This game tries so hard at open world exploration and fails miserably

[ZaXo Ken'Ichi]

i guess you can get that way when you have played games that were made to be played just about every day for the last 10 years

I'm afraid I have no clue what you're trying to say here.

plenty of times i have only been holding down the dodge button and standing still or even just walking and been hit

I haven't.

because this is an unacceptable presentation (especially considering this game was first announced like a decade ago as Versus FFXIII but is two steps back from any Kingdom Hearts title) and the lack of effort put into delivering a quality product is very clear despite being sold at a quality price. It's obvious much of the game was rushed.

The only Kingdom Hearts titles that even come close to the quality of XV are the first two, and they're completely broken unless you play on Proud or Critical mode. It's also not obvious the game was rushed. Based on which sections of the game struggle the most, it's clear that the problem was that it had two directors. Nomura is terrible at storytelling, and has huge issues making things mechanically balanced. And you can tell which sections of the game have the most of his fingerprints all over them. It was a struggle between making a sensible game, and making a Nomura game; that damaged it overall. However, I wouldn't even get close to saying that it has a lack of effort.

if the effort in presentation of major titles is going down, then the price tags need to go down - not up. this isn't a spinoff, it's not a gameboy title, this is a main series title of an established franchise. It's representative of your brand and all your company has to offer.

I would agree (although value is subjective)... if the effort was actually going down. But it's not. Also, games are already generally rather cheap. Or would you prefer going back to the late 80's, where some basic platformers that were utterly broken and only lasted an hour could cost you $80... in 80's money?

If I had to vent my biggest gripes, they are as follows:

-you spend 80 hours holding L1 despite the fact dodge has more mood swings than my ex
-ignis and prompto constantly need to be babysat
- "secret dungeons" that are more like "secret anthills" than postgame content
-fuckin invisible walls everywhere
-I never found a controller configuration that felt comfortable or worked for me. I've had a lot of trouble activating armiger and armiger chains and admittedly it is difficult to ever find a comfortable point to dodge roll. It's the 20th century - remapping keys should be an option if you are going to make them this awkward.
-camera as stated
-navigating lock on is harder than watching my mates trying to score at the bar sometimes
-super long load times

If you spent the whole game holding the dodge button, then you're doing it wrong. That's not the game's problem, because again, it guides you toward the correct direction in the tutorial. Not to mention normal action conventions would tell you otherwise anyway.

Didn't have a problem with Ignis or Prompto.

Haven't gotten to any secret dungeons yet (I don't think) so I can't comment.

Most invisible walls here are warranted, some are not.

I found that controller configuration 3 works just fine. I agree that remapping controls should always be an option, but I can't level that against this game specifically when 99/100 games don't allow you the freedom to remap everything either. Hell, most J-RPGs don't allow you to remap anything.

Armiger is a bit difficult to initiate, mostly because it uses the same exact (rather silly) button combination as permanent lock-on does. For me, that's L1+R1. But since R1 is the map, trying to permanently lock on or use the Armiger more often than not ends up in me entering the map over and over again.

As said before, the lock-on is genuinely an issue. However, switching targets (assuming that's what you mean by 'navigating') is super simple. Left and right on the right stick switches targets to the next closest in that direction, just like in Dark Souls. That's actually a fantastic lock-on solution. The only thing that causes issue is the amount of enemies often present, and their speed. It makes using the target switching effectively, more difficult than in Souls. But as I said before, the lock-on function is nearly always inferior to fighting without it, so that's somewhat a moot point. Worth criticizing for sure because it wasn't implemented correctly. But once you know it, it's kind of your fault if you continue to let it get in your way.

I can't necessarily comment on the load times. They'll be different between the PS4, the PS4 Pro on Lite Mode, the PS4 on High Mode, and the Xbox One. I'm using a Pro on Lite Mode. Pro already tends to have slightly shorter load times, even on games that don't have Pro support (most likely due to the added GB of RAM used exclusively for background tasks, meaning more of the GDDR5 can be used for other tasks). And since I don't have to deal with the slightly longer draw distances/LoD, and higher res shadows, etc., it probably loads less in Lite Mode than High Mode. My average load time is about 3-15 seconds, with the ultra rare longer ones never lasting more than 30 seconds. That's about par for the course in my experience for most modern titles. Some like Witcher 3, Elder Scrolls, or Just Cause are significantly worse, with ones like GTA V being about the same. But again, that's just with my setup; it could be far worse on any of the others. I don't know.

 

[Shu]

I think the original message is a little misleading because you mentioned that "open exploration" in the title, but then mention something different in the body. I get a different picture than that. I think what you are asking for is a fully interact-able environment such as a first person shooter like Battle Field 1. This is where you can basically blast through walls, jump up on whatever you want, grapple whatever you want and whatever else I might add.

Game design itself is hard enough without adding those types of physics into the game. My friend has the same gripe about not just FFXV but MMOs as well where imaginary walls pop up when you can literally see that you should be able to jump over a little pebble.

Those are called game mechanic standards though, most if not all third person Single player RPGs lack this unless designed like an FPS (Mass Effect). I know what you are getting at and I think SE will not spend any time in this, so it's not the game's issue in my opinion. I don't think it would be a good idea, it would delay the entire production of the newest FF games, due to they would now have a new standard to set. Also us jaded gamers would tear it apart by the time they put it out. FPS's do it far better, so let them have it. Honestly SE should focus on enhancing story lines and putting more detail and depth into back stories than focusing on this.

Think of the evolution of Final Fantasy. First you had the top down, 2D turn based game, where literally you were limited to menus to cast/fight like Dungeons and Dragons of Attack/Defense. Then you have a 3D aspect of the game where you are allowed more visuals but still the same Turn Based. Then you have Action Turn Based like FFXII and you have a bit more of an open world scenario, but still they put up those imaginary walls. Do you think the same people who played FFI played FFVII, and do you think the same people who played FFVII played FFXII? I would say no. There are people who did not like the ATB system application. There are people who wanted the turned based menus where the main focus was just the story. That's why there were such critical reviews when FFXII came out, because the story was not appealing to quite a few people due to they added more time to complete the ATB system.

They have been slowly inching forward with these games, but to apply First Person Shooter physic engines into an RPG would take away from their production and definitely make the game feel less Final Fantasy like in my honest opinion. People would be too focused on the feel of the game instead of the story that was told. The Role-Playing portion would be less role playing and more just walking around blasting stuff, slicing stuff, or using magic/summons/limit breaks.

