Zero Punctuation: Final Fantasy XIII
- Thread starter Yahtzee Croshaw
- Start date
I've got to agree that there's no reason they had to have the Datalog giving backstory, for sure.
However, I disagree about Hope; the main thing about JRPGs is that they (attempt to) continue character development throughout the entire game. Hope gets MUCH less bitchy later on.
Also, I really don't understand the Vanille hate; not only does she develop later on, but I don't find her all that annoying or illogical in the first place. Her and Lightning were the only characters I could stand at the beginning.
I do honestly have to wonder why Yahtzee reviewed FFXIII. While it was definitely really amusing... he doesn't even likearomatherapy candles JRPGs.
However, I disagree about Hope; the main thing about JRPGs is that they (attempt to) continue character development throughout the entire game. Hope gets MUCH less bitchy later on.
Also, I really don't understand the Vanille hate; not only does she develop later on, but I don't find her all that annoying or illogical in the first place. Her and Lightning were the only characters I could stand at the beginning.
I do honestly have to wonder why Yahtzee reviewed FFXIII. While it was definitely really amusing... he doesn't even like
Hilarious. I don't agree, but hilarious.
With what? Oh, that part's easy. You see, there are some things that Yahtzee has right. Angstiness is angsty, there are similarities here with the other games, it IS rather linear, and other things. Other things...eh, not so much. Lemme put this into perspective. The first time I played Final Fantasy was FF7. This was when the company was making its bold new premier on the new system at the time, the original Playstation. I was impressed, and a good time was had by all. This allowed me to get started on the new generation of RPGs before the old ones (though I didn't enjoy FF8). Then, I went back in time because I'm also an old-schooler, playing the previous games and being fairly impressed there too (except for FF4).
Ah, the point is how one experiences things. Not to say his way is wrong. Yahtzee's older than me, so of course he got in old school first. The point is this... I have the game (on PS3), and the only reason I've stopped playing is because of a boss fight I'm stuck on. I didn't endure five hours. I enjoyed about six. Yes, Hope is a pain in the neck. He's got issues and we all know it. The name is hilariously ironic, doubly so as I have watched Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei (So Long, Mr. Despair). As for the apparently-clueless and bubbly teenager? Heh, she's the narrator. You can tell in the first act. Nevermind. It's not important.
People will be arguing stuff over this game without his help. Doesn't matter if he plunks in his two cents.
With what? Oh, that part's easy. You see, there are some things that Yahtzee has right. Angstiness is angsty, there are similarities here with the other games, it IS rather linear, and other things. Other things...eh, not so much. Lemme put this into perspective. The first time I played Final Fantasy was FF7. This was when the company was making its bold new premier on the new system at the time, the original Playstation. I was impressed, and a good time was had by all. This allowed me to get started on the new generation of RPGs before the old ones (though I didn't enjoy FF8). Then, I went back in time because I'm also an old-schooler, playing the previous games and being fairly impressed there too (except for FF4).
Ah, the point is how one experiences things. Not to say his way is wrong. Yahtzee's older than me, so of course he got in old school first. The point is this... I have the game (on PS3), and the only reason I've stopped playing is because of a boss fight I'm stuck on. I didn't endure five hours. I enjoyed about six. Yes, Hope is a pain in the neck. He's got issues and we all know it. The name is hilariously ironic, doubly so as I have watched Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei (So Long, Mr. Despair). As for the apparently-clueless and bubbly teenager? Heh, she's the narrator. You can tell in the first act. Nevermind. It's not important.
People will be arguing stuff over this game without his help. Doesn't matter if he plunks in his two cents.
I hated CC only because its like they were trying to use the MUCH better Secret of Mana system to try and con us mana fans into playing the FF series (And the fact it had a game ending glitch... which I got...)TheodoreLuke said:
BTW., you have some hot second lips that you play instruments with
If I were Yahtzee and I could only tolerate 5 hours of the game then I'd have chosen not to review it, however the Escapist pays him to review and play them so he doesn't really have much of a choice.
Though regardless of the message of the review I'll say that at least Yahtzee was honest when he said that he had only played the game for 5 hours, if I were in his shoes I'd have lied through my teeth and claimed I'd played for at least 20 hours, it would appear as though I attempted to tolerate more.
