[29/01] Final Fantasy XIII-2 Reviews Roundup

[Ohri-Jin]

My opinion doesnt mean anything unless you make it so. Kudos to you Cid for your honesty. Which guide did you order. There are two. I cant fathom the reason you would though, but hey to each his choice.

What if FXIII-2 is a succes? Its pretty much a succes right now tbh and I dont think that it deserves that position.

This will increase the chance of a FXIII-3 and will freeking die inside if that happens.
From day 1 I wanted VERSUS that is all im interested in.

You guys keep supporting this FFXIII universe which is just mediocre and nothing special imo.

Even if you forget all the older FF titles or even the brand Final Fantasy! what game would FFXIII and -2 be?

I bet just an ordinary mediocre rpg.

 

[C i d]

Rofl
The regular edition actually.

Yeah. To each his own.

 

[Gingerbread Lesbian]

I forbid anyone to mention Uncharted in the same sentence as Call of Duty or Final Fantasy. The Uncharted series is by far the best current franchise Sony owns and arguably the best franchise of any console this gen. Call of Duty gets progressively worse every game to the point Modern Warfare 3 is simply a copy/paste job of Modern Warfare 2 with additions and Japanese games in general just tend to be complete shite which goes without saying considering the best JRPG out in a long time is on the Wii which is a casual/family 'console' anyway.

Regarding actual trailers and demos it's a given that they are made to form an opinion but opinions are not created equal. People who actually play the game from start to finish and do everything possible have a far more respectable opinion than those who just 'watch' the gameplay. That in itself is a simple fact, just sayin'.

Praising Final Fantasy XIII-2 is no worse than praising Versus XIII which I can pretty much guarantee will be no better than any other game and forgotten within a month. It stills baffles me that people are like "OMFG VERSUS XIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" when what little has been shown of gameplay looks just as mediocre as Final Fantasy XIII AND Final Fantasy XIII-2 and the 'dramatic' trailers well... do their job of being dramatic, like any trailer is meant to be.

It's all a matter of opinion anyway, reading a single review and basing a rating off that one review is just ignorant but when you get a good 10-15 averaging around the same score then it's probably safe to say any game deserves that score. People praised Final Fantasy XII's 'battle' system, personally I thought it was the most boring thing I've ever experienced in my life other than it's shit attempt at a 'political story' and still remains one of the the worst games I've ever played. Simply an opinion. :dave:

 

[Linnaete]

Y'know, even if they do decide to churn out a FFXIII-3, I'd have long stopped caring, let alone getting into any sort of position to "die" if it happens, considering it's pretty much a given at this point. Square-Enix have made poor decisions after another this generation - and so many in fact, that nothing surprises you or disappoints you anymore. In fact, they've been so bad at their decision making this generation, the acquisition of Eidos saved their arses. To those who would want to see a FFXIII trilogy, let them be, and let them enjoy it. The rest of us can simply move along and enjoy the things we do enjoy playing.

I will have to be very honest here. Either it is because I have been exposed to more sophisticated methods of western storytelling and/or I have gotten older since, but is JRPG storytelling even that good to me anymore? Yes, not just Final Fantasy - I'm on about the genre now. It's come a time when I look back and see the games in a new light. Stories that I otherwise found to be exemplary standards of video game storytelling there could be now no longer appears to be what they were. At worst, I find the JRPG style of storytelling to be largely juvenile, despite being juxtaposed with all sorts of philosophy that is largely contrived. I've noticed this particularly the most when I looked at some of FFXIII-2's really hammy dialogue and the general story synopsis. So nowadays, it's hard to say that I am buying a Final Fantasy for the excellent story.

It's all a matter of opinion anyway, people praised Final Fantasy XII's 'battle' system. Personally I thought it was the most boring thing I've ever experienced in my life other than it's shit attempt at a 'political story'. :dave:

Well, at least the "shit" story isn't some anime-like juvenile piece of writing that virtually insults your intelligence and actually doesn't bother with some poorly executed love story crap. It was actually a breath of fresh air.

