Final Fantasy XIII (360/PS3) - $35.09 on Amazon

Finally the price is nearing what I paid for it at Kmart at that one sale 29.99 haha.

I like it but I put it down one day and never got back to it, I never disliked the whole linear thing though. It just didn't bother me.
 
[quote name='JUDOHAWK']Finally the price is nearing what I paid for it at Kmart at that one sale 29.99 haha.

I like it but I put it down one day and never got back to it, I never disliked the whole linear thing though. It just didn't bother me.[/QUOTE]

I put the game on the backburner for months and only just recently found the will to play it. I think it took me about 45 hours to complete.

The game gets much better as you progress, so it's easy to see why people give up after the first 10-20 hours. It can be pretty mind-numbing.
 
Every time I almost convince myself to get the game I hold off - after playing western RPGs like Fallout 3, Dragon Age, and Mass Effect 1 + 2, I just can't take JRPGs seriously anymore. Maybe it's the androgynous male characters or the dialogue. The games are just weirdly stylized where western RPGs are becoming more realistic. It must be what the Japanese gaming culture wants I suppose.

Ah well, I guess my tastes have just changed. It's a shame as I consider the original FF from the NES to be one of my top 5 games of all time.
 
^ It's just difference in tastes. I know for me I'm much more interested in JRPGs than WRPGs, so I guess my taste is more in line with Japan's. Don't get me wrong, Mass Effect and Dragon Age are great, but I often find the story and especially the characters in JRPGs more interesting. I'll be starting FFXIII now after Best Buy coupon, so here's hoping I like it!

Surprised Amazon dropped it so low though.
 
[quote name='S_DOG34']Every time I almost convince myself to get the game I hold off - after playing western RPGs like Fallout 3, Dragon Age, and Mass Effect 1 + 2, I just can't take JRPGs seriously anymore. Maybe it's the androgynous male characters or the dialogue. The games are just weirdly stylized where western RPGs are becoming more realistic. It must be what the Japanese gaming culture wants I suppose.

Ah well, I guess my tastes have just changed. It's a shame as I consider the original FF from the NES to be one of my top 5 games of all time.[/QUOTE]

Understandable. Personally, after playing so much Dragon Age and ME, it feels great getting into a straightforward RPG that keeps you engaged every step of the way.
 
^There's some truth in what you're saying - WRPGs usually have main characters whose persona is crafted by the gamer and therefore vanilla on its own whereas JRPG main characters have fully realized characteristics which the gamer takes on. I suppose whether each has its own strengths and weaknesses.

Anyways, cheers - hope you both enjoy the game. Perhaps I will give it a go one day as well.
 
[quote name='S_DOG34']Every time I almost convince myself to get the game I hold off - after playing western RPGs like Fallout 3, Dragon Age, and Mass Effect 1 + 2, I just can't take JRPGs seriously anymore. Maybe it's the androgynous male characters or the dialogue.[/QUOTE]

Too bad FF13 has no androgynous characters of any kind unless you're blind. And the vast majority of RPGs haven't had anything close to androgynous in a long time.

After playing KOTOR and watching as Bioware remade the same game over and over and over again until they just dumbed everything down for Mass Effect 2, I can't take western RPGs seriously anymore.
 
[quote name='Eggman']Too bad FF13 has no androgynous characters of any kind unless you're blind.[/QUOTE]

2djqeyw.jpg


Almost everything about Hope is androgynous. Just look at that purse-like pouch, those wannabe capris, and that neckerchief of his.
 
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[quote name='Eggman']Too bad FF13 has no androgynous characters of any kind unless you're blind. And the vast majority of RPGs haven't had anything close to androgynous in a long time.

