Square Enix's 'Final Fantasy All The Bravest' Melds Traditional RPG Mechanics with Casual Gameplay

[Eriden]

Have you played Dissidia? It's mighty fast and uses multiple action button presses at the same time. How would that translate to something as simple as an iPhone or iPad?

Figuring out alternative control schemes that work well with different platforms is one of the reasons big developers like Square get the big bucks for their AAA titles.

Plus, a simple Google search would give you products like this, or that.

Physical solutions might be a bit clunky, but developers have also been using *****ty transparent overlay control schemes for some time now. Square included, I believe.

 

[Eriden]

No they don't at all, or at least not in Square Enix's case.

To quote Rex Stout's second most enduring character: Pfui!

Just a few examples:

KH: Birth by Sleep - PSP Exclusive
KH: Dream Drop Distance - DS/3DS Exclusive
The Sony-Square Exclusivity Agreement

It would be incredibly naive to think that money doesn't change hands between the console manufacturers and developers when exclusivity is involved. Don't let your love for the company make you deliberately obtuse.

 

[0098386]

To quote Rex Stout's second most enduring character: Pfui!

Just a few examples:

KH: Birth by Sleep - PSP Exclusive
KH: Dream Drop Distance - DS/3DS Exclusive
The Sony-Square Exclusivity Agreement

It would be incredibly naive to think that money doesn't change hands between the console manufacturers and developers when exclusivity is involved.

But they don't. Square are a smart company that release software on the platforms it will perform the best on. That's how games begin. Square Enix are not locked to any hardware. They're currently releasing casual games for 3DS and iOS, larger scale games for Vita and grand scale games for both the Xbox and PS3. Don't they also have an MMO for PC and PS3?

And just as your example points out, KH games have been on GBA, DS, 3DS, PSP, PS2.

If your game has specifics that can't be sacrificed then you're not going to exploit it on other platforms. Just like how Theatrhythm was a DS project and finally released on the 3DS, it was ported to iOS because nothing was lost. So much would be lost trying to get a break-neck speed, control-heavy game like Dissidia onto a touchscreen device. Not saying it couldn't happen, but Dissidia is an old (though non-vintage) game that everyone has moved on from. (the same reason you don't get a flood of ports to new consoles, like why are there so few PS3 ports to Vita, or Gamecube/Wii to 3DS)

Don't let your love for the company make you deliberately obtuse.

Nothing like that at all.

Figuring out alternative control schemes that work well with different platforms is one of the reasons big developers like Square get the big bucks for their AAA titles.

Plus, a simple Google search would give you products like this, or that.

Physical solutions might be a bit clunky, but developers have also been using *****ty transparent overlay control schemes for some time now. Square included, I believe.

I assume you're aware of the market penetration of those devices? Even home consoles have a low accessory attach rate, and they usually have wider software support.

 

[Renzatic]

Dear Square Enix, crack on with FF XIII-3 so you can move onto XV. Quit with these poor iOS games. Port V and VI to the 3DS. Finish off X for the Vita and PS3. Next gen remake of FFVII and we can all go home.

POOR iOS games is the key word here. I and many other people here wouldn't mind in the least if they made a bunch of good ones.

Like the eventual V and VI remakes? Why does it have to be a 3DS and Vita, while ignoring iOS entirely? All three are roughly equivalent in power. There's no reason to ignore the iDevices entirely for the more traditional platforms.

 

[KnightWRX]

Like the eventual V [...] remakes?

FFV was ****, the story was stale and the job system... power level every job for each character, revert to "jobless" and equip the most powerful armor/abilities. Proceed to spank final boss with a few yawns.

Though I think FFII takes the cake. Seriously. Play it normally : impossible to finish or even get past the first few story line hubs. No, instead you wait to get a 4th "NPC" that won't stick around, get into combat and then start attacking yourself... but wait... by pressing "Attack->Cancel->Attack->Cancel->Attack->Cancel" 99 times per character. After a few tedious hours of doing this, power through the entire game just auto-attacking trash and using Blood Sword to 1 or 2 hit bosses, even the last one.

