Ben-DutkaHappy Easter! 🙂 There really aren't any Easter-themed video games, are there? Maybe we can play the next shooter as a big pink bunny.
Good time to be a PlayStation 4 owner
No, I'm not talking about the oft-discussed and apparently very real "PS4K." I still don't like the idea and I've wondered if this will be a polarizing issue for current owners, and I don't have anything else to say until we know more.
Rather, I'm referring to a couple of really great exclusives on the horizon. Both just went gold in the last few weeks; the first is obviously that amazing-looking Ratchet & Clank remake , which has been near the top of my priority list for a while now. I wonder if I'll really love it, though…as I've said in the past, I've never completed one of these games and in truth, the gameplay has never been up my alley. But as we leave this kind of carefree action/platforming behind, I find myself more intrigued by this dying breed. Besides, it seems ridiculous that I'm a PlayStation fan and I've never finished a Ratchet & Clank ; the games really are great (well, most of them; I'm not talking about the ill-advised spin-offs). And as it's very different than any other game I've played in a long time, and probably any game I'll play in 2016, it should feel awfully refreshing.
The other title is Uncharted 4: A Thief's End , which I have no doubt will be excellent. I still have my reservations, though: While I'm aware of what Naughty Dog has done to "modernize" this typically linear experience , I'm still afraid it will get branded as "old-fashioned" simply because it isn't open-world. And for whatever reason, I've noticed that critics love to find fault with games that excel in the graphics department. …wait, we all know the reason. It's so they can present themselves as an "I'm about more than graphics so I'm 'true' gamer," which is just so painfully transparent. But whatever. If Uncharted 4 isn't a Game of the Year contender, something went terribly awry.
Oh but of COURSE we have to worry about FPS in Final Fantasy XV
Square Enix says they're targeting 30fps for FFXV , which is important because after all, frames per second needs to be stable in any action game. Yeah, action game. Action first, role-playing second. It has been the ongoing motto of this project from the beginning, from the moment Square Enix boasted about the game's new High Action System , and they really drove home that action-oriented theme with gameplay that would never remind anyone of an RPG . Honestly, this was one of the more comical quotes I'd ever read:
"True, we did want to get rid of the UI, remove hit counters, restrict the playable character to Noct and so on. But if we did all it that it would become just another action game like all the others. The team is saying, ‘don’t forget this is Final Fantasy before it is an action game.’"
LMAO So, we've got a party -based system and you limit us to only using one character, you take away any visual semblance of an RPG with the UI and hit counters, and "so on," and then there are features like the Cross-Link mechanic …? Yeah, you've had that backward all along, S-E: It's an action game well before it's Final Fantasy but more importantly, it isn't an RPG. It just isn't.
Personal gaming update
I really do like Tom Clancy's The Division . It's one of those games that is both widely accessible and appropriately deep, thereby catering to a very large audience. I find that I can pick it up and play for an hour or so and not feel outmatched or outgunned by other players, and that's partly due to the high entertainment level of playing solo. So few multiplayer-centric titles can manage this, as we all know. I don't know how much more of it I'll play but it's rare that I have any interest in going back to such titles after reviewing them. It should say something that I've already gone back multiple times. As for the bullet sponge thing, I know it's an issue for some, but I think it amps up the depth. It's one of those things that makes it feel a bit more like an RPG, actually, and I don't mind the challenge.
I'm almost done with Assassin's Creed Syndicate , I think. I've got almost all the best equipment for Jacob and Evie, the map is just about done (all districts have been cleared), and I've just got the main story missions and a few side missions remaining. Looks like I'll be done just in time for Ratchet . 🙂
Personally, I struggle with dlc that "expands" on the story because I for some reason feel, then it should have been part of the story to begin with. I guess in short if you have a story to tell, tell it all in the final product.
It's nothing against dlc in general.
Really looking forward to U4 and R&C. I have little interest in a new ps4 at the moment. I'm already trying to figure out where I'm getting the $500+ for VR a month before the holidays so the thought of a new console is pretty far down the road for me right now.
PGU: Still playing a lot of Rocket League. I totally jinxed myself a couple of weeks ago when I said I was on a winning streak. Been pretty rough the last week and I dropped another division.
Got to level 21 in The Division and haven't played in over a week for some reason. I really want to go back, but all the people I played with are way farther than me now. Time to make new friends in that game I guess.
Other than that I'm still grinding out my dark matter camo in Black Ops. I probably won't ever play that game again once I get it, but something inside of me won't let it go till I get it.
WOW REALLY. You took your sweet as time mate. That's quite a bit to miss out on.
Enjoy.
I mean try not to enjoy it, much harder. (YYY)
Action has NOT revitalized FF. Every new FF was selling double digit millions until the action change. The final result in the latest game is sales of 1 million copies… total. That's across PS3 AND Xbox 360. No, action doesn't help Final Fantasy.
Enjoy every minute of it.
I enjoyed Black Ops a lot. I havnt played in s while but it's a super fun game.
