Topic: Final Fantasy VII, IX, X, X-2 and XII - Now with 80% more FF VIII

@Magician The system starts off being pretty restrictive, but it really opens up over the course of the game. By mid-to-late game, you're able to program all sorts of complex strategies and approaches for your characters.

@FullbringIchigo
There’s no music bug in FFX on Switch. Not sure about X1 but I know the Switch is fine. FFVII and FFIX had a music bug, the same one PS4 has. But the one that was patched out of X on PS4 was also not present in the Switch version.

Also, in SE defense, they at least only made that game exclusive for a time, and for something in return. Companies like Sega frustrate me much more than Square Enix. They consistently release games exclusively on PS4 without even considering Switch or Xbox One, and only reluctantly PC when they have to (Resonance of Fate, Persona and all the Dancing Spinoffs, Yakuza, Sakura Wars, Shenmue 3, etc etc). Switch software sales are surpassing Xbox and even rivaling (sometimes exceeding) PS and PC, yet they insist on letting their game directors dictate terms of which platforms they develop for (which is only ever PS, PS, PS, every now and then PC, unless it’s a smaller game, then they might do a few token multiplatform releases- Shenmue Collection for example, and even despite the series topping the list of their Ages survey, a Switch version is now where to be found). And it’s even driving their business in the ground (by their own admission now) and they still do it. I was shocked when they made their recent statement about addressing their financial woes by making their future games “on every platform”. Which of course, is only a last resort because they’re forced to.

That kinda nonsense drives me nuts.

@FullbringIchigo
(Reading about the reasons behind FF VIII)
Aw, too bad.
FF VIII on Steam wasn't good enough as PS1 version.
SquareEnix didn't bring the PS1 quality songs / sounds for Steam version, instead they bring the horrible MIDI arrangements from PC version.
Well, i guess we have no choice but consider FF VIII PS1 version if we want Classic Final Fantasy in physical.

@Anti-Matter the original releases are always more valuable anyway.

Finally got my copy of X/X-2 from Play-Asia. Great package, but I'm yet to start it as I have just begun playing XII. I like that game so far, though the battle system felt a bit weird at first. I'm more used to the traditional turn based systems or the combo battles à la Xenoblade. But I guess combos might be introduced later?

Got back to town after Palace & doing shopping....

@JaxonH I recall you were advertising one of the FF games in particular for newcomers; one that aged well to today's standards. You know which one I'm talking about? I may try one shortly if I like what I see.

@JaxonH thing is with Shenmue 3 SEGA ain't actually doing it, they licensed it out to Ys Net to develop and Deep Silver to publish so they don't control what system it ends up on but as for the first 2 those are released by SEGA so i have no idea why they ain't on Switch it's not like it can't play them they are just old Dreamcast games after all

as for the Yakuza games i'm pretty sure Sony actually help with the localisation of that with their Third Party Localisation team, i know at least Yakuza 5 was done this way, plus you have to remember that SEGA's main market for many of these games is Japan and the XBOX is a failure over there

i'm not defending them because i too believe that people should have a chance to play these games regardless of what console they have but there are reasons why those particular games are like that unlike with games like Tomb Raider where it's just done for money but your right it's frustrating and a pain in the backside

as for the bug in FFVII there was a bug where a certain event wouldn't happen that would break the game, this was known for years but Square still released it AGAIN with the same bug, THAT is inexcusable

but i was sure they said FFX still had the music bug, guess i was wrong on that one

@Anti-Matter that's why i don't get rid of my old consoles, i can still play all the games i love then

@toiletduck
I believe FFX is the best one to start with.

Both FFX and FFXII are modern enough you dont have to be a retro nut or diehard fan to enjoy, yet old enough they're still amazing classics.

But FFXII is different and while excellent (playing now, its great) it's just so different and the combat system is weird... so FFX edges it out. Plus FFX was the last FF game and only "modern" entry from Sakaguchi.

Its 100% turn based, has a battle system anyone can pick up and understand immediately, and its honestly the finest turn based battle system of any game I've played. Truly the pinnacle of the genre. Story is... fantastic. Epic post-game content. It's the perfect turn based game.

That's my recommendation. Once you whittle away the super dated entries, the extremely modern ones, and the MMOs, it's really a choice between X and XII, and those would be my top 2 choices, but X first because it's just so flawless and iconic and masters the turn based JRPG once and for all.

@toiletduck i agree with what @JaxonH said, FFX's battle system was so good even EA copied it for Lord of the Rings The Third Age (by the way that too is a really good RPG and well worth a go if you still have a PS2)

but in all honesty the selection of classic FF games on switch probably represent the bast of the franchise, barring VI of course (which you can get on the SNES mini anyway)

Alright alright, the dopamine hits are coming often here. It's getting to the point where I regret having not played FFXII sooner. Now, I love the 16-bit Final Fantasy games, and the MMOs are their own sort of fun. But XII is quickly climbing the ladder in regards to how I personally rank the FF games. FFIV > FFVI > FFXIII, etc etc.

@Magician there is something about having a set of perfectly laid out gambits just owning a boss isn't there?

@FullbringIchigo
Sometimes, you need to change your Gambit setup in the middle of battles due to certain conditions.
Like battle with Esper Ultima that she will change the situation every several seconds like HP loss, MP loss, Attack sealed, Magic sealed, Item sealed, Skill sealed, Ultra Slow for Heavy armor users. It was pretty tough battle. 😩

I’m really loving FFXII also. I never played the game myself. I got it on PS4 2 years ago, but never played it. Always said they should bring FFX and FFXII to Switch, so I was genuinely shocked when they announced exactly that.

It’s got a much different style of storytelling, but I’m loving it. I was really getting into the game last night as Im finally starting out, buying licenses and spells and leveling up, etc.

At first, the freedom of class choice was killing me, and I just couldn’t make up my mind what to choose. But then I finally let go and decided to stop trying to find the “right” choices and just go with the flow. Said screw it, I’m making Penelope a white mage and that’s that. I don’t care if she can already do Cure. It felt like the burden of making the wrong choice was lifted immediately.

Darn it! My delivery estimate was changed to Monday. I'm simply dying to re-experience FFXII.

They go in sales quite often on PSN & Switch eshop has plenty of those, so they're likely to do so.... Meanwhile, I just got Ashe

@JaxonH try making those choices on the PS4 version where it's permanent (because Square in their infinite wisdom wont be updating it with the Job Change System and Extra Gambit slots)

you have to put a LOT more thought into it then

@King-X the physical version of FFXII on PS4 is £20 on Amazon right now (so is FFX) another reason Physical is my preferred choice at least the game prices go down

@King-X yeah i'm thinking of uploading some to YouTube too, but i wanna finish the story first (again)

but it's taking a while because i keep jumping between FFVII, IX, X, XII, XIII and Type-0

i made all my Thumbnails already though