Final Fantasy

[hogso]

Tabby (Director Hajime Tabata) had a lot to say about spoilers during the event the other night, apparently end game spoilers have been available for a week due to some people getting hold of the game early. They're on Reddit for sure, althought naturally I haven't sought them out.

Bit of a shame my hardback guide has been delayed, but I'm pretty sure it'll be most useful in the late game anyway.

Also, one of Noctis' weapons, the Engine Blade, is going to be in Nier: Automata, which is a nice little crossover.

[hogso]

Unfortunately I still haven't received a dispatch notification from the Square Enix store for my DE...bit concerned I won't have it for tomorrow, although there is precedent for them sending stuff out and it being received before the dispatch notification is even sent. Happened with the World of FF collector's edition last month.

It seems as though the distribution hub is somewhere in Brum, so they issue items to the Europeans first, then those in UK last, which may also explain the lack of contact. I've emailed them anyways to see what they have to say.

I'll have to replay the demos in the meantime I guess. I believe the review embargo is up today at 3pm GMT, so there's that to look forward to as well. Maybe I won't be too bothered about getting it late if it's an unplayable mess and/or rubbish Baring in mind I have avoided all info from those who have received the game early.

Edited November 28, 2016 by hogso

[Ingram85]

Was nearly tempted by the deluxe edition but I figure kingsglaive will be a fiver on blu ray in the future so I'll pick it up then. Ordered the normal version yesterday from simply and went for express delivery so it could be here today (doubt it) if not tomorrow it is.

[hogso]

Trophy list, spoilered for light spoilers, and I do mean very light

Spoiler

• The World Wanderer – Platinum
  Collected all trophies.

• Insomnia’s Walking Nightmare – Bronze, Hidden
  Completed the Prologue.

• Departure – Bronze, Hidden
  Completed Chapter 1.

• No Turning Back – Bronze, Hidden
  Completed Chapter 2.

• The Open World – Bronze, Hidden
  Completed Chapter 3.

• Living Legend – Bronze, Hidden
  Completed Chapter 4.

• Dark Clouds – Bronze, Hidden
  Completed Chapter 5.

• A Way Forward – Bronze, Hidden
  Completed Chapter 6.

• Party of Three – Bronze, Hidden
  Completed Chapter 7.

• Seaworthy – Bronze, Hidden
  Completed Chapter 8.

• Callings – Bronze, Hidden
  Completed Chapter 9.

• The Heart of a King – Bronze, Hidden
  Completed Chapter 10.

• In the Dark – Bronze, Hidden
  Completed Chapter 11.

• End of Days – Bronze, Hidden
  Completed Chapter 12.

• Redemption – Bronze, Hidden
  Completed Chapter 13.

• Homecoming – Silver, Hidden
  Completed Chapter 14.

• Chosen King – Gold, Hidden
  Defeated Ifrit on Normal difficulty.

• Learner’s Permit – Bronze
  Drove the Regalia.

• Chocobo Jockey – Bronze
  Rode a Chocobo.

• Regalia Pilot – Silver, Hidden
  Flew the Regalia Type-F.

• Quadruple Threat – Bronze
  Equipped four weapon slots.

• Faithful Heir – Silver, Hidden
  Collected thirteen royal arms.

• New Power – Bronze
  Learned first ability.

• Self-Improved – Silver
  Activated 20 ability nodes.

• Self-Mastered – Gold
  Activated 50 ability nodes.

• Angling Rookie – Bronze
  Improved fishing level for the first time.

• Survival Rookie – Bronze
  Improved survival level for the first time.

• Photo Rookie – Bronze
  Improved photography level for the first time.

• Cooking Rookie – Bronze
  Improved cooking level for the first time.

• Angling Expert – Bronze
  Reached maximum fishing level.

• Survival Expert – Bronze
  Reached maximum survival level.

• Photo Expert – Bronze
  Reached maximum photography level.

• Cooking Expert – Bronze
  Reached maximum cooking level.

• Just Hangin’ Around – Bronze
  Performed first point-warp suspension.

