That game is the culmination of a direction they started moving right around FFVIII. Trying to dismantle and rebuild the core systems of the previous games. The change in plot delivery. Character design. Navigation. General tone. Final Fantasy games used to be about very simple straightforward gameplay mechanics, at least superficial open world feeling, and top notch storytelling. When they tried to move towards more complex gameplay mechanics as well as more rigid linearity (removal of the superficial freedom), they completely lost the charm. I don't recall anyone complaining about the presence of world maps and airships. For some reason Square decided that these were cancers that had to be excised. i dunno what the hell gave them that idea. In exchange they went absolutely nutso with the levelling systems. Suddenly we're navigating through mazes and checkboards purchasing licenses and junctioning crap to the other shit that we need to have to use the stuff. These games didn't need any of that. None of it was any fun to deal with.
The battle school thing is something you'd have to put a lot of time and a lot of money into getting right. To date, no one has pulled off zero-g movement to any effective or accurate degree. Dead Space tried, but really all they did there was have you jump from wall to wall in a straight line.
Also, regarding Card, the fact that he's a jackass should in no way deter you from reading his books, especially the ones from early in his career. Being a jackass doesn't make him any less a fantastic author.
I think I'm burned out on Fallout. 15 hours into New Vegas and I'm getting the old procrastination problems I had with 3 again. Meaning I think of the game as some sort of unpleasant work that needs to get done. Just yesterday in a fit of Fallout distraction I downloaded Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and started learning how to play Team Scrub. And then I bought the new Assassin's Creed. Odds of my finishing New Vegas now are sub 25%.
Log in to comment