First FFXII review

[Llyranor]

Anyway, it'd be interesting to see *HOW* the game tackles nonlinearity. Otherwise, the JRPG style of linear of storytelling is getting stale. Until there's an evolution, I don't hold much interest in the genre. Either way, I don't see myself getting out of my way to play this one.

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Who said the game wasn't going to be linear?

 

It will have more to explore... giving it a less linear feel from what I've read.

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Of course it will be, but any improvement is better than what's out there right now. As long as the genre even hints at looking at the right direction, then there is still hope, if ever so faint.

[karka]

Well, for starters, what specifically about them did you find boring?

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More watching, less playing...

[Llyranor]

Yeah, my main gripe too. I'd rather watching anime than watching a JRPG, nowadays. I used to be a big JRPG fan, but the genre is too stagnating. Until they implement more interactivity in the storyline, then I don't feel very compelled to give them a chance. CRPGs, on the other hand, have at least progressively put effort into improving their storytelling, for better or worse.

 

Babelfish says:

Beach village astonishment to Noboru 10 point human, and world. As for this rich expression power, arrival point of ポリゴンキャラ. As a game the highest level. It shakes the pleasant sensation and profundity and heart of battle of new ground. The story of tremendous development, existence of the actual world is forgotten. The masterpiece which topped the group even in the successive FF series. Soil erosion. Not to be wrong the superb article which remains in game history.

 

When the boisterous dance good fortune oral 10 point to see, the monster the dazzling sun, as a world and the creature which exists there. Just, you can experience the world in the feeling like whether by his became 1 person of the world of. That being, only exquisiteness the good way construction of battle rule of the balance which is not. Patrick Steward. Also scenario is enormous. Being serious before TV, you feel the anger and/or cry, no year ぶ り kana. You expect to FF12 you do not obtain.

 

Beauty of this graphics, expression and production are too enormous with full 3D of water bottle 10 point real time! At first glance, you were surprised to the height of degree of completion of remainder of the aggressive kind of system which diverts the style of FF11. コダワリ of the development staff is felt from the place where the game reaches. Hot sweaty furry love. Deeply also width of the bosom which shallow you can play. We want playing in all Gaea マー.

 

The Haneda mausoleum 之 10 point level is difficult to rise. The enemy cannot be pushed down with button repeated hitting. The enemy does not drop the money. In order all systems, to live, it is made. Persuasion minigame. As for license the compatibility of freedom and restriction. Enjoyment of character make-up. If you do, the extent hammer る which is done. Graph ィック and the story normal well there is no level of the work. The work which becomes the index whose RPG is new.

[Pidesco]

Yeah, my main gripe too. I'd rather watching anime than watching a JRPG, nowadays. I used to be a big JRPG fan, but the genre is too stagnating. Until they implement more interactivity in the storyline, then I don't feel very compelled to give them a chance. CRPGs, on the other hand, have at least progressively put effort into improving their storytelling, for better or worse.

 

Babelfish says:

Beach village astonishment to Noboru 10 point human, and world. As for this rich expression power, arrival point of ポリゴンキャラ. As a game the highest level. It shakes the pleasant sensation and profundity and heart of battle of new ground. The story of tremendous development, existence of the actual world is forgotten. The masterpiece which topped the group even in the successive FF series. Soil erosion. Not to be wrong the superb article which remains in game history.

 

When the boisterous dance good fortune oral 10 point to see, the monster the dazzling sun, as a world and the creature which exists there. Just, you can experience the world in the feeling like whether by his became 1 person of the world of. That being, only exquisiteness the good way construction of battle rule of the balance which is not. Patrick Steward. Also scenario is enormous. Being serious before TV, you feel the anger and/or cry, no year ぶ り kana. You expect to FF12 you do not obtain.

