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What's up with all the FFXV hate?

It's been 15 years since I've really enjoyed a new Final Fantasy game and I really hated the demo.

I was finally ready to give up on one of my favorite gaming series of all time, and it felt like this has been long overdue.

But then the announcement of a wait mode pulled me back in.

I'm not hyped, but at least I'm willing again to give FFXV a chance. While being prepared for yet another huge disappointment.
 
For most people I'd wager:
1) It's been 10 years - maybe they shouldn't have announced it so early if they wanted to retain hype.
2) Square Enix's track record hasn't exactly been stellar recently.

I'm on the fence about it.

I think it looks quite pretty, and the battle system seems pretty fun. But I worry for the open world, I also worry for the fact it has an all male cast.
 
NoctisVsStar said:
You prefer medieval FF aesthetics but we had a decade of getting used to them plus it's a modern take. I feel it's a case of you either liked them when revealed ages ago or put off at first sight.
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It's not that I merely prefer medieval aesthetics. I just don't like overall look of FFXV's main cast, especially since the redesign by ROEN. Yeah I was okay with it in the first few years because the game had that fresh, mystery feel to it and I still wasn't bored of the cast's appearance. Now it's like okay....they still look the goddamn same, all wearing black, and even when they return to Insomnia at late game, they're all still wearing black, it's so boring. It's bad enough that the cast is one hell of a sausagefest, then you make them one race and all wearing black color fashion designer outfit.

And in the end, I can tolerate with the horrendous character design if the gameplay or story could make up for it, but story-wise the dialogue is already a trainwreck, and the gameplay is marred by stupid design decision like holding button to attack and defend or tedious musou style enemy encounter, or heavily scripted boss fight like the one in E3 Titan demo.

I don't even know how to access my interest in this game. It does have few good things I like, such as the towns, music, the summons looked amazing, and 'Wait' mode could be interesting, who knows. Everything else is in air. I'm still getting the game day 1, but heavily considering downgrading the deluxe edition to regular edition after this E3.
 
NoctisCaelum said:
Have you guys seen this ps4 version of the titan demo from e3? She played so much better than the SE rep.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaCmM3KTPjk

So awesome!
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That boss fight still looks kind of shitty ("Hold Block while this foot slowly falls towards you!") but that's definitely a better presentation of the E3 demo than what we got during the Xbox conference.

mdzapeer said:
<insert witty fanboy remark of PS4 playing better>

I only played the platinum demo and the game looks really good in motion, sure it suffers from ailising issues alot. But the day to night transitions looked sublime.

I think I am going to enjoy the game, but I hope to play it on PC.
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The day to night transitions (and weather effects) were actually my favorites parts of the Platinum Demo. Well, the music too.
 
Didn't watch the e3 demo because I didn't want to across any spoilers. My cousin who was with me didn't care so he watched on and commented on how much the guy was sucking at the game &#128534;. I dared not look at the tv.

Did play the Platinum demo and while at I have a lot of the same complaints as everyone else, I DID enjoy the combat. The more you tinker with it, the more moves I learned. Just want to get my hands on the final product already. I have faith.
 
Demos were underwhelming
E3 presentation was ass
I still dont like the all black wearing male only crew
Its been 10 years of development and issues
Ff13 happened and square thought it was good..

I really hope ff15 turns out great. i dont want to get overly optimistic only to be incredibly disappointed
 
I am just utterly confused at the battle system. I can forgive performance issues and bad IQ, I can forgive a lacklustre story and a couple of annoying characters (does Prompto have a single redeeming quality? Honestly, tell me if he does), and I can forgive a bad localisation.

I can't forgive shitty controls and a combat system totally downgraded from what was presumably a Kingdom Hearts rip off. It plays awfully and there's so little feedback to the player. Fuck me, Drakengard 3 feels better to play than what we've seen of XV. Unless the final product offers something drastically improved from the two demos we've had our hands on this game is going to be shit on all over the place because what we've played is just not fun.

They should have just thrown the game out holiday 2014 or canned it altogether before moving on to a totally new final fantasy, preferably directed by Ito who hasn't been given the chance to fuck up before being thrown back in the dungeon yet.

I'll still pick it up because I'd like to see for myself what the game is, but I'm not exactly hyped through the roof for it and E3 has only worsened that.
 
I'm not a FF mega-fan, although I do really love some of the previous games in the series. I do want this game to be good. I know that some people have been waiting so damn long for this to come out and I'd hate for them to be disappointed.

But it looks really cringey.

The characters seem like the most unoriginal, cliche anime tropes. They all say cheesy one-liners in the games because that is supposed to make us think that they are cool but they just fall so flat.

