The Final Fantasy Thread

[Duncan Hills Coffee]

I picked up FF VIII Remastered a week ago because it was on sale on Switch. I figured maybe this time I could finally make some progression if I ignored Triple Triad (which was always the 50 foot wall between me and actually playing the game) and went about my business. I dipped my toes into mind you, but only enough to where I could craft Squall's third weapon. Sure enough, I've made it to the first part of the second "disk" (weirdly, this is the only Switch FF game that keeps track of the disks; VII and IX ignored it entirely) and I'm at the part where the Garden's in panic and I think I'm about to fight NORG.

Maybe I'm playing it wrong (and it's entirely possible because VIII's Junction system is a mess), but holy hell the character progressions is agonizingly slow. Every character that isn't Squall can't do physical attacks worth more than 100, and I barely feel any different outside of a higher HP count. My characters still feel like they're taking and dealing the same amount of damage as they were 5 or 6 hours ago. By this point in VII and IX, my characters are dealing attacks worth hundreds, sometimes thousands of points of damage. I get that Junctioning is based on the quantity and the strength of the spells you draw, but in practice I feel as though nothing's really changed. I suppose it is my fault for not trying to break the game in outrageous ways, but I am hoping the system picks up soon.

That being said, I like the story, or at least how it's handled. I like that VIII focuses on a smaller cast than VII or IX and tries to get everyone involved where some characters just feel forgotten in those other two games. I am at least engaged with Squall's progression to a strong leader and his relationships with his squad. It's just the combat's really starting to feel samey and tedious.

 

[Honka Honka Burning Love]

Maybe I'm playing it wrong (and it's entirely possible because VIII's Junction system is a mess), but holy hell the character progressions is agonizingly slow. Every character that isn't Squall can't do physical attacks worth more than 100, and I barely feel any different outside of a higher HP count. My characters still feel like they're taking and dealing the same amount of damage as they were 5 or 6 hours ago. By this point in VII and IX, my characters are dealing attacks worth hundreds, sometimes thousands of points of damage. I get that Junctioning is based on the quantity and the strength of the spells you draw, but in practice I feel as though nothing's really changed. I suppose it is my fault for not trying to break the game in outrageous ways, but I am hoping the system picks up soon.

The Junction system is the worst character builder in Final Fantasy History. It is a broken, incoherent mess that actually punishes you for casting high level magic.

 

[Duncan Hills Coffee]

The Junction system is the worst character builder in Final Fantasy History. It is a broken, incoherent mess that actually punishes you for casting high level magic.

I still don't understand how the magic system really works. As in, I'm still using low-level spells like Fire, Thunder, and Blizzard even roughly ten hours into the game. I've found more powerful spells with hidden draw points, but I feel like I somehow missed something because mid-level magic is still shockingly rare. Am I supposed to craft that myself? Because I can, I've learned the abilities to do so and that's how people attain game-breaking spells like Tornado in the first couple of hours, but when the enemies are still using low-level magic then something just feels off, like at some point they should have already started using upper-tier stuff but they aren't.

 

[John Titor]

From a very technical standpoint - anything in FFXIV could be canon to the various FF games (such as FF12 looking Judges finding the ruins of the FF Tactics raid as they're in the same universe) but it isn't treated as super serious. The most serious I think it gets is the FFXIV x FFXV and FFXIV x FFXI crossovers which are two-way crossovers as opposed to just one way ones.

Neir is strange in that (AFAIK) everything is canon. The books, the audio books, the stage plays, the crossovers (FFXIV and Soul Calibur), whatever insane shenanigans that Yoko Taro thinks up is canonized.

It's also worth noting that FFXIV has other crossovers as well - Garo, Dragon Quest, Yo-kai Watch, Phantasy Star Online 2, and Monster Hunter to name a few - so it isn't restricted to only Final Fantasy titles, or even first party titles.

The most interesting one is Tactics Ogre because you can't write it off as a seasonal "what-if" event. Nybeth's appearance is tied to the lore.

