EoFF RPG Thunderdome 2020 Round 2

[Wolf Kanno]

Next round begins in the EoFF Thunderdome. This time we're basing the criteria on Battle mechanics! Which game has the better battle system?

Ys: Oath of Felghana
YsOathEnglishBoxArt.jpg

vs.

Final Fantasy XIII
A_1280x1024.jpg

[Karifean]

lol

[Slothy]

I don't even know what Ys battle system is like I just know it couldn't possibly bore me more than FFXIII.

[Lord Golbez]

I'm not a huge Ys fan, but the gameplay is fairly standard action RPG fare from what I've played. Nothing stellar, but no huge complaints. FFXIII on the other hand has pretty much the worst version of ATB ever.

[remy5623]

Final Fantasy XIII might just have my favorite battle system of any RPG. I often feel like I'm just button-mashing in action RPGs, and turn-based systems often feel too strategic, too deliberate. FFXIII strikes the perfect balance between those extremes. Auto-battle keeps you from needing to micro-manage your character's actions, but paradigms still give you plenty of control over what your party does. What you end up with is a battle system that relies not on reflexes, and not on strategy, but on timing and rhythm. In the more difficult battles, you have to time your paradigm shifts precisely, counting the seconds in each battle animation, and anticipating your enemy's next moves. A paradigm shift at just the right moment can turn the tide, and a late paradigm shift can spell doom for even the most prepared parties. At its best, FFXIII feels a bit like playing music with a new band - at first it's pretty awkward while you're still getting a feel for the rhythm, but at some point it clicks, and once you've found the rhythm, everything just flows perfectly. And even when you're just grinding for CP, and the battles start to get boring, you can't beat that camera. It's dynamic in a way that very few game cameras have the freedom for during combat, and the way it frames the action is always gorgeous.

[Fynn]

I haven’t reached Oath in Felghana yet, but Ys has been pretty exciting in my experience so far. Unfortunately, I don’t really have anything nice to say about XIII’s battle mechanics, personally.

[Del Murder]

I meant to click Ys but my finger slipped. Well, at least I played FFXIII.

[WarZidane]

Admittedly Ys doesn't really try to do anything super unique, but it's just a solid action combat system. I didn't dislike XIII's combat as much as some people 'round these parts but yeah, I'm gonna go with Ys here.

[maybee]

Missed the poll ! Would've voted for Ys though. Not a fan of the whole MC = game over deal.

[Spuuky]

Just for the record it's also a game over if the main character dies in Ys

[Fynn]

But for most Ys games Adol is your only character, so it’s more justified. I think it’s not actually the case in games with a party.

[remy5623]

Yeah, game over when the MC dies is ridiculous when you have a party. One of the few things I don't like about FFXIII.

[maybee]

Yeah, game over when the MC dies is ridiculous when you have a party. One of the few things I don't like about FFXIII.

^

[Lord Golbez]

It's unfortunately not such an uncommon design choice. Persona 3 (can't remember if the later entries kept this), Okage, and FFT (well Ramza can die, but if he turns into a crystal it's over) are some examples that come to mind.

[qwertysaur]

It's unfortunately not such an uncommon design choice. Persona 3 (can't remember if the later entries kept this)

They do