Mine is still sealed. I'm actually looking forward to it because critics jizzed on FFXII and I hate it.
Unfortunately, people didn't "get" that and couldn't get past the linearity. Although it was one of the fastest selling Final Fantasies of all time, XIII also turned out to be one of the most critically panned in the series too. The review scores were mostly good, but nowhere near the level of hype as 7, 8, 9 or 10.
Note: I loved 12, though most of you did not, but it didn't get the best reception either.
Square was honestly shocked by people's and critic's reactions, but they planned on making a series out of the "Fabula Nova Crystallis" universe and were determined to see it through! They wanted to continue their original design, but try and address the criticisms they recieved for XIII all at the same time...
...and Final Fantasy XIII-2 was born!
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XIII-2 takes place 3 years after the "End" of XIII. It is a DIRECT continuation of the story and events of the first game. It is SOOO nice to see a Japanese game with a sense of continuity to it! It's NOT a cash in. It's not born from the ideas that were left over at the end of XIII. It isn't the developers trying to capitalize on their property and popularity by taking some of their female characters and having you play "dress up" with them. This is a TRUE sequel! What you did in the first one, has consequences in the second; you see the fate of the characters from the first as their stories continue. The stage is set, the history is defined... You KNOW what to expect...
...or do you?
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As nice as it is to see what remained the same from XIII to XIII-2, it is what has CHANGED that makes this game as good as it is!
First and foremost, the number of playable characters has been chopped from 6 to 2! Say hello to Serah and Noel...
Yeah. Lightning's sister, Serah, the girl you were rescuing in the first is the first playable character in XIII-2. Noel is the second. He is the last survivor of mankind, sent backwards in time from the "End of Days" of Pulse and his goal is to save the future by fixing the past. Both Serah and Noel have Crystariums of their own, yes, but unlike the first game, they have almost immediate access to all of the Roles almost from the beginning. If you look closely at the picture above though, you might notice something odd. See the Monster names and Portraits to the right of Noel and Serah?
You got it! Monsters can be recruited to fight along side you! That Uridimmu isn't attacking them in the pic above, it's fighting WITH them! Nearly all the monsters in the game are recruitable and have Skills, Spells and a Crystarium all their own! If you are familiar with the first game, the monsters in THIS game take up the third slot in your party during battle and each one has a specific Role. A Flanitor is a Medic, for example. A Yellow Chocobo is a Commando. A Pulsework Gladiator is a Sentinel. You can choose up to 3 active monster to take along with you; you actually assign them to your Paradigms. Mix and match roles, as you did in the first game, to form your paradigms, choose that Paradigm in battle and *poof!* your monster appears! They have levels. They fight automatically and intelligently. You level them in their Crystariums in a way that is similar to Weapon forging in the first. You need certain Monster Materials to advance them. These can be found or purchased. What do you do with you old Monsters once you've found better ones? Older monsters can be "Infused" with newer, or vice-versa, and skills, traits and Spells are passed on. Yeah, you can Recruit and Raise your own Monster arsenal in this game...! AWESOME!
Should my excitement drop? 
"Note: I loved 12, though most of you did not, but it didn't get the best reception either."
Foolz said:Should my excitement drop?
"Note: I loved 12, though most of you did not, but it didn't get the best reception either."
I'd actually say XenoBlade is closer a game to FFXII than XIII is, so, no!
One of the most often heard complaints about XIII was the lack of traditional Final Fantasy monsters. Sure there was a Behemoth in there. Maybe a Flan or two, and a Cactaur... But most of the monsters were new... Summons were replaced with Eidolons... The new creature designs just seemed... foreign. How does Square remedy this in XIII-2? They give us a Moogle...
...
Thanks for that Square.
...
No, in all seriousness, Mog isn't all that bad. Other than having a voice like a nerdy, Mathlete, 12-year-old girl and saying "kupo" at the end of EVERY. SENTENCE. he's actually kinda tolerable! In battle, he transforms into Serah's weapon. Outside of battle, he searches the areas for hidden treasures for you, can sense Paradoxes, and can be THROWN at out of reach items to have him retrieve them for you! That NEVER gets old!
He's an obvious throw-back to earlier days, and I actually appreciate what Square is trying to do with him. If he is not enough, supposedly Square is going to be putting out DLC FULL of old Final Fantasy monsters and Bosses to recruit and fight in the Colosseum, so THAT should satisfy a lot of the naysayers right there!