 

[Martel]

You dont have to be a professional to look at something impartially. But no one will ever convince you of that considering the words you speak. Im done. Have fun wasting your time hating a game that you'll never play.

Well, considering this is you saying this, when your sole reason for posting in these threads 80% of the time seems to be to call me out on a point I've made just because you don't like it...no, I don't think I'll ever believe that. Not of you, at least~

Until next time, then. Y'know, I've really missed your company

I didn't only spend 60 dollars on both Japanese and English versions. I preordered them. That makes me four times of 'more than a retard' then.

You said it, not me

Regarding actual trailers and demos it's a given that they are made to form an opinion but opinions are not created equal. People who actually play the game from start to finish and do everything possible have a far more respectable opinion than those who just 'watch' the gameplay. That in itself is a simple fact, just sayin'.

Opinions are neither equal nor unequal. They're just opinions. That's like saying that someone who has jumped in front of a bus and has reached the opinion that jumping in front of a bus is a bad idea has a more respectable opinion than someone who hasn't jumped in front of a bus and has reached the exact same conclusion.

...alright, that was an extreme example, but then hyperbole always seem to get the point across much better. It's the same principal. It would be utterly moronic to play a game you don't like just to reach a more "respectable" opinion, as if that sort of thing actually made your view suddenly more valid, when in reality it does nothing of the sort.

In my case, I guarantee if I were to actually buy the game and do that, I'd still get called a filthy liar and worse by certain individuals on this forum. xD

It's all a matter of opinion anyway, reading a single review and basing a rating off that one review is just ignorant but when you get a good 10-15 averaging around the same score then it's probably safe to say any game deserves that score.

Popular mainstream series get high scores from the media regardless of how good or bad they are, riding on the coattails of past triumphs and, in the case of Final Fantasy these days, little else. There is an expectation for them to be good, so the media upholds that expectation by giving them an unwarranted high score, maintaining the illusion that nothing is wrong, and that things are just as good as they've always been. In reality, media reviews mean absolutely fuck all anymore; they don't have a single shred of objectivity in them. You only have to look at Famitsu to see that.

It's obvious they're all going to go the same way with scoring a game, because if any of them give a game a low score they get bashed for it even harder than I do for criticising them. The outcry from fans if their precious games get low "official" scores is horrendous. Criticism isn't allowed unless everyone agrees to it these days. How anyone can take media reviews seriously is beyond me; you can practically predict the score based on the amount of advertising, trailers and magazine coverage they get. Gameplay doesn't even factor into the scoring anymore. It's all a pile of pretentious bullshit.

God, I've missed the news section.

 

[Starships]

People praised Final Fantasy XII's 'battle' system, personally I thought it was the most boring thing I've ever experienced in my life other than it's shit attempt at a 'political story' and still remains one of the the worst games I've ever played. Simply an opinion.

Agree with this. XII just didn't feel that great and felt extremely flat and dull. Though some people like it, everybody is different. But yeah, didn't fancy FF12 at all and would put it on a worst games ever list.

Also agree with you about FF13VS. The only praise I've heard that makes FF13VS good is because the main character looks badass. That's just a shallow reason to praise a game. It's been in development hell for ages, and don't see how it's looking to be one of the best Final Fantasy games ever created, just because the main guy looks cool.

Well, at least the "shit" story isn't some anime-like juvenile piece of writing that virtually insults your intelligence and actually doesn't bother with some poorly executed love story crap. It was actually a breath of fresh air.

You're being rather mean towards Gingerbread, because Gingerbread said that the comments on Final Fantasy 12 were just a opinion, and you're tackling somebody's opinion. All Gingerbread said was the thoughts on Final Fantasy 12 were simply a opinion.

Also this makes no sense. Final Fantasy 12 is good because it doesn't have a anime- juvenile writing and doesn't have a love story ?

So Final Fantasy IV, VI, VII, VIII, IX and X .... you dislike them all ? In fact, you hate all of the Final Fantasy games ? Because you've just insulted them all. All of them expect FF XII don't have a political plot and most of them have a love story.