When a game is too focused on physics of the game you get a different meta of gamers to come along. Mass Effect was a 3rd person shooter RPG and they specifically designed that after many others before it. Though without those 3rd person mechanics, I found the story of Shepard and his crew lacking to say the least, though that's for a different thread.

 

[L]

I'm afraid I have no clue what you're trying to say here.

It's simple. There are games out there that have been designed for continuous, daily use. FFXV is, at best, an 80 hour game. But there are games out there that a number of people have put the measure of a year, down to the second into. it can set your standards pretty high.

The only Kingdom Hearts titles that even come close to the quality of XV are the first two, and they're completely broken unless you play on Proud or Critical mode.

and still had a better combat system than FFXV

If you spent the whole game holding the dodge button, then you're doing it wrong. That's not the game's problem, because again, it guides you toward the correct direction in the tutorial. Not to mention normal action conventions would tell you otherwise anyway.

why wouldn't you? there is no reason not to hold it the whole time. Not paying attention? dodged. Trying not to get merked while you're helping your allies that are only useful for their AP? Hold dodge! Don't know where an enemy is at? Hold dodge until you find them! There is no reason not to hold it down lol

Didn't have a problem with Ignis or Prompto.

then you're probably not fighting anything tough enough lol

they may as well have not even been in the game because they are so weak but i guess i was just grasping at straws at that point because the impact they have both had as allies in my game has been minimal

Most invisible walls here are warranted, some are not.

absolutely not

there is no reason why I should not have been able to jump over that guard rail and fight those demons. there is absolutely no reason why i have to drive a mile down the road, get out of my car and walk to a stupid ass frog because i couldn't jump over another guard rail. besides, of course, bad design. You know what's even more cringeworthy than that? Walking through costlemark tower and having to pussyfoot across a ledge to get through a hole in the floor to jump down when there was a hole in the floor RIGHT IN FRONT OF THAT EXACT LEDGE that you can't jump down because #RPG. The shit is just so redundant and unnecessary >_>

Game design itself is hard enough without adding those types of physics into the game. My friend has the same gripe about not just FFXV but MMOs as well where imaginary walls pop up when you can literally see that you should be able to jump over a little pebble.

You could do it anywhere else. Anywhere else. But not here. I have seen noctis take Assassin's Creed-esque leaps of faith of off pylons. I don't care if it is one or the other as long as it is actually one or the other, not one usually and sometimes the other. That is what frustrates me. Just pick one and be done with it =\

I found that controller configuration 3 works just fine. I agree that remapping controls should always be an option, but I can't level that against this game specifically when 99/100 games don't allow you the freedom to remap everything either. Hell, most J-RPGs don't allow you to remap anything.

All Tales games do. Quite a few Final Fantasy titles as well. Not sure if it was an option in FFX, but really only wanted it in FF7 to swap O and X. Lucky for me it was an option. I tried 3, don't like it.

I want dodge on 2 buttons so I can use one for dodging and the other for rolling. I want to attack with square and roll with O. Wouldn't be a problem on a PC release because I could always use software like KeyTweak to change my keyboard's settings to my preference.

As said before, the lock-on is genuinely an issue. However, switching targets (assuming that's what you mean by 'navigating') is super simple. Left and right on the right stick switches targets to the next closest in that direction, just like in Dark Souls. That's actually a fantastic lock-on solution. The only thing that causes issue is the amount of enemies often present, and their speed. It makes using the target switching effectively, more difficult than in Souls. But as I said before, the lock-on function is nearly always inferior to fighting without it, so that's somewhat a moot point. Worth criticizing for sure because it wasn't implemented correctly. But once you know it, it's kind of your fault if you continue to let it get in your way.

if there are 5 enemies present it is incredibly difficult to target the enemy you want to focus on killing first in a timely manner.

My average load time is about 3-15 seconds, with the ultra rare longer ones never lasting more than 30 seconds. That's about par for the course in my experience for most modern titles. Some like Witcher 3, Elder Scrolls, or Just Cause are significantly worse, with ones like GTA V being about the same. But again, that's just with my setup; it could be far worse on any of the others. I don't know.

the only time i wait 20 seconds for a load screen is when i teleport to the entrance of a dungeon or to my car. in many facets it is not the biggest deal but when you are doing sidequests it is very annoying. I have had load screens that have lasted as long as 2+ minutes.

They have been slowly inching forward with these games, but to apply First Person Shooter physic engines into an RPG would take away from their production and definitely make the game feel less Final Fantasy like in my honest opinion. People would be too focused on the feel of the game instead of the story that was told. The Role-Playing portion would be less role playing and more just walking around blasting stuff, slicing stuff, or using magic/summons/limit breaks.

come now

Birth by Sleep, Devil May Cry, Kingdoms of Amalur, Fable and Zelda were not FPS games. If you want to tell a good story... You need a good story. The stuff is already there. they just chose to run with these obsolete concepts here and there instead of just sticking with one or the other.

 

[Shu]

Birth by Sleep, Devil May Cry, Kingdoms of Amalur, Fable and Zelda were not FPS games. If you want to tell a good story... You need a good story. The stuff is already there. they just chose to run with these obsolete concepts here and there instead of just sticking with one or the other.

Yes, but at any point in those games do you have a party of 4? To my knowledge Fable, Zelda and Devil May Cry do not. I can't speak for the others.

Aka physics with more than one character with "Clipping" is easier than no clipping with more than one character.

 

[ZaXo Ken'Ichi]

It's simple. There are games out there that have been designed for continuous, daily use. FFXV is, at best, an 80 hour game. But there are games out there that a number of people have put the measure of a year, down to the second into. it can set your standards pretty high.

I still don't exactly get what that has to do with anything. Some games (like Destiny) are designed to retain players for extreme amounts of time. Others aren't, like Final Fantasy XV. So... spending lots of time on one of the former types of games... means people get absorbed into the hype train of games like XV?

I wasn't defending people who did jump on the hype train. They ruin games. But I certainly was not one of those people. My expectations of XV were firmly grounded in the things they showed us in an expansive form. I knew I wouldn't be able to have complete control over the Regalia. I knew that we likely would primarily be doing fetch quests as side content. I knew that combat would mostly rely on pre-battle strategy and in-battle positioning, rather than complex combo chaining. I knew that stats were extremely likely to dictate success rather than skill (much to my dismay). So I set my expectations accordingly, and allowed the development team to make the game they wanted to make. Hype is when you place undue expectations on a product. I was not hyped; I was excited... and a bit worried, but that's mostly because most action games where stats dictate success (rather than skill) are balancing nightmares that never work effectively. XV seems to have skirted around that problem well enough that those worries weren't ever realized in any way other than that it's a bit too simple to accidentally make the game really easy. Hence why the update coming on the 22nd is adding the ability to play without gaining experience.

