Arkos
Nose how to spell and rede to
I've always wanted to play this game, but I've also always been a little intimidated by it - I don't play a ton of JRPG's, and I've never played an SRPG. But I did figure it was a good place to start, since it sounds like a well regarded classic of the genre.
I got the PS3 version, and I'm wondering how much I'm missing out on not having the War of the Lions version, so please feel free to chime in on that if you have any thoughts.
So I'll give my thoughts, and then I'll ask for some advice (I'm stuck on a boss in Chapter 4 I believe). All that said, ***SPOILERS*** up through Chapter 4 will be unmarked, but please do try to mark spoilers after that point if you can. I know we're a little past the statute of limitations, but in the interest of courtesy, ya know.
Anyway,
THOUGHTS
The game is awesome and, for me at least, holds up really well. I think part of that is due to the grid-based gameplay - it's basically just like a board game, but with awesome animations and a bunch of complicated stats and abilities that the game keeps up with for me. So that's kind of timeless. As with the story, it does kind of drop you into the battle system (which I guess might be more familiar for people who have played other SRPG's before), but after you get a chance to look around the menus and options it's actually surprisingly simple, easy to control, and easy to understand what effects the changes that you make are having. This always bugs me about RPG's in general, I can't always understand all of the effects that this stat or that item will have, and I feel like this game does a good job of making that all pretty easy to follow.
Another thing that I like about this game compared to other RPG's that I've played is the movement in battle. I think I prefer being able to move and position my pieces (like a board game) in addition to fighting, as opposed to everyone being lined up facing each other and taking turns acting (not that I don't like that just fine in plenty of games also). I guess this might be more of a feature of SRPG's in general? I don't know, but I could be interested in more of this.
Then there's the story, which I think works for a number of reasons. It's pretty mature subject matter - not in terms of sex and violence, but in terms of politics and class conflict and other less visceral things. I think that I read somewhere that it was at least partially inspired by the history of the War of the Roses? Either way, it's a timeless kind of tale told with a focus on the more "mature" aspects of the story (rather than just "saving the princess," which you're technically also doing), which is nice.
And maybe it's just me, but there is actually SO much going on in the story that I can't really follow it all - however, rather than that being frustrated, I kind of just feel all the more like one guy stuck in the middle of it. I know what is happening to Ramza (in my case named Dickbutt, which leads to some pretty funny conversations) and the other characters that I care about, but the over-arching intrigue I'm a little more vague on. And that kind of works in the context of the story rather than bothering me (although that perception is kind of thrown off when Ramza makes a comment that indicates deeper understanding or interest in the larger events, but for the most part it jives).
The story reminds me of the question that may have occurred to you before, why is Bowser always kidnapping Peach? This game's story is like the incredibly complicated, detailed, and surprisingly mature and thoughtful answer that you might give as a joke response to that question.
ADVICE
So it's all been fine and dandy up to this point, loved the game, but I'm stuck on Wiegraf in Riovanes Castle now. It's the first time in the game I've really run into trouble like this. I went in to fight him once and was clearly way too weak, so I loaded a previous save and did some Propositions and fought some monsters and returned with some stronger characters, but I'm still having trouble. I can probably have the RNG fall my way once and get a victory, but I'd like to try to understand what I could be doing better.
I have figured out that the following strategy will get me through the Wiegraf solo fight with a little luck: Ramza is a Squire (I just tried to spell that like the guitar) with Platinum armor, Diamond shield, and a Morningstar. He has sprint shoes to get to 9 speed so I move first. His secondary ability is Black Magic - I think something else would actually be more useful, and I've tried different secondary abilities, because I don't use magic at all in the solo fight, but for some reason the RNG seems to fall better when I have Black Magic equipped, like he's a little more cautious or something, so that's the only way I've actually beaten him. Could that be a thing or am I just imagining that?
Anyway, I turn on Auto-Potion and dump all of my potions lower than X-Potion (yes, I'm just dumping them, is there anything else that I can do?), I think I have Magic Attack Up and Move +1 (the Magic Attack Up being equipped is related to the Black Magic, I always have them equipped together so I don't know if one or both being equipped is having the positive effect, if any of them are), and I just go in there and tank him. The Morningstar does enough damage that if the RNG falls my way I can finish the battle with like 200/365 HP and still like 8 X-Potions for my Chemist and others to use in the ensuing battle.
Then I'm still getting rolled pretty bad in the second battle, but I haven't focused on spec'ing everyone for the second battle yet because I've only made it through the first one a handful of times.
Is there anything that I should definitely be doing for these battles? My squad is a low level Geomancer who's really a Chemist (item thrower, does better damage with the axe, I just started him as a Geomancer), Mustard as an Engineer who can use items, Agrias as a Holy Knight with Time Magic, and a Wizard who kicks ass pretty bad and also is a good healer but obviously has lower health (250 range). I'll probably have to load outside the castle and at least go buy some items, I get rid of shit that isn't equipped, so consider me outside the castle about to go in.
I'm also wondering in general if there is a good way to check what elements or actions an enemy is weak or strong against, that's one thing that I can't ever seem to figure out in any game. Especially the elements part, I know I can check their status and see the items and abilities they have equipped.
I feel like one of my main problems is that I don't know how to increase an action's chance of being successful. I've unlocked a lot of cool abilities on most of the characters, but a lot of them will work well less than 50% of the time. I know some things are obvious, like a Knight isn't going to be as effective in casting magic as a Wizard, but is there a way to actually check how your secondary abilities are affected by your class? Or any other ways to improve actions' chances of being successful (I'm thinking of a Chemist casting Haste, or a Wizard attacking with a sword, Mustard sniping as a Chemist, those sorts of actions).
Anyway, any advice would be appreciated. I could go on, as you can see, the gameplay has such a nice depth and range, there seem to be a lot of different and interesting options available to the player. So go on, discuss.
(I thought about bumping the 20th Anniversary thread for this but decided against it, feel free to move or nuke this post if needed)