• Brother-in-Arms – Bronze
  Issued first ally command.

• Blind Spot – Bronze
  Performed first blindside link.

• Noct You Like a Hurricane – Bronze
  Initiated first link-strike after parrying an attack.

• The Power of Kings – Bronze
  Called forth the Armiger for the first time.

• Magical Worker – Bronze
  Crafted a spell for the first time.

• Black Mage – Bronze
  Used magic for the first time.

• Divine Intervention – Bronze
  Summoned one of the Six for the first time.

• High Five for Justice! – Bronze
  Played JUSTICE MONSTERS FIVE for the first time.

• Immortal Photobomb – Bronze, Hidden
  Caught an image of Gentiana in a photo.

• Spinning a Yarn I – Bronze
  Completed first sidequest.

• Spinning a Yarn II – Bronze
  Completed 5 sidequests.

• Spinning a Yarn III – Bronze
  Completed 10 sidequests.

• Spinning a Yarn IV – Bronze
  Completed 20 sidequests.

• Spinning a Yarn V – Bronze
  Completed 40 sidequests.

• Weaving a Tapestry – Silver
  Completed 80 sidequests.

• My First Hunt – Bronze
  Completed first hunt.

• Tortoise Toppler – Gold, Hidden
  Defeated the adamantoise.

The final one isn't a surpise to me as I already assumed it was the 'super boss', having seen it in the Noctis-compated-to-enemies-in-size video. It is pretty unreal, can't wait to see it in game. The Zu looked enormous, but that thing, they could only fit it's head in to the shot

Terribly boring trophy list otherwise.

[Daweii]

In the middle of pre-loading this game now.

I'm not all that excited. I played it for about an hour at EGX and wasn't that impressed, but most of that was the shit frame rate which I hear has been fixed somewhat.

So I will be playing it tomorrow like many many others, but my expectations are super low right now. 

[Chindie]

Looks absolutely thing like what my brain thinks when it thinks Final Fantasy. And I'm pretty sure that's not a good thing.

I'd never play it to completion (which is presumably a bit of what this new game is getting at) but I'd love a traditional Final Fantasy with money hurled at the story and graphics. The weird free movement stuff put me off XII and this looks to have more in common with Devil May Cry in some ways.

Hmm.

Needs to review well methinks too.

[V01]

Had my dispatch email, having seen Kingsglaive I can tell I'll hate the main characters. Hoping it's closer to VIII or IX than XIII.

[Ingram85]

17 minutes ago, V01 said:

Had my dispatch email, having seen Kingsglaive I can tell I'll hate the main characters. Hoping it's closer to VIII or IX than XIII.

How? They were only in it at the very end for like 10 seconds?

[V01]

It was enough, I've already decided they're irritating emo boyband wannabe's.

[jjaacckk91]

Judging from the review scores( haven't read through just so I can form my own opinion) it looks like it's been received well.

Between 8-9/10, so the gameplay at the least should be good.

[Daweii]

2 hours ago, jjaacckk91 said:

Judging from the review scores( haven't read through just so I can form my own opinion) it looks like it's been received well.

Between 8-9/10, so the gameplay at the least should be good.

Yeah it seems to be doing well, but this is a highly anticipated game which may skew the reviews in its favour.

I look forward to finding out and if it sucks then it won't be the first Final Fantasy game to be disappointing and it likely won't be the last. 

 

PS. Anyone buying this game digitally on PS4. Be prepared for an absurdly long install. The game downloaded like 6GB let me "play" and then proceeded to download the final 46GB from the main menu. A download I may add which was 40x slower than a regular download would go. I have no idea if there was a faster way to download this game, or if quitting out started the normal download manager, but be prepared for a long wait if that is the only way to download and install this game. 

Edited November 28, 2016 by Daweii
Typo ¬_¬

[Ingram85]

Enjoying it but it's very stop/starty/fiddly. Hopefully it finds its groove as it goes on.

Love Prompto though

Edited November 29, 2016 by Ingram85

[AshVilla]

Had this since Saturday

Combat reminds me of Dragon Age Inquisition

Pretty disappointed so far

[hogso]

I didn't need to worry about delivery, everything came today. Extended thoughts on the game when I've put more time in to it. 