Bottom line; being positive about a game that has some issues is not 'riding the hype train'. Expecting what the game never promised you is riding the hype train. Sounds more like you were the one drinking the Kool-Aid

Again though, I don't have any clue what any of what you're alluding to has to do with hype. I don't know who or what you're talking about, so this response may be completely off base/off topic.

and still had a better combat system than FFXV

If we're talking KH2, I might agree. The others certainly don't. Regardless, the games aren't trying to achieve the same thing with their combat, so which one is better means little. That's like comparing Lords of the Fallen to Devil May Cry; doesn't make sense.

why wouldn't you? there is no reason not to hold it the whole time. Not paying attention? dodged. Trying not to get merked while you're helping your allies that are only useful for their AP? Hold dodge! Don't know where an enemy is at? Hold dodge until you find them! There is no reason not to hold it down lol

You ask that, and yet you complain that it doesn't work for you half of the time. You know what that tells me? You're not using it the way it was intended. If you're holding it all the time, you're expecting it to dodge everything all the time. And then when it doesn't -because of a multitude of intentional restrictions, like being unable to dodge when in un-cancel-able animations as the most common example- you blame the game. Doesn't make much sense to me... Again, I don't hold the button the whole time, and I never have a problem with dodges not coming out when they should.

By holding dodge the whole time, you're also missing out on things like Blinks, which can cancel some un-cancel-able animations, and also gives you special benefits when you do it while wielding shields. Then there's the post-damage Blink ability (don't remember what it's called) which negates damage if you press the dodge button as soon as you get hit... can't do that if you're always holding the button. Beyond even that, certain moves can't be parried if you're already holding the dodge button. You complain about these systems, and yet you don't even understand how they work.

then you're probably not fighting anything tough enough lol

they may as well have not even been in the game because they are so weak but i guess i was just grasping at straws at that point because the impact they have both had as allies in my game has been minimal

Spoiler

Really? Level 71 (the others were level 69), against Naglfar who's level 120. Spent a total of three Phoenix Downs... one on Ignis, and two on Gladio.

As I've said several times already... your problems are not everyone's problems. If I can have so few issues with these party members without breaking the game or exploiting anything in any way, you're doing it wrong. Sounds to me like you're refusing to be strategic, and then blaming the game for the fact that you just want to brute force everything. Git gud

absolutely not

there is no reason why I should not have been able to jump over that guard rail and fight those demons. there is absolutely no reason why i have to drive a mile down the road, get out of my car and walk to a stupid ass frog because i couldn't jump over another guard rail. besides, of course, bad design. You know what's even more cringeworthy than that? Walking through costlemark tower and having to pussyfoot across a ledge to get through a hole in the floor to jump down when there was a hole in the floor RIGHT IN FRONT OF THAT EXACT LEDGE that you can't jump down because #RPG. The shit is just so redundant and unnecessary >_>

You don't know the definition of the word 'most', do you? The problem is that you want to deal in absolutes, so you cherry pick some really bad examples, and then try to make blanket statements with those examples. The reality? There are thousands upon thousands of invisible walls in this game; some are 'justified' with giant mountains or fences or whatever, and some are not. But the vast majority of them have no real impact on the experience... hence using the word most.

All Tales games do. Quite a few Final Fantasy titles as well. Not sure if it was an option in FFX, but really only wanted it in FF7 to swap O and X. Lucky for me it was an option. I tried 3, don't like it.

I want dodge on 2 buttons so I can use one for dodging and the other for rolling. I want to attack with square and roll with O. Wouldn't be a problem on a PC release because I could always use software like KeyTweak to change my keyboard's settings to my preference.

What you or I want matters little. The player conforms to the game and it's rules, not the other way around. That's how video games work. That's how board games work. That's how sports work. That's how games work. I should not expect CoD to do things like Arma does, nor should I expect XV to play like Bloodborne... as much as I would love that. So if they don't allow me to remap the controls, I get over it, because remap-able controls are the exception on consoles, not the rule. As for other Final Fantasy games allowing you to remap buttons... the vast majority of them don't. And even still, it's not the same when the buttons are almost exclusively used for sifting through menues and dialogue. Again, since it's largely independent from the game's design most of the time, I don't see any reason for most games to not allow the controls to be completely remapped. But I'm not going to cry about it, since completely remap-able controls are not the norm unfortunately.

Of course there are exceptions where a game's controls are ingrained in the experience, like Katamari Damacy. That game would not be the same if you could remap the controls. Heck, it's not even the same if you use a different controller layout. The Xbox stick layout legitimately damages the kinaesthetics of that series. And there are other examples of things like that as well. Playing MGS 2 or 3 is torture on the Xbox 360, because the original PS2 release used the pressure sensitivity of the face buttons for its core design. 360 doesn't have pressure sensitive face buttons... it's only pressure sensitive buttons are the triggers. It doesn't work well because of this. As of now, absolutely no control scheme but the one used on PS2 and PS3 (which also has pressure sensitive face buttons) works properly for those games, because no other controllers accommodate it's design.

Then there's the difference between keyboard and analogue controls as another example. While a mouse affords more precise aiming, using an analog stick actually affords more precise movement, because no games on PC support pressure sensitive keyboard inputs. So movement with WASD is digital, and therefore much less precise. See how complicated even just controller input can get for designers sometimes? This is exactly why I feel you're asking too much and being unfair. This game has real problems, so let's focus on those to improve the future titles, instead of sending mixed messages and diverting their goals. The more time they spend on superfluous stuff like adding a true swimming mechanic, the less time they have for the stuff we all loved about the series in the first place.

if there are 5 enemies present it is incredibly difficult to target the enemy you want to focus on killing first in a timely manner.

I never found it difficult if I wasn't locking on. A little finicky. But then again, that's actually the beauty of the fact that they have a temp-lock button. You can tap that when on the target you want to fight, and initiate combat before letting go, ensuring you start going after the enemy you want to go after. As long as you don't stop attacking (or the camera doesn't have a seizure) you'll nearly always keep targeting the same enemy. It's really no different from learning when you should use lock on and when you shouldn't in Dark Souls... damn, Dark Souls is such an amazing example of great design, lol.

the only time i wait 20 seconds for a load screen is when i teleport to the entrance of a dungeon or to my car. in many facets it is not the biggest deal but when you are doing sidequests it is very annoying. I have had load screens that have lasted as long as 2+ minutes.

