Ah, FFTactics, fond memories...
http://www.lifeinaggro.com/images/co...ia20120210.jpg
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Ah, FFTactics, fond memories...
http://www.lifeinaggro.com/images/co...ia20120210.jpg
FFT gameplay is good stuff even if I much prefer the FFTA games overall. They feel more whimsical and I prefer my FF games to be whimsical.
I love FFTactics. Another game I have my own review to write about so I won't go in too much detail ;)
Random fact:
Two of my random units the first time I played were named "Chamberlain" and "Montana". I forget what I did with them but they were absolute beasts in combat
I named the main character in my book Chamberlain Montana :D
Also, this was actually my first tactical RPG :P I was better at them when I was younger, further proving that I just get dumber as I get older
#13
Another series that needs no introduction. Another series that is close to my heart. Out of all the series in this list, I’d say this is actually my favorite overall. Not that you could tell by the list itself :p I just think this series is the least flawed overall, considering there’s only one installment of it that I consider “meh”. But I know there’s a lot of people out there that will disagree with me, simply because it’s…
I always thought the handheld titles in the Kingdom Hearts series were the better ones (excluding coded, of course :eep:). This is probably due to the fact that a handheld release allows for more freedom, as the stakes are lower when a risk is taken. So what does BbS do differently? It introduces a very unique battle system utilizing a command deck, where every skill can be used freely, but later requires a cooldown period. Combine that with three new protagonists, unique battle styles and plenty of never-before-seen worlds (even if they’re a bit on the small side and get revisited a tad too often), and you’ve got yourself a real treat. Oh, did I mention this is a prequel to Kingdom Hearts I?
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Mickey's held up pretty nicely, you gotta admit.
While the battle system is fantastic and flows incredibly well, I think the strongest asset of this game is its story. While BbS does retcon some of the things already established in the KH canon, it does so quite elegantly, while answering many nagging questions people had after KHII, but also introducing new story arcs that are very well developed and put the series on its head in a good way. This is quite possibly the darkest entry in the series so far. Though the pacing is a bit disjointed due to the game being split between the three protagonists, the emotion is there and it is surprisingly genuine. As a long-time fan of the series, I was expecting a lot of the twists that came along, but the game still sucked me in completely. It’s an emotional roller-coaster. And I mean real human emotion, not the soap opera-ish drama we got fed in some popular SE entries (not gonna point any fingers BUT…*cough* FFX *cough*
About those characters now. While Terra and Ventus are really nice additions to the series, it was Aqua that I felt was actually the heart and soul of this game, and this was really unexpected. Terra and Ventus’ roles were pretty obvious from the beginning to anyone familiar with the series, but Aqua at first, at least to me, seemed to be put into game just so we can have a token chick. Well, luckily, I couldn’t be more wrong. Not going into spoilers too much, let me just say the series has a very interesting relationship with the Mary Sue trope. I always had this idea that maybe Nomura reads all this fanfic where people create replacements for Kairi and then put all those ideas on their head and turns them into something really smart. At the beginning Aqua seems like she’s just there to be the Kairi to Terra and Ven’s Riku and Sora, and that may be partly true. But then you start to see just how much she matters in the plot of the entire franchise, and what exactly her relationship with all those nagging questions is. Also, she’s hands-down my favorite character to play as in this game, because magic is awesome, and she’s much more graceful than Terra, without Ventus’s fragility. I still can’t decide if she or Riku is my all-time favorite KH character. Does it really matter, though?
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A lot of good that'll do ya, huh.
The music is once again composed by the amazing Yoko Shimomura. This and the KH3D soundtrack are probably my favorite work ever done by her, with BbS’s version of Dearly Beloved (above) being simply magical – the best one yet – and the battle themes are also friggin’ amazing, as could be expected. Like with Bravely Default, I don’t think there’s a single track I dislike.
Birth by Sleep is a very important entry in the series that cannot be missed by series fans. If you think this is a good opportunity to jump into the series – I would not recommend that approach. Kingdom Hearts is pretty dense story-wise, so going in out of order is just asking for getting lost in all this. Still, it’s really an amazing game, and it’s now even more accessible, thanks to the KHII.5 HD remix.
I haven't played that one. I've played a few KH games and II was the only one I liked, and I did like it a good bit. The sotry is just getting way too complicated to follow, especially when they change things and put everything on a different console, I mean gee whiz >.<
But like I said, I haven't played this one so could be great for all I know :monster:
I really never had any trouble understanding the story. It's kinda like I said in the post above - if you play them in order, you'll be fine.
I actually think the console titles are the weaker ones. it's the handhelds where the real meaty bits of the story and characterization happen. Though I still think KHI had the best atmosphere.
I don't get the complaints about DDS's story and setting. If anything, it was a breath of fresh air in a boring sea of happy-go-lucky games. Truth be told, the way the world in DDS 1 and 2 was presented reminded me of how I see the real world. Just a bleak, dreary, pessimistic, misanthropic place.
The battle system was awesome and built upon what was offered in Nocturne, so that was another plus.
I also really loved Bowser's Inside Story as well. It was so cute. Shame that Dream Team sucked the big one.
I wouldn't say it sucked that much, but yeah, after Bowser's Inside Story, it was a bit of a letdown.Quote:
Originally Posted by Polnareff
The game Del recommend I get for the PSP. I should get around to that at some point.
Yes, but make sure you beat at least KHI, Chain of Memories, and KHII before playing this, otherwise you'll just end up confused.Quote:
Originally Posted by ToriJ
lol beating the games I play. That's a good one, Fynn.Quote:
Originally Posted by The White Wizard of FynnYes, but make sure you beat at least KHI, Chain of Memories, and KHII before playing this, otherwise you'll just end up confused.Quote:
Originally Posted by ToriJ
Then at least watch it on YOUTUBE first, for God's sake.Quote:
Originally Posted by ToriJlol beating the games I play. That's a good one, Fynn.Quote:
Originally Posted by The White Wizard of FynnYes, but make sure you beat at least KHI, Chain of Memories, and KHII before playing this, otherwise you'll just end up confused.Quote:
Originally Posted by ToriJ
I agree that Birth By Sleep is an incredibly strong game overall.
I absolutely hate the story presentation, though. I've still only done Aqua's story (and I agree she's a great character). For some reason, I don't find the idea of resetting all of the progress I had made and starting over from scratch an appealing one.
Pretty sure I don't really need to say anything about FFT.
I still don't think it really counts as restarting, though. Each of the characters has a different set of deck commands available, as well as different command styles, so I never felt like I was repeating character progression. And Aqua gets to keep all you invested in her in the final chapter :monster:Quote:
Originally Posted by Skyblade
I actually think you have one of the most unique opinions on FFT I have ever heard :D most people either adore it or hate it, while the thoughts about it that you shared on a couple of occasions are really complex and interesting to hear ;)
If it's for God's sake then I'm not going to do that.Quote:
Originally Posted by The White Wizard of FynnThen at least watch it on YOUTUBE first, for God's sake.Quote:
Originally Posted by ToriJlol beating the games I play. That's a good one, Fynn.Quote:
Originally Posted by The White Wizard of FynnYes, but make sure you beat at least KHI, Chain of Memories, and KHII before playing this, otherwise you'll just end up confused.Quote:
Originally Posted by ToriJ