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ArtznCraphs on 28 January 2008
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naznatips said:
ArtznCraphs said:

Final Fantasy has still been go into battle mode, order off menu. I'm not commenting on class customization, though thieves still cannot operate outside of battle mode, mages can't go throw a fireball into a room full of enemies before combat begins, healers can't buff before combat begins, etc.

FFXII isn't any easier than the series normally is, which is very. It's that in FFXII the work is done before the fight, which is not any less demanding , or more difficult, than ordering off of a menu. Plus I have the choice not to use gambits at all and can issue commands on the fly, which ramps the up the pressure beyond the series norm. The other games have had no less ridiclous, overwrought anime fan-fiction plots. Lets not pretend that any of these games are accomplished writing or storytelling. FXII had as good gameplay and plot as can be expected of this series, and the plot was less eye rolling than the normal dewy claptrap. Wakka has to be one of the most annoying, hideously designed characters there is, and FFX is the worse for it, other than that the series has seen better days, and I don't meen FVII which in terms of character personality was a huge step down from FFVI.

At any rate if I want that kind of experience, I find the ShinMegaTen games to be more challenging on all fronts

And George Lucas needs to sue quite a few game devs as his influence is all over gaming, not least of all RPGs.

At any rate, I'm not against JRPGs; it's pretty much the bulk of what I played 8bit through PS1, but I am against the idea that they are somehow the real deal and WRPGs are not, when WRPG detractors can't muster examples going back further than Oblivion. You can't pull that shit with me


Oh don't get me wrong. I don't think FFX, FFVII, or FFVIII were much better than FFXII, if any. In fact, I hate FFVII. IMO it's the day the series died. That said, I love FFIX, and I think it had brilliant design, character development and a pretty good plot. Gameplay wasn't great in IX, but it was pretty good and it was overall a much better tham than the other 3D FFs. It's what FF should have been in 3D, and it's sad that the series has never managed anything else close to it.

Also, you and I seem to share nearly identical opinions on the two genres. I pointed out specifically that I do not dislike WRPGs, nor consider them inherintly inferior to JRPGs. I just think it's stupid when people claim they have more variety, which they don't. Not that it necessarily makes them not fun... to the contrary, I think some of the "variety" that's been added to JRPGs like FFVII and FFXII has taken away the fun. WRPGs are not bad, and I like many of them, especially Bioware's. I just hate freaking Bethesda. Most boring games I've ever played.

And we arrive at complete agreement, especially about FFIX.  And I have to say that the learning abilities through equipment was something that really appealed to me. Just a classic FF mechanic.  The World Map was the best of the lot, as was the art.  IMO, Square and JRPGs in general hit a peak during the PS1 days.  I mean you can't beat FFIX, Vagrant Story, LUnar:SSC, Lunar Blue, Suikoden 1 and 2, Chrono Cross, etc.

And in the name of equality, traditional WRPGs peaked in the days of the Infinitey Engine (Baldur's Gate 2, Fallout 2, Planescape: Torment)

And Morrowind makes a pretty damn good FP stealth game.  Lots of places to break into and containers to lockpick.  Nowhere near Deus Ex, and it fails in combat and magic.