FF7 comparisons (SPOILER)

[Future Esthar]

Who else noticed the obvious FF7 references pretty much everywhere on the beginning of the game?

[Dignified Pauper]

I didn't really notice any other than the train.

[NeoCracker]

Similar yes, but really not that much alike.

In FF VII you are playing as a group of terrorists bombing an energy plant.

In this, you are playing a group of locals who normally act to defend landscape, but instead are trying to help Snow infultrate the Fal'Ciel in order to save his fiancee, as well as doing so with Lightning.

One is a terrorist strike operation, one is a rescue operation.

[Future Esthar]

What should I do to hide a spoiler?

[Raistlin]

Use the spoiler tag. It's just (spoiler)(/spoiler) with brackets [] instead of ().

[Future Esthar]

aaaaa
just testing

[Psychotic]

Just hit the "Preview" button if you want to test things out.

[crazybayman]

Yay! Future Esthar is back! Woo Hoo! This should be good. :hyper:

I will say, I too can see the FF7 similarities. Unofficial faction going up against a big and "official" entity. There are similarities between a group of freedom fighters (labelled by Shinra as terrorists) called Avalanche sabotaging a giant corporation who is compromising the well-being of the general populace for the sake of making money, to freedom fighters called NORA fighting the government because they are compromising the well-being of a portion of the populace. In both cases, Avalanche and NORA are protecting the best interests of the citizens of the city they live in. Avalance vs. Shinra and NORA vs. the Sanctum do carry similarities.

Then there's the trains in a futuristic (or at least modern) city. As well, in Midgar, the upper class live in the city on the plate above the slums and overworld. In Cocoon they live in the city above Pulse, which in this case is the overworld.

Cloud, the brooding ex-soldier. Lightning, the brooding ex-guard. Snow, leader of the NORA. Barrett, leader of Avalanche.

In each game you start out in the big city - Midgar and Cocoon.

I'm only like an hour and a half into it, but I can see similarities.

[Madame Adequate]

I don't see a lot of similarities to FF7 in comparison to the vast amount of comparisons to FFX. I guess the storyline is similar to FF7, but the visual and gameplay comparisons are definitely FFX-esque.

[Rye]

Thanks for using the spoiler tags now, Future Esthar. :)

[Future Esthar]

But there are many others unnoticed.
Here are they:
1-Our characters arrive on a train while fighting their enemies.
2-The FIRST boss is scorpion shaped.
3-The buildings on the background look like Mako Reactors.
4-The background is greenish (Mako everyone).
5-This is the best part.Do you know why Snow´s friends were designed the way they were?
Godot is a type of Barret.Lebreau is a type of Tifa.And Maqui is a type of Cloud(only physically).
But considering the next point maybe Snow is the Cloud reference.
6-After one of the mechas attack the characters the bridge falls apart taking Snow down (but we know he is alive).
7-People falling down the bridge COULD VAGUELY be a reference to the plate destruction on FF7.

I saved my game after this point so don´t spoil later sections to me please.

[Lightening]

Gadot, Lebraeu and Maqui = Biggs, wedge and jessie. :D let's hope they don't share the same fate.

[arcanedude34]

I did notice the whole hanging off a bridge by one hand thing. Square really loves that bit, it would seem.

[Future Esthar]

Gadot, Lebraeu and Maqui = Biggs, wedge and jessie. let's hope they don't share the same fate.

I mean physically.
Psichologically there is no association.

[G13]

I noticed some similarities. An ex-soldier, a rebel group, the train, "Guard Scorpion", the boss before Lightning take off for Eden looks a lot like a Super Sweeper. There's not a lot that I've noticed. I just came to the conclusion that it's a tribute and not something to take too literal.

[Future Esthar]

I am not saying the storylines are related.

[Sephiroth]

The main villain is a godly creature who can shapeshift, teleport, use incredibly strong magic and is later a fusion of two godly creatures. Similiar to Sephiroth who has all these abilities as well is incredibly strong and wants to fuse with another incredibly strong source of power, the lifestream.


the boss before Lightning take off for Eden looks a lot like a Super Sweeper.

You mean a Sweeper. A Super Sweeper is the item. Or do you mean "Super" because it is a giant machine?

