Reviews

[Madame Adequate]

I'd be interested in seeing how the time in previous games breaks down. I sincerely doubt that there's that much difference between chatting to folks in earlier games, walking from A to B (Just because you could do so in a more squiggly line doesn't change what you were really doing), and fighting.

In any event, GamesRadar have made me feel a good bit better about FFXIII. Their review addresses most of my concerns and points out that, well, I love FFX to death and that was linear as hell.

[Rase]

In an RPG the most important thing is the story. You have your characters and they have their adventure. Adventure = Story. That's the most important thing. Don't tell me you are buying a Final Fantasy because you like the mini games, side quests, et cetera more than the story. You have your character(s) and you have the story. Not without reason a good story can help if the rest is not so good.

On the contrary, I personally hate minigames in most RPG's. However, I see no reason you couldn't argue that gameplay is the most important aspect to a Final Fantasy. Let's see shall we?

I have my characters and they are going off on an adventure. Let's say this adventure is straight forward and boring as hell. However, the battle system, class system, and challenge are all just so perfect that I couldn't care less, as I'm having a blast with even the most basic battles. However, a game could have the best story in the history of the medium, and if I can't get through the battles I won't have much fun or really care about said story. This is actually why I'm looking forward to FFXII more in the coming days; I've heard the battle system is quite fun.

no towns, almost no minigames, almost no exploration, 1 linear line that you are forced to walk for 20 hours, no NPC, no revisiting areas

No towns: So? Really, towns are only a means to buy things and rest up, at least to me.
No minigames: Thank god. Minigames are annoying as hell.
No exploration: Bugs some, not others. I don't quite care. I'd rather be guided than have no clue what the hell to do though.
No NPC: Again, why is this bad really? Oh right, now I can't read that one line of dialog over and over again.
No revisiting areas: How often do you do this, really? I very rarely if ever do unless the plot guides me there.

If I come into a classroom and take away the blackboard, take away the chalk, take away the desks and stools and add in amazing posters of naked women, is it a classroom anymore?

Just wanted to point out the hilarity of this statement. A classroom is nothing more than a place where teaching or learning takes place. Aside from that is needs nothing and can have anything in it. Also, what if this classroom is for teaching the proper way to take a centerfold picture?

[Lightening]

I'll join this debate after I've played the game . . .

[seiferalmasy2]

so basically Rase, your argument is the old "less is better and is OK"

I love FFX to death and that was linear as hell.

I also love FFX, and there is a big difference. On FFX you could revisit areas. The whole game could be revisited and explored. There were tons of stuff to find. XIII isn't just "linear" it is LITERALLY 1 line for 20 hours and more, with a brief respite "calm lands" like area, minus the minigames and sidequests.

FFX's linear nature is in no way analagous to FFXIII's. If it was, I would not be here arguing why XIII is inferior.

Metal Gear Solid had a lot of cutscenes, no side-quests, no towns, etc etc. I hope you're not suggesting MGS is a bad game.

MGS is not a JRPG. FFXIII is supposed to be and has taken away many of the things that define it as such. MGS4 was a bad game yes. MGS1,2,3 were very good games.

To be frank, I have said what I wanted to on this, and imho, people who have read all the reviews and still buy it in droves, deserve what they get :P

[Rase]

so basically Rase, your argument is the old "less is better and is OK"

Considering the number of old games that have less to do than newer ones yet are vastly more fun in my opinion, I suppose you could say that. Since that's all you have to say I guess you'll concede that than?

To be frank, I have said what I wanted to on this, and imho, people who have read all the reviews and still buy it in droves, deserve what they get :P

They'll very likely enjoy what they get too.

[champagne supernova]

13/36 critics gave it a 9 or higher according to Metacritic.
Not quite as good as God of War which got 38/41 9s or highers (and about 21 10/10s), but still very good.
XIII also got 8/36 scores below 8, with only 3 below 7. So, I fail to see how XIII is a bad game.

MGS4 got 65/82 9s or higher - so don't quite understand how you can think its a bad game.

[The Summoner of Leviathan]

So, I've been playing the game and there are NPCs. You don't do the typical "Press X" to talk thing. Basically what happens is you walk by them and you will overhear them say something. So yeah, the no NPC thing is BS. So far, any place that hasn't had NPCs is because no one in their right mind would be there.

Yay for surprise midnight releases~

[Rye]

My impressions on the NPC thing is that I like it. I don't like having to click each one and worry if I forgot one. I like to just overhear them as I walk by. More realistic.

[Raistlin]

I think the way that NPCs are done in this game works if the NPCs don't ever have anything important to say, just random or general things.

[jammi567]

YouTube - machinima's Channel

[Depression Moon]

G4 recently gave a review and it troubled me. Not only did they give the game a good score, they had went and said that this is what the genre needs. I was feeling good about this game before I heard that, for one Adam and Morgan used to constantly say that the Final Fantasy franchise is overrated and they poked fun at a lot of JRPGs like Xenosaga. They only like two games out of the whole series besides XIII, so what makes them credible to know what the genre needs?

[Rase]

G4 recently gave a review and it troubled me. Not only did they give the game a good score, they had went and said that this is what the genre needs. I was feeling good about this game before I heard that, for one Adam and Morgan used to constantly say that the Final Fantasy franchise is overrated and they poked fun at a lot of JRPGs like Xenosaga. They only like two games out of the whole series besides XIII, so what makes them credible to know what the genre needs?

Well if they like a game in a genre that (apparently) they aren't super-fond of, it stands to reason they would think that the genre needs more games like it for them to enjoy. I agree with them overall if your synopsis is accurate; while there will always be a market for the old-school of RPG's (Etrian Odyssey, Dragon Quest, etc), I would love to see more streamlined ones like FFXIII looks to be.

[Depression Moon]

In that case people should listen to me if someone makes some weird untraditional football entry to a series that has been dedicated to it's fans. (In this case I should not be listened to)

[Rase]

I'm sure someone will. However, your lack of presence on TV may limit your audience a tad.

Also, Square has hardly been dedicated to it's fans in any way other than squeezing money from them (FFVII Compilation, myriad of re-releases) and pissing them off with each new entry after VII ("Why isn't VIII just like VII?!?" "Why is IX a throwback and not sci-fi? Lame!" "X sucks it's so linear and the voice acting blows!" "XI is an MMO? WTF Square! *rage*" "XII's battle system is boring and why can't I control my party all at once?!?")

[Depression Moon]

Well I can agree that the fanbase is everywhere and most of them can't agree on what they want.