Queen's Blood (Final Fantasy Thread)

[Momo]

Gah. NO!

Wait until the weekend, please wait until the weekend!

I already decided to, I was just about to say it

[Benji]

Will you be doing a similar thing for FF8 perchance?

[shaneo]

I have a question about the GBA/DS versions of the series.

Are they only going to be releasing up to VII on them, like just the ones that never got to Europe, or will they remake all of them? Personally I would love to see VII on the DS since I missed out on it for the PS.

[Momo]

Will you be doing a similar thing for FF8 perchance?

Edited August 23, 2007 by Momo

[Benji]

I'm going to dive in on this one, I'm going to pick up Final Fantasy XII again from where I left off, if I complete it before the end of this year it will confirm that I will 100% get a PS3 on the release of the PS3 variant of the trilogy that will make Final Fantasy XIII. I enjoy the game except the levelling, so let's see how we go about this

[stokeriño]

I should probably get my copy of FFXII back from my friend at some point...but then if I did, he'd want his copy of FFIX back, and I think I prefer things the way round they are now.

Never got very far in XII. Got up to that temple place with the big bird boss sitting outside. I still feel no real urge to play it again...

[Benji]

I should probably get my copy of FFXII back from my friend at some point...but then if I did, he'd want his copy of FFIX back, and I think I prefer things the way round they are now.

Never got very far in XII. Got up to that temple place with the big bird boss sitting outside. I still feel no real urge to play it again...

**Sneak hug**

I didn't find it a bad game just frustrating, the story is reminiscent of FFIX to me, only with far less entertaining characters (bar Balthier, thieves for the win) and no really cool 'in references' to previous games. The gameplay, I really don't care for, even though I'd be doing the same shit, the gambits are not as fun as selection, and whilst I know you don't have to use Gambits, you'd be stupid not to. The grid is pretty cool, I prefer X's sphere grid though, and the levelling, as I keep on saying, is a grind (pardon the pun). But still, it has the FF tag, and unlike FFXI it contains a decent story, so I'll have to complete it some day.

[Vilge Duin]

XII was good, not what a lot of people expected (the tumultuous development cycle lead to that), but very enjoyable if you could get into it.

The story and game in general pick up near the end, but within an hour or two it's effectively over.

The end makes Judge Gabranth one of my favourite Final Fantasy characters and outright badass though.

[Trey]

I just never could get into the game, I've tried three separate times now and each time I just lose the want to finish it, which really depresses me.

[DMN in the House]

I've beaten XII twice. Its an enjoyable game, probably in my top 5 FF, which isn't that hard, but... I dunno. It dosen't have much re-play value for me.

I really, really, need to get a copy of VII.

[probablyoliver]

for me, XII trumps any Final Fantasy game prior to it, even my most beloved VII, and it probably trumps every game ever in terms of my favourite of all time.

It's just perfect to me, the storyline is so crisp and beautiful, the locations are amongst the best in Final Fantasy ever (with the possible exception of VIII, just because the modern western landscape was truly a breath of fresh air from everything else being either futuristic or in the past), the WOW style fighting gave a new edge to fighting (I just love not having a limit to who you're fighting, everything else would have a set number, whilst in 12 you could be just easily slaying a wolf when some big fuck off Entite comes over and starts killing you with one hit), the license board and weapon classes are simply amazing and the strategy needed to fight (instead of just hitting attack over and over, you actually have to think and use magicks and technicks) is so crisp.

The one gripe I have with previous FFs is the fact there's one main character and an array of secondary characters, and no matter what, the story would revolve around your Squall's or Zidane's instead of the endless possibilities of delving deep into some of the other characters throughout the game. There was always a moment to shine for the secondary characters (Cait Sith @ Temple of Ancients, Barrett @ Corral, Vivi @ Black Mage Village, Rikku @ Al Bhed), but there'd have their 15 minutes and go back to the second row. In XII it's different, and everyone has a complete story that's visited and revisited throughout. There's times when I actually believe Balthier when he says he's the leading man, because he's probably the guy with the most anger and opression towards the empire and the Occuria).

