General Final Fantasy Discussion - Final Fantasy XII remake incoming!

[Zink Imp]

IV simply hasn't aged well. Like, ****. Anyone who thinks that IV aged well needs to go back and play it again. Character customization is non-existent, the game is padded beyond belief, its incredibly grindy, and while the narrative was extremely impressive back in the early 90s, it doesn't hold up. Characters are pretty one-dimensional, the whole thing feels like it was made up as they went along (What? The players already have all of the crystals and have explored the whole map at this point? ****, what if we just say that there's four more underground to keep them going?). IMO this is the game where FF got the ball rolling, and it does have creative dungeons and boss fights, but is seriously lacking in most areas. I still love it, though.

FFIV is still my favorite. I have literally played it on the SNES, GBA, DS and PSP. The DS verison is my favorite. I just love this game.

 

[Pachinkosam]

I didn't have a Playstation until right before the Playstation 2 came out

I could never get into FF7 because of how bad the graphics were

Well if you don't like playstation one graphics just buy the pc version on steam.

 

[finalark]

Hey everyone, Square just put out the X/X2 NA launch trailer. It's just music and showing off the HD graphics, but it's something. Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Snyo6kSnGt4

FFX/X2 will be coming on on Monday in NA, anyone else planning on picking it up?

 

[sakuraZaKi]

No tengo dinero.

I'll get it eventually though. I don't want to miss X-2 HD.

 

[Spire]

I am getting extremely nostalgic for FFX now. It was always my fourth favorite Final Fantasy behind 7, 8, and 9 (and the fourth I played as well, bar some of 5 & 6 with Anthology) and above the others, makes me very fond of my memories of a certain childhood friend with whom I'd play Final Fantasy. He lived a block away from my parents' house and we'd bike back and forth with our memory cards, continuing eachother's savestates. We always wanted Final Fantasy to be a multiplayer experience, so we played different intervals of the games. I recall handing off a small portion of FF8 (Galbadia Prison) and a large portion of FFX (Mt. Gagazet/Seymour Flux/Yunalesca). Because of this, I am least nostalgic for FFX, but when I start thinking of the grey skied Mushroom Rock, I get super feels for X.

I have neither a Vita or PS3, so I possess no means of playing these HD remakes. My PS2 is broken now and these look so appealing. I've been hankering to buy Dark Souls as well... would you folks suggest I pick up a PS3 for these expenditures? I'm also growing more interested in the PS4, though it doesn't seem to be backwards compatible. If it were, that'd be my bet. What to do?

I'd love to see FF8 get the X/X-2 treatment. It'd be a lot more work, but the two games have similarities in design. I know it gets hate, but I love 8. The Guardian Force designs, the Sorceress principle (I love female villains), EDEA (my favorite FF character, created for 7, inspired Parasite Eve, implemented in 8—she's transient), Gunblades, the fractured world, Ultimecia's Castle. What a kooky game! The characters weren't nearly as likable as FF7, and FF9 came around to stomp all over the place, and the general narrative is haphazard and silly (that freakin' orphanage), but hot damn, imagine a remake the quality of FFX/X-2 HD. I'd love to see another game set in FFVIII's world; maybe not 8-2, but a prequel detailing the war with Adel in ancient times.

FF9 got a spiritual successor called Crystal Chronicles. The monster designs in that game were lifted from FF9's world and it generally possessed the same fantastical storybook feel. I gotta replay this, it's been nearly ten years.

 

[Minato]

I'd say PS3. You'll have access to almost every Final Fantasy there if you want to replay them on there. The PS3 library's pretty good now, and the games and the console are a lot cheaper now. While I have a Vita, I'd pass unless you want FF on the go and like some of its exclusives (and if your PC is decent, you can play Dark Souls there).

So yeah, it's all about if you want FFX HD that much and if the PS3 exclusives interest you.

 

[finalark]

I'm gonna have to second Minato on this, pick up a PS3 some time.

Also, Crystal Chronicles. When I was a kid a friend and I used to play that game together all the damn time. I don't think I ever beat it, but the whole thing is incredibly nostalgic for me.

Especially the opening song, holy **** that song brings back memories.