That's unfortunate. I really hope they patch that then, because that's unacceptable. My longest loading screens only occur when I'm teleporting far enough that it has to completely reload all of the environmental assets (like say when going from somewhere in Duscae to Hammerhead, since one is a forest and one is a desert).

 

[L]

I still don't exactly get what that has to do with anything.

that i have higher standards from playing games that were meant to be played by millions of people every day

they may have their balance issues but at least the games run right

If we're talking KH2, I might agree. The others certainly don't. Regardless, the games aren't trying to achieve the same thing with their combat, so which one is better means little. That's like comparing Lords of the Fallen to Devil May Cry; doesn't make sense.

But Devil May Cry (at least the newest one) and Kingdom Hearts, at a basic level, both embody the same kind of battle system as FFXV. And are all better at it.

What you or I want matters little. The player conforms to the game and it's rules, not the other way around.

and when it is released on PC it will not be a problem for PC players because even if you can't change your button configuration in the menu you can change it through your controller's software or your computer's operating system. What I want matters a lot as far as very basic options go - those games don't just come off the shelf for free.

You ask that, and yet you complain that it doesn't work for you half of the time. You know what that tells me? You're not using it the way it was intended. If you're holding it all the time, you're expecting it to dodge everything all the time. And then when it doesn't -because of a multitude of intentional restrictions, like being unable to dodge when in un-cancel-able animations as the most common example- you blame the game. Doesn't make much sense to me... Again, I don't hold the button the whole time, and I never have a problem with dodges not coming out when they should.

There is literally no reason not to hold it the entire time. And it doesn't even function mid dodge lol

if you get ganged up on by a group of magitek assassins you are going to get hit if you just sit there and hold dodge which completely defeats the purpose of the button. It's surprising how quickly dodge wears off but how long it takes to gain it. I remember being frustrated in Episode Duscae because I thought you were supposed to anticipate attacks and hit dodge at the right time. I was dumbfounded when I realized all I had to do was hold down dodge.

I also never used magic because it was never explained as a system. I have only now started using it in the vault dungeons as there are enemies who are immune to all damage but magic damage which absolutely has to be magic damage and not from a fire or ice sword but actual magic. There is no consistency in the design of this game. Thank fuck for the Ring of Lucii (death and holy can kill Custard and Dolce Flan monsters if/when you run into them)

You don't know the definition of the word 'most', do you? The problem is that you want to deal in absolutes, so you cherry pick some really bad examples, and then try to make blanket statements with those examples. The reality? There are thousands upon thousands of invisible walls in this game; some are 'justified' with giant mountains or fences or whatever, and some are not. But the vast majority of them have no real impact on the experience... hence using the word most.

well invisible walls preventing exploration from where there is no content was never a topic of discussion

I never found it difficult if I wasn't locking on. A little finicky. But then again, that's actually the beauty of the fact that they have a temp-lock button. You can tap that when on the target you want to fight, and initiate combat before letting go, ensuring you start going after the enemy you want to go after. As long as you don't stop attacking (or the camera doesn't have a seizure) you'll nearly always keep targeting the same enemy. It's really no different from learning when you should use lock on and when you shouldn't in Dark Souls... damn, Dark Souls is such an amazing example of great design, lol.

its pretty broken when thrown into a room with a galvanade + other enemies. its noticeable beforehand but enemies of the like really highlight its poor quality.

like if i need to target this now, i need to target it NOW. RIGHT NOW. Not 3 seconds from now. Does a pretty bad job.

Yes, but at any point in those games do you have a party of 4? To my knowledge Fable, Zelda and Devil May Cry do not. I can't speak for the others.

Aka physics with more than one character with "Clipping" is easier than no clipping with more than one character.

just another reason games should stop handicapping development with useless AI allies. But even then, they are like lost dogs. They will find their way back to you no matter what.

 

[ZaXo Ken'Ichi]

But Devil May Cry (at least the newest one) and Kingdom Hearts, at a basic level, both embody the same kind of battle system as FFXV. And are all better at it.

But they simply don't, not really. There is an absolutely enormous difference between an action combat system designed around combos, and one that isn't, like XV. It's about as different as comparing XV's combat to Monster Hunter; they may seem similar in many surface level ways, but the basis for them couldn't be more different within the genre.

and when it is released on PC it will not be a problem for PC players because even if you can't change your button configuration in the menu you can change it through your controller's software or your computer's operating system. What I want matters a lot as far as very basic options go - those games don't just come off the shelf for free.

Wait, I just realized, I don't think that's a valid point anyway, because both the PS4 and the Xbox have options in the OS to completely remap the buttons.

There is literally no reason not to hold it the entire time. And it doesn't even function mid dodge lol

if you get ganged up on by a group of magitek assassins you are going to get hit if you just sit there and hold dodge which completely defeats the purpose of the button. It's surprising how quickly dodge wears off but how long it takes to gain it. I remember being frustrated in Episode Duscae because I thought you were supposed to anticipate attacks and hit dodge at the right time. I was dumbfounded when I realized all I had to do was hold down dodge.

Again, you're just completely wrong, but I already explained why. It's not the game's problem if you choose to try and actively defy it's mechanics. Games have rules, and if you're not willing to play by them, it's your problem if you continually get ganked. If I try to play Gran Turismo like Need For Speed, it's my fault that I hold the gas down the whole time and still try taking corners without hitting walls. I can't simply say "But there's no reason not to hold the gas down; it makes the car go faster, and that's the whole point. So when I'm coming up to a tight 90 degree turn at 130mph and I don't let go of the gas, I expect the car to take the turn.". That makes absolutely no sense. They intentionally built in recovery frames, and un-cancel-able animations, etc. to balance the dodge out, so that it's not a 'hold to win' button. Whether it was like that in Episode Duscae or not is irrelevant. It has restrictions now that are designed to balance it as a mechanic, and if you're not willing to recognize them and play around them, that's your problem. You are literally complaining that the game's dodge mechanic doesn't dumb down combat, and instead asks you to use it intelligently.