The black uniforms - which are the 'official battle dress' of the region they're from, apparently... - have clearly been designed to make them look 'cool', above trying to make the characters distinct or express their personalities in the way the character designs of previous FF games did. It just doesn't feel natural at all.

Also, the last new footage I've seen of the game was the live Titan battle at the Microsoft conference. While it looked impressive visually, the actual mechanics and gameplay on display was... well... awful. It really did not look flowing or interesting or fun in the slightest.

We all want FFXV to be great and just the Final Fantasy series in general to be that flagship series once again, but after the disappointment of the entire XIII saga and now the way it looks like XV is going... it really doesn't feel like it will live up to expectations and hopes at all.
 
Games been in active development since 2012. As much as people love to constantly push the 10 year dev cycle thing, of course pre-production and planning, as well as the early announcement didn't help.

But 2012 to 2016 being a 4 year dev cycle seems par for the course of the most recent mainline FF games in terms of active development which is usually between 4 and 6 years.

FF12 active development started in 2000 and released in 2006. (6 years)
FF13 active development started in 2004 and released in 2009. (5 years)
The same applies for FF14 which started in 2005 and released in 2010 (5 years) plus the additional 3 years to fix it up to A Realm Reborn re-launch in 2013, when the reboot began in 2011.

FFXV's active development despite the early announcement as Versus hasn't changed with the typical 5 year dev average of an FF game.

It seems that each mainline FF game seems to start development at the midway point just prior to game coming out (Not factoring re-releases, side games and sequels like X-2 or XIII-2 or Lightning Returns), if this trend continues, then perhaps it's safe to say FFXVI started development around 2014 and we won't release it until 2020 or 2021 at the earliest.

Seems about right? I suppose the VII Remake being split into three games and staff demands could mean FFXVI might come later, but XIII-2 and Lightning Returns didn't prevent the typical 5 year average from happening. So 2020 or 2021 still seems seems possible.
 
I'm glad I only started paying attention a few months ago when I got my ps4, since I'm pretty excited for it.

But do not try to pretend that e3 showing was good. I liked bits of it but it was a really poor way to show off a jrpg. I have no idea what they were even going for.
 
I'd be all over a single player FF styled after XIV. The stuff they have shown from XV isn't exactly blowing me away and that for a game that has been announced for years. The cast isn't appealing to me and I'm not a fan of having party AI in action combat. They just look clunky and feel they don't do much until you change to them. Also it doesn't really play well, it just doesn't feel as smooth as a usual action style combat game. Now I don't go digging around for all the media that has been shown or play the demo multiple times. Judging from this, my first impression is not good, but I hope the game is big enough to at least have some redeeming stuff in there.
 
Shin-chan said:
I am just utterly confused at the battle system. I can forgive performance issues and bad IQ, I can forgive a lacklustre story and a couple of annoying characters (does Prompto have a single redeeming quality? Honestly, tell me if he does), and I can forgive a bad localisation.

I can't forgive shitty controls and a combat system totally downgraded from what was presumably a Kingdom Hearts rip off. It plays awfully and there's so little feedback to the player. Fuck me, Drakengard 3 feels better to play than what we've seen of XV. Unless the final product offers something drastically improved from the two demos we've had our hands on this game is going to be shit on all over the place because what we've played is just not fun.

They should have just thrown the game out holiday 2014 or canned it altogether before moving on to a totally new final fantasy, preferably directed by Ito who hasn't been given the chance to fuck up before being thrown back in the dungeon yet.

I'll still pick it up because I'd like to see for myself what the game is, but I'm not exactly hyped through the roof for it and E3 has only worsened that.
Click to expand...
Watch episode 2 of the FFXV anime. You might end up liking Prompto after it.
 
Technically this game is a mess. At least the demo we've got. Jaggies and 20fps. Not my type of "fantasy".
 
At this point, I just want it out of the gate now so we can move on to something else. I'm looking forward to the game, but after 10 years and one reboot, I just want to be done with it. September can't come soon enough.
 
It just doesn't look very good as a game.

I say that as someone who was really looking forward to it....till I got my hands on the Platinum demo.

People keept saying "that was a poor representation of a bossfight/ bad demo / just a slice of the whole game", but I really can't give SE the benefit of the doubt anymore when the game has looked downright bad so many times.

And Tabata has everything but a stellar directing record, I hated all games he's done for SE.
 
For me it all comes down to the characters, I just can't bring myself to care about a game with such a cringeworthy cast. I'll just play FFXII instead.
 
I was cautiously optimistic but I played the demo and it crushed my hopes. I also never liked the main characters. Fuck their bromance roadtrip, gimme a varied party again instead. But yeah it's mostly how it played. I'll be genuinely surprised if it reviews good and has a generally positive feedback.
 
The problem with the 10 year dev commentary I don't get is this.

