Final Fantasy XIII

[JasonXe]

So back onto the game:

Final Fantasy XIII boss responds to review scores
Tuesday 16-Feb-2010 10:39 AM
http://www.computerandvideogames.com....php?id=235030
Director Toriyama-San says critics see the game "from a western point of view"

The key developers of Square Enix's Final Fantasy XIII have revealed they "try not to listen to the critics too much" - and responded to criticism of the game's linear nature.

Producer Yoshinori Kitase told CVG sister mag Xbox World 360: "We try not to listen to the critics too much. Most of the criticisms have come because the first half of the game is very linear.

"But we've got a story to tell, and it's important the player can engage with the characters and the world they inhabit before letting them loose..."

The game's director Motomu Toriyama added: "We think many reviewers are looking at Final Fantasy XIII from a western point of view. When you look at most Western RPGs, they just dump you in a big open world, and let you do whatever you like... [It] becomes very difficult to tell a compelling story when you're given that much freedom."

They might have a point - reviewers don't seem to be able to make up their mind on the title.

As reported by CVG, GamesMaster's Final Fantasy XIII review gave the game a respectable 81%, but PSM3 was less enamoured, awarding just 70%.

However, the Official PlayStation Magazine's Final Fantasy XIII review gave the game a 9/10, saying it "makes the hours pass likes minutes".

Who's getting it?

I don't think Mass Effect 1 or 2, Dragon Age etc... comes out in Japan. When you visit japanese forums, the only wrpg they've played is Oblivion. (or atleast the only good wrpg they've played).

[Segitz]

I don't think it is because of the linearity, actually... just look at FFVIII or X (most prominent in my mind). The first half is just as linear too, and those games did not get rated down for being like they were. In fact, I guess it is because you can do NOTHING beside press forward in this game (at least some reviews read like this), plus an extremely simplified combat system just make it a bit boring.

And talking about a compelling story. Look at Neverwinter Nights 2 for example. After the "introductory" missions, you are basically sent to go to "X"... but the way you go is your own. There's side missions everywhere and they still manage to pull of a compelling story... How do they do it? By not forcing you to do anything! If you want main story only, you do main story only. Same goes for basically every modern western RPG. You can finish Oblivion in under an hour if you choose to (which actually is a bit weak, I guess, but this is just how Oblivion was designed. I hope for Fallout Vegas to be stronger with the main story).

Plus the omission of cities is a big dealbreaker for me. I usually LOVE to see those. And they dropped them because "they are hard to do". Well, sucks to be you SE...

[Diresu]

They just have an excuse for everything, don't they?

[Black Dragon37]

They have to, considering it's probably the most hyped game this generation.

[Diresu]

They have to, considering it's probably the most hyped game this generation.

And also the most disappointing.

[HPK]

So, I guess the big news now is that the 360 version of FFXIII is only at 576p and the PS3 version is at 720p.

Discuss.

[JasonXe]

less time with 360

I play 480p on my wii which looks great so it's not like i care. It'll probably be upscaled anyway.

[Segitz]

Of course it'll be upscaled^^ 1024x576 (which is NOT 576P btw, as this is actually the standard PAL resolution of 768x576) is not a standard which an HDTV usually supports.

Thing is though, this shines a different light on the photoshopped screenshots SE produced last week. Not that I care for this game after what's been written about it.

[Mitri]

i know that halo 3 wasnt at 720p. wasn't it also at 576 due to storage issues also?

that looked fine. imo.

[Segitz]

Resolution has NOTHING to do with discspace (only MAYBE the fmvs, but the game could still be rendered at 720P, even if the fmvs were lower res).

MGS4 was 1024x768, so about 30% more than this here, but you could see that it wasn't native easily. Still, I guess it doesn't matter really.

[JasonXe]

Seems like a rush porting job but whatever since atleast it's better than nothing at all.

[MichaelXE]

3 months after Japanese release...definitely rush job.

[Freeman_JI]

So, I guess the big news now is that the 360 version of FFXIII is only at 576p and the PS3 version is at 720p.

Discuss.

PS3 is the version to get end of.

[goku2057]

I have a PS3 and a 360 and I'm getting it for the 360. No question.

[Segitz]

I have a PS3 and a 360 and I'm getting it for the 360. No question.

Just out of interest... why? Because of Gamerscore? Friendslist?

[goku2057]

Neither. I want future FF games on the 360. I want to show Squeenix there is a market for the games on a different console.

That's the best way that we get original IPs and future FF games. I may not own all consoles next generation (probably will, but hardly the point)

On top of all that, I prefer the Experience and controller on the 360. I could care less about gamer score and there is no online play that I'd be missing.

[MichaelXE]

Hmmm true...forgot about the market thing. So once the game comes out and if there are no major differences I'll probably end up getting it on 360 too.

[Diresu]

I don't think you have to worry about SE not bring games to 360. They have shown that they will milk anything and everything to squeeze the last few dollars out. With that said, this game should once and for all show whether there is a significant enough market for RPG's on the 360.

[JasonXe]

Our next mission will be getting versus (backstreet boys of ff) to 360!!

[Diresu]

Our next mission will be getting versus (backstreet boys of ff) to 360!!

*Chases you off with a broom* Shoo! PS3 game!