Final Fantasy XVI

[Assisted Living Godzilla]

It would be nice if the success of this game saw other developers doing the large zone areas for their open worlds as opposed to think one big map like GTA and Elder Scrolls is the only way to go about things.

It'll also be interesting to see if this has any effect on Devil May Cry given the very Devil May Cry combat.

 

[ADULF HITLOR FAN KLUB]

So far my biggest gripe is the visual readability
The visual fx already clutter the screen a bit much - then those damage numbers, enemy hp bars and action reports just pile on and make it worse...

Is there an option to not show damage numbers? That would improve a lot the situation.

Probably. I imagine there will also be an option to tone down particle effects.

 

[S.torch]

>Explicitly pointing out that you don't need to have played any of the other games in the series to be able to play this one
>A lot of accessories to make the game easier like putting the game in slow motion every time you're about to be attacked
>Or lets you do a succession of combos at the press of a button
>Another accessory literally makes you dodge attacks automatically
>Automatic skill selection where the game chooses skills for you
>There's a game mode that automatically equips all the accessories for you right from the start

They are blatantly aiming for the bottom of the barrel with this.

 

[Hammer Of The Heretics]

Those accessories sound like a granular difficulty system with a diagetic interface.

 

[Puukko]

... What other FFs require you to have played other games in the series? This is the series where everyone started off with a different one and they mix up the formula to the point where "what even is FF" is a pretty common question.

Every other point you listed sounds like a non issue as well. Literally just don't equip the busted stuff. If these were intrusive core mechanics of the game it would be a different case, but if all it is is accessories...

I don't know what anti-hypetrain thread on /v/ you got this stuff from, but you should know better than to give it any credence. Those guys spend more time bitching about video games than playing them.



Wait a minute...

 

[Anonona]

To be fair, even Bayonetta and DMC 5 had shit like automatic mode, very easy difficulties and, in the case of the former, accessories that made the game even easier (the marionette one). They also mentioned that, similar to DMC and other hack-'n-slash you'll unlock higher difficulties after beating the story, specifically "Final Fantasy" difficulty. I seem to recall an interview or at least a tweet stating that it would be harder than DMC 5's DMD difficulty, but I have to find it. When and if i do find it, I'll post it. There will be also a "Arcade Mode" where you can share your score on each stage online. So it probably wont be as difficult as something like Ninja Gaiden or DMC3's DMD, but probably pretty decently challenging in the higher difficulties.

 

[notpl]

>Explicitly pointing out that you don't need to have played any of the other games in the series to be able to play this one
>A lot of accessories to make the game easier like putting the game in slow motion every time you're about to be attacked
>Or lets you do a succession of combos at the press of a button
>Another accessory literally makes you dodge attacks automatically
>Automatic skill selection where the game chooses skills for you
>There's a game mode that automatically equips all the accessories for you right from the start

They are blatantly aiming for the bottom of the barrel with this.

Giving games journos and other invalids "accessibility" options that are obviously just cheats and don't interfere with the true intended gameplay experience at all is the correct way to do it.

 

[S.torch]

... What other FFs require you to have played other games in the series?

For them to explicitly say that you don't need to play any of the other games is a sign that they're targeting the masses of casuals. Or why else would they say it? They certainly aren't saying it for the old fans who have more than 10 years in the series.

Literally just don't equip the busted stuff.

This is the equivalent of someone pointing out that minimaps ruins the exploration of a game, and someone replying: "but just turn off the minimap!". Ignoring the fact that the game has been designed around the minimap. The same goes for difficulty, the inclusion of varying degrees of difficulty always affects the core design of the game.

How long and how many things must they have made it so that even the silliest of people can equip an automatic dodge accessory? I have to imagine that the attacks enemies make against you are timed to be detected in time. Otherwise they wouldn't have been able to made those accesories. Which means there must be very few attacks that are really "screwed up" or annoying to the player if they are so timed.

I don't know what anti-hypetrain thread on /v/ you got this stuff from

All I did was watch the gameplay posted a page ago. Nothing else. It's silly to think that the targeting of casualized masses isn't going to change absolutely nothing about the game itself.

