22 replies to this topic

[Chinzon]

Strangely quite good, this one. It's one of these personality crisis games, another case of RPG stat mechanics being shoved into a genre that didn't really ask for them, but it does kinda work. Basically gameplay is something like Elite Beat Agents, as I guess pressy-the-icons-slidey-the-stylus is the best way to do rhythm action on a DS touch screen. There are three game types each with a different feel, although gameplay is only marginally different for each; representing Field, Battle and "Event" (cutscene) music, with each of the main FF titles getting one of each. Personally, I'm not that familiar with the earlier titles, and obviously those tunes are a bit more basic than later fancy orchestral efforts.

Each song has three difficulty levels (that I've discovered so far), but you have to play through them all on easy to get to the harder levels - and they really are easy. Worth perservering though, because the harder ones are more challenging. I haven't seen any leaderboards, would be nice but you know what Nintendo are like with their online services. There's also a feature called "Dark Notes", which are a selection of random songs played one after another. You can somehow exchange them through Streetpass, but I'm a bit clueless as to how that works. Must take the 3DS out and try get some hits.

The RPG mechanics are quite cool, I haven't fiddled with them too much yet, basically you choose a party of four from the main characters of each game (more characters get unlocked eventually) and level them up as you play. You can equip your party with items and abilities you get as you go along, haven't really seen much of an impact on gameplay yet, save for a kind of "special move" for each song which takes the form of a summon/chocobo/extended cutscene.

My biggest beef with it is that they've restricted themselves by only including one of each type from each title, unless there's some unlockable ones I haven't found yet. I know there will be DLC, but from what I hear it's gonna be quite pricey. Personally I wouldn't have included "Battle Theme 2" from Final Fantasy II over the likes of Cosmo Canyon or Treno.

In short, I think you have to be a pretty big series fan to get the most out of this. The game itself is good, but some of the inclusions have got me scratching my head a bit.

[DANGERMAN]

It's at times like this I hate being poor. It's not a must have title as I have no interest in the Final Fantasy series, but it looks like the kind of quirky game that made the first few years of the DS so interesting

[Chinzon]

It is quite quirky, the graphical style is all cute and whimsical I might also add the 3D is used to great effect, the icons are front of field and the characters/cutscene is in the background. It looks really cool, but as with many rhythm games, you're way too busy looking at the buttons to appreciate it.

[shaolin_monkey]

It is quite quirky, the graphical style is all cute and whimsical I might also add the 3D is used to great effect, the icons are front of field and the characters/cutscene is in the background. It looks really cool, but as with many rhythm games, you're way too busy looking at the buttons to appreciate it.

I tried the demo but didn't really like it. I'm not that familiar with the music or the series, and the gameplay didn't seem as fun as other rhythm games I've enjoyed.

Mind you, I enjoyed both Oenedans because of the quirky visuals and mad Japanese music (no 2 being fave cos of Monkey Magic!) and RB/GH cos of the METAL! So maybe I wouldn't have thought much of the gameplay on either of those if the music hadn't done anything for me.

[spatular]

I liked the demo, made the mistake of preordering at amazon so don't have it yet, didn't realise there was any RPGs stuff in there - didn't see that mentioned anywhere in the demo? Only problem I noticed was it can be hard to see the arrows in time on the hard difficulty, only had a few goes mind, probably get used to it.

[Chinzon]

Sometimes the arrows are hard to see when it goes into overdrive mode because the colours change, but I guess you're meant to learn where they are to some extent.

The RPG stuff seeems to be a bit irrelevant if you're going for perfect scores, since you don't take any damage anyway. Some of the expert scores are really hard, I'd be surprised to see any non asian teenagers maxing those.

[hinn888]

My one arrived today, enjoying it quite a lot and im not a massive final fanasy fan.

