Printable View
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_F...eroes_of_Light
Releases October 5th, 2010
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/att...1&d=1285815447
Not a remake or reimagining. Brand new game from Matrix, the guys who did the FF III and IV DS remakes, Avalon Code, and Nostalgia. Focus is on job changing and dress up. Character design is very cute.
Famitsu scored it 33/40.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/att...1&d=1285815447
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/att...1&d=1285815447
I love the concept art, but not really digging the ingame graphics. How was this received in Japan?
Tell me about it. I want a game that looks just like that! In HD, too, why not. I can dream.Quote:
Originally Posted by Geen
We can all dream. We can all dream. :_)Quote:
Originally Posted by Compass
It sounds like Dragon Quest IX, but terrible.
Reading over the Wikipedia page, Diff is right - It does sound a lot like DQIX, but with structured characters.
I did find this screen shot interesting, though:
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/att...1&d=1285817323
The wikipedia page mentions that instead of MP you have "boost points," which I'm assuming are those little dots over the HP, and everything uses them - kind of giving me a CCG resource managing kind of vibe.
I dunno, could be interesting.
i'm a little more excited about this over etrian 3. the bits of music i've heard are very fitting and kind of have a retro/chip tune feel. the simple graphics and character designs are right up my alley as well. one thing i remember reading somewhere that the game was kind of difficult in a weird way. like...you need to hold spell books or something to cast spells, but they take up inventory space...and your inventory space is very limited per character. iunno. it's like that in dragon quest but i've gotten used to having x99 of everything in ff games. i probably won't be able to play this until november, though.
so cute.
That soundtrack is going to put me over the edge to buy this. ;_;Quote:
Originally Posted by rama
I really loved this game, don't understand the Japan/importer hate for it at all.
That's it, i have to get it now.
yeah, it's just overall very visually appealing and sounds great. even if the game's bad i'd probably just push myself to play through it to hear the music...and see all them hats!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOPhb...eature=related
i like the bandit hat/mask the best.
This is not a good game. I played about 8 hours of the import right when it was released, but after that I couldn't take it any more. Crappy battles, crappy graphics, crappy story, crappy save system. Saga 2 DS was a million times better and it baffles my mind that they release this junk in the USA but not that.
i believe salsa and NOT blueskied.
I don't know if I want to play this or not, but the music is the best fucking shit I've heard in years, rpg wise at least.
Remember before the PS2 when like every Final Fantasy had a soundtrack you wanted? What happened to that?
shit got real.
+ towards ff7 there seemed to be a shift towards quantity over quality. i think ff6 only has like 1 track that i'll skip (chanting cult music) but ff7 has like....iunno.....a bunch that i just don't like. and don't talk about ff8. i only liked the battle music in that one. ff9 was ok. then i never played another new ff ever again.
VII-IX all had music that felt like it belonged in a Final Fantasy game though.
Then you get to FFX and the lines get really blurred. Then you play everything after that and it's just not the same.
well that was all uemetsu, duh. I have a fondness for XII's music even though IV's is the best ever
I do not believe you.Quote:
Originally Posted by rama
XI and XII had good music. Sounds like the issue here is X and XIII.Quote:
Originally Posted by Opaque
First person I've ever seen to get it right. The soundtracks were all good to great up until X which was trash. XIII is just forgettable so far.Quote:
Originally Posted by MechDeus
XIII has the best battle theme since the SNES trilogy. The main theme is pretty fantastic, too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by squall_vb
hm. i actually do like that track. it's been a while since i've listened to the whole thing all the way through. i remember skipping a lot of tracks just 'cause i wasn't into them at the time. i've gone back and listened to ff7 and there are tracks that i hated when i was younger that i love now. mostly that goofy boat music.
I just started FFXIII yesterday and I really like the battle theme. The rest of the music is good enough, but it's not very FF-y to me. Neither is the game, so I guess that works!Quote:
Originally Posted by A Robot Bit Me
I haven't played XIII in a while and can't remember the battle theme. Now way off-topic, I will say, however, I was impressed and surprised they finally ditched the iconic pointy finger icon as well as the sacred FF menu sound effects.
