Lightning Returns in a Shorter, More Action-Oriented Final Fantasy

[ScrabbitRabbit]

Imagine if Activision announced that in order to be successful in the next CoD you would need to utilize RTS skills.

Erm, well, actually... [http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/723361/black-ops-2-gameplay-details-revealed-rts-elements-branching-story-and-more/]

Maybe December really will be the end of the world...

 

[Lunar Templar]

Square Enix has also changed the combat system significantly, making fights far more active. The ATB gauge from the other Final Fantasy XIII games makes a reapparance, but the way it's used is rather different here - instead of inputting commands via a menu, abilities are assigned to buttons on the controller, and players will be able to move freely around the battlefield rather than being rooted to the spot. Some areas of battle will reportedly be timing-based as well, though whether this is just a synonym for "quick-time events" or will allow for something deeper is unclear at the moment. To allow players to better concentrate on the more active system, Lightning will fight by herself.

This is a HUGE step in the right direction in terms of gameplay. I think I'm gonna look forward to an FF13 title for once.

cept .... Parasite Eve did it first, back in the late 90s .... with both PS1 games >.> so, nothing new here

 

[Frontastic]

I've never played an FF but I may pick this one up. Real-time doomsday clock sounds fun.

 

[Madmanonfire]

Square Enix has also changed the combat system significantly, making fights far more active. The ATB gauge from the other Final Fantasy XIII games makes a reapparance, but the way it's used is rather different here - instead of inputting commands via a menu, abilities are assigned to buttons on the controller, and players will be able to move freely around the battlefield rather than being rooted to the spot. Some areas of battle will reportedly be timing-based as well, though whether this is just a synonym for "quick-time events" or will allow for something deeper is unclear at the moment. To allow players to better concentrate on the more active system, Lightning will fight by herself.

This is a HUGE step in the right direction in terms of gameplay. I think I'm gonna look forward to an FF13 title for once.

cept .... Parasite Eve did it first, back in the late 90s .... with both PS1 games >.> so, nothing new here

I was unaware that the existence of a game from over a decade ago has an impact on how fun this game may turn out to be. Or when I said this may be fun because it was new.

 

[Lunar Templar]

Square Enix has also changed the combat system significantly, making fights far more active. The ATB gauge from the other Final Fantasy XIII games makes a reapparance, but the way it's used is rather different here - instead of inputting commands via a menu, abilities are assigned to buttons on the controller, and players will be able to move freely around the battlefield rather than being rooted to the spot. Some areas of battle will reportedly be timing-based as well, though whether this is just a synonym for "quick-time events" or will allow for something deeper is unclear at the moment. To allow players to better concentrate on the more active system, Lightning will fight by herself.

This is a HUGE step in the right direction in terms of gameplay. I think I'm gonna look forward to an FF13 title for once.

cept .... Parasite Eve did it first, back in the late 90s .... with both PS1 games >.> so, nothing new here

I was unaware that the existence of a game from over a decade ago has an impact on how fun this game may turn out to be. Or when I said this may be fun because it was new.

*shrugs*
stil rather go back and PE they any FF past 9

 

[Lunar Templar]

I'll never understand the hate FFX gets. So the voice acting was a little grating at times (It's so much worse in Japanese, don't make me link the proof). It still had a great combat system (simple but effective) tons of stuff to do, second best mini-game ever, and a plot I enjoyed more than any other FF game. It's my favorite FF of all time (none of the others come close, though I've beaten all but 11 and 13)

i don't hate FF10, it just not a square game i consider a 'go to' game. its good, by and larger i think its the last decent, let alone good FF game made, it's just not a 'go to' game, like PE is (all time fave square game next to Enihander)

 

[PunkRex]

Moon: Hey guys, whats going on in this thr-... oh my gawd...

