Final Fantasy X-2
<div class="IPBDescription">Yeah I know</div> Before I begin, FFX-2 has only just been released in Europe, hence the timing of this post.
After a 2-night rental, i'm still not sure what I think of the game. I was told that the first few hours were pretty bad, and I would have to agree.
I counted no less than three occasions when the party struck a "Charlies Angels" style pose (yes, the player characters are all female), on top of Yuna's godawful singing (Yuna herself that is, not the Yuna imposter from the intro). Brother's overacting was definately bad, but at least it was sort of funny... the first couple of times. I did note that he is meant to be Yuna's cousin.....
I think the quality of the music, or lack therof, deserves a paragraph to itself since it's so godawful. It is an assault on the ears and often sounds like 2 tracks are being played out of time with each other.
The main failing of the first few hours (I was told 4, but it didn't get fun for me til about hour 10) is the lack of seriousness. In FFX, spira was a world filled with death and doom, and you were a group of heroes out to save the world from the big-bad evil that threatened it. Now you are three girls in skimpy outfits with no goal (to start with) other than making money and **** about.
As an example of this lack-of-seriousness, one of the first missions you can go on explains the events of the intro in a bit more detail. Long story short, Yuna ends up in a Moogle outfit handing out balloons. Yes, I kid ye not. Your quest is to hand out balloons. The mighty summoner who defeated Sin is handing out balloons to kids.
Another example? There is a little girl who wants to ride a chocobo oh-so-much, so naturally your group of sphere hunters drop everything in order to aid this little girl, who has nothing to offer in the way of payment. Great use of time and resources there guys.
I'm not even going to describe the "massage" mini-game which you <b>have</b> to complete, due to the sheer mind-boggling stupidity of it. Although the cracking sounds made when you get it wrong made me chuckle the first time.
I'm also not too fond of the mission-based system, that is to say, I hate it. FFX had a distinct lack of choice of where to go next, and no ability to go back where you came from which was annoying, so apparently the developers said "You want open-ended, you got open-ended! MWAHAAHAAHAAHAA!!!!
I'm going to stop with the downers there (although I could go on), because despite it's faults, this is not a bad game. Well, o.k, the first chapter, and most of the second chapter are utter, utter garbage, but if you can live through the estrogen overload with your sanity and/or sexuality intact, it actually starts to get quite good around the end of chapter 2, where there is a very nice plot twist (yes, there IS a plot if you wait long enough).
I like the new combat system, characters no longer wait their turn to attack, that is to say it is possible, and very satifying, to kill a fiend as it lunges. You also get bonus damage for each consecutive attack after the first, making bad-**** combos possible.
The sphere grid is gone! Halleluia! Exp is back, we missed you.
I will admit I was nearly ready to give up after the why-god-why party scene at about 5 hours, until I saw the dream sequence right after.
****SPOILER SPOLIER SPOILER THIS IS A SPOILER****
The dream sequence was done in FMV, with Yuna and Tidus running down long coridoors away from soldiers in red, only to be cornered and dramatically executed. Could this be a premonition? I dunno I haven't got that far yet...
****SPOILER SPOLIER SPOILER THIS IS THE END OF THE SPOILER****
The point was, it was SERIOUS! It did not feature **** music or charlie's angels style poses, it gave me hope that maybe, just maybe, this game is going to stop sucking really soon. And I was right.
So to conclude, I think i've finally dug through the outer crust of crap, and am about to enter the juicy mantle of plot and depth that has been woefully missing so far. Apparently the ending (well, there are multiple endings, I mean the ulta-100% completion ending) is pretty disapointing, but I don't care. I have resolved myself to trudge through this game to 100% completion, maybe even buying if nessesary, that is how devoted to the cause of completing-every-FF-game-even-if-they-suck I am.
I'll be renting it again next weekend, wish me luck.
*edit* O.k, I didn't really make the point of this post clear, but bascially I want to hear comments from others who have played and, preferably, completed FFX-2. I want to know if it's going to get better, because so far chapter 3 has been a lot better than 1 and 2. I also want to know if you ever get anyone else in your party, but i'm guessing not.
*edit* And no 1-line comments along the lines of "it sucks"
hey look it's another *edit* No I will not be amused in the slightest if you now post "It sucks" as an attempt at humour. Neither will anyone else, in fact no-one will like you for the rest of your life and you will be escorted from the forums by the men in white coats. Then beaten.
After a 2-night rental, i'm still not sure what I think of the game. I was told that the first few hours were pretty bad, and I would have to agree.
