340°
fluffydelusions4484d ago

A demo of this sort of genre is kind of odd but eh OK.

Godmars2904484d ago

But after JP release numbers, not exactly unsurprising. Sqaure needs to do some kind of damage control to make sure Western numbers are better.

I may even download it.

Troll-without-Bridge4484d ago

That only means they are confident in the quality of the product.

i remember when square had demos for their Rpg's.

Ranma14484d ago (Edited 4484d ago )

Anyone who buys this game will be dissapointed. heres what people who played it said:

BAD
-The towns are joke. You basically cant enter any house and theres hardly any NPCs in them

-The story is terrible, as bad as the 3rd birthdays

-No its not linear but once again there is really only one big massive roam area (archlytte steppe)

-Some people have conflicting views on the rap tracks

-The levelling up is worse than the crystarium, some bonuses are cool but its based a lot on chance so it can get annoying

-The dialogue is ATROCIOUS

Good
-The monsters being in the battle system is actually pretty brilliant. The sheer versatlity has improved by a lot

-The QTEs are more like limit breaks than anything else which is good and most of them look epic

-Chocobo being able to fly a bit is a good mechanic

-The Red chocobo story quest is wayy more epic than the actual games story

-Soundtrack is good.

source: http://uk.gamespot.com/foru...

Biggest4484d ago

"The towns are joke. You basically cant enter any house and theres hardly any NPCs in them"

How is that a valid criticism? There aren't ANY games that allow you into every building you see. And why should they? Unless there is something in there worthwhile why would you be in the building? The previous FF games had entry into buildings for purposes of shops or quests/missions.

That said... I am glad they're making a demo. I was set to pick the game up on the 31st anyway, but I'll take a sneak peek if they're giving.

Outside_ofthe_Box4484d ago

@Ranma1

lol I just read a link that someone posted which got me interested in 13-2 and then you give a link that turns me off.

I'll just formulate my own opinion off the demo lol.

trenso14484d ago

@Ranma1 i didnt say that i can make my own opinion of the game thank you.

JoySticksFTW4484d ago

Some of the earlier jrpg's back in the day you could enter almost any house you saw and go through drawers and cabinets, etc

And there would be residents in there with no relation to quests. Some are they to speak with adding a bit of flavor to the story or environment.

And some would yell at you for going through their stuff!

And I can't fully remember Baldur's Gate, but I think you could go in almost every building you saw. If you got caught stealing or broke in and the residents happened to be home, the guards would run in :)

Anyways, town exploration in rpg's is something that a lot of us grew up with. And it is a disappointment for many when that element is missing in a FF game.

TBM4483d ago

I myself im getting it regardless of what anyone says i love the final fantasy series. i enjoyed FF13 and that's all that matters, im sure I'll enjoy 13-2 when it releases.

SilentNegotiator4483d ago

We need more demos. Too many big time games don't even release a demo, or else release them really late.

Releasing late is probably done to avoid some people from discovering they don't care for the game, though, and those people buy on hype. Then those people who put off that WILL enjoy it, try it later, and buy it as well. Then those hype-fueled sales go undamaged. It makes marketing sense, but it's also pathetically backwards.

@Biggest
Clearly, the game should allow you to enter anyone's home and destroy their pottery and rummage through their stuff. lol

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 4483d ago
iamtehpwn4484d ago

They must be quite confident in this game in order to release a demo. The last time Square did something like this overseas it was the FF14 beta, and that actually killed Pre-orders.

vuzuki4484d ago

Every one who played the different demos in shows loved it. They have reason to be confident

FFXI1014484d ago

To me is not odd, it actually helps me to decide whether or not to purchase the game.

adorie4484d ago

Final Fantasy VII had a demo, so did VIII. It's not that odd to me.

I still have the the VII demo disc, but I forgot where I got it, lol. It could have been PlayStation Underground. idk.

Zezo4484d ago

I used to like Final Fantasy. Then I took a FF13 in the knee.

Solid_Snake374483d ago (Edited 4483d ago )

lol dont know why so many people disagreed!

