So You Think You Can Ride RPG Thread XIV's Chocobo!!!?

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I think the designs of Noel and Caius are a big letdown. They're two of the last surviving humans from a far-future wasteland, you would think they'd be all scarred and weary-looking, with crazy makeshift armor and weapons... grizzled, scrappy-looking dudes basically. It could have been something new and interesting for FF but instead we got two of the typical pretty boys with perfect hair and pristine, elaborate threads.
 
Yeah I thought that was really awkward looking as well, especially when you go through the flashback segments. They all looked pretty damn healthy and stylish.
 
That's Final Fantasy, though, lol. People get random outfits for almost no reason. IE, Lightning and Serah. Speaking of outfits, there is a pretty sweet looking outfit for Noel on the marketplace. A bit pricy (240 points) but I may bite on it. Same with the Lightning DLC too.
 
Alright so Kingdoms of Amalur is an odd piece of work. It encourages exploration into other skill trees, mixing a mage and rouge, a warrior that can throw fire balls, a caster with a big a hammer, etc... But every hybrid mix you can think of will be flatly less powerful than a straight build into one tree.

So you either have fun and challenging combat with a hybrid build, or you steamroll through the game with a pure build. But it feels weird because you are purposefully being less efficient and doing things "wrong" in order to have fun.
 
[quote name='panzerfaust']Alright so Kingdoms of Amalur is an odd piece of work. It encourages exploration into other skill trees, mixing a mage and rouge, a warrior that can throw fire balls, a caster with a big a hammer, etc... But every hybrid mix you can think of will be flatly less powerful than a straight build into one tree.

So you either have fun and challenging combat with a hybrid build, or you steamroll through the game with a pure build. But it feels weird because you are purposefully being less efficient and doing things "wrong" in order to have fun.[/QUOTE]

Why should that be a shock? It is how I'd expect it to be. I would expect the person focused on one discipline to be more powerful than the person who spread it around to different disciplines.
 
Well, min/maxing is usually better in party-based RPGs (Dragon Age, Baldur's Gate) than in solo-based games (Elder Scrolls, Fable). So... that, I guess. In solo games, jack-of-all-trades are usually better than purists.
 
[quote name='TheLongshot']I would expect the person focused on one discipline to be more powerful than the person who spread it around to different disciplines.[/QUOTE]

Yes, that's how it's been in most RPGs and generally how experienced gamers approach them. I only bring it up because KoA says it's out to change that by encouraging hybrid building, but it doesn't reward you for pursuing it. I can become a duelist, a warden, then a slayer into an assassin. But beyond the cool titles and slight percentage bonuses, I'll always be a ghost of what I could be as a full on Rogue.

There are games that have made very viable and powerful hybrid builds, but KoA just kind of falls in line with all the other games that follow the "just max this skill out asap and win." I only mention it because they advertise they aren't doing that, and it's one of the game's big pulls. After the curtains are pulled back though, it's a much less interesting game. Oh yay, I'm finally an Assassin...and I suck.

The game allows respecs though so perhaps the problem isn't as big as I'm making it out to be.
 
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So close to finishing XIII-2 I can taste it (main story that is, nowhere near all the fragments). Great game imho. Maybe it's just because I've really been needing a next gen JRPG fix, but it actually feels like a Final Fantasy game, mostly. Take the direction they went with this (exploration, sidequests, etc) and combine it with the storytelling and characters the series is known for, and I think they'll be back on track. Really, the story isn't too bad (though a bit contrived with all the "It must be a Paradox!") but I really miss a full party of interesting characters instead of the monster collecting. Granted, XIII didn't have the best cast in the series, but it was better than just two characters with short cameos from others.


Took a quick break to try out Kingdoms of Amalur though, and I really like it so far. Best parts?