I counted no less than three occasions when the party struck a "Charlies Angels" style pose (yes, the player characters are all female), on top of Yuna's godawful singing (Yuna herself that is, not the Yuna imposter from the intro). Brother's overacting was definately bad, but at least it was sort of funny... the first couple of times. I did note that he is meant to be Yuna's cousin.....
I think the quality of the music, or lack therof, deserves a paragraph to itself since it's so godawful. It is an assault on the ears and often sounds like 2 tracks are being played out of time with each other.
The main failing of the first few hours (I was told 4, but it didn't get fun for me til about hour 10) is the lack of seriousness. In FFX, spira was a world filled with death and doom, and you were a group of heroes out to save the world from the big-bad evil that threatened it. Now you are three girls in skimpy outfits with no goal (to start with) other than making money and **** about.
As an example of this lack-of-seriousness, one of the first missions you can go on explains the events of the intro in a bit more detail. Long story short, Yuna ends up in a Moogle outfit handing out balloons. Yes, I kid ye not. Your quest is to hand out balloons. The mighty summoner who defeated Sin is handing out balloons to kids.
Another example? There is a little girl who wants to ride a chocobo oh-so-much, so naturally your group of sphere hunters drop everything in order to aid this little girl, who has nothing to offer in the way of payment. Great use of time and resources there guys.
I'm not even going to describe the "massage" mini-game which you <b>have</b> to complete, due to the sheer mind-boggling stupidity of it. Although the cracking sounds made when you get it wrong made me chuckle the first time.
I'm also not too fond of the mission-based system, that is to say, I hate it. FFX had a distinct lack of choice of where to go next, and no ability to go back where you came from which was annoying, so apparently the developers said "You want open-ended, you got open-ended! MWAHAAHAAHAAHAA!!!!
I'm going to stop with the downers there (although I could go on), because despite it's faults, this is not a bad game. Well, o.k, the first chapter, and most of the second chapter are utter, utter garbage, but if you can live through the estrogen overload with your sanity and/or sexuality intact, it actually starts to get quite good around the end of chapter 2, where there is a very nice plot twist (yes, there IS a plot if you wait long enough).
I like the new combat system, characters no longer wait their turn to attack, that is to say it is possible, and very satifying, to kill a fiend as it lunges. You also get bonus damage for each consecutive attack after the first, making bad-**** combos possible.
The sphere grid is gone! Halleluia! Exp is back, we missed you.
I will admit I was nearly ready to give up after the why-god-why party scene at about 5 hours, until I saw the dream sequence right after.
****SPOILER SPOLIER SPOILER THIS IS A SPOILER****
The dream sequence was done in FMV, with Yuna and Tidus running down long coridoors away from soldiers in red, only to be cornered and dramatically executed. Could this be a premonition? I dunno I haven't got that far yet...
****SPOILER SPOLIER SPOILER THIS IS THE END OF THE SPOILER****
The point was, it was SERIOUS! It did not feature **** music or charlie's angels style poses, it gave me hope that maybe, just maybe, this game is going to stop sucking really soon. And I was right.
So to conclude, I think i've finally dug through the outer crust of crap, and am about to enter the juicy mantle of plot and depth that has been woefully missing so far. Apparently the ending (well, there are multiple endings, I mean the ulta-100% completion ending) is pretty disapointing, but I don't care. I have resolved myself to trudge through this game to 100% completion, maybe even buying if nessesary, that is how devoted to the cause of completing-every-FF-game-even-if-they-suck I am.
I'll be renting it again next weekend, wish me luck.
*edit* O.k, I didn't really make the point of this post clear, but bascially I want to hear comments from others who have played and, preferably, completed FFX-2. I want to know if it's going to get better, because so far chapter 3 has been a lot better than 1 and 2. I also want to know if you ever get anyone else in your party, but i'm guessing not.
*edit* And no 1-line comments along the lines of "it sucks"
hey look it's another *edit* No I will not be amused in the slightest if you now post "It sucks" as an attempt at humour. Neither will anyone else, in fact no-one will like you for the rest of your life and you will be escorted from the forums by the men in white coats. Then beaten.
Comments
PS about finding a chocobo and handing out ballons in a moogle suit....what can you say, they're just goodie-twoshoes so of course they do that!
But if you want to, then play it all you want. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Oh i'm not denying that. I'm sure it will soon hold the title of "Crappiest FF game ever" until the end of time, or until they royally f**k up FF12.
I'm just trying to find the good in a bad situation, y'know? <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Oh i'm not denying that. I'm sure it will soon hold the title of "Crappiest FF game ever" until the end of time, or until they royally f**k up FF12.
