Played it again and actually tried to use the battle system with "skill" and the results were mostly the same, except I used less potions between fights. I do appreciate that rolling to evade isn't as bulltrout as it usually is in games like KH or CC, where it practically makes you invincible if you get the timing right. Still, I didn't feel like playing with skill versus just trading blows did anything to offset the core issues I've noticed of your party being way too tanky to worry about anything. I also can't seem to get Barret to ever get his Limit Break to activate cause he just never takes much damage. The partner A.I. is a bit passive, and I can't seem to figure out how to just tell them to attack a certain enemy that doesn't require using magic or an ability.

Also, why do the Guard Hounds have to be staggered? I mean I get it with the Sweeper and Guard Scorpion, but it was weird that the Guard Dog can take enough of a beating to get staggered first. Again, I feel this mechanic just slows down combat and adds artificial difficulty in order to stretch out fights as opposed to making enemies a bigger threat.

I did spend a bit more time just looking around at things and spotted a few interesting tidbits.


  • I spotted another Compilation reference. There is a poster in the entrance way area, pass the opening train stop, that references Banora with an advertisement for a Banora apples flavored drink. Banora being the hometown of Angeal and Genesis in Crisis Core.
  • For those wondering why Barret calls Cloud "Stamp", it is apparently because Stamp the Dog is a fictional, possibly military, cartoon figure that is popular in the world. How do I know this? Because there is a torn poster detailing the new book about the pup on one of the walls just before you get the tutorial for Shinra boxes.
  • Cloud being relegated to the Fire Materia, instead of having his Blizzard and Thunder Materia like the original is a double reference. In the original Dissidia, Fire magic was the only magic he could use in his move set; but this itself is a reference to Crisis Core, because one of the formulas for making a Fire Materia in Materia Fusion was combing a Thunder and Blizzard materia together. The more you know.