Regardless, I bought my copy of FF-XIII a bit over a week ago along with BFBC2 (BFBC2 is like MW if it was shit) and DA:O, and having played DA:O every hour since then you can understand why I've not touched it yet, almost 200 hours logged, all the DLC purchased and I'm still loving the game just as much as ever! Though the more I looked at FF-XIII the less keen I was on my purchase, it seems so daunting, especially since the few JRPG's I've dealt with so far have been quite shit (especially that dreadful DMC4). Yahtzee has to keep people entertained with laughs whilst critiquing a game, so he obviously takes the piss out of it more than necessary, meaning that one needs to take anything he says with a grain of salt. Therefor since I already have the game I'll be wading into it very soon, but not before I finish LOVING DA:O (Yeah, I'm late to the DA:O party, but shit it's awesome!).
I'd also like to congratulate this particular review for having the most responses in ZP history and needless to say the highest first day response rate of any ZP video as well.
Though regardless of the message of the review I'll say that at least Yahtzee was honest when he said that he had only played the game for 5 hours, if I were in his shoes I'd have lied through my teeth and claimed I'd played for at least 20 hours, it would appear as though I attempted to tolerate more.
Regardless, I bought my copy of FF-XIII a bit over a week ago along with BFBC2 (BFBC2 is like MW if it was shit) and DA:O, and having played DA:O every hour since then you can understand why I've not touched it yet, almost 200 hours logged, all the DLC purchased and I'm still loving the game just as much as ever! Though the more I looked at FF-XIII the less keen I was on my purchase, it seems so daunting, especially since the few JRPG's I've dealt with so far have been quite shit (especially that dreadful DMC4). Yahtzee has to keep people entertained with laughs whilst critiquing a game, so he obviously takes the piss out of it more than necessary, meaning that one needs to take anything he says with a grain of salt. Therefor since I already have the game I'll be wading into it very soon, but not before I finish LOVING DA:O (Yeah, I'm late to the DA:O party, but shit it's awesome!).
I'd also like to congratulate this particular review for having the most responses in ZP history and needless to say the highest first day response rate of any ZP video as well.
mother of god..... (see Super Troopers)
thanks once again Yachtzee for only being charitable when its due. (13th time's not the charm)
I salute you.
thanks once again Yachtzee for only being charitable when its due. (13th time's not the charm)
I salute you.
i love how all the "bad" points in this end up being "good" points in other games simply because the person likes that genre. Like how he talked about the graphics, lets look at GoW3, Massive epic looking stuff...wait no you just run along this path and mash the x button basically, then it pulls back and you see this wait no its another path more skeletons mash the x button. But this is gods gift to creation. Now FF does it and it stinks its rotten and shouldn't be in games, if you wanna talk about consistency then apply things to a game equally.
I think the linear focus of the game was awesome it provided a clear path through the story which is the point of an rpg and the story was decently done in my opinion but it wasn't spelled out for you like a Dr Seuss book and i liked that, you got to see an event from 3 different perspectives and got to see how they reacted to a similar event and were all changed in different ways, its the 1st time i have actually seen real character growth in a FF fantasy, was it perfect, NO, was it good, yes. I like Yahtzee he is funny but he is NOT a video game reviewer he is a critic and there is a distinct difference.
I have been playing the game for going on 30 hours now and i thought myself that the story got good about 2 hours in when............and each character interpreted the event differently and set about trying to either fulfill or find meaning from it in their own way.
I think the linear focus of the game was awesome it provided a clear path through the story which is the point of an rpg and the story was decently done in my opinion but it wasn't spelled out for you like a Dr Seuss book and i liked that, you got to see an event from 3 different perspectives and got to see how they reacted to a similar event and were all changed in different ways, its the 1st time i have actually seen real character growth in a FF fantasy, was it perfect, NO, was it good, yes. I like Yahtzee he is funny but he is NOT a video game reviewer he is a critic and there is a distinct difference.
I have been playing the game for going on 30 hours now and i thought myself that the story got good about 2 hours in when............and each character interpreted the event differently and set about trying to either fulfill or find meaning from it in their own way.
