FFXIII Thread of chocobo ranching
03-05-10 | 04:09 PM
#226
DVD Talk Hero
Re: FFXIII no longer a PS3 exclusive?
Well they did include this comment:
Editor’s note: Due to a malfunctioning disc (a Microsoft-supplied replacement disc also produced the same error), the reviewer was only able to play through the first 30 hours of Final Fantasy XIII. Although he plans on playing through the rest of the game—and TeamXbox will amend this review, if necessary—this score and these impressions are based on those 30 hours of gameplay.
03-05-10 | 04:15 PM
#227
DVD Talk God
Re: FFXIII no longer a PS3 exclusive?
Joystiq says it's only 15.5 hours (and those first several hours are "pure, unadulterated tedium" 
)
http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/05/re...-fantasy-xiii/
)http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/05/re...-fantasy-xiii/
These changes require a thorough indoctrination from the player before they can be truly appreciated, as does the overarching story the game intimates over its massive, 45-hour span.
However, it takes a while to get to a point where you can start developing strategies for yourself. In those grueling, first 15-and-a-half or so hours, you will have no control over the characters selected for your party.
If you've got the endurance required to suffer Final Fantasy XIII's radically unbalanced pacing, there are 30 or so truly wonderful hours of game to be played. It's unfortunate that XIII's plodding introduction requires so much from the player -- 15 hours and 30 minutes is, after all, enough time to play most other games to completion.
03-05-10 | 04:18 PM
#228
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: FFXIII no longer a PS3 exclusive?
From the 1up review -
Seems kind of weird, but if its just battle and everything else character and plot wise move along, I'd be ok with it.
The battle system, admittedly, starts slow; in fact, you have slog through about 25 hours of hand-holding warm-up before the game finally lets you have full access to party and skill selections.
03-05-10 | 04:21 PM
#229
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: FFXIII no longer a PS3 exclusive?
Ouch, so basically most reviews are in agreement that the first 15 to 25 hours are tedious, until the game opens up a bit more? I guess that's still better than White Knight Chronicles, but geez.
03-05-10 | 04:38 PM
#230
DVD Talk Limited Edition
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From: Jersey represent!
Re: FFXIII no longer a PS3 exclusive?
Whether the number is 15 or 25 or 30, that is way too many hours to devote to an experience that isn't fun, at least in my opinion.
03-05-10 | 04:43 PM
#231
Re: FFXIII no longer a PS3 exclusive?
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03-05-10 | 05:01 PM
#232
DVD Talk Legend
The discussion in the forum here was about how long it takes to "get good". I stated the Joystiq review said it was 15.5 hours before it "got good" and those first 15.5 hours were "tedium".
There is a moment in Final Fantasy XIII where everything just clicks.
The intricacies of the completely overhauled combat system come into focus; the meandering, convoluted story begins to take shape; the characters stop being insufferably standoffish and begin to coalesce into an engaging menagerie of heroes; the character progression system begins to offer the player a variety of thought-provoking choices; and the game begins to live up to your (I'm assuming) lofty expectations, and Final Fantasy XIII becomes an experience which can go toe-to-toe with the best entries in the franchise.
The game gets exceptional after this one moment -- but, regrettably, this moment came for me after suffering 15 hours and 30 minutes of pure, unadulterated tedium.
The intricacies of the completely overhauled combat system come into focus; the meandering, convoluted story begins to take shape; the characters stop being insufferably standoffish and begin to coalesce into an engaging menagerie of heroes; the character progression system begins to offer the player a variety of thought-provoking choices; and the game begins to live up to your (I'm assuming) lofty expectations, and Final Fantasy XIII becomes an experience which can go toe-to-toe with the best entries in the franchise.
The game gets exceptional after this one moment -- but, regrettably, this moment came for me after suffering 15 hours and 30 minutes of pure, unadulterated tedium.
03-05-10 | 05:12 PM
#233
DVD Talk God
Re: FFXIII no longer a PS3 exclusive?
03-05-10 | 05:56 PM
#234
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: FFXIII no longer a PS3 exclusive?
Man, this just reminds me of how much I would hate to be a reviewer. You have to invest so much time into these rpg reviews, and then you still get no respect because people think you were bought out, and/or only focus on the grade, not the content of the review itself. I mean, what happens if the game doesn't get good after 15 hours, he'd still have to finish it, right? And before a deadline no less.
03-05-10 | 05:57 PM
#235
DVD Talk Hero
Re: FFXIII no longer a PS3 exclusive?
