Not Much of a Final Fantasy.....

[Wuggly Blight]

It was a okay game, but not a okay final fantasy, Its better then the X series (Though that not really being hard) but the Characters had no motivations, real history, why was Penalo even there, or Vaan, he had nothing to do with the Story. The battle system was better, and made things less tedious but the summons was so weak they was pointless and the licence grid was a okay idea but in practice it was a big re-hash. The game was pretty limited to one and one thing only. Dungeon Crawling. That got pretty boring the whole game consisted off "We must go to location A! for a magic stone!"
"Now we must go to location B for to be told about a magic sword!"
"We must go to location C! for a magic stone!"
"Now we must go to location D for to be told about a magic sword!"
But that links into the story, it was pretty hashed, I really expect more from Square and they should know it was below standards enough people noticed, and what little story there was all happened behind closed doors away from your characters anyway.

[Bolivar]

Aw geez not this again, LunarWeaver's post summed this up.

If you didn't like the story then why play through it? If you didn't enjoy the combat why play through it? Any of you? If you don't enjoy again after 50 hours of gameplay your not going to enjoy it at all, so sell the bloody thing and buy something else and stop putting a 1000 threads about how it sucks.
You can't say things about a narrative like "it's the same as Star Wars" because there are a million stories the same as Star Wars, there is a very limited amount of things you can actually do with a set of characters and while the series is famed for innovation on a storyline level you can't expect every game to have a storyline that is 100% original and 100% interesting to you. If you knew anything about storytelling and authoring a narrative you would know that if you look hard enough every story can be compared to a handful of basic ideas. The fact it has a few similarities is irrelevant.
I have not completed FFXII yet but I am enjoying it for what it is, if you can't understand this concept stop watching any films and playing any games because you are not going to enjoy the stuff they are turning out over the next few years.
I understand the game has flaws but I have never played a game that was perfect. The whole idea of this project, in my opinion, is implicating a few ideas from other game genres and other media forms altogether into the FF series to see how it works. If experimenting with a game formula is your idea of ruining a series or even just a game then why follow the series, you just want 30 games exactly the same? I want a different experience in every FF, that's why the series is good, it gives me something more than a sequel a year with a bunch of story tagged on.
Currently I am having no problems understanding the story, I have however, paid attention to cutscenes which usually helps. I agree it can be slightly disorientating at times but I expect this from an intense story, it's just part of it.

Ummm...did you pay attention to anything I said??? We're not critiquing this game, it just doesn't hold up very well as a Final Fantasy, not just in similarities, but as a series that sets a high standard for RPG's.

If you had even taken the time to read the title you might not have written such an emotionally charged post.

Once again, this is my 1st (not 1000th) thread on how this doesn't stack up as an FF (not as a game or RPG in general). If you can't understand that, then please, save us your temper tantrum.

And, YES, I can compare a narrative to Star Wars considering 1) i'm entitled to my own opinion and 2) I gave 13 examples and could easily go on and on about how this game parallels that story. Which, by the way, also spawned a game series which the XII team completely jacked the battle system from.

Also, I explicitly stated in my post, that I, too enjoyed this game for what it is. Because I damn sure couldn't enjoy it as a Final Fantasy.

Yes, I, too, want a different experience every game, and I really feel Square has done a great job at that throughout the series, but there are certain elements which connect this series, and if you're going to ignore all of them, why even bother calling it a FF???

[No.78]

What the hell, why even post a thread saying it's not like other final fantasys? Whats the point? SE make each game different from the last for a reason. Its a final fantasy, get over it, things change, etc.

[xtrava]

ok this to me is like the best FF game and yes it is one it may be like star wars but to me its like one of the best

Anyone can use a sword but it takes one of courage to know how to use it? But you just said anyone can use one.

[Bolivar]

What the hell, why even post a thread saying it's not like other final fantasys? Whats the point? SE make each game different from the last for a reason. Its a final fantasy, get over it, things change, etc.

