Ben-DutkaThis is bound to get people talking.
According to the latest estimated sales results , Final Fantasy XIII has now surpassed its predecessor. FFXII sold approximately 5.7 million units worldwide and Square-Enix's most recent installment in the venerated franchise has hit 5.83 million, counting sales of both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions. But of course, there are plenty of factors to consider. Firstly, there are more gamers know than there were in October of 2006; it may only be four years ago, but the industry continues to grow at a rapid pace. Secondly, we need to compare the accessibility of both titles: FFXIII was multiplatform, so one might assume it had a larger potential consumer base. …but did it really? In March of this year, there were about 50 million PS3s and Xbox 360s out there (or maybe 55 million, if we wanted to be generous). Now, the PS2 hadn't yet hit that vaunted 100 million mark in 2006 but it must've certainly been over 50 million by that time, yes…?
We could also note that FFXIII has yet to launch in Japan for the 360 – which it will, as a special edition – but the amount of additional sales…well, let's just say the overall number won't rocket into the stratosphere. Lastly, we should probably mention the difference in review scores for the two games in question…
Related Game(s): Final Fantasy XIII , Final Fantasy XII
Not only that, it's also the first FF into this console generation. XII was good, and people were hyped when they heard XIII was gonna be turn-based. That was before people knew it had really linear maps.
Linear maps was the least of the worries. X was linear too. It was the fact the first 20 hours of the was a tutorial and just when you thought the hand holding would let up it never did.
This is not an RPG. It's a battle simulator with flashy graphics.
Ok, FFX was linear, but not FFXIII level linear. I'm talking about kill tubes with no towns or cities to explore. Except for Gran Pulse.
Yea thats true. X proved you can have a linear game and still allow for exploration.
Yeah, XIII was basically a walk through the sewer with no turns and lots of battles. X was linear, XIII was claustrophobic.
I was so happy once i reached Gran Pulse. Then i found the edges of the map and was greatly underwhelmed. Especially since it was the only open area in the game.
Now SE, specifically Wada, will look at this and argue that making XIII multiplat was a good decision
Just like Capcom with RE5 selling the most in the franchise.
I really wish they would fire that tool. Either that, or the talent at Square should walk out and start their own studio like Mikami did.
What WolfCrimson said.
It's the first main FF this gen, 4 years after the last FF and the hype FFXIII got.
I wouldn't be surprised to see FFXV's number to be a lot worse than FFXIII if SE doesn't change their attitude until then.
Square obviously wasn't making this Final Fantasy for it's long time fans. This game was aimed a twitch gamers. They dumbed
It down and took the RPG out for people new to the series. They simultaneously added newbs and twitchers to their fanbase while alienating people like me who considered Final Fantasy best RPG series of all time.
Success indeed.
Last edited by Jawknee on 10/6/2010 11:10:13 AM
It's only a success in terms of sales and thats a given since Square went multigreed and sold largely on name recognition. Its also succeeded in alienating a great number of people who were fans of the old games. I wouldn't call this a success if I were Sqaure considering this game got mediocre scores compared to previous iterations and they receieved a ton of black lash from their long time fans here and in Japan. I remember when it launched in Japan, people hated it and only held 2.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon Japan for a while.
Success in Wada's green eyes, yes. A success as far as Final Fantasy goes, Errr…No. Utter failure. Sorry, pretty cut scenes and epic story is only half of what made Final Fantasy great. The other half was seriously lacking. And this 360 launch in Japan, Square is just pouring salt on the wound.
What a disgrace they have become. No honor or ability to keep their word.
Last edited by Jawknee on 10/6/2010 11:03:29 AM
A pox on whoever gave you that 1 thumbs down. You be dead on as per usual.
Can't please everyone. 🙂
Just curious on what you mean by the "other" half. You said epic story and pretty cut-scenes make up the half, so what's the other?
I agree with you that it's only half actually. My other half would be the gameplay, sidequests, and exploration. By gameplay, it doesn't necessarily have to be turn-based for me, but it has to require some strategy. The other part of gameplay is being able to control the other teammates because it's ridiculous how it's game over when party leader dies.
So what's your other half? I'm just trying to understand why so many are not disappointed, but literally pissed, or angered about how FFXIII. Not my favorite FF, but it was playable for me, unlike some of you.
My other half. It was missing good battle system, growth of your characters, micromanaging their growth(Crystarium or what ever it was called is weak sauce compared to Materia, Junction and what ever they called it in FFIX), ample side quests, ample opportunity to explore, weak enemy variety, etc.
Bottom line:
Epic Story: Check.
Great graphics: Check.
Gameplay: Epic Fail.
Side Quest: Fail.
Exploration: Fail.
Epic Summons and Magic: Fail.
Towns: Fail
NPCs: Fail
Last I heard, the Japanese used game stores were getting a lot of resells and could hardly sell the used copies for even half the original price. That was just weeks after its release on PS3.