 

[Gingerbread Lesbian]

Opinions are neither equal nor unequal. They're just opinions. That's like saying that someone who has jumped in front of a bus and has reached the opinion that jumping in front of a bus is a bad idea has a more respectable opinion than someone who hasn't jumped in front of a bus and has reached the exact same conclusion.

...alright, that was an extreme example, but then hyperbole always seem to get the point across much better.

Not only extreme, but misses the point. Not jumping in front of a bus to understand it is a bad idea would require nothing more than logical reasoning and some common sense that anyone who is willing to throw him or herself under a bus would lack. It is a given fact that should someone throw themselves in front of a bus that serious injury if not death would be an almost certainty. Opinions can't disprove facts. If opinions are neither equal or unequal then it would be impossible to ever move forwards in society; it would always be a stalemate. To put across my own extreme argument, for example, I believe rape is disgusting, another person may not. But a person who has been raped has more of a valid and respectable opinion on the matter than I having experienced it first hand. Less extreme, I study Law therefore my opinion on legal matters is more valid than someone who has not. My girlfriend studies Medicine, I do not — she has a more valid opinion on medical matters than I. Rightly or wrongly, someone who has experienced something first hand has a more valid opinion than someone who has not. Those who have not played Final Fantasy XIII-2 and hate it has opinions equally as valid as those who have not played it and love it. Those who have played Final Fantasy XIII-2 and hate/love it has greater valid opinions still than those who have not.

Just because I'm not wasting my time playing the shit doesn't mean my opinion is any less valid or respectable than someone who has, regardless of how people perceive it. I don't need to waste my life playing something I already know I'm going to dislike to come to the same conclusion. I've got better things to waste my life on.

See above.

Popular mainstream series get high scores from the media regardless of how good or bad they are, riding on the coattails of past triumphs and, in the case of Final Fantasy these days, little else. There is an expectation for them to be good, so the media upholds that expectation by giving them an unwarranted high score, maintaining the illusion that nothing is wrong, and that things are just as good as they've always been. In reality, media reviews mean absolutely fuck all anymore; they don't have a single shred of objectivity in them. You only have to look at Famitsu to see that.

Which is due to a flawed review system rather than the reviewers for the most part. It is impossible to hold an entirely objective opinion especially in regard to sequels given that its natural to prefer one or the other [certainly impossible to be objective concerning the story] which is complicated if another reviewer handles the prequel and the latter reviewer prefers the sequel it means they are almost forced to give the game a higher score for the sequel. You can't score a game lower than its predecessor if the successor is deemed to be better. If Final Fantasy XIII was mistakenly given a 10 then if the sequel is thought to be better then it must also be given a 10 even if the reviewer only feels it is an 7. Most people are naive to the fact a game scoring 10 in 1997 is not the equivalent of a 10 in 2012, the standards are raised multiple times over as the years go by and they have to also be reviewed in comparison to the standard of other titles released within a the same year or two otherwise it becomes stupidly inconsistent. Famitsu is an exception in that it has been proven that reviews have had financial dealings in advertising the games they have reviewed: see, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. It's all about reading between the lines with review sites.

It's obvious they're all going to go the same way with scoring a game, because if any of them give a game a low score they get bashed for it even harder than I do for criticising them. The outcry from fans if their precious games get low "official" scores is horrendous. Criticism isn't allowed unless everyone agrees to it these days. How anyone can take media reviews seriously is beyond me; you can practically predict the score based on the amount of advertising, trailers and magazine coverage they get. Gameplay doesn't even factor into the scoring anymore. It's all a pile of pretentious bullshit.

That's because it's only ever the hardcore fans that are seen, if a game gets a low review score then all the haters crawl out of the woodwork and throw a fit, you won't see the people who agree because of that simple fact - they agree. Why bother debating over something you already agree with? Fans are fickle, I've seen plenty of 'fan reviews' ranting over titles before they're released praising the game as the best ever only to completely u-turn when they find out it's not what it was cracked up to be.