Spoiler

Although I don't really think that Crystal Chronicles is an FFIX successor. IMO that honor goes to Bravely Default.

 

[sakuraZaKi]

What about the Crystal Bearer?

*snickers*

 

[finalark]

What about the Crystal Bearer?

*snickers*

We don't talk about that game.

 

[Minato]

CC's music was pretty good. I had some fun with that game but I couldn't beat the last boss. I think I would've liked that game more if it had a traditional EXP level ups instead of repeating dungeons and hope to get the right item though.

Edit: Now that I think about it, I think I just wanted a traditional Mana game. lol

 

[Minato]

Double post because separate subject.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=784272

Good for Bravely Default.

 

[Spire]

Double post because separate subject.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=784272

Good for Bravely Default.

Hey Square, take a wild guess at what people want with Final Fantasy. They're willing to buy a non-Final Fantasy to experience Final Fantasy. I think it's time to retire Tetsuya Nomura. Amano had his time, Nomura has had his. Time to get some fresh talent... ****, GET AMANO BACK.

 

[finalark]

Hey Square, take a wild guess at what people want with Final Fantasy. They're willing to buy a non-Final Fantasy to experience Final Fantasy. I think it's time to retire Tetsuya Nomura. Amano had his time, Nomura has had his. Time to get some fresh talent... ****, GET AMANO BACK.

Amano was just an artist. The guy we really need back is Sakaguchi, I love a lot of his work on the older games.

EDIT: I will say that FFXIV feels the most like classic FF out of all recent games bearing the FF name. Shame it's an MMO and I really don't want to pay for it right now. Fantastic game, still.

 

[Spire]

Amano was just an artist. The guy we really need back is Sakaguchi, I love a lot of his work on the older games.

EDIT: I will say that FFXIV feels the most like classic FF out of all recent games bearing the FF name. Shame it's an MMO and I really don't want to pay for it right now. Fantastic game, still.

Well yeah, Sakaguchi was the heart and soul, but Amano provided top tier concept art. While the character sprites of the early games bore little-to-no resemblance of Amano's art, the enemy sprites certainly did. Their overt proportions were for the preservation of Amano's designs, hence why human enemies could be twice as tall (in terms of pixel height) than the player characters. Dated, retro graphics, but super Amano-influenced nonetheless. Nomura's designs began to decline around FFX/Kingdom Hearts; that's when zippers invaded Final Fantasy. I think the Advent Children designs are shadows of their former selves, overly sleek and uniform, without the clunky fantasism of FF7's techno-steampunk world.

I'd like to see a Lighting Returns-style game based around Gilgamesh, transcending various Final Fantasy worlds, intersecting with and permitting the cameos of many folk. OR, Gilgamesh's perspective in the FFV world and story.

 

[Minato]

I miss old Nomura's work. His art has gotten better (although he does too many thick outlines), but his character design has dipped. Yoshida's art is great, but he's freelance status now.

Also, here was an interesting article/interview I read not too long ago http://squareportal.net/2014/03/06/...rhythm-final-fantasy-xiv-chrono-trigger-more/

I still want a new Chrono game. Square has gotten ex-SE employees when they added new content to games like CT DS and Tactics Ogre, so I do have some hope on the games having some quality.

 

[finalark]

I feel like Nomura's art has gotten more and more samey over the years. If you look back at VII's original character designs, everyone in the cast had a distinct look to them. Then you get to the Advent Children redesigns and the characters suddenly end up looking very similar to each other. I don't know if this was because Nomura wanted to character's outfits to have a unified look to them or if its because his art genuinely lost its uniqueness over the years but that's what I get out of it.

Plus I sometimes wonder if he was beaten by a zipper as child or something.

EDIT: I'd also like to point out the cast of XV, which Nomura has a huge hand in, who also look very similar to each other.

 

[sakuraZaKi]

Well he certainly likes his dark colors/black...

I'll call it Nomura's Darkness Period.

 

[Rutger]

Getting rid of Nomura wouldn't change much, he mostly only does character designs. They need to fix the way the make the games.

If they were going to change the artist for FF, I honestly don't want to see Amano either. His artwork is great and all, but I don't really care for his human designs.

