Worst FF combat?

when i first played xv, i thought i was bad at combat. i am, but this is really bad. i played final fantasy since the 90's and i hate this game's combat. agree?

@killreviltwin: it's too different to compare to previous games. It took me a while to get used to it but I actually love the combat.

I don't mind it at all. Sure, it isn't a traditional FF combat system but it feels better than some of the previous ones. For example, I loathed the combat system in FFX because it was even more linear than the level design. Oh, there is a flying enemy, I guess I have to use Wakka because he can one-hit them and everyone else will need two hits. This enemy has armor, time to use Auron. Oh, this one is only suceptible to magic? The only realy choice you ever got to make in that game was whether you wanted to waste MP on Haste or Shell; or then there was the " oh, I guess I haven't used a summon in a while... Its a complete waste of time, but if I don't use them they will be underpowered when I actually need them."

I like it. The worst combat in a FF game to me (mind you I haven't even played the majority of these games) would be VIII's. Stocking magic sucks, the junction system makes zero sense, there's no incentive to not summon constantly, and summon animations are totally unskippable. FFXV's keeps me actively involved, it feels great to pull off warp strikes and combos. It's about the only thing that makes me want to keep playing this game.

It's not turn based so...if that's what we're judging it on, sure, it's bad. If you take time to get used to it and accept that it's not like the old games then it's pretty fun though.

As someone who plays a lot of third person hack and slash games it takes some getting used to. (because it isnt half as responsive as you'd like) I dont think i've played enough to say whether it's bad or not. The camera and lock on targeting can be erratic though, I can say that much.

Meh, after I put in some time to understand how the combat works, I came around on it. I don't love it, but I will say there are certainly some really neat things about it. As far as FF goes, I think it's one of the more interesting combat systems the series has ever had. That said, I'll be honest and throw out a cliche "I wish CyberConnect2/Platinum/Ninja Theory/Team Ninja had done it." Like I said, I don't hate it, but the entire time I can't help but feel there's a somewhat long list of developers who could have done a much better job with it.

That's exactly it. Once I started upgrading air steps, got comfortable with utilizing phase strikes and warp points, and started focusing on dodging rather than how to do damage it's started to feel vaguely like one of those games. I'm actually having fun with the combat now. The camera gets a little fucked against large groups or really big enemies, but for the most part it's ok.

My problem is actually the exact same problem I had with MGSV. I like pretty much everything about the game, and love when I'm doing stuff. But the ratio of traveling/loading screens to actually engaging with the game is crazy. You'll run/drive for like 2 minutes(both ways) for a 30 second fight or to give a chocobo a potion. I should probably just press on with the story, but the completionist in me won't let me.

As much as people tend to gush over FFVI I can't help but be bummed that it brought about the end of mechanical and strategic depth for the bulk of the series. They weren't exactly chess but at least it was something more than "use best attack and heal when damaged".

If they weren't gonna bother with thoughtful mechanics then at least they went with more action. Otherwise why bother with turn-based?

I've only played the demo but I absolutely HATED it. I'm not saying it's bad combat because it's not "true FF turn-based combat" or anything; I just thought it was bad. I really hated how detached I felt from the movement and hated fighting with the awful camera, both of which seem to still be present in the full game (although I can't say for sure, having not put hands on it yet). It's possible the newer tweaks made it better or that it might grow on me with time, but I would call it the worst FF combat for me personally as of this point in time.

I actually really enjoy 15s combat, now that I understand it. They made it much better then the previous two demos, which was my biggest concern since those demos handled like garbage.

The worst FF combat is easily FF12. Boy is it fun to set up a bunch of If/Than clauses and watch the game play itself.../s

Love it because that archaic system of turn-based fighting needed to die a long time ago, along with the other systems Square tried to tinker around before like in FFVIII.

Haven't played it yet, and probably won't for a while since I'm playing other games, and my brother is currently playing through it himself, but honestly, it looks good to me. If you're resorting to comparing it to the past games style, and enjoy that, then sure; I can see why you wouldn't like it as much.

I'm really not liking the combat so far, 5 hours in. Hold square and sometimes press other buttons while trying to wrangle the lock-on and camera. Also, they squandered the potential of the warp. I feel like they should have embraced the combat of character action games, made something slower and methodical, or thought of something radically different. What's here just isn't fun or interesting.

You're right. It is a ton of fun. That's why XII is the best game in the series. And doing it yourself is way better than pressing auto-battle for 50 hours, and then hoping the AI doesn't do anything irredeemably stupid (it will), or that the camera will fail to show critical parts of the action (it will) as In FFXIII (the worst game in the series).