Back in 2006 when Versus was initially announced, it was in development on the Crystal Tools for PS3.

Shouldn't the perception of the games development changed since it was no longer a PS3 game and no longer being on the Crystal Tools engine.

People want to say it's been in development for 10 years, but this is not the PS3 game that has been announced back in 2006.

The PS4 devkits did not go out until 2012, the same year the game was rebooted into FFXV and pre-production ended and active development began.

Back in 2006 I was not expecting a PS4 game, so that expectation changed because the PS4 simply did not exist nor was the game considered for the platform at the time.

In short, I'm not getting the announced FF Versus for the PS3. So why should FFXV adhere to that standard when we know that FFXV is no longer a PS3 game.
 
I for one cannot understand why in the fuck they insists on keeping the holding button to attack garbage. It's seriously pissing me off they had a chance to make multiple modes of the combat and one of them wasn't a manual mode that disabled holding in favor of more responsive, faster paced battles. Did none of them ever read about dissatisfaction of this holding aspect AT ALL? Was holding so FUN for them?

I don't get it. I seriously don't. It's design decision like this that utterly sours my opinion of FFXV.

Can Nomura, just someone competent go and knock on Tabata's door and ask him to delay the game and just flat out change the holding to pressing?
 
Dark_castle said:
I for one cannot understand why in the fuck they insists on keeping the holding button to attack garbage. It's seriously pissing me off they had a chance to make multiple modes of the combat and one of them wasn't a manual mode that disabled holding in favor of more responsive, faster paced battles. Did none of them ever read about dissatisfaction of this holding aspect AT ALL? Was holding so FUN for them?

I don't get it. I seriously don't. It's design decision like this that utterly sours my opinion of FFXV.
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I thought you liked the combat in platinum demo after playing around with it? Or it could be someone else I'm thinking of.
 
I'm not convinced SE can make a good FF game. I'll probably pick it up at some point on Steam, but I have no excitement for this installment in the franchise. The more recent games have soured me on it.
 
Dark_castle said:
I for one cannot understand why in the fuck they insists on keeping the holding button to attack garbage. It's seriously pissing me off they had a chance to make multiple modes of the combat and one of them wasn't a manual mode that disabled holding in favor of more responsive, faster paced battles. Did none of them ever read about dissatisfaction of this holding aspect AT ALL? Was holding so FUN for them?

I don't get it. I seriously don't. It's design decision like this that utterly sours my opinion of FFXV.
Click to expand...

I'm with you. What is it about the holding-the-button mechanic that it cannot be changed? Didn't like it at all.
 
It doesn't help that, based on what's been shown, the combat is getting outshined by almost every other ARPG. Horizon, Nier, Dark Souls. Even Kingdom Hearts 3.
 
Dark_castle said:
I for one cannot understand why in the fuck they insists on keeping the holding button to attack garbage. It's seriously pissing me off they had a chance to make multiple modes of the combat and one of them wasn't a manual mode that disabled holding in favor of more responsive, faster paced battles. Did none of them ever read about dissatisfaction of this holding aspect AT ALL? Was holding so FUN for them?

I don't get it. I seriously don't. It's design decision like this that utterly sours my opinion of FFXV.
Click to expand...

I believe you can tap the buttons to time your attacks, holding down is nothing more than an auto-attack sequence. Tapping the attack allows you go through each swing or cancel and immediately dodge or whatnot. the Hold to attack isn't even required. It's just there.
 
What's with all the hate for the Xbox demo? I mean, don't get me wrong, I think the game looks bad, but it's very strange to me how the live demo was supposedly shit compared to the Sony conference's chocobo riding and gas station boob shots.
 
I'm really put off by how empty and dull the environments are. A vast contrast to all those pre-rendered places I fell in love with in VII, VIII and IX. So much detail, so much personality. I've seen nothing approaching that in XV.
 
Balls said:
I thought you liked the combat in platinum demo after playing around with it? Or it could be someone else I'm thinking of.
Click to expand...

I would have liked it A LOT better if the entire melee combat is made more responsive and fun with pressing to attack basic combo than holding all the way.
 
All of this is my opinion before anyone jumps down my throat.

It's not Final Fantasy Versus XIII. Listen to the music the game had when it was Versus. Listen to the crap they use it to market it now. The tone is radically different.

The combat is probably the worst in the entire main series (and not because it's action).

The series keeps getting away from everything that made it special trying to reach God knows what new audience.

I don't particularly hate it (and if I do it's because this once was my favorite series and I can't believe what it's turned into), but I'm pretty sure I will skip this one and probably never play it.

Thankfully there's Kingdom Hearts III to look forward to, which keeps looking better and better unlike this one.
 
Simply, what they've shown of it looks awful. The demo I've played of it felt awful and the cast and setting are deeply uninspiring to me.