1) The dev team that didn't get the memo that "All graphics this generation must be various shades of brown and grey, and your graphics must forgo artistic inspiration and creativity in lieu of forced realism"

2) The music. Thought something seemed familiar, so googled it, and it's from the guy that did the music for most of Rare's N64 games. That is almost enough alone to keep me playing :D
 
[quote name='panzerfaust']Alright so Kingdoms of Amalur is an odd piece of work. It encourages exploration into other skill trees, mixing a mage and rouge, a warrior that can throw fire balls, a caster with a big a hammer, etc... But every hybrid mix you can think of will be flatly less powerful than a straight build into one tree.

So you either have fun and challenging combat with a hybrid build, or you steamroll through the game with a pure build. But it feels weird because you are purposefully being less efficient and doing things "wrong" in order to have fun.[/QUOTE]

Well, I beat the game yesterday morning on normal and destroyed the last boss in two meteors from a pure sorcerer build. It's a bit overpowered. On hard it only takes 3 hits using my method, but would take the same exact amount of time to win, heh.



Game has some good parts, but is flawed in a few others. I'd give it a passing score, however I wish it had a little more polish in some areas.
 
[quote name='panzerfaust']Yes, that's how it's been in most RPGs and generally how experienced gamers approach them. I only bring it up because KoA says it's out to change that by encouraging hybrid building, but it doesn't reward you for pursuing it. I can become a duelist, a warden, then a slayer into an assassin. But beyond the cool titles and slight percentage bonuses, I'll always be a ghost of what I could be as a full on Rogue.
[/QUOTE]

I haven't found that to be true. It really depends on what you're playing. I'm playing a dagger rogue and the Might/Finesse destinies are much better for my build than the Finesse-only ones, which for the most part only give bonuses to ranged. Plus, the Might tree has several skills which I've found lend themselves very well to the character I'm playing: Harpoon and Adrenaline Surge for example.

Now, I haven't played either a pure warrior or pure mage yet, so I can't really compare, but I find the hybrid I'm playing much more powerful than a straight-up Finesse character.
 
cute

fz9Dq.gif
http://i.imgur.com/fz9Dq.gif
 
[quote name='cindersphere']So were about a ten days out from the european release of The Last Story. Is anybody going to pick it up or import it?[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I'm importing the CE. Looking forward to it.
 
[quote name='cindersphere']So were about a ten days out from the european release of The Last Story. Is anybody going to pick it up or import it?[/QUOTE]

Holy crap! RPG explosion! Gonna have to hold off, as I still need to finish FFXIII-2, just started Amalur, have ME3 preordered, and still have a handful of RPGs in my backlog to finish (Skyrim, Xenoblade, Divinity II, and Nostalgia off the top of my head)...

It's a good time to be an RPG gamer :D
 
whooo~!!! 48 hours into Suikoden V now!!

and I have today off from work!!

I took it off jus to play games lol

so chillin!! let's get game!
 
Hello RPG Thread! Long time no see!

Haven't been playing much lately, RPG-wise. I did go through the two episodes of On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, which are sort of like a hybrid between US-style graphical adventure games and simple JRPGs. There's a bit of a weird imbalance when it comes to the game's bosses, and the blocking prompts are really quick, but they were decent enough little games. Episode Three was cancelled, which makes me sad.

Penny Arcade characters I spotted (besides Gabe, Tycho, and the Fruit fucker, of course):
Jim (the dead roommate, both Episodes), Thomas Kemper (the cat, Ep. 1 only), Annarchy, Div (hinted at in Ep. 1, doesn't actually appear until Ep. 2), Twisp and Catsby (Ep. 2 only), Charles (Ep. 2 only)
. I think that's everyone.

Back to Pokemon White now after having not played it since last year; I remember it being Autumn when I played it last, and now it's Summer. Got the HM Surf yesterday, so now I'm finally catching more water Pokemon; the ones I've caught and run into so far are all low level, though, and my regular party's in the high thirties, so I've had to be careful not to kill them off too quickly (still need those regulars for trainer battles).
 
I finished the story in Final Fantasy XIII-2 last night. Contrary to popular opinion, the ending was the only part of the story that I actually liked. Without giving away what actually happens,
it ends on a bleak, unresolved note, with a series of depressing revelations followed by an abrupt cut to a black screen and "To be continued." I thought it was daring, provocative, and kind of brilliant.
 