Anyway I love the scene of Hope and the Dreadnought. It is like the beginning of Final Fantasy VI when you arrive at Narshe in your MagiTek Armor and you just beat your enemies without even noticing there is a battle.

[Future Esthar]

Did you pre order the game?

[Sephiroth]

Did you pre order the game?

You mean me?

I have bought and finished the japanese version at the end of the last year/at the beginning of this year so I know and love the whole story. And now I am enjoying the german version. And I don't even need to rush through the story because I already know it. Well...I would use my PlayStation III more...but I am busy this week. Something which really annoys me.

[Future Esthar]

I am playing again now.I will notify if I find more similarities.

[Goldenboko]

Personally I squeed when Snow was on board the Lindblum.

[The Summoner of Leviathan]

If anything I find the overarching theme similar to FFXII: fighting fate.

[G13]

the boss before Lightning take off for Eden looks a lot like a Super Sweeper.

You mean a Sweeper. A Super Sweeper is the item. Or do you mean "Super" because it is a giant machine?

Yeah I meant the Custom.

[LowCaloriePie]

Am I the only one who thought Godot seemed like the lovechild of Barret and Wakka? :p

[crazybayman]

Am I the only one who thought Godot seemed like the lovechild of Barret and Wakka? :p

good call

[arcanedude34]

Maqui=Demyx
That is all

[Serapy]

FE,

Ragnarok.

[Future Esthar]

Serapy,I am now on the Vestige after Serah turns into a crystal.
If your link spoils the story later tell me please.

Of course it is good to find similarities to ff8 anyway.

[Lightening]

Am I the only one who thought Godot seemed like the lovechild of Barret and Wakka? :p

I suppose all gingers look the same to you :(

[Future Esthar]

I posted simultaneously to Lightning.It is post 28.

[crazybayman]

vast amount of comparisons to FFX. I guess the storyline is similar to FF7, but the visual and gameplay comparisons are definitely FFX-esque.

I can see that now. Especially during the fireworks cutscene, where Snow proposes to Serah. The setting is very of Zanarkand/Luca-esque

As per usual, just tributes to past FF games.

[Future Esthar]

crysalium similar to sphere grid.I am right at the beggining of chapter 3 and noticed that.

[crazybayman]

Perhaps they purposefully targeted FFVII and FFX - two widely popular FFs - in particular. Similarities to those 2 games is almost a guaranteed win.

Except the battle system. Very similar to FFXII.

[Future Esthar]

Except 12 is more difficult

[milramyah]

Did anyone notice how the tank holding the fal'cie looked a lot like the Jenova tank? Also, Jenova cells gave soldiers super strength while the fal'cie give their l'cie super powers too. In Advent Children, those with Jenova cells got the geo-stigma while in ffxiii l'cie either turn into a crystal or into a monster

[Garnie]

There are some awesome refrences to most of the older FF's in the game, but so were the others. Every FF game had a refrence to past games in them.

I personally love Lindblum: the city in FFIX and a ship people. I like other similarities to the other bits and pieces as mentioned already.

I think that square have just decided "well....they want a VII remake in next gen graphics, this will do for now."

[arcanedude34]

Palumpolum, anybody? Best reference in the game so far, in my opinion.

[Goldenboko]

Palumpolum, anybody? Best reference in the game so far, in my opinion.

OMG. I didn't even realize. Full of win.

[arcanedude34]

Also, the area in Nautilus Park called the Fiendlord's Keep, which was Magus's castle in Chrono Trigger. Lots of references make me happy. =)

[Psychotic]

Palumpolum, anybody? Best reference in the game so far, in my opinion.Haha holy crap I didn't see that. I just thought it was a really silly name. :greenie:

[demondude]

The boss at the end of chapter 5 (I think) is similar to the boss in the evil forest in FFIX that captures Vivi and Dagger. Maybe it's just me though!

EDIT: Also the Anima boss.

[Suikojowy]

Palumpolum, anybody? Best reference in the game so far, in my opinion.

Yeah I loved that.

I think there are so many similarities to FF7 and 10 because Wada straight up told the devs that he wanted future FF's to be more like 7 and 10.