The best artist for FF would be Akihiko Yoshida imo, it's a shame he doesn't get to work on more games.

 

[finalark]

Getting rid of Nomura wouldn't change much, he mostly only does character designs. They need to fix the way the make the games.

Starting with FFXV he's going to be taking on a directorial role in addition to being a game designer on the project. I guess we'll just have to see the way that turns out.

 

[Minato]

A pretty good Nomura interview on the SNES days of Final Fantasy http://www.siliconera.com/2014/03/13/final-fantasy-v-turning-point-tetsuya-nomuras-career/

 

[finalark]

I picked up my copy of FFXHD on Tuesday. It was a preorder I automatically ended up with the awesome special edition. I haven't gotten much time to play it, I just got Ifirit.

So far, it's pretty much exactly how I remember it. Although they menus have been changed to look sleeker and more modern. I know there's a new sphere grid, but I'm playing with the basic one right now. In terms of how it looks, if you've played any other HD ports of PS2 games you'll know what to expect. Although the FMVs look AMAZING in HD. They're also way more frequent than I remember them being. Weird. If you still have the PS2 version of the game, you might as well pass on this IMO. But if you want to play it for the new content it's probably better to wait for a price drop.

Also, I now for the first time in my life own a copy of FFX-2. Maybe some day I'll actually play it. Maybe.

 

[Minato]

Also, I now for the first time in my life own a copy of FFX-2. Maybe some day I'll actually play it. Maybe.

Nice. I'm going to wait on buying it until I have time to play it. Never owned X-2 either, so now's a good chance for me to try it.

While slightly old news, the Type-0 fan translation has a date now. August 8th.

Disappointed that SE never made Vita port for this game. It would've made sense, imo.

 

[finalark]

I'm surprised that Type-0 never got released in the west. I know that the PSP isn't exactly a popular handheld outside of Japan, but the FF games on it tend to sell very well (hell, I hear people use Crisis Core and the Dissidia games as arguments for why the PSP is worth having all the time). I don't know much about the game, mostly because I knew it would be Japan exclusive and I'm not much of an import kind of guy but it always seemed like a game I would enjoy if Square ever produced an English version.

Well, here's to crossing my fingers for an eventually 3DS port or something. I guess I'll just have to play the fan translation when it comes out.

EDIT: This news is about a day old, but still worth taking a look at.

It seems that Yoshinori Kitase, director of FFVI, VII and VIII and producer and designer on many other main series FFs and spin-offs including FFX and XIII, has been taken off FFXV to start perusing a new project.

Oh yeah, and Yusuke Naora, art director for FFVII, VIII and X is working on XV now.

http://www.novacrystallis.com/2014/...ori-kitase-no-longer-attached-to-the-project/

Right now it seems like popular speculation points to Kitase being moved to work on the rumored FFX-3. Of course, this is all just guesses and speculation. The official story is that he left the XV team to start his own game, but we'll see about that.

 

[Minato]

Today's the 20th anniversary of FFVI in Japan. Can't believe it's been two decades.

 

[finalark]

Today's the 20th anniversary of FFVI in Japan. Can't believe it's been two decades.

I actually just recently picked up FFV and VI for GBA for five bucks (thank god for people who don't know the value of games) and I plan on diving back into FFVI once I'm done with XHD. I'm actually really excited, I haven't touched FFVI in nearly ten years and I'm really hoping it holds up.

 

[Jon Farron]

Got Bravely Default and LR XIII!

Omfg, they were NOT kidding around with Bravely Default's hard mode. Bosses are brutal, I love it!

Lightning Returns... haven't gotten far. I want my $60 back, I'm bored. u-u

 

[finalark]

*Bump + News*

FFIII is coming to PC. Specifically, the DS remake with a few tweaks like graphical updates, a few enemy redesigns, steam achievements, ect. The page is already up on Steam, but no word on when it will be available for for how much.

Sauce: http://www.novacrystallis.com/2014/05/final-fantasy-iiis-3d-remake-coming-to-pc-via-steam/

I'm probably going to end up picking it up in a Steam sale. I borrowed a buddy's copy of the game on DS a few years back and then bought my own copy, which sadly someone stole along with my copy of Golden Sun 3 a few years ago.