I had no qualms with the ending scene beyond the odd choice of music accompanying it,
and Lightning sitting on the throne at the end was indeed pretty chilling.

I just didn't get anything out of Caius at the end, there was no insight into the culture of him and Noel, and all the loop arounds and sudden talk of a goddess just felt really desperate to me. At least Caius had some good lines, IMO.

And a cool setting for XIII-3 is always appreciated.
 
Yeah, you can pretty much tell that they planned some cool imagery and plot twists for the ending first, and then tried to contrive some events and characters to get them there in a coherent way... and did not succeed.
 
Pushing on towards the end of KoA: Reckoning. Still enjoying it a lot, though eventually I kind of got burned out on side questing so I'm just doing the faction (most of which I've finished) and main quest, and then I'll clean the rest up after. At Level 37 I should be in fine shape to finish the game.

My biggest complaint with the game is the dearth of different armor and weapon options. There's really only 5 or so levels of equipment, and you unlock the top level stuff well before the end of the game. I definitely like messing around with equipment (crafting, gem making, etc) but there's really only so much you can do, especially aesthetically. In a game this big with this much loot, it should be a much more enjoyable aspect than it is. In 30 hours of play, I should have needed to upgrade my weapons more than 4 or 5 times.

I hope if they come out with any DLC, it includes new armor and weapon classes.
 
[quote name='bvharris'] At Level 37 I should be in fine shape to finish the game.
[/QUOTE]

Nice that you were able to find that much motivation to level so much -- I suppose I'm not as much of a completionist. What with a huge lack of enemy variety, and the game making you a wrecking ball from the very start, I just didn't feel an incentive to pursue a huge amount of side quests. All the environments outside Dalenforth looked noticeably cheaper, and the writing never got any better. Game became one big meh after trying out all the awesome weapons.

And the entire ending of the game is Tuatha assassins -> Ogre -> Tuatha assassins -> Ogre ->Tuatha assassins -> Ogre -> Tuatha assassins -> Ogre -> Tuatha assassins -> Ogre

All are mostly one-shotted, me being level 20. Same with the bosses. So I think you'll be okay at 37 ;)

You can sprint past the entire gauntlet when you get bored, too.
 
[quote name='panzerfaust']Nice that you were able to find that much motivation to level so much -- I suppose I'm not as much of a completionist. [/QUOTE]

It's OCD more than motivation. I hate having unfinished quests in RPGs. Plus, I just can't bring myself to walk past a yellow exclamation mark. :lol:
 
I got over that phase after WoW =]

Which admittedly has much better writing than even the faction quests of KoA.

edit: sorry if i sound bitter. i just really loved the game at first and it progressively betrayed me more and more.
 
[quote name='panzerfaust']edit: sorry if i sound bitter. i just really loved the game at first and it progressively betrayed me more and more.[/QUOTE]
Now that you have felt my pain.

It begins.
 
[quote name='jello44']That game was a fucking blast.[/QUOTE]

How much foreknowledge of the series is required? I've got a bunch of the other games, but no real time to play them all (story of my life).
 
[quote name='bvharris']How much foreknowledge of the series is required? I've got a bunch of the other games, but no real time to play them all (story of my life).[/QUOTE]

None really, they generally all follow the same protagonist and his partner. There's no real continuation aside from Ys I & II Chronicles.

7 was the first Ys game I played.
 
I'm a bit burned out on KoA after doing so many sidequests. I'm probably going to go back to Final Fantasy XIII-2, I got stuck on the first fight with Caius. I'm also interested in some of the DLC they put out.

I started up ToA 3DS and the game seems to hold up a lot better than I thought it would. And Luke isn't as annoying as I remembered, but thats probaly becuase I've seen even more annoying characters since then... I'm looking at you ToS 2.

[quote name='Rodimus']Started a game of Ys Seven. fuckin' awesome so far.[/QUOTE]

I've been wanting to try that game forever.
 
