I never had that problem
I never had that problem
Ah, I see! That is interesting, thank you for giving more detail on that
IZJS does make a Black Mage Archer pretty much impossible, sad to say. It does make the Black Mage a pretty ridiculously fun class to begin with, though. Having the Level 1 Spells do area-of-effect damage is just all sorts of broken.
So, am I to understand that the so called "improved" IZJS version actually takes away freedom?
I think it gives you job classes which is still pretty cool, but does take away why I personally like the license board. I'm sure there's other improvements but I haven't played so I dunno first hand
Yes, IZJS does take away freedom. But that's not an inherently bad thing, it just makes you specialize. IMO it works quite well.
And well that's only one of many other things that are changed in IZJS. It doesn't solve all of XII's technical issues, and creates some new ones, but its improvements far outweigh everything else. For instance, just about ALL the chests/treasures are changed, and they are actually useful now. A lot of the best magicks, technicks and equipment have to be found in chests in difficult dungeons. Also, no more BS Zodiac Spear, that little secret has been taken out entirely, and you can get the spear in a different way. Finally, any respawnable chests are now respawned by going only ONE screen away, making farming them a hell of a lot more manageable and fun.
There's also the single feature that makes it absolutely impossible for me to go back to original FFXII ever again: the L1 speedup. Pressing L1 makes the game run at about triple speed, which turns getting around towns or lengthy areas from a chore to just a little diversion. A wonderful little addition.
And now I'll stop derailing this topic into a discussion that probably should've been on the XII board.
Isn't there some kind of equally powerful bow that replaces it, though?Originally Posted by Karifean
13. Dragon Quest V
Dragon Quest V starts with our young hero journeying with his father. Unfortunately things take a turn for the worst and we'll watch our hero grow over the years and follow his journey to learn more about his parents while starting a family of his own.
This is an RPG and battles are fought in first person. You can control up to 4 characters in battle, but you can also allow them to control themselves by selecting a strategy for them to use. In this game you can also recruit monsters to fight by your side. You can also talk to your party members when walking around towns and fields and later in the game you get to pick between three potential bachelorettes to be your wife.
General impressions:
It should come as no surprise to anyone that the main reason I went for this game was because marriage. I played the game so my cute little sprite character could get married to another cute little sprite character, but what I wasn't expecting was the wonderful game I would get in the meantime. So basically what I'm saying is I came for the wedding and stayed for the charming story.
Story:
Absolutely great, I adored it. It's a cute little story with some funny moments and puns but then it throws some heart wrenching scenes at you and it shakes you up and it hits you pretty hard before it goes back to being sweet and cute. You watch your hero grow up and you see everything that he goes through and how it makes him a stronger person in the end and it's just. I can't describe. I was not at all expecting a story that moved me this much. Like I said I was expecting the game to peak at the marriage with some fun surrounding it, but instead the marriage was just a drop in the bucket of wonderful moments. I laughed, I cried, I probably applauded somewhere in there. I'm serious, I don't really have any complaints about the story.
Gameplay:
So so. It wasn't the easiest game to play, but it wasn't terribly difficult either, save for a few boss fights here and there that gave me some trouble. I liked having monsters join but it was hard to get the monsters I actually wanted. I did really like that you could talk to your party members and they would say so many different things. Like if you talk to one NPC, they'll commented on what he said, and then if you talk to another NPC, they'll comment on that one as well. I thought that was a charming little touch and would love to see more games do that.
World:
There were some good memorable places but I would say overall the world was about average. There was some good diversity and very few of the dungeons were annoying (but there were some). My biggest complaint would be that the world felt kind of small and I would have liked it more if there was more to explore.
Characters:
I really like the cast, there just wasn't a very big cast. But even the silent hero managed to have personality and spirit and I didn't dislike anyone. I obviously enjoyed having the matchmaking feature although I felt the game had it heavily weighed towards one option instead of having them all on equal ground.
Favourite character: Nera 3pvYNyR.jpg
Honourable mention: Saber kmZd2Xh.jpg
Nera is a sweet and precious woman and I loved having her in my party and hearing her comments. She was just the nicest lady. One of my top game characters ever, no doubt about it. And Saber is your sidekick saber-toothed cat so what's not to like there?
