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Your views on the Final Fantasy games?

Three of your favorite FF titles in the series?


  • Total voters
    482

sephiroth7x

Member
Some questions for the FFVIII crew, in an effort to see why FFVIII is so beloved (currently ranked 5th in poll)

@Aenima @Lupin3 @UltimaKilo @PooBone @Clear @Champomade Sub_Level Sub_Level @JimboJones @Fedos @Touch fuzZy. get BizZay @PaddyOCanager @johntown @rahuljx @fallingdove Neff Neff @Exentryk @Mystic_Wanderer @Digity @martino sephiroth7x sephiroth7x @mekes @marcincz @Zambatoh @jeffyjaixx @K.N.W. @NahaNago D Daeoc @JeloSWE @Nitty_Grimes @donfonzie @Melubas @Sephimoth @Enzo88 @Allandor @Desudzer10 @The Fuzz damn you! @Moochi @Anki @SantaC @NeoLed ] @YukiOnna Yumi Yumi @Ikutachi @The Fartist @Fret Runner D DJTHEGREY @losslessFlac @KuraiShidosha T TaylorSwiftFan Marcus Aurelius Marcus Aurelius Nezzeroth Nezzeroth

Why is FFVIII one of your favorites? What about this game stood out enough, in comparison to the others you've played in the series, to earn one of your three votes in the poll?
Overworld, NPCs, story, dungeons, enemies, boss fights, protagonists and antagonists - are all those things strong enough to offset the battle system that fans tend to criticize in FFVIII?
What's underappreciated about FFVIII in your opinion?


Going by your list, it looks like FFVIII might have knocked off FFVII to make your top 5, must be a very impressive game. Not many ITT have really talked at length about FFVIII

What do you think it does better, in comparison to FFVII?

There is a hint of nostalgia in my own view and that I won't deny. My run of FF games started with VI, then VII and VIII came at the right time in my life for me to heavily invest in them. I did with IX also, but not to the extent of the other three.

In defence of VIII, it has a lot going for it. Squall, is one of the most developed characters in the series. In an age where we see Arthur Morgan as super rounded in RDR2 due to the arc he takes, Squall is right up there. His original stiff teen with abandonment issues is slowly brought out and done so subtly (with the exception of the odd jarring scene) it is great to see him finally find his own redemption.

Also, for the most part, the story is pretty awesome. It does have its horrible GF/Amnesia moment that really takes the shine off but if you can accept that, the whole thing fits really well.

You mention the battle system - it isn't a bad system at all. It is cumbersome and can be abused hugely and of that there is no doubt, but that is kind of part of its charm. It was so flexible it allowed you do to loads with it and make any character anything you wanted.

My personal major criticism of FFVIII, and to be honest, ALL FF games following VII is the lack of a good villain. In VIII, Edea was a red herring and by the time Ultimecia is brought in, you kinda lose the fear. IX had Kuja who they couldnt help but ruin. X had Seymour who ended up being beaten halfway, followed by religion itself - and it all got a bit crap. Where was the Kefka? The Sephiroth? Even Garland - a former knight of Cornelia is a pretty cool villain in the original game.
 

justAjohn

Member
At this point, I am just posting this to get shat on by the fanbase for some reason.

-What are your favorite Final Fantasy games? What are the 3-5 games on your list?
I played all offline ones and dropped FF7R, of those I enjoyed - FF 4, FF5, FF7, FF8, FF9, FF12, FF tactics

1. FF12 , FFT
2. FF5
3. FF7
4. FF9
5. FF4

-Which would you say had the best characters, side quests, story?
best characters FF7, sidequests FF9/12, story FFT

-FF game with the best boss fights?
FF12 but ff9 and ff4 have some great encounters

-Are there any that were overrated or definitely not as good as you thought they should have or could have been?
FF6 FF10

-Is there any one game in the series that you would consider to be the perfect example of what a Final Fantasy game is all about?
FF9 or FF5 no contest

-Underrated FF games in your opinion?
FF5 FF12 FFT

-Is the first FF you ever played your favorite one?
My first one is FF7 and it was my favourite for many years, but since FF12 came out, I just can´t go back to it

-Who are your favorite protagonists and favorite villains?
Protagonists FF8
Villain FF2 FF5 FF12

-Which one has the best items and exploration in its overworld?
best items FF9
best exploration FF9/ff12

-Which has the most impressive OST?
FF5 FF8 FFT
i listened to FF14´s but it is overengineered to me.

These are all just questions for the long time fans of the series, or anyone who has played a FF or two

-Is FF the best RPG series in gaming as a whole?
No

-Do you enjoy nutritional yeast on your toast for additional taste and B vitamins?
No

What are some tips, a couple tactics or strategies a newcomer should consider when playing FF games?
Skip status spells, attack is king

Does it vary greatly from game to game, how perceptive the player must be? FF10 has some inkling of tacticality. FFT and FF12 require basal consciousness.

And does item management play a huge role in FF, sort of like Resident Evil? It did in ff4 slightly, in ff6 you have to manage equipment on parties, In ff7, FF8 you have to manage materia instead of equipment, drawn spells like items

What's underappreciated about FFVIII in your opinion?
the scenario, after playing them one after another, the scenario is weird and different, beautifully mangled.
The Junction system is great, it´s just that it was linked to draw system (I know my card mod, but still it deters you from using those great spells you junction to your stats)
 
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HE1NZ

Banned
The first three are the best. They're kind of comfy. Played them on PSP and 3 on DS. Starting with 4 the stories got very stupid, huge amount of characters that don't amount to anything and I don't like the real time turn based bullshit. 7 might be the worst, nothing in that game makes sense and it's ugly to boot and can only be played with a walkthrough. Haven't played any other main series games. Crisis Core was okay. There was also some Chocobo Tales game I played on the DS, that was the best Final Fantasy I played.
 
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German Hops

GAF's Nicest Lunch Thief
What's her arse look like now?

Pretty good for an older woman.
7 might be the worst ...can only be played with a walkthrough.
tenor.gif
 
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MeteorVII

Member
lol unanimous goty? seriously?
Yep.

I mean realistically it should’ve been Game of the Year in general, but I guess if FFVII Remake didn’t get it either then no Square Enix game ever will...

 
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Neff

Member
What's underappreciated about FFVIII in your opinion?
I don't know about it being underappreciated, it has more than its share of fans. But there are many reasons why I love it.

I didn't at first, I think that's worth mentioning. I sort of bounced through the first disc enjoying the visuals and music, but by the end, I hated it. I couldn't stand it. And that's because I simply didn't know what I was doing. There's two ways to play FFVIII, the right way and the wrong way. The wrong way is to assume it's a standard RPG where you'll gain strength and competence simply by levelling up, buying good gear and paying attention to enemy weaknesses. That first time I played it? I got stuck at the last boss. I was too weak, despite being lv 99. What the game doesn't tell you is how insanely imperative it is to craft spells for all-important Junctioning from cards, items, and even spells themselves. And that's another reason I love FFVIII. Most FF games don't give you good stuff until relatively late in the game, by which point you've already done everything except for a couple of optional bosses to use your cool new abilities/gear on. FFVIII lets you fuck with it as soon as you're on the world map. All you have to do is be willing to take a few detours and put in a little time, but you can harvest massive rewards leading to monster stats in no time, should you wish. It offers a huge amount of upgrade freedom, unprecedented in FF.