I pre-ordered FF:4HoL today. Not exactly sure it's warranted given Matrix's track record. I loved what I played of FF IV DS, but had significant, irreconcilable differences with Avalon Code, and Nostalgia is maybe the single blandest JRPG of all time.
Well, good luck at trying to have fun with this junk. As much as I disliked Ys Seven, it's better than this game.Quote:
Originally Posted by Finch
This is actually a very depressing game because the music and artwork are lovely but it becomes painful when you realize how awful the game is underneath that slick veneer.
Only buy this game if you want to become depressed.
there's a review up on 1up dot com that sheds a little more light on the game. from what i've been reading, even of the negative things, i think i'll enjoy the game.
blueskied - what SPECIFICALLY did you not like about the game?
What a pile of shit.
Joust, the icarusfall of gaming discussion.
Stupid, frustratingly restricted inventory system (this will drive you insane - in some other games it works, but not in this one). Horrible save system (requires lots of time-consuming backtracking, like really old NES games. Really doesn't work well in a portable system). Weird difficulty curve (some things are super easy, some are really hard, just randomly tossed together). I also thought the story was complete crap, I mean so bad that you eventually don't even know why you're playing any more. I've read that improves after the 10~15 hour mark, but I couldn't grin and bear it that long to find out.Quote:
Originally Posted by rama
Battle system also sucks IMO.
Overall, I just didn't have any fun playing it.
Going back to Saga 2 DS, and how incredibly awesome that is in comparison to this game - I played it nearly non-stop over a weekend, and beat it in about 29 hours of play time, enjoying every second of it. The last time I did that before Saga 2 was at least 15 years prior, when I was a teenager.
If that game doesn't get a port, you should all cry rivers of tears.
backtracking to save? i feel like this is all stuff i've dealt with in etrian odyssey. i mean...i can just close the ds if i get tired/frustrated. but i know that kind of thing isn't for everyone. i looked up that saga game. it looks pretty hot but we'll probably never get it. these are remakes of the final fantasy legend series, correct?
Yep, FFL2 remake.
SaGa2 has a translator, who from all reports (like, 2) seems to be doing a good job.
(also they've taken on SaGa3, even though it isn't even out!) It's just like the old days!
Yeah, i'd definitely rather have SaGa2 than 4 Heroes of Light, but i still think i'll be on the Salsa side more than the blueskied side.
Trusting me over Blueskied may be not recommended. He seems to know more about RPGs than me, and he likes cool music.
But yeah, I guess the things most people didn't like don't bother me.
Too minor and modest of a game for the Final Fantasy name (major Japanese people complaint)? Don't care.
Little to no story or dialog to speak of? Don't care. Appreciate even. The atmosphere is enough to support the adventuring.
Laborious old school design? More quaint than laborious. And I liked the battle system.
Ugly? Nah, it's a pretty little game. The graphics aren't good when held to a high-polygon HD standard obviously, but they replicate the awesome designs well, have great atmosphere, are cute, and imply a lot more than what you're actually seeing, just like the best old 3D games did.
And yeah, the music is really great. In fact, the graphics and music basically hold up the whole thing while you zone out and
... And? And!?Quote:
Originally Posted by Salsashark
You decide the ending!
Ah! It's Solitary Man all over again!Quote:
Originally Posted by Salsashark
Blueskied likes good things, but he also dislikes good things. I'm all for old-school new games with upsetting inventory management, quaint graphics, minimal story, and good music.Quote:
Originally Posted by Salsashark
That sounds like the perfect game. Well, maybe not the "upsetting" part, but everything else sounds like heaven.Quote:
Originally Posted by Finch
With a vengeance.Quote:
Originally Posted by Finch
I canceled my pre-order. But don't get too cocky, there, my early-to-mid-'90s-shoegazer-appreciating friend. It was before I saw your rants. I can justify stuff like EOIII with its nifty pre-order swag, but I have to start drawing the line somewhere. I'll wait for a price drop.
i never got to play the old final fantasy legends but i wish i had now.Quote:
Originally Posted by Finch
I don't remember caring for them in the 90's, but I'm kind of curious to give them another go. I do wish that Legends 2 remake received an official release as well, though.Quote:
Originally Posted by rama
Wasn't the first one the one where you could get fucked if you didn't have enough keys? Or was that Final Fantasy Adventure...