I think I'm caving and getting the division this week. I have been talked into getting it and Uncharted 4 is the next game I want so I have a little bit. If I get it I'm gonna power level the best I can and I'll let you know. Well see how things go.
In a franchise where you spend 95 percent of your time playing, there's no way it thrives exclusively on the merits of its story and characters. If that were the case, I wouldn't have finished FFXII and I would've hated FFXIII-2. In point of fact, FFXIII-2's battle system was a million times better than FFXIII because it didn't feel like a totally watered down RPG in that department.
I think its about time the FF franchise evolve into something different. If ACTION is whats neeeded to revitalize it then Im ok with it. Anyways, the old turn based has their fanbase but it is already not appealing for me since the story and production of the current turn based games are always below expectations. Lets hope this one has a good story. At least I was interested. I have not being so far since FFIX.
Final Fantasy games have been selling less and less because the stories just flat out suck these days. FFXIII's story was so boring and pointless, and its characters so grating, that I gave up 25 hours in the first time, and on the final battle the second time, and I honestly could not care less how the story ends.
FFXIII-2 lasted about five hours before I decided that Serah should have remained a crystal. I have zero interest in Lightning Returns. Go home, Lightning, your creators are drunk.
The new FF is going to suck or own, and sell accordingly, on the merits of its story. If it's good, people will play it and they won't care if it's a shade too action heavy. I seriously have my doubts about it being good, though, because I think Square has simply lost too much talent in that department. They should just give the IP to Eidos Montreal and let them make a bona fide ARPG.
If it was any other franchise I'd agree with Bio. However, this is FF we are talking about. This series strives on its fanbase. Regardless of review scores, the sales point towards a depreciation with the original fan base. Arguing story verse gameplay isn't important. Staying true to what made FF what it had become, while even still adjusting to the times is what is important.
But they've completely abandoned that, and low sales are the result.
I'd be willing to bet that if fans knew they were making a true FF game of old, it would sell better than any in the series after 13.
Last edited by bigrailer19 on 3/27/2016 5:57:51 PM
'sigh'
There's a giant gap between turn-based RPG and an action game, and FFXV could've been anywhere in between. "Evolve" means you grew within your genre, like a Dragon Age, for instance. You don't CHANGE the genre. That's just dumb.
If people want action games, they go play action games. People kept coming back to FF because Square kept consistently delivering quality stories (that I didn't care for VII and you didn't care for XII's doesn't change the fact that, on the whole, people loved both), which is why FFVII is still talked about today, and the conversation is always story related, not "Oh dang I really loved x variation of y aspect of the ATB mechanic" or whatever.
As for XIII versus XIII-2 I'm not sure how the gameplay in 2 is any less "action" oriented than the original. The end result is still a fairly chaotic, fast paced system that's more about macromanagement than direct control, only stripped down due to two characters, rather than three. I dunno, to each their own, I guess. The battle systems in those games were never the problem for me; the problem was always narrative.
@Bio
Thank you for pointing out something that people around here seem to not understand, in that FF games are remembered for their stories, characters and music more than their battle mechanics or boss fights.
I have been trying to say that FF15 could totally feel like a Final Fantasy if it nails what actually makes an FF game and FF game, and that is the world, lore, over arching story, characters and their stories, and the mini games and quests.
I didn't say XIII-2 was less action-oriented. I said it didn't feel as watered-down as FFXIII. I honestly can't believe you didn't notice the obvious and drastic differences.
For one thing, they removed that idiotic feature where if the "lead" character dies, the battle ends and you lose. They also dramatically increased the micromanagement depth, going well beyond the limitations of the system in FFXIII. On the battlefield, they implemented several features that were woefully missing in XIII, and we even got the brand new – and surprisingly deep – system of recruiting enemies to become the third party member that joins Noel and Serah. This was just…giant.
And while story is essential, nobody in their right mind spends 40, 50, 60 hours playing a game where they hate the gameplay. That just doesn't happen. And if a role-playing fan doesn't get a role-playing mechanic, he or she is moving on. At that point, the story is almost completely irrelevant; this remains an interactive medium at its core and as I said, when you spend 95 percent (probably more like 99 percent, when you actually look at the numbers) playing as opposed to following a story, it makes no sense to say the story is exclusively responsible for FF's downfall.
RPG fans won't be purchasing FFXV because it doesn't feel like an RPG. It's also why so many shunned Lightning Returns. It sucked. Wouldn't have mattered if it had the greatest story in the world.
Ben always reviews The Show.
FFXV is the first flagship offering I've seen where the starring cast looks like a group I wouldn't want to play as.
@Ben, I noticed the differences, but they felt like lateral moves, to me, that essentially resulted in a pretty similar feel that I ultimately enjoyed less. Using enemies as third party members never clicked for me, and felt like a workaround once Square realized their FFXIII battle system, which they were trying to build on, absolutely sucks balls with only two people in your party. You'd think they would have figured that out in XIII when they had you running two character parties for most of the first 20 hours, but no.