 

[Honka Honka Burning Love]

I still don't understand how the magic system really works. As in, I'm still using low-level spells like Fire, Thunder, and Blizzard even roughly ten hours into the game. I've found more powerful spells with hidden draw points, but I feel like I somehow missed something because mid-level magic is still shockingly rare. Am I supposed to craft that myself? Because I can, I've learned the abilities to do so and that's how people attain game-breaking spells like Tornado in the first couple of hours, but when the enemies are still using low-level magic then something just feels off, like at some point they should have already started using upper-tier stuff but they aren't.

You largely craft magic from items that enemies drop and items you refine from cards, but you never want to use it because if you use a spell it reduces the power of the stat it is junctioned too.

I mean really 99% of the encounters in the game are solvable by "Junction Curaga to Squalls HP so his HP is in the "Red" but still so high no enemy is actually a threat to you..and just spam triangle till he gets a limit break.

 

[Marissa Moira]

I picked up FF VIII Remastered a week ago because it was on sale on Switch. I figured maybe this time I could finally make some progression if I ignored Triple Triad (which was always the 50 foot wall between me and actually playing the game) and went about my business. I dipped my toes into mind you, but only enough to where I could craft Squall's third weapon. Sure enough, I've made it to the first part of the second "disk" (weirdly, this is the only Switch FF game that keeps track of the disks; VII and IX ignored it entirely) and I'm at the part where the Garden's in panic and I think I'm about to fight NORG.

Maybe I'm playing it wrong (and it's entirely possible because VIII's Junction system is a mess), but holy hell the character progressions is agonizingly slow. Every character that isn't Squall can't do physical attacks worth more than 100, and I barely feel any different outside of a higher HP count. My characters still feel like they're taking and dealing the same amount of damage as they were 5 or 6 hours ago. By this point in VII and IX, my characters are dealing attacks worth hundreds, sometimes thousands of points of damage. I get that Junctioning is based on the quantity and the strength of the spells you draw, but in practice I feel as though nothing's really changed. I suppose it is my fault for not trying to break the game in outrageous ways, but I am hoping the system picks up soon.

That being said, I like the story, or at least how it's handled. I like that VIII focuses on a smaller cast than VII or IX and tries to get everyone involved where some characters just feel forgotten in those other two games. I am at least engaged with Squall's progression to a strong leader and his relationships with his squad. It's just the combat's really starting to feel samey and tedious.

Read up how to break the battle system with ultima junctions and how get the end game weapon in chapter 1.

You will be steamrolling through the game. Squall can pull off a few billion in damage per turn with his final limit break spam. The junction system requires some reading but it allows for so many ways to overpower everything in the game.

 

[Duncan Hills Coffee]

Read up how to break the battle system with ultima junctions and how get the end game weapon in chapter 1.

I've been wanting to do that for years, but the issue I kept running into was that it meant I had to do constant Triple Triad, and I would get sick of it quickly. Grinding by itself is bad enough, but grinding for cards is even worse. Plus I'm pretty sure the reason I grew to hate Triple Triad is because of all the time I wasted trying to get those specific cards. The big thing I wanted to do here was to just ignore all the game-breaking stuff (especially since I never made it farther than the prison at the beginning of disk 2) and just try to play the game normally, or as close to normal as possible. I wanted to at least beat the game normally and then break it in a future playthrough.

Now I'm starting to understand why a lot of people try breaking it as soon as possible.

 

[TaimuRadiu]

Triple Triad was great fun, especially if you figured out how to get the less shitty rules to propagate from region to region.

FF8 had a great story and I thought it had great gameplay, too. I'd rather see an actual FF8 remake than an FF7 remake, but what I want most of all is a full bore remake of FF9 in 4k.

 

[Duncan Hills Coffee]

Triple Triad was great fun, especially if you figured out how to get the less shitty rules to propagate from region to region.

I did hate Triple Triad less this time around. I don't like card games in general (I don't even like Gwent and nobody shuts up about Gwent) so I don't like doing any more Triple Triad than I have to, but when I got some decent cards it was more bearable. Now doing it to grind cards is something I'd rather not do. I went into it with a mindset like Tetra Master; only do it when I feel like it but don't bother with the side shit.

FF8 had a great story and I thought it had great gameplay, too. I'd rather see an actual FF8 remake than an FF7 remake, but what I want most of all is a full bore remake of FF9 in 4k.

