My view on the game is basically this.
Yes its linear, and that is going to be problematic for people who have encountered the vast, sandbox-y worlds of Oblivion, Mass effect, Just cause, to name but a few.
But what is the purpose of a sandbox type game that has multiple paths you can take in order to complete the game? Presumably a large part of it is to give you the chance to craft your own, more enjoyable story.
I think what final fantasy says, basically, is screw your story. We have an awesome one that we assure you you're going to like. So have a bit of patience and let yourself get carried away by our version of how our story should go.
I found myself a little suffocated by the lack of free-roam gameplay to begin with (I believe this opens up later on) But you very quickly realise that the developers want to get you familiar with the story, and the combat system, before you go roaming off by yourself.
The graphics on a HD screen are nothing short of mind-blowing. Truly beautiful use of colours puts games like gears of war and modern warfare to shame, with their predictable use of dirty-grey tones. Final fantasy 13 makes use of vibrant colours that really light up the screen, you'll find yourself stopping during gameplay just to marvel at some of the surroundings.
The only real thing about the game is the battle system, which is basically a love-hate thing. People who are massive fans of games like God of War, perhaps Devil May Cry, may find themselves a bit frustrated by the lack of button-bashing madness those games have to offer.
Final fantasy is about telling your characters what moves to perform, rather than doing them yourself. The result is a game that requires more thought/strategy than rapid button bashing and combos.
Well worth a go - A degree of patience is a must, though.
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For people who are further in to the game...Is it just this dumbed down in the early stages? Or is it just more of the same shallow battle system to look forward to?
The first 10 hours or so (I know
) are sadly very slow paced as far as the battle system is concerned. Things do, however, pick up >10 hours - You'll find yourself having to think fast to prevent your party wiping. I think the problem here is that the developers are over-accommodating for less experienced gamers who perhaps take a little longer to pick up the basics. Rest assured, things do get more challenging further on. It'll get to a stage where you'll need to wipe at least a couple of times to realise certain tactics for certain bosses.
Another question.How do I unlock more abilties in that crystal thing system? I've already unlocked most abilities and upgrades on my characters. But it says commando level 1 or something like that, how do I get that to level 2? I thought maybe I'd have to unlock all the crystals in that particular role, but have done that and still nothing. Maybe this will all be explained in another future tutorial (you weren't lying tomtree, they really ease you in to this bit by bit
)
From what I've experienced so far you gain access to more abilities/higher levels as you progress through the
story rather than through battle. For example I recently beat a boss (@ 11hours-ish) the post-battle screen informed me I'd gained access to a lot more abilities.
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edit - Also, with regards to previous posts that suggest battle is repetitive, it should be pointed out that a lot of battles can be easily avoided if you simply can't be arsed fighting certain mobs. A lot of them you can run straight past with ease, the mobs will stop following you fairly quickly.
