Final Fantasy

[Oppy]

most 1080p games arnt entirley displayed in 1080p. youl find nearly everygame that has 1080p support, will have most of its core content still in 720p.

[Clint]

I'm about 20 hours in now, just about to start Chapter 8.

According to the forums there are 14 Chapters, and Chapter 11 is halfway through. So i've still got a long way to go.

So far, I think this is a very good game. While it's very linear (almost too linear for its own good) it most certainly makes up for it with it's character-driven storyline and beautiful graphics. Seriously, the game just looks superb all-round, and that's including the repetitive map zones, which is one of the main flaws in the game, but isn't a total disaster.

The battle system is pure fun. It's not incredibly diverse, but it's fast and keeps you on your toes. At times it can seem a bit too automated, but the constant Paradigm switching gives it that tactical feel, which is nice. Something the earlier FF's (minus XII) didn't seem to implement much, so there's been a definite improvement on Square's part.

The storyline seems like it's really picking up now. Lightning is suprisingly, a very good main character, who doesn't play the stereotype that Square constantly forces you to expect with earlier FF's. Sure, she's not exactly oozing with emotion, but she's got a strong head on her shoulders and you can connect with her throughout her journey. The connection she has with Hope is well executed, as is her frustration with Snow. The characters in general (minus Vanille) all have a unique story to tell and are all at a stage in their life where they are lost and broken. Sazh, who is powered by a brilliant voice acting, will no doubt be a memorable addition to a long list of great FF characters.

As for Vanille, well, i've already made my point about the JRPG using these schoolgirl characters who, if i'm being completely honest, i'm absolutely sick of seeing. She doesn't appear to be doing much at the moment though, which is good. But seriously, her voice is extremely annoying and no human being can possibly be that cheerful. But what's even more awkward, is that this chick randomly narrates parts of the game, which makes absolutely zero sense. But whatever, I consider her totally unnecessary, regardless of her importance to the storyline. I just wish they would grow out of this tradition. I don't want to be feeling like i'm watching some dumb anime on TV whilst playing a memorable Role Playing Game. It's probably just the Japenese enjoying their wierd shit that they like. But it isn't for me, and I could definitely do without it.

Anyhow, so far:

The Good - Storyline (I repeat, so far) Battle System, Character Development, Music, Voice Acting and Graphics

The Bad - Linearity, Repetitive Maps, Flow of Dialogue, Lack of Towns

The Ugly - Vanille and her stupid voice.

[OL]

I'm not just defending the stupid Japanese archetypes here, but I'm gonna have to disagree a bit in regards to Vanille. I'm not sure where you are in the story yet (I don't have the game on at the moment, so I can't check which part chapter 8 is), but she seems to be adding up to being very necessary to the story so far.
As a point of reference, so you don't potentially spoil anything for yourself, I'm just past the part where Lightning and Hope emerge from the "sewers" of Palumpolum, just after the part where Snow is reintroduced to gameplay.
Anyway, from what I can gather so far, Vanille is

actually from Pulse, most likely having infiltrated Cocoon for some reason or another. It hasn't been flat-out explained yet, but all signs point to it being so; you see her from behind in one of the flashbacks with Sazh's son, she doesn't know anything about Cocoon society (Sazh just thinks she's an ignorant kid who didn't pay attention in school), and she gets a little upset or defensive when people talk bad about Pulse.
I don't know how the rest of the story plays out, obviously, but it seems pretty concrete that she'll end up being incredibly necessary to the way the story ends up playing out. They wouldn't have her narrate the story for nothing, after all.

As far as her cheerfulness goes, she actually kind of explains it in one of her bits of narration near the beginning of the game; she's just as scared/angry/depressed as everyone else, but she feels like she needs to play those emotions down, hoping to cheer everyone else up by being the playful/happy type. So yeah, no one is actually that cheerful in real life, but the fact is, she's basically playing an act. She even says so.
So she's not quite the same as most other annoying, cliche "Japanese schoolgirl" archetypes you see so often, and that little detail has made all the difference to me.

All honesty, I'm surprised that I don't actually find her to be that annoying at all. I thought I would, but I don't. Her character plays well off of Sazh so far, him being the level-headed older one of the group, her being the peppy, supposedly naive young kid. She hasn't yet stood out to me as being a a character to hate, unlike whiny little bitch characters like Leo from the first ZOE or Shinji from Evangelion. At the very least, she's much preferable to characters like that (and on that note, despite being the whiny kid of the group, I don't hate Hope either; actually, his personality is making for some pretty interesting developments with Snow).

Anyway, I'll definitely agree about Sazh; one of the best Final Fantasy characters to come along in a while. I hated the mushroom afro a while back (before playing the game), but it's grown on me, and he seems to actually be a really deep character. There were points at the beginning where he kind of played the comic relief, but he never did so in a way that was ridiculous or forced. And at the point I'm at now, he's starting to develop some real depth and relatability (I don't think that's a word... "he's becoming more relatable" is what I'm trying to say). He's a fun character, but not in such a way that you can't take him seriously. And that's the key to a truly great character, I think.

[Riku Rose]

Beat chapter 8 last night and going to start chapter 9 tonight or tommorow. Sazh is one of the best characters in this game and could become one of the best in the series. Got to agree with Clint on Vanille she's doing my fucking head in with her annoying voice. I won't say who yet for OL but she could have been swapped with someone else and maybe had it improve a bit. Hope isn't as bad as some reviews made him out to be and I'm liking how Lighting is acting towards him and it's helping her develop.