Funnily enough, Yoshinori Kitase has floated the idea of a remake of VIII, but he discussed it in the context of fan theories; he denied the Squall is Dead theory but might include it in a possible remake. Given the direction the FF7 Remake is going, I wouldn't be surprised if a hypothetical remake of VIII went down that road. However he also denied the theory that Ultimecia is Rinoa and refused to consider the idea should the game be remade.

So basically if it happens, it's going to be in a monkey's paw sort of way. Not unlike the VII remake really.

I do agree with a IX remake though. More specifically, it needs to include all the stories that were cut for time, such as Freya's arc that cuts short after Burmecia. IX's a fantastic game, but it's a shame some of the more interesting stuff never made it into the final product.

 

[TaimuRadiu]

I actually have a theory that Selphie is Artemisia, mostly due to the fact that Selphie is the only one to use natural magic (well, until Rinoa does late in the game) and a theory that Artemisia wanted to remember her youth.

There's a reason I'm using that spelling. It's less retarded than what the official translation is. In addition, it's what you can almost read the kana for アルティミシア as. ( arutimishia; I guess Artemishia would work too, but I received the impression it was supposed to evoke a European sorceress name; in addition, "sh" is commonly rendered as "ss" in Japanese media transliteration; see Yossi/Yoshi)

I'll take my puzzle pieces thanks

 

[The Fair Lady]

I'm playing through the remastered version of VIII myself for the first time. Fucking hate the Junction system and the fact that leveling up only makes things more difficult for you. I really should've done some research before jumping into this game because I feel like I've just been bumbling along and winning most of the boss fights by sheer luck. I'm currently stuck on Lunatic Pandora (with only one save file because I'm a dumbass) and having trouble with Adel. I've looked up strategies but nothing is working for me so far; I can keep Rinoa alive for a while, but the main problem is I'm not doing enough damage because everyone else aside from Squall is weak af. They all still have their default weapons, and it doesn't help that I've missed a bunch of the GFs like Cerberus and Jumbo Cactuar. Last one I got was Alexander.

My strongest(?) party members are Squall at level 32, Zell at 32 and Selphie at 21. I've heard Irvine is pretty helpful so I swapped Selphie out for him - he's level 20. A bunch of people have mentioned that his and Zell's Limit Breaks help in this fight, which is kinda ironic because up until this point I had no idea how they worked and I think it, too, is bullshit.

At this point I don't know what else I can do and am debating just dropping the game because it feels like I'm screwed. I've been having a tough time with VIII overall and it's kinda ruined my ability to enjoy the story in any way.

On a more positive note, I recently finished the FF7 remake and had a lot of fun with it.

 

[Honka Honka Burning Love]

Read up how to break the battle system with ultima junctions and how get the end game weapon in chapter 1.

You will be steamrolling through the game. Squall can pull off a few billion in damage per turn with his final limit break spam. The junction system requires some reading but it allows for so many ways to overpower everything in the game.

Squall isn't even the OP one, once Rinoa gets Angel Wing at the end of the game you can do some obscene things with her. (Phrasing I know)

 

[Jimmy Durante's Ballsack]

I am replaying Final Fantasy VI on the Super Nintendo. Good fun, minus the tentacles in Figaro Castle.

Sometimes I wish I could Vanish-Doom the entire world.

 

[AlexJonesGotMePregnant]

I did hate Triple Triad less this time around. I don't like card games in general (I don't even like Gwent and nobody shuts up about Gwent) so I don't like doing any more Triple Triad than I have to, but when I got some decent cards it was more bearable. Now doing it to grind cards is something I'd rather not do. I went into it with a mindset like Tetra Master; only do it when I feel like it but don't bother with the side shit.


Funnily enough, Yoshinori Kitase has floated the idea of a remake of VIII, but he discussed it in the context of fan theories; he denied the Squall is Dead theory but might include it in a possible remake. Given the direction the FF7 Remake is going, I wouldn't be surprised if a hypothetical remake of VIII went down that road. However he also denied the theory that Ultimecia is Rinoa and refused to consider the idea should the game be remade.

So basically if it happens, it's going to be in a monkey's paw sort of way. Not unlike the VII remake really.

