth, I'm a punk. *sigh*
Behold, a review of the characters and character portrayal in each (real) Final Fantasy!
FF I -- 0/5 - Your characters don't really have... "characters". Personality had not yet been invented. I still love the game.
FF II -- * To be honest... I never played this one.
FF III -- 2.5/5 - Even without individualized personalities, both PCs and NPCs manage to come off as quite lovable and entertaining in this NES classic, though it gets awkward when Princess Sarah expresses her love for you
FF IV -- 2/5 - Each character now has a specific personality, but these personalities tend to be more stereotypes than actual characters-with-dimension: I'm a bad guy! Rarrr!
FF V -- 3/5 - Similar style to FF IV, but a definite improvement. This is the earliest FF with real individualized character attachment (who doesn't love Galuf?), and the game really plays on this. The enhanced dialogue and translation in FF V Advance would give the game another half point, in my opinion.
FF VI -- 5/5 - A slew of characters are presented, but this doesn't stop the game from giving each one a back story, personality, and room for growth. The myriad side-quests let you explore more of every character if you so desire, and the well-written dialog (no more "You spoony bard!") is a plus. Also, Final Fantasy's tradition of leitmotifs and variations arguably reached its pinnacle in FF VI (despite being pre-MIDI), being used to supplement the limited on-screen portrayals of personality and emotion.
FF VII -- 3/5 - Fewer playable characters are in this game, but, somehow, they are not as well done as those in FF VI. Though the characters are developed more, they also seem to grow less. It feels like character development just halts as everyone is waiting for Aeris to come back or something.
FF VIII-- 1/5 - Beginning of game: I'm emo, I'm goth, I'm a punk. *whine*
[When I was 15, I had a crush on Rinoa, though. Looking back, I can't see where that came from]
FF IX -- 5/5 - An excellent combination of VII's character scheme with VI's character development. Good guys and bad guys and the rest cover every available character niche, and even move between them as the story progresses. People lose their naivete, power corrupts, the lonely find family, etc. etc. etc. This game focuses more on the characters in your party than the world around them, and does it well.
FF X -- 4/5 - Similar to FF VII, but with a bit more simulated character growth. That, and Wakka is debatably the best FF character, ever.
FF XI -- NaN/5 - This game does not exist. Heathens!
FF XII -- 3/5 - Unfortunately, Vaan just seems to get stupider as the game goes on. Other than that, Balthier rivals Wakka in many ways, and you do kind of get worried that Ashe just wants to rule the world. Some of the most *interesting* characters come from this game, but there is nary a side quest to develop them further. Sadly, all the side quests were converted from miniature storylines to MMO style grinds and runs.
And there you have it!
Discuss.
>> Standing on head makes smile of frown, but rest of face also upside down.
What's the difference between Tidus, Lulu, Yuna, Auron, Kimahri, Rikku, and Wakka? Nothing except their weapons and limit breaks, and Kimahri had Blue Magic.
Not early on in the game. For a lot of the game, you have to follow a path that is unique to that character. Tidus is average, Lulu is black magic, Yuna is white magic, Auron is high attack/low speed, Rikku is high speed/items/thief lower attack, Kimahri is blue magic, and Wakka is high accuracy/strong vs flying. For much of the game you are encouraged to swap around characters to fit the situation (swap in Wakka is there are birds).
Where the uniqueness ends is late-game, when you can break into other characters' paths. Even then, your characters are still going to be somewhat different. For example, if you do Tidus and Auron's paths with Tidus, then he will be average speed and high physical attack, but still suck with magic. If you spend enough time levelling, then yes, the characters are going to converge, but thats late-late game. That's what impressed me about FFX's system: everyone starts out different, but you have the flexibility to make them the same.