For all the complaints we give in the Sega threads about "lack of an ad campaign" and "Game would have solid if you advertised it!", Capcom really seemed to try with this game. Commericials on TV, Motion comics and stream events, net ads, and info in major retailers... I would love to see this game sell better in the West, has been one of the most enjoyable non-fighter games for me in a good while...
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What I'm arguing is for giving the player full creative control over all three pawns, as they do the main one in the current game.
After playing through the game, I can't say I'd want this. At all.
Part of the fun of the game is that the "NPCs" (pawns) are actually "alive" in this game. They can change classes, personalities, and actions on you, even level up when you're not there.
I started my pawn as a Defensive, aggro-drawing Fighter, and now, she's become a very useful, dragon-grounding Strider. She's maintained a constant care for the safety of others around her, and helps and aids the rest of the pawns selflessly.
My brother made his pawn into a proud, whispy Strider-turned-Ranger. She's a bit cocky, which totally goes aganist her size and frame. Yet she jumps into battle like a crazed animal. Though I've used 10s of other pawns, and seen many with her voice setup, I've rarely seen any that act like her, saying some of the things she says ("Danger is Part-and-Parcel of Adventure!"). Comparing his adventures with her, aganist my own, has built her up as a character to us both, same with my pawn and his use of her.
Our seperate pawns have become "characters" to us, just as much as Tina or Celes in FFVI, in a way. I think the game system is well set-up to make this possible for any who play it, if you search for it.
I've fought alongside scrawny old men who fight better than their years, loli-like quite mages who lack in self-confidence, and big, burly, powerful Magic dudes who look like Raoh from Hokuto No Ken. In the right light, the variety of pawns cand be almost just as rewarding as any NPCs (maybe even more so), and I think that's one of the strengths of this games pawn system.
Letting a player bypass the need for others pawns (created without your control), would really water this element of it down.
And you could then even keep the idea of rent-a-pawns for those who like such wackiness. I always prefer the idea of choice when it comes to giving players the option to play a game in the way they want to.
It could happen in a sequel (since they always grow a games features), but I think the need to choose 2 other pawns constantly really helps the games community-like aspect. You always need to look out for a new build; Or someone who knows new info or spells.
What would be added to that aspect, if lonely-types could just make 2 others, and never get pushed into looking at the others? It'd devalue all the work they've put into pawn sharing, by giving people an "out" to using it.
The way it is now nurtures the gameworld, also. And I thought the fact that player created pawns actually walk around randomly in the game world, was a very nice touch. I think it did a good job at making me feel "This character is more than just a forgotten NPC, but is living in this adventure, with me."
I was impressed with how central the "character and their pawn" relationship turns out to be for the whole game, and think strengthening that would be much more benifical to a sequel, rather than falling into making the "party" systems more generic.
For example, you mention not feeling connected to the other pawn characters. As an alternative response, I'd love to see them implement either a way for the pawns to take place in the story (making decisions that agree with their AI types), throughout the whole game, or let the pawns take over key-positions in the game world.
For examples:
- A pawn betrays the fact you made forgeries to the one you gave them to, because they can't stand to watch injustice.
- An assassin-like pawn choose to kill someone you decided to let go, because their master taught them (Though quest knowledge and choices) that evil should *never* go unpunished.
- A pawn you bring along for a particularly solid quest of item finding, falls in love with TEH SHINEY, and decides to take over the weapon shop in your world. Since they adventure alongside you, they know your preferences, and prioritize your favorite types for new stock first.
-Pawns you are nice to, start to offer to take on quest for you. Afterwards, they describe the details to you in "FFTactics-style" play-by-plays ("I had a good feeling!" "This IS THE WAY!"), and bring back items.
- You purposely rate a pawn low, and toss him off a cliff to "dismiss" him. You make use of him, but continue to treat him bad, giving him low ratings, ignoring his advice, etc. He grows to have a vendetta aganist you. This would allow the pawn to actually be rented out by other in-game Arisen, who send him after *YOU*!
I just think there's much more potential to be had from growing this systems strengths, rather than diverting attention from it, by adding options that detract from what it was created to do. Options are good, but unfocused options that detract from the overall world lore / gameplay systems / focus would be less welcomed.