Final Fantasy XIII on the Xbox 360

[I-n-j-i-n]

Final Fantasy XII was awesome because you could scale your own difficulty. You wanna auto through the whole game(like a whole bunch of whiners here)? Fine. Wanna ATB it up like the rest? Do it. Wanna man up and take the whole game on active? Hat's off to ya. If you were just gonna set the game up to play by itself, you probably shouldn't even be playing to begin with.

If daring to be different and making an awesome game in the process is a flaw, well then you should probably go back to every other iteration of the series. God forbid a game series takes a step in a new direction.

The problem for me was that the ATB was essential. Without it, you're looking at a lot of meaningless grinding for just added difficulty? That's silly. And the limit breaks were probably the most disappointingly weak and stupid out of any FF games, ever. I think FFXII had a lot of great ideas, but it never got to its full potential. Especially near the end of the game, where every bosses and every items basically meant nothing. Just a few high level spells and you win, period.

As for X-2...was I the only sicko that enjoyed that game? Seriously, it wasn't that bad. Yeah, the girliness was a bit much at times and the story was less than memorable, but the battle system was probably the best the series has seen. It took the job system from FFV, made it more flexible by allowing you to change jobs during battle, ramped up the speed a bunch, and made everything more fluid, so that it felt like it was more real-time than turn-based. I kinda wish all these remakes would actually modify the gameplay a bit to play more like X-2.

X-2 was borderline-great for me. If people are saying 'the game is girly, Yuna has lost her mind' as a legitimate complaint about the game engine and how the story of Titus is finished, then I think they're out of their minds. They made the game as a spinoff and it felt like one. Good job on Square's part. I have no qualms about it. I agree the job changing system was probably one of the best in the main FF series.

I'm not trying to knock anyone down here, but FFXII was an achievement in terms of game presentation and quality, much like MGS4 or Resident Evil 4. I'm not saying that these games have no flaws(and I have several issues with FFXII myself), but they were landmarks regardless, and failure to at least acknowledge that, well... Is bad.

I'd only go as far as the design. The whole mature design aspect of it and the new look of Ivalice (which is more FFT territory). Then again, not much was really made of it by the end with the story and characters. I might actually think they have rushed it. The development for FFXII was in trouble for months on ends and I think the final product showed. The endgame was just flat for me. And I honestly can't remember one good line of dialog from the game. Because none of it really mattered. I don't think you can adequately compare it to MGS4 or RE4 which both had near-perfect gameplay. FFXII's gameplay is just heavily debatable at best IMO. I know it's well made. It's just not ubiquitously so.

4. Localization

This is big. FFXII has the strongest translation and english performance of any FF game to date. The dialogue is strong. The writing is solid. Gone are the awkward pauses and uncomfortable "Tidus laughing" scenes. The english localization team really nailed it this time and I hope we'll keep seeing this sort of quality.

I have to give a big MEH on that one. Technically, you're completely right. But creatively, they had nothing to work with. And someone needs to shoot Vaan. He's definitely more annoying than Tidus for me. At least FFX crew had something to work with as far as dialog went. In FFXII? Characters just standing around and mumbling stuff in the background doesn't count as dialog for me.

[Genjutsu74]

Wow, it's cool to see alot more people liked X-2 than I thought.

As for XII, I actually think the game could've benefitted from becoming a little more linear(just my opinion). It's a good game with a good story, but all the sidequests distracted me from it. I'm one of those people that has to get everything done before I continue in a game, including any sidequests. There were so many sidequests in the game, all popping up throughout the main part of the story, that I kept running off to finish those instead of focusing on the main story. By the time I got to the endgame, I had spent so much time on the sidequests and grinding, that I couldn't remember what the hell was going on. I never finished the game.

I think it would've helped if they had waited til the endgame to unlock a large chunk of those sidequests. At the very least, it would be easier to stay focused on the plot for people like me.

Another weakness in the game, for me, was the characters, or, more specifically, Vaan and Penelo. They were utterly pointless! Ashe, Basch, Balthier, and Fran all were great characters who had good personalities and backstories. Vaan(who the game tries to pass as the main character!) and Penelo were just kinda there for the ride. Vaan had a bit of the revenge factor going, but that's about it. The game would've been much better if they had just gone with a four character party and cut out Vaan and Penelo altogether, in my opinion.

Gilgamesh, however, was worth the price of admission, himself. 'MUHAHAHAHAH...OOF, AAAAIIII!' Classic.