Overall this is n amazingly charming game with a beautiful and well told story that sticks out to me among the ocean of RPG's I've played. It could have been stronger in a lot of areas but it's still a great game and I'd highly recommend it to fans of the genre.
Tomorrow, the last post of the day will begin our top 10, how exciting! I bet a lot of you an guess what's coming just by process of elimination by this point. I'm glad everyone has been enjoying the list, I'm having a lot of fun posting it!
I have yet to play Dragon Quest V, but I own it now! I also just beat XII for the first time. I have issues with the license board at times, but I got used to it by the end of the game and had no issues. I also don't really mind being able to max something like that out easily. I can make everyone the same, but I don't have to (and I didn't).
Always good to find others who appreciate SO4.
12. Xenosaga Episode III
This game is the conclusion to the Xenosaga trilogy and answers most of the questions the games had us asking, so I can't go in to much detail without spoiling anything. It has a very large inclusive database to catch you up on the first two games if you have not played them, although I'd recommend at least playing the first one. For what the series in general is about, see my Xenosaga I review (#23)
Final Fantasy fans should feel pretty at home with Xenosaga III's combat system. It's discarded the more complex combat systems for a traditional command menu on which you select actions such as Attack, Tech, and Item. There is a break gauge that will stagger a character or enemy when depleted and the boost gauge is once again present. There are also special attacks for individual characters that can be used when you have enough boost built up. Each character has two main skill paths they can explore but I mean why wouldn't you just learn all of them? There are also E.S. Battles at set points in the story, which are basically the battles with giant robots because Xeno series. There are 7 playable characters and 3 guests.
General impressions:
Being a long time fan of the series, this was a game I snatched up almost immediately after it was released. And I wasn't at all disappointed. I was wondering how they would address all of the changes made from I to II and I found that it rather cleverly combined both games in to a rather perfect blending of the strengths of each. I also loved that it wrapped up most of the questions and there were some awesome moments. The main complaint I have would be that they obviously rushed to finish it so Disc 2 was just non-stop one major thing after the other. Oh and also some bloody scenes are censored which kind of makes them make no sense unless you know what's going on.
Story:
Like the rest of the series, wonderful. We finally get to the bottom of a lot of the questions we had from the other two and the whole thing is brilliantly told, sucking you in and making you excited. There were so many water works from me this game! So many touching and sad moments and a bunch that were just really fun to watch. I also loved how in this game you can also go back and watch all of the scenes again in case you wanted to show someone some of them or just wanted to see them again because they were great. As far as complaints, it was rushed towards the end and it was a bit odd to have all new characters introduced for the last game in the series, but it was pulled off rather well considering.
Gameplay:
Finally this game was simplified for a player like me who enjoys that type of thing. No more having to read a guide on how to effectively use the complex system, it's just a good old fashion RPG style of battle. The one thing I didn't like was the abilities. Well kind of. You had set abilities for your characters which led to very little customization other than choosing in which order they would learn some of them. What I did like was the massively powerful end abilities you would get by learning all of them, which to me was a great way to show how the characters had grown and become super powerful after 3 games of fighting bad guys. It was a really great reward for the player who made the effort.
World:
Actually an improvement on the series although still not the best game world. This time around we had some towns to explore, a lot brighter and more interesting locations, and an ending location that had so many layers to it it was hard not to be impressed.
Characters:
Mostly the same as my other two reviews, although Shion is darn near unbearable this time around. Yeah, it's kind of plot relevant, but it was a bit disappointing because in the first game she was such a polite and kind woman who wasn't afraid to stand up for herself. By the time this game rolls around she's an obnoxious, verbally abusive spoiled brat. But we did get to use some series regulars in battle this time and one of them I could not be happier about.
Favourite character: MOMO kAKSrfg.jpg
Honourable mention: Jr., Miyuki m0PCaE2.jpg5XYxQbE.png
So no one is surprised by MOMO and Jr at this point, although sadly MOMO's role in the story this game was essentially non-existant, which is a shame. But she's adorable, she's an archer, and she's incredibly badass in battle this time around. Jr. Is still cool and a pretty well rounded character to use. Miyuki! I've always liked her so it was great to give her some more screen time and to actually be able to use her in battle for once. That was pretty awesome.