I'm just trying to find the good in a bad situation, y'know? <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Actually, if you were any kind of Final Fantasy fan, you'd know that Mystic Quest was the worst, with Crystal Cronicles at a close 2nd.
Never claimed I was a big FF fan, in fact I haven't played anything before 7 so meh.
Mystic Quest must be pretty horrible...
It's actually Seiken Densetsu, but if you insist then yeah its horrible. Playing with sticks was better <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
But this... yeah, just seems dumb. You CHANGE YOUR CLOTHES, and all of a sudden you're no longer a mage, but a buff strong warrior... yeah... right... So instead of summoning aeons, you're watching girls change clothes. It seems like this game was made for the same audience who got DOA: Beach Volleyball...
But like I said, I hated FFX for about the first hour or two of gameplay too, so I'll play this one for a bit more before making a final decision on it. I would like to know the storyline w/ it, which is really what kept me playing FFX even though I got tired of the gameplay itself. (Took me like 2 years to beat FFX cause I kept taking 5 month breaks away from it heh)
In my opinion none of the Final Fantasies since 8 have kicked any ****. 8 is where the gravy train ended. 8 is my favorite and while FFX was an engrossing experience I got annoyed with Tidus and wanted Squall, lol. I think LuLu's **** kept me going... I don't know. Don't worry about it, FFX-2 wasn't going to be released in the US or Europe (as the rumour goes) it was going to be a Japanese exclusive, however, they caved to the demand and decided to release it here. When you think about it, Old Japanese Men are dirty and probably are the reason this game was concieved in the first place. Sorry you didn't enjoy it but just be glad you only rented it, I bought the thing. :\
~ DarkATi
It's actually Seiken Densetsu, but if you insist then yeah its horrible. Playing with sticks was better <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
what the hell, NO!
Seiken Densetsu 1 was for gameboy, its name over here outside Japan is Final Fantasy Adventure. Go try it, it actually has many similarities to the other Seiken Densetsu's (Secret of Mana, SD3, Song of Mana, Legend of Mana), and should be very similar to Sword of Mana, reciently released for GBA.
Mystic Quest has, AFAIK, no relation to Squaresoft of Japan...Im not really sure of its origins, but I tend to look at it as FF's version of 'Metal Gear: Snake's Revenge' ;p
Disregard everything I just said because I've never played FFX for over 10 minutes because I don't have a PS2 and I definitely don't want that obsolete console (Xbox = Halo and Halo = Perfection). If the overall atmosphere of FFX had been more like VII's (dystopian future! yay!), it might have forced me to buy a PS2, but seeing Tidus for the first time in a preview I said to myself "What the ****? They want me to play as that thing after I've gone through Deus Ex as JC Denton? He's in freaking lenderhosen!"
So. FFX-2. Little beyond fanservice. Why should I slog through a few hours essentially of DOA: Beach Volleyball RPG? I don't honestly care how good the rest of the game is, if they feel neccessary to inflict a six-foot stack of fertilizer on those who purchase it, just so Joe Bubba *might* pick up a copy.
Watch in wonder as the mysterious species called the "Final Fantasy Nerd" spends hours upon hours reminicing on how everything is horrible now and that some random number between 1 and 9 was the best there ever was!"
:P
Well, you took the fun out of this thread.
I see your point. You shouldn't HAVE to sit through several hours of crap to get to the good stuff, the first few hours are supposed to get you hooked, not running in horror.
General consensus from other boards is that FFX-2 <i>does</i> improve in chapter 3, but still isn't great. The only thing keeping me playing is the little plot hints the game keeps dropping, they have to be leading somewhere.... right?
In my opinion none of the Final Fantasies since 8 have kicked any ****. 8 is where the gravy train ended. 8 is my favorite and while FFX was an engrossing experience I got annoyed with Tidus and wanted Squall, lol. I think LuLu's **** kept me going... I don't know. Don't worry about it, FFX-2 wasn't going to be released in the US or Europe (as the rumour goes) it was going to be a Japanese exclusive, however, they caved to the demand and decided to release it here. When you think about it, Old Japanese Men are dirty and probably are the reason this game was concieved in the first place. Sorry you didn't enjoy it but just be glad you only rented it, I bought the thing. :\
~ DarkATi <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
woo, another FF8 fan =p so few of us consider 8 our favorite... I think 6 was the best quality, but 8 is my favorite, because I could sympathize most with the main character, and the love story actually played out for a change with one of the few FF happy endings... I'm definitely a sucker for a good love story, what can I say.
to get back on topic, I started my own FFX-2 thread a while ago, asking whether the game was even worth renting, and after everyone's comments, I eventually decided, no, it wasn't. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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LOL Nevermind I won't do that. Honestly though, the only Square game I've played is Secret of Mana, which rocked I think, and Crystal Chronicles which sucks, though my friend is trying to change my mind because he wants a full four player game with GBA's.