[Malaki-LEGEND.sys]

But that was the whole point of Vaan and Penelo's character. They were just two street kids that got involved in something much bigger than the both of them. Yes Vaan was annoying, but sticking out like a sore thumb was what he was meant to do throughout the whole game. He was the voice of someone totally uninvolved. He didn't want to take down the empire. He hated them, but was waiting for someone else to do something about it. All he wanted to do was take Penelo and become a sky pirate. He was the commoner.

[sephfire]

Exactly. He and Penelo kind of represented the party's role in the story. With the exception of Ashe, none of them were special. They weren't secretly warriors from another dimension. They weren't amnesiacs or "chosen ones" or anything. They were completely unimportant people swept up into a conflict much greater than they were.

Is that better than the standard, character driven FF plot? I'm not sure. The character-driven type is much easier to get wrapped up in than FFXII's politic-driven plot. But I like the different story approach. It's an interesting change of pace.

[Gollgagh]

I still don't understand how Sephiroth could have known Cloud's name.

[Master_Yoshi]

I still don't understand how Sephiroth could have known Cloud's name.

*sigh* I'm a total geek for knowing this.

After Cloud stabs Sephiroth in the Nibel Mako Reactor, he goes to tend to Tifa. Sephiroth comes out holding Jenova's head, and Zack says "Cloud, finish him off." I should think Sephiroth would have figured it out then

Although this is becoming a departure for the conversation entirely. Is anyone else excited by the prospect that S-E might now consider making KH sequels on the haxbox360?

[DJ Mighty]

I have still yet to finish FFXll but i want to and eventually will. I have a problem lately staying involved in just one game. I still need to finish Zelda TP as well.

As for FFX-2, i loved the battle system. Fighting was alot of fun for me but the story eventually started becoming very uninteresting and boring, and the Charlies Angels theme got more annoying as the game went on. My goal was to just finish it so i can say i did but i wouldnt do it again. plus i think it made me a little bi-curious for a little while.....

[DJ Mighty]

*sigh* I'm a total geek for knowing this.

After Cloud stabs Sephiroth in the Nibel Mako Reactor, he goes to tend to Tifa. Sephiroth comes out holding Jenova's head, and Zack says "Cloud, finish him off." I should think Sephiroth would have figured it out then

Although this is becoming a departure for the conversation entirely. Is anyone else excited by the prospect that S-E might now consider making KH sequels on the haxbox360?

everyone has there geek moments, i was watching previews at the movies before WANTED and there was a ABC series coming out called Samurai Girl, and they played the music from BUFFY: The Vampire Slayer (series), and i decided to say out loud, "Thats from Buffy". Hummed the next verse and sure enough i was right and when i realized what just happened i put my head down and ate my popcorn.

[Gollgagh]

*sigh* I'm a total geek for knowing this.

After Cloud stabs Sephiroth in the Nibel Mako Reactor, he goes to tend to Tifa. Sephiroth comes out holding Jenova's head, and Zack says "Cloud, finish him off." I should think Sephiroth would have figured it out then

Yes but even then, he's not *familiar* with Cloud.

If you were a bad-ass, top-ranked soldier that wanted to become a god, would you care about the name of some half-assed cocky little shit that just tried to stab you?

It doesn't add up.

[DJ Mighty]

Yes but even then, he's not *familiar* with Cloud.

If you were a bad-ass, top-ranked soldier that wanted to become a god, would you care about the name of some half-assed cocky little shit that just tried to stab you?

It doesn't add up.

if someone threw me over a ledge i would remember them............

[kupernikus]

Yes but even then, he's not *familiar* with Cloud.

If you were a bad-ass, top-ranked soldier that wanted to become a god, would you care about the name of some half-assed cocky little shit that just tried to stab you?

It doesn't add up.

If you were a bad-ass, top-ranked soldier that wanted to become a god, would you forget the name of some half assed cocky little shit that just tossed you over a ledge when you ran your sword through him? Lets face it, Cloud pulled some grade A heroics right there with pulling himself back to the ledge by further impaling himself, and then tossing sephiroth.

[relyanCe]

Well, I'm not surprised that FFXIII is going multi-platform. In fact, It will make it easier for me to choose which console to buy (officially X-360).

Anyway, i just wanna throw my opinion in on why I didn't like X-2. Yes, the combat was fresh, and it was all-in-all a pretty game, but... The plot completely ruined FFX for me... remember FFX's plot? How many good things happened in that story? The plot was amazing in that so many bad things happened. It could genuinely depress you. Even the ending was more bitter than sweet! And then FFX-2 walks in... the opening is a pop concert, three charlie's angels wannabe hop around looking for... spheres... And the ending completely turned around everything that was good about FFX. Also, the game just seemed to be such a step down from X. In FFX, your enemy was a killer monster the size of Texas, and in X-2, your ultimate enemy is... some lovesick guy with a giant gun... I dunno, I'm not saying X-2 was a bad game, just saying i didn't like it much myself.