Overall this is my favourite game in the series. It ties the other two together in a great way, it has some beautiful and touching moments, the gameplay is made simpler, and it's just a great conclusion.
Probably the best of the trilogy, although I've only played it once and barely remember anything about it at all
I'm discussing my 108, er, 111 favorite games of all time in THIS THREAD so go check it out and join the conversation!
11. Tales of Xillia
Tales of Xillia gives the player the choice of two heroes, Milla, Lord of the Spirits, and Jude, a med student. The game is mostly the same no matter who you pick, but there are some differences and one major separate point. Milla has lost her ability to summon the spirits and warns that there is a dangerous weapon she must stop. Jude, not wanting to just ignore the dangerous weapon or Milla, decides to join her on her mission.
Tales of Xillia plays similar to a lot of the games in the series. You attack with the X button and use Arts with the O button. Using arts uses TP, which can be replenished by attacking. Characters can also link for joined attacks and support skills. The player can also accept quests for rewards. There are 6 playable characters, with 4 usable in battle at a time.
General impressions:
Tales of Xillia was my first ever Tales game. I'd heard a lot of good things about the series, but I'd never had a chance to play it myself. So off I went to Game Stop, where I had a few choices. Xillia looked the most interesting, but to be honest the art style displayed on the cover turned me off. Luckily for me (and no one else) the art style in game was much much closer to my tastes. Not only that but the game turned out to be great fun. I wasn't sure at first because I found the battle system quite confusing, but once I got the hang of it it was really good. I liked the characters, I had fun playing, and the plot twists kept me on my toes. It's what got me in to the rest of the series.
Story:
The story is a definite strong point to the game. I love the pacing, the unexpected twists and turns, and the way it was told. It was very easy to get immersed when playing the game and I always wanted to see what would happen next. There were a few less good parts (SPOILER)like Alvin's constant flopping back and forth, but overall it was really well told. Your enemy changes, the world changes, the information you have changes. Playing it again is certain to have a different feel because you have a different understanding of what's happening and why. Great fantasy story.
Gameplay:
As I mentioned, the gameplay had me confused at first, but after a while I got the hang of it and I found it quite fun. I liked linking up with others and doing combos, the battles were fast paced and fun. I loved being able to take control of whoever I wanted in battle while being able to have a separate character as my running around character. I'm also very happy with the fact that the game was set on easy and the game WAS EASY. Much plus points in my book. I also liked the battle quotes and the victory quotes, they made the game that much more amusing. Although I liked the option of choosing which of the two main heroes to follow, I'd say my main complaint was how uninteresting they made Jude seem at first. I was offered Lord of the Spirits and... med student. And I actually ended up liking Jude much much more, but I had chosen Milla because hers just seemed that much better from their initial scenes.
World:
I have two opinions on the world. (SPOILER)Well the two worlds. Rieze Maxia was gorgeous, absolutely stunning. Area after area kept my interest. (SPOILER)Elympios on the other hand was ugly and bland and I hated it. But I suppose it was intended to be that way for the most part, so... good job? My favourite area, although there were many I thought were stunning, would be the Kijara Seafalls and Kanbalar
Characters:
The characters were the best part of this game. Since this was my introduction to the series, it introduced me to the skits and things that I absolutely adore in Tales where the characters all interact with each other. They don't live off of the main character only, but they all have relationships between each other, which is awesome for making the game feel like an ensemble and makes it all feel more real. The characters themselves were really strong and I liked them all except Alvin and Milla, although I still appreciated their writing and development. Also, other then Milla, they all have pretty excellent footwear.
Favourite character: Elize QJPIUN4.jpg
Honourable mentions: Leia, Jude FNDJgXt.jpgORNCmam.jpg
Elize was my favourite because she's such a sweet girl. Even after being mistreated by the apple villagers, she still waves goodbye and doesn't hold it against them. I thought I Leia would get on my nerves, but once we I got to see beyond her loud and energetic exterior, I saw a kind young woman with some insecurities who always does her best for others. Jude grew on me as the game went on and I found him overall a rational and caring guy with some touching and funny moments.