The battles are great and love that the shifting. The only problem I have is with some of the boss battles. Some are quite easy but because of the amount of health they have it can go on for to long. You can end up sitting there not really worried about dying but it goes on far to long.

The game is linear just like X but it seems more obvious in this. I'm looking forawrd to the part where people say it opens up. And the no NPC thing was bollocks in the end. In the part I just played all you had to do was stand near them and it's the same as other FF games.

Chapter 8 Spoiler:

I fucking hope Sazh ain't dead.

In the end great game so far but that FF spark is missing. I'm not sure what it is but when I play it I don't feel like I'm playing a new FF for the first time just another JRPG.

[OL]

^^I was kind of thinking the same thing with that last bit. It's brilliant so far, and all the elements are in place... but something doesn't quite seem "Final Fantasy" about it. It isn't the characters, or the story, or the battle system that does it; that's all very "Final Fantasy"...
I think it's actually the lack of familiar music.
The music that's in the game is excellent, but with the exception of the redone Chocobo them, I don't think there are any remnants from Uematsu's work. I believe this is the first time the the Victory Fanfare isn't used at all, and the Final Fantasy "Prelude" theme is absent as well.
A lot of the "feel" of the old FF's came from the music in them, so I think that's why it seems like something is missing.

[Kenny]

Is Vanille's accent suppose to be American and English spliced into one?

[Clint]

Is Vanille's accent suppose to be American and English spliced into one?

I don't know mate, but she doesn't need to have the voice that she has.

Like Riku has mentioned, Vanille could have been easily replaced by someone better. I'm growing old of the immature characters in a JRPG.

I don't doubt what OL has said (we are up to exactly the same part) She definitely plays a large role in the game, but she's lacking any sort of quality that I look for in a character. Lightning, Snow, Hope, Sazh, Fang - all seem to have something likeable about them, and that's not including their voice acting. Vanille.....well, she's immature, annoying and a complete pain in the ass.

Maybe there is chance for redemption when Sazh finds out the harsh reality regarding his son. But I doubt it.

Still, enjoying it thus far.

[Riku Rose]

Is Vanille's accent suppose to be American and English spliced into one?

She's Australlian.

Only read if past Chapter 8:

As for Vanille what I would have liked is Fang to be placed in her shoes and go with Sazh. The whole part in town would have been fine with just Light, Snow and Hope. Fang is a better character and would play of Sazh better.

[OL]

Fang is hot.

[Kenny]

Well that's a pretty terrible impersonation. Australlian was the last thing on my mind. Especially when I hear an American accent in and out.

[[mYLES]]

Yeah, this sounds like a great game. Havent played a FF since IX though so it would be very different for me. About time I got into an engrossing game though.

[Clint]

Fang is hot.

Yeah, man.

Hottest FF gal since Fran in her bunny costume.

[Mythical Being]

You know what, I'm not enjoying this game anyway near as much as when I started playing. I'm only up to the bit where I'm in some blue forest and it's just not that fantastic to be honest. It's smooth as silk and I am enjoying to an extent. I will complete it but there's something so utterly uncompelling about it and over sentimental. Is it me or are Japanese developers starting to fall from grace a bit. There was a time when you had your Final Fantasy VIIs, Metal Gears and Shenmues but now not much stuff interests me that comes from Japan. I mean not to many games interest me in general but I think Suda seems to be the only one pushing the boat out in creating games that are actually truly compelling to play.

[Clint]

You know what, I'm not enjoying this game anyway near as much as when I started playing. I'm only up to the bit where I'm in some blue forest and it's just not that fantastic to be honest. It's smooth as silk and I am enjoying to an extent. I will complete it but there's something so utterly uncompelling about it and over sentimental. Is it me or are Japanese developers starting to fall from grace a bit. There was a time when you had your Final Fantasy VIIs, Metal Gears and Shenmues but now not much stuff interests me that comes from Japan. I mean not to many games interest me in general but I think Suda seems to be the only one pushing the boat out in creating games that are actually truly compelling to play.

I totally understand what you're saying. But this is a different FF.

And the Gapra Whitewood is indeed a pretty boring place. The map design is almost exactly the same for 3 hours straight. But the cutscenes in-between do get more interesting, as does Lightning's relationship with Hope.

Trust me, it gets much better when you leave that place.

[Bluecast]

You know what, I'm not enjoying this game anyway near as much as when I started playing. I'm only up to the bit where I'm in some blue forest and it's just not that fantastic to be honest. It's smooth as silk and I am enjoying to an extent. I will complete it but there's something so utterly uncompelling about it and over sentimental. Is it me or are Japanese developers starting to fall from grace a bit. There was a time when you had your Final Fantasy VIIs, Metal Gears and Shenmues but now not much stuff interests me that comes from Japan. I mean not to many games interest me in general but I think Suda seems to be the only one pushing the boat out in creating games that are actually truly compelling to play.

I don't think Japanese developers are slipping.
There is so much amazing games they make now ,it's just gamers today esp in the west tastes have changed overall and tend to go for the western developed games.

As for Suda. Well obviously I won't disagree there.
I am far mosre interested in mostly Japanese developed games and only a small percentage of western made games interest me.

It's just a matter of taste IMO.