Linearity is fine by me as long as the story is involving. I just hope the dialog doesn't grate on my nerves too badly.
03-05-10 | 05:59 PM
#236
DVD Talk Gold Edition
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From: Osaka, Japan
Re: FFXIII no longer a PS3 exclusive?
The truth is, reviewers often don't finish games. At least, more and more reviews and ex-reviewers seem to be fessing up to that these days. And forget about any multiplayer portion of the game, which they probably reviewed based on a 3 hour controlled demo at the studio.
03-05-10 | 06:01 PM
#237
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: FFXIII no longer a PS3 exclusive?
The truth is, reviewers often don't finish games. At least, more and more reviews and ex-reviewers seem to be fessing up to that these days. And forget about any multiplayer portion of the game, which they probably reviewed based on a 3 hour controlled demo at the studio.
03-05-10 | 06:04 PM
#238
DVD Talk Gold Edition
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From: Osaka, Japan
Re: FFXIII no longer a PS3 exclusive?
Well, whether it's worth going through 20 hours of shit to get to the gold nuggets within varies from player to player. So, the review is still valid in most cases I guess.
03-05-10 | 06:19 PM
#239
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Re: FFXIII no longer a PS3 exclusive?
A few days ago this was a Day 1 purchase for me but now I'm having second thoughts after reading/watching all the reviews. I don't mind a game being a linear to some extent. I know that in previous FF games you were guided by the hand the first several hours while they introduced you to the story and characters before giving you freedom to move about the game world and progress the story on your own. I just don't like the idea of half the game being like this. I may get bored within those first 15 hours and never make it to the part where the game supposedly gets good. This might be the first FF game ever that I don't pick up on release....I may hold off until later.
03-05-10 | 07:12 PM
#240
DVD Talk Hero
Re: FFXIII no longer a PS3 exclusive?
It doesn't bother me. If anything, the wife is a huge FF fan, and is looking forward to it more than I am. As I said before, if the game blows, I'll just get rid of it. It'd be a small price to pay since Amazon is giving away a $10 voucher as well.
03-05-10 | 11:44 PM
#241
DVD Talk Hero
Re: FFXIII no longer a PS3 exclusive?
I don't have a problem with linearity, but with the fact that the story and characters seem really lame and that gameplay looks uninteresting and tedious.
03-06-10 | 01:16 AM
#243
DVD Talk Hero
Re: FFXIII no longer a PS3 exclusive?
This was going to be a day one purchase for me as well as I love the series, but the reviews have made me hold off. I'll wait for the price to come down and work on whittling down my pile of shame for now.
03-06-10 | 01:26 AM
#244
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: FFXIII no longer a PS3 exclusive?
For me, even my least favorite game in the series (X) was still somewhat enjoyable, so I'm in for this regardless of some mixed reviews and complaints. Overall the reviews are still generally favorable.
03-06-10 | 02:07 AM
#245
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Re: FFXIII no longer a PS3 exclusive?
03-06-10 | 02:54 AM
#247
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: FFXIII no longer a PS3 exclusive?
Thanks to the reviews I think i'm going to hold off as well. I'll watch my GF play for a bit before I decide if it's worth a purchase.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't have 15-20 hours to waste before the game "gets good" as most reviews have already pointed out.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't have 15-20 hours to waste before the game "gets good" as most reviews have already pointed out.
03-06-10 | 09:30 AM
#249
DVD Talk Godfather & 2020 TOTY Winner
Re: FFXIII no longer a PS3 exclusive?
I cancelled my preorder as well. I thought long and hard about it, because it would only cost me $37, but in the end, with Mass Effect 2, MAG, Bioshock 2 and Assassin's Creed 2 (!) all still unopened, and with God Of War 3 a mere week away, I don't have the time to sink into a game like that. I wish I had more unimpeded access to my video game consoles, but apparently my 46 inch high def LCD TV is primarily a device that enables my wife to watch The Real Housewives of Orange County. 
03-06-10 | 10:02 AM
#250
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: FFXIII no longer a PS3 exclusive?
I cancelled my preorder as well. I thought long and hard about it, because it would only cost me $37, but in the end, with Mass Effect 2, MAG, Bioshock 2 and Assassin's Creed 2 (!) all still unopened, and with God Of War 3 a mere week away, I don't have the time to sink into a game like that. I wish I had more unimpeded access to my video game consoles, but apparently my 46 inch high def LCD TV is primarily a device that enables my wife to watch The Real Housewives of Orange County.