Final Fantasy

[Tamas]

FFS

[Camerus]

It's been downhill since III (VI if you're Japanese).  VII was a downgrade, VIII was an even bigger downgrade.  It just keeps getting worse.

QFT.

[Neil]

It's been downhill since III (VI if you're Japanese).  VII was a downgrade, VIII was an even bigger downgrade.  It just keeps getting worse.

7 and 8 were perfectly fine.  9 was alright and 10 had exemplary gameplay and a story I enjoyed.  But 11 was worthless due to the fact that it was a MMO, 12 was totally disorganized, in part due to the decision late in the development process to change the central character from it's natural focus, the disgraced knight Basch, to the young kid with a minor attachment to the story.  It was like having Yuffie instead of Cloud as the main character of FF7.  Also, the game was a bit too open, and there were parts where you wandered around without much idea as to what to do to advance the plot.

[Neil]

FF8

Agreed.

[Alatriste]

I agree with Mono.

Graphics: 'Stunning' isn't enough, actually. The game is gorgeous and still it feels very swift & agile. Screen loading times are very short, and save/loading too. The programmers have done a hell of a job.

Story: In general, compelling. It's a bit telling, I think, that the guys at Square/Enix have provided us with kids, teens and grownups in the party, even a dad... can you spell 'our clients aren't kids anymore'?

Before XIII, battles in FF games were so easy and so repetitive that they were a true nuisance, a total loss of time. Well, not this time. The new battle system is a huge improvement.

Regarding production values in general I agree with Mono, but a certain song is getting on my nerves...

Linearity: Nuff' said. I have read FFXIII defined as 'Final Linear Hallways XIII', and until chapter 6-7 it certainly is no RPG.

Besides, I don't much like the character development system, but it¡s better than having experience  levels. What I really don't like until now is the weapon & accesories modification system. Too opaque, too vague... I would even say that system it's shamelessly trying to sell game guides.

My provisional verdict is favorable, FFXIII is well worth the money in my opinion, but I hope some things will get better before the end.

[Darth Wagtaros]

Have it.  Haven't started yet.

[MadImmortalMan]

I want to see what people who have gotten well into the late-game say, I think.

[Monoriu]

I want to see what people who have gotten well into the late-game say, I think.

I'm in Chapter 11 (out of 13).  I stand by my verdict.

[HisMajestyBOB]

FF8

It's good, but could have used some more polish and testing on the junction system, TBH.
Probably my second-favorite of the series.

[MadImmortalMan]

I want to see what people who have gotten well into the late-game say, I think.

I'm in Chapter 11 (out of 13).  I stand by my verdict.

By that you mean you still think it's linear, then?

That was why FF Mystic Quest was such a piece of utter shit.

[Monoriu]

I want to see what people who have gotten well into the late-game say, I think.

I'm in Chapter 11 (out of 13).  I stand by my verdict.

By that you mean you still think it's linear, then?

That was why FF Mystic Quest was such a piece of utter shit.

Ch.11 is the first time where side quests begin to appear.  But I'm extremely generous to describe them as such.  All of them are exactly the same: touch a stone, find another spot, kill a monster, get reward, go to next stone...no story, no conversation, no choice, nothing.

[Darth Wagtaros]

In Chapter Two. The graphics and video are beautiful.  but game play is boring.  The battle's are pretty much reduced to watching the computer fight itself.  Maybe it gets better.

[Monoriu]

In Chapter Two. The graphics and video are beautiful.  but game play is boring.  The battle's are pretty much reduced to watching the computer fight itself.  Maybe it gets better.

It'll get much better in Ch.3, when you can start changing roles.

[Neil]

In Chapter Two. The graphics and video are beautiful.  but game play is boring.  The battle's are pretty much reduced to watching the computer fight itself.  Maybe it gets better.

I'm in chapter 7 now, and I've noticed the game getting less boring as time goes on.  Not a great model, where you have to work your way out of a pit of crappiness.

[Darth Wagtaros]

That's good at least.  Some level of interactiveness would be good.