I also never used magic because it was never explained as a system. I have only now started using it in the vault dungeons as there are enemies who are immune to all damage but magic damage which absolutely has to be magic damage and not from a fire or ice sword but actual magic. There is no consistency in the design of this game. Thank fuck for the Ring of Lucii (death and holy can kill Custard and Dolce Flan monsters if/when you run into them)

The tutorial explains everything you need to know about magic, including how to craft it. As a system it was completely explained. Magic is separate from physical. Magic comes in three elements. You can absorb it and craft spells with it; the more you put into a spell, the more powerful it is. Adding items when creating spells can create new effects. Using spells requires a cooldown period, and friendly fire is always on. All explained in the tutorial, and it's all you need to know. The only thing it doesn't outright explain, is exactly what the conversion from Potency to actual power is. That's partially because it also depends on your Magic stat. But it's pretty simple really. The higher the numbers, the more powerful the spell.

well invisible walls preventing exploration from where there is no content was never a topic of discussion

Irrelevant. You have repeatedly criticized invisible walls as a whole as obsolete, poor design. You have repeatedly used blanket statements condemning their use in total. So I will defend them (where deserved) as a tool in the belt of developers. You've given several fair examples of issues. But the problem is that you're using those examples as a way to ignore all of the properly used invisible walls, and condemn the practice as a whole within XV. So I will defend the practice as a whole within XV, because most of the walls are used in fair and logical places.

its pretty broken when thrown into a room with a galvanade + other enemies. its noticeable beforehand but enemies of the like really highlight its poor quality.

like if i need to target this now, i need to target it NOW. RIGHT NOW. Not 3 seconds from now. Does a pretty bad job.

If you can point me to a game that -barring camera issues- does it much better with large groups of enemies that are just as chaotic and fast as they can be in XV, I would be delighted. Because all of the examples I can think of that use a similar lock-on style usually have less enemies in any one encounter, or -more commonly- have extremely dumb, slow fodder enemies that are easy to corral as their primary enemy types. That drastically changes how well the lock-on will work in certain circumstances. It makes an argument for slower, dumber enemies in XV I suppose, but I doubt anyone wants that because there is no combo system or anything else in place to keep the interest curve up to the same level without said smarter/faster enemies.

 

[L]

But they simply don't, not really. There is an absolutely enormous difference between an action combat system designed around combos, and one that isn't, like XV. It's about as different as comparing XV's combat to Monster Hunter; they may seem similar in many surface level ways, but the basis for them couldn't be more different within the genre.

its the same in concept... the goal is to kill the boss and not get hit enough to die. you play all of them the same.

Wait, I just realized, I don't think that's a valid point anyway, because both the PS4 and the Xbox have options in the OS to completely remap the buttons.

of course it is. for PC players, they can make Armiger a 1 button macro and clean up this mess with relative ease. I had no idea this was an option for the PS4, but I probably don't have to look far to tell it is very unsophisticated - not that I wouldn't welcome a great feature.

I can't simply say "But there's no reason not to hold the gas down; it makes the car go faster, and that's the whole point. So when I'm coming up to a tight 90 degree turn at 130mph and I don't let go of the gas, I expect the car to take the turn.". That makes absolutely no sense. They intentionally built in recovery frames, and un-cancel-able animations, etc. to balance the dodge out, so that it's not a 'hold to win' button. Whether it was like that in Episode Duscae or not is irrelevant. It has restrictions now that are designed to balance it as a mechanic, and if you're not willing to recognize them and play around them, that's your problem. You are literally complaining that the game's dodge mechanic doesn't dumb down combat, and instead asks you to use it intelligently.

Well no shit sherlock :dave: you can't just slam the throttle in and expect to take a sharp turn at 140MPH @6k RPM in a 2400lb car without flipping it or wrapping your car around a guard rail in real life. That's just common sense. A dodge button is a little less complicated than driving a car.

you hold it down, it dodges. when it wants to. If it works differently in the actual release then you'd think such an integral part of the system with such a temper mental feature would have been explained in great detail. we all played the tutorial while we waited for the game to install. does it drop to chance after holding it down for so long? I mean ffs you get hit for your whole health bar in this game when a dinosaur just turns the fuck around XD

this games combat is a complete trainwreck lol

but whatever i got my plat trophy and i've completed everything in the game so i dont really care. it obviously wasn't important enough to look into

The tutorial explains everything you need to know about magic, including how to craft it.

still, no quick footnote or anything?

not that you really ever NEEDED it though I guess

Irrelevant.

is what this part of your post is

If you can point me to a game that -barring camera issues- does it much better with large groups of enemies that are just as chaotic and fast as they can be in XV, I would be delighted. Because all of the examples I can think of that use a similar lock-on style usually have less enemies in any one encounter, or -more commonly- have extremely dumb, slow fodder enemies that are easy to corral as their primary enemy types. That drastically changes how well the lock-on will work in certain circumstances. It makes an argument for slower, dumber enemies in XV I suppose, but I doubt anyone wants that because there is no combo system or anything else in place to keep the interest curve up to the same level without said smarter/faster enemies.

Well a lot of games have more variety in their attacks than 13 sword mode, slash, fireball and flips which combat their need for a very reliable lock on soooooooo

the game just could have been so much better =\

 

[L]

yep... remapping keys effects the whole system, you can't make it game-specific and you can't assign multiple buttons (i.e, L1 + R1 or L1 to O and L1 to L2)

 

[rowe]

You know, the game pulls off the "open world' aspect well enough. Sure, I would've absolutely loved to explore every inch of Eos, but that would entail much more development time. (Which is both good and bad in its own right, I suppose.) But hey, there's still plenty to see and do, and I'm not complaining about what's already there. This isn't a huge, open world MMO, where one should expect much more to the world.

Given that, I still wish the damned Regalia Type-F could land anywhere flat (and not just "roads"), or even fly between the land masses! But that's a non-issue. Haha.

 

[AuronX]

Let's keep it cool guys, no need to take out your grievances with the game's systems on other members. And L, there is an edit button beneath your posts—please use it if you have more to add.

To be honest, I feel like FFXV should have been a 2017 game. There are so many good ideas here and so many of them made great strides in a fairly short amount of time (10 year development period notwithstanding). But it is definitely still rough around the edges. IMO the open world segments are some of the best the game has to offer—certainly better than the trainwreck second half that feels like something went catastrophically wrong among the dev team. Whether or not the earlier half qualifies as open world I don't much care, it was fun for what it offered and I don't need it to fit one term or another to enjoy it. Buggy as heck, but still quite a lot of fun and a good foundation for future games to iterate on.

 

[ZaXo Ken'Ichi]

its the same in concept... the goal is to kill the boss and not get hit enough to die. you play all of them the same.

You can literally boil half of gaming down to that. Mario... the goal is to kill the boss and not get hit enough to die. Zelda... the goal is to kill the boss and not get hit enough to die. Dark Souls, previous Final Fantasy games, Street Fighter, Twisted Metal, Metroid, etc. The point is, that is not a fair enough description to say "Yup, these games are similar enough to directly compare." Portal is 90% FPS mechanically when it comes to basic control, and yet it would be absolutely foolish to compare it to any other FPS. The goals of the mechanics are entirely different, as are the mechanics that surround the basic control.

