[game] FF XII + rpgs we playing now

Post by **Gunsmith** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 14:56

Okay so I just beat Yiazmat. I had to look around for help which annoys me greatly. (AW, it's taken ages because I only play this game on weekends)

With the random chests feature this game has sucked far more of my life away than any other FF title. This is also the first time where level 99 + top weapons does NOT mean you can beat the secret boss without too much difficulty.

Omega Mark... umm yeah, I'll look into that later, still want to do the fishing game and any other mini quests left over

Who actually finished this game 100%?

Apathy Wind · Post by **Apathy Wind** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 00:37

Well, that depends on what you mean by 100%

I beat every mark, esper, and secret boss. I also located all the rare game monsters and completed every sidequest I encountered (God, did fishing suck arse). I also forged most of the major weapons (eg. Tournesol, Ultima Blade, Scorpion Tail, Masamune).

I did however miss at least one sidequest (July subquest) because I never knew it was being offered. And I did not acquire all the weapons (eg. Danjuro, Yagyu Darkblade) and didn't know to steal the Genji equipment from that one mark. And the Zodiac Spear? No freaking way.

Still I'm satisfied with my completion rate - to do anything else (or replay it to get the July subquest) would IMO borderline on insane.

I both loved and hated FFXII - it was initially so refreshing and different. And I love the fact that for the first time secret bosses were difficult and required strategy (eg. the 'conditions' the espers force on you). Still, the loot for money and random chest thing made the game way too much of a grind. And near the end of the game I found the gambit system to be way too limited - I wish they gave you multiple conditions (eg. if X and Y then Q). I also think the title was too ambitious for the PS2 - battles with multiple foes and effect heavy spells chugged to the point where the computer had an unfair advantage (ie. continuously pummelling you with physical attacks while you wait for your 'my action bar filled up two minutes ago!' Renew/Scathe spell to trigger).

Oh and it was frighteningly addictive

Still I liked it all and all. But I do kinda fear it (it was the most compelling time eater I've played since Disgaea). I honestly don't know what to hope for with FFXIII.

Apathy Wind · Post by **Apathy Wind** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 00:39

Oh and good luck with Omega Mark - it was a fucking pain (I actually had to look for help myself...). Of course I really did hate the level he's on so that might be part of it (getting there is half the torture).

Post by **Gunsmith** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 02:37

actual review:

great game. at first I didn't want to play it as it didn't seem like traditional turn based fare, but it is, and the gambit system makes things easier for levelling up, but not for serious boss fights.

And yes, waiting for a 2x ps2 dvd reader to load flare omg the cpu is taking full advantage!

I've never seen an rpg this deep. Well worth the price, will give you at least 150 hours play (not including hours lost from dying without save or chest quest resets)

heh I'm trying to get the lvl 99 chocobo to appear, using the petrify trick, 2 hours later, still no joy >_<

ffxiii WILL be the reason I buy a ps3, and if they simply use the ffxi model with combos and more subquests, there is actually little chance they will mess it up.

Foxhole · Post by **Foxhole** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 02:44

The mark sidequest could be it's own game. Really....

I was probably on my way to hunting marks in the crystal when I thought, "fuck it, let's just kill Vayne and get it over with."

My biggest problem is that the story is more plot driven than character driven, which is a departure from other FF games. Either way, it didn't really reduce the enjoyment I had playing the game.

Post by **Gunsmith** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 09:13

Foxhole wrote:The mark sidequest could be it's own game. Really....

don't say that, someone from square-enix might be watching and think

HEY WE COULD MAKE SOME MORE MONAY... FF MARK QUEST - FEATURING STAR WARS CHARACTERS...

last boss had Wyler Syndrome

and I remain adamant that XII is star wars vii, my fave team not being Princess Leia and penelo and basch but Hans, Chewie and Luke! Masamune/Orochi + Genji Gloves + beserk + critical health FTW!

Also I note that this is the first time in FF that ribbons are useless for the secret bosses! :eek:

Fuu · Post by **Fuu** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 09:15

Yes i will play this game, one day
But Gun i really doubt FF13 will be anything like 12 given how Matsuno left Square and Nomura can't really make anything worthwhile :(

Post by **Gunsmith** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 11:03

o shi.... hmmm well maybe I'll finally replay persona 3/ smt:dds2 for the secret bosses!

nah, they got the cash, they'll find some new kid to step up to the plate... in a way then this guarantees a totally new system, and as long as it doesn't require music game co-ordination for battles, it'll be fine... again, not many other rpgs out there that can compare to ff's depth, not many rpgs out there full stop...

which in a way means they can slack off... o shi... :eek:

Fuu · Post by **Fuu** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 13:10

Gunsmith wrote:smt:dds2 for the secret bosses!