 

[Puukko]

Again, a lot of this stuff is so run of the mill I can't really give a damn, I just filter it straight out. I am sure that for the vast majority of large releases you can find an interview where they say it's a good starting point despite being the nth entry in the series. If this were a connected plot-driven series where on the fifth entry they said oh yeah you can ignore the previous games and start with this one, THAT would be a red flag and have lots of implications. But FF games are so self contained I really can't see it being worth fussing over. And remember, XV was a long time ago now, the series hasn't been in people's minds for a long while.

There absolutely are many instances where seemingly innocent "features" that theoretically can be toggled off have a massively negative impact on the game as a whole. Constant waypoint markers leading to a disincentivization of exploration and brief quest descriptions you can't rely on to reach your destination. Yeah, you can turn off the marker, but the game does nothing to compensate for it.
These accessories just remind me of the babby difficulty modes Platinum games have had for a long time where the game plays itself. Or at least I think it does based on the in game descriptions, I have literally never tried them or seen anyone try them or talk about them. They're a complete non factor for anyone except some journo or someone's mom. There are of course cases where a game handles similarly overpowered stuff with far less elegance. I just installed Persona 5 Royal and that game drowns you in overpowered Personas. I went through the effort of modding that game (quite the hassle) to make them both far less accessible and not nearly as powerful.

I'm coming from the perspective of what has historically plagued this series and it really hasn't been the stuff you brought up. Hack fraud waifu spergs being put in directorial roles. Bloated, sprawling development with no clear focus. Inconsistent experiences where the game is a hallway for twenty hours before opening up, kind of. A big reason why people are looking forward to this one is because it at least appears the devs have gotten their shit together and are going for a return to form.

In any case, I have exactly zero intentions of investing in a PS5 and it'll likely be a year before we see a PC release, by which point it'll be 70 bucks with Denuvo.

 

[Abu Antar]

The combat looks way too much like Devil May Cry games

Let me say this for the 100th time: The combat looks like DMC because they hired Mr. Devil May Cry Battle Director Himself.

Also, most accessories shown are just for accessibility (no pun intended). It's for people not into action games. From my understanding, there are "regular" stuff to equip, too.

 

[Puukko]

I'm watching the latest showcase and the thing that actually struck out to me is that they called it the first "true action RPG in the series". Is XV not an action RPG?

Okay, some thoughts. Generally I'm positive on what they showed. QTEs are decline and we should be way past them at this point. Extremely flashy, which does raise the concern of how deep the combat system actually is. You could make a bog standard system look exciting by focusing entirely on visuals. Those hub areas look pretty boring compared to other locales, and the game is generally way too washed out for my liking, but that can luckily largely be fixed in post. The characters actually look less detailed than in many older games including what I remember of XV.

Really, my main concern based on this showcase is whether the game will have sufficient depth in combat and mechanics.

 

[Duraframe300]

I have to imagine that the attacks enemies make against you are timed to be detected in time. Which means there must be very few attacks that are really "screwed up" or annoying to the player if they are so timed.

?

What? I'd assume so regardless of accessories. It's an action based battle system. You kind of want for enemies to have patterns to react to. If you mean slowdowns for more time, that's not in normal gameplay. IIRC there are 2 dodge accessories, one that auto-dodges and one that creates a slowdown (obviously, can't be used together, since they make each other useless).

And as Puukko mentioned they aren't so different to lower difficulty levels/ accessiblity options in other action combat games regardless of quality. Also they gimp you since other gameplay accessories are also a thing since you can use them in their stead.

Those accessories are the last thing that worry me about combat.

I'm watching the latest showcase and the thing that actually struck out to me is that they called it the first "true action RPG in the series". Is XV not an action RPG?

XV is the absolute bottom of the barrel for what an action based combat system is (imo) to be fair.
Almost zero higher skill ceiling and git gud is half the fun after all.

 

[ADULF HITLOR FAN KLUB]

>There's a game mode that automatically equips all the accessories for you right from the start

They are blatantly aiming for the bottom of the barrel with this.