Well no shit sherlock :dave: you can't just slam the throttle in and expect to take a sharp turn at 140MPH @6k RPM in a 2400lb car without flipping it or wrapping your car around a guard rail in real life. That's just common sense. A dodge button is a little less complicated than driving a car.

you hold it down, it dodges. when it wants to. If it works differently in the actual release then you'd think such an integral part of the system with such a temper mental feature would have been explained in great detail. we all played the tutorial while we waited for the game to install. does it drop to chance after holding it down for so long? I mean ffs you get hit for your whole health bar in this game when a dinosaur just turns the fuck around XD

Trying to go all 'car guy' on me? You don't wanna do that I might surprise you. Regardless, the point of that example was to illustrate how just because I get an idea from previous experience in one game, doesn't mean it's another game's fault if I expect that idea to work there and it doesn't. This has nothing to do with real cars, and everything to do with expectational baggage brought on by experience. XV should not be expected to conform to your preconceived ideas about how the dodge should work, based on your experience with Episode Duscae, any more than Gran Turismo should be expected to conform to my preconcieved ideas about how handling should work, based on my experience with Need for Speed. The game has rules all it's own.

Why? Why do they need to explain it in great detail? Does Kingdom Hearts 2 explain the details of how the invincibility frames of the dodge roll is handled? Does it explain how Revenge Values for bosses work when you combo them, or exactly which attacks Reflect can block or reflect? Does Dark Souls explain hyper armor, or weight VS fall damage, shield size VS stamina damage? Does Sonic explain the limitations of it's momentum based physics systems? All of these things were intentionally put into the game with specific, built in freedoms and limitations. And all of these things go unexplained. Instead the game trusts that you'll grow to understand the mechanics. If KH2 can explain next to none of its underlying mechanics and systems, and yet you feel it plays great, why is XV worthy of criticism when it does the exact same thing; when 99% of games do the exact same thing.

Like I said, the dodge mechanics are pretty clear if you just pay a bit of attention. No, the success chance of a dodge does not drop as you continue to hold it down. You can indeed dodge infinitely by holding the button, unless certain criteria are met that prevent it. These criteria include -as I've said before- things like not having enough time to finish the recovery of the previous dodge, Noctis being in the middle of an attack or other animation that can't be canceled, or specific properties of certain enemy attacks, usually AoE attacks. Then laid on top of this system are ones that allow you to counter these criteria in multiple ways. Blinks allow you to cancel animations that you normally can't cancel. Post damage blinking allows you to negate the damage you would've taken (which itself might have other system set on top for how much damage can be negated, and what attacks it works on). Parries allow you to both avoid damage and counter, if instead of holding the button, you time your press correctly. And systems above that tell you how big the parry window is, and check whether certain animations you're currently in allow for parry to be activated. And this is par for the course when it comes to game systems design. Again... game design is complicated. But all of this can be felt out by just paying attention. That's how great games work, is they give you a basis of knowledge, and let you grow naturally from there. Most of the games you've praised so far here do exactly that.

Also, from my experience, I've found that most people didn't play the tutorial, particularly the people who played any one of (or all three of) the demos. They felt that gave them enough knowledge that they could figure out the rest on their own. Not a terrible assessment, but that still doesn't mean it's the game's fault if one doesn't understand mechanics because they ignored the tutorial.

this games combat is a complete trainwreck lol

Not really, but I'm not dumb enough that I can't realize such a statement is just meant to troll.

still, no quick footnote or anything?

not that you really ever NEEDED it though I guess

About what?

Well a lot of games have more variety in their attacks than 13 sword mode, slash, fireball and flips which combat their need for a very reliable lock on soooooooo

That has nothing to do with the problem at hand. Variety has nothing to do with whether a game with similar enemy patterns/mob sizes, and similar combat styling, with a similar lock-on, does said lock-on better. I asked for examples of games that solved XV's lock on issues in a way that you believe would work well here.

 

[L]

Why? Why do they need to explain it in great detail? Does Kingdom Hearts 2 explain the details of how the invincibility frames of the dodge roll is handled? Does it explain how Revenge Values for bosses work when you combo them, or exactly which attacks Reflect can block or reflect? Does Dark Souls explain hyper armor, or weight VS fall damage, shield size VS stamina damage? Does Sonic explain the limitations of it's momentum based physics systems? All of these things were intentionally put into the game with specific, built in freedoms and limitations. And all of these things go unexplained.

because knowledge is half the battle? because it worked better in the demo? if there is some sort of fall off on the ability from over-use it should be duly noted. I was honestly surprised it didn't just drain your MP the whole time you held it down, punishing you for over-use.

If KH2 can explain next to none of its underlying mechanics and systems, and yet you feel it plays great, why is XV worthy of criticism when it does the exact same thing; when 99% of games do the exact same thing.

because dodge roll is singular in it's purpose to protect the user from damage and to avoid attacks. it doesn't just sometimes work. it always works.

Blinks allow you to cancel animations that you normally can't cancel. Post damage blinking allows you to negate the damage you would've taken (which itself might have other system set on top for how much damage can be negated, and what attacks it works on). Parries allow you to both avoid damage and counter, if instead of holding the button, you time your press correctly. And systems above that tell you how big the parry window is, and check whether certain animations you're currently in allow for parry to be activated.

If you have the talent/ability thing.

You also do not need to time parry. You just need to be holding dodge. I know that much at least.

About what?

magic

i always thought the flasks were consumed on use until i was looking at achievements i didnt have and used elemancy for the first time

That has nothing to do with the problem at hand. Variety has nothing to do with whether a game with similar enemy patterns/mob sizes, and similar combat styling, with a similar lock-on, does said lock-on better. I asked for examples of games that solved XV's lock on issues in a way that you believe would work well here.

but it does. if you have a huge AoE attack you can unleash on demand or very quickly that can be easily aimed it can move enemies out of your way forcibly, making it easier to use the game's targeting mechanism.

 

[AuronX]

You also do not need to time parry. You just need to be holding dodge.

No, the success chance of a dodge does not drop as you continue to hold it down.

Not quite true.

Dodge and parry are separate combat states, they just happen to use the same button. So if you're holding dodge when the parry icon appears, you have to let go and press it again for parry to be engaged. That's been my experience, at least.

Also, if you've been holding dodge for a while your MP has likely drained and without MP your defense abilities are severely limited.