The bosses in DDS2 were completely insane, i doubt i could have beat them without a faq. Still it was worthwhile - such fearful presences, they quite scarred my DNA with their dignity you could say.

Apathy Wind · Post by **Apathy Wind** » Sat Mar 08, 2008 00:43

Fuu wrote:
The bosses in DDS2 were completely insane, i doubt i could have beat them without a faq. Still it was worthwhile - such fearful presences, they quite scarred my DNA with their dignity you could say.

What bosses are you referring to? I don't recall having too much trouble with anyone in DDS2 (at least compared to Nocturne). I guess the angel teamup battle was challenging though.

Unless you're referring to the secret replay boss? Or perhaps the story bosses on hard mode??

...

Desperate attempt to return to FFXII topic:

If XIII is anything like XII I hope they make it so your characters either don't have to stop moving to cast magic or that your non-leader characters won't stop short of battle to cycle through their neglected buffs. I lost track of the number of times I got pounded by Abysteels because my support characters stopped just out of command range to cast their bubble/haste/etc magics.

Fuu · Post by **Fuu** » Sat Mar 08, 2008 06:55

Ah yes, i believe they were hard mode secret bosses.

Post by **Gunsmith** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 01:01

201 hours of play
I was shocked at omega mark... sure I used the "easy" way to kill it, but... 20 minutes? And it a straightforward pattern, no deaththroes crazy death all attacks, just beam, beam, beam...!?!? It's a real insult to Americans, reducing its health by 90%... even with the "easy" way, I would have sweated more if it was a good hour battle like Yiazmat, running out of elixirs etc

Oh well.

Got the Tournesol
Saggitarius
Excalibur
Zodiac Spear
Zodiac Shield
All marks
all rare game

Haven't bothered with:

fishing game/Wyrmhero Blade
Pinewood chops (can't even be bothered to travel to buy them!)
Bestiary

Wish there was a bestiary like FFX so I could at least be motivated to get wyrmhero blade...

Tried playing Star Ocean Story today - holy cow the graphics made me vomit. FF is hard to argue with, it is THE RPG on any system. Nothing matches its depth.

Apathy Wind · Post by **Apathy Wind** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 04:35

Gunsmith wrote:201 hours of play
I was shocked at omega mark... sure I used the "easy" way to kill it, but... 20 minutes? And it a straightforward pattern, no deaththroes crazy death all attacks, just beam, beam, beam...!?!? It's a real insult to Americans, reducing its health by 90%... even with the "easy" way, I would have sweated more if it was a good hour battle like Yiazmat, running out of elixirs etc

By easy I assume you mean the old "decoy/reverse" tactic - quite effective once you get the timing right. Unfortunately I opted for my own strategies the first two or three times and enjoyed less then impressive results. Being forced to navigate that mapless crystal repeatedly to even get to Omega was incentive enough for me to use the 'traditional solution'

Gunsmith wrote: I would have sweated more if it was a good hour battle like Yiazmat, running out of elixirs etc

Fun AW FF fact: I never use elixirs or megaelixirs in FF titles. I always save them in case I ever really need them (and I never have yet - what a waste)

Gunsmith wrote: Zodiac Spear

Haven't bothered with:

fishing game/Wyrmhero Blade
Bestiary

Wish there was a bestiary like FFX so I could at least be motivated to get wyrmhero blade...

Did you get the ZS the intended way or via the 1% Henne Mines crap shoot?

If your interested in the Wyrmhero Blade as a weapon (as opposed to just getting all the weapons) then don't bother - it actually really sucks. And fishing is sooooo not worth the effort.

Sigh - not only did I flesh out the whole bestiary, I actually read the whole thing. Addiction is a horrible burden

Foxhole · Post by **Foxhole** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 08:56

Apathy Wind wrote:
Sigh - not only did I flesh out the whole bestiary, I actually read the whole thing. Addiction is a horrible burden

Tell me you're not single....

Post by **Gunsmith** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 18:44

single? hell, my gf started reading the bestiary and filling the quotas herself!

I read a spoiler free faq before starting FFXII so I knew what chests to avoid. Tried the henne mines crap shoot to try and get another but no joy. Did manage to get a brave suit and excalibur, which IMO was the most useful weapon for levelling up, but ironically i didn't get it, or rather I didn't realise about the whole zoneing/respawning technique until AFTER killing Yiazmat! Accidentally got my 2nd fomalhaut and spent a few hours getting my only ribbon from cerobi steppe... pretty useless in the long run though...

Hey we have spoiler tags u know! Although probably everyone has played it now... still...

omg really Star Ocean Story already annoys me with its female characters, urgh kill them all now please, goddam loli/teen fest