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So there's the history laid out in XIII. There's recruitable Monsters. There's some more recognizable faces from previous entries in the series. There's some old, along with some new. If that was it, that would almost be enough, BUT THERE IS SOOO MUCH MORE!
If you look at Pic One, you'll see the words "Live Trigger." How you ask and answer questions affects gameplay slightly. You may be awarded with rare items depending on how you answer. You may have the choice to tackle a story quest in one way or another depending on your answer. It opens a level of freedom not often seen in Square games! What happens if you answer "wrong?" I'll get back to THAT later!
Pic Two will either make you smile or cringe depending on how much you can tolerate change in a Final Fantasy game. There are now QTE's in certain Boss Battles, in some Cinemas --and-- as part of your Monster's attacks! As in God of War, after major Boss Battles, just as you are putting the finishing touches on he enemy, a "Cinematic Action" sequence will start. It will involve rotating a stick in one direction, pressing in a direction, pressing a button by a certain time or mashing one or another. As you succeed, you'll see the characters pulling of all sorts of crazy moves and inflicting damage as well. I've never missed one yet, so I don't know the penalty for doing so --BUT-- doing well in these sequences, nets you various bonus rewards at the end of the battle.
In battle, once a Fusion gauge has charged, you press the "Square" button to initiate a Monster's QTE attack. It raises a percentage as you do the sequence and the monster unleashes it's damage accordingly after you are done doing the input.
These QTE are NOT disruptive in the least and are animated in typical-Square-over-the-top style! They REALLY keep you on your toes, make you pay attention during cinema sequences and make the already incredibly engaging battles even more so!
It seems as if Square wanted to diversify this game as much as possible. Kinda like that Final Fantasy: Crystal Calamity game (or whatever it is called) from the Wii, but this time it actualy WORKED and is F-U-N!
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...BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!
What's with the Chrono Trigger reference in the title, you may ask?
XIII-2 has so much going for it already, but then you throw in the concept of TIME TRAVEL too! You search for Artefacts within certain time periods, use them to activate Time Gates, and jump all over the game's history and future, fixing time paradoxes along the way! Time is measured in AF (as in the West's AD and BC) and refers to the time After the Fall of Cocoon. In the pics above, for example, you'll spend some time in the Bresha Ruins in 5AF, or 5 years after the fall --THEN-- you'll revisit that same area 295 years later in the timeline! You cause changes in History and the future, then see what you've sown!
You keep track of time in an area known as the "Historia Crux." As you find more artefacts and unlock more gates, more points along the "Gate Matrix" open. 200AF would represent a time in an area along the normal flow of time, 2XXAF would represent an area outside the normal flow, either during the presence of a time Paradox in History, or after one has been resolved. What starts out looking like the pic above, ends looking like this:
Sometimes the more time travel you do, the more trouble you cause and the more areas you need to fix! Of course, there are enemies messing around with time, too, so even more areas open along the path of the plot as well!
The End of Days, Time Paradoxes, Time outside the Flow of Time and alternate Time Lines, Fixing and Causing your own Errors in History... The producers of this game said in a recent interview that CHRONO TRIGGER was as much as a reference for this game as FFXIII was, and it TOTALLY shows!
phantom_leo said:I'd actually say XenoBlade is closer a game to FFXII than XIII is, so, no!
Uh oh!
Foolz said:phantom_leo said:I'd actually say XenoBlade is closer a game to FFXII than XIII is, so, no!
Uh oh!
Saying Xenoblade is like FF12 is like saying T-model ford is the same as Lamborghini Murcielago. Yes they are both cars, but that is pretty much were the similarities end.
2 questions Foolz
What did you hate about FF XII?
And why don't have Xenoblade yet?
Iga_Bobovic said:Saying Xenoblade is like FF12 is like saying T-model ford is the same as Lamborghini Murcielago. Yes they are both cars, but that is pretty much were the similarities end.
2 questions Foolz
What did you hate about FF XII?
And why don't have Xenoblade yet?
Boring world, boring story, boring characters combined with a crappy combat system that had potential, but was poorly implemented. Yeah, the world was big and explorable, but there wasn't really much interesting in it. It had some decent enemy models, though. Giant snails FTW.
I do, I just haven't played it yet. I'm still playing Yakuza 2 FFS.
So... You have Recruitable Monsters, a Streamlined Character set, Quick Time Events and Branching Storyline gameplay. Time Travel is the icing on top of all of this, but even THAT is not all!