 

[ZaXo Ken'Ichi]

because knowledge is half the battle? because it worked better in the demo? if there is some sort of fall off on the ability from over-use it should be duly noted. I was honestly surprised it didn't just drain your MP the whole time you held it down, punishing you for over-use.

Yes, knowledge is half the battle. But what you're asking for is stuff like frame data, chains of AI interaction, and other data that is literally always hidden under the hood in essentially every game outside of hardcore fighting games. Like I said, it's not necessarily 'fall off', so much as just certain systems interacting in certain ways. It's a multitude of on/off switches which overlap. I don't see how any of it is difficult to figure out if you just pay attention to when you consistently get hit. The game adequately pushes you away from the idea of just holding the dodge. Then the goal is just to pay attention to specifics and learn them just like you learn timing for enemy attacks, which enemies weapons like the Gravity Well effect, which enemies can be poisoned, which enemies have which weaknesses, etc. For example, Iron Giants have a fist pound attack, which sends out a small shockwave. If you pay attention when it hits the ground, Noctis will dodge the fist, before getting hit by the AoE of the shockwave if you're holding the dodge. Now as the player, you know that for next time. The Jabberwock actually does the same thing with it's stomp attacks.

I too was surprised that it doesn't just start draining your MP as soon as you hold down the button. But in realizing that, I knew that there was no way that the game would just allow me to get away with dodging absolutely everything by holding the button. This isn't Aqua's story in BBS, where her cartwheel is accidentally 100% invincible as long as you don't stop mashing. Giving the dodge function in XV no downside would be a super hard thing to miss, whereas making the recovery on Aqua's cartwheel too short (well... nonexistent actually) is a subtle mistake that's easy to miss.

because dodge roll is singular in it's purpose to protect the user from damage and to avoid attacks. it doesn't just sometimes work. it always works.

That's incorrect though. Dodge roll in KH2 has many of the same restrictions. It can only cancel most of Sora's other actions very, very late... some of them not at all. It has a brief recovery, so spamming it only works if you keep to the rhythm of the attacks around you. Bosses are tailor made to accommodate this, but many regular heartless encounters aren't, meaning that if you get ganged up on in the 'wrong way', and try to spam dodge, you will get hit. Point is, it doesn't always work. It works within the restrictions given to it. It's just -strangely enough- a little bit more versatile of a dodge, because it has a longer escape range, and doesn't play favorites with it's invincibility frames like many other dodges in many other games; it's like the dodge in Souls games, in that any attack can be dodged as long as all of the hit box frames of the attack land within the I-frames of the dodge.

For another example in KH2, the block command also has certain attacks (many actually) that it can't block, has an enormous recovery, and has a short startup even. It doesn't always work. And yet it too is purely designed to do nothing more than protect the user from damage and to avoid attacks. That's what makes games engaging on a strategic/skill based level, is understanding what options work in what circumstances, when they don't work, how difficult they are to use, what the payoff is, etc. The fun part is getting good at using these things effectively. That doesn't happen if, for example, the dodge just always works. BBS as Aqua is the perfect example of how that completely and utterly destroys a game. It's the obvious 'Foo Strategy' answer, and is 100% optimal, turning difficult fights into trivial time wasters.

If you have the talent/ability thing.

You also do not need to time parry. You just need to be holding dodge. I know that much at least.

That's also not completely true. There are certain attacks that cannot be parried if you've been holding it. As Auron said, dodge and parry are not one in the same. The game has some sort of criteria -most likely based on the attack coming at you- that decides which takes priority. Again, this isn't something that can just be told to the player; 90% of players wouldn't even understand it, and being thorough would require explaining it on a monster by monster basis. It's something players just have to experience and learn from. If you're holding dodge, a parry window comes up, and you don't parry, then you know that attack needs to be parried specifically; you can't hold dodge. The best solution for making this more clear that I can see, would have been if -in the Parry Practice Drill in the Tutorial- Galdio's 'Hard Parry' window had to be pressed to work, rather than held.

magic

i always thought the flasks were consumed on use until i was looking at achievements i didnt have and used elemancy for the first time

Ahh, gotcha. Yeah, they could have explained that flasks aren't consumable. Although if you experiment and use one, it's easy to realize. Not to mention, the Practice Drill in the Tutorial consumes elemental energy when you create spells (meaning you have to talk to Carbuncle to get more if you run out), but doesn't consume flasks. I feel that's pretty clear, although yes, explaining it would take but one sentence.

but it does. if you have a huge AoE attack you can unleash on demand or very quickly that can be easily aimed it can move enemies out of your way forcibly, making it easier to use the game's targeting mechanism.

That has less to do with variety, and more to do with giving the player an option specifically meant to deal with the problem. And that's not a bad example solution, although it's more of a band-aid for the problem, rather than a solution that prevents the issue in the first place. It has nothing to do with the lock-on or camera themselves.

 

[L]

So if you're holding dodge when the parry icon appears, you have to let go and press it again for parry to be engaged. That's been my experience, at least.

That's also not completely true. There are certain attacks that cannot be parried if you've been holding it.

Well I have never had to re-engage dodge to perform a parry and i have parried an attack from just about every monster i have encountered

Yes, knowledge is half the battle. But what you're asking for is stuff like frame data, chains of AI interaction, and other data that is literally always hidden under the hood in essentially every game outside of hardcore fighting games.

except your dodge doesn't just magically not work if you use it a certain number of times or too long or if ryu uses hadouken

roll in dark souls is very clear in its purpose... its a quick maneuver for you that guarantees nothing except that you will attempt to move in a direction quickly. But I don't know - maybe I sometimes let up on dodge because it's such an awkward control function. Who knows. But that just comes back to poor choice of control. Like.... you could offer users 3 awkward control schemes but not let them make their own? It's mind boggling.

 

[ZaXo Ken'Ichi]

Well firstly, I would like to thank you for having this conversation all this time It's been really interesting playing through this game while talking about these things. I think it'll make my YouTube review all the more refined.

Second thing, one rather large indicator that you aren't supposed to just hold down dodge constantly is

Spoiler

the fact that you can get an accessory that auto-dodges attacks... if the game auto-dodged all attacks just by you holding the button, it'd be a rather useless accessory.

