RPG Progress Report

[Menegrothx]

TO was a remake. FFT was mostly a port with a new translation and a little bit of new content.

Remake as in same old game with new graphics or remake as in same title but different game? I've looking to buy a physical copy of Let us Cling together and wondering which should I get, the PSP or PS1 version.

[MrPopo]

Final Fantasy IV advance

Just defeated Cagnazzo. Now off to some grinding and collecting some equipment around the world map.

When does FFIV really start to pick up some steam?

Mmmmm... probably after the next dungeon.

[Jmustang1968]

TO was a remake. FFT was mostly a port with a new translation and a little bit of new content.

Remake as in same old game with new graphics or remake as in same title but different game? I've looking to buy a physical copy of Let us Cling together and wondering which should I get, the PSP or PS1 version.

Somewhere in between. It is definitely the same game, but the story arc and some events have been altered. The system is a bit different as well.

In the original, you leveled each character. In the PSP version you level a class. Switching a character to that class means they automatically go to that level. A character who levels as a class in battle will get long term attribute bumps as opposed to someone switched.
A skill system also exists now. Each character has 10 skill slots. Characters in battle earn skill exp and can unlock a bunch of different skills.
A crafting system was also implemented but it is tedious.
A bunch of new areas and characters were added as well as new translation.
They also created the chariot and world systems.
The chariot system allows you to rewind turns battles to avoid mistakes. It is optional and obviously makes the game easier. I don't use it.
The world system allows you to jump back and play other portions of the branching storyline. It also is the only way to unlock post game characters and content.
There are also a bunch of other nuances that are different, but not worth mentioning.

I like the leveling and skill systems. Before you needed to train a lot to develop your troops. The translation and extras are great as well.

I wish the craft system was done better. I also liked that you would get unique powerful weapons from key enemies in the original. These are mostly unlocked via acquired recipes for crafting in the remake. They are also dropped in the extra and postgame content. I liked getting them sooner.
Those would be my only gripes. From what I have read, most fans feel the remake was well done and is now the definitive version. I agree with this. Some though, only accept the original as that is the version they know to be TO.

[Menegrothx]

I've played the original on an emulator but had no knowledge of the PSP version what so ever. Is the crafting necessary (ie if you don't craft stuff, the enemies are too tough to beat)? I'm not a fan of crafting in non-MMO RPGs usually, depends how well it's implemented and is it grindy or skill/build based. And generally I dislike it when in SRPGs your focus shifts from just surviving the battle, to trying to maximize XP gains to your healers/weaker characters who'd otherwise fall behind, collecting materials for crafting etc. I guess it's part of min maxing and adds some strategy to the situations, but I think that tactical RPGs and turn based tactics games should mainly be about surviving the encounters, while "save the hostages" and things of that nature can add extra challenge in form of optional quests.

[alienjesus]

So I recruited Yuffie to my team in FFVII about a week and a half ago. I'm just past the mythril mines. I haven't played since. It's really not been that fun so far.

[Jmustang1968]

It isn't necessary but enhancers your team. Makes it more difficult without I imagine. No one falls behind in this version unless you don't bring them to battle. Xp is given out mostly evenly. Now you don't have to save an almost dead foe for a weak character to get a kill shot. If you have multiples of a class in battle or the class is lower level, they will gain more xp.

[BoneSnapDeez]

So I recruited Yuffie to my team in FFVII about a week and a half ago. I'm just past the mythril mines. I haven't played since. It's really not been that fun so far.

Man FFVII is gettin' slammed left and right on this forum!

[Menegrothx]

Man FFVII is gettin' slammed left and right on this forum!

I really don't feel like committing 20+ hours to a game that I've already played from start to finish at the moment, but I'd kinda like to start a new FF7 game just to see if I like it as much as I did when I last played it.

To me the difference between a good and a great/favorite game is that when you look back on the latter, you remember how much of a good time you were having. So much in fact that you actually know that playing the actual game is never quite as good as looking back on the whole experience and thinking what a great game that was. It's not that uncommon for me to be kind of relieved to be finally done with a game and not really think much of it, but after a week or so, I start looking back on the whole experience fondly, listening to the soundtrack and "feeling" those memories and then I know that it was a great experience.

[Valkyrie-Favor]

I've played the original on an emulator but had no knowledge of the PSP version what so ever. Is the crafting necessary (ie if you don't craft stuff, the enemies are too tough to beat)? I'm not a fan of crafting in non-MMO RPGs usually, depends how well it's implemented and is it grindy or skill/build based. And generally I dislike it when in SRPGs your focus shifts from just surviving the battle, to trying to maximize XP gains to your healers/weaker characters who'd otherwise fall behind, collecting materials for crafting etc. I guess it's part of min maxing and adds some strategy to the situations, but I think that tactical RPGs and turn based tactics games should mainly be about surviving the encounters, while "save the hostages" and things of that nature can add extra challenge in form of optional quests.

I was able to beat the PSP version without any crafting or grinding, although I was pretty careful about choosing good abilities and, of course, the battle tactics. Besides that, you can rewind up to 50 moves if you screw up! Obviously this will ruin the game if you use it too much, but I tried it a few times to learn more about the rules and see if my bizarre, completely out there strategies would work without completely ruining a game. Usually things turned out

There's a lot of game here - 3 storylines and extra DLC if that wasn't enough for you. You won't need to work for high level soldiers!

[Menegrothx]

There's DLC for PSP games? I know you can unofficially patch some PSP games with fan made patches, but never heard about DLC before.