I've played plenty of JRPGs where I didn't care much for the battle system, either initially or all the way through, but kept playing because the story was a big enough draw, and the battle system wasn't bad enough to deter me. Sometimes I warmed up to the gameplay, like FFIX. If a game has an interesting story, and an interesting world with interesting characters, people will put up with less than stellar gameplay. I don't believe you can say the same about the reverse, though, when it comes to JRPGs. You can say that about shooters, where story never really matters anyway, outside a few standout titles, or in dungeon crawlers where lol who honestly cares what the story is it's time to loooooot.
JRPGs, at least for me, were always about the story and the world building, about being invested in a character enough that I cared what happened to them. I don't think I'll get that from FFXV, which is why I'm not interested.
@Temjin
I really liked the cast in their place holder outfits. When the game was still VS13
I hope there are unlockable costumes at least.
I try, but then my inner 50 year old comes in and kicks his ass, telling him not to get his hopes up.
The negativity is just unwarranted given what we know. People shouldn't be bringing up 3D or motion as similar peripherals.
"Wait and see" I understand. It'd be nice to see a few people take a leap of faith on Sony though after it has taken such good customer care of them, possible ps4k notwithstanding.
Why do I have to be the only motherf*cker shouldering the entire burden of positive support for VR?
Find your inner 9 year old on christmas day you bunch of jaded cynical knobs!
🙂
DW man I'm here. Still a kid.
To suggest that FF would have been fantastic without fun and engaging gameplay simply because the stories were fun is asinine. Same the other way around.
The games were popular because they were full, complete packages. They had great casts with unique skills and abilities, they each featured their own version of a robust and newly imagined turn-based with or without ATB, they had tons of side-quests and mini-games, complete worlds to exist within, great music, fantastic visuals, and engaging battles.
They typically had it all. Some people play just for the story. Others for the gameplay, and most for the whole shebang.
You can typically tell who falls into what category, though. People who thrive on story tend to favor FFVIII or VI the most. People who thrive on gameplay like IX, V, or XII. And people who like all of the parts as a whole tend to like VII, VI, or X the best. (At least based on my observations of people anyways)
The risk FFXV is running is that it's trying to fit into another genre as opposed to develop it's own unique identity. It's Kingdom Hearts on steroids. You could argue it's unique from past FF's, but it's not unique in that it's fitting an entirely different genre now. Even if the game is amazing, that's a huge risk. (Lets be honest… amazing games have sold poorly in the past, afterall.)
I'm hoping for the best, and am generally super interested to see what happens. I don't think anyone, even those that claim to know, really know what will happen. I know I'm feeling nervous about it. The demo was dull as sh!t, and it's self-proclaimed to be not really like past FFs. Those two facts alone make me nervous. So I will be waiting before purchasing it. (First time ever for a new numbered FF, by the way.)
But to hear anyone concretely say most people only care about story with FF titles? That's horse-crap.
Last edited by Underdog15 on 3/31/2016 4:16:20 PM
Literally just three weeks ago I was pretty close to buying a Wii U for Pokken Tournament but held off due to not knowing the forecast, and the haps with NX.
Can an expert Nintedoer advise me on my Pokken future purchase?
Division is a good time indeed. I hope UC4 delivers. Syndicate gives me hope for AC. FF has never peaked my interest and this new sure doesn't either. I might try ratchet and clank and if it's too childish, I will donate it to my student reward collection.
Ratchet games are not what I would call "childish" just more colorful. I would say the humor is even geared toward and older audience. However I think they maintain a rating that caters to most all consumers by making everything a little light hearted. I mean don't expect (and I don't think anyone actually does) CoD combat. Expect a fun, unique system that caters to everyone.
Last edited by bigrailer19 on 3/27/2016 9:37:21 PM
Star Ocean and Tales of are action-rpgs, though. They have an absolute ton of RPG elements. It's not like a Kingdom Hearts kind of thing. There's much more to them. than that.
Would you consider Kingdom Hearts to be an rpg? Or is it more of an action/adventure?
Last edited by Underdog15 on 3/31/2016 4:18:47 PM
FPS matters in every game Ben, not just action games.
Playing FF7s turn based combat at 10 FPS would have been painful and delayed and horrible. Play a turn based game at low FPS and it is atrocious.
Do action games need a more stable FPS? Generally speaking yes, but FPS is important in EVERY genre if you don't want to pull your hair out.
By the way, Dark souls 2 enhanced edition upped its FPS….Star Ocean 5 talking about its high FPS…so is the new Tales games…I guess those must be action games first RPG second too right?
Its inconsistent is all, and you still don't know the depth of its RPG mechanics. Just because it had a stealth section doesn't mean it isn't an RPG. Like I said before there are stealth sections in many turn based RPGs, FF7 had one, Legend of Dragoon had some, Various other RPGs have dungeons that you will get kicked back to the beginning if you are spotted.
Anyway I wish you would wait till you play it because you brand it an action game with absolute conviction.