You mean best combat in the series right? Because it's excellent. Also comparing real time action to ATB is sort of a weird comparison to make.

At least it doesn't drag like most of the menu based Final Fantasy games. I just replayed VI and oh boy is it a slog to get through the combat in that one.

You may want to try wait mode. There's a bit more nuance to the combat than you might think at first.

This seemed pretty ridiculous and intense to me, not to mention unscripted which is crazy for a JRPG:

In here to remind folks that Square released I am Setsuna this year too, which has glorious, old-school ATB combat.

I got nothin' on FFXV, but combat in those games has never looked so unappealing.

I've only put in a few hours so far, and feel like my reflexes are too slow to do well in the combat so far... but it's fun. I feel great, drop the ball, get frustrated, and want to do better. If I can improve with practice, I'll be satisfied.

Does All of The Bravest count as FF combat?

I've not played XV but I think 12 has really bad combat. I think FFX has the best combat. I don't understand why they have to change it so much. Persona 4 had classic turn based combat and it was great. You don't have to make it fast and flashy just make it strategic. That is what I liked about FFX, that there were enemies that you had to have piercing weapons to do any real damage to, enemies to fast for slower attacks and enemies you had to use magic on. In FF1-9 you pretty much just hold the attack button but for the first time you had to really use magic not just to do more damage but to do any real damage at all. Of course by the end you have so much speed and strenght that it is not a problem but up until then it is strategic. I also prefer the turn based style to more action oriented games.

I just want them to make games like in the FF7-10 era. Final Fantasy is not interesting to me anymore and that is why I will skip XV and why I skipped XII-3. The only good time I've had with FD lately was the FFX HD remake that was the best game I played that year it came out on PS3. I have some hopes for the FFVII remake but they will probably change it too much to make it into some action RPG.

The worst combat in a Final Fantasy game is in the game Final Fantasy, for the Nintendo Entertainment System

I'm really enjoying wait mode. Standard no-wait is fine too, but I find wait mode gives me that extra opportunity to gather the situation if I need to.

XIII was pretty bad.

Also to everyone wanting a new turn-based FF game, just play World of Final Fantasy instead. It's better than a game built upon fanservice has any right to be.

Here's the thing about I am Setsuna and FFXV (formerly known as XIII versus), one of them was only published by Square Enix, made on a shoestring budget, and designed to emulate Chrono Trigger. The other one was conceived as a spinoff and remade from scratch twice. If they hadn't renamed the game to be a mainline entry, then the expectations would be different. You want developers to do their weird experimentations in spinoffs. What I want to know is where Sqeenix takes the Final Fantasy franchise from here. They know what the fans want, and it's not I am Setsuna, it's the Final Fantasy VII remake. They want the gameplay they remember with the AAA production values and technology of today. Personally I want something new, not a remake of a game that actually wasn't the second coming. But completely throwing out the formula for a series that runs on nostalgia? That's risky.

I'm super early, and I find it somewhat easy; just need to keep an eye on enemy movement so I can be ready to dodge/parry at a moment's notice and then I pretty much win. However, it's fun and stylish and makes me feel happy. Not much more I expect from it. Hopefully, it gets a little more intense as I continue, but so far I love it.

@dukeofthebump: Arguably 2 combat is worse. But yeah the first game has some issues. XD

I'm not feeling it so far. It feels like it's never going to have the depth of the previous games. It's like they traded the depth of those earlier systems for a not particularly great third-person action system.

I'm enjoying the game overall, though, so I'll stick with it hoping it'll improve.

lolwut. You mean select "attack" over and over again?

OK, so now that I've played it for awhile I'll say - I kinda dig it. Which is a big admission for a fan of the more traditional Final Fantasies who has loudly bemoaned the current state of the series. There's some nifty stuff in there. Warping around is cool idea. The magic actually feels powerful as opposed to just being a different word for "attack." The bros all have different techs and those skills level up with use. It's neat.

Is it faultless? Of course not. The camera freaks out too often, there are frequently too many icons and prompts flashing on screen to be able to parse the action, and cut-away to your companions when using bro-powers breaks up the flow of the combat too much.

But I do think it's an earnest attempt at something cool with a combat system. I mean, the could have played it safe and just done mindless straight up turn based again. Or they could have just made it an equally mindless Diablo-style action RPG. Or they could have kept the truly awful system from XIII. But instead they tried to do something new and it was mostly successful. It's Final Fantasy - it's always going to be impossible to make a system everyone likes. Which is true of most games, but it doubly true of Final Fantasy.

