Hard Dungeons Vs Optional Bosses

[DarkClaymore]

From what I have seen from playing FFI-FFIII and FFVII-FFXII, it seems as the type of challenge in the FFs have changed.

In FFI - FFIII the challenge is the hard dungeons which usually can't be completed in the first attemp (unless you overlevel of course). And you need to plan how you complete the dungeon (even though usually it just mean to level up or buy better equipment/skills).

In the FFS since FFVII (don't know about FFIV-FFVI, maybe it have started back then), the dungeons were no longer challenging and could be simply completed without much training. But instead of that, those FFs have very strong optional bosses which much stronger than the final boss.


So what do you think is a better challenge? The hard dungeons or the hard optional bosses?


I personally prefer the hard dungeons. I play RPG games mainly in order to enjoy the plot. Which means once I have finished the main plot, I consider the game as ~Done~. I never actually bother fighting any of those optional bosses as I know that they'll be harder than the boss which I want to defeat: The Final Boss.
Hard dungeons on the other hand are unavoidable. I won't be able to complete the game's plot unless I'll be able to reach the final dungeon.
So as they force me to spend more time on the game , I like them better then the optional bosses.

 

[Gingerbread Lesbian]

Hard dungeons. Optional bosses are hard but half the time it's because you spend forever battling them whereas, with dungeons you're just constantly attacked by wave after wave of monsters so trying to get out of a dungeon or through one can be an pain >.>

 

[Davey Gaga]

I'm not sure which I prefer but I can certainly say for the record that I despise a combination of the two: optional bosses at the end of a long, hard dungeon. To add insult to injury, it's disgusting when you have to travel back the way you came without an easier way out.

Thinking about it, I despise longer dungeons (FF1 flashback) than the optional bosses. I never feel any kind of accomplishment after reaching the end of a cave but I always feel a bit of relief after seeing a massive monster start to crumble after several gruelling hours of grief.

 

[Robbiedbee]

Optional bosses can be great, but the problem with them is that they can be many, many times more powerful than the final boss(es). Emerald, Ruby and about a dozen or more bosses from FFX are good examples of this. Having them there is nice, but they don't dovetail nicely into the natural progression of the game like Bahamut in FFIV.

 

[.Tifa]

Optional Boss ?

Was going to say the really hard dungeon, but then remembered the really long and torture like dungeons that were in Final Fantasy II and really felt like they almost murder the enjoyment out of the Final Fantasy and with optional bosses you have a choice on whether or not you want to face the extreme challenge or just skip the boss and head straight towards the end of the game. Just think that it sets the balance more between Final Fantasy players really looking for a more hardcore challenge, and those who are bit newbie and just learning how to battle/ the game controls etc..
=]

 

[Gondor Reficul]

Optional Bosses.


There are just some dungeons I cannot stand, but I almost always have a blast fighting optional bosses, even if I get completely annihilated by them. Personal favorite has to be Doomgaze from FFVI, seeing as how half the challenge is just finding him, and I love messing around in the airship.

 

[stinger]

Optional bosses annoy me purely because they are often many times stronger than the final boss of the game. It doesn't make for a very enjoyable end to the game because if you choose to fight them you are generally way over-levelled for the final boss making it seem like much less of an achievement once it's done as you knock the final boss over in a very short space of time with little or no challenge.

I try to avoid facing optional bosses in my first run through the game for this reason and then take them on in later plays where I am less worried about the challenge presented by the regular final bosses.

 

[Bambi]

I don't like them both paired ¬¬

The Henne mines to get to Zodiark is evil, infact getting to afew of the optional bosses in XII had nasty dungeons to go through before you got there, although, Zodiark aside, there was often a save point before hand..... thers NOTHING worse than going through a dungeon, taking HOURS, then spending AGES on a boss only to DIE *kicks Zodiark* So I suppose as frustrating as that is, a combination of both would be the most challenging. I dont think Ive ever gone through a hard dungeon and not had to fight anything at the end anyway

I'd have to say that hard dungeons irritate me more though, if you die, you tend to lose more hard work than simply resetting and attempting a hard boss again, soooo Id probbaly lean more toward the hard dungeons, I hate them with a fi rey passion

The amount of times I've fled liek a big girls blouse

 

[Saga]

I prefer doing harder dungeons. I find them more challenging AND more rewarding upon completion. Though, most of the harder, optional dungeons in games always has something hard waiting at the end, as kelly pointed out. For example, The Great Crystal had Ultima and Henne Mines has Zodiark.

However. I find that hard dungeons make you think more. A boss you can easily look up a guide. Sure, you could do the same for a hard dungeon, but if it has tough enemies, everyone's experience is going to be different as battles are random.

Via Infinito, FFX-2. It was long, it had hard enemies (Elder Drakes and Master Tonberries most noticeably) and bosses every twenty floors. These bosses could also appear in random battles near the end. This made the dungeon frustrating but at the same time, you felt so accomplished when you finally made it to the end, beat the final bosses of the dungeon and got the Iron Duke. Which is so worth going through all that turmoil.

So yeah. XD Harder Dungeons are more challenging. I hope they bring them back in upcoming titles like they did FFXII.

 

[Khadaj]

Spike be of the wise...Henne mines coupled with Zodiark sucked I enjoy both though, I like a nice, long, OPTIONAL challenge Though when you get something so awesomely, well, awesome at the end, it kinda sucks the only thing you have to use it on is the last boss of the game, which you could like 2 shot without it

But all the same, optional dungeons and hidden bosses are both good in my book, just as long as they're HARD. Games are getting a touch easy these days

 

[Summoner Yuna]

Definitely optional bosses. I hate large and tedious dungeons with a passion. Optional bosses on the other hand, give all the challenge of a hard dungeon and then some without most of the annoyances. It's a way to test your party against the ultimate enemy. I loved the monster arena in FFX and the hunts in FFXII. Beating Nemesis and Yiazmat were grueling experiences but they never felt boring. Plus, I like combat in RPGs more than exploring and getting lost, so optional bosses suit me better.

I always beat optional bosses in my games, mainly because I feel that I get the most out of the game. I beat the game's ultimate challenge and that makes me feel like I got everything I could out of the game.

 

[Rydia]

I personally prefer optional bosses because hard dungeons can get a little tedius. Espeically when they are in the third person view and pretty much a maze. I'd rather just go and find the super hard optional boss, figure out the strategy, beat him and call it a day.

 

[Martel]

Optional bosses...hard dungeons are usually extremely long and tedious. I'd much rather go in, have a good fight, then go out again, instead of spending hours upon hours wandering around getting lost until I'm eventually overwhelmed by the enemies because I run out of potions or whatever.

Of course, something like the Wandering Dungeon from Star Ocean 4 would be best...it combines the two elements beautifully into one lengthly, challenging, controller-throwingly aggravating post-game event. Insanely powerful boss one floor, awkward dungeon floor filled with killer enemies on the next one. Harder and harder as you go down further and further. Lovely~