 

[Ryu Shimazu]

So I've been gone like, forever, but hey. Does anyone play FFXIV? I played 1.0, and endured it to get a lot 50 for ARR. Currently working on Novus (more like, just unlocked the main part lol) for Black Mage XD

 

[finalark]

So I've been gone like, forever, but hey. Does anyone play FFXIV? I played 1.0, and endured it to get a lot 50 for ARR. Currently working on Novus (more like, just unlocked the main part lol) for Black Mage XD

I play, 47 BM/20WM. The only reason why I haven't hit cap is because I'm playing with a friend and he hasn't had a chance to get on in a while, so I'm leveling WM while I'm waiting for him.

 

[sakuraZaKi]

I was playing before the school quarter started. I also ran out of money. Have a 30 ARC atm.

 

[Jon Farron]

So I've been gone like, forever, but hey. Does anyone play FFXIV? I played 1.0, and endured it to get a lot 50 for ARR. Currently working on Novus (more like, just unlocked the main part lol) for Black Mage XD

Been playing it since it came out. I have a lvl 50 WHM, SCH, BLM, and SMN. Bard is like 40ish.

I do end game raids with my White Mage and Scholar.

 

[finalark]

Been playing it since it came out. I have a lvl 50 WHM, SCH, BLM, and SMN. Bard is like 40ish.

I do end game raids with my White Mage and Scholar.

How is the end game content? I've been wanting to do it, but being a college student with adult responsibilities has significantly reduced my gaming time.

 

[finalark]

Sorry for the double post, put separate subject. We're not going to be seeing FFXV at E3 this year. Apparently, Square has decided that E3 2014 isn't the "best timing" (whatever the hell that means) for new FFXV information and that we can expect to see news on the game later this year.

Oh yeah, and there won't be anything new on KH3 either, since I guess they want to focus on KH2HD instead.

Source: http://www.novacrystallis.com/2014/...-year-according-to-producer-shinji-hashimoto/

Anyone else remember back when Square was pumping out high-quality titles on a yearly basis? I don't know if it's because I've been feeling mildly nostalgic for the PS1 JRPGs of my childhood of late, but I miss when it didn't take us a decade to get our hands on new games. Oh well, at least FFXIV is a fantastic game in its own right that's likely going to hold me over for a long while.

 

[Minato]

I've come to realized that I've known about XV/Versus for a third of my life now. It's already been 8 years.

Maybe the game will finally be released on its 10th anniversary, haha.

Anyone else remember back when Square was pumping out high-quality titles on a yearly basis? I don't know if it's because I've been feeling mildly nostalgic for the PS1 JRPGs of my childhood of late, but I miss when it didn't take us a decade to get our hands on new games. Oh well, at least FFXIV is a fantastic game in its own right that's likely going to hold me over for a long while.

I'm hoping Square realizes that they can release Bravely Default sized games instead triple A titles. Then again, with all their resources going into fixing XIV earlier, and now seeing games like BD and Drakengard 3, maybe they'll be able to soon.

 

[finalark]

I've come to realized that I've known about XV/Versus for a third of my life now. It's already been 8 years.

Maybe the game will finally be released on its 10th anniversary, haha.

Has it really been that long? It's hard to think I was twelve when VersusXIII was announced.

I'm hoping Square realizes that they can release Bravely Default sized games instead triple A titles. Then again, with all their resources going into fixing XIV earlier, and now seeing games like BD and Drakengard 3, maybe they'll be able to soon.

I'm really glad that Bravely Default is getting a sequel. I'm hoping that they expand upon the Brave/Default more with Bravely Second and try a few new things. Don't get me wrong, Bravely Default was a fantastic game in its own right but as it stands its one of those games that doesn't do anything that hasn't really been done before (job system from FF3/5, your party members can chat with each other like in ToS, ect.) but it does these things very well. I'd really like to see the series expand beyond the quaint, nostalgic tone of the first game into something bigger, grabbing its own identity in the process. Mostly because I really want to see the series escape from the shadow of its big brother, FF.