And then the side-quests, which go by and beyond what any other Final Fantasy game has offered. There's at least 20 hours of side-questing within the Clan Hunt alone, then there's quests like finding hidden Espers which is altogether pretty massive, the Phon Coast Hunt Club as well as many other little quirks that add some much-needed comic effect (the Cockatrice hunt is easily the best, with everyone of them from Manchester). Plus there's no clear cut bad-guy, and nobody is trying to destroy the universe. Everyone's just doing what's right for them. Cid's just trying to quench his thurst for knowledge, Vayne's trying to cement his name in history, Vaan just wants to get out of his rotten life in Rabanastre, Reddas is just looking for revenge, Balthier just wants to, in a round-a-bout way, help his Father. Nobody is good. Nobody is evil. Everybody just wants their own legacy.

I don't understand people not being able to get into Final Fantasy XII, because the story starts right from the get-go, and just builds and builds to an amazing climax.

[Skummy]

The one gripe I have with previous FFs is the fact there's one main character and an array of secondary characters, and no matter what, the story would revolve around your Squall's or Zidane's instead of the endless possibilities of delving deep into some of the other characters throughout the game. There was always a moment to shine for the secondary characters (Cait Sith @ Temple of Ancients, Barrett @ Corral, Vivi @ Black Mage Village, Rikku @ Al Bhed), but there'd have their 15 minutes and go back to the second row. In XII it's different, and everyone has a complete story that's visited and revisited throughout. There's times when I actually believe Balthier when he says he's the leading man, because he's probably the guy with the most anger and opression towards the empire and the Occuria).

I don't think that's necessarily true...even though IX is seen through the eyes of Zidane, it's pretty far into the game before Zidane's story becomes anything of much relevance. Before that, Vivi and Garnet are your protaganists as far as actually pushing the plot forward goes; Garnet's who the story centres around, and Vivi's the one that you want to see succeed, basically. I think IX is one of the best examples of a Final Fantasy where the game isn't too centred on the main character, with VI possibly being the only better, if only because there basically isn't a single "main character" in that game. VII and VIII are incredibly main character centric, though, but Cloud and Squall are both intrinsically selfish characters, so it works, although obviously it would be nice to see the other characters fleshed out more.

I quite like FFXII, but I'd probably like it more if it wasn't called Final Fantasy. I hate change in the Final Fantasy series, which is part of the reason I don't like VIII, X or XI that much, because they've all been too much of an overhaul...to me "Final Fantasy" implies a certain kind of gameplay, a certain atmosphere and certain themes and that's what I go in expecting. FFXII could be the best RPG in the world, but without the "Final Fantasy" criteria I'd be disappointed, because it wouldn't have been what I wanted from that game, even if it is still a fantastic game in its own right.

Personally, I think the Final Fantasy series as I know and love it died at IX (which was a perfect send-off), and I've gradually lost interest since. I'll finish XII one day, though, I'm sure.

[stokeriño]

I don't understand people not being able to get into Final Fantasy XII, because the story starts right from the get-go, and just builds and builds to an amazing climax.

But (and this is a cliche complaint, I'm aware) the story that starts is that of Star Wars mixed in a blender. That doesn't exactly draw me in for wanting the long haul.

Edited November 22, 2007 by stokeriño

[Vilge Duin]

There's times when I actually believe Balthier when he says he's the leading man, because he's probably the guy with the most anger and opression towards the empire and the Occuria).

[MalaCloudy Black]

I can't speak for XII's story or anything, but I just found the gameplay incredibly boring -- I had expected more from it since it drew comparisons to Xenosaga Episode I's gameplay, but I dunno. I just couldn't get into it. I played maybe 20 minutes before I just got.. bored. I just didn't find the gameplay much fun. Were I go back and play any Final Fantasy, it'd probably be IX (liked the characters + the story) or VII (sentimental reasons, being as it was the first RPG I played).