After playing KOTOR and watching as Bioware remade the same game over and over and over again until they just dumbed everything down for Mass Effect 2, I can't take western RPGs seriously anymore.[/QUOTE]

You're kidding, right? JRPGs are notorious for androgynous characters. Take a look at every male character lead in the Tales series, and if you don't think the Final Fantasy series has had androgynous characters, then I'm not sure who exactly is blind. From the dude with the tale in FF9 to belly-button showing Tidus to ... well, you get the point. Same goes for characters in Atlus RPGs (Persona, Disgaea), NIS RPGs (Ar Tonelico) and the Shadow Hearts series (catch a glimpse of New World?), and then there's all the long hair and big eyes in Magna Carta, etc.

Listen, there are just somethings that are staples in JRPGs (aside from schoolgirl fetishes and cats), and just because a lot of gamers are tiring of tnem doesn't mean the games are bad. It does, as Wada suggests, mean the JRPG genre is getting stale (and I think that's a fair statement).

It's no lie that Western gamers are getting better and better at developing major games (and I'd say the West has pretty much equalled or surpassed Japanese developers in almost every genre except may be in fighting and arcade-style games).

FF is a good JRPG. But that's what it is. If you didn't cringe at least a dozen times at the dialogue, then you're too hardcore to realize how off-putting some of it is.

FF needs a major overhaul for FF15. Hopefully, Square Enix delivers that next time along with the pretty visuals they've always been known for.
 
[quote name='romeogbs19']You're kidding, right? JRPGs are notorious for androgynous characters. Take a look at every male character lead in the Tales series, and if you don't think the Final Fantasy series has had androgynous characters, then I'm not sure who exactly is blind. From the dude with the tale in FF9 to belly-button showing Tidus to ... well, you get the point. Same goes for characters in Atlus RPGs (Persona, Disgaea), NIS RPGs (Ar Tonelico) and the Shadow Hearts series (catch a glimpse of New World?), and then there's all the long hair and big eyes in Magna Carta, etc.

Listen, there are just somethings that are staples in JRPGs (aside from schoolgirl fetishes and cats), and just because a lot of gamers are tiring of tnem doesn't mean the games are bad. It does, as Wada suggests, mean the JRPG genre is getting stale (and I think that's a fair statement).

It's no lie that Western gamers are getting better and better at developing major games (and I'd say the West has pretty much equalled or surpassed Japanese developers in almost every genre except may be in fighting and arcade-style games).

FF is a good JRPG. But that's what it is. If you didn't cringe at least a dozen times at the dialogue, then you're too hardcore to realize how off-putting some of it is.

FF needs a major overhaul for FF15. Hopefully, Square Enix delivers that next time along with the pretty visuals they've always been known for.[/QUOTE]

I think you need to reevaluate yourself if the looks of male characters really make you that uncomfortable.

Anyways, you've clearly given away your strong bias towards the subject. If the JRPG genre is becoming stale then FFXIII is exactly what it needed, because it throws aside many of the usual traditions. If making everything less linear is your definition of improved gaming, don't shove those beliefs down everyone's throats. Luckily for me, I'm a big fan of both RPG styles.

Why does every deal thread dealing with FF have to be about how much the new one sucks (wouldn't matter if it was X, XI, XII -- every new one is terrible, right?) and how "advanced" Bioware is? Because honestly, FFXIII is an excellent RPG and so is Mass Effect 2 -- and they both have flaws we can talk about until the end of time.

But not in a deal thread, ok?

In be4 "lol this game isn't even worth $2"
 
[quote name='panzerfaust']I think you need to reevaluate yourself if the looks of male characters really make you that uncomfortable.

Anyways, you've clearly given away your strong bias towards the subject. If the JRPG genre is becoming stale then FFXIII is exactly what it needed, because it throws aside many of the usual traditions. If making everything less linear is your definition of improved gaming, don't shove those beliefs down everyone's throats. Luckily for me, I'm a big fan of both RPG styles.
[/QUOTE]

Nowhere in his post did he say he was against androgynous characters, he was simply pointing them out. And I'm pretty sure listing off that many JRPGs shows that he does actually like the genre - you can't simply list off that many without playing quite a few of them.

Personally, I watched my brother play through FFXIII and have absolutely zero desire to do so myself. If you want a REAL JRPG that is a joy to play through, try Lost Odyssey. The fact that it isn't a classic in the 360's library is nothing short of tragic.
 
