Together Retro: Shining Force

[noiseredux]

Slightly off topic but I have to ask.... How similar to SF is Final Fantasy Tactics. I have already beat SF1 & 2 and right now I am still in a SF mode, but don't want to play SFCD or SF3 since they are in my basement. I have a copy of FFT and am debating on playing it on my PS3. So... how similar is it and would I enjoy FFT?

kind of similar. I mean a little less RPG and a little more Strategy. I personally love it. I think you'd like it either way.

[Jmustang1968]

Slightly off topic but I have to ask.... How similar to SF is Final Fantasy Tactics. I have already beat SF1 & 2 and right now I am still in a SF mode, but don't want to play SFCD or SF3 since they are in my basement. I have a copy of FFT and am debating on playing it on my PS3. So... how similar is it and would I enjoy FFT?

It is more advanced imo... A natural evolution of the SRPG genre. One of my all-time favorite games.

In FFT you worry about elevations and terrain more. More varied classes and you use a job system. So most of your characters can switch to almost any class.

[noiseredux]

^good point. I always really liked the terrain aspect.


ANYWAY, finally beat the robot battle. Got rid of Domingo and Guntz again. They just don't work for me. I have a pretty strong party of leveled up which includes no healers or birdmen, etc. IT's maybe not the smartest party, but it's leveled up a bit and I'm used to them. On to battle what? 28?

[dsheinem]

Finished Chapter 2! I had no problems with the Marionette or Ghoul, though certainly Ch 2 was tougher than Ch 1. I am generally enjoying the game so far, and do plan to play it through to the end

[RyaNtheSlayA]

I'm thinking of starting up Shining Force II. Anybody know how the Steam port/emulation package fairs?

Also, I lied. This isn't the first RPG I've completed, I also completed Fable. I don't consider Morrowind or Oblivion completed as I didn't finish all quest lines.

[noiseredux]

Finished Chapter 2! I had no problems with the Marionette or Ghoul, though certainly Ch 2 was tougher than Ch 1. I am generally enjoying the game so far, and do plan to play it through to the end

you didn't find the Marionette tricky? Wow. That was the hardest battle for me until the end of Chapter 6.

[dsheinem]

Finished Chapter 2! I had no problems with the Marionette or Ghoul, though certainly Ch 2 was tougher than Ch 1. I am generally enjoying the game so far, and do plan to play it through to the end

you didn't find the Marionette tricky? Wow. That was the hardest battle for me until the end of Chapter 6.

No, I thought it was pretty straightforward. I saved him for last (I took out the puppets and then the clowns beforehand) and then attacked him from all sides. He took out a few of my team, but it was nothing that I didn't have a recovery plan for. Sometimes you have to sacrifice team members to win...

I actually had the hardest time with the opening mission of Ch.2 where you cross from one town to the next. For some reason, the positioning around the mages/zombies took me some time to figure out.

[noiseredux]

are you grinding a bit D? I found the Marionnette really hard when I first started the game, but my levels were low. When I restarted my party levels were higher, so that might be part of it.

[dsheinem]

are you grinding a bit D? I found the Marionnette really hard when I first started the game, but my levels were low. When I restarted my party levels were higher, so that might be part of it.

I have not done any grinding. I figure most of my party is around level 5-7 at the end of Ch 2.

[Xeogred]

Yeah I also beat Marionnette on my first try and haven't grinded in the game at all. I'd say dsheinem knows what he's doing perhaps, heh.

Slightly off topic but I have to ask.... How similar to SF is Final Fantasy Tactics. I have already beat SF1 & 2 and right now I am still in a SF mode, but don't want to play SFCD or SF3 since they are in my basement. I have a copy of FFT and am debating on playing it on my PS3. So... how similar is it and would I enjoy FFT?

Basically what others said, you'll probably like it. It's definitely a lot more advanced compared to this, like the things others mentioned, and in these games and the Tactics Ogre series, you also have to focus on where your characters are standing/facing at the end of their move. Basically if you attack, or get attacked in the front there's a chance of blocking/countering, if you attack on the side you have a higher chance of hitting someone or being hit, and attacking characters in the back usually dishes out a lot. The maps are much more limited in character usage too, so don't expect to be able to control 12 people on the battlefield. So you have to think a little more about who you want to use, whereas with SF1 here it feels like you don't have to worry so much about the mix.

I'm not big on the job system though. But yeah, most people love FFT so definitely give it a shot. From there, I'd say if you enjoy it you're in for a treat with the Tactics Ogre games, because they're even way better in my book.

I also highly recommend Arc the Lad 1-2 if you haven't played those.