Regarding the story and characters, I think it's mostly well done. It's all very Japanese, the time compression metaphysics are complete nonsense, and people do very silly things, and talk about feelings way too much. But at the end of the day they're (mostly) likeable characters, the drama works, and the story hits sincere. It's my absolute favourite ending in all of FF and it gets me every time.

And yeah, it still looks and sounds incredible for an old game. It's just fucking fantastic.
 

xrnzaaas

Gold Member
FF7R was the only game from the series I finished (I played a few other games), probably because of the modern gameplay and beautiful graphics. Other than that I don't really care about the series since I'm not into jRPG's. Maybe I'll try FF15 some day since it's a part of PS+ collection, but I'm not in a hurry.
 

SilentUser

Member
Final Fantasy used to be my favorite franchise, with Final Fantasy IV being my all time favorite title of the series, followed by FF VIII and FF VII.

In my opinion, Final Fantasy XII marked the decline in the series, but FF XIII was the lowest point, followed by XV :/
 

Neff

Member
Lol, most people who "hate" FFVIII are the ones that don't understand the junction system. Most have probably skipped the tutorials form Quistis at the beginning of the game.

Junction's concept is pretty straightforward, but you're never, ever going to get decent stats unless you learn and use the refine abilities, because most of the freely-distributed spells and those drawn from common enemies simply aren't that good, and take forever to acquire (Esthar has Blizzard fountains ffs). And then there's Mug, and then there's Card, and then there's Triple Triad itself. You really have to throw yourself into the micro-management elements of the game to get anything out of it, because if you don't, FFVIII is a plodding, fruitless, miserable experience. It's unique among FF games in that it doesn't punish you for ignoring its systems with challenge, it punishes you with boredom.
 

Yumi

Member
Some questions for the FFVIII crew, in an effort to see why FFVIII is so beloved (currently ranked 5th in poll)

@Aenima @Lupin3 @UltimaKilo @PooBone @Clear @Champomade Sub_Level Sub_Level @JimboJones @Fedos @Touch fuzZy. get BizZay @PaddyOCanager @johntown @rahuljx @fallingdove Neff Neff @Exentryk @Mystic_Wanderer @Digity @martino sephiroth7x sephiroth7x @mekes @marcincz @Zambatoh @jeffyjaixx @K.N.W. @NahaNago D Daeoc @JeloSWE @Nitty_Grimes @donfonzie @Melubas @Sephimoth @Enzo88 @Allandor @Desudzer10 @The Fuzz damn you! @Moochi @Anki @SantaC @NeoLed ] @YukiOnna Yumi Yumi @Ikutachi @The Fartist @Fret Runner D DJTHEGREY @losslessFlac @KuraiShidosha T TaylorSwiftFan Marcus Aurelius Marcus Aurelius Nezzeroth Nezzeroth

Why is FFVIII one of your favorites? What about this game stood out enough, in comparison to the others you've played in the series, to earn one of your three votes in the poll?
Overworld, NPCs, story, dungeons, enemies, boss fights, protagonists and antagonists - are all those things strong enough to offset the battle system that fans tend to criticize in FFVIII?
What's underappreciated about FFVIII in your opinion?


Going by your list, it looks like FFVIII might have knocked off FFVII to make your top 5, must be a very impressive game. Not many ITT have really talked at length about FFVIII

What do you think it does better, in comparison to FFVII?
For me it’s the world, specifically the towns and the atmosphereBalamb town, Timber, Dollet, Deling city, fisherman’s horizon, Winhil, and the gardens, all have a strong sense of feeling with the music, architecture, and residents living there. Some of them on their own aren’t you unique, but the world as a whole feels so foreign and new.

I generally dislike using this damaging but I think it applies, FF8 feels like it’s better than the sum of its parts. The story is weird, but I don’t think it’s incohesive. And it doesn’t feel as tied together to me as FF15.

I also like battle systems you can break. The only issue I have with the battle system is the time tax of having to draw spells, but this is mostly eliminated if you spend time with triple triad, which is my personal favorite mini game in all of final fantasy.

The reward for side quests, or optional content being Guardian Forces was also a huge boon because a lot of times it wasn’t the strength of the guardian force, but the skills that were tied to it you could unlock. I think you only get 3 guardian forces through story, then the other 13 have to be drawn from bosses or found.

I also like the salary system where depending on your performance and choices your rank when up and you received an increased or decrewsed

battle system, story and character are what people seem to dislike about FF8. I find the characters to be the weakest of the three. The Designs I generally like, but they definitely fit into archetypes, and the personal arcs for the supporting cast feel one dimensional and shallow. I don’t think Squall comes off as much of an edge lord that everyone says he is. A lot of times you have the option to choose between being kind or cold hearted, even though it doesn’t change the story at all.

That’s all I got for now since I’m at work haha. I’m not one to argue, and understand why people don’t like it. I like this topic because everyone has their favorites, and I don’t think there is really a wrong answer. I love final fantasy for the characters, story, music, creative worlds,and pacing of adventure. You always feel like you are moving forward, especially in games 4-10, excluding 5.
 

RPSleon

Member
I will always replay 7, 8 and 9. Have done many times. 7 and 9 the most.

7 is a time where i really started to get in to gaming. My dad bought me 9 and i was obsessed. I didnt like 8 when i tried it years later but ended up trying again and loved it. Played it a few times.

For me they lost their magic after moving to ps2. Although i did finish 10.

I would love to play the older ones. I put a few hours in to 6(?) I think. Stopped for some reason unrelated to my enjoyment of it.
 
I really love all the games. This year I started playing the very first one and found myself falling in love with it. They just have a formula that works and it's so cool so see the iterate on those ideas.

Don't think there is a single FF that I disliked.
 

Ladioss

Member
FFVI was a revelation, back in 94. But to be blunt, I never felt the same thing with any other FF after that.

Worst, I'm not really sure what purpose FF serves in 2021. I suspect they are Sony's Avengers : something big and glamorous to keep 30s-something FF7 old-timers as a captive PS fanbase.
 