The sad part is they could have actually FIXED FFII when they made the WonderSwan remake which was ported to Playstation and then to iOS and every other devices out there. You know, give it actual sane leveling mechanics, fix the damn Blood Sword glitch, etc.. But no, they left it as is, slapped 16 bit graphics and used the Final Fantasy brand to sell it.

*sigh*. Not all the of the original Final Fantasies were great. There's a reason North America got FF -> FF IV -> FF VI and didn't get II, III and V. That's why our memories of SquareSoft are so good, they're tainted by us never having suffered they BS back in the days. Now we get most every **** title they put out, same as the Japanese folk. And we think Square went "downhill" when in fact they've always been standing there, just sometimes, they climb up for a peak at the view before going back down.

 

[Renzatic]

FFV was ****, the story was stale and the job system... power level every job for each character, revert to "jobless" and equip the most powerful armor/abilities. Proceed to spank final boss with a few yawns.

Thanks for ruining it for me. :shakes fist:

Though I think FFII takes the cake. Seriously. Play it normally : impossible to finish or even get past the first few story line hubs. No, instead you wait to get a 4th "NPC" that won't stick around, get into combat and then start attacking yourself... but wait... by pressing "Attack->Cancel->Attack->Cancel->Attack->Cancel" 99 times per character. After a few tedious hours of doing this, power through the entire game just auto-attacking trash and using Blood Sword to 1 or 2 hit bosses, even the last one.

The sad part is they could have actually FIXED FFII when they made the WonderSwan remake which was ported to Playstation and then to iOS and every other devices out there. You know, give it actual sane leveling mechanics, fix the damn Blood Sword glitch, etc.. But no, they left it as is, slapped 16 bit graphics and used the Final Fantasy brand to sell it.

I haven't played much of Final Fantasy II and V, but from what little I've seen, you might have a point. I assumed FFII didn't grow on me because I played it well past it's expiration date, and didn't have nostalgia to fall back on. V...well. I goofed around with it for an hour or so on an emulator, and it...I dunno...it lacked the magic IV and VI had. The characters weren't all that interesting, the music was sub par compared to the other SNES titles, and the graphics actually seemed like a step back from the previous entry. It didn't tickle my fancy, I guess you could say.

Though I would buy an iOS remake for two reasons.

1: to maybe see if I initially judged the game a little too harshly, and...

2, to throw in my support for the platform, which will hopefully lay the groundwork for VI, which, in my opinion, was the high point of the series.

At the very least, it could make for a nice little diversion.

Also, FF2 sounds quite a bit like the Gameboy Final Fantasies, which I actually liked. Granted, I had zero experience with RPGs back then, so I probably was easily impressed, and far more forgiving...

*sigh*. Not all the of the original Final Fantasies were great. There's a reason North America got FF -> FF IV -> FF VI and didn't get II, III and V. That's why our memories of SquareSoft are so good, they're tainted by us never having suffered they BS back in the days. Now we get most every **** title they put out, same as the Japanese folk. And we think Square went "downhill" when in fact they've always been standing there, just sometimes, they climb up for a peak at the view before going back down.

Everyone has their ups and downs, that's to be expected. They problem with Square these days is their valleys are even deeper, and their peaks aren't anywhere near as soaring.

This might be my curmudgeonly old man opinion, but I think Square's last big hurrah came and went with the original Playstation. Yeah, it marked the beginning of the downhill slide of the FF series, but it was also the generation they put out some of their best titles. Final Fantasy Tactics, Vagrant Story, Xenogears...they were grand, grand games.

Nowadays, I only look to Square-Enix only for the occasional Dragon Quest release, and seeing what good old games they'll be remaking next. Kinda sad, but they're not the company they used to be.

 

[TedM]

This is definately the biggest piece of garbage that Enix/Square has ever released.

I don't know man. Did you play FF X-2. That was a pretty huge abomination.

 

[mono1980]

Square-Enix is so tragic. Who knew that the incredible games from them we played in the 90s would be their best work. Back then the future had so much potential, now that the future is here, we can see how good we had it then and how they have wasted their potential.