 

[Bones]

At the end of it all, not everyone can be pleased by this release, there are gonna be people that take a look at the trailer and automatically dismiss it because it "looks" crap. There are going to be people that are not sure what to think and will sit on the fence until the smallest bit of gameplay or demo comes around, they'll give it a go, and then base their opinion. And then there are the fans that are just hyped about a new FF game and will pre-order it, play it and then rate it. (That's me.)

Everybody is different.

We all know XIII could have been better, it was too linear yadayada, but they listened to the complaints they recieved and tried to do something about it.

However I think the problem with SE now is that they are stretching themselves a little too far, they did deal with the linearity complaint but now there is this weak story issue, they try and overcompensate so much for one thing that they forget to do another. And because of this they are not living up to what is expected from them because of their past success.

I played a demo back at the Eurogamer expo, and I loved it, I found it more challenging than XIII's gameplay, especially fighting Atlas as a whole. I've kinda spoilt the main ending for myself, and the fact I say "main" is a little disappointing considering the fact there are 9 endings. But I won't get into that.

Anyway it's not going to stop me from playing the game when it comes through my letterbox on Friday.

 

[Martel]

Ugh, I take it back, I hate the news section

Not only extreme, but misses the point. Not jumping in front of a bus to understand it is a bad idea would require nothing more than logical reasoning and some common sense that anyone who is willing to throw him or herself under a bus would lack. It is a given fact that should someone throw themselves in front of a bus that serious injury if not death would be an almost certainty. Opinions can't disprove facts. If opinions are neither equal or unequal then it would be impossible to ever move forwards in society; it would always be a stalemate. To put across my own extreme argument, for example, I believe rape is disgusting, another person may not. But a person who has been raped has more of a valid and respectable opinion on the matter than I having experienced it first hand. Less extreme, I study Law therefore my opinion on legal matters is more valid than someone who has not. My girlfriend studies Medicine, I do not — she has a more valid opinion on medical matters than I. Rightly or wrongly, someone who has experienced something first hand has a more valid opinion than someone who has not. Those who have not played Final Fantasy XIII-2 and hate it has opinions equally as valid as those who have not played it and love it. Those who have played Final Fantasy XIII-2 and hate/love it has greater valid opinions still than those who have not.

Hardly. The same logic can easily apply to something like this: if you haven't enjoyed the first one, the chances of you enjoying the second are slim, especially given how little sequels change when compared to the originals: after all, they wouldn't really be sequels if they weren't based on the original game in some way. That's just common sense. That might not be enough for some, but it is enough for others, and there is nothing to say that either side has any more grounds for their thinking. There are no "facts" about things like this, only opinions shared by a vocal majority. Just because a lot of people believe something - so, in this case, that some people have more valid opinions than others, for whatever reason - that does not automatically make it a fact. Commonly held opinion is not fact, no matter how much people want to think it is. It's always going to be a stalemate when you boil it right down like this, because of that element of subjectivity, unless you perceive it to be something else, and even then it's going to be subjective to someone else. I don't share your opinion on this, but that does not make me wrong, and it does not make you right. Or vice versa. Thinking otherwise doesn't make it so...unfortunately.

The opinion of those who have chosen not to play the game because they have decided they dislike it is no less valid than those who have played it; they carry exactly the same weight unless you, as an individual, choose to give them more weight, based on your own standards. Those who have played it might have MORE to base their opinion on, I will give you that, but more does not equal a greater validity, at least not for me. It just means they needed or had more of it before they reached their opinion. You can just as easily say that those who form their judgements quickly and without needing all this data have more valid opinions than those that don't, because they have judged something intuitively, and first impressions arguably carry more weight than anything else. Others might think they've jumped the gun. Both sides have equally valid points, which side you are more inclined to believe depends solely on your own personal standards.

