Final Fantasy VIII

You basically described FF1

Originally posted by Ushgarak
I think this argument about 'too much gameplay', although poorly expressed, actually has its basis in a genuine point.

Imagine the whole FF exprience with all story and character removed, when all you are is an anonymous guy who kills monsters and goes up in levels, with no context, in just flat dungeons with no names or reasons for being there, until the game ends.

That's 100% gameplay. But it's no bloody good, is it?

I think the root of the 'too much gameplay' complaint is saying that FFVIII had too much gridning and pointless random battle repetition and not enough to actually get you 'into' the game.

Which is a fair complaint. Though actually I think IX had bigger problems in the grinding department because the fights were too slow. The fights in FFVIII were fine.

Don't even get me started on the fights in IX.

As annoying as drawing was in VIII, the fights did go quickly (unless you summoned a GF every turn).

ESB- Indeed; I was actually going to use complaints levelled against the re-release of FFIII as an example of the point but I thought I'd keep the point direct and maybe throw that in if it went on.

And so now you mention it- I don't think we can pretend that the non-gameplay elements added since FFI aren't very welcome, and if a game does not have enough of those you could say that the game focussed too much on gameplay rather than all-around entertainment.

Originally posted by Lana
Don't even get me started on the fights in IX.

As annoying as drawing was in VIII, the fights did go quickly (unless you summoned a GF every turn).

Yes, except for the drawing. Other than that the VIII fights were actually rather snappy and fun. I actually did a whole lot of grinding in VIII which I didn't mind too much. Certainly more fun than the storyline.

But then X had snappy combat as well, and a much better story.

Originally posted by Ushgarak
Yes, except for the drawing. Other than that the VIII fights were actually rather snappy and fun. I actually did a whole lot of grinding in VIII which I didn't mind too much. Certainly more fun than the storyline.

But then X had snappy combat as well, and a much better story.

I remember getting my entire party in VIII up to level 100, and I know I didn't even hit 60 hours in that game, so yeah, definitely was quick fighting.

And we all know what I think of FFX. That game I actually truly liked random battles. Being able to swap characters during combat and seeing when each person/enemy would attack was great.

I liked the combat in IX. More that each character had a distinct and unique role, rather than everyone doing more or less the same thing, like VIII.

Yup, agreed. The distinct characters of IX were much better than the mix-and-match personality lack of VIII, which was also a problem with the materia system in VII.

Right on. But VII got away with it because it's story was good.

VIII, not so much.

In VIII my Rinoa, Zell, and Squall were level 100, the others were only in their teens lol.

Originally posted by BackFire
Right on. But VII got away with it because it's story was good.

VIII, not so much.

i liked it... in parts at least... shrug

Originally posted by Violent2Dope
In VIII my Rinoa, Zell, and Squall were level 100, the others were only in their teens lol.

i noticed that too... i had squall, zell and irvine on 100 while the rest were barely pushing 20... wasnt very balanced...

Yes, in parts I did too.

As a whole, it was sloppy and weak.

Originally posted by BackFire
Yes, in parts I did too.

As a whole, it was sloppy and weak.

i still prefer it over what followed to be honest though...

Originally posted by Ushgarak
ESB- Indeed; I was actually going to use complaints levelled against the re-release of FFIII as an example of the point but I thought I'd keep the point direct and maybe throw that in if it went on.

Oh come now just because III didn't have a cutscene every 10 seconds (cough X cough) doesn't mean III DS wasn't worthy on being released. After all III was never released outside of Japan so many, many people never experienced it before and the story was clear as the game progressed but it really didn't get side tracked as many of the RPGs do now a days just to try to add an hour into what otherwise would have been a short RPG.

Nonetheless, it is a common complaint against III that is not without validity. It's a very sterile experience.

Is THAT what this thread has turned into? Naming flaws in a game, that's the fault of Squaresoft in Japan for programming the game that way? Oh, great thread direction

Originally posted by Ushgarak
Nonetheless, it is a common complaint against III that is not without validity. It's a very sterile experience.

Yup. There's not much of a plot to III and what's there isn't very engaging.

Originally posted by JToTheP
Is THAT what this thread has turned into? Naming flaws in a game, that's the fault of Squaresoft in Japan for programming the game that way? Oh, great thread direction

Err, it's a thread about the discussion of a game, part of that can be picking out the flaws in it.

Malboro's were such jerks in this game. Took me forever to actually kill one. Ridiculous.

Malboros were a problem, yes, but personally my biggest irk (other than the word "irk"😉 was the fight Laguna and company had with the Esthar soldiers on Disc One... I had to break out GF's for WAY too long to beat them...

Originally posted by SelphieT
Malboro's were such jerks in this game. Took me forever to actually kill one. Ridiculous.

Originally posted by Violent2Dope
I f*ckin HATED those bastards. F*ck them and their stink ass breath!

LoL. I actually hated Malboros in X. Don't know...but when it had the first attack and it did the toxin move...my entire party was asleep, confused, blind, berserked. you name it....so I had no other choice but to sit back and watch as my party continued to attack each other while missing while taking health away from them until they all died.

Awesome stuff.