This Game Is Like FFXIII

[Forsaken Lover]

When discussing XIII elsewhere and some of its more irritating gameplay aspects, the topic of the frequent and nonsensical party split ups or limits was addressed. Another poster pointed out IX really wasn't any different.

And having just replayed it, I see his point. You use Steiner for, what, 10% of the first two disks? Maybe 15?
I WILL ESCAPE WITH YOU ALL!
NO WAIT, I WILL GO BACK WITH BEATRIX AND FREYA BECAUSE REASONS!

You are actually short a full party for the last half of Disk 1/first quarter of disk 2 unless you know about Quina. Speaking of him/her, I love how s/he just randomly leaves your party for the rest of Disk 2 once you get to the Mountain Path even though s/he's right smurfing there in Madain Sari.

People complain about how long it took XIII to "open up" or "give me complete control of my team." IX is no better in this regard.

[Formalhaut]

Comparing IX to XIII is a bold move, sir.

[Forsaken Lover]

I am a man of strong opinions and no life, which gives me ample time to argue them with people on the Internet.

[Wolf Kanno]

VI also pulled the split party mechanic but it was more of a short diversion.

It works better in IX than XIII if only because IX's classes are hardwired in whereas XIII's is slightly more fluid with the paradigm system, making the issue of getting a new party member in IX a bigger deal than it was XIII. Getting Fang was not as game changing as getting Freya for instance because Freya offered something completely new and different in terms of abilities and role in your party whereas Fang is a bit less special since you already have people who can do the same roles as her with only a three stats and some abilities creating any kind of variation. Even latecomers like Amarant and Eiko offered new dynamics to the party whereas the different ways each of the characters utilize the Paradigm Roles in XIII are pretty subtle and often still made many characters second rate compared to better options within the party.

It's the same reason why the switching party mechanic worked better in FFIV and VI because the characters did change the way you play the game. The biggest game changer to enter your party was getting Snow back as the player had been denied the Sentinel class and gaining that job finally ended most of the cheap leader kill deaths in the game. Of anything, I would say XIII is closer to IV, where the limited party options were meant as a means to keep the player on their toes because you didn't always have the same options. IX is probably closer to VI where new character introduce new moves and playstyles that change up party dynamics and options.

[charliepanayi]

I thought the splits in the party are very well explained. I think they are pretty clear on why Steiner decided to stick with Freya and Beatrix and fight with them. And Quina's absences are never unexplained, if you talk to one of the moogles in Madain Sari they say that Quina basically ran off/jumped into the ocean. Quina isn't just in Madain Sari all that time. Did you miss half the dialogue when playing the game or not bother talking to NPCs?

Plus, FFIX is just 10000000000000000000000 times better than FFXIII in general.

[Forsaken Lover]

Steiner gives the most half-assed reasons for going back with Beatrix and Freya. He also leaves Garnet. the princess he is sown to protect, completely in the hands of a person he has vehemently disliked most of the game.

And Quina comes out of the water in the Eiko's Kitchen ATEs. He's then just standing there with one of the moogles for the rest of Disk 2. There's no reason s/he couldn't come with to the Iifa Tree either time.

[Fynn]

The similarities are there, true

But XIII is terrible for a myriad of different reasons, IMO

[Mirage]

I didn't mind the party splitups in FF13, or any other game, really. What I did mind was the refusal of the game to let me play with all the battle mechanics when i already had limited choices in party setup.

[maybee]

FF IX has good characters though. FF IX isn't one big hallway of doom either as you have Alexandria to explore and head to the main show anytime you desire, and then Ice Cavern or train and even with Lindblum you can go outside with Zidane and level up a little. It also has a brilliant main story and main character that doesn't treat his main party like trout. Zidane is like the polar opposite of Lightning.

[Fynn]

Not to mention it doesn't restrict you to the degree FFXIII does in its gameplay. Far from it. Even with set job, this game still feels like I have so much more control over the battles and my characters' development than XIII with its idiotic Crystarium locks.

[Forsaken Lover]

Not really. You learn abilities off equipment so you are restricted until you get that equipment. I can no more learn Fira early with Vivi than I can with Hope.

The most you can do is level grind.

[Fynn]

Yes, but at least you can level grind. You have that option. There is no fake difficulty by restricting your progress so that you just can't be leveled sufficiently to completely overpower the boss of you so wish

[Forsaken Lover]

I didn't realize being forced to use your head was a bad thing.

[maybee]

Yes, but at least you can level grind. You have that option. There is no fake difficulty by restricting your progress so that you just can't be leveled sufficiently to completely overpower the boss of you so wish

There's also options in the game where you have the choice to just openly level grind- example The Evil Forest has a massive spot where you can just take Zidane, Vivi & Steiner and just grind till you are comfortable with their levels. There's also the part where Garnet & Steiner travel back to Alexandria and the end of CD 1 and you have a choice to go straight to the Grotto and go to Burmecia or level up around the world map, and there's also the choice of adding Quina to your party or just leaving the Qu behind for now.

FREEDOM AND CHOICE

THINGS FF 13 DO NOT HAVE !

[Fynn]

I didn't realize being forced to use your head was a bad thing.

Oh no, don't get me wrong. I had no problems with FFXIII whatsoever. My few game overs were when I accidentally stumbled into Adamantoises. The combat was easy and automatic, so I only wished I could make it go by faster