Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster

[Aikouka]

Meh, I liked the Materia system.

I didn't have any issues with the materia system. The game still had the familiar turn-based battle system, which any long-time fan probably is rather comfortable with at this point. I don't know if people can really consider it to be that bad since it doesn't differ much from the Esper system in Final Fantasy VI. The only difference was that FF6 also had separate abilities for each character apart from Esper-learned abilities.

I think the only complaint that people had were the (sometimes) ridiculously long summon animations. If you're sitting there fighting Ruby Weapon and you cast Knights of the Round and then mimic it, you're going to be waiting for a long time! Here's a YouTube video.

 

[exdeath]

Last good FF game that wasn't on a portable. A little too on-the-rails for my tastes to be my favorite, but Blitzball is epic.

It's on a portable now!

 

[ImpulsE69]

Sadly both 7 and X are two that I just have never been able to finish for various reasons they bored me. I've tried playing them both multiple times and get about halfway through before I move on to something else. I think I even actually played 12 further than X (and beat 8 and 9).

 

[jpiniero]

Sadly both 7 and X are two that I just have never been able to finish for various reasons they bored me. I've tried playing them both multiple times and get about halfway through before I move on to something else. I think I even actually played 12 further than X (and beat 8 and 9).

I stopped playing FFX right around the Blitzball part, but came back later. It actually picks up after that.

 

[exdeath]

Yeah I never cared for mandatory mini games, esp ones where you had no chance at winning the first time you are forced to play.

 

[poofyhairguy]

meh, i liked the materia system.

#jobsystem4life

 

[pathos]

Sadly, everyone would rather play Skyrim than Wild Arms.

As much as I love rpg's...especially jrpg's, yeah, I hate the Wild Arms series.

The story and battle systems were fine. It was all that hopping around the world map that I hated.

So, yup, I'd much rather play Skyrim than Wild Arms. But, I'd rather go back and play Shadowhearts (a good jrpg series) than Skyrim

 

[gothamhunter]

Yeah I never cared for mandatory mini games, esp ones where you had no chance at winning the first time you are forced to play.

You can win the first match. I have done so many times

 

[xantub]

I find sad that the best rated and most loved FF games (arguably 7, 9, 10) were all turn-based, and yet with each iteration they go further and further into action games (in fact the new one does completely away with that). I know it's more marketable to show action combat instead of turn-based, but from a player's point of view, I much prefer the turn based systems when you're controlling a group of characters. I like to order the mage to cast a fireball, order the rogue to move and backstab, order the warrior to taunt the enemy, order the cleric to heal or cure, I don't want to bash a button and let the game do all the other characters' actions. "Flashy" won over gameplay IMHO.

 

[dn7309]

It's not a remake, it's a remaster. No one ever seems to understand this.

Trying to remake FF7 would take so much it's almost not worth it.

I'm pretty sure the FFVII remake is square trump card if they ever get close to the point like Crapcom is right now.

 

[zerocool84]

I find sad that the best rated and most loved FF games (arguably 7, 9, 10) were all turn-based, and yet with each iteration they go further and further into action games (in fact the new one does completely away with that). I know it's more marketable to show action combat instead of turn-based, but from a player's point of view, I much prefer the turn based systems when you're controlling a group of characters. I like to order the mage to cast a fireball, order the rogue to move and backstab, order the warrior to taunt the enemy, order the cleric to heal or cure, I don't want to bash a button and let the game do all the other characters' actions. "Flashy" won over gameplay IMHO.

Because no one wants slow turned based RPG's anymore. People stopped buying them so they changed the combat. The market has shown that they want more action in their RPG's which is why Western RPG's have taken over.

 

[gothamhunter]

Listen...to my story.

 

[exdeath]

Because no one wants slow turned based RPG's anymore. People stopped buying them so they changed the combat. The market has shown that they want more action in their RPG's which is why Western RPG's have taken over.

Bravely Default outsold Lightning Returns in the US. Just saying.

The RPG market has always wanted turn based. The mainstream market that doesnt have the attention span for RPGs in the first pace is the one demanding "moar action moar splosions". These people were never the RPG target demographic. Never.

So they went to the ADHD action stuff in a game that doesn't appeal to the mainstream anyway, while simultaneously alienated their core demographic. When the mainstream dumped Final Fantasy for the next cool waggle fad, and the core audience all but disbanded from neglect, who's left to buy games?

