[Multiplatform] Official Final Fantasy XIII Thread

So browsing through the FFXIII threads at NeoGaf, the overall vibe towards the game seems to be kind of negative. (Mostly due to the game's apparent level of linearity.) I haven't played the game yet, but I kind of get the sense that the importers who are complaining are kind of overreacting. It seems like they wanted MMO-esque/FFXII style exploration.

Frankly I just couldn't enjoy XII (despite trying), and loved FFX, so I'm still pretty damn hyped for XIII.

The one thing I'm concerned about is the situation with the towns or lack there of. Some reviews/impressions state that there are no towns at all, while others say that they are there just not in the traditional sense. So I have no idea as to what the deal is.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Denicalis

I bet you can find towns while you ride around on your Go-Botesque summons.

:sigh:

Towns better have more of a presence than merely hovering over them and seeing them in the distance. And yeah, transformer-summons is still kinda tough to take seriously, but as long as they are not as useless as they were in XII I won't really complain.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I hear ya, their track record has been rather disappointing lately when pitted against their PS1 or even PS2 offerings. Most of everything I've seen and read about this game though has me feeling pretty optimistic. Hopefully I won't be disappointed.

BTW, I hope Squeenix translates and makes the prologue novel available for free to the rest of us as it has in Japan.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

From what you played so far, is there any downtime in the gameplay or is it as relentless as everyone is making it out to be? If the game doesn't let you relax and have a breather in towns and soak in the environments they created, does the story (that apparently refuses to ever take a back seat to anything else in the game) have lighter moments? Or is it all non-stop sci-fi/action movie explosions and moving the plot forward?


Also, from my understanding, some of the mob-hunts that you can do later will be pretty varied in terms of prizes from loot, weapons, and extra story-bits and cut-scenes. Though I have no idea just how well they balanced these.

Most amazing jew boots

I don't mind the lack of NPC's with nothing crucial to say, and aimless wondering that leads to nothing substantial. That's all fine and good.

I just hope the game still allows you to somehow take in and appreciate the scenery and environments. It doesn't have to be an open sandbox. The narrative can dictate where I'm going all it wants. My destinations however, need to be interesting and feel substantial. Not like a sneak preview of what the areas are like.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Decoy Goat

But I'll say this, I did like the battle system. I just don't think that the overall experience puts it on par with the earlier games. If the story was stronger it would've been amazing, but they seem to be asleep at the wheel still.

"Still" as in you haven't beaten the game yet? It's just very concerning to hear that the story is a let-down, considering how the game seems to have sacrificed some elements just for the narrative.

If you still haven't beaten the game, then at least there's hope that the plot will develop later and deliver some satisfying twists?

EDIT-

Just saw your other post stating how you finished the game. So yea, that's too bad. I can't imagine how they can spend all this time working on a main Final Fantasy entry with a story as awful as everyone claims it to be. I guess this is what happens when the start trying to crank out a million bloated spin offs all at once as opposed to proper, decent titles a few at a time.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?