MovieChat Forums > Kuraishisu koa: Fainaru fantajî VII (2008) Discussion > A horrible waste of time if you haven't ...

A horrible waste of time if you haven't played FF7...

posted 16 years ago by Now And Then
13 replies | jump to latest

I myself like Square Enix (previously Square Soft) games. Examples are Secret of Mana, Chrono Trigger, FF4, FFX, FFTactics, Dragon Quest 8, and so on... Don't get me wrong. I'm not a troll. I just wanna share my horrible experience of playing this game, because I expected more from Square.

Gameplay simply sucks. It SUCKS. They tried to make it an action RPG along the lines of Square classics Secret of Mana (oh man that game kicked ass on the SNES) and Kingdom Hearts of course. They failed miserably. It's not really an aciton RPG, it's a mix between a real time RPG (like FF4, FFX-2) and an action RPG. The game features many options other than the default attack mode, but because the game's pacing is too fast, you'll usually end up losing precious time when you're scrolling through the options. If it was a turn based RPG this wouldn't be the case. So basically even though all the other options add novelty value, the quickes way to complete the oh so boring and repetitive missions is to keep attacking on default move while moving behind your enemy to get a critical hit. And the aftermath of the Phoenix Down is probably the most irritating thing ever. Again in a turn based of RPG it's ok to watch your character rise from the dead in a cutscene of nearly 10 seconds. But in an action RPG it's simply ridiculous. In fact if you play the hard mode, you'll simply rise from the dead only to be beaten to death again because your enemies will move much faster than you.

And cutscenes... Yes, cutscenes. I know I'm wasting my time by probably talking to a bunch of 13 year olds, but kids, in the past, games were actually what they are simply called: games. There were no movies. Actually there were, but they were a real reward; you'd only get them at the end. This way you'd be enjoying the hell out of the game (because you'd be gaming constantly, not watching movies) and at the end of the game you'd proudly watch the movie knowing you accomplished something. Now this game comes nowhere near the abomination called Metal Gear Solid 2 regarding being an interactive movie, but the cutscenes were too much. I wanna play the god forsaken game, not watch movies all the time.

The DMW... I'm gonna end my rant with the DMW because even though there are other ridiculous things like playing the entire RPG with only one character (who DOES change his hair-do halfway throughout the game, oh la di da, how cool), I don't wanna lose any more time. I'm just too frustrated because I wanna finish the game like any RPG fan but it's too long and boring and the gameplay is hindered by the horrible invention called the DMW. Leveling up is supposed to be fun, not tedious. The materia fusion I won't go into. Trying out different combinations in hope of finding a good result is not gaming, it's something that I think will happen in a science lab. And that is work ladies and gentlemen, not gaming. Oh yeah, the DMW. First of all, what the hell is up with those pictures that occur during the spinning of the DMW? No seriously, what's their purpose? Do I wanna see Angeal's pig-like face in a close up picture every time? No! Does the game shove it in my face? Yes! Can I skip it by pushing a button? No! Why, Square Enix, why?

Oh yeah, the DMW... If they cut out all of Zack's lines in the DMW, it would've been fine. But no... We get witty conversations like this:

Angeal's DMW cutscene:

Angeal: Prove your honor to ME...
Zack: I got it!

First it sounded cool. Eventually having to hear Angeal say his line with the emphasis on "me" made me feel really awkward as some dude kept telling me to prove myself to him.

Sephiroth's DMW cutscene:

Sephiroth: Concentrate!
Zack: (as he is attacking) I don't feel it!

Uhmmm... This one doesn't make sense, but it's nothing in comparison to the cutscene with Tseng of the Turks.

Tseng:(before launching an Air-Strike) This is the end...
Zack:(speaking to a mobile phone) I'm trying, I'm trying!

Try what, exactly?

And the (in my opinion) legendary cut scene regarding campiness with Genesis:

Genesis: "Show me, the true power, of SOLDIER!!!"