It's a lot more depth in this than i realised, other than just hit the right icons at the right time, you have to create parties, the party you use levels up after each song, depends on your rank and amount of critical/great/good/bad etc hits you get. So when in a song mode like BMS foe example, the attacks will be more powerful when you level up, throughout the song, you'll fight monsters and finally get to the boss, you can actually defeat the boss and get more items to help you.

Im finding expert OK atm, ultimate score can be quite challenging on some songs.

[Jimbo Xiii]

Im finding expert OK atm, ultimate score can be quite challenging on some songs.

Looks like Chin was right about the demographic then.

[spatular]

Sometimes the arrows are hard to see when it goes into overdrive mode because the colours change, but I guess you're meant to learn where they are to some extent.

i didn't see that overdrive mode at all, i had problems when they were coming fast and there was 4 in a row or something, but yeah like you say it's probably more a case of remembering those.

[Chinzon]

The overdrive mode is dependent on having certain abilities and items equipped. Interesting feature, but I'm not sure what effect it has on your score - you get a (compensatory?) bonus for having no items equipped at all. Like I said, I for one am not convinced that every game that comes out needs RPG mechanics shoved in.

[spatular]

I read on another forum that using no items wil get a better score if you can finish the song, butif you can't then it's probably better to use them. Stil
Not got mine scant really confirm/deny this.

[illdog]

This game is fucking superb. IMO its the best rhythm games since Ouendan.

Im not a big fan of FF only due to the fact i just havent played any of the games. But i can tell you one thing about them: they have bitchin soundtracks.

The GB and GBA games boast some great track but when the latter games kick in to the full orchestra and your listening through headphones it becomes unbelievable.

As a non fan i guess this serves me well as unlike Chin, ive no idea what they've left out so im not dissapointed by thier choice.

Ive also decided, for the moment, to leave all RPG aspects alone. Im just playing it as a rhythm game rightly or wrongly, ive picked my party of four and im sticking with them. Ive equiped no items either. Just tapping away to the music. Brilliant stuff.

[hinn888]

I heard you can get SSS for not using any items but you have to select that your'e not using items?

[spatular]

Yeah if you go to equip or something like that there's an option to deselect everything, you get 2000000 bonus for it. I've got ss but not SSS, guess you have to get everything critical?

Mine arrived and it's pretty ace as already said by everyone else above

[Chinzon]

I got an SSS somewhere, I think I did get 100% critical, can't remember which tune. It was definitely on the easiest setting though.

[illdog]

I got an SSS somewhere, I think I did get 100% critical, can't remember which tune. It was definitely on the easiest setting though.

Nice, closest i got was all Criticals apart from 3 greats.

This is a great game, thats not being said enough. Great game.

[spatular]

Yeah l33t skillz Chinzon!

also despite not being a FF fan, only played a bit of one of the games, i'm really liking the music so far.

[spatular]

Ive also decided, for the moment, to leave all RPG aspects alone. Im just playing it as a rhythm game rightly or wrongly, ive picked my party of four and im sticking with them. Ive equiped no items either. Just tapping away to the music. Brilliant stuff.

that's how i've been playing, finished everything on easy/medium, never seen any of the overdrive stuff because of no items, and now the game has started for real on hard (ultimate score?) and i'm struggling to finish any of the songs in battle mode - think i'm going to try some items out.

also is everyone playing in 3D? i've been switching it on/off, think this is the first 3ds game i prefer in 2d, just think it's easier to see what's coming up without the 3d mind tricks going on.

[retroed]

I got this cheap from ShopTo a week or so ago, and have been dipping in and out of it ever since. It's such a great game! I am playing it in 3D on my XL and think it looks wonderful. It seems to be packed full of features which is great to see, and the gameplay itself is quality stuff. I agree with illdog, this is the best rhythm action game I've played since Ouendan 2.

[DANGERMAN]

this might be a stupid question but can you play the main 'story' mode at a level higher than basic? I've completed them all but the story mode still seems to be basic, so is it all in the challenge mode?