Ultimately opinions only carry any more or less weight if you like to think they do, and what you think does not equate to fact just because others think the same way. You think opinions are more valid with more data. I don't think that is the case. An opinion is just an opinion, no matter what you base it on. If you don't like it, ignore it. But don't preach commonly held opinions as facts.

which is complicated if another reviewer handles the prequel and the latter reviewer prefers the sequel it means they are almost forced to give the game a higher score for the sequel. You can't score a game lower than its predecessor if the successor is deemed to be better. If Final Fantasy XIII was mistakenly given a 10 then if the sequel is thought to be better then it must also be given a 10 even if the reviewer only feels it is an 7. Most people are naive to the fact a game scoring 10 in 1997 is not the equivalent of a 10 in 2012, the standards are raised multiple times over as the years go by and they have to also be reviewed in comparison to the standard of other titles released within a the same year or two otherwise it becomes stupidly inconsistent. Famitsu is an exception in that it has been proven that reviews have had financial dealings in advertising the games they have reviewed: see, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. It's all about reading between the lines with review sites.

It is indeed impossible to hold an entirely objective opinion, but you would expect to see some variety if the pretense of objectivity is going to be held. This is not so with the media today: it's either all high or all low, with maybe a single point or two in the score difference. Whether this is due to the reviewers or the system, I will admit I am not entirely sure; it's difficult to measure such a thing. But standards have not been raised over the years, and that is precisely the problem: you have only to look at the reception Ocarina of Time on the 3DS - an eleven year old game - received to see that. That video games from 11 years prior can be judged using the same scoring system shows that the scoring system has not changed in the slightest. The ONLY standard that has changed is the standard people expect of visuals. Flawed review system, yes, but also a flawed way of thinking about things.

I'll agree that reviews are best used reading between the lines, though: taking them to the letter is extremely foolish. But when they are the primary indicator for many about what they should be, both the system and the writers need to change.

 

[Linnaete]

You're being rather mean towards Gingerbread, because Gingerbread said that the comments on Final Fantasy 12 were just a opinion, and you're tackling somebody's opinion. All Gingerbread said was the thoughts on Final Fantasy 12 were simply a opinion.

I am aware that it was an opinion, because at the end of the day, nothing is objective here. I'm just responding to an opinion with an opinion. We're all free to discuss, scrutinise and challenge other people's opinions, just as long as we do it in a civil manner, which is one of the characteristics of a place like this. Yes, perhaps the tone I used was a little uncalled for in retrospect, I acknowledge that.

Also this makes no sense. Final Fantasy 12 is good because it doesn't have a anime- juvenile writing and doesn't have a love story ?

I didn't necessarily imply that. I just said it's a breath of fresh air. In terms of story, it's inferior to entries like FFVI yes, but FFXII's narrative style was remarkably different enough to be a pleasant welcome, and I feel that this is a justifiable reason to defend it. And yes, I'm not actually a fan of the love stories in the series, though Tidus and Yuna aren't too bad, but that's just me.

So Final Fantasy IV, VI, VII, VIII, IX and X .... you dislike them all ? In fact, you hate all of the Final Fantasy games ? Because you've just insulted them all. All of them expect FF XII don't have a political plot and most of them have a love story.

Incorrect. As a matter of fact, I enjoyed FFVI and FFIX the most of them, and they still rank up there as some of my favourite games ever, so that's far from the case. I can still insult the genre for certain aspects, but it doesn't necessarily mean I have to end up automatically hating every Final Fantasy of a sudden, else I wouldn't bother being part of this community. I just don't see their stories as being the best exemplary pieces of video game storytelling anymore. No, they don't all need to be just like FFXII and have elements of political mischief going on, and I wouldn't want that to be the norm. Does that make them bad games in my opinion? Not at all. You may totally disagree with me, and my logic may still seem odd, but in the end, different strokes.

------------------------

Anyway, I am heavily digressing here, as this doesn't relate to the review scores of FFXIII-2. It's a good thing that reviews aren't supposed to be taken at face value, with this debate going on. They're only worth a quick glance over, often they're quite predictable with what they come out with, and ultimately, what's the big deal? Ultimately, you're the judge, not some random dude who has only ever played Call of Duty in his life and has suddenly been drafted in to try out a Japanese RPG or something. We may as well complain about the standards of news journalism now.