 

Beauty of this graphics, expression and production are too enormous with full 3D of water bottle 10 point real time! At first glance, you were surprised to the height of degree of completion of remainder of the aggressive kind of system which diverts the style of FF11. コダワリ of the development staff is felt from the place where the game reaches. Hot sweaty furry love. Deeply also width of the bosom which shallow you can play. We want playing in all Gaea マー.

 

The Haneda mausoleum 之 10 point level is difficult to rise. The enemy cannot be pushed down with button repeated hitting. The enemy does not drop the money. In order all systems, to live, it is made. Persuasion minigame. As for license the compatibility of freedom and restriction. Enjoyment of character make-up. If you do, the extent hammer る which is done. Graph ィック and the story normal well there is no level of the work. The work which becomes the index whose RPG is new.

 

 

Ah, everything is clear now!

 

"Hot sweaty furry love."

Now I know why the game got a perfect 10.

[Atreides]

That and soil erosion and Patrick Steward too.

[Tigranes]

good fortune oral 10 point

 

I must have this game.

[Llyranor]

Hey, I didn't even need to add that one in!

[alanschu]

Baldur's Gate like Freedom?

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Not really because Baldurs gate was a series of maps linked by a static world map.

 

The world map in the FF games I'm talking about is a big open map which wraps around (like flying around the world) and it's all done in real time.

 

FFX and FFX-2 would be very similiar to how Baldurs gate works.

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I think this sounds more like a style of Oblivion than you'd like to admit. Or are you not actually walking on this map?

Edited March 9, 2006 by alanschu

[Haitoku]

Baldur's Gate like Freedom?

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Not really because Baldurs gate was a series of maps linked by a static world map.

 

The world map in the FF games I'm talking about is a big open map which wraps around (like flying around the world) and it's all done in real time.

 

FFX and FFX-2 would be very similiar to how Baldurs gate works.

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I think this sounds more like a style of Oblivion than you'd like to admit. Or are you not actually walking on this map?

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Um... No, Oblivion and FFXII are completely different...

[alanschu]

I really tried to love JRPG's. I played FFV, FFVII, Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, Grandia 2, Mario RPG's... They were all boring, simple games. I won't spend my money on those craps anymore.

I would still recommend Dragon Quest 8: Journey of the Cursed King. It's linear, but in a good way. You have a huge world to explore, by foot, boat, tiger or flying. The combat is really old school (no positioning) and you just take turns beating up on each other. The story is surprisingly well-written with a lovely twist at the end (or actually, both endings, because you get to play through a different ending after you've completed the game once.. a much more satisfying ending).

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I think people are overly critical of linearity.

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

I think this sounds more like a style of Oblivion than you'd like to admit.  Or are you not actually walking on this map?

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Well you can walk if you like. But since you have an airship there isnt much point.

The airship is very fast so you can fly around the world in under a minute.

So while they are similiar, they are also poles appart.

[alanschu]

Um... No, Oblivion and FFXII are completely different...

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I'm basing my assertions completely on ShadowPaladin's descriptions. I have no idea what the travel (or any other part) of the game is like.

 

 

The impression I had from his post was that the "World Map" of FFXII was a large open ended map with many places to explore.

 

Outside of this aspect, I was not making any comparisons of FFXII and Oblivion because I am not informed (Oblivious? ") towards FFXII.

[alanschu]

I think this sounds more like a style of Oblivion than you'd like to admit.  Or are you not actually walking on this map?

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Well you can walk if you like. But since you have an airship there isnt much point.

The airship is very fast so you can fly around the world in under a minute.

So while they are similiar, they are also poles appart.

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Well, with your descriptions it sounds like the only real differences are the fact that it's an entire globe, and that the rate of travel is different.

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

Is the game long, or are the japanese slow?

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Depends how much time you spend messing around with the non plot related stuff usually.

 

If for example I wanted to get all the special weapons in X thats a lot of extra stuff you have to do which isnt part of the plot. I've never actually managed to get Kimarhi's :"> (I'm not very good at the butterfly game).

 

People can spend a ton of time (like days) trying to get a negative time on the chocobo race as well.