El_Assenso4483d ago

Why disgree with Zezo's comment! Its a joke get with it! Oh I forgot this is N4G, too serious......

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 4483d ago
resistance1004484d ago

Want this game to be good, i really do.

Hopefully the demo will give me some hope after XIII

Biggest4484d ago

Good read, but he is a large FF fan. If you didn't like FFXIII, his opinion shouldn't sway you one bit. FFXIII was his favorite game so far this generation. As a FF fan myself, I like what he had to say. I'm going to enjoy the demo and play the actual game on the 31st.

Outside_ofthe_Box4484d ago (Edited 4484d ago )

After reading that it does appear 13-2 is in fact better than 13. It seems like the linearity problem has been addressed which was 1 of 2 of my main gripes with 13.

I am a little disappointed to hear that apart from the ability to have a monster in your party and all the good stuff that comes along with it... "the battle system is largely the same as XIII, the core mechanics are very similar although the game will now sometimes go into mildly odd (but very impressive looking) quicktime events."

The battle system of 13 was the 2nd thing I hated the most about 13 and to hear that the core battle mechanics of 13 is in 13-2 upsets me.

None the less that person's review has me actually considering getting 13-2 whereas before it wasn't even on my list of games to get this year. Maybe the demo might get me a bit more interested.

PshycoNinja4484d ago (Edited 4484d ago )

You have been championing this game since it was announced iamtehpwn. Don't you ever get tired of it?

@Iamtehpwn

I have never said anything like that. I said that I didn't enjoy Final Fantasy XIII's world, characters, battle system or story. This game is more of XIII world, characters and story. So I made the logical conclusion that I MAY NOT like XIII-2. I have said on numerous occasions that I will give XIII-2 a shot.

I have only expressed more enthusiasm of Versus XIII because it has a different world, characters, story and battle system to XIII. That and the fact that I am a big fan of Tetsuya Nomura's games.

Edit 2: a paragraph from my blog where I clearly didn't say that XIII-2 didn't suck and that all I was saying was that I don't have high hopes for it:

"This is the reason why so many people (including myself) don't give two shakes about XIII-2. Why risk spending money on a game that's precursor wasn't that good? Now I understand why so many fans are trying to defend XIII-2, I get it. I understand that fans want to believe that Square really took in all the input from gamers and crafted something good. I just don't believe they did. For Square to say "Fans demanded a sequel and that's what we're giving them." is almost borderline stupid. Who on Gods green Earth ask for a sequel. I remember fans saying that Square made a total dud and they should scrap and rethink Final Fantasy XIII, but never did fans "demand" for a sequel. Understand that if you are thinking that picking up XIII-2, that's fine. Really. If XIII-2 is the Final Fantasy that you have always wanted than why should anyone stop you from having fun. That's why were all on here right?"

iamtehpwn4484d ago

@PsychoNinja, Haven't you been Championing Versus XIII all this time? In fact, you wrote an entire article about why this game is going to suck (even though haven't played it) and why Versus XIII (another game you haven't played) is going to be better.

You also go to every XIII-2 article and say how it's going to suck and its not Versus XIII.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 4484d ago
betan214484d ago

lol that's a 1st coming from SE
i dont mind trying it out

Kurisu4484d ago

Not a first, there was a FFX demo as well. I remember playing it and getting really excited for the full game!

Capt-FuzzyPants4484d ago

They used to have demos all the time.

despair4484d ago

surprising but welcome news.

s8skanna4484d ago

Nice looking forward to it

Show all comments (52)
280°

The Final Fantasy XIII Trilogy Deserves a Remaster

Final Fantasy 13 was first introduced to us back in 2009, almost four years after Final Fantasy 12 was released, and fans had been eagerly anticipating the next installment. But when it finally arrived, there were mixed reactions, including complaints about its linearity, the lack of towns and NPCs, and the limited control over the characters. At the time, Square Enix kept its game production behind closed doors and didn't take in a lot of feedback — especially from Western fans.