The mainstream stopped buying them because they aren't the flavor of the month anymore. The core audience stopped buying them because it isn't what they want anymore after it was butchered to appeal to the mainstream.

Brilliant. Just brilliant. When cash grabs go wrong.

 

[darkewaffle]

I want it. I kind of want the Symphonia update as well.

 

[darkewaffle]

I find sad that the best rated and most loved FF games (arguably 7, 9, 10) were all turn-based, and yet with each iteration they go further and further into action games (in fact the new one does completely away with that). I know it's more marketable to show action combat instead of turn-based, but from a player's point of view, I much prefer the turn based systems when you're controlling a group of characters. I like to order the mage to cast a fireball, order the rogue to move and backstab, order the warrior to taunt the enemy, order the cleric to heal or cure, I don't want to bash a button and let the game do all the other characters' actions. "Flashy" won over gameplay IMHO.

The gameplay was sufficient, but combat has never been their selling point (except maybe FFTactics). They're loved for their stories and characters and worlds. Chrono Trigger is certainly more of a hybrid/action system rather than traditional turn based and held in the same high regard.

I enjoy both styles but I do think that for purposes of creating a lifelike world the live-action non-instanced combat is more appropriate. Personally I like how it looks and feels when the map/area is actually populated with enemies rather than avatars or barren with random encounters.

 

[LucJoe]

It's on a portable now!

No cross buy.

Would have been an instant buy for me if it was cross buy

 

[poofyhairguy]

The gameplay was sufficient, but combat has never been their selling point (except maybe FFTactics).

I disagree. Most of the fun in Final Fantasy series is the battles, especially for those who really get into the games.

Nothing beats outfitting the right armor and defenses so that crushing boss attack actually heals you. Or when Edge throws something out of desperation in your inventory and it hits for 9999. Or when you use the otherwise worthless bard to put Omega to sleep and slay his ass. Or when you control the shield dragon that should just annihilate you and force him to use his attacks on himself until he dies. Or when you give the otherwise worthless Setzer the combo of Fixed Dice and an Offering and watch him destroy everything in your path (or you unleash Wind God Gau on the colosseum). Or the first time you SAW Bahamut ZERO or mimicked Knights of the Round to cream the Emerald weapon.

I am going to stop here because I don't have any nostalgia about the FF8 battle system, but suffice to say often the battles and the preparation you undergo to fight those battles is one of the best parts of good jRPG games.

 

[exdeath]

Lately I've found a hybrid of real time and turn based combat interesting. Real time immersive interaction with roaming wildlife with seamless transition from combat to exploring without jarring scene changes and unpredictable load patterns, with cool downs and auto attack and various stop time mechanics where you get to control everyone in party attacks to preserve the control and timing mechanics of turn based battle.

Xenoblade Chronicles pulls this off flawlessly.

Only problem is you will always give up fine control of all but one character to an AI in anything but pure turn based combat . Xenoblade while the best I've seen still has limitations in that regard in that how you can control the AI is limited to setting what abilities they are allowed to use and you find yourself waiting on the AI to do what you want. But salvation comes in the form of the chain attack system that lets you control every character in sequence in stop time when you need/want too.

On the other hand I immensely enjoyed all three of Xenosagas turn based combat as well, esp 2's boost, launch, and chain style.

And for all I hate on XIII I enjoyed that combat as well, enough to 100% the game twice.

I'm pretty flexible with battle systems. Ill min max and exploit anything thrown my way.

 

[Rage187]

I got eh Vita edition as I'm about to travel for the next two weeks. I have not played either before.

Having said that, a big WTF for X2 being download only. WTH. Is the PS3 version the same way?

 

[poofyhairguy]

Lately I've found a hybrid of real time and turn based combat interesting. Real time immersive interaction with roaming wildlife with seamless transition from combat to exploring without jarring scene changes and unpredictable load patterns, with cool downs and auto attack and various stop time mechanics where you get to control everyone in party attacks to preserve the control and timing mechanics of turn based battle.

Xenoblade Chronicles pulls this off flawlessly.

Only problem is you will always give up fine control of all but one character to an AI in anything but pure turn based combat . Xenoblade while the best I've seen still has limitations in that regard in that how you can control the AI is limited to setting what abilities they are allowed to use and you find yourself waiting on the AI to do what you want. But salvation comes in the form of the chain attack system that lets you control every character in sequence in stop time when you need/want too.