Well I have never had to re-engage dodge to perform a parry and i have parried an attack from just about every monster i have encountered

I have had to re-engage the button to parry on a multitude of occasions. Generally it's against swifter attacks in my experience.

except your dodge doesn't just magically not work if you use it a certain number of times or too long or if ryu uses hadouken

Fighting games are actually the perfect example to use. "Magic" is literally exactly how the mechanics in fighting games appear to new players; as if sometimes things work and sometimes they don't. Spend ten minutes in SFIV's command challenges and you'll quickly realize that it has extremely strict -but also extremely obtuse- requirements for when attacks can hit, how many active frames they have, what moves can combo out of it, where hitboxes are, etc. And all of this is basically required to play the game at any level beyond 'total noob'. If you refuse to pay attention and learn these 'ins and outs', the game will continue to feel like it's 'magically' deciding things for you. But spend enough time, and you'll realize what's actually going on. Fighting games are the perfect example of how perfectly balanced and well designed mechanics can seem like magic, or seem inconsistent, unless you spend the time to learn the intricacies. Fighting games are pretty much the only genre where it works to give players the ability to see all of this data, hence why games like Skullgirls have toggles for all of this information in it's training mode. Importantly though, none of this information was required for fighting games to succeed. Players back when SFII came out would just feel it out and learn it. And they still do today. I have never done anything but play Tekken and BlazBlue; I don't use frame data or anything to help me out. I just play. And since the basics of the mechanics are explained well enough, I don't need it. I'm confident that I'm pretty decent at them, and when something doesn't happen as I expect, I understand what went wrong and can correct for it without knowing about all of the stuff going on under the hood.

roll in dark souls is very clear in its purpose... its a quick maneuver for you that guarantees nothing except that you will attempt to move in a direction quickly. But I don't know - maybe I sometimes let up on dodge because it's such an awkward control function. Who knows. But that just comes back to poor choice of control. Like.... you could offer users 3 awkward control schemes but not let them make their own? It's mind boggling.

Actually, no... as a Dark Souls veteran, the dodge roll's main use is not the movement, nor the speed (which can also vary; equipment weight in DS2 changes the length of your roll, and in all of the games sans Bloodborne, too much weight slows your roll down). The most important thing about the DS roll is actually the invincibility frames. If you want to get technical, the lightest roll in DS1 actually affords you 12 frames of invincibility, with the Dark Wood Grain Ring pushing this to 14. At 30fps, that's about half of a second worth of invincibility. The roll has a very slight startup, and a slightly bigger recovery where you can be hit. So knowing where to roll (like toward the beginning of sweeping attacks, rather than where the attack is headed) is important. Otherwise you'll dodge, be invincible for most of the attack, and then get hit right at the end.

But, you don't necessarily need to know these specifics in order to learn to use the dodge effectively. As you play, you'll feel it out. Hence they don't actually have to tell you any of this in-game. The only things outright explained to you is that being too heavy slows the roll down, and that you can't roll without stamina. Noobs usually spam the roll, (getting hit anyway since they're not timing the rolls, and are getting caught by attacks during the startup or recovery), run out of stamina, and then get pummeled. But they learn to play correctly naturally. XV is the same way. Holding dodge is a bad habit in XV; that's not the way the game wants you to play, and I feel paying a little attention makes that rather clear.

 

[L]

Well firstly, I would like to thank you for having this conversation all this time It's been really interesting playing through this game while talking about these things. I think it'll make my YouTube review all the more refined.

Second thing, one rather large indicator that you aren't supposed to just hold down dodge constantly is

Spoiler

the fact that you can get an accessory that auto-dodges attacks... if the game auto-dodged all attacks just by you holding the button, it'd be a rather useless accessory.

I have had to re-engage the button to parry on a multitude of occasions. Generally it's against swifter attacks in my experience.

clearly i havent found it

there are some attacks i have encountered that give less time to parry where re-engaging the dodge button might reward you with a wider window but i've just always held down the dodge button because it just always worked in episode duscae and the dodge function had too long of a wind up to realistically be used to predict incoming damage

there was no reason or need to predict incoming attacks at all

But, you don't necessarily need to know these specifics in order to learn to use the dodge effectively.

you do if something is functioning so poorly you're frequently questioning whether or not you were actually holding down the L1 button and you immediately look at your controller and your finger is holding down that L1 button. I mean I beat the game and almost all the challenges in the game playing this way so if that isn't how they wanted me to play they didn't really do much to make that apparent lol

 

[ZaXo Ken'Ichi]

I won't argue that the game does an excellent job of pushing you toward utilizing all of it's mechanics properly. I've heard everything from people keeping their party members dead, to never once using magic or eating meals before tough fights, etc. You definitely can play through the whole game, misusing mechanics like the dodge. But I think it does a good job of trying to teach you that it isn't the best option. The very first dodge ability you can get before getting more complex Blink techniques, is one that makes it so that pressing the dodge button right before an attack hits (Blinking) consumes no MP. That's a pretty firm push in the right direction, and it's only the first of many, not including the tutorial.

That accessory is found at the end of the most interestingly unique dungeon in the game.

Spoiler

It's found near the Rock of Ravatogh. You're clued into it's existence by a rather obscure quest you can find at an alley window in the east side of Lestallum, between 21 and 5 at night. You can only get there by landing the Type F on the extremely short strip of road (which is yellow on the map) just to the north east of Ravatogh. Then a short walk past extremely powerful groups of enemies will find you at the steps of a building. The item for the quest is nearby, but if you come at night and activate the button just behind the decrepit front gate, you'll also find a platforming/lite puzzle gauntlet with no enemies, no deaths, and rather organic design. It took me three and a half hours, has tons of items and easter eggs, and at the very end rewards you with the auto dodge accessory. I was so taken aback, and enjoyed (most of) it so much, that it's probably my favorite part of the game. It was doubly fun because it gave me a chance to put the in game portable MP3 player on shuffle, with no interruptions. Would definitely recommend if you're into that sort of thing

 

[Dragon Warrior]

I'm glad i'm not the only one who see this game is trying so hard to be an open world yet it failed.
I was expecting this game to have a much much better open world than this, like having more than ''one map'' to explore.

Xenoblade Chronicles 1 on the Wii has much better world than this game. It's too unique and each map has it's own unique places, designs and soundtracks.
I was expecting FFXV to be the same thing as Xenoblade, yet, it didn't even do half cool job like Xenoblade 1.


Witcher 3 also has a much much better open world than this, it feels like it has ''too much freedom'' to do whatever you want in the open world. It has many villages, houses to enter, shops and cities. Everythings, and in Witcher 3 you can go almost anywhere you want not to mention that you can swim.
Even in Xenoblade you can swim.



I don't think I have been disappointed with a Final Fantasy game before like how I am disappointed with this game.
Sure story narrative and open world doesn't much up. But this game failed at both anyway, the story was bad and RUSHED, and the open world is too boring...

Sorry for the rant.... But i have reasons why Im disappointed with this game, one of the is the 10 years I have been waiting for...