I really didn`t feel like talking about this issue at first, because
frankly it seemed so stupid, but it`s gotten so out of hand that I
really felt like inserting a small voice of reason.
Final Fantasy XIII is being bashed left and right by gamers, because of one of its characteristics: linearity.
It's gotten so bad, that more than two-tirds of the comments on
Final Fantasy 13 articles I've seen are negative and saying that the
game will suck because of its linearity.
One of my friends came up to me and said, "Hey, so turns out FF13 is
going to be bad ". A bit surprized, I ask: "Have you played it?" He
replies to this: "Nah man, everyone says it is". Knowing what the
problem was, I ask: " And they haven't played it either, right?"
From what I`ve heard, the logic seems to be that since Open-ended
games like Fallout 3 are fun, as well as other good RPGs which are less
linear, then the game will suck. Do you see what is flawed about this
logic?
If you don't get it then let me point it out:
Just because a game has characteristics that are different in some
ways to games that are fun, does not mean the game will not be fun...
both types of games have the possibility of being fun.
Is this so hard to understand??
Anything can be fun if it's well done or integrated, and that
includes linearity. There are certain games that work perfectly well
with certain aspects that might not work in other types of games.
It's strange that this train of thought (that FF13 sucks) is even
circulating, as FF10, which was extremely liked, as well as many
awesome Strategy RPGs, are extremely linear.
The strangest thing of all though, is that the game isn't even
released in North America, and is being judged before having even been
played, by mostly North Americans and others who have not even played
the game yet.
I really would like gamers to be a bit more open-minded. I hope you
come to realize the flawed logic behind this logically flawed
judgementalism, as most of us wish to play it first and enjoy the game
if we can once it comes out, but the irrational progoganda floating
around the internet may affect our appreciation of a potential gem. At
least give it a chance; SE usually knows how to make a good game, so
why not give it a chance for what the game is instead of comparing it
to what it isn't?
A by-the-numbers action game with a story that only occasionally lives up to the original work.
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Its also only the first half of the game which is linear when in cocoon in Pulse its open world. And FFX is one of my favorite games ever, and its linear. I think people just like to follow the crowd.
Iver way the game will be great.
Another point. Out of the past 7 or so FF's to be released only 2 were Decent... not great... Decent... not even including the Shovelware like Crystal Chronicles or junk like that. i haven't liked anything from Square since FF9 and that was just OK. 7 was good for it's time but hasn't aged well for me... All this game seems to have is decent graphics. Not great but decent. Linear is fine if the story is great but it looks very generic so far and from what everyone has said it is...
Yeah, most of the FF's have been extremely linear. People praise them up and down even till this day (besides graphics, FFVII has aged perfectly), yet the new one follows the same path the rest did and it's all of a sudden so bad that some people aren't even gonna give it a chance.
Doesn't make sense.
I don't get the linearity argument either, but I'm pretty upset about their not being towns or cities to explore. I understand a linear plot, that's par for the course, but that doesn't mean you take out all exploration, because that's always been part of the fun in the series too. I'll still buy it and I'm looking forward to it, but that one thing does annoy me a bit.
I honestly do not get the linearity problem either. Based from what I have seen, read from import reviews and comments from those who played the Japanese version, this game is still going to be a great if not good game.
I think the reason why people are so quick to judge it is because FFXIII was promoted as a linear game. If Square Enix had kept their mouth shut reactions could have been different. But the problem is how different? as in people would find out and be like meh it's ok or they would burn the game and kill themselves for what SE did.
I give Square Enix a lot of credit for being honest to gamers in my opinion because it lets us know what kind off game we are buying in comparison to their previous product. Rather then spending $60 and finding out the game turned out to be completely different than from what we had expected.
Same reasons people complain about the early phases of linearity (I heard the first 8 hours are linear after that the remaining +30 hours not) and lack of big towns (there are towns, just not big and interactive, which for me were way too distracting), I like those changes. Because they turned this into a fast paced action based RPG.
This all has to do with people's loyalty to JRPGs which they are SE are abandoning for the Western audience and turned this into a action adventure RPG. Just as there are people who hate what this game has become, others will enjoy it. In fact from what I learn about the internet, those who post online are the loud minority.