Final fantasy tatics

FranchisePlayer

I just got this recently for my ds it is really good I was just wondering for who has it how long is the game.

Retr0gamer

I found the game it be awful especially compared to Shining Force and the 2 Fire Emblem games.

I haven't fifnished it but I've put in nearly 30 hours and I'm nowhere near the end. You will spend most of your time in the badly implemented menu system trying to figure out which weapons a cahracter can equip what and if it is any good. I haven't done many unnecessary battles pub but I heard you will have to do some levelling up later on since there are horrendous difficulty spikes towards the end of the game.

shatners basoon

I thought it had some good points (the battle system is really fun) but as said its a bit too long and there is far too much fiddling with menus. Didn't find the difficulty level too hard, some of the bosses are very difficult but with the right tactics they can be finished off, you do have to do some side quests though to make sure you're strong enough.

Fire Emblem is probably a much better game but don't let that ruin it for you if you're enjoying it.

monkeyfudge

I think I made it all the way to the final boss... and in her final form the difficultly level goes through the roof... I stopped playing then as I'd have to put in hours and hours to get my characters to a level to fight her.

I think it was a she anyway.. it's a been a while.

A useful trick I found for getting XP was to have your lower level characters attack your higher level characters for lots of XP, have a healer standing by and they'll also get XP for healing.

TheAlmightyArse

The equipment menus aren't that unyielding if you fiddle around with the settings, but it's still a bit of a slog. As for the length of the game, the clock had 45 hours on it by the time I stopped playing, which accounts for playing through as many side-quests as possible, beating the final boss and a bit more. So, I quite like it. Far more accessible than Shining Force to strategy noobs like me and better suited to the GBA.

Retr0gamer

I thought Shining Force was a far more accessible game for noobs. It's very simple and easy to get the hang of and quite easy until late in the game were the only way to proceed is to unfortunately forget about your lower level characters and plough on just using the best characters.

Sony have said that Final Fantasy Tactics will be one of the first games available through the PSP's PS1 emulator. Now that is a ****ing brilliant game. However be warned, it's by far the hardest game I've ever beaten. Nothing to do with difficulty spikes it's just that you actually need tactics and strategy to get past the harder battles.

Crucifix

Is that the GBA one, or have they released one for the DS?
I played the GBA one and found it to be very flawed. I'd love to see them have a whack at another version; iron out the flaws, maybe throw in a story.

Retr0gamer

Crucifix wrote:

I'd love to see them have a whack at another version; iron out the flaws, maybe throw in a story.

It's out already. It's called Final Fantasy Tactics on the Palystation. It's one of the best games ever made. It has a great story unlike the GBA game which doesn't have a stroy really. FFTA is a real step backwards from it. The levels are incredibly dull and the menu and job system are really confusing despite a similar and far better system being used in FFT on the PS1 and being really easy to use.

There is only FFT on the PS1 and GBA.

TheAlmightyArse

To be honest, I didn't give Shining Force much of my time. It felt tawdry and dull, though possibly because I boguht it at the same time as Zelda: the Minish Cap.

OFF TOPIC!

Sony are releasing a load of PS1 (PSX?) games for the PSP? That's excellent news. Is there any word on price?

Retr0gamer

No word on price. It's an official PS1 emulator for the PSP and the games are available for download to the memory stick. No word on a solid release date either. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night looks like another launch title for the emulator (licks lips with excitement).

Shining Force is a little simple in terms of gameplay and story but I think it's what makes it all the more fun. It starts slow but gets much better. However don't expect Fire Emblem/Advance Wars level strategy.

monkeyfudge

I loved the Shining Force games on Mega Drive.

They used to have a comic strip in the Sonic Comic as well.

Trode

I quite like FFTA. Sure, the individual battles can be a bit dull, but it's all about the long game. Getting new skills and classes, tailoring characters with stats, equipment and abilities, filling out things like the monster bank and blue magic, all that stuff's pretty addictive. I've racked about about 80 hours on it and I'm only about half/two-thirds through. It's much more the RPG than Strategy, and in many respects its the polar opposite of Fire Emblem, tonnes of short, easy, relatively inconsequential battles, plenty of levelling opportunities and a huge amount of character customisation. Personally I love them both, but whichevers more your style, go for it.

Retr0gamer

Trode wrote:

I quite like FFTA. Sure, the individual battles can be a bit dull, but it's all about the long game. Getting new skills and classes, tailoring characters with stats, equipment and abilities, filling out things like the monster bank and blue magic, all that stuff's pretty addictive. I've racked about about 80 hours on it and I'm only about half/two-thirds through. It's much more the RPG than Strategy, and in many respects its the polar opposite of Fire Emblem, tonnes of short, easy, relatively inconsequential battles, plenty of levelling opportunities and a huge amount of character customisation. Personally I love them both, but whichevers more your style, go for it.

They're the exact reasons that I don't like the game I abhor levelling up. I prefer to be progressing with a story or being challenged. Levelling up characters seems to be the only thing going for the game since as you said the battles are boring. Still there seem to be a few people that actually like getting their characters to lv.99 or whatever just as there are people out there who enjoy subjecting themselves to torture.

Laguna

Retr0gamer wrote:

They're the exact reasons that I don't like the game I abhor levelling up.

That sounds a bit odd coming from the mod of the Final Fantasy forum, the definitive levelling up interactive experience! ....

Retr0gamer

I've never had to level up in any FF game. Usually the last boss would require a bit but you just go back and do the sidequests and level up along the way. It's completely different to walking in circles waiting for random encounters. I don't get any enjoyment out of that.

Trode

Retr0gamer wrote:

They're the exact reasons that I don't like the game I abhor levelling up. I prefer to be progressing with a story or being challenged. Levelling up characters seems to be the only thing going for the game since as you said the battles are boring. Still there seem to be a few people that actually like getting their characters to lv.99 or whatever just as there are people out there who enjoy subjecting themselves to torture.

I think you took me up wrong. I said individual battles can be dull and repetitive, in much the same way they can be in any RPG, but that doesn't mean you'll have to constantly wander the map for endless, identical random battles just to level up. Levelling is pointless anyway, because generic enemies in are usually roughly the same level as your party. Most of the time you're fulfilling sub-quests(of which tere are loads) or engaging in territory disputes with rival gangs, so battles have a purpose beyond grinding, and even when they don't you often have some new tricks or character/class/equipment combinations to try out. I'm guessing you have little interest in that last part, and if so then fair enough, it's not really your kind of game. But I don't think it's fair to say that's all the game has going for it.

Plus I kind of like the plot, but I'm a sucker for moral dilemmas in games.