Dress up your Monster allies in cute Adornments!
Along the way, you'll find a Casino...
Where you can Race Chocobo's...
Play the Slots, and MORE...!
Did I mention the Time Rift mini-games?!
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Did you notice how I didn't address Linearity anywhere in here yet? To me, that was NOT as big a deal in the first game as it was to other people! It was designed that way on purpose, part to streamline the gameplay and part due to plot... Regardless, linearity is a thing of the past (pun intended) in XIII-2... Each area along the Historia Crux has as much freedom and openness as Gran Pulse did in the original! The areas aren't quite as large as Archylte in this one (so far) and the graphics took a tiny hit while exploring to make up for the wide-open world, but nonetheless, there you go! All you nay-sayers should STFU, N-O-W!
Gone are the "hallways" of the first. Now there are shops to visit too and tons of NPCs to talk to, many of which give you Quests and Hunts to do as well!
Basically, Square has taken the brilliant Battle System of XIII, thrown it into a Chrono Trigger style Story, added back in elements of FF's past, gave us Scores of Level-able Monsters and Built a Wide-Open world to explore...
People and Critics have responded with a big, old "Meh." "The Storyline is Confusing!" Really? Seriously? You'll find 11,000 books in Skyrim laying out an indecipherable "Story" and that's OK. Square has built a Sequel Final Fantasy throwing in EVERYTHING but the Kitchen Sink, using one of it's most SOUGHT AFTER, OFT REQUESTED, NON-FF games as a Template for its Creation, and THAT'S how you respond? Yep, the Datalog is even back from the first, tracking, defining and laying out the plot for everyone to see and have access to at any time, but apparently that's not enough! There isn't a face, or palm big enough for me to express my disbelief at gamers at the moment. There have even been articles on 1Up prophesizing Square's Doom... Jesus people! WTF?
Note: Yes, I am well aware Chrono Cross exists, but FFXIII-2 is closer in structure to a sequel to Trigger than it!
Everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING from the first game has been refined or improved. You can even SAVE the game at any time now... You can also Jump into the Historia Crux as you see fit and jump along the timeline too once you open up a time-periods gate. Did I mention you can rewind time and revisit areas, allowing you to respond to "Live Triggers" differently to see differing plot paths, conversation responses, and possibly receive different Artefacts too? Did I mention there are 160 different Artefacts to collect? Not all of them open a Gate, but MANY of them do, and ALSO open the way to MANY different ENDINGS to the game! Some of which are hidden and/or Alternate endings... Sound familiar?
With FFXIII-2 Square has given Gamers and Critics everything THEY. ASKED. FOR. and complaints and whining has been the result. I am sooo glad Square has stuck with the Fabula Nova Crystallis theme, despite their STOOPID fans! It is the strongest centralized universe and plot line they have ever devised, and it makes me even more curious and eager about XIII-Versus. At this point, though, after people's reaction, I wouldn't blame Square for throwing up their hands in frustration and throwing in the towel. It wouldn't be a failure on THEIR part though, but a failure on gamers as a whole. Need I even say it? Go out and give this game a try. It's not only an incredible sequel to an incredible Final Fantasy, it's one of the finest games Square has ever produced. It is well worth your TIME!
Foolz said:
Boring world
Not a problem in Xenoblade
Foolz said:
boring story
Definitely not a problem
Foolz said:
boring characters combined with a crappy combat system that had potential, but was poorly implemented.
Born in a world of strife
Against the odds
We choose to fight
Blossom Dance
Yeah Dunban one of the greatest characters ever.
See Xenoblade as FFXII done right.
PS: PURPLE-HAIRED, ANGRY ANTAGONIST!!! YEAH!!!
He broods a lot, carries a HUGE sword and is very much mis-understood! Just give him one, single wing and he'd be perfect!
Hear that? It's the Sephiroth's fan-club's collective "SQUEE!"
Archangel3371 said:Wow. Great write-up Leo. I'm really enjoying this game as well and can totally feel the Chrono Trigger vibe in it and am loving it.
Thanks, Archie!
I have to put this in here, because (1) It's been on my mind for the last few weeks and (2) It is somewhat relevant.