Okay kidding, seriously Lightning was one of the more bearable characters in FF13 so yeah, proberly a better choice to focus on then, say, Hope... *shudder*

 

[Lord Quirk]

The Majora's Mask clock mechanic worked quite well (MM is by far my favourite Zelda game) because you had control over the time all the time. You could fast-forward, slow down and rewind time at your leisure. Unless Lightning Returns uses a system similar to this, it won't work. Then again, I despise Lightning and the FFXIII games anyway, I almost certainly won't be getting this. I don't mind so much that they've thrown Versus XIII out of a window, but can they at least, y'know, make something that isn't this? Please? For me?

 

[PunkRex]

I'll never understand the hate FFX gets. So the voice acting was a little grating at times (It's so much worse in Japanese, don't make me link the proof). It still had a great combat system (simple but effective) tons of stuff to do, second best mini-game ever, and a plot I enjoyed more than any other FF game. It's my favorite FF of all time (none of the others come close, though I've beaten all but 11 and 13)

i don't hate FF10, it just not a square game i consider a 'go to' game. its good, by and larger i think its the last decent, let alone good FF game made, it's just not a 'go to' game, like PE is (all time fave square game next to Enihander)

I don't like 10 because of the aesthetics, its bloody messy, real messy. Compare it to 7, 8 (which I also didn't really like) or 9 (me fave) and it just looks pants, cheap 2nd hand pants baught off a clown combined with a bright purple corset and googles... lots and lots of goolges.

 

[antipunt]

Will Lightning no longer look like some weird cosplay battle maiden >_>

 

[Erja_Perttu]

I'll never understand the hate FFX gets. So the voice acting was a little grating at times (It's so much worse in Japanese, don't make me link the proof). It still had a great combat system (simple but effective) tons of stuff to do, second best mini-game ever, and a plot I enjoyed more than any other FF game. It's my favorite FF of all time (none of the others come close, though I've beaten all but 11 and 13)

i don't hate FF10, it just not a square game i consider a 'go to' game. its good, by and larger i think its the last decent, let alone good FF game made, it's just not a 'go to' game, like PE is (all time fave square game next to Enihander)

I don't like 10 because of the aesthetics, its bloody messy, real messy. Compare it to 7, 8 (which I also didn't really like) or 9 (me fave) and it just looks pants, cheap 2nd hand pants baught off a clown combined with a bright purple corset and googles... lots and lots of goolges.

Of all the things to say about X, your major gripe is that it looks bad? That's a new one.

OT: Nope, I'm out, bored now. I'm Final Fantasy'd out. Unless it's got an enormous purple talking octopus disrupting an opera. Seriously, where did all the weird funny stuff go in the franchise, I'm sick of everyone being so damn earnest all the time. Screw it, I want to race Chocobos and get turned into a pig if I talk to the wrong person!

 

[TakeyB0y2]

Also... Lightning HAD a happy ending already... in Final Fantasy XIII. If they had just let her well enough alone, she'd have been just fine and dandy.

You know who DIDN'T have a happy ending in FF13? Fang and Vanille. What about them? Are they still frozen as crystals for all eternity? Do they not deserve a happy ending far more than "punch my friends" Lightning ever did?

Actually you just reminded me of something. I remember reading before XIII-2 came out that it was going to focus on the question "Is Lightning really happy?" and... Well... It certainly didn't touch on that at all.

Anyways, I actually did enjoy XIII-2 quite a lot (except Academia-400AF; it's a great grinding area, but if you're actually just looking for something there encounter rate is WAAAAYYY to fricken' high... WAAAAAY too high), although it was funny looking back on XIII and realizing that XIII-2 had almost NOTHING to do with XIII except for using the same characters. Seriously, did anyone EVER mention a goddess in XIII? Because in XIII-2 people don't shut up about her.

I actually do want to know how this trilogy ends... Which is quite the shift from when I played XIII and found it to be a very very mediocre experience, but XIII-2 made me change my mind.

 

[FantomOmega]

Someone should tell Squenix that this ISN'T what people mean when they talk about "catching Lighting in a bottle."