 

[Shu]

Calm it down a bit. I don't think anyone is disrespecting anyone quite yet. It sounds like from reading ya'll are just trying to define what a good opinion is an a bad opinion is.. etc.

Everyone is entitled to their own in a sense. Olivia makes good points, Martel does as well, Ryan does as well.. etc..

Here's what my opinion is, and ya'll are welcome to scrutinize it.

FF genre has been falling in the toilet since SE merged period. I wouldn't be surprised if Activision buys the franchise out, just to get their grubby little hands on something that remains popular in the Japanese community.

FFXIII as an artistic view, was the most beautiful work of art thus far. As a game though, it was very lacking as far as player control. I feel that anything I pick up, has to be used for a specific purpose and that the item scheme is almost completely gone. The game was far too linear and gave the player no creativity in terms of how to play the game. You could level up weapons, but what's the point when you've already beaten the game and fulfilled over half the marks. It's like telling the community.. well this game is a casual game, and a hardcore game all in one. It just didn't work.

Then to do a spinoff which is supposed to have an even weaker story than before.. and I guarantee more linear style of play, I feel eventually it will be like Dirge of Cerberus. All these action RPG elements seem to be throwing off the chemistry from the old FF games and the gamers that played them. No more turn based style, and more rushed combat that will either be 75% automated with the AI and no summon utilities for the most part.

I just started playing FFIV for the first time, the last FF I played was FFXIII. I feel that when I compare and contrast the two, FFXIII is not even an FF title. So to keep on with the FFXIII-2 title, is almost an insult to me.

The story line was fully involved in FFIV, the characters had their specific roles, the combat system was set in stone as a turn based. The difficulty was difficult at times, due to the unexpected spell casting of monsters. The Global map was there to run around on and there were "ships" involved! Each character had their unique ability whether they be a spell caster, or a straight up melee brawler (Monk, Dark knight etc). Also the typical crystal theme that FF was so heavily adored for was there too.

They gave each person an importance.. whereas when you played FFXIII it was:

1) Story line was back and forth focusing on Serah/Snow/Lightning
2) Story line was back and forth focusing on Hope's Mom/Snow/Hope
3) Story line was back and forth focusing on Lu'Ci/Fal'Ci x Lightning/Fang/Vanilla
4) Difficulty was non existent.
5) Overall a glorified FMV of a game wasting 30% of the game on cinematics and Huge

I liked how they involved the characters personally, but the story in itself didn't get good until around chapter 11.

I just don't see how this game could achieve a spinoff right away. Is that just the typical thing going forward now? Is there going to be a FFXIIIVersus2? Dear god I hope not, even though I really want to play versus still. This game didn't deserve one.. it's just another map pack or expansion to me, though to pay a full $60.00 bucks? Nah.. just like Fall out new vegas, I'll wait till the prices drop to $15.00-$20.00 on Amazon, four months after the release .

 

[Abstract Debauchery]

You know what this thread looks like? It kind of looks like the news threads back when FFXIII was released and I was bashing it and saying the same exact things about how awful it was going to be and people said that I hadn't played it so my opinion didn't matter.

Then months later, more than half of them agreed with me.

Nothing to see here: move along.

 

[Gingerbread Lesbian]

Hardly. The same logic can easily apply to something like this: if you haven't enjoyed the first one, the chances of you enjoying the second are slim, especially given how little sequels change when compared to the originals: after all, they wouldn't really be sequels if they weren't based on the original game in some way. That's just common sense.

However, even by judging from the demo alone Final Fantasy XIII-2 is significantly different from Final Fantasy XIII. It has even been noted in reviews that in terms of gameplay and story they've basically swapped quality so you can't judge Final Fantasy XIII-2's gameplay based on Final Fantasy XIII.

That might not be enough for some, but it is enough for others, and there is nothing to say that either side has any more grounds for their thinking.

And unlikely for most. I could more or less guarantee the majority would side with a person who has first hand experience of something over someone who makes an opinion based on secondary sources.