I don't remember that in Adventure, but I never finished it and it's been 17 years since I've played it, so maybe.Quote:
Originally Posted by Some Stupid Japanese Name
Yeah, i don't know how you could miss getting enough keys in Adventure. I beat that game, like a million times.
I liked all the Legends quite a bit! FFL3 is probably the lamest, because Kawazu didn't have anything to do with it.
Didn't Legends 3 also have some really wacky crap in it, like letting you play as a slime?Quote:
Originally Posted by Finch
That was all of them. You could choose to be a monster and eat other monsters to become different monsters. 3 had it where you started out as human, but could eat monster meat to become a monster or install parts to become a robot.
Wacky. I don't remember that in the original Legends. I should replay these one day.Quote:
Originally Posted by Finch
Question! Do I sell some games and buy this, or hold off until I get through DQIX, PStar Portable 2, and a bunch of other unfinished messes. I really appreciate the cuteness, and some reviews say despite the no-target combat, it's pretty damn tough. Anyone playing it yet?
BEARS.
BEETS.
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA.
I'm holding off until i finish one big new oldschool rpg. There's so many out and i just started the second Etrian Odyssey.
Dwight: Wait, what are you doing? WHAT IS GOING ON.Quote:
Originally Posted by Finch
throw eoII away.
I like it though! My party of Finchie, Compass, Buruku, Maumau, and Magro will conquer the labyrinth! Maybe rama will join us as well.
If you've got a Kmart near you, you can get a $15 gift card with this.
Oh, I see how it is, Finch.Quote:
Originally Posted by Finch
Oh, I see. I'm not cool enough to party with you ._.Quote:
Originally Posted by Finch
It's hardly a party without mokey.
The only trouble with Kmart is their employees never seem to have any idea what the hell is going on. Spoke with a woman today who looked at me as if I had lobsters crawling out of my ears.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bacon McShig
I may try a different Kmart tomorrow.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Geen
This is a GIRLS ONLY party. Maybe the next game.Quote:
Originally Posted by hero
So I wrote on Kmart's gamer blog...
And a mod responded back with...Quote:
Originally Posted by Geen
Good to know Kmart's system is idiot proof. May go by tonight and pick this up.Quote:
Originally Posted by spartan-117
RAMA AIN'T A GIRL!Quote:
Originally Posted by Finch
but i play one on tv
Biggest disappointment of the year so far :/
...so far? year's almost over. why don't you like it?
I think he's talking about you revealing that you're not really a girl.
Your mom isn't really a girl.
How often do you try to sneak into Thief's room and suck his dick?Quote:
Originally Posted by Finch
How often do you sneak in your mom's room and suck his dick?
OH BAM YOUR MOM!
How do I use AP outside of battle in this game? Namely Cure?
Figured it out. So, when you pull up the menu, you have two options: Ability and Item. And to actually use an Ability, you, uh, choose Item, and select your Cure spellbook in its owner's equipment screen. The Ability option is only for arranging and equipping Abilities, you see.
Hoo boy. It's going to be a bumpy ride.
I really don't like that you can't choose your target. in a battle and something about how over simplified it is irks me, but i do like the difficulty and that you can actually see the difference in armor on your character. Im gonna give this game another chance but i don't really see myself actually finishing it.
I'm pretty prepared for it being kind of weird old-school/strange design decisions. I can love a game on charm alone.
There are some weird design choices that aren't even old school-based, though, like the day-to-night cycle being time-based and not step-based like the NES RPGs it's trying to imitate. This makes it impossible to stop and listen to the daytime version of the overworld song, which I would very much like to do!