Overall great story, great characters, fun gameplay. Hard to go wrong with this one, especially if you've never played a Tales game before. It's one of the best the series has to offer.
I still need to borrow Xillia from my friend who got me into Tales! Looks fantastic though.
I'm discussing my 108, er, 111 favorite games of all time in THIS THREAD so go check it out and join the conversation!
10. Tales of Xillia 2
I'm not feeling too great so I'm going to post this up now and go lay down
Speaking of which, we have now reached the top 10, yay!!
Are you excited? You should be! Only a few days left!
Tales of Xillia 2 is the sequel to Tales of Xillia, and I would not at all recommend playing it before completing the first one, unless you want everything spoiled for you. It's been a little while since the conclusion of the first game, and now we have our new her, Ludger, going to do some job related stuff. But things go kind of wonky for him and before you know it the whole gang is reunited and investigating the strange occurrences happening all around.
This game is played similar to the first Tales of Xillia and most of the Tales series. You attack with X and use arts with O, attacking and ending battles will replenish some TP for arts. Two characters can be linked together to give support skills to each other. You can also do combo attacks between characters that are linked together. Our hero Ludger also has a special skill that allows him to switch between several different weapon types and has a sort of rage mode as well. This game also has side chapters for your characters, relationship values, dialogue choices, and a kitty finding sidequest. Oh and tons and tons of debt to pay off. There are 9-10ish playable characters (can't explain without spoiling) and 4 usable in battle at a time. You can choose which character you control in battle.
General impressions:
This was one of my only first day purchases! This game is ranked barely above Xillia and it's hard to say how much it owes to the first game setting the ground work. But I do think there were some great improvements, such as relationship values (although I wish it could be between all characters) and dialogue choices. And finding kitties. But my favourite part was how they added character chapters since characters are my favourite parts and this way you get some extra special time with them. The story is great, the characters are still awesome (and there's more to use now too!), the gameplay is still really fun. Biggest complaints would be how much they push Ludger on you. Like for certain battles it's pretty clear you're supposed to use him instead of a character of your choosing and your stuck having him as your main running around character a lot which is boo. But other than that it's a great game!
Story:
Quite interesting, although the main story wasn't as good as Xillia. But I loved the way it was told and that there was more involvement from the player this time, so you felt more like you were in it rather than just being an observer. I also liked the more character centric plots as I mentioned. It also had some interesting moral dilemma's and there were quite a few moments that shocked me and left me wanting to know what would happen next.
Gameplay:
Just as fun as the last one so see most of my review on that. This game was still fast paced and exciting without being overly complicated. I liked that there were even more playable characters this time around and the weapon switching part was pretty neat. There was one absurdly difficult boss fight but other than that the game was easy, which I liked because I had it set on easy. And the kitty finding was adorable and fun and I loved it. Oh and the little end battle skits were cute as ever.
World:
So I still hate (SPOILER)Elymios although it was somewhat improved. Just so brown everywhere. But Rieze Maxia was as awesome as ever and there were still many beautiful areas to explore. The world was a bit expanded from the last game but overall it was largely the same.
Characters:
Still an incredibly strong cast, still had awesome interactions with each other, and I really don't have any complaints. It was great to see them after everything that happened and finding out what they were up to.
Favourite character: Elize IWisrz2.jpg
Honourable mentions: Leia, Jude YAXZvsU.jpg0xmuOHZ.jpg
No surprises here. It was nice to see Elize gain a bit more confidence in herself and have her school life going on. Leia's new outfit bugged the crap out of me at first but it's grown on me I have to admit. She's still a really sweet woman and I can't help but feel for her. Jude comes back better than ever (with worse hair) becoming more confident and secure and still being an overall good dude.
Overall this was an awesome game and it really did the first game justice. There were some improvements, the characters were still super awesome (now featuring their own chapters!) and you got to find kitties everywhere. Kitties everywhere! A lot of fun to play.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
