Final Fantasy XIII Official Thread (56k, Reviews are in!)

Well, I messed up my schedule for today and didn't end up going to Wal-Mart as I had hoped, but I ordered the game online today and it should be in 2-3 days.

Still can't wait! :D...:(

That boss you're having trouble on can be defeated by taking out the things on the side.

hakanakumono

Yep... figured it out already. Thank you though... it's almost like a puzzle. A pretty obvious one, but a puzzle nonetheless. :lol:

[QUOTE="Jbul"]

I have been playing the daylights out of the game, I'm about 20 hours in. Most of my initial impressions stand, but the game has lost a bit of it's luster. It really is incredibly structured, and it seems like I am always fighting 7-10 groups of enemies, fight a boss character, switch characters, rinse and repeat. I'm at the end of Chapter 7, and there is one hell of a boss fight. Fought him once for 15 minutes straight and didn't win. Much tougher than any other boss in the game so far.... I've structered one of my paradigms to have 2 medics and I still consistently die on this boss over and over.

As Leo has said.

dvader654

That's fine by me... I will own this game forever, so it can take its time to open up for me. I just know that come Tuesday (God Of OMFG 3), FFXIII is going to be put on hold for a few days.

I'm in the midst of events at Palamporum, and to say this is the best game I've played all this generation is an understatement. I haven't been this fully captivated by a JRPG since FFX. Which is why when I heard all the reports about how this was so much like FFX, I knew I would love it. I wasn't wrong. My expectations were high, and the actual game blew right through all of them. I feel sorry for the people not enjoying it as I am, because this is a feeling I haven't had from any game in this genre in a long time. That "tingle" of something really special. This has been my genre for a long, long, time. So I'm really jazzed to see it back in top form. I am a happy gamer.SteveTabernacle

Awesome. I had that feeling in the beginning of the game and still get it from time to time as well. Definitely a quality game. :)

Every Final Fantasy has a boss like him. I know HOW to beat him. For some reason I am just having trouble.

Phantom_Leo

Stagger him, and use Lightning's "Launch" ability. It will hinder the boss, while Hope hits him with spells. Keep repeating this, as it does a lot of damage. As vader mentioned, have the "Super Soldier" paradigm set as your active one, and wait for Hope to cast Protect on Lightning and himself, and then switch to Slash & Burn. Remember that basic attacks are what slow down the stagger meter, so use dual cast to increase the stagger, and when it begins to run out quicker, switch to Slash & Burn for one full attack bar from lightning, and then back to Dual Cast. Good luck!

[QUOTE="Phantom_Leo"]

Every Final Fantasy has a boss like him. I know HOW to beat him. For some reason I am just having trouble.

LikeHaterade

Stagger him, and use Lightning's "Launch" ability. It will hinder the boss, while Hope hits him with spells. Keep repeating this, as it does a lot of damage. As vader mentioned, have the "Super Soldier" paradigm set as your active one, and wait for Hope to cast Protect on Lightning and himself, and then switch to Slash & Burn. Remember that basic attacks are what slow down the stagger meter, so use dual cast to increase the stagger, and when it begins to run out quicker, switch to Slash & Burn for one full attack bar from lightning, and then back to Dual Cast. Good luck!

Thanks, but I beat him. The one and only complaint I have about the game right now is keeping track of all the different abilities through all the different Jobs. I'm pretty sure Lightning has Launch already, but I have no idea which Job it is in! I was toggling through different jobs and abilities throughout the entire battle, but never noticed Launch as an option.

I didn't stagger him. I won, but the battle took FOREVER. Even calling out Odin didn't do much!

I've been averaging four-stars (with a lot of fives) for most of my battles. This one I got nuthin'

*grumble!*

My apologies. She performs Launch automatically, whenever an enemy is staggered. xD

I'm pretty sure Lightning has Launch already, but I have no idea which Job it is in!Phantom_Leo

Wow... the Gapra Whitewood is gorgeous. I'm really loving this game. I've got an entire day with zero social responsibilities. I'm gonna bite off a big chunk of this game today.rragnaar

Im about 15 hours in and it is sooo gorgeous to look at. I am very happy with this game so far.

Anyone else notice that if you switch your paradigm at just the right moment, it almost instantly fills up your ATB gauge? This is really useful when switching between Ravager and Commando with characters like Lightning -- Stagger, juggle, destroy. :P

[QUOTE="Jbul"]

Anyone else notice that if you switch your paradigm at just the right moment, it almost instantly fills up your ATB gauge? This is really useful when switching between Ravager and Commando with characters like Lightning -- Stagger, juggle, destroy. :P

dvader654

It's really cool... it makes the action pretty much nonstop if you time it right. Love it. How is everyone getting the Gil to upgrade their equipment? I'm selling alot of the accessories I don't use, and some of the weapons I come across that I don't particularly like. There's definitely some micromanagement involved in the upgrading process (menu juggling to say the least).

