The Final Fantasy topic

[Jockney]

You could argue that identity is a theme in pretty much every Final Fantasy game bar 1 and 3 and that's because they don't really have any characters. Final Fantasy 6 is probably the strongest out of the lot on that theme, which is why you should totally play it, Jockers! (FF4 is really good for that reason amongst others too and even has a 3D version on the DS!)

It's actually the central theme in many of my favourite games (Bioshock and Bioshock Infinite, Metal Gear Solids 1&3, Ni No Kuni, et al). It's a theme that is universally identfiable, because most people struggle to define themselves and find purpose in their existence at some point or another. It's an extremely difficult theme to explore effectively, though, as it necessitates a strong focus on character and video games, as an interactive storytelling medium, are more suited to telling stories through action: the the what, the when and the how, rather than the who and the why. Again, I think all of the Final Fantasies up to, but not including, X-2 do this with varying degrees of success, but well enough on the whole (eight and ten are definitely weaker in that respect). My criticisms of those other games are harsh because I am directly comparing them to aspects of storytelling that XI does better than any other game I've played, not because those games have deficiencies that detracted from my general enjoyment of them.

RE. FFVI: I toyed with the idea of downloading it on PSN this evening, but got sidetracked by other things. I'm definitely going to get round to it soon. Some of the clips I've seen on Youtube have assuaged some of the fears I had about the 16-bit format.

 

[Jockney]

Finally bought FF6. First impressions are solid. Annoying lack of health items, though. I had to climb all the way back down that mountain nr South Wotsit, just so I could buy about 20 Phoenix Downs in the nearest town and face the Kung Fu fella with a full party.

 

[Don Tonberry]

I just know there's going to be one character/enemy who you will absolutely despise for all the wrong reasons. Supposed to be comic relief but doesn't fit in with the game's tone at all.

 

[Jockney]

I just know there's going to be one character/enemy who you will absolutely despise for all the wrong reasons. Supposed to be comic relief but doesn't fit in with the game's tone at all.

Is that the purple octopus thingy you fight in the rapids as you're protecting the old dude? That whole sequence was just bizarre... and then a fuckin' moogle shows up and suddenly you're picking which character you're following next. This game seems pretty far ahead of its time for 1994.

 

[Don Tonberry]

Yeah Ultros, he's a fucking tongeburger. You'll be seeing a fair bit of him during the game.

What do you think of Kefka so far?

 

[Jockney]

Yeah Ultros, he's a fucking tongeburger. You'll be seeing a fair bit of him during the game.

What do you think of Kefka so far?

He's absolutely ridiculous, like a pantomime villain. He's been very entertaining in our few encounters so far.

 

[Megaclyde]

That's where I'm at on 6, I hadn't played it in ages and tried it again today and got confused as fuck when i loaded my save file and it showed my party as just a moogle.
Been smashing FFX though, beat Yunalesca first try which I was suprised at since Gagazet Seymour took me a good few tries, then whilst doing the summoner challenges in Remien temple or whatever, I beat her Anima with my fucking Ifrit.
Also have fully upgraded Caldabolg, Nirvana and Masamune, strolled into Omega ruins ready for some power levelling and got wiped first enemy...

 

[Don Tonberry]

There are loads of playable characters in FF6. I think you can miss 4 of them by the end of the game.

 

[Jockney]

Joined up with Setzer and have put the Magitek lab to rights. Got all the Espers there and am now up to date on Terra's past.

I'm getting more and more into it. Definitely a bit of a slow burner and, yes, Ultros is really fucking annoying. He's so out of place.

 

[Don Tonberry]

How are you finding the difficulty so far?

 

[Jockney]

How are you finding the difficulty so far?

Up and down. Save points are scarce, which doesn't help, but after some initial trouble I've been breezing most battles since Edgar learned the chainsaw and bio blaster tool techniques. Also, it might just be my perception of things, but I swear random encounters are far more common compared to other FFs? It can be very annoying at times, especially when I'm a bit lost/stuck in a certain area and need to explore.

 

[Don Tonberry]

Yeah the random encounters are definitely more common. The battles only get easier though, once Sabin learns some of his top Blitz moves and your mages get the most powerful spells.

 

[Relentless]

Have you done the train bit yet

 

[Jockney]

I'm still waiting for Sabin to karate chop the train to death, as that was one of the few things I knew about the game going into it (for the right or wrong reasons.) The Phantom train section sucked balls. My least favourite part of the game so far.