[quote name='Cheeseknight28'] If you want a REAL JRPG that is a joy to play through, try Lost Odyssey. The fact that it isn't a classic in the 360's library is nothing short of tragic.[/QUOTE]
Boring characters, so-so story, cringeworthy melodrama, brutal loadtimes... what's not to love? ;)

However, the dreams were so good that I could overlook the bits I didn't like in LO and still recommend it as a great game. The dreams were THAT good. But I wouldn't say it was head and shoulders better than something like FF13.
 
[quote name='yarkitty123']
Almost everything about Hope is androgynous. Just look at that purse-like pouch, those wannabe capris, and that neckerchief of his.[/QUOTE]

And what about that blue hair guy? He was in Snow's group/squad in the beginning of the game.
 
[quote name='simmias']Boring characters, so-so story, cringeworthy melodrama, brutal loadtimes... what's not to love? ;)

However, the dreams were so good that I could overlook the bits I didn't like in LO and still recommend it as a great game. The dreams were THAT good. But I wouldn't say it was head and shoulders better than something like FF13.[/QUOTE]

Heh, to each his own I guess. I posted that very late last night so maybe I was a bit too hefty on the Lost Odyssey praise.

Still though, I never found any of the characters particularly boring. Maybe Tolten. But there aren't many RPGs that have a family as a good portion of the party, the cliche thing is to kill em all off every time remember? Compared to the other JRPGs I've watched all the way through recently (Blue Dragon and Star Ocean 4 to be specific) the plot and characters are as well written as the Godfather. Again, compared to those.

Probably my two favorite parts about FFXIII are the scene immediately following visiting Hope's house (You know, Snow standing alone and the army and such... trying to be vague incase I get my head chewed off by spoiler patrol) and the music that played while you fought Barthandelus. So the game ain't all bad.
 
[quote name='panzerfaust']I think you need to reevaluate yourself if the looks of male characters really make you that uncomfortable.

Anyways, you've clearly given away your strong bias towards the subject. If the JRPG genre is becoming stale then FFXIII is exactly what it needed, because it throws aside many of the usual traditions. If making everything less linear is your definition of improved gaming, don't shove those beliefs down everyone's throats. Luckily for me, I'm a big fan of both RPG styles.

Why does every deal thread dealing with FF have to be about how much the new one sucks (wouldn't matter if it was X, XI, XII -- every new one is terrible, right?) and how "advanced" Bioware is? Because honestly, FFXIII is an excellent RPG and so is Mass Effect 2 -- and they both have flaws we can talk about until the end of time.

But not in a deal thread, ok?

In be4 "lol this game isn't even worth $2"[/QUOTE]

Wait, when did I say I hate JRPGS? As Cheeseknight28 kindly pointed out, that's not what I'm saying at all. I play a lot of JRPGs -- that doesn't mean I have to like every little about it.

You need to calm down, man. I was merely pointing out something that should be obvious among even JRPG enthusiasts and that's the presence of androgynous male characters. I never said I hated JRPGs -- I do find however that the games are all sort of following the same kind of story arcs, improving visually but not particularly substantively (and by that, I mean in the storyline dept.). I was disappointed to say the least after I beat Magna Carta 2, Infinite Undiscovery, and Last Remnant to learn how identical all those games were -- even the way they ended -- yes, the male hero sacrifices himself for all (yay) -- with some terrible voice acting to boot.

I'm glad some folks on these threads -- like Cheeseknight28 -- actually read what's written before posting. You should try that, too, panzerfaust.
 
[quote name='JUDOHAWK']The whole internet is full of dbags today, on this site and others. Must be a full moon or some other anomaly.[/QUOTE]

100% agree
 
[quote name='yarkitty123']
2djqeyw.jpg


Almost everything about Hope is androgynous. Just look at that purse-like pouch, those wannabe capris, and that neckerchief of his.[/QUOTE]

And "his" name.
 
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