There are no "facts" about things like this, only opinions shared by a vocal majority. Just because a lot of people believe something - so, in this case, that some people have more valid opinions than others, for whatever reason - that does not automatically make it a fact.

It terms of games, arguably correct. But if 99 people gave Final Fantasy XIII-2 a 9/10 and a single person gave the game 3/10, then people WILL side with the majority because it's more than likely the minority have personal issues with the game rather than it being 'bad'. If the minority-majority is switched then it is likely that the game is bad. Majority opinions have been and will continue to be treated as the most valid opinions by most. There will always be individuals who disagree, but the majority is correct more often than not.

Commonly held opinion is not fact, no matter how much people want to think it is.

In terms of games, correct; it can never be 'fact'. But like I've previously stated, the majority is more often correct and thus majority opinion will almost always be treated as more valid. In every day life, incorrect. Rape is wrong. Fact. Murder is wrong. Fact. They've both commonly held opinion but they are fact.

The opinion of those who have chosen not to play the game because they have decided they dislike it is no less valid than those who have played it; they carry exactly the same weight unless you, as an individual, choose to give them more weight, based on your own standards. Those who have played it might have MORE to base their opinion on, I will give you that, but more does not equal a greater validity, at least not for me. It just means they needed or had more of it before they reached their opinion. You can just as easily say that those who form their judgements quickly and without needing all this data have more valid opinions than those that don't, because they have judged something intuitively, and first impressions arguably carry more weight than anything else. Others might think they've jumped the gun. Both sides have equally valid points, which side you are more inclined to believe depends solely on your own personal standards.

Making an opinion on nothing more than secondary sources will never hold significant weight to an opinion by any standards when compared to primary sources (ie, first hand experience), gaming is no different. More data gives an opinion more weight. I fail to see how someone who has never had first hand experience ever has an equally valid opinion as someone who has, the end result may or not be agreed upon by the majority but those who spend hours grinding through a game certainly have a more valid opinion than those who don't.

An opinion is just an opinion, no matter what you base it on. If you don't like it, ignore it. But don't preach commonly held opinions as facts.

In certain situations, no they're not. In other situations, commonly held opinions are facts.

This is not so with the media today: it's either all high or all low, with maybe a single point or two in the score difference.

Media in general is biased, correct. But that is where people have to stop being so naive and must research both sides, those who are biased in the media are doing so because it's deliberate and much of it is due to funding. Certain papers for example are biased towards certain political parties because it is in their best interest, not simply because of their own opinion.

you have only to look at the reception Ocarina of Time on the 3DS - an eleven year old game - received to see that. That video games from 11 years prior can be judged using the same scoring system shows that the scoring system has not changed in the slightest.

Most remakes/remasters reviews are often focused largely against the original, in a number of reviews, not only for OOT there are numerous references to the original title. An AAA title will always be regarded as an AAA title, in terms of quality, yes the bar has raised - the main problem is that you cannot simply downgrade a score of a game released 10 years simply because todays standards have raised, with the exception of JRPGs which have gone downhill considerably.

Here's what my opinion is, and ya'll are welcome to scrutinize it.

There should be no reason to, personally I couldn't care less about whether someone hates or loves Final Fantasy XIII or XIII-2, my point is merely that someone who plays a game [or any situation for that matter] has greater validity having first hand experienced over someone who makes an opinion based on what they've seen or read.

 

[Kage Kazumi]

Oh, because OF COURSE you need to play something to be able to judge it properly.

Well actually it is a good idea:

Guy: I hate pizza!!

Dude: Ever try it?

Guy: No?

Dude: Then how can you not like it?

Guy: ???

Dude: Brad Pit is such a losser and probably a fag!

Guy: Every meet him?

Dude: No...

Guy: How can you hate someone you never met?

Dude: ???

Reviewer: This book sucks, I give it 1/5.

Reader: You read it?

Reviewer: I read the back cover!

Reader: So your opinion means less because you have no facts to back it up.