[kupernikus]

Well, I'm not surprised that FFXIII is going multi-platform. In fact, It will make it easier for me to choose which console to buy (officially X-360).

Anyway, i just wanna throw my opinion in on why I didn't like X-2. Yes, the combat was fresh, and it was all-in-all a pretty game, but... The plot completely ruined FFX for me... remember FFX's plot? How many good things happened in that story? The plot was amazing in that so many bad things happened. It could genuinely depress you. Even the ending was more bitter than sweet! And then FFX-2 walks in... the opening is a pop concert, three charlie's angels wannabe hop around looking for... spheres... And the ending completely turned around everything that was good about FFX. Also, the game just seemed to be such a step down from X. In FFX, your enemy was a killer monster the size of Texas, and in X-2, your ultimate enemy is... some lovesick guy with a giant gun... I dunno, I'm not saying X-2 was a bad game, just saying i didn't like it much myself.

Good point, I hadn't thought of it that way before.

[jayc4life]

Gilgamesh, however, was worth the price of admission, himself. 'MUHAHAHAHAH...OOF, AAAAIIII!' Classic.

Whoever decided to bring John DiMaggio back and give him that role, deserves one of these Also, the reworked Clash On The Big Bridge was fantastic. i was humming it for days afterwards.

However, back on the topic at hand.

This is the shit hitting the proverbial fan for Sony. While slowly they've been able to get ports of previously 360/Windows only games like Lost Planet and BioShock which is also being ported soon, they've just lost what they were hoping to be one of their biggest third-party exclusives. While the 360 has probably near-peaked now, XIII will make the most of the 360's capabilities, but I just have to sit and wonder how everything will come into perspective when SquareEnix sit down and start translating PS3 dev-code and stuff like that over to 360. It's probably not a complicated process, but i still think while it'll max the 360 out, there'll still be room for improvement in the PS3 version as to levels of hardware usage.

Spoken like a true fanboy

[sgx]

I don't think it is really a big deal for Sony. FF is a pretty big franchise, yes, but it isn't THAT big - especially today. There are a lot more casual gamers and fratboy Call of Duty/Halo type gamers compared to say, 1997 when FFVII was huge. Those gamers don't give a crap about girly-men fighting using a menu system. There are still plenty of JRPG fans, probably more than 10 years ago, but there are magnitudes more of the types of gamers that aren't interested. Sony has plenty of stuff that will appeal to those folks. Face it, FF is approaching niche.

FF still is a big money maker, but Call of Duty, Halo, Guitar Hero, Petz, and Wii junk make more. FF may seem like a big deal to us on message boards and enthusiast press, but that is because most of us give a damn about FF or know plenty who do.

It's not that big of a deal.

[kupernikus]

I don't think it is really a big deal for Sony. FF is a pretty big franchise, yes, but it isn't THAT big - especially today. There are a lot more casual gamers and fratboy Call of Duty/Halo type gamers compared to say, 1997 when FFVII was huge. Those gamers don't give a crap about girly-men fighting using a menu system. There are still plenty of JRPG fans, probably more than 10 years ago, but there are magnitudes more of the types of gamers that aren't interested. Sony has plenty of stuff that will appeal to those folks. Face it, FF is approaching niche.

FF still is a big money maker, but Call of Duty, Halo, Guitar Hero, Petz, and Wii junk make more. FF may seem like a big deal to us on message boards and enthusiast press, but that is because most of us give a damn about FF or know plenty who do.

It's not that big of a deal.

But, Microsoft has been getting the other big games first, and How many people do you know where waiting for more games to come out before they bought a PS3? I still havent bought one, I've got my brothers ps3 and the only game I own is MGS4. Those other games? I own them on my 360. If sony starts losing their A list exclusives, even if their "only" 1 and 2 million sellers, thats still a lot of lost money.

[relyanCe]

I don't think it is really a big deal for Sony. FF is a pretty big franchise, yes, but it isn't THAT big - especially today. There are a lot more casual gamers and fratboy Call of Duty/Halo type gamers compared to say, 1997 when FFVII was huge. Those gamers don't give a crap about girly-men fighting using a menu system. There are still plenty of JRPG fans, probably more than 10 years ago, but there are magnitudes more of the types of gamers that aren't interested. Sony has plenty of stuff that will appeal to those folks. Face it, FF is approaching niche.

FF still is a big money maker, but Call of Duty, Halo, Guitar Hero, Petz, and Wii junk make more. FF may seem like a big deal to us on message boards and enthusiast press, but that is because most of us give a damn about FF or know plenty who do.