DJTHEGREY

Member
Some questions for the FFVIII crew, in an effort to see why FFVIII is so beloved (currently ranked 5th in poll)

@Aenima @Lupin3 @UltimaKilo @PooBone @Clear @Champomade Sub_Level Sub_Level @JimboJones @Fedos @Touch fuzZy. get BizZay @PaddyOCanager @johntown @rahuljx @fallingdove Neff Neff @Exentryk @Mystic_Wanderer @Digity @martino sephiroth7x sephiroth7x @mekes @marcincz @Zambatoh @jeffyjaixx @K.N.W. @NahaNago D Daeoc @JeloSWE @Nitty_Grimes @donfonzie @Melubas @Sephimoth @Enzo88 @Allandor @Desudzer10 @The Fuzz damn you! @Moochi @Anki @SantaC @NeoLed ] @YukiOnna Yumi Yumi @Ikutachi @The Fartist @Fret Runner D DJTHEGREY @losslessFlac @KuraiShidosha T TaylorSwiftFan Marcus Aurelius Marcus Aurelius Nezzeroth Nezzeroth

Why is FFVIII one of your favorites? What about this game stood out enough, in comparison to the others you've played in the series, to earn one of your three votes in the poll?
Overworld, NPCs, story, dungeons, enemies, boss fights, protagonists and antagonists - are all those things strong enough to offset the battle system that fans tend to criticize in FFVIII?
What's underappreciated about FFVIII in your opinion?


Going by your list, it looks like FFVIII might have knocked off FFVII to make your top 5, must be a very impressive game. Not many ITT have really talked at length about FFVIII

What do you think it does better, in comparison to FFVIII
FFVIII has a great Battle system. Only flaw is it's too easy to take advantage of once you understand it.

I love the OST.... It's almost my favorite... Hard to choose between VII VIII and X.

The Setting and story mixed well with the OST. Although the story towards the end got a little bad I guess it still was pretty good to me. I heard they were developing multiple games or lost focus on FFVIII somehow but still turned out good to me. I loved how the guardian forces played a part in the story and how it effected them.

The cast are all lovable

Biggs and Wedge have a great role in this FF
 
-What are your favorite Final Fantasy games? What are the 3-5 games on your list?
In no particular order:
IV - VI - VII - IX - VII_Remake


-Which would you say had the best characters, side quests, story?
Characters: VI
Side quests: IX
Story: IV


-FF game with the best boss fights?
FF7Remake

-Are there any that were overrated or definitely not as good as you thought they should have or could have been?
XV

-Is there any one game in the series that you would consider to be the perfect example of what a Final Fantasy game is all about?
IX

-Underrated FF games in your opinion?
IV, X-2

-Is the first FF you ever played your favorite one?
No, my first one was FF1 and while I cherish that experience completely it's not my favourite one.

-Who are your favorite protagonists and favorite villains?
Protagonists:
IV - Cecil, Kain
VI - Cyan, Locke, Terra

Villains:
VI - Kefka



-Which one has the best items and exploration in its overworld?
IX

-Which has the most impressive OST?
VI

These are all just questions for the long time fans of the series, or anyone who has played a FF or two

-Is there a FF game that focused solely on story and the main characters + NPCs and everything seemed to branch off from that center focus?
XIII

-Is FF the best RPG series in gaming as a whole?
To me it is!

-Do you enjoy nutritional yeast on your toast for additional taste and B vitamins?
I enjoy peanut butter and blueberry jam.
 

Ixion

Member
Why is FFVIII one of your favorites? What about this game stood out enough, in comparison to the others you've played in the series, to earn one of your three votes in the poll?
Overworld, NPCs, story, dungeons, enemies, boss fights, protagonists and antagonists - are all those things strong enough to offset the battle system that fans tend to criticize in FFVIII?
What's underappreciated about FFVIII in your opinion?


Going by your list, it looks like FFVIII might have knocked off FFVII to make your top 5, must be a very impressive game. Not many ITT have really talked at length about FFVIII

What do you think it does better, in comparison to FFVII?

FF8 is peak Final Fantasy in many ways. The atmosphere, the world, the music, set pieces, and character designs are all top notch. This was a game made by the FF7 team right after FF7 (arguably the best and most important game in the series), so FF8 gives you something close to that feeling. Therefore you can see why FF8 is considered part of the golden age.

However, the two most controversial aspects are the Junction leveling system and the story. The junction system is something that is unconventional and allows you to either break the game, or if you play it like a normal RPG you'll have a much harder time. So this aspect was a negative for me since I didn't bother really adapting for the junction system, but if you do adapt to it, then this "negative" will mostly go away. At least that seems to be the case for some other players.

As for the story, I already mentioned the game has cool set pieces, but what FF8 lacks is a strong central plot that keeps the player hooked. The story felt too ad-hoc when I played it. And ultimately the latter half of the story gets very convoluted, even by Final Fantasy standards.
 
Junction's concept is pretty straightforward, but you're never, ever going to get decent stats unless you learn and use the refine abilities, because most of the freely-distributed spells and those drawn from common enemies simply aren't that good, and take forever to acquire (Esthar has Blizzard fountains ffs). And then there's Mug, and then there's Card, and then there's Triple Triad itself. You really have to throw yourself into the micro-management elements of the game to get anything out of it, because if you don't, FFVIII is a plodding, fruitless, miserable experience. It's unique among FF games in that it doesn't punish you for ignoring its systems with challenge, it punishes you with boredom.
Lol the game offers more than enough besides its battle system even if you don't get deep into it.
 

Sub_Level

wants to fuck an Asian grill.
Been playing since the 80s, but never played a single FF game. What game should i start with that aged a least ok?

You can't go wrong starting with FFIX. The remaster available on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Switch for like 25 bucks. Its a very straightforward game with nice visuals, music, and fun turn based combat.

ss_6500ff0bfb2092615909e3d2b641c8a92ba15854.600x338.jpg


ss_fe4fbd8ac03bd989739f3ccff2a19aba91b4d883.600x338.jpg


Its pure Final Fantasy. A grand adventure in a magical setting with a ragtag group of folks.
 

Meesh

Member
You can't go wrong starting with FFIX. The remaster available on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Switch for like 25 bucks. Its a very straightforward game with nice visuals, music, and fun turn based combat.

ss_6500ff0bfb2092615909e3d2b641c8a92ba15854.600x338.jpg


ss_fe4fbd8ac03bd989739f3ccff2a19aba91b4d883.600x338.jpg


Its pure Final Fantasy. A grand adventure in a magical setting with a ragtag group of folks.
Totes! Can't go wrong with IX, it's just a jrpg love letter to all those who played right down to 1. FF bliss!!! ❤
 

Daeoc

Member
Some questions for the FFVIII crew, in an effort to see why FFVIII is so beloved (currently ranked 5th in poll)
D Daeoc
Why is FFVIII one of your favorites? What about this game stood out enough, in comparison to the others you've played in the series, to earn one of your three votes in the poll?
Overworld, NPCs, story, dungeons, enemies, boss fights, protagonists and antagonists - are all those things strong enough to offset the battle system that fans tend to criticize in FFVIII?
What's underappreciated about FFVIII in your opinion?
It is one of my favorites because it has the most systems, all of which add to the game and make it more fun. You have the Junction system>Guardian Force Abilities>Refine items/cards into other items/GF Abilities>Triple Triad and Card Mod, all able to work together. When compared to say FF7 which pretty much just has Materia to play around with, it is a big upgrade in systems to play with. Along with that, Squall is the most developed main character of the series, albeit at the cost of the rest of the party members. This is why I say FF9 is the best, looking at it a bit more objectively, as I believe the cast is more fleshed out.