The game has been revisited by many different Final Fantasy fans since then, and some, like myself, have come to love it again. Almost all staple entries in the series have found their way to modern consoles, so it's about time that the FF13 trilogy gets a remaster

Read Full Story >>
dualshockers.com
shinoff2183320d ago

I've been thinking about this. I agree. While I really disliked it at first I never played it again. After hating ff15 so damn much I just think it can't be worse then 15 and if I'm not mistaken atleast it's turn based. I need more of that in my life.

nitus10320d ago

I actually finished FFXIII and on the second playthrough found I actually liked the game.

Actually I have liked most of the FF games (I have not played FFIX unfortunately) and I do agree with you with regards to FFXV. Graphically IMHO FFXV is excelent but for some reason I just could not get enthusiastic in playing it.

As for "turn-based", I prefer active and real time although to be fair "turn-based" is a real plus especially when confronting a difficult protagonist. I found this to be especially the case when playing FFXXII where you could switch rapidly between "turn" and "active" although having a resonable knowledge of simple Boolean Algebra is IMHO essential when playing this game.

319d ago
Levii_92319d ago

Ridiculous comment, first of all i think you should replay 15, second of all that game is 10 times better than the XIII games especially the royal edition. And third .. turn based combat is a dying (almost dead) style of gameplay and i personally wont miss it at all so don’t act like that is some sort of big plus because XIII has it.. it is not.

jambola319d ago

Somebody needs to learn about subjective taste

shinoff2183319d ago

Ff15

Sucked imo. I don't need to give it another try. Last time was the 3rd time and I had 34 hours into it. It just wasn't good imo

Chriswynnetbh319d ago

How is turn based dying or almost dead? Pokémon is one of the biggest RPGs in the world and is and has always been turn based. To some it is a plus especially when it comes to FF since the first 10 of them all are and are arguably better games than any FF to come after

CDbiggen319d ago

XV was rubbish, but understandable given the development hell. That overworld for me is the biggest example, so strangely designed and empty. And parts of the story awkwardly cut for DLC, most egregious being that prompto part where he's like "I'm a clone", or whatever he was (it was that forgettable), and the other guys basically shrugging it off.

Tapani319d ago (Edited 319d ago )

Turn-based is alive and well: Pokemon, Dragon Quest, XCom, Civilization, Homeworld, Age of Wonders, Total War, Original Sin, Baldur's Gate, Warhammer, Yu-Gi-Oh, Company of Heroes, Wasteland, Pathfinder, Disco Elysium, Octopath Traveler, Chained Echoes and many, many more great games, both new and old, franchises and new IPs are selling well, reviewing well and sequels are coming.

If you don't play the game, maybe the turn-based has just died in/for you, but certainly the genre has never been so alive as in 2023! Plus, when you look at Final Fantasy franchise, it started going down in quality when it left turn-based combat behind. FFXVI may redeem some of the glory (and FFXIV was great), but the turn-based games were higher rated and deeper in terms of gameplay and had more interesting things to do in the world.

DarXyde319d ago

I'd say Persona 5 is one of the best of the best games in a couple of decades.

I don't think you manage that with a dying gameplay format.

shinoff2183319d ago (Edited 319d ago )

Levii92

Turn based is way funner imo then just some hack n slash rpg. I like both but prefer turn based.

Far as dying I doubt it. It's also kinda funny cause the best final fantasy have been turn based. Ff still to this day can't top ff6 through ff9. Interesting.

Far as someone who brought up persona 5. I dislike the art style so I've yet to play it but I'd throw dq11 in there. Best jrpg I've played in fkin years. Over a decade.

Last I was a bit iffy on chained echoes because of the sp and no traditional leveling system. I recently bought it. Looks gorgeous, story is fantastic so far, but I cannot for the life of me get over how much I truly hate the leveling system. It's just flat out whack to me. I'm still going to finish it cause unlike ff15 atleast chained echoes doesn't feel like a chore

goldwyncq318d ago

The XIII series (especially Lightning Returns) has far better combat than XV, and you don't need to watch an anime and a movie to make sense of the story.