Zack: "Mind your own business!"

?!?!?!?!!?!?! Wtf??!?!?!?!?!?! Zack-ey boy, in the first place, the man is giving you a very useful attack called Apocalypse, so show some f@cking gratitude, all right? In the second place... "Mind your own business!"?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! I laughed out loud the first couple of times. But damn it it became irritating eventually. I'm quite sure, seeing as how ridiculuous Zack's verbal responses are during the DMW cutscenes, had there been another one featuring the assistance of an enemy, I'd expect something like this from Zack:

"I'm gonna tell my mother!"

And I should damn it, I should. I should go tell my mother how god awful those scenes are and how they scarred me. But yeah, they won't let me call more than once per month here at the mental hospital, and I think I'm gonna use that call to give a certain Japanese conglomerate the piece of my mind...

[–] C_strife 16 years ago

The game was made as a prequel to final fantasy 7. Players did not get much info on zack during the original so they made a short prequal for the psp. I thought it was a great game. We got to see Zacks sad story and how he is the true hero of the Final Fantasy 7 series. The gameplay was like Kingdom Hearts and FFXII mixed together I enjoyed. The DMW did get repetitive but I thought it added a flavor to the game. I thought the game did an excellent job showing how Zack was such a great guy and how corrupt Shinra was to their own. If you dont like it im sorry but it wasnt made for a revolutionary new final fantasy. It was to open players eyes on what happened in the beggining. If you got nothing else from the game except Zack and Aeirths relationship and how depressing that is that she never heard from him again then the 7 series isnt for you.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Now And Then 16 years ago

"You're testifying online how badly you suck at this game. It's really sad."

Dude... So not wasting time trying every combination in the materia fusion screen is a testament of bad gaming? Or the fact that I just played this mission today (yes I can not stop playing because I want to finish the damn game damnit) where you have to beat 1000 soldiers, and all I ended up doing was pushing the x button every two seconds for about 20 minutes, is that a testament of bad gaming? And the fact that the best defence in this game is offence (you've gotta keep attacking in default mode, then when you keep attacking, you're enemies won't be able to cast magic, and you know this) by means of pressing x all the time, is that true or not?

You've got to be sh!tting me... No seriously, you've got to be sh!tting me. Oh man once I finish this game I'm gonna feel like I just came back from war, the agonizing kind.

[–] Angelic_Arrow 16 years ago

I think that since this is a prequel, anyone who hasn't played FFVII would enjoy and understand most of it.

Now, Advent Children....it's a great movie i you know the background, but for those who just rented it or bougth it because it looked spectacular without playing FFVII, I can't blame them for not liking it.

Good gurls are just bad gurls that haven't been caught.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Mary_Read 15 years ago

I think they were on crack. :D

The only fun missions was when Zack was on the ship (that's the ONLY time that a freakin' mission uses a ship as the enivronment instead of the same old desert, cave, plains, Shinra building, etc.), and the Fun in the Sun missions (gotta love fighting in swimming trunks---and with a beach parasol! xD)

"Son of a submariner!" - Kefka Palazzo

[–] Mary_Read 15 years ago

LOL you think Crisis Core has many cutscenes? Have you played FF10 before? Seriously. Even that game has it's own movie theatre (they call it "sphere theatre") to watch the cutscenes that the player has already seen!

"Son of a submariner!" - Kefka Palazzo

[–] StarIsland 15 years ago

Its not a complete waste of time in my opinion, for example, if people played Final fantasy x-2 FIRST, then yea it's sorta a waste of time if they don't really understand the story. but Crisis Core is the actual events before Final fantasy 7, its the beginning, so how can it be a waste of time? Not much was explained of Zack, actually Final fantasy 7 barely acknowledged the character Zack.