Other than that, seems like another pretty good Matrix remake, this one of a NES game that never existed. I just can't believe how far they've fallen from the slick FFIII design (double tap an enemy to attack it, double tap your character to block; the game knows what you're getting at) to:
HOW TO HAVE SOMEONE IN YOUR PARTY CURE IF THEY ARE NOT HOLDING A CURE BOOK ALREADY:
1. Open menu
2. Select the character with Cure.
3. Open Item menu.
4. Select Cure
5. Select Give, then the character without Cure.
6. Hit X to open character select window (no cycling around with shoulder buttons like every RPG since shoulder buttons).
7. Select the character you gave Cure to.
8. Select Cure book.
9. Use on party member.
10. Give back to original owner.
11. Back out of item menu.
12. Highlight original owner.
13. Open Ability menu.
14. Highlight an empty skill slot.
15. Re-equip Cure.
16. Back out of Ability menu.
17. Back out of main menu.
Why is there no Auto-Heal? Chrono Cross that shit.
See, I don't think I can abide that.
Amazon has it on sale for $14.99. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ef=oss_product
Still too much. It's such an awful game. I'd rather use the $15 to buy a couple fancy sandwiches.
Your sandwiches are too much. I'd rather use your $15 to buy some new smart wool socks.
Good point. One can never have too many wool socks.
Bought it! Thanks for the tip.Quote:
Originally Posted by Finch
You're gonna regret it.
I'm glad this is on sale; It reminds me to go hunt down the soundtrack.
IT'S NOT ON SALE ANYMORE.
I'm glad i got it. I bet it'll be my favorite game ever, just like Radiata.
So as soon as you find out it's crap you can sell it for a profit!
Yeah, i'm playing this now and blueskied is just all cranky. Salsashark is right! It's perfectly charming. I love the music, love the graphics, love the really simple story that doesn't have characters that talk about their past. The inventory... well, it prevents you from hoarding to the point of being a little bit irritating, but it's manageable.
The healing isn't as complicated as Arobimi is making it out to be. If a character doesn't have a cure book and doesn't have cure assigned, that character can't use curet. Give the character a cure book, assign "cure", cure.
The story is clever in a really cute storybook sense.
I like it, too, although there is definitely some baffling interface design.
For instance, there is no way to determine if equipment in your inventory is better or worse for any given character without first transferring it to that character. So an enemy drops a sword, and you then have to swap it into each character's inventory to decide if they should equip it.
I mean, this is stuff JRPGs figured out two decades ago. And it's not like Matrix is new to the genre. And hell, S-E published! And lent them the FF name!! It's insane to me there isn't, at the very least, some boss dude at S-E who would look at something like this and say, "Oh hell no. Not on my watch."
Japanese companies are lazy :(
But then you have to hand it back to the original owner and re-equip the ability. To be fair, once I unlocked White Mage a few hours into the game, the Ability Point discount on Cure rendered book-swapping obsolete.Quote:
Originally Posted by Finch
I picked this back up over the long weekend after having neglected it for weeks. Some separation did me good; I'm enjoying this quite a bit now. It's just frustrating to play a good game so close to being great.
Can you eventually equip skills from crowns other than the one you have equipped in this game? If not, I think I'm done. Escape being a class-specific command is not a good idea in a game this difficult.
Also, why is there no Retry option? What's the point of saving in a dungeon if I'm going to be sent back to the last visited town regardless of where I saved?
Why does this game try so hard to be unplayable?
Not being able to choose your targets in battle is my biggest gripe. Wouldn't be a big deal if your AI fought intelligently and efficiently a la DQ. Alas, this is not the case. Fights are lasting, on average, an extra one or two rounds than if I'd been allowed to select who to attack. That adds up.
Really? My guys generally punch the right faces. You realize projectile weapons and spells always target the rear enemy row until/unless there is one row left, yes?
Yes, I do. But a black mage shouldn't always attack the rear row just because he can.
they prefer the term, mage of color.