[Kurisu]

It's been almost a month since FFXIII launched in NA and Europe, so I've created this thread to see who has completed it!

I completed it about two to three weeks ago now, and I loved it. I was actually addicted to it --- really couldn't stop playing!

No matter what people say about the battle system I personally thought it was fantastic. And the story...it really is great, but...plot holes much?

So, for those of us that have completed the game, this is the place for all the conversations to take place!

[Tindiil]

I just got it and like it so far. I have about 12 hours game play o far. How long until it gets awesome. Don't get me wrong but it's a bit linear.

[Val]

Tindiil, It stays linear for quite some time.. they kind of had too since they did everything in HD that the consoles wouldn't be able to handle cities and more openess and such.. Though don't give up on it yet, the story is great and the Battle system does get deep.


Ive still not got passed chap 10 though >_> I rarely have the motivation to turn the PS3 on for any game =[

[Momotaru]

I just finished the tutorial!

[Kurisu]

Momotaru, on May 23, 2010 - 1:29 PM, said:

I just finished the tutorial!

Well that's dedication to the cause right there!

Are you enjoying the game or no?

I went back to play it a week or so ago, and I turned it off within a few minutes. Once you've completed the game there is little to no replay value unless you can be bothered with all the missions.

I may go back to it one day, though. I was prettyy close to maxing out all of my characters and getting the trophies! But then I realised...a trophy's a trophy. I never used to care about them, so why should I care for them now! Meaningless, really.

[Momotaru]

Well, I'm sort of playing it because I feel I should complete it.. I wouldn't say it has me at all hooked.


.. And, between heresay, developer talk, and the actual game, it seems to be a Final Fantasy born purely the the purpose of making money. It's flashy, looks good, plays easy.. But there's really not much to it... Just feels there wasn't a fire in the minds of the creators. For example, it was required they come up with some brilliant new game.. But they're tired.. Very tired.. OR maybe they're just doing it for a daily paycheck. In any case, it doesn't feel very inspired. The story, characters, and world don't feel very cohesive, either.. They're just sort of .. there.

Actually, that reminds me of something I heard in a podcast. The environments in the game were supposedly created separately from the other elements, and it shows, because you really could put these characters in any other place and the story would remain identical.. Does it matter that there's a crystal forest, or some sort of mechanical ruins, or whatnot? These could be substituted for anything and it wouldn't effect the game in the least. Doesn't this design process speak for the routine existence of yet another FF?


But, I will admit I have grown some attachment or liking for the XIII crew of characters, as uninteresting as they may be. Man, I'm just not fond of this style of game, I suppose. Imagine FFXII on PS3 instead. Now that would be incredible, a world I could feel a part of.

Maybe it's time they eased up on company protocol and give the designers some time to talk with each other, and come up with some great ideas they're just itching to bring to life.


Well, there's also XIV.. it really is the expansive, wide, and intricate world and gameplay that turns me on. Needless to say, I want to play it. XD

[Kurisu]

It's a shame that you feel you've got to complete it instead of wanting to complete it. I felt the opposite: I was addicted to the story and the battle gameplay. I couldn't wait to see what was coming next, and I really did love all of the characters!

Quote

The environments in the game were supposedly created separately from the other elements, and it shows, because you really could put these characters in any other place and the story would remain identical.. Does it matter that there's a crystal forest, or some sort of mechanical ruins, or whatnot?

Yeah, the environments (on Cocoon, at least) didn't flow at all, so the world didn't feel very complete in this sense. FFX was linear, too, but the environments all seemed to flow together. This was missing from FFXIII.

Quote

Imagine FFXII on PS3 instead. Now that would be incredible, a world I could feel a part of.

This is where we differ: I don't like XII at all! XIII was much better, in my opinion. I just wasn't feeling it in XII, and I didn't even complete it. The story just didn't do it for me...at all. Haha, which is why I much prefer XIII to XII.

[Momotaru]

Well, yeh, the story in XII is a bit lacking, but the world, the gameplay.. It's so rich and full of possibilities.. That's the game I want to play on PS3.

And, to its credit, XIII has me a little interested, which is probably why I do go back to play.. But.. ehh.. Maybe I wouldn't give the story or characters so much flak if the game wasn't so incredibly linear.

It's not that there's a specific way to do a Final Fantasy, and I'm upset that XIII isn't adhering to some other formula... I like that they're mixing it up... But it really is so linear, and where there have been linear FF games before, they at least gave a good illusion toward depth, customization, and optional elements.

[Momotaru]

I apologize for this, but the following crappy rant is copied from my post on another gaming message board... Figured I'd share it here as well.

Here she goes!

