Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (Lets just call this official)

[Roufuss]

I just got this game before I left on vacation, along with a new GBA SP (red!!!).

I don't play many strategy games (other than Arc the Lad and Shining Force), and I found FFT to be a bit confusing, and I only dabbled in TO since the old GBA was always too damn dark.

But I find FFTA to be easy to pick up, difficult to master, but you get a great feeling of accomplishment leveling up, and figuring out how everything works. I had to peek at a strategy guide while I was away to figure out how to open up newer classes, and now I feel the game has really opened up to me.

I've only done about seven missions, but damn is it an excellent game.

[Thief Silver]

Well I finally got it, and so far the way it's thrown together really lets me down. It just seems to be.. so lacking plot wise, I've put 5 hours into the games only doing 12 missions and lvl 3 clan. And the plot... well doesn't really exist yet, I'm hoping something interesting happens, or I will cry. Not really, but it makes me want to play Tactics again, which I will afterwards ^.^'.

The gameplay seems decent enough, though right now the original tactics seems much better... It DOES pick up soon right? I mean the most that has happened was I ran into Ritz.

[Roufuss]

Judging from some other posts I read earlier in the thread, the plot does seem to pick up the further you go in.

I mean, the game does have 300 or so missions.

[arjue]

fuck.

I think I may go out and by a GBA for this game...

jesus, I want it...

[burgundy]

Judging from some other posts I read earlier in the thread, the plot does seem to pick up the further you go in.

I mean, the game does have 300 or so missions.

It picks up a bit, and it deals with some interesting issues, but it never gets complex in the least bit, and you've probably met all the story players you ever will, save two or three.

The 300 mission number is deceiving. Only 100 and change are battles, and out of those, only 24 advance the main story.

I love FFTA and all, but not for its plot.

[Shine]

I'm still curious why they didn't go the whole political stife route with this one. It worked for the first. The plot thus far is too cokie cutter for me.

[burgundy]

"Because it's a Nintendo-backed GBA game and FFT had potentially the most controversial plot ever in a videogamer" would be your cookie cutter answer, and perhaps the right one.

[Shine]

Perhaps, the 'Nintendo backed' portion of it was almost a given.

Also is it just me or is the AI in this really really bad?

[rama]

the plot and story can pick up for you depending on how you play as well. i've fought and beat the 4th totema and i'm only 25 hours in. my friend's been at this game for about 40 hours and has only fought the second totema. just depends on what missions you do. i like the story. it's very charming and a nice change of pace from all the drama i see in most rpg's these days.

[FuryFox]

Perhaps, the 'Nintendo backed' portion of it was almost a given.

Also is it just me or is the AI in this really really bad?

Well, some from column A, and some from Column B.

Unlike TO, if one of my characters is weakened, cpu will typically do everything they can to finish that character off (TO seemed to always attack whoever had the most HP, making your armie's lifespan unnaturally long). On the other hand, they waste plenty of turns trying to Petrify people with wards against it, or attack characters using reflex, etc...Essentially doing things, that if it were another player, would know ahead of time had a 0% chance of working.

I find I screw myself over on laws more often than the computer ever threatens me...very easy, but I think it works for the portable system. I don't need the frustration of hard battles when I'm only half paying attention anyways (and hence will I get carded so much %@#!).