I am 100% behind Square with their "Fabula Nova Crystallis" series idea. Why? It is probably the most timely, relevant and best developed concept they have put together, well, ever! Maybe you "got" this from XIII, maybe you didn't, but here's how I see it:
The people of Cocoon are basically "Us" in the modern world. The Government is represented by the Fal'Cie. We, the people, are either just commoners, or we are L'Cie. We are either provided for and coddled, and expected to listen to what we are told unquestioningly --OR-- we are called to serve our countries (as the L'Cie were). Succeed or Fail, either way we are screwed. Follow your orders, proceed from point A to point B, do not make any waves and maybe, maybe you will be rewarded.
The Fal'Cie threaten attacks by an unseen enemy in the form of Pulse L'Cie and rule with an iron grip. Governments threaten attacks by "weapons of mass destruction" and terrorists and rule with an iron grip. It's all about Subjugation and Control, both in fantasy and reality.
Technology is given precedence and preference in both reality and fantasy. Faith and Religion are being driven away. Gone are the summons of the old Final Fantasies. They are (mostly) replaced by Robotic, Transforming Eidolons. Where once you would worship gods of Thunder, Ice and Lightning, now you are told to worship Machines, Cars, Motorcycles and Tank-Like monstrosities. Most probably didn't even notice this, but on your way to Eden (the Capitol) you even TREAD UPON Ramuh (Ramuh's Interchange), Leviathan (Leviathan's Plaza) and Siren (Siren's Park). Nothing like having your old Gods stepped upon and ignored, underfoot!
Just as Governments now have the power to destroy the planet many times over, leading us all on a never-ending spiral towards oblivion, so too was the goal of Barthandalus. People were lead to follow and believe, mostly unaware of what was happening around them until the planet (towers) fell.
Square's message to us all from the first was ultimately what the characters discovered near the end of their journeys. It was only through the Sacrifice of Human Beings that the world was saved. Two people who were formerly thought of as enemies gave of themselves to save everyone else. Putting aside the machinations of governments, ideologies and the whims and wants of others, first and foremost: Decide your own path and place in the world. Fight for the things you believe in and the ones you love ONLY and build a better future by contributing to the Present while honoring your past.
Timely and relevant? You bet'chya! Well written? Of course! I feel bad for people who couldn't see these lessons in XIII, just as I feel bad for the people who are already criticizing XIII-2's story. It's all laid out for you if you take the time to read and understand. Kudos, Square, I wish you every success, from now until the End of Time!
Awesome post Leo!
Thanks!
The first DLC (available now) allows you to fight against Lightning and Amodar! Beat them and recruit them into your party! Good Luck!
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Sazh joins the recruitable roster tomorrow for both PS3 and 360 in the "Sazh: Heads or Tails" DLC!
This is Sazh's story during the events of XIII-2, it is NOT just a Colosseum Battle!
Serendipity also gets its missing Card Games in the same DLC!
*CAN'T WAIT FOR LIGHTNING'S STORY!!*
Wow so much DLC. FFXIII didnt have any right? This kind of sucks, I will wait for a complete edition.
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Q: What if Square made a sequel to Chrono Trigger and no one cared?
A: They did, and they don't.
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Setting aside the linearity of Final Fantasy XIII for a moment, you would see that Square actually produced one of the best looking and best playing Final Fantasies in a long while. To this day, the graphics are jaw-dropping and the real-time swapping of Roles mid-battle, having characters carry out functions mostly autonomously, well, the battle system was a lot more revolutionary than most people gave it credit for!
Each and every battle was cinematic and beautiful, the Crystarium and the development of Roles for each Character was deep and satisfying!
The six, main, playable characters, as annoying as they are when they start out in the game, turn out to be some of the best fleshed-out "human-beings-doing-super-human-feat" heroes the series has ever seen!
Square designed the game to be played in a fashion as to make the player feel as the characters did. The L'Cie servants of the Fal'Cie gods had no choice in life but to complete their focus and live eternally in crystal, or fail and die as a Cieth. They were given a goal and were expected to follow that goal to the end with little to no variation on the way. You were even given a "countdown clock" brand on your arm as a reminder of the urgency of your focus. The game kept you running from one point to the next as long as the heroes thought they had no other choice but to fulfill their appointed tasks. The moment they realized their fate was their own and they touched down on the surface of Pulse, well, all sorts of possibilites and freedoms opened up to them, and so did the game! Stepping on to the Archylte Steppe for the first time, seeing the monsters bigger than mountains and realizing this would be your hunting ground for the next 20 hours or so, yeah, it was one of "those" defining video game moments! It was your reward for sticking thru the game as long as you did!