FinalFantasyFanatic318d ago (Edited 318d ago )

15 was only fun for derping about in the wilderness, at least FF13 had a better story and was more coherent overall (plot, characters, gameplay, world, ect...).

15 was just beautify garbage, so much wasted potential, the Duke Nukem Forever of the FF franchise.

I really loved Persona 5, can't wait for P6 to be announced, I'd love ports of the first few games (we already have P3P/P4G/P5R available on almost everything now).

+ Show (6) more repliesLast reply 318d ago
sadraiden318d ago

People act like XV killed one of their family members. It wasn't the best FF ever, but it certainly wasn't a bad game. You "hated it so damn much"? Chill.

FinalFantasyFanatic318d ago

I agree, FF13 is better than FF15, but I don't think I can play through that trilogy again, I'd rather play one of the older games.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 318d ago
-Foxtrot319d ago

Not really

Let them move on and focus on good FF games

Hofstaderman319d ago (Edited 319d ago )

Thank you. A ton of FFXIII articles recently. Most of the people who like this game are not old enough to have played 4 to 9. Even 10 and 12 are vastly superior to this game. That being said a remaster would then make all the FF titles available on the PS platform.

jambola319d ago

Citation needed
Do you have some kind of official survey of ff 13 fans ages?
Would love a link
Also, all games are available on multiple systems, re released many times
"Not old enough" doesn't even make much sense

shinoff2183319d ago (Edited 319d ago )

That was part of what I was trying to say. I've gave 15 3 try ff13 deserves atleast a second. And like I said I could use some turn based in my life

I've also played through or played all of the ff games starting with ff1 way way way back.

goldwyncq318d ago

"Good" is subjective. I love FFIX but I know many fans who don't like it for the art style and the slow combat.

I_am_Batman319d ago (Edited 319d ago )

Recently replayed them and I agree a remaster would be great. The complaints about linearity are fair, but they only really apply to the first half of the first game and while I agree that it would've been nice to have proper towns, minigames and subquests, it didn't detract from the intriguing story, interesting characters, tactical gameplay and amazing soundtrack in my opinion.

XIII-2 fixes a lot of the issues of XIII and expands on the story in interesting ways. The combat and progression builds on top of the systems of XIII and the nonlinearity and discoverability of secrets is a big inprovement over the original game. It's easily the best game of the trilogy.

Lightning Returns was probably a bit too experimental for it's own good. It tried to reinvent the wheel for no reason. The solo party for most of the game and the outfit based combat felt like a downgrade over XIII-2 combat system. It does have a unique vibe, but the plot kinda goes off the rails and many of the story beats didn't land as much for me as they did in the first two games. The race against time aspect was an interesting idea, but it never felt like it mattered, because it wasn't much of a challenge to manage the remaining time even while doing all the subquests.

Eonjay319d ago

XIII-2 is one of the greatest games ever.

Snookies12319d ago (Edited 319d ago )

XIII-2 is by far the best of the trilogy. Went out of my way to get the Platinum trophy on it. Which is actually a fun one to go for. Didn't take too long, only about 70-80 hours to accomplish. Loved every second of it though.

Youngindy21319d ago

I don't think linearity is a fair critique, when every FF up until that point was fairly linear esp. in the first half of the game. People herald FF VII(including the remake), but it is just as linear as FFXIII was. The linearity complaints came at a time when open-world games were just starting to become a thing and people thought every game should be open-world, but now that every game is, people now want more linear experiences. Go Figure.

shinoff2183319d ago

Ff10 was pretty linear to. Haven't played through all of 13 but 10 was linear as fk until the end

I_am_Batman319d ago

Totally agree. I never fully understood why 10 was so universally praised when it had many of the same design philosophies xiii is criticized for.

CDbiggen319d ago (Edited 319d ago )

I felt the same for the most part except the LR combat system. I thought it was an upgrade on the party of three system the previous two games had as now you had more control over your moves with different sets being an L1/R1 click away, and could move the single character around in battle and attack limbs or tails of certain enemies, or reduce the distance between you and an enemy you're after saving ATB.