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LOL Nevermind I won't do that. Honestly though, the only Square game I've played is Secret of Mana, which rocked I think, and Crystal Chronicles which sucks, though my friend is trying to change my mind because he wants a full four player game with GBA's. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
you're missing out, man <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo--> though if you want to see square at its best, go straight for Chrono Trigger. :>
As for FFX-2, it's a decent game. Sure the various fanservice shots are annoying in the beginning, but it has a nice quirky nature to it. However Square has abused its minigame license from the massage game to the Random rule in FF8 to the horror that was blitzball.
The combat system is nice and very Grandiaish. The clothes changing thing can get silly at times but you can get rid of the FMVs if wish! The job system is nice, allowing for specialized classes to be used (and the Songtress is the only status disorder class I've seen that works). It is kindof of to go from a White Mage to a Dark Knight and back, but whatever.
As for the story, it's major theme is change. Spira is a different land now. The threat of Sin no long hangs over everyone (Blitzball still does however). The dominant political/religious institution has been discredited and reformed. It'll be like Europe went though the Mongol Hordes and the Reformation all at the same time! Now the changes have happened relatively fast, but that's forgivable because who wants to play a 80 year old Yuna? Think about it, nearly all the stuff in the game is about change, from accepting to rejecting it. Also it reflects fans of the series in the same way. That's a great deal for a video game which don't usually have a theme beyond "Sephy is a bad *** man."
Okay, the music is subpar, but thankfully I have a tin ear and it all sounds the same to me. And some of the sidequests/minigames are bad/boring.
As for the characters, Yuna's outfit seems uncharactistic. Hot pants or not, it's the same Yuna however trying to get more confident and individalistic. Rikku is the same, just with less clothes (the pawing is still there dang it!). Paine feels like the odd one out, but fits well as a foil for the rest. Her character is what I call "Squall done right" with the right amount of standoffish and annoyence at the world that was lacking in the nearly cardboard cutout that was Squall.
Lastly, it usually doesn't take itself very seriously something that I like. While anime and video games can be serious, they'll usually can't pull it off due to the constraints of the medium (see "Use the second controller port, Snake!). So FFX-2 comes to be a relief in that aspect.
All in all, it's a nice game. Not the best by far, but a nice fun if somewhat girly game. It's like finding a really good McDonalds run by the Spice Girls.
As an aside, I also thought FF8 was the best. Sure it had a crappy magic system, and junctioning made leveling up almost completely useless, but it had GUNBLADES! And yeah, I could sort of sympathise with Squall where others simply call him "whiney". Listen, TIDUS is whiney. Squall is just.... moody.
Plus it has the 3 most awesome FMV's i've ever seen in any FMV ever.
1. The Dollet Landing. Gotta love the music too.
2. The battle of the Gardens- Bikes jumping onto Balamb Garden and Absailing Galbadian Elites... yeah
3. The beat-up-the-galbadian-jetpack-soldier minigame, this game was easy, yet fun, and had an FMV in the background to boot. I must say the smooth FMV-to-game switch is something square does well.
*notices the aside was longer than the post*
*edit* <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->It's like finding a really good McDonalds run by the Spice Girls.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> That is the best analogy of FFX-2 i've ever heard. That or sneezing, it sort of hurts, but you want to keep doing it <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Of course, I love most FF games. Haven't tried CC yet.
But the changing of jobs is one of the best things, though it looks like they f***ed up the system for FF-X2.
Tal, Kefka is just weird. Well, so was Sephiroth. Now Ultimecia...what's not to like about somoene who pre-emptively tries to kill you?
So in order to <b>truly</b> finish FFX-2, you'd have to pretty much get all the endings. Sucks though, because I've seen the best ending and it sucked a lot <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /><!--endemo-->
But if you like those little cutscenes...you might want to consider playing it through
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Ah yes....Kefka....that weirdo guy that has a freaky laff and poisons a whole kingdom....now THAT isn't evil, it's <b>ev0l</b>. To me he's the ev0lest baddy I've ever seen in any FF, plus he's the main design that Safer Sephiroth was based on <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->