I couldn't stand oblivion, but Fallout 3 felt so great. At times I was frustrated with just how huge it was, but eventually I grew fond of all the exploring.
I don't want FF to go the Oblivion/Fallout path, but what about the usual towns/mini world map like every FF before X? That was decent IMO. You could free-roam for a while without getting frustrated(something that happened in Fallout 3 a couple of times)
Square-Enix Defends Linear Design In Final Fantasy XIII
You will appreciate this game no matter what, Square says.
February 19, 2010 - Final Fantasy XIII is different than any previous title in the series, often pushing players forward with comparatively less exploration. Most importantly, it includes no towns to journey to. No wonder long-time fans of the series have become concerned with this decision.Square-Enix director Motomu Toriyama posted a statement on the game's official website in response explaining the linearity of Final Fantasy XIII, saying the gameplay is essentially split into separate parts between the story's two worlds.
"The game system itself actually changes between these two worlds, with the first half of the game taking place in Cocoon being a very story driven experience, whereas the second half in Gran Pulse is an open world design with a more free style of gameplay," Toriyama explained.
"In order to allow the player to become absorbed in the drama of the storytelling and the new and exciting world of Cocoon and be drawn to the characters without getting distracted or lost we have deliberately used a linear game design for the introduction sections so they can be enjoyed in the same manner as watching a film."
Toriyama explained part of the linear design choice also allows players to learn the new paradigm shift battle system more easily.
"I make a promise that even if you have never played a Final Fantasy game, or even an RPG before then you will still be able to appreciate FFXIII with no difficulty," he added.
🙂
Originally posted by FWahMaN
What the heck is sanboxy? non-linear? 😬
Games in the GTA series are a sand-box style game.
Basically, you have a large game area, and there are very few restrictions on where you want to go in said area; as opposed to linear-styled games where your progress through the levels is completely 'scripted.'
Originally posted by Peach
Final Fantasy - and JRPGs in general - have always been more of playing a movie than an actual RP. It's not really anything new at all.
I agree about that, JRPG's should be renamed Japanese Story Games (JSGs), as the few "RP" aspects you find in it you'll also find in FPS's and Sandbox games.
Now the question is, if the game get goods reviews, shall I get the 360 or PS3 version...?
Originally posted by Morridini
I agree about that, JRPG's should be renamed Japanese Story Games (JSGs), as the few "RP" aspects you find in it you'll also find in FPS's and Sandbox games.Now the question is, if the game get goods reviews, shall I get the 360 or PS3 version...?
http://ps3.ign.com/articles/107/1074843p1.html
As a quick note for owners of multiple platforms, I strongly recommend getting this game on the PS3. The 360 version seems to run well enough, but it's noticeably less sharp and is spread across three discs.
😐
Missed the edit window.
Here's something more in-depth about the difference between the PS3 and 360 version:
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-final-fantasy-xiii-face-off
The rumours are true. Final Fantasy XIII on Xbox 360 isn't anywhere near as impressive as it is on PlayStation 3. The real kicker is that it's a lot worse than it should have been....
Firstly, the Crystal Tools engine needed to be translated across to the Microsoft platform. Secondly, the team had to find a way to compress over 32GB of CG to fit within the confines of three Xbox 360 DVDs - squeezed already by a copy protection mechanism that limits available space to a meagre 6.8GB, less than the storage potential of both PlayStation 2 and Wii.
The sheer idea of porting over a massive Blu-ray game like this onto the Xbox 360 seems like lunacy, but the good news from a conversion perspective is that the game itself is extremely linear. The core basis of the majority of the game is in negotiating very limited environments with just a few branching routes, following a yellow arrow to get to your next destination and fighting a myriad bunch of enemies as you do it.
Very rarely are you asked to return to previous locations - with just one chapter in the game dedicated to the sort of free-roaming JPRG gameplay for which Final Fantasy is renowned.
That being the case, while you can install all three discs to hard drive for a seamless experience, there really is little point over and above the convenience and noise-reduction elements. Disc-swapping on Xbox 360 is kept to an absolute minimum and has next to no impact on the experience of playing Final Fantasy XIII.
Ironically then, one of the main concerns about the conversion proves to be of little consequence at all. Unfortunately, the other niggling worries are of far greater significance.
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