What's Final Fantasy?

[Shai]

He hardly counts as Matsuno didn't even want him in there in the first place. Vaan only exists due to SE corporate and marketing having their way once Matsuno was released from the project. In short, he was SE's attempt at pandering to the demographic I mentioned.

Of course as I implied, most of that post was in jest anyway.

The conjecture was - since the merge SE has made worse Final Fantasies and you're saying the same thing using different words as a defense. SE has made some pretty bad choices since 2000. Vaan is one of them.

[Malakhim]

The conjecture was - since the merge SE has made worse Final Fantasies and you're saying the same thing using different words as a defense. SE has made some pretty bad choices since 2000. Vaan is one of them.

I said one thing about FFXII. You can say that in general, SE has weakened since their PSX days pre-Enix merger, but I've always thought that every Final Fantasy entry(well, everyone excluding XIV in its current state) has been solid. I'm probably one of the few FFX-2 defenders out there.

[Sonic_the_Hedgehog]

I said one thing about FFXII. You can say that in general, SE has weakened since their PSX days pre-Enix merger, but I've always thought that every Final Fantasy entry(well, everyone excluding XIV in its current state) has been solid. I'm probably one of the few FFX-2 defenders out there.

I'm sure the gameplay in X-2 was solid, but the music was soooo horrible for me I couldn't play past the beginning.

[Malakhim]

I'm sure the gameplay in X-2 was solid, but the music was soooo horrible for me I couldn't play past the beginning.

I loved the ambient music all throughout FFX-2, and all the cheesy "Charlies Angels"-esque stuff as well. God forbid a game not take itself seriously.

[Sonic_the_Hedgehog]

I loved the ambient music all throughout FFX-2, and all the cheesy "Charlies Angels"-esque stuff as well. God forbid a game not take itself seriously.

I knew what they were trying to do, but I just couldn't stand it and this is coming from a guy that likes pop music. >_<

[SuzakuCMX]

I knew what they were trying to do, but I just couldn't stand it and this is coming from a guy that likes pop music. >_<

What can I do for you?! Ohhh what can I do for you!?

That aside, I like all the Final Fantasies except 7, 8, and 13. They have a distinctly different feel in them...almost every other entry in the series is more steampunk high-fantasy style, and then 7 and 8 come along and are modern, 9 is back to steampunk, 10 has futuristic stuff but the world ignores it because it's a "sin" (cwutididthar), 11 is back to steampunk, 12 is steampunk with giant airships, and then....13 was really beautiful but the whole Cocoon world was a bunch of gears and super futuristic stuff. And also fuck Hope.

ANYWAYS, I'm more into the steampunk/high fantasy setting of FF. That plays a big role in how I perceive the game.

[Shai]

I said one thing about FFXII. You can say that in general, SE has weakened since their PSX days pre-Enix merger, but I've always thought that every Final Fantasy entry(well, everyone excluding XIV in its current state) has been solid. I'm probably one of the few FFX-2 defenders out there.

No, I like FFX-2 also for the same reasons I like XII.

Battle & Gameplay: A+
Story & Characters: F

It's a good game, a fun game, but where I expect FF to shine (personal opinion) it fails me. I am also a defender of X-2, though, the aspects of it that I find groundbreaking. I long for a job-based system for the next gen so bad. Single player, I mean. I like grinding as much as the next guy if not more (Hell, I'm an avid Disgaea fan, not to mention XI & XIV) but I'd really like to grind some jobs in Final Fantasy that don't take me 2 months to complete one job (like XI/XIV).

I wish they would open up Vanadiel more with a single player game, personally.

Anyway, FF12 isn't a bad video game, it's just not up to par with what I (personally) expect from Final Fantasy. I'm starting to feel I'm either not the target demographic of Final Fantasy (a JRPG lover... go figure?) or what Final Fantasy means to SE is different than what it means to me. That's ok, too, it just means I need to outsource.

[Zantetsuken]

I wish they would open up Vanadiel more with a single player game, personally.

^^ THIS.

I have a lot of friends who love the series but hate MMO games. There are also many of us that are done playing FFXI, but would like to revisit the fantastic world and lore at some point without having to re-invest months or years of playing to do so.

SE would do well to release an offline FFXI-2 someday.

[Shai]

^^ THIS.

I have a lot of friends who love the series but hate MMO games. There are also many of us that are done playing FFXI, but would like to revisit the fantastic world and lore at some point without having to re-invest months or years of playing to do so.

SE would do well to release an offline FFXI-2 someday.

Single Player, Offline, FFXI Compilation or FFXI-2 would be so good. The world is so full of stories to be told. The part we're even allowed to explore is like 1/8th of the entire world map - the Mithra Homeland, the Far East, the Western Kingdom (Dragoon origins), and the Southern Empire (no clue). These are all separate continents!

I can see why they didn't have time or resources to implement an expansion for each (considering Treasures only scratched the surface of the Near East and was a wealth of areas & storylines).

Anyway, yeah - a lot more could be done with Vana'diel.

-----

Also I don't think Eorzea is intended to be a frontier world, though, I also see it as that. I'm not sure where but I'm pretty sure it has thousands of years of history. The last time the Grand Companies (of Eorzea!) were gathered was over 1000 years ago. It's weird to think that in thousands of years they only have 5 big cities and a bunch of "defensible camps" (which don't seem all that threatened by outside forces, despite Behest leading me to think so).

Apparently Eorzea is just "dangerous" (though despite Yoshida's best efforts I'm not feeling it yet) so expansion is limited.

Anyway, I'm fairly certain it's not meant to be a Frontier, but I agree it does feel that way. A LOT in fact.

[SuzakuCMX]

No, I like FFX-2 also for the same reasons I like XII.

Battle & Gameplay: A+
Story & Characters: F

It's a good game, a fun game, but where I expect FF to shine (personal opinion) it fails me. I am also a defender of X-2, though, the aspects of it that I find groundbreaking. I long for a job-based system for the next gen so bad. Single player, I mean. I like grinding as much as the next guy if not more (Hell, I'm an avid Disgaea fan, not to mention XI & XIV) but I'd really like to grind some jobs in Final Fantasy that don't take me 2 months to complete one job (like XI/XIV).

I wish they would open up Vanadiel more with a single player game, personally.

Anyway, FF12 isn't a bad video game, it's just not up to par with what I (personally) expect from Final Fantasy. I'm starting to feel I'm either not the target demographic of Final Fantasy (a JRPG lover... go figure?) or what Final Fantasy means to SE is different than what it means to me. That's ok, too, it just means I need to outsource.

I liked FFXII's story...but yeah, Vaan can go die. So can Penelo. And Larsa. I think Fran and Balthier were the only characters I liked in that game. And Gabranth, because he's a badass and his Judge armor looks awesome (especially the black version in Dissidia )