So i'm not allowed to give my analysis after beating the game? If you're so upset about that, why bother entering the thread?

I don't think you read anything anyone stated in this thread. yes, we all understand Square makes each one different, but this isn't even in the same vein as the rest of the series.

[xtrava]

Ummm...did you pay attention to anything I said??? We're not critiquing this game, it just doesn't hold up very well as a Final Fantasy, not just in similarities, but as a series that sets a high standard for RPG's.

If you had even taken the time to read the title you might not have written such an emotionally charged post.

Once again, this is my 1st (not 1000th) thread on how this doesn't stack up as an FF (not as a game or RPG in general). If you can't understand that, then please, save us your temper tantrum.

And, YES, I can compare a narrative to Star Wars considering 1) i'm entitled to my own opinion and 2) I gave 13 examples and could easily go on and on about how this game parallels that story. Which, by the way, also spawned a game series which the XII team completely jacked the battle system from.

Like I said in a previous post, whether you agree with Bolivar on the game in general or not is besides the point, Bolivar is 100% correct in the similarities to Star Wars (coincidental or not). And yes, as soon as I started playing the game I thought to myself "Hmm...KOTOR battle system me thinks.." although most of you will compare it to FFXI.

I still really like the game though and see it as a Final Fantasy.

[No.78]

What the hell, why even post a thread saying it's not like other final fantasys? Whats the point? SE make each game different from the last for a reason. Its a final fantasy, get over it, things change, etc.

So i'm not allowed to give my analysis after beating the game? If you're so upset about that, why bother entering the thread?

Because it annoys me when people do this kind of thing, what's the point exactly? It's not making anyone feel good.

[Bolivar]

What the hell, why even post a thread saying it's not like other final fantasys? Whats the point? SE make each game different from the last for a reason. Its a final fantasy, get over it, things change, etc.

So i'm not allowed to give my analysis after beating the game? If you're so upset about that, why bother entering the thread?

Because it annoys me when people do this kind of thing, what's the point exactly? It's not making anyone feel good.

I understand where you're coming from, but you avoid the question that if this annoys you, why bother entering the thread?

The point was to give my analysis of the game after beating it. If you want to disagree, you can do so in a respectable manner, but don't try to simply end all conversation because it doesn't say exactly what you want it to.

[xtrava]

What the hell, why even post a thread saying it's not like other final fantasys? Whats the point? SE make each game different from the last for a reason. Its a final fantasy, get over it, things change, etc.

So i'm not allowed to give my analysis after beating the game? If you're so upset about that, why bother entering the thread?

Because it annoys me when people do this kind of thing, what's the point exactly? It's not making anyone feel good.

Hmm, you could just not read the posts in the thread if it annoys you? Or say your personal opinion on the matter and leave it as that. We all have different opinions I guess.

The thing I dont like is when people state things which are opinions and not facts, like "This games amazing, end of story" thats a ridiculous type of post. :P

[XxSephirothxX]

I love it when people hold Final Fantasy up on this high-and-mighty platform like Square has done no wrong in the past and has somehow now fallen from glory.

I think it's a good game, but that's really irrelevant to my point: it's a Final Fantasy because they say it is, and they stuck a number on it. So's Crystal Chronices, so's XI. Just because a game doesn't happen to have a Cid or moogles or chocobos or a very specific type of plot, it's still an entry in the series, and that's all there is to it. If they decided to make FFXIV like Contra, it would still be a Final Fantasy game. The only exceptions, in my opinion, are due to weird localization or something like that, which doesn't really happen anymore: for example, Final Fantasy Adventure is a Seiken Densetsu game, not a FF game.

