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[Krathoon]

I am strangely drawn to X2 because it is so damn silly.

 

[Fbh]

Which is which?

Left is the original PS2 version, right is the remaster.

Shesus. Was it THAT bad? I definitely used mods, but I must've not played vanilla at all because i don't remember the faces being that fugly lol

Yup. It's a somewhat cherry picked screenshot where the difference looks specially bad. But the new models are terrible, everyone looks like they went through bad cosmetic surgery and on top of that have permanently enabled some sort of Instagram "beauty" filter.

 

[poodaddy]

I really like X-2 and XIII-2. XV has a lot of questionable design choices, but I really like it anyway, too.

X-2 is just a ton of fun. The mission design and writing, the music, the dress spheres. Awesome game.

XIII-2 I feel even more strongly about. It's probably my second favourite Final Fantasy ever after 7. Some of the best music in the entire series, great characters with great voice acting, great story, lots of different areas, rewards exploration like few other games.

I should try XII again sometime. I got pretty far but then I got distracted by something else...

Goddamn....this is just one of those situations where I have to sit and marvel at just how different we all are.

I loath X 2 and the entire XIII trilogy, truly hate them. XII is second only to VI for me in terms of numbered entries.

To each their own though.

 

[uncreativename]

Goddamn....this is just one of those situations where I have to sit and marvel at just how different we all are.

I loath X 2 and the entire XIII trilogy, truly hate them. XII is second only to VI for me in terms of numbered entries.

To each their own though.

btw, I remember where I got up to FFXII. I'd gone to some sort of crazy desert tomb or something. It might've been moving around? I remember really liking the combat and the design of the areas, but the story and the characters mostly weren't really anything special up to that point imo. Apart from the intro, it just wasn't that interesting. Does that stuff get better?

 

[DreamcastSkies]

I am strangely drawn to X2 because it is so damn silly.

The combat system and mission approach to the game makes for really fun gameplay, IMO. It's a much less serious game than X. It's more lighthearted. I think it's awesome. Honestly, I can't decide what I like more between X and X-2. Each has something the other game lacks.

 

[poodaddy]

btw, I remember where I got up to FFXII. I'd gone to some sort of crazy desert tomb or something. It might've been moving around? I remember really liking the combat and the design of the areas, but the story and the characters mostly weren't really anything special up to that point imo. Apart from the intro, it just wasn't that interesting. Does that stuff get better?

In my opinion the story becomes the best story of FF outside of Tactics and Vagrant Story, all of which take place in Ivalice. That being said, these are heavily political stories with a great deal of governmental intrigue, betrayal, and overarching goals that make the narrative more complex than traditional fantasy narratives, which tend to rely on more archetypical narratives based around good, evil, the planet dying in some capacity, chosen ones, and the power of friendship. I suppose I should ask, then, as this will help a lot for deducing whether you might like it or not; how do you like Tactics? I think that if someone doesn't like the story of Tactics then they're absolutely bound to detest XII.

To be honest, it's essentially the polar opposite of XIII and X 2 in terms of general atmosphere and vibe, so it might just not be your thing, and that's totally ok too. If you haven't played Tactics, give it a shot some time and see what you think, and if it's not your bag then I'd recommend skipping the entire Ivalice saga. It's definitely the high mark of the series for writing in my opinion, but then I can't stand most anime and JRPG writing as I find it childish and pedestrian, typically speaking, so bear that in mind.

 

[poodaddy]

The combat system and mission approach to the game makes for really fun gameplay, IMO. It's a much less serious game than X. It's more lighthearted. I think it's awesome. Honestly, I can't decide what I like more between X and X-2. Each has something the other game lacks.

You might have the best user name on the forum. That's all.

 

[uncreativename]

In my opinion the story becomes the best story of FF outside of Tactics and Vagrant Story, all of which take place in Ivalice. That being said, these are heavily political stories with a great deal of governmental intrigue, betrayal, and overarching goals that make the narrative more complex than traditional fantasy narratives, which tend to rely on more archetypical narratives based around good, evil, the planet dying in some capacity, chosen ones, and the power of friendship. I suppose I should ask, then, as this will help a lot for deducing whether you might like it or not; how do you like Tactics? I think that if someone doesn't like the story of Tactics then they're absolutely bound to detest XII.

To be honest, it's essentially the polar opposite of XIII and X 2 in terms of general atmosphere and vibe, so it might just not be your thing, and that's totally ok too. If you haven't played Tactics, give it a shot some time and see what you think, and if it's not your bag then I'd recommend skipping the entire Ivalice saga. It's definitely the high mark of the series for writing in my opinion, but then I can't stand most anime and JRPG writing as I find it childish and pedestrian, typically speaking, so bear that in mind.

I love the story of Tactics, especially with the War of the Lions translation :]. I think it's probably the best Final Fantasy story.

Ok, if it does get to be that good, I'll give it another shot then, thanks. It just didn't seem like it, when it shifted from the characters in the intro to those kids lol

 

[DreamcastSkies]

You might have the best user name on the forum. That's all.

Thank you!

 

[uncreativename]

I couldn't handle Vagrant Story though. I didn't sign up for a ratio of 1 minute of story to 5 hours of pure gameplay in brown dungeons. Or at least that's how I remember it feeling like.