[Crowseye]

I actually get more FFVIII vibes than I do VII.

And I'm not talking about the Snow-Seifer thing.

Thematically speaking, Lightning has the whole Squall super-soldier thing going on with the other members of the party looking to her as the leader, even where she seems to be primarily self-motivated.

The party is made up of rather unremarkable individuals (as opposed to royalty, aging heroes, or notorious rogues and bandits) seemingly brought together by fate for reasons they don't understand.

Pulse and Cocoon have a sort of Galbadia and Esthar relationship. Whereas FFVIII had Sorceresses pulling strings, we have the fal'Cie in FFXIII.

Not saying that the game is a clone, just pointing out some themes that are similar.

Of course, gameplay-wise, it has a lot in common with X.

[Suikojowy]

This game reminded me a little of VIII too but I think it may have been the super futuristic element more than anything for me

[Madame Adequate]

Holy smurfing unmarked spoiler batman. Thanks.

There has been an FF where the end boss wasn't what he described? :monocle:

[Del Murder]

I find a lot of similarities between this game and the other FF games.

The ATB and flow of battle remind me a lot of FFX-2. Changing jobs mid-battle is also X-2.

Crystarium, FFX obviously, but it's more of a mesh between X and XII.

The weapon upgrades remind me of VIII's weapon system which annoyed the crap out me. This one is slightly better because at least you do find new equipment from treasure spheres. Oh yeah, treasure spheres, FFX again...

Controlling one character at a time while the rest follow some AI? XII.

The linearity of the story constantly moving forward on a more or less straight path: X.

Not that this game isn't unique in its own ways. The way it handles summoning is new, among other things. But when you do 13+ of these games you're going to see some similarities.

[Shlup]

Palumpolum, anybody? Best reference in the game so far, in my opinion.Haha holy crap I didn't see that. I just thought it was a really silly name. :greenie:

!!!!!!!

My favorite characters and I totally didn't notice! WIN!

[Madame Adequate]

Christ guys I've barely even played FFIV and I saw the reference the first time I saw it!

Edit: That doesn't make sense but it amuses me so I'm leaving it there. I mean the first time I saw the name, I got the reference. Derp :grover:

[Shlup]

I tend to not look very deeply into things. Hence my general absence from this thread.

[crazybayman]

Yes, I noticed the PalumPolum reference. It's awesome.

Also the MECHANICAL/ROBO SIN (Uhlan, I beleive?)

[eestlinc]

I still think of the twins as Palom and Porom, and I hear those names with accents on the second syllable of each. So when the voice acting says "Palumpolum" with the accents on the first and third syllables, it is easy to miss.

[Digital Phoenix]

I now this somewhat strays away from the main point of the thread, but I hated how in some unprofessional reviews, the reviewer was comparing the game to Final Fantasy VII instead of rating it on its own merits.

Oh, and a lot of JRPGs have similar storylines, even if they are not connected in any way. I can make a large sum of comparisons between Valkyria Chronicles and Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn, for example.

Hope reminds me of Tidus in some ways. Same goes for Vanille and Riku.

[Crowseye]

To be fair, comparing something to something else is a valid way of evaluating something.

Any review that doesn't just rehash the game's features is subjective in some fashion. And that's really the point of a review. If reviews were only meant to restate information, you'd only ever need to read the ones with the most of it.

However, "the battle system sucks" or "the game is linear" are relatively meaningless without the author stating what point of reference the he or she is using. Saying "the battle system is a lot more fast-paced than the one in FFVII" or "the game doesn't offer as many opportunities for the player to take time off of the main storyline to do things like race chocobos or collect items like Materia" is an attempt to normalize what is still actually an opinion. It says, "when I say 'fast-paced,' I mean fast compared to this." It can be argued that such a review is far more useful for giving the reader an idea of whether they want to play a game, particularly if they've played the game the reviewer is comparing his or her subject to...

FFVII has likely been played by far more people than any of the other games and is widely considered the best in the franchise (by the far larger number of casual fans) so, as a point of reference to let the audience know where he or she is coming from, comparing a Final Fantasy game to FFVII makes sense...there's a good chance that the people thinking of playing the FFXIII you're reviewing have played FFVII at some point.