I guess the way I prefer think about is to imagine the best possible version of the combat system in the game and then compare it with what's there. In prior entries, the best possible version was either what was already in the game, or, if there was a better version, it wouldn't be much of an improvement on the current iteration. With FFXV I think there are meaningful improvements they could make down the line that would make the system truly awesome. If they made the next game in the series with a more polished version of this, I wouldn't be unhappy.

I'm about 15 hours in and I don't love the combat much, it's too sluggish compared to any real action game and too shalow to be really tactical. Now that things don't die as fast it's a bit better, but still feels like you just need to keep your distance and spam the companion attacks when you can (when fighting bigger enemies. especiall when there is more than a couple). I hope I will get more options as the game progresses, so far it feels weird.

I thought I was going to hate it, but after an hour or so, I really like it.

Gotta agree with this one, I spent a lot of time messing with those If/Then clauses. Nobody seemed to notice that Dragon Age: Origins pretty much lifted that idea straight out of FFXII and ran with it.

...though I still say that VI is the best one in the series overall.

Man. I love me some good turn based combat. Maybe it is archaic, but it's still a ton of fun for me.

On topic, I played the Platinum demo of FFXV and I did not like the combat at all, but it looks like there's way more to it once you get into it? FFXV is still a game I want to try out but I don't really want to spend $60 on it just yet. Not when there's so much else for me to play and World of Final Fantasy is out there.

Just wanna also add that 12 is the best FF game.

13-2 is the best final fantasy game and the 13 series also has the best battle system

The camera angles during combat definitely make me want to put the barrel of a gun in my mouth. I cannot fathom the fact that in 10 years this was the best they could do.

It's a fun system that's hampered by a few things

The camera angles royally suck, especially in close quarters or fighting taller enemies

Your bros are kind of liabilities and can't dodge like you can so they just eat hits, forcing you to use i-frame giving moves like techniques or blindsides

That tends to happen in real time systems. It was famously an issue in XIII, and it's always a problem in Tales of games where your AI allies wander into every AoE they can like they're on a mission. It's why I prefer systems where you can have direct control over all party members. Knowing Squeenix they'll go the exact other way for the next one and just do a one character party a la Lightning Returns.

Can't be worse than Crisis Core, but I guess I'll find out after Christmas.

Different, not bad. I like it ok. The other dudes get in the way as much as they help. That's annoying. Like, I basically can't ever cast spells without hurting them? I feel like i'm missing something.

The combat is a lot of fun when I'm not fighting my bros or the camera. Worst game camera I've seen in a major title in a very long time.

Gotta disagree with OP there. Crisis Core has the worst combat system. It wasn't fun at all, don't know if it had to do with psp controls or just bad design. Also, having to grind like crazy with that system made me hate it even more. Go play it now and compare it.

VIII's Junction system was stupid as well. It makes you NOT want to use your magic that is junction to your stats, because the less magic you have, the lower your character's stats become. (Also has the most nonsensical story in the series. Time wrapping amnesia bullshit)

If you just said you didn't like the combat system because it's no longer turn base, then that's fine. But it being the worst in the series is wrong.

FFVII:R might end up having the best combat system. It being done by CyberConnect2

I'm not going to write a sonnet about the FFXV battle system or anything, but there are plenty of boring battle systems in Final Fantasy's history, and a few missteps that weren't boring but were worse than this.

@thatonedudenick: Like, I basically can't ever cast spells without hurting them? I feel like i'm missing something.

I've read in a couple other places you can use Ignis' Regroup ability (which also heals your party) to get everyone out of the way before using magic. Been too busy this week to try this strategy out myself yet, however.

It's hard to compare but it's the most fun I've had with a Final Fantasy' systems since FF8.

if you also stand there long enough, usually Noctis will be like "everybody, move!" but then in order to fight the bad guys you gotta stand in the spell anyway

I don't understand the combat. You're supposed to be able to hold Square to dodge and block stuff right? Provided you have MP and you're not midswing. Why doesn't it work sometimes? I just finished a story quest that lead to get the Armiger. Outside the cave was a bunch of giant crabs (and a death snake but lets ignore that) and I locked on, one was coming at me, I held Square, and then they all hit me and I died. They were body blocking me so I couldn't get picked up so I had to use an item. Used it. Held Square. Died again immediately.
Inside the cave there were Mindflayers with an ability I couldn't block and parry even though the game showed me that I could.

This game bums me out.

I'm not sure what games people are playing. But as far as I can remember Final Fantasy has never been that deep. Through most of the main games of the series, all you did was press "attack" but 90% of the time.

It took me awhile but eventually I learned to get used to 15's combat, but now that I got a bunch of my abilities starting to really like it.

Just hold Circle.

Occasional Square.

Pop some Elixers.

More Circle.