Some things I need to say about Dissidia 012

[Dreddz]

So I've been playing Dissidia 012 for around 10 or so hours and my thoughts on the game are all over the place. I haven't played the original (nor am I going to buy it seeing as its unlockable in 012) so I'm not sure if what I'm about to say applys to the original as well but you know what, it probably does. I guess Ill just list the things that have left the biggest impression on me so far.

1. This is a weird game. And I know, calling a Final Fantasy game weird is almost reassuring as thats what this series has always been, but I'm specifically talking about the structure of the game. The way the game goes from arena combat to a world map to a grid to the menus really has left me baffled. Its like Square had a bunch of ideas for the game and threw them all in without thinking how they would link them all together. The end result is a game that isn't as cohesive as it could be. BUT that said I do like each idea as its own thing. Its cool that we have a world map but what purpose ya know? I dunno whether this point has been a pro or a con but I feel like it should be said nonetheless.

2. The games story is complete and utter wank. Now I'm not going to say that pulling a good story out of this premise is easy but there is at least some potential for some interesting things to happen. Maybe referring to any possible links between each FF universe is one thing. But nope, what we get is some of the most incoherant nonsense I've seen out of Square in a long time, possible ever. When you know your games story is trash you tend not to stick it at the forefront of your game but not with Square, they are determined to tell this story which honestly comes across as dodgy fan fiction that frankly I could have come up with. To be fair the voice acting isn't so bad but the dialogue the actors are given does them no favours.

Also worth noting that the games world that these characters occupy is like a floating mass of objects. I don't even want to list the amount of things messed up with that but I'm sure you lot can think of them yourselves.

3. Now that I've gone on about the stuff I don't like, Ill say a few nice things about the game. The combat itself is really interesting. Each character is unique in their abilities and as a fighting game Square have done quite a good job. Its almost what I would have wanted out of a Dragon Ball game. The way Square have overlayed the game with RPG mechanics is also done quite well. If you want to know why, after all the whinging that I have done, why I still played the game now you know. Also helps that the presentation and music is absolutely fantastic.

4. This game would have benefited from being on the PS3. While I appreciate that Square are taking the PSP seriously and actually put thought into the games they put on the platform, Dissidia would really have benefitted from being on the PS3. For one, online play would have been great. There isn't really anything like Dissidia that you can play online and for that reason alone I reckon Dissidia would have faired well on a home console. I guess a game as obscure as this is only viable on the PSP due to lower production costs. I guess Square could have made the game more appealing to people outside the hardcore FF fanbase but maybe that would have done Dissidia no favours whatsoever. Who knows.

I know I had a few more things to say about the game but I've lost them now. Whatever. Discuss.

[Hollycat]

I think this one isnt as good as the original in some ways. I hate that I have to go buy EVERYTHING again. its not even like a DW game where they change the content, they just said, here, give us $30, and we will give you a nine charachter addon to a 23 character game. swell. its like the budokai games, only with a good cutscene

[Jessweeee♪]

Personally I'd much prefer having a game like this portable. I mean if you can, then why not? I don't typically play fighting games in long sittings, and it's just perfect for whipping up a quick battle while you're waiting to be called into the dentist or something.

[Wolf Kanno]

1. This is a weird game. And I know, calling a Final Fantasy game weird is almost reassuring as thats what this series has always been, but I'm specifically talking about the structure of the game. The way the game goes from arena combat to a world map to a grid to the menus really has left me baffled. Its like Square had a bunch of ideas for the game and threw them all in without thinking how they would link them all together. The end result is a game that isn't as cohesive as it could be. BUT that said I do like each idea as its own thing. Its cool that we have a world map but what purpose ya know? I dunno whether this point has been a pro or a con but I feel like it should be said nonetheless.

Believe me, as weird as it is, its a much better interface than the one from the original. The old game was pretty much just the dungeons with some strange mechanics that made them pretty frustrating at times and often times required you to replay them just so you can get the better item awards. The map at least breaks up the monotony a little.


2. The games story is complete and utter wank. Now I'm not going to say that pulling a good story out of this premise is easy but there is at least some potential for some interesting things to happen. Maybe referring to any possible links between each FF universe is one thing. But nope, what we get is some of the most incoherant nonsense I've seen out of Square in a long time, possible ever. When you know your games story is trash you tend not to stick it at the forefront of your game but not with Square, they are determined to tell this story which honestly comes across as dodgy fan fiction that frankly I could have come up with. To be fair the voice acting isn't so bad but the dialogue the actors are given does them no favours.

Also worth noting that the games world that these characters occupy is like a floating mass of objects. I don't even want to list the amount of things messed up with that but I'm sure you lot can think of them yourselves.

Oh god, the plots are terrible. The only part of the story that's remotely good is just watching the characters bounce off each other and spotting all the fan service references in the dialogue and animations. Don't worry, you are not alone in your assessment.


3. Now that I've gone on about the stuff I don't like, Ill say a few nice things about the game. The combat itself is really interesting. Each character is unique in their abilities and as a fighting game Square have done quite a good job. Its almost what I would have wanted out of a Dragon Ball game. The way Square have overlayed the game with RPG mechanics is also done quite well. If you want to know why, after all the whinging that I have done, why I still played the game now you know. Also helps that the presentation and music is absolutely fantastic.

Its why I keep playing it :cool: The second game really added some new elements that made the combat feel much more complete as well, if you ask me.


4. This game would have benefited from being on the PS3. While I appreciate that Square are taking the PSP seriously and actually put thought into the games they put on the platform, Dissidia would really have benefited from being on the PS3. For one, online play would have been great. There isn't really anything like Dissidia that you can play online and for that reason alone I reckon Dissidia would have fared well on a home console. I guess a game as obscure as this is only viable on the PSP due to lower production costs. I guess Square could have made the game more appealing to people outside the hardcore FF fanbase but maybe that would have done Dissidia no favors whatsoever. Who knows.

I know I had a few more things to say about the game but I've lost them now. Whatever. Discuss.

While I can definetly agree that online would vastly improve the game, I'm not really sure a console release would have done any better. I feel that Jessweeee pretty much said it, that the game works better as a pick up and go experience as opposed to a straight up console release. I feel the game would be criticized more for its problems if it was released on a major console.

[SuperMillionaire]

Yeah, I have to agree; some of the changes they made were not for the better. In my case, my criticisms are for:
1: the chase sequences being sped up a little too much
2: knocking the opponent into a vanish trap no longer allowing for the continuation of chase sequences
3: dodging no longer replenishing jumps (making it harder to stay in the air)
4: the removal of invincibility after crashing into a barrier (wall rush damage was also reduced from 50% to 25%)
5: EX cores not filling up the meter as much,
6: less EX force being generated from attacks,
7: the EX Revenge feature that sacrifices both the ability to regenerate health and the ability to use an EX Burst
8: the Assistant deducting EX force and the ability to knock you out of EX Mode prematurely
9: Arcade Mode no longer awarding PP
10: not being able to quit Arcade Mode without entering a defeat screen
11: not being able to transfer any PP won in the original Dissidia into the save data (they transfer items that were already bought from the PP catalog, but not remaining un-spent PP), which makes it harder to buy things like alternate costumes (I was able to unlock an alternate costume really quickly in the original, but in 012, it takes a lot more time)

I hope they remake this game in a few years time, albeit with more characters and storyline changes to include these new characters, and have the feel of the original game rather than 012. I have a feeling they would call it Dissidia Final Fantasy 012 and 013 [duodecim et tredecim], because tredecim is Latin for "thirteen."