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

X-2 had somewhat fun gameplay, but the fact that the game was made at all should have been a red flag about the future of the series to anyone.
I remember listening to FFX-2's OST before seeing anything about the game and going, "… surely this isn't the music from a Final Fantasy game…?" Oh, sweet summer child me.

 

[Celcius]

Man time files. I still remember playing this on PS2 the first time.

 

[uncreativename]

Maybe I should give Vagrant Story another shot, too. I've played some SMT games since then so I've got more tolerance for dungeon crawlers .

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

Man time files. I still remember playing this on PS2 the first time.

Same, I was about 11 years old and it was the first game I got for PS2.

I was sitting in front of the CRT TV in the living room on my knees, about 1 metre away from the screen lol.

I remember the opening CG in Zanarkand absolutely blew my little mind to pieces.

I've repaid this game at least 5 times since. Probably my GOAT game.

 

[Tiago Rodrigues]

Agreed. Actually the whole game is a fucking banger. Never understood the hate

What hate? First time hearing this.
I always thought this game was the 2nd most loved title specially in the west after VII.

 

[Esppiral]

Left is the original PS2 version, right is the remaster.



Yup. It's a somewhat cherry picked screenshot where the difference looks specially bad. But the new models are terrible, everyone looks like they went through bad cosmetic surgery and on top of that have permanently enabled some sort of Instagram "beauty" filter.

No it isn't, that is a beta screenshot of the remaster the final model is different .... Worse even.

 

[Hideous Snake]

What hate? First time hearing this.
I always thought this game was the 2nd most loved title specially in the west after VII.

No it wasn't. Growing up, most people shat on it. Happy to know it is loved

 

[Panajev2001a]

No it isn't, that is a beta screenshot of the remaster the final model is different .... Worse even.

Oh my…

What is the point of this trailer btw / 25th anniversary celebrations? Unless they announce a remaster of the remaster "now with care this time", what is the point?

 

[poodaddy]

I love the story of Tactics, especially with the War of the Lions translation :]. I think it's probably the best Final Fantasy story.

Ok, if it does get to be that good, I'll give it another shot then, thanks. It just didn't seem like it, when it shifted from the characters in the intro to those kids lol

Oh you're gonna end up loving it then, give it some time to open up a bit.

So, here's the thing, Vaan and Penelo suck, it can't be denied, but they're not really intended to be our protagonists. Matsuno was attempting something kind of similar to what Kojima did with MGS2, in that the playable characters are surrogates for us, (the players, audience, whatever), while the actual protagonists of the story are these heroic characters that our playable characters cross paths with and continue to be entangled with. It's not unlike how Cole was in the first MK reboot film, though that was done terribly and it also simply wasn't needed as MK characters are household names, but I'm digressing....point is, Vaan and Penelo are just surrogates for us, the audience, and in that manner they're probably not done all that badly, though they suck as standalone characters to be certain. They're young, powerful, resourceful, and cute, so it's a very complimentary depiction for surrogates, contributing to the power fantasy I suppose, in terms of intended appeal, but they ended up just feeling tacked on and unneeded, as they're just paper thin characters in a game filled with incredible characters, making them that much thinner in comparison still.

It's a bummer really. Those two characters killed so many people's interest in any otherwise spectacular title, and that's the proper response, honestly! Annoying character designs are immediately polarizing, and I almost skipped the game due to them, but I'm so glad I didn't. It's a great Star Wars like, and in many ways actually pulls off the story a bit better than even Star Wars, and I say that as an old school Star Wars fan....or lapsed one I suppose I should say .

If you stick through it, I bet you won't be disappointed . It gets very, very good, just gotta wait for the real protagonists to show up.

 

[j0hnnix]

The switch 2 is receiving the remaster but I'm not sure if there is a huge difference between that and the switch 1 version.

 

[uncreativename]

Oh you're gonna end up loving it then, give it some time to open up a bit.

So, here's the thing, Vaan and Penelo suck, it can't be denied, but they're not really intended to be our protagonists. Matsuno was attempting something kind of similar to what Kojima did with MGS2, in that the playable characters are surrogates for us, (the players, audience, whatever), while the actual protagonists of the story are these heroic characters that our playable characters cross paths with and continue to be entangled with. It's not unlike how Cole was in the first MK reboot film, though that was done terribly and it also simply wasn't needed as MK characters are household names, but I'm digressing....point is, Vaan and Penelo are just surrogates for us, the audience, and in that manner they're probably not done all that badly, though they suck as standalone characters to be certain. They're young, powerful, resourceful, and cute, so it's a very complimentary depiction for surrogates, contributing to the power fantasy I suppose, in terms of intended appeal, but they ended up just feeling tacked on and unneeded, as they're just paper thin characters in a game filled with incredible characters, making them that much thinner in comparison still.

It's a bummer really. Those two characters killed so many people's interest in any otherwise spectacular title, and that's the proper response, honestly! Annoying character designs are immediately polarizing, and I almost skipped the game due to them, but I'm so glad I didn't. It's a great Star Wars like, and in many ways actually pulls off the story a bit better than even Star Wars, and I say that as an old school Star Wars fan....or lapsed one I suppose I should say .

If you stick through it, I bet you won't be disappointed . It gets very, very good, just gotta wait for the real protagonists to show up.

Awesome. You clearly love the game a lot, thanks for explaining it like that :]. I'll let you know what I think when I do get around to playing FF12 .