After completing the game AND getting the platinum Trophy I confirmed my sneaking suspicions that I might be a closet masochist

The battles was the ONLY interesting thing going for this game (because its 'different') and that was hardly a complement since everything else basically SUCKED

Beyond the odd weather phenomenon of Lighting striking Snow in broad daylight (rim-shot) the story was dull, over-dramatic and all of the interesting stuff I had to read in the MENU, this is not good exposition at all SquareEnix!!


And now to hear that your still trying to drag the FXIII carcass out the ditch for a THIRD TIME???

I'm at my limit here, bring out VERSUS already!!

Thank goodness that the other Tales games are getting localized at last for next year, at least I'll have something POSITIVE to look forward too in terms of JRPGS and having to bear with Western RPGs (theyre not ALL bad mind you) for sooo long, I need a change of pace

Man I miss the PS2 days....

 

[GenGenners]

Sounds like Majora's Mask. I don't think many people will be happy to hear this news

Nope. Some people are like me and like to search every square inch of a game to get the most enjoyment out of it. I don't like an arbitrary clock trying to hurry me up because the game is so impatient it can't wait for me to explore. It's why I hated dead rising 2.

^This.
THIS. Word for word, exactly this!
I love you

 

[Winterfel]

Really.. 50% moaning over how much -they- hated 13 & 13-2.
Good thing different people don't like different things otherwise most of the arguments in this thread would be null and void.. oh, wait.

 

[GenGenners]

I'll never understand the hate FFX gets. So the voice acting was a little grating at times (It's so much worse in Japanese, don't make me link the proof). It still had a great combat system (simple but effective) tons of stuff to do, second best mini-game ever, and a plot I enjoyed more than any other FF game. It's my favorite FF of all time (none of the others come close, though I've beaten all but 11 and 13)

i don't hate FF10, it just not a square game i consider a 'go to' game. its good, by and larger i think its the last decent, let alone good FF game made, it's just not a 'go to' game, like PE is (all time fave square game next to Enihander)

I don't like 10 because of the aesthetics, its bloody messy, real messy. Compare it to 7, 8 (which I also didn't really like) or 9 (me fave) and it just looks pants, cheap 2nd hand pants baught off a clown combined with a bright purple corset and googles... lots and lots of goolges.

There are good reasons for that, the main one being that they switched their world influence.
1 through 6, and then 9, were all were based on traditional western medieval 'knights in shining armour, dragons, castles and princesses' types of themes. 7 and 8 tried the mix modern elements into the style.
However, this was both getting old and alienating it's home (Japanese) audience. So, when 10's development rolled around, they deliberately shifted to use traditional asian/oriental/eastern themes instead. Personally, I like 10's style. If I want sword & sorcery tales, I'll play one of the millions of other 'high-fantasy' games out there.

Also, the old games were actually kinda messy too, you just never noticed because of the graphical limitations.

 

[duchaked]

personally I have a countdown to when they'll finally move on from XIII, but then again I'm not exactly hopping up and down for FF anymore these days :[

 

[Mirroga]

Square Enix, take your sweet time please. We don't want you rushing games like this. And this game should've been Versus. Where's Versus AND KH3?

 

[vasudean]

I don't think they should work on another branch off from FFXIII. I don't even think they should be making another Final Fantasy game for a while. Final Fantasy 13 was a lot of problems from the entire JRPG genre rolled up into one with a few more added. Stunningly bad story, cut-scenes that drag on with little sense as to why it's there, paint-by-numbers characters, ineffectual protagonists(I'm looking at you Hope), fortune cookie style life lessons, arbitrary padding, and to top it all off, graphical fidelity over overall quality of the product. What they also added to it was the stripping of the open-world exploration that Final Fantasy was at once proud to tout.

To me, FF6 was one of the last truly good Final Fantasy games. The game had charm, it wasn't afraid to take shots at itself and the characters were overall fun or interesting to listen to. What I think they should do is shelve the franchise for a while to give themselves perspective and give more attention to the other franchises that they're just sitting on. I mean it's kind of hard to truly make a great product if they insist on forcing themselves to make another without stopping and taking a breather. Like what they say, you can't chop down a tree with a dull axe.