[–] mikey040891 15 years ago

I just bought this game today, and so far I love it, I love how the gameplay works, but I would've prefered to gain experience like the other games. Oh and btw, I haven't gotten Genesis in the DMW yet, so I cannot attest to his phrase. I also have not completed FF7 I got a 1/3 of the way through with it and stopped playing for a while but I'm going to buy it on the psp after I finish CC.

[–] Now And Then 14 years ago

while but I'm going to buy it on the psp after I finish CC."

Is it available on the psp?

[–] mylovelyfate 12 years ago

I'm sorry to bring up such an old topic, but I wanted to give my $0.02. You definitely don't need to have played FFVII if you want to play Crisis Core. I didn't. The only things that may be a little foggy are Mako, materia, the lifestream, and simple things like that. Nothing a 3 minute Google trip can't solve. I got my mom to play this, who as well didn't play FFVII, and same with my best friend. They both enjoyed it. I don't know why you're complaining about the cutscenes and trying to undermine us by saying that you're superior because you've played older games without as many. Anyone knows that Final Fantasy's best feature is their storyline. For someone who's played FFX, I don't know how you can even find that to be an issue. The reasons that you didn't like the cutscenes are probably because you either didn't like the story, or you didn't completely get it. I mean, yes, there is that reason that you just may not like the cutscenes, but why would you play Final Fantasy, then? You should know what you're getting into. Anyone who's played CC can tell you that yeah, the lines are a bit cheesy sometimes, but it's not something you can't get used to. The gameplay I find interesting. I don't find it spectacular, but it's certainly nice. It's like ATB with strategy.

Anyway, I don't mind if you don't enjoy it because it's not for everyone. I just don't really understand your reasons too well + why you think that you'd have had to play FFVII to understand. It's a pretty linear game, so it's not hard to follow along.

~*~
"I don't want to lose the boy with the bread."

THG 12/03/23

[–] Now And Then 10 years ago

Speaking of bringing up old topics; I was just venting my anger.

Looking back at my post I can see your point, it's got nothing to do with having played FF7. I saw it as an extra motivation to go through the game. I was wrong about that. My opinion about the game itself however has not changed.It's a terrible game. What makes this game so agonizingly terrible is that it's got everything except playability. Good graphics? Check. Beautiful, soothing music? Absolutely. Epic storyline? You bet. Good, responsive controls? Yes. Is it fun to play? No way. Dodge dodge hit, dodge hit, cure, dodge dodge dodge, hit, hit, dodge dodge dodge.... Perhaps I am at fault for trying to go for 100% completion at hard mode. That's not for everyone. I actually ended up breaking the game after about 70% completion. It was either the game or me going into a fit. The graphics, sound, story, controls etc. keep you coming back, but playability destroys it.

[–] Jowston 12 years ago

I agree. This game got the retardo treatment like almost every single JRPG in the past 7 years.

Insanely stupid character traits:

Over confidence <- Just annoying

Not understanding what the **** is going on around you. Shiot is hitting the fan and you still maintain an unrealistic upbeat tempo.

The concept of striving to be a "hero." <- WTF does that even mean? Zack acts like it's a damn career that you can put on your resume. You can hear the same thing from that dbag Snow in FF13 as well. Is this something in Japanese culture that I am not aware of? Do the Japanese go around pretending to be heroes? It's such a confusing character trait to me.

Transsexual antagonists that spew immensely bad poetry. I can understand if he wants to say a line or two from LOVELESS, (I came to the conclusion that it is probably the worst poem/play ever written) But to spout it endlessly is NOT good character development.

And an ending ruined because SE thought it was cool to throw insanely bad J Pop to brighten the mood. Great.

It's sad how you go from one of the greatest RPGs ever made to this, and to a lesser extent, Advent Children.

Don't get me wrong, Zack was an okay character, and it can be hard to prominently feature just one character over the course of a RPG and make it work, it just didn't work this time around. I actually cared more about what was going on with Sephiroth before his breakdown.

And Japanese developers wonder why JRPGs are losing to WRPGs.

Source Code 6/10
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The Inbetweeners - 9/10
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