The Spoilers of War -
December 14, 2000 - Nich Maragos
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed
within this column are those of the participants and the
moderator, and do not necessarily reflect those of the
GIA. There is coarse language and potentially offensive
material afoot. I'd be more motivated to be responsible and hardworking if laziness and sloth didn't work so well.
Don't say we didn't warn you.
Before we get into the FF IX discussion tonight, I feel compelled to point out that the disclaimer up there honestly does apply. I've got some unkind things to say about the game tonight, but they don't by any means reflect any kind of official position the GIA as a whole takes on the game--our official position is the 5-out-of-5 review. The stuff I say here tonight is just my personal opinion. So, no hard feelings, okay?
| Neesh games |
|
So how do the French pronounce your name?
Alright, I haven't beaten FF9 yet. In fact, I don't even own the thing.
I didn't preorder it, and I actually have no plans to buy it. I'm not
interested. Best FF ever? Sure, so was FF8. Anyway, I'm still going to
avoid spoilers, so I'd really appreciate it if you could-
*Blows your head off with a shotgun*
~Ian P.
|
I don't know how the French would say it, but everyone's favorite Canadian Brian Glick keeps calling me "Neesh" until I punch him in the face.
And as for the rest of your letter ... well, there's a reason I'm putting it at the very beginning of the column. For the benefit of Ian and anyone else who hasn't finished Final Fantasy IX: . Everybody with me here? Good.
| Now you see it, now you don't |
| Dear Nich,
There are many great things to say about FF9, and one of them has to be how well they did the final scene of the play during the ending, with Zidane literally chucking his cloak into the sky. While, yes, we were not surprised that the cloaked guy turned out to be Zidane, the camera direction and timing were absolutely perfect. Let us hope that this same Square magic will be part of the FF movie. I also appreciated the return of the a Final Fantasy staple, the introverted "shoot first ask questions later"/"I do it my way" character. From Kain to Shadow to Vincent and now to Amarant, we have seen a variations on this character. But with Amarant, we really see real character growth. He finally becomes a team player. And yes I was quite shocked by Famitsu's Phantasy Star Online review. Unfortunately, that does not mean the game will do well in Japan. Vagrant Story and Soul Caliber, two other games rated "perfect" by Famitsu sold lower than expected in Japan.
-Fares
|
It's funny you should mention Amarant, as he was my second least favorite character of the game. My problem with him--and in retrospect with Shadow, though to a lesser degree--is that there's not a single character reason for him to be in the party. Why is he hanging out with a bunch of kids he openly and admittedly dislikes? If he's so big on doing things his way, why does he elect time after time to stay in the group?
You could say "because deep down, he cares," but that doesn't really wash. A writer can't establish a character one way and then try to claim he's not really like that, because he just spent all that time convincing us doesn't act that way. It's literally lame characterization, without a leg to stand on.
| On reflection |
| Hey Nich!
You Americans are finally sure that Bush is gonna be your next president!
... and on a more cheerful note:
Us readers can finally discuss FFIX's merits!
Well, when I'd first finished FFIX, I ranked it as my second favorite
game of all time, I was so overwhelmed by its charm.
Now, though, it has slipped to third place (after FFVII and Xenogears).
Why? Well, after thinking about it some more, I realized that while the
latest installment in the series is without question a greatly enjoyable
game, it is somehow... fleeting. I recognize the pros of trying to recapture
some of that old-school flavor, but it has made me realize that the stories
of recent Square games are far more profound and less clear-cut than they
used to be. Sure, FFIX (and all the somewhat older games) has charm in
spades, but it did not make me think, or frighten me, or move me. Even the
awe-inspiring moments (dragon attack on disc 4, eidolon summonings) were
only awe-inspiring because of their magnitude, not because of their
cleverness.
In short, the story wasn't as memorable to me. And I'd like to theorize
that some people feel the same way, 'cause I haven't heard too many people
screaming in the column that they wanted to discuss FFIX RIGHT NOW!
This letter is already way too long, so I'll expound on the other aspects
of FFIX tomorrow...
Sir Farren, probably on the verge of being told that he's way, WAY off.
|
Actually, I mostly agree with you. FF IX is still an FF game, which
means it was good, but it didn't engage me the way the series traditionally
has. Coming out in the middle of the current RPG blitz hasn't helped; when
I have Skies of Arcadia, Grandia 2, and Persona 2 to play, it's hard to
keep going through a game that just isn't holding my interest very much.
Now I'm not saying it's stupid to enjoy FF9. A lot of people enjoy it,
and there is much to enjoy. At the same time, though, I found it flawed in a
lot of non-trivial ways, and finished it just kind of hoping for more.
| So much for traditions |
| Chris,
I'll ask the one question that needs asking: where are Biggs/Vicks and
Wedge? What's FF without the dynamic duo?
--Imad "(e)magius" Hussain
|
It does kind of seem like they should have been in the game, doesn't it? When I played, I just pretended that Biggs and Wedge were the real names of the Short Guard and Tall Guard at the South Gate. Didn't really make up for their absence, but it worked for me.
| Pure eeeeeevil |
Didn't you think the "villain" of FF9 was a big fantastic waste of time?
He's a megalomaniacal one-note.
Take the Desert Palace sequence for example. The "villain" kidnaps our
heroes, then forces them to go fetch the Foozle for his diabolical scheme.
Haven't we seen this in countless B-movies / comic books / episodes of G.I.