[quote name='Chibi_Kaji']And Luke isn't as annoying as I remembered, but thats probaly becuase I've seen even more annoying characters since then... I'm looking at you ToS 2.[/QUOTE]

No. NO! NOOOOOO!!!!

I planned to one day give ToS2 a shot (it's been chilling in my backlog, but everyone tears it a new one so I was holding off). Now I'm even more apprehensive...
 
[quote name='Zmonkay']No. NO! NOOOOOO!!!!

I planned to one day give ToS2 a shot (it's been chilling in my backlog, but everyone tears it a new one so I was holding off). Now I'm even more apprehensive...[/QUOTE]

I made it about 2 hours into the game and said fuck it. I couldn't deal with any of the characters in that game.
They are the kind that only TMK could love
 
I heard it was coming to the states. Too bad we have to wait all year for it, but we finally get a true JRPG on a next-gen console. I'm in.
 
[quote name='Rodimus']I heard it was coming to the states. Too bad we have to wait all year for it, but we finally get a true JRPG on a next-gen console. I'm in.[/QUOTE]

Clarify please.
 
[quote name='matrix9280']Clarify please.[/QUOTE]
One that he personally thinks looks fun. Because that's what "true" means of course.

;)
 
[quote name='matrix9280']Clarify please.[/QUOTE]

True JRPG = one that has a little kid as the main characters and Pokemon-esque gameplay.

[quote name='Ryuukishi']One that he personally thinks looks fun. Because that's what "true" means of course.[/QUOTE]

Personally? No no no. True means, real, genuine, not false. I did not misuse the word.
 
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It looks like a great game. For me it's all about the town and dungeon exploration. Not dungeon crawling but uncovering new places and meeting interesting characters along the way.
 
[quote name='Rodimus']True JRPG = one that has a little kid as the main characters and Pokemon-esque gameplay.

Personally? No no no. True means, real, genuine, not false. I did not misuse the word.[/QUOTE]
The choice of "true" is a bit odd, though. When it comes down to it, for most people, a "true" JRPG is simply an RPG made in Japan, by Japanese people, and primarily for a Japanese audience.

I would've gone with "wholesome" in this case, and not limited it to Pokemon-style gameplay; or, "my favorite type of JRPG" ;)
 
Pokemon is the only true JRPG, everything else is trying to be Pokemon. Let me explain. The Japanese regard Pokemon like we in America regard our rights as religion, which is an unfortunate truth. Hippies wanna take guns away, them rednecks have a Bulbasaur to use Bullet Seed on them tree huggers. Goverment wants to take away your freedom of speech, protesters will make their voices heard to all Pokemon to sacrifice themselves for your right, while being pepper sprayed by an Oddish.

Pokemon is an allegory to our modern lifestyle. No other game does it quite so well. Think for a moment what Pokemon means. Pocket Monster right? What is a monster? Most often it's something society defines, or maybe society can be the monster sometimes. That power is in your pocket. Will you be the one to save us from the monster of society or the one to create it.

The only true JRPG is one that you know is a JRPG, but known only to be true like my bullshit.
 
[quote name='Rodimus']Pokemon is an allegory to our modern lifestyle. No other game does it quite so well. Think for a moment what Pokemon means. Pocket Monster right? What is a monster? Most often it's something society defines, or maybe society can be the monster sometimes. That power is in your pocket. Will you be the one to save us from the monster of society or the one to create it.[/QUOTE]
Awesome. :lol: :applause:

They should put that on the back of the box.
 
That almost sounds like a speech N would make :lol:

To me, Pokemon is a "true JRPG" like so many others, but unlike those, it is also "the greatest JRPG of all time" :)
 
What are the best rpg's to check out on the playstation store? I've played most final fantasies.
 
[quote name='eldergamer']Nostalgia on the :ds: is pretty damn boring.[/QUOTE]

I actually really liked it... at first. Old school feel, air battles. I thought it was going to be kinda like Skies of Arcadia. I was sadly mistaken. The "real world" setting to me is what really killed it, along with fairly unlikable/boring/generic charactiers. Never went anywhere interesting, and gave up shortly after getting the fourth party member.
 
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