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Post Mortem: Vagrant Story
- Thread starter XHitoshuraX
- Start date
Red Scarlet
Member
I meant it in the opposite of Defense Force; Tekno *loves* JSR. Oh well. :lol
XHitoshuraX
Banned
Error said:
YEARS I'm sure...
I played the hell out of this when it came out, got all the items secret dungeon etc. Totally bitchin game. One of the best soundtracks ever also. Ive been thinking about tracking down a copy and replaying it.
A note on the OP though, its says unreleased in Europe and Australia, yet a PAL version does exist...
A note on the OP though, its says unreleased in Europe and Australia, yet a PAL version does exist...
BocoDragon
or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
Wow I did not know all that stuff about the religions in Ivalice games.... very interesting. Aside from FF Tactics it was very subtle stuff.
â Narayan
Member
This is the single greatest thread in the history of Gaming Age, and NeoGAF.
XHitoshuraX
Banned
Thank you all for your compliments!
I do these for the sake of discussion, for the sake of remembering the games that crafted our experiences as gamers...
If I can get just one person to say "Hmm, I've never heard of that, it looks really interesting." Then my job is complete.
I do these for the sake of discussion, for the sake of remembering the games that crafted our experiences as gamers...
If I can get just one person to say "Hmm, I've never heard of that, it looks really interesting." Then my job is complete.
Sexcellent thread. My favorite rpg ever. Hand down. This game may not have aged well in the visuals (although it's still one of the prettiest PS1 games), the gameplay mechanics are still better than anything else I've played. I'd love this game to hell and back. Screw FF7 Remake. Vagrant Story has ten times more potential. PEACE.
DeceitDecide
Member
I hate to impose, but is this one of those impossible-to-find titles now? Like, the type of thing one only finds for exorbitant amount of money on Ebay?
Demigod Mac
Member
Question for the Ivalice scholars.
Where does Vagrant Story fit into the world on the timeline? How many years before/after FFT and FFXII?
In VS they speak of magic and monsters as if they were mythical, but come about in Leá Monde naturally, so it's supposed to be "unusual" to encounter them. Yet magic is very common in the other games. The official strategy guide even classifies the Crimson Blades as "Christian extremists" (wrong?)
Where does Vagrant Story fit into the world on the timeline? How many years before/after FFT and FFXII?
In VS they speak of magic and monsters as if they were mythical, but come about in Leá Monde naturally, so it's supposed to be "unusual" to encounter them. Yet magic is very common in the other games. The official strategy guide even classifies the Crimson Blades as "Christian extremists" (wrong?)
Demigod Mac said:
Hmm, I'm not sure how it all works together myself, but the GameTrailers Final Fantasy retrospective had an episode where they discuss the Ivalice games and Vagrant Story. They talk about timeline order and such there. I think they said Vagrant Story happens around the same time as FFT, but in a different continent, obviously (Valendia).
XHitoshuraX
Banned
Demigod Mac said:
The timeline of Ivalice as presented in the games was left quite vague, and formerly other official sources had said little on the matter. A few venerable sources have made their own conclusion on the timeline of Ivalice. The official timeline, however, was eventually given in the Final Fantasy XII Ultimania Omega, and placed the events of Final Fantasy XII before those of Final Fantasy Tactics.
There is no direct mention of Ivalice in Vagrant Story. However, several references are made; the Kingdom of Valendia, the setting for Vagrant Story, shares its name with a continent of Ivalice appearing in Final Fantasy XII. The Kiltia religion, featured in Final Fantasy XII, was the religion of the ghost town Leá Monde, in which the story takes place. Additionally, a quotation from Alazlam J. Durai, a famous historian of Ivalice who lived 400 years after the Lion War (and narrator of the Zodiac Brave Story told in Final Fantasy Tactics), is used at the beginning of the game, and the descriptions of several items make direct reference to the same story. This would seem to place Vagrant Story latest in the timeline, given its direct references to the events of Final Fantasy Tactics.
Some confusion still persists, particularly due to the facts surrounding Saint Ajora, who was executed 1200 years prior to the events of Final Fantasy Tactics, yet in the Clan Primer of Final Fantasy XII is said to have separated from the Light of Kiltia religion shortly after its foundation, already two thousand years old.[20] While no gender is specified in the North American release of Final Fantasy XII, in both the Japanese Clan Primer and the Ultimania timeline, Ajora is referred to as 聖女アジョラ, Holy Woman Ajora, while Ajora of Final Fantasy Tactics is male.
The appearance of some special characters in Final Fantasy Tactics may have further added to the confusion of the era the game takes place in. However, these characters were added into the game to give a sense of surprise and enjoyment to the player but so as to not disturb other future or past events in the history of Ivalice. Cloud Strife, Balthier, and Luso make cameo appearances that have a small or otherwise insignificant impact in Final Fantasy Tactics, and these characters originate from, respectively, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy XII, and Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift. They either have originated from the past or the future of Ivalice's history, depending on the select character.
Hope that helps!