Well that was a return to form after the pretty lame Bad Company 2 review. Maybe that was also because of the bar thing or whatever.
Yeah, I have to say, this is exactly why I could care less about JRPGs and Final Fantasy. I may sound like a Yahtzee-dog, that does whatever my glorious master Yahtzee tells me to do as he drags me along on my chain, but I'm really not. I do find him funny, though, and like in this review, he makes good points.
Thanks for not only putting what I was thinking into words where I was too lazy to, but also reaffirming my assumptions about JRPGs without having actually played many of them.
Yeah, I have to say, this is exactly why I could care less about JRPGs and Final Fantasy. I may sound like a Yahtzee-dog, that does whatever my glorious master Yahtzee tells me to do as he drags me along on my chain, but I'm really not. I do find him funny, though, and like in this review, he makes good points.
Thanks for not only putting what I was thinking into words where I was too lazy to, but also reaffirming my assumptions about JRPGs without having actually played many of them.
I'm quite surprised that he (or you, depending on who is reading this) actually reviewed the game at all. I say bravo for even giving it a shot.
Even if Yahtzee knew from the very beginning that he would hate it thoroughly it's obvious that his negativity is what makes us all love him. He deliberately inflicted pain upon himself for our enjoyment.
In the final boss fight in FFX, anytime anyone died some weird creature shaped like the Yevon symbol would hover above the character and revive them. When a sequel was announced I thought that would be addressed, perhaps Yevon wasn't actually killed and the conspiracy was deeper than they knew. Nope. Nothing at all like that. Instead Yuna chases after the memory of a guy who kinda looked like Tidus.
What bothered me most was that they made Brother a creepy pervert who was obsessed with his cousin!
Even if Yahtzee knew from the very beginning that he would hate it thoroughly it's obvious that his negativity is what makes us all love him. He deliberately inflicted pain upon himself for our enjoyment.
I played X2 and didn't care for it.Ralgarog said:
In the final boss fight in FFX, anytime anyone died some weird creature shaped like the Yevon symbol would hover above the character and revive them. When a sequel was announced I thought that would be addressed, perhaps Yevon wasn't actually killed and the conspiracy was deeper than they knew. Nope. Nothing at all like that. Instead Yuna chases after the memory of a guy who kinda looked like Tidus.
What bothered me most was that they made Brother a creepy pervert who was obsessed with his cousin!
I find myself in the camp that thinks a game should be fun 5 hours in regardless of genre. Ideally it's fun the entire time you play it, I remember that being the expectation for video games once upon a time.
Guys, seriously its a good game 10 HOURS INTO THE FUCKING THING! Stuff that, I'll just get some fanboy to complete the first half then I'll murder him and continue on from there. CHOCOBO GET!
Oh Dear god i Felt the same wayemradrig said:
As For Me I love FFXIII And I Love this Review Though It Would have been better if he Could have played more oof the game first
Yahtzee is spot on with this review, and five hours of this game is five more than it deserved.
I don't care how much you hate FF7 and it's legion of crazed OMGZ BEST GAME EVARRR fans, compared to this corridor crawl mess it may as well be. Hopelessly convoluted story, hideous, unlikeable characters (Vanille's and Fang's accents are like fingernails down a blackboard, some pseudo Australian/New Zealander concoction) and a combat system, while being the high point (not much competition admittedly), still finds a way to become mind numbing.
I honestly don't know how anyone could subject themselves to this game and come out pretending it wasn't repeated blunt force trauma to the testicals in the form of a JRPG.
I don't care how much you hate FF7 and it's legion of crazed OMGZ BEST GAME EVARRR fans, compared to this corridor crawl mess it may as well be. Hopelessly convoluted story, hideous, unlikeable characters (Vanille's and Fang's accents are like fingernails down a blackboard, some pseudo Australian/New Zealander concoction) and a combat system, while being the high point (not much competition admittedly), still finds a way to become mind numbing.
I honestly don't know how anyone could subject themselves to this game and come out pretending it wasn't repeated blunt force trauma to the testicals in the form of a JRPG.