I do agree with a IX remake though. More specifically, it needs to include all the stories that were cut for time, such as Freya's arc that cuts short after Burmecia. IX's a fantastic game, but it's a shame some of the more interesting stuff never made it into the final product.

I don;t like gwent or any other card game either but early game Triple Triad is a godsend for breaking the junction system fast. Once you AP farm enough for Card and Card Mod, you can ignore most random fights and just strategically get a few spells and carded monsters to go apeshit. You can get some good cards early on through TT that will let you refine some near end game magicks pretty early.

Early game tip: Card the t-rex in the garden, card mod into dino bones, time-space mod into quake, junction quake to STR. This will carry you through the first disc with ease. If you've gotten siren, you can junction sleep to your attack and take no damage from the t-rex.

 

[Honka Honka Burning Love]

I don;t like gwent or any other card game either but early game Triple Triad is a godsend for breaking the junction system fast. Once you AP farm enough for Card and Card Mod, you can ignore most random fights and just strategically get a few spells and carded monsters to go apeshit. You can get some good cards early on through TT that will let you refine some near end game magicks pretty early.

Early game tip: Card the t-rex in the garden, card mod into dino bones, time-space mod into quake, junction quake to STR. This will carry you through the first disc with ease. If you've gotten siren, you can junction sleep to your attack and take no damage from the t-rex.

Easier way without grinding, Cheat on the Seed Tests ASAP, Buy tents, Refine to Curaga..and watch as nothing in the game is a threat to squall with it Junctioned to his HP


Edit : also as an aside, I am nearing the end of the first "season" of Final Fantasy Brave Exvius's story and it was..mostly good.

It was a better story than anything that came after 9 at least.

 

[Raiken]

I was all about buying crystal chronicles remastered for some time now, but once i learned it had only online co-op and no local co-op i dropped it like a hot turd.
What where they thinking? The original was all about it.

 

[Mooger Meng]

I was all about buying crystal chronicles remastered for some time now, but once i learned it had only online co-op and no local co-op i dropped it like a hot turd.
What where they thinking? The original was all about it.

My wholly uneducated guess is they wanted to maintain the same separation of each player's personal screen like there was with the GBA links.

 

[Berrakh]

I've been replaying FFX on my Vita. There's sperging around about FFX WAS LINEAR AND FFXIII IS LINEAR AND IT'S CONSIDERED BAD... except FFX took place in a crapsack fantasy world that you actually want to know what happened to, and you're as ignorant as Tidus is after he gets sucked out of Zanarkand by Sin. It's legitimately a good story, and it even has good voice acting, but I imagine the next time round I'll be using an undub.

Also, fuck getting the Al Bhed primers and the temple puzzles. The puzzles I can understand, but if you don't get all the primers you don't know what the fantasy arabs are saying, and that's just annoying. (I can't get a save editor to work with the Vita version.)

And still I think FFX-2 is the better game gameplay wise.

It's one of those criticisms were the critic imagines there's infinite time, creativity, and resources on hand and that there are no wise concessions. It usually takes a single element that sounds bad out of its wider context.
Other examples might include:
Squall is too mopey
Tidus is too dumb
Aeris dies too soon or it's too disappointing (kinda true to be fair)
The Supporting Cast is much weaker than the Main Characters
The mysterious villain isn't a fully fleshed out character
Probably a lot more.

 

[Honka Honka Burning Love]

except FFX took place in a crapsack fantasy world that you actually want to know what happened to,

Speak for yourself, I gave zero craps about what sin was.

But then again that is a personality trait I imagine. "Oh hey a giant monster is destroying the world....MURDER THE THING...and then figure out what it is." was my line of thought.

 

[Duncan Hills Coffee]

Speaking of Final Fantasy X, I've been playing through it recently and I'm stuck at that fucking Yunalesca fight. That fight is so goddamn unfair, and it's easily the worst in the game. I also fucked myself over because I neglected to collect many of the recommended armors for the fight (like confuse, silence and blind proof stuff), which makes the fight feel like pulling teeth. The only real option I have is to grind Yuna to get Holy, which is going to take fucking forever because I haven't even learned Curaga yet.

I love Final Fantasy X, but I don't think it loves me with how increasingly frequent the bullshit boss fights are in the last stretch of the game.