I'm not sure if someone has asked this yet but I'm still confused on how controlling Eidolons/Aeons work in this one. I just got Lightning's and I did little damage to enemies due to the fact that I didnt completely understand the control scheme. Can someone please explain this to me?

I'm not sure if someone has asked this yet but I'm still confused on how controlling Eidolons/Aeons work in this one. I just got Lightning's and I did little damage to enemies due to the fact that I didnt completely understand the control scheme. Can someone please explain this to me?

xjacobxhahax

Read the tutorials? They walk you through everything with using the gestault mode.

[QUOTE="xjacobxhahax"]

I'm not sure if someone has asked this yet but I'm still confused on how controlling Eidolons/Aeons work in this one. I just got Lightning's and I did little damage to enemies due to the fact that I didnt completely understand the control scheme. Can someone please explain this to me?

Sacif

Read the tutorials? They walk you through everything with using the gestault mode.

No they don't. They simply say "The controls are slightly different in Gestault mode" which is an understatement. That's not exactly a tutorial. :P

I'm not sure if someone has asked this yet but I'm still confused on how controlling Eidolons/Aeons work in this one. I just got Lightning's and I did little damage to enemies due to the fact that I didnt completely understand the control scheme. Can someone please explain this to me?

xjacobxhahax

I was a little confused at first too. You're kind of left to figure it out on your own. I think Lightning's Eidolon works on a combination of pressing X, in conjunction with a direction on the control pad to perform various moves. When you turn into Gestault mode, there will be a diagram with the moves, but beware, even if you don't act, your Gestault meter counts down. At first, you may want to hit "Auto", which I think is just "X" by itself, and the CPU does it for you. But after you get ahang of it, it's alot of fun to have full control over it. Good luck!

I am loving this game.

Yes it is linear.

So? Its frikken amazing.

This game wow has it gotten AWESOME. The locations are some of the most visually stunning worlds I have ever seen in any game. One level gave me control of the weather and depending on whether it was raining or sunny different types of enemies would show up. I am now in this area with floating platforms, once again stunning. The story is picking up as well. As usual with each FF game all the characters have a mysterious past that you slowly learn about. This game is no different, scene after scene more is being revealed, leading to some emotional scenes that are handled surprisingly well.

None of this would matter if the combat wasn't excellent. Choosing of the partners for you is still a bit annoying, I am still mostly switching between two teams of two characters so the fights aren't so complex as they would be with three but there still manages to be surprises. In a previous area I got a game message teaching you to avoid enemies, stating the ahead enemy might be too hard for two characters. So of course I ran straight into the enemy, this armadillo like monster. It was practically immune to everything including debuffs, I couldn't put a dent in it. I had to slowly build up its chain guage, while of course protecting my characters, healing and what not. Once the enemy was staggered it becomes immune to debuffs and normal attacks, so I switched to a saboteour and hit it with deshell and deprotect. The stagger wore off before it would die, this thing has massive HP but because I was able to debuff it while it was staggered that carried over to when he is in a normal state, so now I can do some actual damage. Using that strategy these enemies were easy to take down. A lot of enemies are very simple but there are enough of these tougher ones sprinkled throughout to keep things interesting.

It's a game you grow to love, it's excellent.

dvader654

Now you're getting far enough into the game to appreciate it. Happy to see that you enjoy it!

[QUOTE="Sacif"]

[QUOTE="xjacobxhahax"]

I'm not sure if someone has asked this yet but I'm still confused on how controlling Eidolons/Aeons work in this one. I just got Lightning's and I did little damage to enemies due to the fact that I didnt completely understand the control scheme. Can someone please explain this to me?

Jbul

Read the tutorials? They walk you through everything with using the gestault mode.

No they don't. They simply say "The controls are slightly different in Gestault mode" which is an understatement. That's not exactly a tutorial. :P

What? When you enter gestault mode the controls are on the left hand side of the screen with directions on how to utilize each power....I don't know how much easier it can get lol....And when you unlock Odin it tells you what to do...

I'm about 17 hours in and am starting Chapter 8. This game is great. I think it is easily the best combat system in any JRPG, and the story is moving along at a good clip. Honestly, I think the complaints about linearity don't ring true for me. The game does everything it does so well, that I don't really feel like it is missing anything. I haven't wanted to do anything outside of just going forward, and I think that is a testament to the combat system and the story. I want to see what is around the next corner.