It does also have my favorite music and locations of the series, and the romance is front and center instead of just being sprinkled in.
 
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Azelover

Titanic was called the Ship of Dreams, and it was. It really was.
They were great up to, and including, FFX.

Everything else since then has sucked...

With no exception.
 

MarlboroRed

Member
You can't go wrong starting with FFIX. [...]
Agreed! FFIX will remain the quintessential mainline FF game to me. Give me a grand adventure in a make believe world with colourful and endearing characters, then slap me with the feels stick in the final 3rd of the adventure.

Really can't go wrong with IX.
 

Werewolf Jones

Gold Member
Finished FF VIII and cried at the ending. An oddity and a black sheep that should be adored instead of made a joke out of because you're too fucking dumb to understand how to play it.

Squall finds human interaction hard and was fractured with actual loss as a child. By FAR the best protagonist of the PS1 era. Rinoa on the other hand is the weakest between her, Tifa and Garnet but saying that she's still a good character she is smart enough to figure out a good plan but too impulsive to see it through.
 

MeteorVII

Member
Finished FF VIII and cried at the ending. An oddity and a black sheep that should be adored instead of made a joke out of because you're too fucking dumb to understand how to play it.

Squall finds human interaction hard and was fractured with actual loss as a child.
as was Terra...
as was Cloud...
as was Lightning
as is practically every RPG protagonist ever...
By FAR the best protagonist of the PS1 era.
Really isn’t.
 

Kumomeme

Member
MeteorVII MeteorVII Kumomeme Kumomeme Rean no Kiseki Rean no Kiseki - What are your pros and cons for FFXV?
i gonna throw lengthy essay. i dont mind if anyone skipped it. might be good chance for me to vent out what i feels and think.

i'll start with cons:

  1. tons of questionable plot - that newspaper scene for example. also jared. the prince cant have time to mourn for his father, but they can for Jared. not to mention the scene actually off screen. (i wonder if player remember who this person is?)player also doesnt even get invested with the character and yet the game asked player to be emotional at the scene. like what? feels like half asses attempt from writer to make sure that sad moment exist. Ardyn want to follow the party? yeah sure lets allow him no problem. player never meet and interact with Luna for whole game. then the moment we see him, she died. should we feels sad? similliar to jared situation the game doesnt even let player to warm up to him, get to know, get connect with the character, build up the moment etc. then suddenly throw us sad death moment in hope player would suddenly invested emotionally out of nowhere. too short to get to know the character and they kill it too soon. due to this that scene for example feels like they desperately trying to make sure there is heartbreaking moment in the game. overall, writing feels half asses. another scene like with the emperor and luna brother. barely any development with this people. once we meet them they died lmao. atleast there should be more to that in term of storyline especially against the main character.
  2. tons of plot hole - all the dlc exist because the game in dire need of loophole patch. still, adding patch later wont fix things since it added later not existed since begining and make things feels disconnected instead. not to mention tons of patch that fixing the gameplay, added more features also show how the devs still have no general idea of how the combat should be at first place.
  3. aimless combat - honestly i not have much problem with combat. but it just aimless. smash the button and win whatever feels like. magic and summoning system basically broken. like the devs have no idea to implement it. most of summon battle feels more like quick time event section, than proper combat. fight with leviathan for example has different combat than what player has at open world. player stats, weapon wont matter since the fight just use armiger at fullest. VII Remake for example, stay true to the system till the end.player can even do crazy stuff like fight sephiroth in frog mode.
  4. important content is not in the game - the prologue, is in kingsglaive movie. character backstory in anime. all additional content on different form of media should be about additional content toward the main game, not vice versa, or where important stuff is keep away. it is stupid to ask player to watch the movie first then anime to make sense. the game itself should be able to exist as standalone content where the anime or movie can be bonus content.i watch all those before playing the game. it actually not make the game plot makesense but make the game feels 'disconnected' instead. the film and anime has different tone than main game for example. things not align. biggest problem is they remove the prologue. insomnia invasion is important as it will serve as prologue that will determine the mood or tone for whole game and will serve as world building introduction for player. we see similliar stuff in film for example. similliar problem with FFXIII. imagine if FFVII Remake follow this formula. the game start at kalm where cloud on the way to kalm which is completely skip the midgar portion. you can watch movie but in the end the game will feels 'disconnected' from the event.
  5. second part of the game totally rushed - player definitely can feels that.
  6. proper presentation of main villain - Ardyn has charisma but lack of proper backstory introduction, motivation etc. yes, people need to play the dlc which is in align with my number 2 and 4 point. important stuff like this should be part of the game since beginning earlier of storyline, not released it later. on second linear part of the game should be the moment that define him but nahhh. on this aspect, Emet-Selch in FFXIV: Shadowbringers is example of how 'Ardyn doing right'.
the plot overall feels like broken missing piece of structure. prologue missing. then suddenly at climax, then ending. the structure is in shambles. FFXIV : ARR for example even if just a slog, the overall story plot structure package is there. there is proper build up existed. while XV or even XIII feels like unfinished rollercoaster.


Pros:
honestly this is the reason why, i believe lot of people get attached to this game despite it has jaring flaw, to the point some of them love it very much. some people, even get 'tricked' to it.

  1. manage to connect character with player - despite all the questionable plot, dumb moment, half assed content and stuff etc, the devs team actually manage made player get close, invested, attached, grew up, warm up etch with the four main character despite these character writing is not all that much special anyway. all those interaction, the atmosphere, banter, the camping and stuff. the game surely has problematic plot, but players surely love the character. this is one of positive stuff. on other aspect this part manage to cover for the flaw the game has. problematic writing, but atleast the character enjoyable resulted to fun experience with its own charm that not exist elsewhere. whats important the game is fun to play. no need everything to be perfect. thanks to devs nailed this aspect, the game manage to connect with player tightly despite all the obvious untolerateble problem.
  2. it has nice presentation - the graphics, visual, flashy animation, music etc is top notch. which is add illusion of 'great game', made people blind towards the real problem the game has. all of these presentation give illusion of 'epic' content despite actual lackluster content. for example certain member here often share epic gif and image/concept art/promo material. yes it awesome but the main game itself doesnt represent the outer appearance.
  3. nailed the roadtrip concept - yes, the open world is often get critisized by fans but atleast despite all the flaw, the roadtrip idea is delivered nicely towards player. with character fun interaction in my number 1 point, it made the game has it own charm. honestly this is the game strongest point.
overall i dont want critisize much for the open world element since it is the first team open world game. even Hajime Tabata itself acknowledge of the risk when they decided to turn the game into openworld. also this is the team first AAA game with new engine that been developed alongside with the main game. i'll expect great jump in creative aspect in their next game since their technical aspect already ironed out with the engine is completed and the knowhow of developing open world game they gained. making open world game is not easy especially to create good one. FFXV surely has it issue but the stuff devs gained from this game surely will benefit future title and they wont get there without this game.

sum up, the game is fun and decent. from open world action rpg perspective, it decent game and fun to play at. but it has tons of jaring flaw that should not be overlook at. however a game that bear name "final fantasy' should have a higher bar standard than this. i have good time with this game, but at same time not really fond of those flaw it has. all those things hampered the gameplay experience.
 