Meta critic is showing an average score of around 80, which is suspiciously high. My most trusted source of reviews gave it a 6/10.

A word on the guide, it is a beauty. Some of the stuff in there, man, really can't wait to get in to it. 

[V01]

Funnily enough my most trusted source gave it a 6/10. 

 

Expected to have played the game by now but the postie let me down, gives me chance to blast through the platinum demo and unlock 

Spoiler

Carbuncle

 

[Daweii]

Playing through the game I am enjoying it. 

The combat is nice and fluid. It's not hard combat not in the slightest, but it is very flashy and great to look at. The game in itself at least right now isn't hard it's comparable to a game like Batman: Arkham Asylum. You hold Square to dodge and combo moves together while parrying the odd incoming attack. It is very basic, but that's not a bad thing provided this game has more to it eventually than just this. Right now it feels like it's easy to pick up, but hard to master and I hope I am right cause there is no challenge in this game thus far.

The story? What story? So far I have seen maybe two cut scenes and I am sure they were both ripped from the Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy movie. I'm not really sure what my purpose is yet other than being on a road trip. I am sure it will all become apparent later, but this game currently shares some similarities to Metal Gear Solid 5. That was a game from a series known for its story and cut scenes, yet was almost 100% game play focused with almost no story. This so far feels similar so I'm not sure if this is a Japanese gaming trend currently happening to sacrifice story, but it feels a little light in this area so far. 

All in all it's good fun. I have some gripes with it that I will likely bring up later if they still bug me. So far though it's a decent entry in a series I have largely disliked since Final Fantasy IX or X.

[hogso]

It's the best single player FF since XII, kind of says it all really. 

I'm not sure what a lot of players, particularly new comers to the series, will find to stick with it. The story certainly isn't a driving force.

I'm getting by alright with the exploration, side quests, leveling, hunts, tours, treasures, etc. helped massively by the game world mostly being gorgeous (the odd texture is gross, evidence of the massive development time I suppose) and camping/driving around with FF soundtracks blaring. 

I just can't shake the feeling, though, that a lot of players will see it as a poor replica of a western RPG world, and a pretty confusing one too. Which you can't really deny. It's ultra contemporary, but there's magic monsters and stuff which some surely wouldn't get along with - and then there's the 4 main characters. 

They're growing on me. I'm finding quite endearing features in each of them, little snippets like Ignis coming up with a new recipe, Prompto's photography is a highlight too, which is a really neat little idea. 

The biggest, best thing I'm taking from it at the moment is imagining FFVII in this engine, built in a world realised in game like this one. If they do it right, it's going to be **** spectacular. 

Edited November 30, 2016 by hogso

[Designer1]

Just installing it now.

The last FF I played was the MMO - which was a short lived experience due to it giving me the WoW bug back so I buggered off to Azeroth instead.

Before that I think it was VIII which I remember actually liking more than VII (sacrilege I know )

So basically, i'm not hugely clued up on the series but after watching a few videos and reading some of the reviews today it did look like something i'll enjoy.

Hope my gut feeling is right

[hogso]

I'll be intrigued to hear what you think. It's not nearly as good as it's current gen contemporaries like Dragon Age inquisition, Skyrim, Witcher, etc. for a start. 

I'm also baffled by what a player coming in to it blind will think is going on. I know what's going on cos I've watched Kingsglaive and Brotherhood. In the actual game you get a cut scene where the King tells you to go get married and that's it. I don't even know if it established that it's Noct's dad! Bizarre. 

[Daweii]

2 hours ago, hogso said:

The biggest, best thing I'm taking from it at the moment is imagining FFVII in this engine, built in a world realised in game like this one. If they do it right, it's going to be **** spectacular. 

Final Fantasy VII Remake is being built in Unreal Engine 4 the same as Kingdom Hearts 3. Final Fantasy XV due to its age is on their in-house Luminous Engine which is pretty, but appears to be hard to work with hence why it has been abandoned after one game.