Ivalice timeline

[VeloZer0]

VS reminded me of taking a platformer and bogging battle down with the most simple NES era battle system possible. Story/writing/setting wise it was really cool though.

That and I do enjoy the process of upgrading my weapons consisting of spending several minutes systematically looking at combinations of everything in my bag for possible improvements....

[Fynn]

VS reminded me of taking a platformer and bogging battle down with the most simple NES era battle system possible. Story/writing/setting wise it was really cool though.

That and I do enjoy the process of upgrading my weapons consisting of spending several minutes systematically looking at combinations of everything in my bag for possible improvements....

Now what the actual smurf.

I just started playing the game, but saying the game is a platformer with bogged down NES battle mechanics is seriously wrong. How? It looks pretty unique so far.

[Freya]

That's another one I need to work on playing!

[VeloZer0]

Because it looks fancy with a 3D targeting sphere, but in general you just sit in the same place and just spamming the attack command one after another as soon as your last combo ends. You don't even get a party to break it up and have different units working on stuff simultaneously. I thought it was cool at the start, but after getting a good chunk of the way in I realized that the only engaging element about combat was getting good at landing your combos. It might as well have been a music/rhythm game not an rpg.

[Bolivar]

Matsuno said VS was not going to be part of the Ivalice world originally and changed his mind afterwards.

I think that tweet is too vague to argue away in-game references clearly linking the titles.

Your thoughts on Xytegenia pretty much echo what I posted myself (and I think Xenosaga is a very close analogy) but again, having seen how radically detailed and methodically thought out the translation was, I'm not willing to commit to any certain position as to what it is they were actually doing.

[Wolf Kanno]

Zelda makes name dropping references to Mario all the time, doesn't mean Hyrule and Mushroom Kingdom are directly connected. Besides, as I stated, the majority of reference that connect the series to VS were created in FFXII. The references in VS itself are subtle name dropping on descriptions for various accessories to three figures from Tactics and even then the names are a bit off in the translation. I don't feel it was strong enough to be thought of as proof of a direct connection. I mean hell, the evil corrupt church in VS is the honest to god Catholic Church, not the not-so-subtle expy Glabados church. They even call themselves Christians in the game's plot.

[Pete for President]

Because it looks fancy with a 3D targeting sphere, but in general you just sit in the same place and just spamming the attack command one after another as soon as your last combo ends. You don't even get a party to break it up and have different units working on stuff simultaneously. I thought it was cool at the start, but after getting a good chunk of the way in I realized that the only engaging element about combat was getting good at landing your combos. It might as well have been a music/rhythm game not an rpg.

Agreed that chains are the most engaging part but the sphere has more uses than what you're stating here. Different limbs have different weaknesses and hit %, most obvious in boss battles. When attacking enemy#1 who has enemy#2 in front of him, only #2 will get hit as if blocking your way. Same goes with walls, if an enemy is standing around the corner your attacks will miss.

AoE spells do their work fine with the targeting sphere.

Range is incorporated nicely in the sphere, especially noticeable with bigger weapons and crossbows.

To me other engaging combat elements are buffs/debuffs, very important equipment choice and risk-break moves (you just have to remember to use these).