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Nezzeroth

Member
Some questions for the FFVIII crew, in an effort to see why FFVIII is so beloved (currently ranked 5th in poll)

@Aenima @Lupin3 @UltimaKilo @PooBone @Clear @Champomade Sub_Level Sub_Level @JimboJones @Fedos @Touch fuzZy. get BizZay @PaddyOCanager @johntown @rahuljx @fallingdove Neff Neff @Exentryk @Mystic_Wanderer @Digity @martino sephiroth7x sephiroth7x @mekes @marcincz @Zambatoh @jeffyjaixx @K.N.W. @NahaNago D Daeoc @JeloSWE @Nitty_Grimes @donfonzie @Melubas @Sephimoth @Enzo88 @Allandor @Desudzer10 @The Fuzz damn you! @Moochi @Anki @SantaC @NeoLed ] @YukiOnna Yumi Yumi @Ikutachi @The Fartist @Fret Runner D DJTHEGREY @losslessFlac @KuraiShidosha T TaylorSwiftFan Marcus Aurelius Marcus Aurelius Nezzeroth Nezzeroth

Why is FFVIII one of your favorites? What about this game stood out enough, in comparison to the others you've played in the series, to earn one of your three votes in the poll?
Overworld, NPCs, story, dungeons, enemies, boss fights, protagonists and antagonists - are all those things strong enough to offset the battle system that fans tend to criticize in FFVIII?
What's underappreciated about FFVIII in your opinion?


Going by your list, it looks like FFVIII might have knocked off FFVII to make your top 5, must be a very impressive game. Not many ITT have really talked at length about FFVIII

What do you think it does better, in comparison to FFVII?
I don't think the battle system is bad, it's just not well balanced and it would benefit a lot from a hard mode or something.

Other than that, the reason I like FFVIII is that it's really immersive, especially the beginning of the game. The realistic artstyle, the humanly-proportioned characters (at the time this was a big deal)... I also played it in Spanish, which has one of the best translations ever, the English one is quite bad in comparison, which I assume is why people don't like it.

It also has my favorite Uematsu soundtrack by far.
 

MeteorVII

Member
MeteorVII MeteorVII Kumomeme Kumomeme Rean no Kiseki Rean no Kiseki - What are your pros and cons for FFXV?
Sure thing. 😊 There aren’t many cons to FFXV, so I’ll start with the pros:

First, the gameplay.

Contrary to the popular “open-world is empty” notion that never holds any weight in regards to any game it ever gets used upon due to the vague unsubstantiated nature of the argument, FFXV’s world is very much filled to the brim with things that make it feel real and alive. An example of this is found in the side-quest pertaining to Deadeye and how the Chocobos are initially unavailable due to the Behemoth preying on them in the forest. It emphasises the dynamics found within its inhabitants and uses this to build upon the world. Newscasts report on your hunts in specific and dynamic ways, making you feel like you're a part of the world and that your achievements are earned. As exemplified by Deadeye, FFXV boasts an unparalleled beastiary. Just comparing the enemy variety in FFXV to something like Zelda BoTW makes that game look downright anaemic. FFXV’s attention to detail is also unparalleled. You could be driving to your next main quest objective and get side-tacked as you come across a gargantuan flying airship on its way to establish an imperial base, which you could then choose to demolish and partake in this epic four-man army battle against the full force of the empire. You could go on camp quests with your bros which help flesh out their relationships and give some much needed break time from all the action and chaos. One of Gladio’s camp quests has you picking up flowers for Iris and much to my surprise later in the game; by talking to her in Cape Caem, you actually initiate a sweet little cutscene of Noct giving her the flowers which further adds to their relationship and makes even your smallest actions have a tangible and natural impact on the world. On your way back to the tent, you can often find the other bros playing around with cards or just wrestling, but if you look inside the tent in Chapter 10, you can see that it’s completely empty with no sign of the cards or junk food that signified their fun times in the earlier chapters. It’s this type of attention to narrative context that makes FFXV’s story so great (as we’ll get to later). The amount of unique event-specific dialogue and animations, and the quality of the animations themselves are unrivalled. Aranea sometimes drops in from her Red airship to help you battle daemons in completely random and unscripted events. Animals and wildlife have routines of their own, sometimes crossing the roads obstructing you and the other civilians from driving or just fighting/hunting other animals in the world. Noctis’ eyes turn purple during Summons. The Summons themselves are visual marvels and the fact that they are completely random is a genius way of incorporating them into the game as oppose to previous Final Fantasy games where you had the choice of using/picking them (which could be argued as examples of ludonarrative dissonance. Any game that gives you control over “gods” of their world is doing it wrong). The ‘ghost girl’ Gentiana sometimes appears in photos where she wasn’t even present, emphasising her omniscience in the world. There’s even detail in the sound design; from the clanks of hitting metal robots versus the thuds of hitting the Behemoth, to the Chocobo theme changing to an underplayed version whenever you’re swimming across water – reflecting the serene atmosphere. This is why FFXV has one of the most immersive open-worlds of any JRPG. The only problems with the open-world are some of the inconveniences in its design; invisible walls and barriers sometimes make hunts a chore to travel to because of how unnecessarily long it takes to reach what would otherwise be an easy destination in a competently designed open-world like Zelda BoTW, but other design choices such as the placement of each individual side-quest and how one directly leads to another is well done. I won’t be talking much about the graphics and presentation since Final Fantasy as a series has always been special in that regard, so I’ll just get that out of the way now in terms of what makes FFXV specifically special: the art-direction and visual iconography. FFXV strikes that balance between the modern sci-fi, conventional gothic and traditional high fantasy look that FFVII got right so many years ago and none of the others ever even came close to replicating. Some of the directing, framing and “cinematography” is very clearly inspired by Tetsuya Nomura’s visual masterpiece: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. Take for example; the addition of the extreme close-up on Noct’s wide open eyes at the end of Chapter 1 when he hears over the phone that his father had passed away – a visual indication that Noct’s realisation and epiphany lasted longer from his perspective than in real time. Graphically speaking; FFXV is quite evidently one of the most technically impressive video games made to date, but that speaks for itself, so let’s talk about something more meaty…