Reviewer: It's my opinion, duh!

Reader: But you never read it?

Reviewer: I read the back cover it's like playing a demo of a game or watching a trailer and then giving my opinion. Perhaps even like hating pizza even though I have never tried it.

Reader: So your review holds no weight?

Reviewer: Its my opinion!

Reader: But with out the fact of you reading the book, playing the game, watching the movie your opinion holds no weight.

Reviewer: ???

You can call it your opinion all you want...you can call it my opinion all you want, but without trying, doing, etc your opinion holds no weight as to the person who TRIED it and doesn't like it or does like it.

WEIGHT...it's what gives an opinion an edge!

 

[Sultan]

Not to say that review scores are worth a damn, but I find it hilarious that the IGN reviewer rated XIII an 8.9 (which is a pathetic and desperate score) and XIII-2 an 8. Either XIII-2 has an abysmally worse story than XIII (which is an achievement) or Square Enix didn't hand IGN a bigger enough paycheck. Because the hour I got out of the demo gave me far more satisfaction than the painful 40 hours I've spent indulging my curiosity playing the first one. Judging by the demo, XIII-2 has all the -basic- elements that first one should have had, putting it in a "passable" position compared to the more acclaimed titles. I will say, I was pleasantly surprised. 'course there is the story to still worry about, but dammit this one seems like an actual game.

 

[Stoic Hero]

I didn't like Final Fantasy XIII. Or, rather, I liked it, but it did not live up to my lofty expectations. Not even close.

XIII-2, from what I can tell from the demo, is much the same battle-wise. It's a lot more polished, but it's the same battle system at heart.

I think I'll pick it up. Who knows? Maybe I'll like it. If not, well, at least I can say that I tried the game.

To everyone bashing XII:
Shhhhh. We all know the discontent people feel about my favorite Final Fantasy game. I know I'm in the minority. But it gets a little tiring seeing people bashing it in threads that have absolutely nothing to do with it.

 

[ribbit]

I think everyone needs to take some calm the fuck down in here I agree with Kage Kazumi. Your opinion holds no weight if, and I quote this from Herman Cain, "I don't have the facts to back this up." Many of you had your expectations crushed when XIII came out. I played the game over a year later with low expectations and came out enjoying it more than I thought I would. Funny how that works. None of you have played the game, and some haven't even played the demo. I respect people's opinions, but when all it is is whining and complaining about something you haven't even tried, that's what it comes off as: whining and complaining. Give the game a chance. It didn't get a perfect score outside of Japan, so obviously no one is being entirely paid off. But it's all up to you. Let people play what they want to play without criticizing them for it. Not everyone shares the same tastes.

To everyone bashing XII:
Shhhhh. We all know the discontent people feel about my favorite Final Fantasy game. I know I'm in the minority. But it gets a little tiring seeing people bashing it in threads that have absolutely nothing to do with it.

I'm with you XII is truly a great game. There is no solid definition of Final Fantasy, so I don't get why so many people say it's bad or "not Final Fantasy." If that's true, then nothing past FF3 is Final Fantasy and everyone can shut up

 

[Kage Kazumi]

To everyone bashing XII:
Shhhhh. We all know the discontent people feel about my favorite Final Fantasy game. I know I'm in the minority. But it gets a little tiring seeing people bashing it in threads that have absolutely nothing to do with it.

I don't see the big issue with it. People say it plays like an online game, but they must be playing some crappy online games. Every online game I have played (to name a few WoW and Linage II) the battle system is really nothing like FF12's.

Some Fan Boys/Girls are just picky!

ON TOPIC

I plan on trying FFXIII-2 before I make any judgement. I played the demo, but any one with a half a brain knows you can't get a true feel of the game untill the actual game.

 

[Artemisia]

From what I can see, it's going to be a repeat of X-2: great gameplay, weak storyline. I would not reverse that, it's no good having a great story with poor gameplay, but I doubt it will fall into my top ten FF's. I think I'll wait for the price to drop or wait for someone who hated it to drop it in the second-hand bin.