Joe? And as usual, the reasons for this are shaky. Why can't he hire a
mercenary like Amarant to get it for him? As a feared "weapons dealer"
you'd think this would be feasible. What exactly makes your *sworn enemy* a
good choice to carry out your errands?
Then he brilliantly leaves the cell key unguarded in an adjacent room where
it is stolen by a *FROG*. After the heroes escape, they wander around his
castle unchallenged, and rather than accost them (as a supposedly
all-powerful villain should be able to do), he simply whips out his handy
Hero Dummies with which to trick stupid Zidane. Then when his plan is
almost dashed, he randomly grabs a party member with which to threaten them
AGAIN, increasing the number of Dr.-Evil-dumb kidnappings to two.
I really don't know how to feel about this. I suppose this is supposed to
make me mad -- to detest Kuja. The number of explanation points and usages
of the word "Bastard!!!" during Zidane's dialog seems to suggest that. Is
the Desert Palace sequence a display of power? If so why work so hard to
make Kuja look like an incompetent?
And then of course you tack on not just one "popup villain" at the end, but
two. Garland and Necron. I shouldn't even begin, but... why does Garland,
a fiend intent on genocide, end up as your Obi-Wan-like guide through
Memoria? Did Necron have any connection to Kuja whatsoever? Maybe the
hula-hoop wielding robot is just a manifestation of death. Whatever he is,
I think I missed it. Heck, even FF4 spent three words telling us ZeROmus
(not Zemus, a crucial one-syllable difference) was the manifestation of
hatred.
Are people sedated enough by nostalgia to not care about this nauseatingly
bad writing, or what? I don't think a tribute to the past is an excuse.
JOHN FORD
|
Like you, I despised Kuja not for any heinous acts of his but rather for just being so ineffective, dull, and motivationless. By far the worst villain in the series, Kuja is not only annoying where he should be sinister, effeminate where he should be imposing, and just generally weak. Furthermore, as you have so carefully explicated, he's not that smart.
In one of Terry Rossio's columns on a screenwriting site, he examines the problem of making a hero look good by outwitting or overcoming a dumb villain. The problem with this, which is so obvious I shouldn't even have to say it, is that nobody looks good by overcoming an idiot. If Kuja had been a monstrously effective villain, and Zidane been able to beat him then, it would have been far more impressive than the fairly straightforward attempt in the game.
| War |
| Nich,
Like you, I have also beaten FF9. I still don't know what to think of this game,and its rank with the other eight titles. I mean the old school look is nice, but I am beginning to believe that polygons have no place in any rpg. FF9 had a nice story, but nothing happened that surprised me at all(ok maybe Garland). Square needs to quit putting up these villain fronts(i.e. Matron FF8,ShinRa FF7,& Queen Brahme FF9). Square has only gone half on their claim of old school( WTF are the crystals til the last hour of the game!)I say eliminate prerendered bg's, change to sprites(bof,grandia,xenogears), and get some hear felt story back in the games. I am getting sick of playing vague games(storywise) like Chrono Cross. I want more Xenogears-like games.
Xenodude- Who still believes Xenogears is the greatest creation ever.
|
And if you thought I was nasty and harsh in my last letter ...
I submit to you that if you believe RPGs must have sprites in order to be effective, you are a graphics whore. Yes, the term is usually applied to those who turn down their nose at anything but the bleeding edge of state of the art visuals, but all it really means is someone who sees graphics as the most important part of any game. So Xenodude here, who thinks that the arrival of polygons (a graphical element) has meant the diminishing of storyline and coherence (narrative elements) qualifies quite solidly as a graphics whore.
And by the way, "villain fronts" have been around at least since Golbez, so while it's true they might be wearing a bit thin, don't pretend they're a new addition to the PlayStation games in the series.
| The funeral arrangement of a dead system |
| Nich,
Some guy named Paul wrote in yesterday about Tail of the Sun being a "great sleeper". Just so anyone who hasnt played it knows, that game sucks. Its so boring you'll prolly want to go play golf or something. Anyway, im getting a Sega Saturn this christmas (stop laughing) and I was wondering if you have any suggestions of good games for it. Im only getting it because I want to play NiGHTS. Thanks. Great job too by the way.
Lurch
|
I had a Saturn before I caved in and traded it in for the PlayStation, and I gotta say there's not much in the way of American releases. But apart from NiGHTS, you could look for Panzer Dragoon Saga, Shining Force III, and Dragon Force in the way of RPGs. Hope that helps, but it's really more of an importer's paradise than a successful American system.
| Early warning system |
| Metathesis? Hypothesis? Maze of Theseus? Telekinesis?
Supercalifragilisticexpialithesis!
I know I'm very early and usually I'm the first to point out that you
can't draw any conclusions about the quality of a game with just some
photos from an early development stage, but.... given Sony's history in
RPGs, am I the only one who thinks that Tsunugai looks like it is going
to be just an average game (at best) but with excellent music?
I really, really hope I'm wrong about this. About the gameplay part, of
course. I'll be picking up the OST anyway. ;)
Carlos Rodriguez
|
Yeesh, talk about prejudgement. To be fair to Sony (for once), I should say that it's extremely difficult to judge a project in development. Legend of Dragoon looked incredible based on the early cinema shots released, and turned out to be a royal turkey. Skies of Arcadia, on the other hand, seemed to me like a generic anime RPG, and has ended up one of my favorite games of the year. So maybe Tsunugai does look average now, but there's still plenty of time to turn it around.
Closing Comments:
Well, that's it. Drew will be here tomorrow, so mail him. Bye!
-Nich Maragos, into the white |