I'm about 17 hours in and am starting Chapter 8. This game is great. I think it is easily the best combat system in any JRPG, and the story is moving along at a good clip. Honestly, I think the complaints about linearity don't ring true for me. The game does everything it does so well, that I don't really feel like it is missing anything. I haven't wanted to do anything outside of just going forward, and I think that is a testament to the combat system and the story. I want to see what is around the next corner.

rragnaar

It is definitely a great game. The only real complaint I have is the segregation of the party members. Right whenI focus on making one bad***, it switches to another set of characters and my resources are low.

Oh yeah... and the fact that there are so many "Cie's" in the game sometimes it's hard to keep track of. F'Aclie, L'Cie, Pulse L'Cie, Sanctum F'Alcie..... :lol:

I will miss playing this... until I start GoW3 then I will forget. :Pdvader654

Love the battle system, graphics and sound are downright stunning, but the story better be going somewhere because thus far I am not impressed. I'm only about 8 hours in but thus far it's disappointing, and for me that's a BIG problem.

Love the battle system, graphics and sound are downright stunning, but the story better be going somewhere because thus far I am not impressed. I'm only about 8 hours in but thus far it's disappointing, and for me that's a BIG problem.

Gemini_Red

I'm on Chapter 9 now. The story is really heating up nicely. I kinda want to slap whoever decided to have these alarm sirens blaring through most of this chapter. It is really, really annoying. Outside of that, I dig it.

Did I mention that this game is ****ing gorgeous?:P

[QUOTE="Gemini_Red"]

Love the battle system, graphics and sound are downright stunning, but the story better be going somewhere because thus far I am not impressed. I'm only about 8 hours in but thus far it's disappointing, and for me that's a BIG problem.

SteveTabernacle

I was interested at the start but the more I play the harder it is getting to stay interested. Also while I know a vast majority of RPG's give the illusion of open play when they are in fact linear, this one goes a bit too far with it. I feel like I am having my hand held the entire time, and it just isn't sitting well. Given the great battle gameplay combined with some truly fantastic visuals and audio(hate Vanille and Hope whenever they open their mouth, though) I'm really trying to give this game a fair shake, but the painfully linear gameplay plus a story that just isn't pulling me in is giving me serious doubts of playing it to it's conclusion. I'm on chapter 6 and to be honest I have little desire to go further from there aside from the fact that this chapter has Sazh who hands down is the most enjoyable character for me.

I'd love to see this through and finish satisfied, but as it stands I'm having doubts.

I'm on Chapter 9 now. The story is really heating up nicely. I kinda want to slap whoever decided to have these alarm sirens blaring through most of this chapter. It is really, really annoying. Outside of that, I dig it.

Did I mention that this game is ****ing gorgeous?:P

rragnaar

[QUOTE="rragnaar"]

I'm on Chapter 9 now. The story is really heating up nicely. I kinda want to slap whoever decided to have these alarm sirens blaring through most of this chapter. It is really, really annoying. Outside of that, I dig it.

(screenshot)

Did I mention that this game is ****ing gorgeous?:P

ASK_Story

I don't know if I'd go as far as to say that (this generation's still got a ways to go, after all), but yeah, this game is gorgeous. Props to the artists at Square for creating such breathtaking locals.

I'm on to Chapter 10 now. The battles seem to have jumped up a notch in difficulty. I'm really happy to be able to switch out party members now though, it makes it easier. Right now it seems like I start most battles with Lighting as a Ravager, Snow as a Sentinel and Hope as a Synergist. As soon as Hope has gotten my whole party protected, I switch over to something with a little more offensive power. It seems to work really well. I wish Hope was a little faster, and a little smarter. It would be nice to have the Paradigm system be just a tad bit deeper. I enjoyed being able to set priorities for my characters in FFXII. I don't need Hope healing me if I took one hit, it would be nice if you could set him to only heal when a character's life drops past a certain point.

I'm on to Chapter 10 now. The battles seem to have jumped up a notch in difficulty. I'm really happy to be able to switch out party members now though, it makes it easier. Right now it seems like I start most battles with Lighting as a Ravager, Snow as a Sentinel and Hope as a Synergist. As soon as Hope has gotten my whole party protected, I switch over to something with a little more offensive power. It seems to work really well. I wish Hope was a little faster, and a little smarter. It would be nice to have the Paradigm system be just a tad bit deeper. I enjoyed being able to set priorities for my characters in FFXII. I don't need Hope healing me if I took one hit, it would be nice if you could set him to only heal when a character's life drops past a certain point.

rragnaar

Goddamn... the Bahamut eidolon fight was brutal. It took me five or six tries. I figured out what I had to do the first time he beat me, but actually accomplishing it was a real bastard. Anyway... Chapter 10 is the worst chapter so far in the game. I'm hoping that Chapter 11 makes up for it.

