Game: The Final Fantasy Retrospective

[Ryllharu]

Ergheiz got insane amount of press from those characters inclusion in the game. Unfortunately, the game really wasn't great. I think it bombed everywhere.

I really liked how they never overtly mentioned Aerith's fate, but everyone knew precisely what reference they were making. They covered a lot of thing I forgot about, like the seemless transitions from FMV to pre-rendered background. We kind of take those for granted now, but they still look as amazing today as they did then.

You can appreciate a lot more about the directions the final fantasy series went when you see them all together like this. Strangely, I never realized how vast a departure 7 and 8 were in design over the series up through 9. I always loved the futuristic feel of them.

[RyougaZell]

Yeah. Personally, even though I love medieval themes, I believe this futuristic feeling on FFVII was what hooked me on the RPG genre. Before that I had only played Zelda and was totally dissapointed (yes.. I hate Zelda).

I wish they selled Before Crisis on the playstation network to play on psp or ps3... I don't care about cellphone graphics... I want to know the story behind the Turks...

[animus]

I liked 9, a lot. Can't say the same for 8. Aside from the main character being another angst trip, I thought 8's battle system was awful. Junction magic cards you took from enemies, no MP bar, odd use of a shoulder button to time crits (hitting R1 just as the attack comes down), and GF's being so damn important that you spam them, only to have it turn to a borefest of having to watch the same damn 20-30 second animations play over and over with no way to avoid them.

The Gunblade also has to be the dumbest weapon conceivable. When I was a kid I used to think, wtf is this? Is this a gun that shoots blades or something? Only to find it being a sword with a gun hilt, and I felt the urge to /palmface. I don't remember much about 8's story, but it wasn't anything to write home about. It was definite a fanboy/fangirl catering with all the arguable romance that occurs between Squall and Rinoa. It felt quite inconherent and foolish. Remember the orphanage scenario with Irvine? You can't possibly tell me that was masterful storytelling.

The only good things about 8 had to be Zell and Triple Triad. Anyways, the Final Fantasy's never had a been a series of deep, intriguing, complex plot lines. Tactics would take the cake at the top of the Final Fantasy list. But when it comes to best RPG story, it just has to be Xenogears. If you've played it and have a decent sense of depth, then you'd understand.

[animus]

Spent too little time on Vagrant Story and too much time on craptastic 12.

[RyougaZell]

Well... this is Final Fantasy Retrospective... not Vagrant Story retrospective... duh

[animus]

But it's included in the video isn't it? Your logic sucks.

[kooshi]

Geh, I've always wanted to try out Vagrant Story, but it's quite a rare gem to find nowadays. I can never find it in the gameshops and such.
Yes, too little time spent on the masterpiece of FFT. I was hoping that it would be the main focus in this retrospective, but unfortunately no. Bleh, they could've used the FFTA time for more FFT, haha.

As for FF12, I'm currently playing the game and thoroughly enjoying it. I'm a sucker for character skill/spell customization and such, so the license board is a big hit for me, although I do not like the idea of having to get licenses for armor and weapon (what the freak? Example). The story and characters are pretty blah, but it's the gameplay that counts, haha.

[Idealistic]

Geh, I've always wanted to try out Vagrant Story, but it's quite a rare gem to find nowadays. I can never find it in the gameshops and such.

Just download the psone emulator and the rom and play on PC man.

It's going to be hard to find old games like that at stores.

@kooshi, never! Character designs matter as well! For me I'd say they are even.

[kooshi]

@kooshi, never! Character designs matter as well! For me I'd say they are even.

I should probably revise my previous statement: character designs are not as important as gameplay. I'd say.... maybe 80% gameplay, the rest are 20%? It's pretty much my biggest reason why I've played the Fire Emblem and Final Fantasy games (some of them) over and over and over again, haha.

[mage]

Geh, I've always wanted to try out Vagrant Story, but it's quite a rare gem to find nowadays. I can never find it in the gameshops and such.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listi...1034780&sr=8-1

[fahoumh]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listi...1034780&sr=8-1

$2000 for a new copy? Are they for real?

[Ryllharu]

Final Fantasy Retrospective Part X
This one delves into the various spinoffs of the franchise, from the gameboy games to the films.

They gave the bastard child of Final Fantasy, Mystic Quest, a decent amount of screentime after all. Yes, the game is pretty bad if you're used to the more serious gameplay of the others, but its still got a soft spot in my heart. It was my first RPG, the game to get me hooked on the genre I to this day enjoy the most.

I'm probably one of the few people who really like Spirits Within as well. I'm a huge sci-fi fan (the reason I like FF8 and Chrono Trigger the most out of Square's work) and the message of the film was pretty good.

Next time, they focus on more fringe elements of the series, including, Kingdom Hearts.

[mage]

I'd say not.

[fahoumh]

I'd say not.

Yeah, I guess not...still though, the $100+ price tag for new copies is a little insane. I wonder who would actually pay that much.

[mage]

Yeah, I guess not...still though, the $100+ price tag for new copies is a little insane. I wonder who would actually pay that much.

It's not uncommon for rare games to go for that much. Suikoden II (rarest of rare PSX games), usually goes for $250 new and $100 used.

[fahoumh]

It's not uncommon for rare games to go for that much. Suikoden II (rarest of rare PSX games), usually goes for $250 new and $100 used.

That does make sense...it's simple economics. I just didn't know Vagrant Story was rare.

[Genma]

Meh, I've never been much of an FF buff. I mean, yeah, the first one I picked up was 7 when I was 12, so I didn't have the opportunity to play the "classics" like 6 beforehand. I picked them up eventually whilst playing FFXI on my PS2 (which to this day I don't regret, despite it being like $100 for everything plus a $20 monthly fee.)... but, honestly, I hated them. Couldn't even hold my interest for a few minutes.

I liked 7 when I was a kid, 9 was decent, 10 sucked for me (waaah emo surfer dude, as if there aren't enough people like that where I live)... and 11 was probably my favorite MMORPG of all time, because it wasn't conventional and it was pretty damn difficult, especially considering the fact that I played when the only high-level players were Japanese. The rest of them didn't interest me at all.

That aside, in recent years I've become more of a Suikoden fan. I hate FF for being released at the same time and overshadowing much better franchises like Suikoden, which will never retain the status that Final Fantasy does... despite, imo, an infinitely better storyline, better characters, and an awesome recruiting system.

[animus]

Part 11's out.

Aren't they going to mention Chrono Trigger/Cross? It's not a Final Fantasy, but they did mention the SaGa series, though only because the first 3 were titled Final Fantasy Legends to attract attention.

[itadakimasu]

i have several first edition FF games that of course are all OOP. i have up to ff8 all original first release buys (ff1 - nes, ff2 - snes, ff3 - snes, ff 7 - psx, ff 8 - psx)

last i saw, ff2 or 3 for snes selling for around $50