What are your Episode Duscae 2.0 Impressions?

[Scotty_ffgamer]

Anyone tried this out yet? I don't have much capability to play it at the moment, so I want to hear from you all impressions of the changes and improvements made to the demo.

[FFFFsephychibi]

It's a pretty good improvement.

Camera is better, combat is faster, lock on is still pretty much the same but good. I like the dodge roll a lot and the new animations. A+

Still can't wait to play the final game.

[Colonel Angus]

I'm just waiting for Psycho to make a video already.

[Formalhaut]

I haven't even played the first one yet. It's on PS4 isn't it? Ugh.

[Mirage]

Of course it is. Crazy people expecting PS3 games in 2015...

[Formalhaut]

But.. but money!

[Mirage]

git a jerb!

[Del Murder]

How do you get it? Is it just an update to the previous demo?

[Vyk]

Yeah, it downloads as a patch

[fat_moogle]

FFXV Episode Duscae Version 2.0 is a definite improvement over the first version. Like sephy says the combat is faster, and I'm liking the addition of Chain Links (group attacks). Also the Arminger is much flashier now! When you use it and you warp towards an enemy things get crazy! I love it :D

I'm liking the "On Tour" quests as well, where after camping at certain times you have the choice to go out with just Noctis and one of the others to fulfill a certain requirement.

Honestly this is probably the best demo that I have ever played, and I can't wait to finally be able to play the full game with all the features intact!

[Vyk]

Is there an option to invert the camera controls this time? I put up with it the first time, but I can not play a game without "piloting" the camera. I tilt my head back to look up, I tilt my joystick back to look up. My brain can't re-translate that to anything else. If the final game comes out with normal controls, I won't even be able to play it x_x

[Del Murder]

I'll patch it up and give it a try. I have mixed feelings with this 'beta' approach to a single-player FF game. On the one hand it's really cool that they are letting us play it as it develops and give feedback on the progress. I can't think of any other non-MMO that has done this. On the other hand it sort of implies that they don't really know what they are doing and may not be confident in their product or knowing what the customer wants.

[Mirage]

Is there an option to invert the camera controls this time? I put up with it the first time, but I can not play a game without "piloting" the camera. I tilt my head back to look up, I tilt my joystick back to look up. My brain can't re-translate that to anything else. If the final game comes out with normal controls, I won't even be able to play it x_x

Totally agree. Third person camera must always be dual inverted.

[Pheesh]

I just don't understand why they can't give us a cycle button for the lock on system. Having to look in the direction of the enemy you want and then hope it locks on to them is just ridiculous, especially when there are a dozen or more enemies on the screen.

[Vyk]

Yeah, and I forget the tutorial, but there appears to be two types of lock-ons. The R1 one, and the R3 one. But yeah, you have to unlock, change camera, and re-lock on a new enemy

And they did not add camera control options. Poopy. At least there's little reason to look up or down much..

I will say the animations and environment are still surprisingly gorgeous and fluid

This is not really a game you want to set down for 3 months and then try to come back to. I managed to get the hang of it and survive battles, but I'm pretty positive I forgot all the nuances of battle and everything. Not that I was even particularly good at it when it was all fresh lol

[DarkMatta]

I started playing this but only briefly as the game crashes before I got the chance to save it. I gave up on playing, but in the time I did play and fight - the battles seem better. The addition of being able to lock on makes it so much more bearable. I found myself swinging my sword at nothing, occurring much less now.

[Egami]

I felt it was a nice improvement over the first version. The new side-quests where you go "On Tour" with one of your friends were a nice touch as were the joint attacks. The camera and locking systems are better and more responsive.

It is a good demo but we really need to see more of the game, specially on the plot/story side of things.

[Mirage]

I'm still annoyed that I get a nevending stream of new enemies long before I'm finished the encounter I started with. I get that we're supposed to be on the run from the imperials, but it's simply not fun. It was like this in V1 too, but I had hoped they would look into it.

[fat_moogle]

I've only played a bit of 2.0, but so far, the framerate seems worse than it ever was before.
For me I thought the frame rate had improved. Still not great, but better than Version 1.0.


The airships that drop off those cyborg-y soldiers also seem to drop something like fifteen guys instead of around six or seven. When I'm already fighting a group of fat mammoths. I'm reaally hoping they cut out those enemy drops, honestly.
I agree with this. I wouldn't mind if drops only occured at certain points and locations in the game, but if it happens all the time then fighting the same generic robo mechs could get old pretty quickly.


The AI doesn't seem to have improved much. Although I've played the demo several times and leveled the party quite a bit, they are constantly going down, I'm using potions like crazy, and the whole thing becomes a hot mess that isn't fun. Say what you will about FFXIII, but at least your party members knew what they were doing according to the paradigm.
Remember though that it is just a demo. You might be able to level your characters but you're not able to upgrade equipment to further enhance stats, gain new techniques, use defensive and restorative magics etc so I'm sure staying alive in the full game will be a lot easier.

[fat_moogle]

Thing is, though...this is the 2.0 demo. I had hoped that the team would have had time to iron out those issues, so all I can hope for is that something changes before the game hits the shelves. Although it's not representative of the full game exactly, I do kind of wonder why they didn't include equipment upgrades, status boosts, etc if it would have eased player frustration.
Again, I agree. I mean first impressions count a lot so they could have tried harder in that aspect. But we know another demo is coming at some stage so hopefully that will be more complete.

[Del Murder]

I tried it out yesterday. The locking on and combat is definitely more fluid. The camera is ok, not sure why it is that close to me or why I can't zoom out.

The random banter from my teammates on the field is annoying. I'm also annoyed with several other things which I think is just due to playing a demo where not all the features are unlocked. I want to customize the team and go to different areas.

After I set camp one of my teammates asked me to go on a 'tour' which was a one-on-one quest (date) just with him. That was kind of cool. I didn't finish the quest though because the Duscae area is super boring (pretty, but boring) and I want to get the smurf out of there.

I did get overwhelmed by those soldiers and some tusk monsters but was able to kill a few and then run away pretty easily, so that's good that you can't get overwhelmed as easily.

[fat_moogle]

You're right, the Duscae region is pretty boring! I'm looking forward to seeing some new locations.

[fat_moogle]

^ I didn't fight the dino in the lake, but during a quest (can't remember which) it comes out of the lake and on to the grass. But my party said run, so I ran xD

Also I do agree about the link chains. I like the addition of them but sometimes it's a bit of a hassle fighting your way over to the yellow area.

[Noctis Caelum]

So I finally upgraded to a PS4, and I have a question. If I get a brand new copy of FF Type-0 (pretty much strictly for the demo voucher), will the voucher still be valid today? I really want to try out Episode Duscae. Although there is still the hope, as dim as it may be, that maybe it gets a free release soon.

[fat_moogle]

So I finally upgraded to a PS4, and I have a question. If I get a brand new copy of FF Type-0 (pretty much strictly for the demo voucher), will the voucher still be valid today? I really want to try out Episode Duscae. Although there is still the hope, as dim as it may be, that maybe it gets a free release soon.
A Google search tells me that the demo code is redeemable until March 2016...the month that FFXV itself releases...*crosses fingers and toes*