Now, if the actual point of the review was to demonstrate why FFVII is still the best FF by comparing it to something else--"OMG the final villain is a joke compared to SEPHIROTH!!!111one"--then it's not really attempting to be a review any more.

[Future Esthar]

I actually get more FFVIII vibes than I do VII.

And I'm not talking about the Snow-Seifer thing.

Thematically speaking, Lightning has the whole Squall super-soldier thing going on with the other members of the party looking to her as the leader, even where she seems to be primarily self-motivated.

The party is made up of rather unremarkable individuals (as opposed to royalty, aging heroes, or notorious rogues and bandits) seemingly brought together by fate for reasons they don't understand.

Pulse and Cocoon have a sort of Galbadia and Esthar relationship. Whereas FFVIII had Sorceresses pulling strings, we have the fal'Cie in FFXIII.

Not saying that the game is a clone, just pointing out some themes that are similar.

Of course, gameplay-wise, it has a lot in common with X.

Can not agree the most.
Except for Snow.
Comparing him to Seifer is absurd.

[Edge7]

[QUOTE]
Except for Snow.
Comparing him to Seifer is absurd.
I think he means in character design. Did anyone notice that both Sazh and Barret are both the second party members
of the games and are both loving fathers?

[Crowseye]

Except for Snow.
Comparing him to Seifer is absurd.

I didn't come up with that. That was a common complaint I read leading up to the game's release.

The visual design of the characters are very similar however: blonde hair, black bottoms, grey trench coat...

[Future Esthar]

I understand the characters are supposed to fight Snow later and how this compares to Seifer though.

[Mercen-X]

I just want to point out that I have already identified every reference in XIII from beginning to end upon first glance without any outside help despite the fact that I've never played it because playing it would require me to own a PlayStation3 making this statement utterly impossible.
You mean a Sweeper. A Super Sweeper is the item.Did any spin-off of VII have a Super Sweeper as an enemy? I can't remember. Since you can own one in VII, I think it would have been interesting to be able to use it combat. Same, of course, obviously goes for the Masamune Replica.
Can not agree the most.
Except for Snow.
Comparing him to Seifer is absurd.
Can not agree the most? I'm not sure I understand the intended definition of that phrase...

Final Fantasy... no real obvious references to previous works as there is nothing really worth mentioning.
Final Fantasy II... Cid? Was Cid in the first one?
Final Fantasy III... more than likely something from II and, naturally, a Cid.
Final Fantasy IV...

Anyway, the more games Square releases with the title Final Fantasy, the more references you'll see to previous installments. The only references of any real worth in these games are from outside titles like Valkyrie Profile, Ehrgeiz, Bouncer, Chrono, etc.
Personally, I'm looking forward to seeing a character similar to Lily from Radiata Stories and, of course, a girl named Ridley is always a nice tip of the hat. Then again, I also liked Aldo and Ernest. Claudia would count not only as a reference to Radiata but as a reference to Cloud crossdressing. What was my point again?

[finaloblivion]

huh?

[Rad Bromance]

FE,

Ragnarok.
Actually, it's also the name of Cloud's second strongest sword in VII.

[crazybayman]

[QUOTE]
Except for Snow.
Comparing him to Seifer is absurd.
I think he means in character design. Did anyone notice that both Sazh and Barret are both the second party members
of the games and are both loving fathers?

AND they're both African decent *gasp*

[Sword]

FE,

Ragnarok.
Actually, it's also the name of Cloud's second strongest sword in VII.
And it was a summon in VI I believe. Ragnarok is a common occurrence in FF games. And I wouldn't even call it a reference to any of the other games since the use of the name is more appropriate in FFXIII than any of the others.

[Cloudane]

I saw the similarities in the first 10 minutes or so of the game. It was almost like watching the openings of FF7 and FF7:AC combined. I was actually getting a little worried that it was some sort of FFVII re-envisioning. But I guess it was just fanservice, as the games are completely and utterly different from then on really, apart from a slight "finally leaving Midgar" feeling when you first go to Pulse.

Isn't this a fairly Nomura-heavy game? As were VII and X-2, and he's fond of unofficial little links between them.