Imagine complaining about story mode in an action RPG.

Not to mention that usage of story mode items is displayed on the main screen. This means you can always see if a friend/streamer/youtuber is using story mode items and call them out for cheating.

57:14

 

[Machocruz]

It will come down to the worldbuilding and the adventure to me, like with any Final Fantasy, or any JRPG for that matter. Interesting locations, cool monsters, secrets, endearing characters, well plotted scenarios, etc. All those things have to be on point. Never went to FF for combat unless it had Tactics in the title. And DMC but in open spaces with NPCs, quests, etc. doesn't sound half bad. Even better if you can minimize HUD features like damage numerals, life bars, creature nameplates, etc. But I'm a weirdo who thinks on-screen information should never be more than 90s arcade games :shrug

Would play on maximum difficulty though, as brainless mashing has and never will be my thing. At least when an action-game was a cakewalk back in the day, it only took a few hits to put down regular enemies. Don't see the fun in 40 hit EZ mode combos or wailing nonstop on the same non-threatening mob for a full minute. I think possibly one of the reasons Soul is beloved is because it's an alternative to that.

 

[CrunchyHemorrhoids]

Is XV not an action RPG?

Holding down a button to continuously attack or dodge likely doesn't count as action to the japanese.

 

[Delterius]

I'm watching the latest showcase and the thing that actually struck out to me is that they called it the first "true action RPG in the series". Is XV not an action RPG?

Doesn't seem like it to me. Comparing XV to both Kingdom Hearts and XIII, my impression is that it was closer to the latter. A game with action button prompts, sure, but lacking in all the freeform action twitchery of a real action rpg.

 

[d1r]

Banned in the Middle Eaast because game is gay

 

[Tyrr]

Still less gay than FF15.

 

[Duraframe300]

Banned in the Middle Eaast because game is gay

Dion looks and sounds the part too.

A Dominant, Dion has good looks, and is skilled in both martial and intellectual arts. .... Dion was created to be a contrast of sorts to Clive Rosfield; while Clive is driven by revenge, Dion was made in the traditional image of a prince.

Seems like a later game antagonist too considering he's repping Sanbreque (the ones that invade Clive's home) and is Bahamut's dominant.

Nearly too obvious though.

 

[Elttharion]

Banned in the Middle Eaast because game is gay

View attachment 35813

Not really a surprise considering FFXIV is also filled with faggy bullshit. Will be funny to see the journos and fags who tried to cancel the game due to the lack of black people now praise it because it has homo characters.

 

[d1r]

Banned in the Middle Eaast because game is gay

View attachment 35813

Not really a surprise considering FFXIV is also filled with faggy bullshit. Will be funny to see the journos and fags who tried to cancel the game due to the lack of black people now praise it because it has homo characters.

Having gay characters in a video game is so 2016. It's all about Africans American (niggers) now. So they will hate it.

 

[Elttharion]

Banned in the Middle Eaast because game is gay

View attachment 35813

Not really a surprise considering FFXIV is also filled with faggy bullshit. Will be funny to see the journos and fags who tried to cancel the game due to the lack of black people now praise it because it has homo characters.

Having gay characters in a video game is so 2016. It's all about Africans American (niggers) now. So they will hate it.

Square already tried it with Forspoken, one would think they would be once bitten twice shy but they will probably continue to double down on pandering to 'western sensibilities', as seen by the news you posted.

 

[ADULF HITLOR FAN KLUB]

"A character caressing and straddling a man in bed"

ESRB Rating

 

[Elttharion]

"A character caressing and straddling a man in bed"

ESRB Rating

You will watch ze homos!

 

[Duraframe300]

"A character caressing and straddling a man in bed"

Now this is curiously written.

We already know that there's stuff with Benedikta/Garuda from earlier trailers that this description would fit to. But the rating description makes it really hard to get what its referencing or why its singeling this out. Those morons could have just specified *charachter* with man or women and this would be clear, ffs. Would have been better to inform people too.

Honestly, again not really questioning the story (Dion really sounds like the gay villain you'd expect as previously mentioned), but what's now actually shown in the game confuses me.