I_am_Batman319d ago

LR combat certainly has it's merits. I would've preferred it if it wasn't tied to the costumes which can make Lightning look quite ridiculous and out of place sometimes though.

But mainly I would've preferred to see an evolution of XIII-2 systems. Since they are so different it's obviously just a preference. Can't really compare them objectively.

CDbiggen319d ago

Yeah I get ya, and I can totally see why the costume part got to people. I'm someone that doesn't care what the character looks like as long as I'm happy with the stats (looking at Xenoblade). LR to me is just one of those odd games that I can't help respect for mixing things up, even if the outcome wasn't the best lol. But yeah too different to compare.

sadraiden318d ago

Why would a remaster be great? They exist in HD, on a console that is still compatible with modern televisions, and you just replayed it.

I_am_Batman318d ago

I replayed them on my PS3. I just think it would make sense for those games to be more accessible to Playstation gamers, which is where the majority of the modern FF fanbase is (due to the exclusivity deals of VII Re and XVI).

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 318d ago
gold_drake319d ago

yes.
remaster collection.

not sure why the hell we never got one.

sadraiden318d ago

Just dying to give SE money for nothing eh?

gold_drake318d ago

i enjoyed the games.
so it wouldn't be for "nothing".

Show all comments (75)
170°

Why The Final Fantasy XIII Trilogy Has Some of The Best Music In The Series

As we celebrate Final Fantasy’s 35th anniversary, let’s look back at the underrated soundtracks of the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy.

Read Full Story >>
game-grooves.com
goldwyncq477d ago

It really does. Caius’ theme is still one of the best villain themes ever.

SeTTriP476d ago

Barthandelus is a great boss theme to.

Snookies12477d ago

Come on... Even haters of Final Fantasy XIII have to admit the soundtrack really was great. There are some parts of the OST that stand out among even Nobuo's work.

CrimsonWing69476d ago

The battle themes are pretty amazing, man.

gold_drake476d ago

sat what you want about the games, but the soundtrack has always been good.

MehmetAlperTR476d ago

Agreed... Legendary Nobuo Uematsu was not involved with FF13.. So that has got terrible musics.

jambola476d ago

so any game without no Uematsu has terrible music?

MehmetAlperTR475d ago (Edited 475d ago )

@Jambola nope... But in PS1 era we played FF7-8-9 and in a PS2 era FF10... They were all involved with Uematsu San. We grove up with him and his musics.. SO FF means, him and his music to us.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 475d ago
-Foxtrot477d ago

It's alright but I mean with so many other FF games it's not even in the top 10 for me

You just can't beat IX, VII, X and my personal favourite VIII when it comes to music

Even the theme song sucks, instead of just having an English version of the Japanese theme they got X Factors Leona Lewis to do the song which didn't sound like FF theme song.

FinalFantasyFanatic476d ago

Yeah, that ending song was terrible, I'll never be able to fathom why that was chosen, it feels so out of place with that game.

RedDevils476d ago

Lol is was my wtf moment.

SoulWarrior477d ago

I agree, regardless of the general consensus of the game itself, FF rarely lets down when it comes to the music at least.

porkChop477d ago

Nah. VIII has the best music in the series. IX is a close second.

Hofstaderman477d ago

Yes; eyes one me, man with the machine gun, waltz to the moon, the oath, maybe I’m a lion…FF8 has the best music in the series by far. I have the original OST, the orchestra arrangement, the piano arrangement, the Black Mages tracks and a few other albums. My four disc original OST is my pride and joy.

ManMarmalade476d ago

I agree on VIII. I've started growing really fond of X's lately.

GoodGuy09477d ago

Music was pretty good yes. Pretty much all FFs do even the crappy ones lol.

Show all comments (40)
130°

Final Fantasy XIII-2 gets a 4.7GB AI-enhanced HD Texture Pack

Modder 'MJB' has released an AI-enhanced HD Texture Pack for Final Fantasy XIII-2.

Read Full Story >>
dsogaming.com