Tag Archives: Final Fantasy

Games, Rant

On Vita Announcements or Lack Thereof

In a way, the recent outcry about certain Vita announcements (or their lack) sums up the whole of E3 to me.

None of the early announcements did anything for me at all. It was all games I don’t care about, consoles I don’t own, or both together. My Twitter feed was swapped with announcements that really didn’t interest me in the slightest.

Then one stood out, from The Playstation Eu Blog’s own Twitter feed.

“Happy news for JRPG fans: Final Fantasy Type-0 HD is coming to PS Vita. Details: http://bit.ly/1pCfuGL #4ThePlayers pic.twitter.com/97g0mOnu0H“

Which linked to this post, now featuring a correction. (Also featuring half a page of celebration followed by a bucketload of disappointment…)

It was the first news that was about a title I gave a damn about on a console I already own. At last, some E3 news that meant something…

Oh. Nevermind.

Now, granted this means that in a few years time when the PS4 price drops, probably with a slimmer model, and when there is a decent-sized backlog of the games I actually play (the usual point at which I buy any console, nothing Sony-specific here) , if I can justify the cost of PS4 there will already be an interesting game out for it.

But for a console I already have? Nowt!

But this is the point. I wasn’t one of the people rabidly hoping this game would come out. I wasn’t even aware of the #jrpgvita Twitter hashtag.
I just saw an announcement for a game I’d heard of and thought would never come outside of Japan, and I saw it being announced for a system I already own – and own specifically for bringing my jRPG habit on the move.

Then, a correction. No Vita.

Then…. silence. No official explanation as to why such a cockup was made. Just a solid air of “We won’t/can’t tell you”. And that, more than anything, is what personally got my back up. There are details that could somewhat diffuse the situation and instead they’re letting it all fester.

Games

Gaming Shorts

I just thought I’d give a (very) quick overview of three of the videogames i’ve been enjoying in recent months.

Firstly, I played Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies on the 3DS. Very enjoyable game. I loved that all three of the Agency’s lawyers got some court time. I had a few minor niggles with some of the gameplay aspect, but not enough to stop me enjoying the game. And if you’ve liked the earlier entries in the series, and either have a 3DS or are seriously considering getting one, I highly recommend this game.

Still on the 3DS, Bravely Default is definitely meeting my desire for a new take on the more classic Final Fantasy game style. If you enjoy the earlier games, love turn-based battles, but still want something fresh then this one is definitely worth looking into.

Finally, I recently bought Final Fantasy X/X-2: HD Remaster and am loving revisiting the world of Spira. The move to HD and widescreen is lush. The reworked soundtrack still fits the game. Overall, it feels very much like it was designed for the PS3. In a way, it feels like how I remember playing the PS2 version. Revisiting an “old friend” without having to put up with what older games look like on newer HD televisions.
I do, however, find myself playing a little game of  “spot the non-remastered texture”. But that’s not enough to run the game by any means.

Games

Final Fantasy X: Perfect Remake

Last year, I completed a replay of Final Fantasy X on the Playstation 2. To some, and to me, it was a classic game despite making a few changes from the classic FF formula. Although the virtues of the game are (and will be) another post for another time. What I really want to tackle here is what would be on my personal list for a “Perfect Remake”.

The current new generation consoles, mainly the PS3 and 360, have graphical and storage advances that really blow the PS2 out of the water. The game looked and played really well anyway, but the idea of an enhanced remake (although unlikely) is something I’d dearly love to see.

Gameplay

Firstly, I guess I should get gameplay tweaks out of the way. Mainly because I don’t really think it would need too many changes. The game was good as-is, and only minor tweaks would really be needed. The ability to run the game, or at least the majority of the resources, from hard drive would be a huge improvement. It would certinaly reduce the lag-time when switching into battle-mode or moving between different areas.

The only serious gameplay tweak I would definitely like to see would be an additional ability available to magic-users. “Target all”. It’s usually been a mainstay of the Final Fantasy games, and one thing I felt sorely missing from the magic system. Whether it was something available later on in the Sphere Grid, an ability available from equipment, or both, it would be nice if it was at least gainable at later stages in the game. Continue reading Final Fantasy X: Perfect Remake →