[Renmiri]

the summons was so weak they was pointless and the licence grid was a okay idea but in practice it was a big re-hash. The game was pretty limited to one and one thing only. Dungeon Crawling. That got pretty boring the whole game consisted off "We must go to location A! for a magic stone!"
"Now we must go to location B for to be told about a magic sword!"
"We must go to location C! for a magic stone!"
"Now we must go to location D for to be told about a magic sword!"
But that links into the story, it was pretty hashed, I really expect more from Square and they should know it was below standards enough people noticed, and what little story there was all happened behind closed doors away from your characters anyway.

Agreed 100% Those are surely XII weak points

If you didn't like the story then why play through it? If you didn't enjoy the combat why play through it?

I did enjoy combat and game playing. I actually played almost 1,000 hours of it proof

You can't say things about a narrative like "it's the same as Star Wars" because there are a million stories the same as Star Wars, there is a very limited amount of things you can actually do with a set of characters

It is a homage to Star Wars and I liked this about the game. But it isn't true that there are no other stories to do. Just look at the fiction series on your library

If you knew anything about storytelling and authoring a narrative you would know that if you look hard enough every story can be compared to a handful of basic ideas. The fact it has a few similarities is irrelevant.

That would be an insult if it was not said by someone who thinks Star Wars is the only plot available in literature

Seriously though, for people who actually have taken writing classes XII is bloody awful in terms of storytelling. It commits most of the "sins" weak writers commit when they don't know what the heck they are doing. But I digress...

The whole idea of this project, in my opinion, is implicating a few ideas from other game genres and other media forms altogether into the FF series to see how it works.

Yes and it was very bold of SE to do this with an FF title. They achieved great things with some of the new ideas (gambits, world design, graphics, chaining quickenings,...) and fell flat on their face on others. This made the game very uneven and annoyed me to no end at start. I saw it as the "perfect game" ruined by it's weak story, weak music, etc..

Nowadays I see it "for what it is", a radically innovating game and as all first tries, a little rough around the edges. And now instead of annoyed I admire SE for taking the chance and risk to try to improve FF gaming.

Yes, I, too, want a different experience every game, and I really feel Square has done a great job at that throughout the series, but there are certain elements which connect this series, and if you're going to ignore all of them, why even bother calling it a FF???

I think they tried to include FF elements. SE used old songs (Battle on the Bridge, Prelude, etc..), old names, even old plots like VI and II. Problem to me is that they ignored VII and X, their bestsellers, and the most remembered games.

..it annoys me when people do this kind of thing, what's the point exactly? It's not making anyone feel good.

It made me feel food good. At first I thought I was going crazy for not liking an FF game storytelling. Now I know it's not just me.

And also, it lets us who liked the game in spite of it's flaws show Bolivar and others the good parts of the game.

And no Azar, it doesn't work this way. If SE starts putting the FF brand name in any piece of shiite game that they want, they won't have the brand for long. Or at least no one will buy it.

[No.78]

Because if I dont say anything then you're gonna keeep doing it!!!! GOD >.>

[Neo-Omega Mk XXV]

..it annoys me when people do this kind of thing, what's the point exactly? It's not making anyone feel good.

It made me feel food. At first I thought I was going crazy for not liking an FF game storytelling. Now I know it's not just me.

So you actually liked the storytelling in FF1-3 and FF5? Not to mention the endless camp and absurd plot twists in FF4 (aha! There's one more crystal!!! NOOOO KAIN, NOT ANOTHER BETRAYAL)?

[Renmiri]

So you actually liked the storytelling in FF1-3 and FF5? Not to mention the endless camp and absurd plot twists in FF4 (aha! There's one more crystal!!! NOOOO KAIN, NOT ANOTHER BETRAYAL)?

No but they matched the games of their time. XII doesn't even match past games (VII, IX, X).

[f f freak]

but the summons was so weak they was pointless

So I assume you have played FFVIII and moan about that as well then? The summons in that are incredibly weak and serve no real purpose other other than for you to go "YAYZORZ I lEarNt An AbilITy LOLZ!". They could have used a better system than that.