I have my doubts as to whether the 360 version would sell based on this.
Plus it also helps that the game has been $19.99 about five times in the past three months.
Name recognition nothing else.
Glad I didn't buy this game.
Exactly. Just like Resident Evil 5. If Versus XIII goes multiplat before launch and the game is delayed because of the Xbox version and changes in the games design are made to accommodate for it's short comings like they did with this one, I'll never buy a game from Square ever again. Not new anyway.
Last edited by Jawknee on 10/6/2010 11:19:21 AM
I have never bought a used game that could not be bought new otherwise… but even I would consider a used purchase of FFvXIII if they did that…
Also does it seem like SE is trying "really" hard to convince us it was a success. Thats the vibe I feel while reading that.
They can tout the sales numbers all they want. Mediocrity sells and Lord knows there's a ton of it on the other side of the fence. That fanbase is littered with people who soak up mediocre entertainment. I think most Playstation fans who bought this game were sorely disappointed in general. Not say there weren't some long time fans who did like it. It just was a failure as a FF game in general. Britney Spears could be considered a success based on her records sales but we all know her music sucks.
Hot chicks do tend to outsell little queers.
I have to say something-
Too many people seem to ignore 80% of the games that are released. They call FFXIII "crap" or "junk" when in reality, it's vastly superior to 90% of the games on store shelves. It might be on the low end of YOUR spectrum, but it doesn't fall into the category of the truly mediocre games. If you want to see them, just look at the scores of titles that scored below a 6 or 7. You probably forgot about them instantly.
I don't. I see them all the time. I see them far more often than the truly great games. So it bugs me when people harp on FFXIII (or Call of Duty, for that matter) as if they're worthy of nothing more than a 3. As if they're the worst games out there…in truth, they're in the 90th or 95th percentile and that's that.
Let's not be too narrow-minded. Let's remember that most any game we talk about is leaps and bounds ahead of the masses of mediocrity that do exist…we just choose to ignore them.
Last edited by Ben Dutka PSXE on 10/6/2010 12:26:50 PM
Amen.
Well said. Sometimes the unwarranted negativity gets to me too.
Maybe some people need a new hobby….like knitting.
One mans 8.5 is another mans 10. I agree the game has AAA production quality(pretty graphics)but thats doesn't make a great game. I understand its a cut above most games on the market but its not a cut above the greatness we have come to expect from Final Fantasy and thats why i so bitter about it. I would be just as bitter if Nintendo slaughtered The Legend of Zelda like Square did this game.
I'm new to the Final Fantasy world – XIII is the first installment I've played in the series, and is also my first ever RPG, so I had no idea what to expect from it.
I enjoyed the game for the most part. I absoloutely loved the first few levels of the game, but I lost interest in the middle part, where it felt I was doing more of the same-old, same-old, and a constant feeling of disconnection due to lack of control in battles (I hadn't finished the 20-hour tutorial yet!).
After a few months, I came back to it and finished the job, thoroughly enjoying the added control over party, Gran Pulse and the final levels.
My biggest gripe with the game is its battle system. I would love to have had at least some degree of control over what the other party members do, and couldn't understand why I was to fight with only 3 guys all the time instead of all 6. Since battles were almost 95% of the game, they should have had a more robust battle system.
I wouldn't call it a mediocre game at all, but at the same time, it won't feature in my top 10 games of this generation either.
Ben you are correct, however as core gamers we can't walk through the world with blinders on and encounter every game as if we never played a game before in our lives. People are bound to have their standards. Would FFXIII score higher if it hadn't had that name? Yes. Is that fair? I think so.
Even if fan loyalty means nothing, there is a precedent set in any case. And now that we know for sure it was diced up for the 360 the old fans are even more upset. I think all upset fans have plenty of reason to be upset.
Crap? No. Crap compared to REASONABLE expectations? Yes.
The problem with saying it's "crap compared to reasonable expectations" is that those "reasonable expectations" are as lofty as possible. In fact, they couldn't be loftier. Hence, "crap" could almost still be AAA, comparatively speaking…hence, we really shouldn't use the word "crap."
But I do agree about the other part, and I'm pretty sure I mentioned it my review- had it been named anything else, FFXIII is an easy 9+ game. When taken in comparison to the rest of the series – which, as you say, we're all obliged to do, even critics – it's not worthy of such a high score.
Last edited by Ben Dutka PSXE on 10/6/2010 3:06:21 PM
Whatever. I can send you ACTUAL crap, if you like. Maybe you won't be so confused.
It's lonely at the top Ben, reasonable expectations are gonna be lofty on a property that has given RPG fans multiple gamegasms for decades.
The fact is if a Final Fantasy fan asked me if he should buy the game I'd tell him or her sure, but don't spend more than twenty bucks on it.
I honestly don't know who it is supposed to appeal to.
The new fans S-E keeps wanting.
…not that it works.