I like that kind of system too if I am playing multiplayer ala-Secret of Mana. But by myself such games are super frustrating as you have to frantically switch between characters and you end up with the same frantic gameplay you would get playing a FPS or sports game. A good jRPG should be like a good movie- slow with meticulous action. Super Mario RPG with its bonus hits for timed attacks and some sort of basic ATB is about as much actual action as I want in a battle system.

I do agree that fighting invisible random encounters are kinda dumb and the potential of that system was maxed out in FF1. I always felt Chrono Trigger had the best balance of you can see the enemy (and possibly avoid) but once the encounter happens then you are back to the tried and true turn based menu system.

But WOW ruined all of that. Now a jRPG with purely turn based combat is probably not viable economically on non-portable systems. I will never forget how excited I was getting FF12 vs the first couple minutes of actually playing it. It was like watching an old friend die in my arms.

Which is why we should all celebrate the X remaster. If the industry can't afford to give us new jRPGs at least they can keep old ones relevant.

 

[exdeath]

In Xenoblade end game, you spend almost 100% of your time in chain attack mode and topple locking, it might as well just be full on turn based lol.

Its not frantic. Each turn is totally awaiting input on a stopped clock. It can look really frantic if you're good at it and chaining like a mofo.

XIII on the other hand is frantic. Shifting, getting buffs/debuffs up, staggering, and unleashing hell, racing against the stagger bar, the 5 star time,the next stomp killing you, etc. Nothing waits for you.

I enjoy both honestly. Can't decide which. Lately I'm favoring the frantic build up your stack and unleash the glass cannon style combat. But I liked Bravely Default with its very primitive old school turn based combat, even though I spent most of my time on auto attack with last command memory at 4x speed.

Going to enjoy X for the fact that I borrowed someone's PS2 to play it while I was in the middle of moving and pretty much rushed under non ideal gaming conditions XD. Other than that it wasn't memorable for me in that way that I would keep a dozen save files at all the good dramatic emotional scenes like I have a habit of doing with really really good games.

Who here who claims to be an RPG fan did not use up a permanent save slot on their FF III cart outside the opera back in the day?

 

[Rage187]

Bravely Default is turn based and freaking amazing. Good old school jrpg with some new features that made combat enjoyable.

 

[poofyhairguy]

In Xenoblade end game, you spend almost 100% of your time in chain attack mode and topple locking, it might as well just be full on turn based lol.

Its not frantic. Each turn is totally awaiting input on a stopped clock. It can look really frantic if you're good at it and chaining like a mofo.

Thank you very much, you just convinced me to play it!

 

[Aikouka]

Chrono Trigger is certainly more of a hybrid/action system rather than traditional turn based and held in the same high regard.

No it isn't. Chrono Trigger was a turn-based battle system that just had the enemies in the world instead of subjecting the user to random encounters.

I disagree. Most of the fun in Final Fantasy series is the battles, especially for those who really get into the games.

My favorite part usually ends up being the battle theme. A JRPG has to have a good battle theme if I'm going to spend such a large amount of time doing said battles!

Having said that, a big WTF for X2 being download only. WTH. Is the PS3 version the same way?

I haven't opened mine yet to check, but I don't think so. Anyway, you're probably better off thinking Final Fantasy X-2 doesn't exist.

EDIT:

Blue Dragon was an interesting game when it came to combat. The game has the enemies on the map just like Chrono Trigger, but there are also Field Abilities that allow you to modify how enemies react to you. The game is job-based (like FFT and FF5). The Ninja gives you an ability to sneak past enemies, and the Barrier Mage gives you Field Barrier, which lets you insta-kill weaker creatures or enemies that you already beat. You lose the EXP, but you gain half the SP (job points). I farmed the caves using Field Barrier 3 (far lower MP cost per kill) + MP Regen (on walk).

If any of you want a cheap 360 JRPG, you can probably find that for a low price. Lost Odyssey is another game from Mistwalker (the old Squaresoft guys) that's along the same vein and also for the 360.

 

[exdeath]

Thank you very much, you just convinced me to play it!

It feels turn based because you are waiting on cooldowns, but the action doesn't stop in the mean time. Only chain attack does the clock stop and let you issue commands per character, and its pretty much indefinitely by end game provided you hit the "QTE" prompts that get faster and faster as the chain count picks up. You can hit the chain prompt to continue the chain but after that it will sit on that characters menu unto you select the next unused ability.

Its a great game, you should play it anyway.

When X for Wii U comes out I'm going to be a missing person.