Oddly introspective, non-Squeenix related paragraph born of mentioning ToS:

Spoiler

Completely off-topic, speaking of Tales of Symphonia, I have had the strangest desire to revisit it lately, despite saying multiple times that I just don't care for the game. Even though its been ten years since I last played it, I remember every party member by name (I think), several scenes, dungeons and even specific mechanics stick out for me. Hell, even to this day I remember the exact phrase "I've found you, Kavar," due to being stuck on that boss for ages. It's become really nostalgic to me now, I'm actually pretty sure that my distaste for it was born finding out that it was supposed to be a big deal or a leftover remnant of that time in my life when I was suddenly too cool for everything I liked as a kid, or something equally as stupid. Maybe I'll actually order a copy off amazon some day when I have the time for it.

I think I've finally gotten to the age where I'm just too old to have a stick up my ass about video games. Or, more likely, I've really mellowed out after spending my teenage years being a hype-competitive hothead.

 

[Minato]

Oddly introspective, non-Squeenix related paragraph born of mentioning ToS:

Spoiler

Completely off-topic, speaking of Tales of Symphonia, I have had the strangest desire to revisit it lately, despite saying multiple times that I just don't care for the game. Even though its been ten years since I last played it, I remember every party member by name (I think), several scenes, dungeons and even specific mechanics stick out for me. Hell, even to this day I remember the exact phrase "I've found you, Kavar," due to being stuck on that boss for ages. It's become really nostalgic to me now, I'm actually pretty sure that my distaste for it was born finding out that it was supposed to be a big deal or a leftover remnant of that time in my life when I was suddenly too cool for everything I liked as a kid, or something equally as stupid. Maybe I'll actually order a copy off amazon some day when I have the time for it.

I think I've finally gotten to the age where I'm just too old to have a stick up my *** about video games. Or, more likely, I've really mellowed out after spending my teenage years being a hype-competitive hothead.

You'll probably enjoy it more if you do play it again. Lowering expectations and keeping an open mind should help.
I've had those instances in some JRPGs where I didn't have fun with it until years later.

As someone that likes Tales but doesn't put Symphonia near the top, you'll still have to deal with a boring beginning and a predictable plot, but Tales is pretty fun when you look at character interactions and battles.

 

[finalark]

You'll probably enjoy it more if you do play it again. Lowering expectations and keeping an open mind should help.
I've had those instances in some JRPGs where I didn't have fun with it until years later.

As someone that likes Tales but doesn't put Symphonia near the top, you'll still have to deal with a boring beginning and a predictable plot, but Tales is pretty fun when you look at character interactions and battles.

I had actually played ToS years before I even knew that I could use the internet to talk to people about video games. Even back then I thought it was just kinda average, doesn't help that I had played both Grandia II and FFX beforehand, meaning that the whole "young girl sets out on a sacred journey only to discover her religion is a total sham" plot wasn't anything anything remotely new to me, even at around the age of 10/11. I guess I was just really taken off guard at the sheer amount of people who consider the game to be something special rather than just another JRPG.

The battles and dungeons were a ton of fun, though. And I really can't say it wasn't memorable since I can recall so much of the game despite it being so long since I played it. If I end up enjoying it upon replaying it I might actually go and check out some of the other games in the series, which are hopefully less cliche and predictable.

 

[Rutger]

If I end up enjoying it upon replaying it I might actually go and check out some of the other games in the series, which are hopefully less cliche and predictable.

Story really isn't a strong point of the Tales of series. For as cliched and predictable as ToS is, it's one of the better ones that I've played imo. The character interactions on the other hand can be a lot of fun even in the games with a really poor story, like Graces.

The combat has become a lot better in the recent games too, while dungeons have become less interesting.

If you have a PS3, ToS was recently released on it, and is no doubt easier to find than a gamecube copy.
It also has the sequel. I haven't played it, but it wasn't as well received.

 

[Smooth Criminal]

*deadpans.*

We will not speak of ToS2.

Smooth Criminal

 

[Minato]

Final Fantasy Type-0 translation patch is live. The site is getting hammered at the moment.

No discussions on acquiring roms or emulators though.