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Just beat it.. You can tell it's polished and well funded... but the content is just so stupid. This is what happens when there is no soul in your game.. It's like no one on the development staff really wanted to work on it, but enough time and money forced this turd out. It's not that I really really dislike the game... It's.... meh... But it's so devoid of anything actually interesting. Sahz is kinda redeeming, if just because it's like having Eddy Murphy in a Japanese RPG. The plot is beh, the characters are vaguely neat, but are too ridiculously perfect. Why is Snow engaged to what appears to be a 14 year old? The topic of marriage between the biggest douche in gaming and a side character who is basically a less appealing version of one of the other main characters, makes me smack my face. Also, who the hell is going to pay for the wedding? Does Snow even have a job? Maybe if they showed him shoveling [expletive] at the zoo I'd start to feel for the guy, no matter how big of an asshole he is.

I like fantasy.. Japanese rpg's.. like this kinda stuff... But this game goes too far. The dialogue is stupid. The plot is almost nonexistent.. The absurdly handsome characters of pristine appearance and unrealistic fashion leave no room for empathy. How can I empathize with a character when I first have to imagine them preparing their appearance for 6 hours before starting their day? How about changing their clothes? How about showing the characters talking about taking a dump or something.. That would make them appear more human... the value of humanity seems to be one of the messages in the contrived plot, so why are the characters like a team of fashion models?

Also, Team NORAH (and the coincidence that Norah is also the name of Hope's mom.. yadda yadda) made me barf a bit. Black Wakka is built like a [expletive] bear on steroids... and don't tell me Snow wasn't already banging that chick from his club of friends.. and yet he acts so in love with Lightning's little sis... who again, appears to be in the midst of puberty. The love story here makes FFVIII's look like Shakespeare. I don't understand how Jeremy likes this game. I can barely sit through an hour of it before getting bored. Demon's Souls on the other hand, was known to grasp me by the scrotum for more than one 12 hour session (I was unemployed, I had the free time).

Square is no longer human.. Can you imagine working for SquareEnix and trying to offer a suggestion on any of their games, particularly a Final Fantasy branded game? It's crafted not by individuals, but by corporate philosophies and some kind of stubborn anal element of Japanese culture. Everyone working on the game probably went to work hating their lives, just trying to appease the machine that is Square Enix. Now that I think about it, I believe the plot from XIII may be a cry for help from Square Enix. No, really, consider it for a moment. Square Enix is like Orphan, and it's begging to be destroyed so that creation can start a new... or something. It's creating l'cie (gamers) and empowering them with hate so they will tear down the Square Enix establishment and take along a billion human lives with it... Then, the maker (Hironobu Sakaguchi) will return to craft a new masterpiece.. Don't cha see folks, our focus is to destroy Square Enix so that in its stead, good games can be made once again.

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So tired. But the game has been beaten.
Well, the last boss anyway. I don't think I'll be returning to Gran Pulse to clear any unfinished missions.

Also want to add that the last boss battle was rather weak. And fighting 'Megabyte' and his family in sword form was just stupid.

I did kind of like Orphan's final form if just for the bizarre appearance (always look forward to that in last bosses) but overall, not a great final boss at all. Barthandalus was a weak villain the entire time Weaker a villain than the real pope. He should have been part of an evil council full of nasty guys like him who all turn into crazy fal'cie and challenge you throughout the game.

That's about all I have to say.

I like Baby Chocobo.

edit: Megabyte, for those who aren't familiar with Reboot.

[Myst]

Could have sworn I replied here...Anyway my reply was pretty much that I got the game on release and still haven't beaten it, but now with a new PSN I'd have to restart the game anyway. Not to mention the fact that one of the trophies bugged on me in Chapter five anyway so an okay reason to start. Bought the collector's edition strategy guide just as well and to be honest it's been sitting on my desk more than anything else. May finish it this time around - may get back to Chapter eleven or thirteen [free roam part] and stop again. Will have to see..

[Kurisu]

You did reply, Nuri! But the site went down for a day, and when doing so some more recent posts were deleted. You should really start playing it again! I completed it once on my old PSN, and I restarted it on my new PSN and got to Chapter 10, but I haven't played it for ages now (I just turned the PS3 on to check my save data, and the last time I played was the 20th September!). I do hate Chapter 10, though, as the Ark has to be the most boring and grind heavy environment of the whole entire game!

[Myst]

Hmm certainly will replay it again, but then again I will be replaying my entire PS3 library again [I did this as a way to keep myself from buying anymore games and finishing some that I never did finish for this account]. As soon as I get that day/week or so off from work I'm hoping to pick it up again, and the game should go by rather fast [at least until chapter 11] since I will be skipping the majority of cut scenes

Ah I see well no harm done

[Myst]

Well to follow up on my last post I have started playing it again on my new account at least and I can say it's a bit more fun now that I know what I am doing. As well as skipping every cutscene possible ( ). A part which normally would have taken me some time to finish [perhaps an hour or so] now takes but a few minutes! Anticipating getting back to Chapter 11, then I'll have to start watching them...