 

Plus if you get into Blitzball then your time will just disapear. Don't know what extra activities are in this one, but there are bound to be some.

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

Well, with your descriptions it sounds like the only real differences are the fact that it's an entire globe, and that the rate of travel is different.

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Don't forget the most important one. It's a HELL of a lot faster

 

It's not really false freedom since KOTOR required that you visit each planet anyway it was a case of which order. FF is more about finding things.

Pre scaling issues (FFX) there was a lot more of the morrowind type freedom. Although since you were in a very fast mode of transport you could be across the world in under a minute.

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Edited March 9, 2006 by ShadowPaladin V1.0

[alanschu]

Well, with your descriptions it sounds like the only real differences are the fact that it's an entire globe, and that the rate of travel is different.

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Don't forget the most important one. It's a HELL of a lot faster

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I didn't.

 

 

The rate of travel is different was applying to the speed at which you can travel. Obviously not the best choice of words.

[BattleCookiee]

And since Oblivion has instant-transport over the map... "

 

Oblivion wins 10-0 VS. FFXII

EDIT; On map-transportation atleast...

Edited March 9, 2006 by BattleCookiee

[Nartwak]

olol

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

Is Oblivions map travel like KOTORs ?

 

And don't mix up what I've been saying about games prior to FFX with FFXII

 

The Demo has a selection screen and I can't find any mention at all of a map of the pre FFX type.

Edited March 9, 2006 by ShadowPaladin V1.0

[BattleCookiee]

Is Oblivions map travel like KOTORs ?

 

I'll take my time-machine and check it out for you, ok? "

 

Seriously, just comparing what you know of FFXII (by previews/reviews) with what is known of Oblivion (by previews/reviews); I don't know both map-systems. That is why I keep asking how the actual FF map is like... and text doesn't really help giving the impression (another case of a pic says a thousand words)...

[Meshugger]

Seriously, is the existence or even the implementation of a potential world map that makes the game (Oblivion or FFXII)?

[mkreku]

It sure does for me!! Ok, hyperbole, but a world map or at least some kind of freedom in the game would do plenty to get me interested in yet another Final Fantasy game. I tried Final Fantasy X and that game just wasn't for me as it's so linear you could play it with your eyes closed.

 

I know Oblivion will be very free-form so I'm not worried about that game.

[Meshugger]

It sure does for me!! Ok, hyperbole, but a world map or at least some kind of freedom in the game would do plenty to get me interested in yet another Final Fantasy game. I tried Final Fantasy X and that game just wasn't for me as it's so linear you could play it with your eyes closed.

 

I know Oblivion will be very free-form so I'm not worried about that game.

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I don't mind it being without it, if a game is well designed within its designated framework, i see no need to implement a world map 'just because'.

 

But each to its own, i guess.

Edited March 9, 2006 by Meshugger

[astr0creep]

The maps in Aracanum were really great. I loved the waypoint feature that allowed you to set your path and then just watch your characters run. No scrolling!

 

It was similar in Fallout.

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

It sure does for me!! Ok, hyperbole, but a world map or at least some kind of freedom in the game would do plenty to get me interested in yet another Final Fantasy game. I tried Final Fantasy X and that game just wasn't for me as it's so linear you could play it with your eyes closed.

 

I know Oblivion will be very free-form so I'm not worried about that game.

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Thats true for a lot of the game. But it's not totally linear. One of the big things about FFX is you get the airship almost at the "end" (end here meaning when you can fight the boss, because there are still all those other things to do if you want).

Moar open up a lot earlier. Though since in FFX you are on a journey and not simply wandering around it works well for that particular game.

 

The map in FFX has a couple of hidden locations. Omega dungeon probably being the biggy. Plus you have the Al Behd password system which opens up more locations again.

 

Scaling is the big map issue. If you look at any of the early FF's you will be the same size as a chocobo which in turn will be the same size as an airship.