Well I never called it crap but definitely one of, if not the worst main-line FF yet.
I never called it crap.
As for me I'd never buy it just base don the fact that there are too many other great games to buy. And those who actually missed great games, like me, in the past and plan to get them would do better getting those than on this.
Most of us admit that it's a good game, Ben. Even the people who wrote user reviews thought so.
However…
For those core gamers who have invested literally years if not decades into the franchise, they're simply going to move on if SE takes this direction. Sure, they might all be "good" games, but those of us who loved FFVI, VII, Tactics, et. al, we're going to find another "new love" that actually delivers the style of play we're looking for.
Here's the issue: We're pissed. And we have a right to be. That game style that, for guys like me, provide my number 1 favorite style of gameplay, can no longer be found in the same place it used to always be found. So fans are going to be pissed… and to us, it will forever be seen as lower quality or "crap" because it simply no longer delivers all it once did.
Graphics turn me on as much as the next guy, but if my gameplay isn't there, I'm gonna find me another mistress that can deliver!
Looks only go so far in a sexy relationship… at the end of the day, you still gotta perform… with longevity… and exploration… and engaging fore er… gameplay. heh…. know what I mean?
I enjoyed FFXIII far more than most games this generation. Like Ben says, it wasn't a very good FF game but it was a great game.
I can honestly say FFXIII is the least enjoyable game in my PS3 library at the moment. I wish it wasn't. This was my most anticipated game pretty much ever and just didn't deliver in my opinion. =/
Even after the 20 hour tutorial i tried sticking with it. Forcing my self to like it i guess but the more i played it the less i cared about the characters and the game play. I liked the production value, the graphics, sound were great but after 60 hours it started to feel less like a game and more like a simulator. There just wasn't a good balance of great production and gameplay.
Last edited by Jawknee on 10/6/2010 1:06:45 PM
I'm sorry it was like that for you. I loved the characters and the story kept me wanting to see more and understand the plot better. Out of all the FF it has the weakest gameplay but IMO one of the best worlds and stories.
Ha its not your fault. its Squares. I did like Vanille quite a bit. She ended up being one of my favorite Final Fantasy characters of all time but she alone wasn't enough to save the game for me.
I wish I could get 'branded' by Fang 😛
I have to say that agree a little bit with both of you…
@LV – I loved this game too. I don't love it as a FF game…but I liked it enough to someday go back and finish off my marks/hunts/or whatever they're called in this one.
@Jawknee – I don't feel that the "tutorial" is as horrible as you make it out to be. Yes, it could have been about 3 hours as opposed to about 12, but it WAS needed to some degree.
And this game is still in the top 75% of my PS3 games.
My major problem with the game was definitely the battle system. The fact that a FF game created a battle system that felt like an arcade game, where they started using a TIMER in battle to give me a SCORE!! That should almost be grounds to strip the game of the FF name. My other beef was that if you didn't have the right paradigm's in your arsenal then you were just DEAD. You could beat a group of enemies in 23 seconds if you had the correct PS's, but if not then you were dead in the water…..luckily you could restart standing right in front of that group of enemies… what FF has done that before?
But always remember, I nit-pick because I've been playing these games since FFI (even though I only played 2 foreign releases) – so I have ALOT to compare it to.
And this game is still better that 95% of the games out there.
Sven, the previous Final Fantasy games were way more complex than this one and it only require a 5 minute tutorial and some explaining in the owners manual. Holding our hand for the first 12 to 20 hours of the game was completely necessary in my opinion especially given the lack of complexity in upgrading your characters and how the battle system worked.
I think the lack of control of the other characters and the fact that its game over when the party leader dies regardless of the other team members status was the final nail in the coffin for me. Dying without being able to revive the leader drove me completely nuts.
Even the tutorials in the old ones were largely simplistic, the FUN of it was figuring out how to use it and suddenly making vast improvements. Which we call strategy. The paradigm system tutorial seems aimed at 5 year olds.
Ben,
You can sent me those crap games anytime ole time.
Seeing as how all the good games in my collection are ganging up on my handful of crap gamescrap games, my stinker's could certainly use some more crapmates.
And yes, I will even take Barbies Riding Academy off your hands for you(although I'll have to position a few dozen Lego bodyguards around her case's perimeter.
LOL…..No, seriously.
Last edited by BikerSaint on 10/6/2010 5:37:59 PM
Jawknee – I'll be honest…the lead character death = game over was a big WTF moment for me.
Again, a big problem people have with this game is that there were too many departures from the series….and it just didnt feel like FF.
yea 12 was better, at least i finished it, 13 turned me off of FF entirely n now im hearing 14 isnt so great either
I spent 180 hours on FFXII. I barely made it to 60 in XIII. I got to the end and couldn't stand the battle system any longer so i gave up.
Last edited by Jawknee on 10/6/2010 1:01:15 PM
Are you telling me you really didn't finish the game??