FFXV's combat mechanics, in a refreshing change from the anachronistic turn-based trite of the previous games, now revolve around a skill-based System that requires more skill from the player in order to execute moves that are more effective against specific types of enemies. This is an extremely in-depth system with copious skill and strategy seamlessly intertwined to create a fast-paced, thrilling and rewarding experience. This amalgamation of skill and strategy is blatantly obvious with the use of blindside attacks: flanking enemies to gain the upper hand in battle, and how instead of holding circle; you can mash it to stop the automation with every move - thus making it more likely to get a link-strike since you’re executing more blindside attacks. Furthermore; this becomes more in-depth due to the permutations with certain enemies, (monsters who can fly for example), which incentivises you to utilise other mechanics of the combat system over link-strikes such as Character Swap (using Prompto’s guns or Ignis’ total clarity for projectile attacks), Air-steps which require precise timing and control in order to gain defensive and manoeuvring advantages, last-second use of phases to recover MPs (which means it rewards a player based on this skill over a player who just holds the phase button; depleting their MP) etc. The different weapon types switch up entire play styles. Daggers are faster and more close-range so you’re more susceptible to getting hit, but they’re balanced by having more mobility and you can get around enemy attacks easier compared to the greatswords which are slower and longer ranged. Each weapon type in FFXV even has their own unique link-strike with each individual member. Then there’s even more variation because each different weapon type have their own unique combos. The greatsword’s down combo charges up into a more powerful attack – further emphasising a more offensive approach to combat instead of the other weapon types’ down combo that backflips into air-steps for a defensive approach. In FFXV, you have actual control over the combat. You can target specific areas on enemies to break appendages and make them vulnerable, you can use warp-points if battles get too hectic with too many enemies, you can use magic grenades that directly affect the battlefield, e.g; Freeze to make enemy movements slower, but what’s great about this substantiative control is that it’s actually surprisingly well-balanced. You can’t just exploit warp-points seeing as it depletes stamina, nor can you exploit magic or any other special ability. This is how the game incentivises awareness of environmental factors such as covering behind blocks to recover HP/MP or strategically positioning yourself whenever you’re using magic to avoid hitting any of your allies (though the lack of AI control for your party does pose a problem in that it diminishes the magic system’s further strategic potential). FFXV’s animations are so meticulously and masterfully crafted that even if all this depth in the combat system wasn’t present, it would still feel great because of how well choreographed and seamless the combat looks. On the other hand, this game is in desperate need of a hard mode. There isn’t as much challenge now (due to the addition of the multi-hunt system that nets you way more eXP) as there was when the game first came out. Also, some of the DLC weapons such as Ragnarok are too over-powered and potions/Phoenix Downs need to be much more costly/scarce.

Now, in regards to the progression system: depending on where you rest, you can gain up to 3X the Exp which adds a whole other dynamic to the game not found in most other RPGs. It encourages you to rest and pick out certain hotels/rest-spots that require more Gil - so it’s more incentive to hunt and do side activities in order to gain more money. These nuances make the progression system feel rewarding because you are progressing across a myriad of gameplay mechanics, not just one in one instance. So it feels like all of your work actually pays off. In fact, the Ascension Grid in FFXV is a lot more convenient and works a whole lot better than the sphere grids found in most JRPGs. You don’t have to start from the centre and work your way all around to get to what you want to upgrade, instead there are tabs for each specific aspect of gameplay like exploration, teamwork etc. They all overlap as well for each of the 4 bros which makes it feel even more rewarding.

FFXV’s dungeons are absolutely magnificent and versatile with different methods of progression. How you progress through the Rock of Ravatogh, for instance, is different from Steyliff Grove. Rock of Ravatogh has you climbing the mountain; carefully manoeuvring the slope to reach the top. It is straightforward and revolves around your skills in precision through controlling Noctis around the edges without falling back down. Now contrast this with Steyliff Grove where progression is more maze-like; locations you’ve already visited change and open up new paths, and it’s all about trial and error with these labyrinthine structures breaking and rebuilding on their own. It doesn’t rely on your skills as much as it does your intuition in having a clear visual of the map in your head. One has a tangible sense of being grounded in reality. The other has this aura of mystique about it. FFXV constantly keeps things refreshing with varied thematic elements and gameplay mechanics. This is further exemplified with Pitioss Ruins. Just the act of travelling to this dungeon is exciting as it relies on the flying car, a completely separate mode of travel only introduced at New Game Plus, to reach it and the way the quest itself is initiated builds on the world itself as you have to listen in randomly on a resident’s house in Lestallum.

Now, arguably the most important aspect of any RPG is the story. To understand why Final Fantasy XV actually has a really good story, you don’t have to look far.

We can start with some of the very first pieces of dialogue:

Gladio: “We’ll take the prince to Altissia if it’s the last thing we do.”

Prompto: “Yeah...what he said!”

Right away - we establish Gladio’s confidence and intentions as a loyal friend and a headstrong bodyguard.
This is directly juxtaposed to Prompto’s nonchalant response which emphasises his insecurity, naivety and that he doesn’t fully grasp the reality of his situation. This also sets up his character progression later on when he becomes more confident and independent.

This immediately establishes a bond because you can already infer that these characters rely on each other based on these strengths and weakness - they fill up gaps of qualities that they themselves do not have. The opening car sequence is iconic (referenced in animes like Pop Team Epic, and in the gaming community) for good reason: it establishes a genius loci. It is quite possibly the most competent and appropriate opening to a game I’ve ever seen.

Gladio: “Let’s just hope this isn’t some bad omen...

Prompto: “Look...these things happen!”

Right away we establish Gladio’s pessimism, and Prompto’s strength gets highlighted due to his contrasting optimism. We understand their place and dynamic within the group: with Gladio as the one who the others depend on physically, and their dependence on Prompto for emotional support thanks to his optimism being contrasted against Gladio’s pessimism.

Ignis: “Save some breath for pushing, please...”

Instantly we have an idea of Ignis being the strategist in the group - thinking methodically instead of getting into the emotional debacle between the rest of the group. He is seen as the guide for the group - this is showcased symbolically with him literally being behind the wheel and others pushing the car, but also it is a genius way of foreshadowing when Ignis loses his eyesight and loses his purpose, as in; he becomes a weight for the other members to carry. Little things like calling Ignis “Iggy” instantly establishes a bond and comraderie between the bros and makes them more endearing. The fact that the scene was accompanied by Stand By Me was the cherry-on-top. Not only does it perfectly reflect the brotherhood and roadtrip motifs but it is also a nod to the fans who have waited for the game for 10 years.

In FFXV, the creator made the deliberate and conscious choice to change the focus of the narrative from a plot-driven ensemble cast (as has been the case for every single Final Fantasy game preceding XV) to a character-driven one with the sole focus on the protagonist in order to immerse the player into the story. They wanted the player to relate to the main character specifically instead of engaging in the now-stereotypical cliché JRPG anime sagas with these extensive backstories, lores and the final bosses that have 10 different monster forms and incessant god imagery. It's a stylistic choice that simply changes the way the user relates to the game and the game world.