It's not that big of a deal.

This is a really good point. FFXIII may be big, but I'm pretty GH Halo and COD have just about the same amount of raving fans, just they haven't been big for as long. Everyone who's psyched about FFXIII is that way because they always have been for FF games.

[Master_Yoshi]

I honestly don't think CoD has as many raving fans as the FF series. Honestly I would say that "Military shooter" is a bit more of a niche market than JRPG. Still though, you do bring up a good point.

Still though, the fact that the PS3 is losing exclusives has got to hurt. Really, what notable exclusives do they have now, other than MGS? Oh and God of war...

[The Damned]

I like the Final Fantasies where you hit people with swords, it's pretty cool like that.

[relyanCe]

I honestly don't think CoD has as many raving fans as the FF series. Honestly I would say that "Military shooter" is a bit more of a niche market than JRPG. Still though, you do bring up a good point.

Still though, the fact that the PS3 is losing exclusives has got to hurt. Really, what notable exclusives do they have now, other than MGS? Oh and God of war...

I haven't heard much news but I'm pretty sure Killzone 2 is still PS3 exclusive. Also, Resistance is gaining quite a base, and if it stays exclusive, it could really help out.

Y'know what the PS3 REALLY needs??

CRASH BANDICOOT AND SPYRO!!!!

That would be gg.

[Gollgagh]

I would buy them were they good.

[sgx]

But, Microsoft has been getting the other big games first, and How many people do you know where waiting for more games to come out before they bought a PS3? I still havent bought one, I've got my brothers ps3 and the only game I own is MGS4. Those other games? I own them on my 360. If sony starts losing their A list exclusives, even if their "only" 1 and 2 million sellers, thats still a lot of lost money.

Well I think that Sony has about the same amount of A-list exclusive stuff as MS. I don't think they'll lose Resistance, Killzone, Little Big Planet, Infamous, Gran Turismo, etc. All of those are likely to sell extremely well. Put that against Gears 2, Fable 2, Halo Wars (yawn). Most 3rd party developers have gotten used to developing multiplatform for both, so I highly doubt that you'll see any more high-profile 3rd party stuff come out like Bioshock only on xbox. It's pretty even as I see it.

The Playstation brand is extremely strong too - PS3 has been mostly outselling xbox since the beginning of this year in the US, and it has been doing even better in lots of European markets. I think it is pretty clear that currently, the xbox library is quite a bit stronger than the PS3's, but people are still grabbing that expensive PS3 over the Xbox recently. I've got buddies who are gamers on and off (they like GTA's, Maddens, random other things) and when they say they want a PS3, I ask why not the 360. They say "I don't know...I liked my PS2."

[sgx]

I honestly don't think CoD has as many raving fans as the FF series. Honestly I would say that "Military shooter" is a bit more of a niche market than JRPG. Still though, you do bring up a good point.

Still though, the fact that the PS3 is losing exclusives has got to hurt. Really, what notable exclusives do they have now, other than MGS? Oh and God of war...

Looking at vgcharts.com, FFXII, a game launched at the end of the PS2's life, where there were bajillions of PS2's out there, sold 5.2 million copies worldwide to date. Call of Duty 4 for xbox 360 has sold 6.2 million world wide and ps3 - 3.4m.

[jayc4life]

Games developed by Sony-owned and Microsoft-owned development houses don't count, as they'll never be ported unless they sell their IPs.

It's a fair point to make though, XII nearly put Square Enix out of business (reading the backstory behind Yiazmat from XII made sense that way) and they want to recoup as much as possible by making their games available to a much more wider audience in order to boost sales and take in a higher profit margin. It's a viable option, whether us fanboys (and maybe girls) all like it or not.

From the Final Fantasy Wiki:

The title of the hunt is "End of a Legend", a reference to how he (Yazumi Ma had to leave the company before the game was complete and the story that Montblanc tells is a reference to how the development team felt about him, albeit with a different end.

Another theory is that Yiazmat is the game's depiction of Matsuno, and the moogles being the development team and their master being Square Enix. Matsuno prolonging the game killed Square Enix "financially" and the development team felt Matsuno had to be slain as retribution for his actions. The hunt title basically says "Farewell" to a Legendary monster - Yiazmat - both being an homage and an insult to the director.

[Chris8282]

I don't know if this has been posted before, but here an absolutely, classic video . . By far the FUNNNNIIIIESSSTTT video I have EVAAAARRR!!!! seen . . It's a PS3 fanboy freaking out like I've never seen before about this.

http://www.maxconsole.net/?mode=news&newsid=29620