[stokeriño]

Were I go back and play any Final Fantasy, it'd probably be IX (liked the characters + the story) or VII (sentimental reasons, being as it was the first RPG I played).

I haven't a clue what the first RPG, of any kind, that I played was. The first FF that I played through properly was FFX, although FFVII has since become my favourite...after failing to get more than 5 hours into it about 6 or 7 times (I love IX, but I don't get the random urge to play it as much as VII). I'm struggling to think of something I greatly dislike about VII (besides the graphics). I'd take IX's ability-learning system (forgotten its name, argh!) over Materia, and of course I can pick and choose whatever music tracks I prefer, but that's about it.

[MalaCloudy Black]

Were I go back and play any Final Fantasy, it'd probably be IX (liked the characters + the story) or VII (sentimental reasons, being as it was the first RPG I played).

I haven't a clue what the first RPG, of any kind, that I played was. The first FF that I played through properly was FFX, although FFVII has since become my favourite...after failing to get more than 5 hours into it about 6 or 7 times (I love IX, but I don't get the random urge to play it as much as VII). I'm struggling to think of something I greatly dislike about VII (besides the graphics). I'd take IX's ability-learning system (forgotten its name, argh!) over Materia, and of course I can pick and choose whatever music tracks I prefer, but that's about it.

VII probably isn't TECHNICALLY the first RPG I played, that probably goes to Legend of Zelda: Link To The Past or one of the NES FF games, but I count VII as the first since it's what interested me in the genre.

[Ruki]

The first FF I played was VIII, so that holds a special place in my heart.

Trying to re-play IX, but I just bought .hack//GU 3, so that is taking most of my gaming time for now. If I had all the time in the world, I would want to replay IX, X and X-2....X and X-2 just for my Rikku, Yuna, and Auron love.

[Cadet Ember McLain]

My FF9 is no more. My friend was desperate to borrow it, so I let him. Unfortunately, he has quite a number of siblings. As you can imagine, the game didn't quite hold up to their unique brand of play/torture.

Good(ish) news, however. A local game shop is restocking their supply, so he's shouting me a copy, and getting one for himself.

And a hip-hop compilation album for his brothers and sisters...

[probablyoliver]

fioewipgvbisdoicbadsbopdao

Honestly, how am I meant to fight Fafnir if it's never snowing in Paramina? And it's never cloudy in Tchita Uplands, so I'll never fight the Lyndwyrm either. I've got like 8 hunts left, I refuse to fight Pyrlaster, Shadowseer or Gilgamesh yet, as I want to wait until around level 70-75, because they all look like proper bastards. I can't get to the Behemoth King until Fafnir's down, and Yiazmat isn't unlocked yet and 'Belito' is missions away as there's no Gate Crystal in Zertinan.

Also, Deathgaze is a twat. He has about 200,000 HP, so it takes about 10 minutes to do away with him. I get him down until he's flashing, I've got no MP left for a Quickening, so I decide to fuck healing, and just launch one last assault on him, but nooooo. He has to restore back to full health, and I have to fight all over again, coming so close to dying because of my seriously low MP. Then he restores again back to half health. Took me about 40 minutes just to do the bastard in.

I'm considering leaving the hunts for a while, getting some more Espers and starting the Phon Coast Hunt Club, even tho that looks even worse than some of the Mark Hunt. Also, if anyone's ever fought him, how hard is the Hell Wyrm. His 9million HP gauge is putting me off fighting him right now, but apparently it's like fighting a Yiazmat tutorial that isn't that hard? I'm at level 63, so should I go slay him, or leave it a while?

And the Bazaar is pissing me off too, I'm at a stage where I can start collecting some of the top weapons in the game, but the loot you have to find for some of it is so frigging hard! It takes the piss.

Grr. FFXII is pissing me off this morning.