They put great effort into making each have their own distinct personalities with their own character arcs. The only one who's lacking in this is Gladio, who doesn't have as much progression as, say, Noctis' journey from naive boy to a grown man with strong convictions shaped by the tribulations brought upon him due to his birthright. But Gladio is still a well-developed character, regardless of lacking character progression, because you get to know everything about him from strengths, weaknesses, ambitions, hobbies, to his damn favourite food. You can't say that about most JRPG characters. The Four-Temperament Ensemble works really well here.

Regis' death has far more implications than just being the death of a parent. For Noct, it represents the moment he becomes trapped in this self-fulfilling prophecy, the moment he realises the severity of his calling (though I'd argue the simple emotional weight behind the event is just as easily justifiable to have it transpire because the opening scene where Regis keeps pulling Noctis back after saying his goodbyes is absolutely brilliant and instantly establishes a father-son connection.) He’s doing what literally EVERYONE is asking him to. That’s kinda where the whole ‘sick and tired’ attitude of his comes from for half the game. It’s expressed every time the Bros were in danger. The weight of Noctis’ duty becomes so much for him to the point where literally just the act of putting on Luna’s ring is too heavy for him. They were constantly showing the inner conflict within Noct and his resolve. At the beginning of the game, when given the notice that he might not be able to return to the citadel, his response was “you think I would?” This was his way of becoming untethered from that way of life which is the perfect set-up for when he gets chained to it shortly after.

Direct quote from the base game – Chapter 10:

Noctis: “You think I like having people sacrifice themselves for me?”

This emphasised how much Noctis was questioning the whole notion of sacrificing oneself for the sake of the world and ultimately sets up his character progression in Chapter 13 where he gets separated from his friends at the end, and in a moment of desperation, chooses to fuse with the Crystal in order to save his friends and make sure their sacrifices weren’t in vain.

You don’t need the DLC to understand that Gladio and Noct’s relationship develops because Noct is continuously inspired from the examples set by Gladio that emphasise his decision to accept his role and duty in protecting the king with his life. There’s a great scene in Chapter 4 that showcases their bond. It’s right before you fight the Titan and Noct is complaining about the heat and Gladio has to scold him. This is a tangible bond because we understand why Noctis looks up to Gladio, since he yearns to be accustomed to that path of life, and why Gladio relates to Noctis; because he sees his former inexperienced self in him.

The CGI cutscenes are used sparingly and methodically to punctuate each act.

Noctis' character arc; coming to terms with one's role and predetermined destiny is far more developed and identifiable than any previous Final Fantasy game (with the exception of FFVII).

FFXV isn't a love story, it was a road-trip. The story is as simple as it gets, and all the better for it. The romance is just one of the many aspects of the plot and unfortunately it wasn't done well, but it really doesn't matter when they got the main leitmotif right.
The very last scene of the game before the end credits is the campfire scene. They chose that part for a reason. That is what FFXV is all about.

Prompto’s entire character arc revolves around not feeling like he belongs in the group. Throughout the game, he naturally progresses to become more confident, independent and secure not only because he gets the reassurance from his teammates, but because he realises that he’s constantly putting his life on the line for his group. So in other words, he realises that he’s giving it his all and that’s all that matters. This is expressed in the Motel sequence where Prompto gets personal about his insecurities to Noctis. They established how Prompto had his insecurities about not fitting in, so the ultimate resolution was the confirmation from his friends and them shrugging it off as if it doesn’t even matter. He fits in so much that even with his background of literally being part of the enemy group doesn’t matter to them because they just trust him that much. Cindy’s barely developed, but she is still a functional character used as a springboard for Prompto’s character progression because it is another example of Prompto doing something by himself. This contrasts the start of the game when he has to rely on Noctis to accompany him to try to get with Cindy, showing clear character progression from Chapter 1 to 14. This is yet another instance of conscious attention to storytelling in the game.

Now I will expand upon Ignis’ characterisation:

One of the first things we learn about is Ignis is that he is a precisian and an expert strategist. This is emphasised ingeniously not only by his character design (his buttoned up suit contrasts the wild and messy look of Noctis and co) but also through aspects of ludonarrative consistency throughout the game; stopping you from driving around at night, analysing enemies, cooking etc.

“Iggy likes his world to be crystal clear.” - he wears glasses even though his vision is passable without them. This builds tangible weight, meaning and foundation behind his design and is a direct set-up for his character progression.

He takes pride in his observational skills. This is pointed out by Noctis and co every time Ignis comes up with an in-depth strategy to defeat an opponent; “keep it short this time.” He also takes pride in his cooking skills. This is showcased when he takes offence to Prompto’s excitement over eating Iris’ food instead.

The game is brimming with these moments of character development. This is so you understand why Chapter 10 poses a tangible and complex dilemma for Ignis and why it is a great facilitator for his character progression.

His permutations with the group effectively show that he is fully devoted to his duty as the guide for Noctis, to the point where it’s almost obsessive. That’s why he takes pride in the attributes he’s been accustomed to develop. (This is also another instance of ludonarrative consistency where Ignis is the one who insists on driving you to each location.)
So when Ignis sacrifices his eyes for Noctis, that is basically Ignis giving away his life’s purpose for Noct. This is why we now have a complex dilemma. The roles have officially been reversed. It is the now the group who have to permanently guide Ignis. The perfectionist in Ignis says leave Noct and not become a detriment to the group. However, as a friend of Noct - he casts away what gave him meaning and kept him tethered to the world; his over-obsessive nature and perfectionist ideals, to stand with Noctis as a loyal friend to the very end. That’s why the reunion scene in Chapter 14 works so well. Noctis asking about his bros during the ride with Talcott as his voice breaks; (great English voice work all around btw) “Ignis...never got his vision back, huh...” - showing that he understands the weight of what his friends sacrificed for him is very emotional, and it’s accentuated by his gesture of patting Ignis on the shoulder with the dialogue exchange:

Ignis: “Well well...you kept us waiting.”

Noctis: “Not like I wanted to...”

This all works to instantly reestablish their bond.

So as we’ve assessed; FFXV uses indirect characterisation and physiognomy to establish distinctions. You can infer a character’s backstory, their behaviour, introspective development etc, through the way they look, talk; cadence, or external dialogue.

Ardyn is a great villain. They keep him mysterious. His power is immense but we only see hints of it. Terror and torment are ingredients of his dominion. 'Reclaim Your Throne' was the main slogan for the game and it ingeniously refers to both the protagonist AND the antagonist. The final mission is called "Cure for Insomnia"; as in a cure for Ardyn's immortality since he never got to rest.