â Narayan
Member
May16 said:
XHitoshuraX
Banned
U K Narayan said:
lol
Dark Octave
Banned
Vagrant Story was a great game that I got around to trying too late in the PS2's life cycle. I wish I had picked it up during the PS1 era. Now it's just another great title that I missed out on. If SquareEnix ever make a sequel or anything similar, that's just as good by todays standards, I'll make up for that and buy it day one.
I wish the post mordem had a "what went right, and what went wrong" section.
I wish the post mordem had a "what went right, and what went wrong" section.
XHitoshuraX
Banned
Dark Octave said:
There's always one lol
The "what went right and wrong" is essentially the thread itself. A post mortem is by definition an analysis after the fact, not just specifically a Good/Bad discussion. I tinker with the idea of putting a proper one in the OP itself but for now its just fine...If more people would like one, specifically done by me, I would have no problem with that
XHitoshuraX said:
What a thread man, Vagrant Story has always been in my top THREE games of all time after beating it in Square's best year - 2000! Ill never forget the game - the amazing battle system, the story, the music (one of the best OSTs i have ever heard - made Sakimoto my favorite), amazing art, amazing cutscenes...amazing everything. One of the only RPGs i played through more than once and gladly so. This SO deserved a 40/40 from Famitsu.
Btw, anyone can give me a few details about the ending as to what happened exactly? Its been a few years and I dont recall exactly what happened. Much thanks! And thanks for making this thread Hito! If theres one Post Mortem thread I had the chance to do - it would have DEFINITELY been this.
Amir0x said:
Uh? Game still looks great considering it's a PS1 game. Actually, it's one of the few 3D games from that time that doesn't burn your eyes when you replay it.
And it's still awesome to play.
Also, Best game ever.
Oh, how much I'd love to have a sequel... That ending has left me wanting it and wanting more of that story.
Half of Vagrant Story's scenarios got cut because of the ambitious graphical & gameplay style of the game, it took so long to code that it wasn't going to make release in time... I believe Matsuno said in an interview that the final version was just a fraction of what he intended. You can see evidence of this in underdeveloped characters like Tiger and Neesa, who seem like they are supposed to have a much bigger role in the story.
It would be awesome to have a "Director's Cut" version of this game, but that's extremely unlikely. Still a classic in the form it was released...
It would be awesome to have a "Director's Cut" version of this game, but that's extremely unlikely. Still a classic in the form it was released...
XHitoshuraX
Banned
Teddman said:
Thats right, I did forget to mention that. I can only barely begin to imagine the true vision he had in his head...
...
It's actually a shitty· game wrapped in amazing story-telling. It is completely bewildering how "great game" can so easily be attached to this steaming pot of stupid combat, unusably arcane crafting bullshit and awful area designs, just because it tells a nice story. Cut-scene age.
It's actually a shitty· game wrapped in amazing story-telling. It is completely bewildering how "great game" can so easily be attached to this steaming pot of stupid combat, unusably arcane crafting bullshit and awful area designs, just because it tells a nice story. Cut-scene age.
B-B-Bomba!
Member
I keep finding VS heartbreakingly difficult to play, but am glad that it found a market in the dedicated minority posting here.
None of my weapons do any damage to anything. Some of them start out ok, but get weaker and weaker. I have no idea what types of animal all the different baddies are. I wish I could CRUSH them! ... but even little ones scoff at my attentions.
I do know what it's about. The weapons are like plasticine. In the course of the game I have mashed them into muddy brown nothingnesses, instead of cultivating the brilliant bold colours the game is in essence in invitation to foster.
It just was not meant for me. Such a beautiful shame ... :/
None of my weapons do any damage to anything. Some of them start out ok, but get weaker and weaker. I have no idea what types of animal all the different baddies are. I wish I could CRUSH them! ... but even little ones scoff at my attentions.
I do know what it's about. The weapons are like plasticine. In the course of the game I have mashed them into muddy brown nothingnesses, instead of cultivating the brilliant bold colours the game is in essence in invitation to foster.
It just was not meant for me. Such a beautiful shame ... :/
modkennylaine
Member
No other game has created such an atmosphere and style; I'm playing through it a second time to try to actually beat it (the first time I stalled when all my weapons were down to crap attack).
With the FFT rehaul on the PSP, I'd definitely like to see this get the same treatment (oh HAY and Basch time travels y/n? maybe not so much).
Is this the PS1 English translation of Ajora? Because that's so suspect, I'd probably just go along with the Clan Primer and Ultimania.
With the FFT rehaul on the PSP, I'd definitely like to see this get the same treatment (oh HAY and Basch time travels y/n? maybe not so much).
Is this the PS1 English translation of Ajora? Because that's so suspect, I'd probably just go along with the Clan Primer and Ultimania.
XHitoshuraX
Banned
bcn-ron said:
Interesting.
modkennylaine said:
Yes actually, that is the direct translation, personally I go with the Clan Primer though.
The game is absolutely GLORIOUS on the PSP but I'm not a fan of homebrewing, so take that as you will. This game is definitely not for everyone as most see the majority of the gameplay choices maddening.
I added the bit that Teddman provided as well as some more information on what was cut from the "Original Vision" A big thanks to him!
Also, because people seemed interested, I added a "Mythology and Timeline" section so please check them out!