Agghhh!!!! This game can be so frustrating. It took me three attempts to beat Sazh's transformers thingy and then... well if you've played this far you know the next bit. I'm sure its not how it looked but I had to put the controller down and crack open a beer to make myself feel ok.

Also I think I'm the only person who doesn't mind Vanille - Hope bugs me, bratty little emotionally challeged dil-weed - and lightning only gets a free pass because she's badass otherwise she's possibly the most depressing character ever created.

Agghhh!!!! This game can be so frustrating. It took me three attempts to beat Sazh's transformers thingy and then... well if you've played this far you know the next bit. I'm sure its not how it looked but I had to put the controller down and crack open a beer to make myself feel ok.

Also I think I'm the only person who doesn't mind Vanille - Hope bugs me, bratty little emotionally challeged dil-weed - and lightning only gets a free pass because she's badass otherwise she's possibly the most depressing character ever created.

bALTHar86

I haven't had any tough fights yet in the game, I had some challenging ones, but nothing that made me want to break my controller yet.

I say around 25-30hrs into the game things pick up imo, which is kinda sad really for people that don't have the patience for that. (which i understand btw)

I made it to Gran Pulse last night. It is almost a little overwhelming to have these huge open areas.:P I did one of the Cieth Stone quests before saving my game and playing Battlefield until way too late last night. Good times. This had been the best month in gaming that I've had in a long time.rragnaar

I agree with this completely. I can add to that statement that this is shaping up to be a stellar year for gaming in general. I am so in love with FF13 that I went and pickted up one of these :) I am a collectibles junkie anyways though :P

i -hated- this game for the first 2 hours or so. literally all you do is spam the x button every battle. sure the game is pretty and the music is superb, but the mechanics just seemed so dead. i think they waited a little too long to ramp up the paradigm system, but i also can see how it would be overwhelming. maybe just having 2 sets from the second hour on, something to kill that x mashing that was the intro combat system.

now that i have all of these paradigms at my disposal however, WOW. Im not sure if i like it better than XII yet, but its refreshing. the one major flaw with combat is the one thing XII really nailed - battle transitions. It is so tired and dated to have the *wooosh* and loading before a battle. it breaks the flow of things, and imagining what the feel would be if they left everything the same, but just locked your characters, pulled up the hud, and went to battle mode (as opposed to the screen changes) really makes me wish they went that way with it.

but back to the game. i am loving the characters (not hope though) and the story. beautiful game with a very mood setting soundtrack. i hear there are no towns, and thats a bummer. hm what else. oh the leveling. im not seeing much in the way of options on how to build, unless you really focus into certain roles... but its hard to know which one you should go with? i only skilled up once so far in over 4 hours just because i have no clue what to do. equipment.. not much here yet as i just hit optimize and balanced.

im sure i have a lot to discover but for a game i would not have recommended to anyone 2 hrs in, 4 hours i have recommended it to a few people and apologized for warning them off. really fun. its keeping me from playing GoW3, its that good.

i -hated- this game for the first 2 hours or so. literally all you do is spam the x button every battle. sure the game is pretty and the music is superb, but the mechanics just seemed so dead. i think they waited a little too long to ramp up the paradigm system, but i also can see how it would be overwhelming. maybe just having 2 sets from the second hour on, something to kill that x mashing that was the intro combat system.

now that i have all of these paradigms at my disposal however, WOW. Im not sure if i like it better than XII yet, but its refreshing. the one major flaw with combat is the one thing XII really nailed - battle transitions. It is so tired and dated to have the *wooosh* and loading before a battle. it breaks the flow of things, and imagining what the feel would be if they left everything the same, but just locked your characters, pulled up the hud, and went to battle mode (as opposed to the screen changes) really makes me wish they went that way with it.

but back to the game. i am loving the characters (not hope though) and the story. beautiful game with a very mood setting soundtrack. i hear there are no towns, and thats a bummer. hm what else. oh the leveling. im not seeing much in the way of options on how to build, unless you really focus into certain roles... but its hard to know which one you should go with? i only skilled up once so far in over 4 hours just because i have no clue what to do. equipment.. not much here yet as i just hit optimize and balanced.

im sure i have a lot to discover but for a game i would not have recommended to anyone 2 hrs in, 4 hours i have recommended it to a few people and apologized for warning them off. really fun. its keeping me from playing GoW3, its that good.