I would have picked this up 6 years ago, but now not so much.
 
flatearthpandas said:
What's with all the hate for the Xbox demo? I mean, don't get me wrong, I think the game looks bad, but it's very strange to me how the live demo was supposedly shit compared to the Sony conference's chocobo riding and gas station boob shots.
Click to expand...
The dude made it look like the intended mechanics didn't work at all and/or like it was planned for the boss to basically be invincible until the prescribed moment and then suddenly instantly dead. Turns out the dude--Square's own guy chosen to demonstrate it--just fucking sucked at the game and this is how it should have gone.

If he had played it like this woman, I think it would have been far better received. And as I said a bit ago, I saw a few different playthroughs of the demo from the show floor and they all did a good job at it so it's not like this girl is just surprisingly in tune with the game.
 
Acquiescence said:
I'm really put off by how empty and dull the environments are. A vast contrast to all those pre-rendered places I fell in love with in VII, VIII and IX. So much detail, so much personality. I've seen nothing approaching that in XV.
Click to expand...
Really? You've seen nothing? Have you not seen Altissia or even Lestallum?
 
Acquiescence said:
I'm really put off by how empty and dull the environments are. A vast contrast to all those pre-rendered places I fell in love with in VII, VIII and IX. So much detail, so much personality. I've seen nothing approaching that in XV.
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Which is baffling considering how many people used to drool at the pictures of the water city and all the noir (?) scenery.
 
OmegaDL50 said:
I believe you can tap the buttons to time your attacks, holding down is nothing more than an auto-attack sequence. Tapping the attack allows you go through each swing or cancel and immediately dodge or whatnot. the Hold to attack isn't even required. It's just there.
Click to expand...

Except it's not a 1:1 correspondence between input and action. You can't time your basic attack because the whole thing feels more like a giant string of command instead of individual pieces of action. The way the game is made, it had so many animation priority going on that each time you attack, the game starts its engine and you're more encouraged to hold the button to chain the combo, or mindlessly mash the button so fast that it resembles holding. It just doesn't have the same, snappy, reactive input-action feeling you get from other action games.
 
Paracelsus said:
Which is baffling considering how many people used to drool at the pictures of the water city and all the noir (?) scenery.
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I was one of those who drooled at Altissia(?) that we saw in that CG video. I just thought it would look more fantastical on the inside and it still looks pretty but I thought it would be the sort of "fantasy town" of the game because I was worried that there wouldn't be lot of those kinds of locations in the game. The whole italian/venice thing is kinda cool too but not what I ultimately hoped for :P
 
The characters look horrible, the whole art direction feels uninspired for being a FF game actually.
Awful combat and the story feels uninteresting.
It's the FFXIII fiasco all over again.
 
Dark_castle said:
I for one cannot understand why in the fuck they insists on keeping the holding button to attack garbage. It's seriously pissing me off they had a chance to make multiple modes of the combat and one of them wasn't a manual mode that disabled holding in favor of more responsive, faster paced battles. Did none of them ever read about dissatisfaction of this holding aspect AT ALL? Was holding so FUN for them?

I don't get it. I seriously don't. It's design decision like this that utterly sours my opinion of FFXV.

Can Nomura, just someone competent go and knock on Tabata's door and ask him to delay the game and just flat out change the holding to pressing?
Click to expand...

Poor action combat is a staple of Tabata's games at this point. Type-0, 3rd Birthday and Crisis Core all have terrible combat systems.
 
I've not posted a single opinion about Final Fantasy. I've never really understood why people like Final Fantasy games. I've tried a few and always find them boring from a narrative and a gameplay perspective.
 
flatearthpandas said:
What's with all the hate for the Xbox demo? I mean, don't get me wrong, I think the game looks bad, but it's very strange to me how the live demo was supposedly shit compared to the Sony conference's chocobo riding and gas station boob shots.
Click to expand...
Superfluous fan service is either optional or can be ignored.
Making the fundamental gameplay that's supposed to drive a 50-200 hour JRPG look flawed/boring is a far more grievous offense.
 
M_Night said:
https://youtu.be/9wIDjO-A6RU
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Yep, looks gorgeous to me, but that's exactly why I'm so wary of this game. After the Platinum demo I've massively tempered my expectations. Games that can't maintain a locked 30fps feel like crap to control, and this game's battle system practically demands 30fps minimum at all times.

I'm waiting for the Digital Foundry guys to confirm that the performance targets have been met and the game finally controls and plays well in time for launch, or failing that I'm waiting for the inevitable PC version, even if it takes years. Because if it feels anything like Platinum, I'll hate it.
 
galvenize said:
Going on a date with Cindy in VR made me hype.
Lol
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giphy.gif
 
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