Currently searching for the Espers in the mountains so Terra can make peace with them. I'm only 14 hours in and Kefka is in prison, so I know I'm nowhere near the end, but it certainly feels like the game could end soon. I imagine a big twist is coming very soon.

 

[Don Tonberry]

The train bit has been and gone. You could have done a Blitz and done a Suplex on it, just for the giggles.

 

[Relentless]

Yeah suplexing the train is the best thing.

 

[Jockney]

Terra wasn't even with Shadow and Sabin in that fight. GOSH.

Jetting across the world of ruin on ma new airship, tryna find ma buddiez. Still really enjoying it. Obvs can't say for sure yet, but if it weren't for the random battles, the lack of guidance on where to go next and some jarring attempts at 'humour', I'd have this above FF8, just below 9 and 7.

final fantiverse list:

1) FF9
2) FF7
3) Kingdom Hearts II
4) Kingdom Hearts
5) FF8
6) FF6
7) FFX
8) 1FF Tactics Advance
9) FFXII
10) 1FF XIII
11) 1FF Crystal Chronicles
12) FFX-2
13) FFVII DOC

 

[Don Tonberry]

DOC that bad you put it below FFX-2!?

Once you finish FF6 you should attempt FF4 remake on the DS.

 

[Relentless]

You should give 1FF Tactics a shot.

 

[Jockney]

DOC that bad you put it below FFX-2!?

Once you finish FF6 you should attempt FF4 remake on the DS.

FFX-2 is a terrible game, but it doesn't take itself too seriously and I can almost admire it for that. DOC is just a horrible, cynical cash-in that completely fails to understand why people loved VII in the first place. Just fucking leave it alone. No sequels, no prequels. Remake it or whatever if you have to (you really don't have to), but just fucking stop. Don't nobody give a fuck about Vincent or Cloud or even Sephiroth, they were just a small part of that game and, Sephiroth aside, you could have replaced them with literally any other 1FF character and it wouldn't have diminished the experience even an iota.

Is the DS remake bad? I like the art style from what I've seen of screenshots.

 

[Megaclyde]

Play the FF4 complete collection, apparently not as hard as DS version, it's still FF4 though in all it's meh-ish glory

 

[Jockney]

Play the FF4 complete collection, apparently not as hard as DS version, it's still FF4 though in all it's meh-ish glory

This doesn't stand up to much as it's completely my perception, but I've always thought that IV was considered to be one of the best? Like, most 1FF nerds would probably have a list that went FFVII>FFVI>FFIV>FFIX>FFV>FFX>FFVIII, etc? I guess it's really hard to reach a consensus as not only are there so many games in the series, but the series also spans generations of gamers, so you kind of have to separate the titles into eras.

 

[Don Tonberry]

Yeah it has a sequel and an interim game before that, though.

The 3D remake is actually really good, if you can stomach the punishing difficulty. There are 2 fights in that game which I'd rank in the top 5 of all the unavoidable fights you have to do in the entire series.

 

[Megaclyde]

Golbez and shadow dragon?
I tried to pick it up again recently but it keeps removing and adding party members which i personally hate

 

[Cas]

I'd probably have XII bottom if I were to make a list. Crisis Core would probably feature nearer the top than bottom. Never played Dirge of Cerb.

Still playing through FFIX as we speak. Only put my Vita down to have something to eat. I love Steiner and Vivi in the early stages of the game. I think Vivi might be my favourite character in the entire series.

 

[Don Tonberry]

Vivi is awesome.

Yeah Clyde, Golbez is one of them and the final boss is the other. Nothing will ever beat Garuda from FF3 though. Hate that bastard.

 

[Jockney]

I can't even remember XII, it left that little of an impression on me.

Just battled my way up the cultist's tower, beating a white dragon my way, only to get wiped out by the cult leader's unavoidable death rattle attack. No warning, nothing. It took me forty fucking minutes to climb that tower and there were no save points anywhere. This is why this game is ranked lower than eight, that is such an obnoxious dick move.

 

[Megaclyde]

One of the reasons I love 10 so much, always a save point before a boss.

 

[Jockney]

Fuck this game seriously. I'm out. Took me FOUR FUCKING HOURS to navigate Kefka's Tower, and then he kills me in the third round with an absolute bullshit flurry of attacks. I'm done. I'm done! I'll watch the ending cutscenes on Youtube or something.

Easiest 1FF my arse. By far the fucking hardest I've played.

 

[Megaclyde]

Mate, where do you get the time to just plow through a 1FF in a few days
If I try and do one its like a month long investment minimum