There seems to be this contingency fallacy on miscellaneous settings such as Insomnia or characters like Jared or Regis not getting the “proper” development you expect being a detriment to the story. The game never demands you to mourn for Regis. The thing that spurs the main character into action is the realisation of how firmly and inextricably tied he is to this newfound way of life. It is the implications of Regis’ death that affects the story. Not Regis or the Kingdom. Knowing more about the Kingdom, Regis etc. wouldn’t change the story’s effectiveness in any way, shape or form. That kind of exposition is exactly the way old Final Fantasy games used to rope players in but it’s an incredibly tripe and archaic form of storytelling. Final Fantasy fans confuse this lack of history in XV with lack of context and use that to suggest that the story is bad. Context is the circumstances that form the setting for an event or a concept, the terms of which it can be understood. History is the study of those things, going in-depth. We don’t need history in order to understand character dilemmas or motivations, what we need is characterisation and a narrative flow - of which FFXV objectively has because it makes advancements of the personal motivations and dilemmas of the characters, rather than their historical connections. This makes the world much more immersive than its contemporaries and encourages you to engage with the story because there is verisimilitude with your main character.

Final Fantasy games have always had these great, but convoluted storylines because they cater to an anachronistic form of storytelling that intentionally evokes the distancing effect. A famous example of this is in Cloud Strife - your typical edgelord badass who literally doesn’t care about anything until like 20 hours into the game. This could make his character feel boring and unsubstantiated because he is completely unrelatable for a large portion of the game. He shows no emotion. There aren’t many instances where he expresses any thoughts on any given matter. For most of the game, he is a complete robot. It isn’t until he hands the black Materia to Sephiroth where we finally get our first line of emotional expression from him: “I’m afraid.” That’s literally the 3rd act of the game. Obviously later on, he develops into becoming one of the greatest protagonists in gaming history, but the journey to get there is intentionally left emotionless.

Contrast this with Noctis who expresses emotions such as excitement of venturing out into the open-world and leaving his home behind early in the game - with this later turning into guilt of not accepting his responsibilities and being detached from his family, to finally pride when he accepts his role after witnessing the damage it was causing getting closer and closer to the people he cares about, and that incredible line: “Off my chair Jester, the king sits there.”

Final Fantasy XV is the first game in the series that displays a more natural level of writing; with layers and evolutions to the characters emphasised through a wide emotional spectrum that makes these characters more likeable and relatable.

FFXV’s biggest achievement, however, is something quite unexpected. We all know that Yoko Shimomura is one of the greatest video game composers in the modern era, considering her outstanding work on the Kingdom Hearts series, but…Final Fantasy XV’s Soundtrack is something quite ethereal. It is out of this world. Motifs soar back and forth, mesh and clash whenever appropriate, and exude a level of sophistication beyond the medium’s very best musicians. Magna Insomnia, the game’s Final Boss Theme, is a combination of Somnus (Noctis’ Theme) and Ardyn’s Theme. As the characters are battling for the fate of the world, so do their themes. Hellfire, being the stand-out piece in the OST and the track that made it win Soundtrack of The Year, is irrefutably the greatest boss battle theme of all time. It just builds, and builds, and builds; returning cues and melodies from other major pieces in the soundtrack get more and more emphasis, and it all culminates in a beautiful triumphant masterpiece accompanying the reunion of Noctis, Ignis, Gladio and Prompto after 10 years for one final battle against the once-merciful and benevolent Fire God who began the very age of humans. Yoko Shimomura, in a stroke of pure genius, recomposes the brotherhood leitmotif, accentuating the humanity of these characters, in juxtaposition to the godlike omniscience of the choir. A battle between man and god.

TLDR;

PROS:


- Great Story
- BY FAR has the Best Characters in the entire series
- Very fun, fast-paced gameplay
- Jaw dropping animations
- Open-world feels alive
- Best soundtrack in the entire series
- Best dungeon/level-design in the entire series
- Most robust beastiary in the entire series
- Emphasises gameplay over story

CONS:

- Few weird open-world design elements and narrative choices here and there
- Boss battle level-scaling isn’t the best
 
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Some questions for the FFVIII crew, in an effort to see why FFVIII is so beloved (currently ranked 5th in poll)

@Aenima @Lupin3 @UltimaKilo @PooBone @Clear @Champomade Sub_Level Sub_Level @JimboJones @Fedos @Touch fuzZy. get BizZay @PaddyOCanager @johntown @rahuljx @fallingdove Neff Neff @Exentryk @Mystic_Wanderer @Digity @martino sephiroth7x sephiroth7x @mekes @marcincz @Zambatoh @jeffyjaixx @K.N.W. @NahaNago D Daeoc @JeloSWE @Nitty_Grimes @donfonzie @Melubas @Sephimoth @Enzo88 @Allandor @Desudzer10 @The Fuzz damn you! @Moochi @Anki @SantaC @NeoLed ] @YukiOnna Yumi Yumi @Ikutachi @The Fartist @Fret Runner D DJTHEGREY @losslessFlac @KuraiShidosha T TaylorSwiftFan Marcus Aurelius Marcus Aurelius Nezzeroth Nezzeroth

Why is FFVIII one of your favorites? What about this game stood out enough, in comparison to the others you've played in the series, to earn one of your three votes in the poll?
Overworld, NPCs, story, dungeons, enemies, boss fights, protagonists and antagonists - are all those things strong enough to offset the battle system that fans tend to criticize in FFVIII?
What's underappreciated about FFVIII in your opinion?


Going by your list, it looks like FFVIII might have knocked off FFVII to make your top 5, must be a very impressive game. Not many ITT have really talked at length about FFVIII

What do you think it does better, in comparison to FFVII?
I really liked the world, story and setting. The game starts with a bang with the Ifrit mission then continues with the antenna tower mission. So, it hooked me immediately. The side quests in FFVIII is some of the best out there (including Triple Triad). Some of the story elements such as the Laguna side story moved me. I had a lot of fun getting the ultimate weapons and maxing out my characters.
 
Finished FF VIII and cried at the ending. An oddity and a black sheep that should be adored instead of made a joke out of because you're too fucking dumb to understand how to play it.

Squall finds human interaction hard and was fractured with actual loss as a child. By FAR the best protagonist of the PS1 era. Rinoa on the other hand is the weakest between her, Tifa and Garnet but saying that she's still a good character she is smart enough to figure out a good plan but too impulsive to see it through.

A great game will allow you more than one way to play it, not choose between tedium or downright busted.
 

Yumi

Member
I really liked the world, story and setting. The game starts with a bang with the Ifrit mission then continues with the antenna tower mission. So, it hooked me immediately. The side quests in FFVIII is some of the best out there (including Triple Triad). Some of the story elements such as the Laguna side story moved me. I had a lot of fun getting the ultimate weapons and maxing out my characters.
The missions/set pieces were something I forgot to mention. I remember having a save file specifically for the beginning of when the Balamb and Galbadia Gardens fight. The sense of ambition, urgency, and scale really came through in the PSX final fantasy’s.
 
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