Approaching the ultimate hours of Remaining Fantasy XVI, I discovered myself preoccupied with an earlier recreation within the sequence – Remaining Fantasy XIII. A number of the criticisms levied in opposition to XVI’s fight, facet quests, and stage design all jogged my memory of criticisms of XIII from again in 2010. The complaints echo in unusual methods.
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For instance, one of many extra controversial features of XVI – its pivot in the direction of purer action-based fight in lieu of the turn-based hybrid fashions embraced by the sequence in earlier entries – raised complaints that appeared just like the inverse of critics calling XIII’s fight and gameplay too “sluggish” or “disengaged”. On reflection, Remaining Fantasy XIII constructed upon the sequence’ fabled Lively Time Battle system to create an progressive and strategic fight mechanic that continues to exert affect over the mainline sequence.
Remaining Fantasy XIII’s launch in 2010 marked the sequence’ transition from the PlayStation 2 to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 console period. XIII hit many technical milestones on a brand new console, but was extensively criticized for some parts of recreation design, together with linear construction, complicated world-building, and bucking of gameplay conventions then thought of “important” for RPGs to have. Regardless of these criticisms, XIII’s greatest energy lies in its battle system.
Previous to 2001, though fashion and different mechanics different considerably, fight within the Remaining Fantasy sequence was largely static. The sequence, up by means of Remaining Fantasy IX, largely utilized iterations of the ATB system launched in 1992’s Remaining Fantasy IV. The PlayStation 2 period introduced some modifications, first with Remaining Fantasy X, which substituted the ATB for a conditional turn-based system that displayed character flip order on-screen, with battle technique revolving round altering that order with gadgets and actions. Remaining Fantasy XII tasked gamers with micromanaging the get together from by means of the Gambit system. Relatively than difficulty particular instructions, gamers would devise particular rulesets and if/then computations to find out when and tips on how to use actions, gadgets, and skills. Throughout fight, the computer-controlled characters would act in accordance with the principles in place, permitting gamers to be as sophisticated as they noticed essential.
After XII’s foray into MMO-inspired battles, XIII hits the candy spot between the sequence’ hallmark ATB fight and the dazzling motion of the Remaining Fantasy VII Introduction Kids movie and later video games within the sequence. Utilizing the command synergy battle system permits gamers to designate combos of the next six job/class kind to the get together:
- Ravager (magical assaults to spike up the stagger gauge);
- Commando (bodily assaults to take care of the stagger gauge);
- Synergist (buffs to allies)
- Saboteur (debuffs to enemies)
- Medic (healer)
- Sentinel (tank)
Gamers assign roles to every member, with every set of roles referred to as a Paradigm. Gamers can shift between Paradigms to change roles mid-combat, choosing talents designed to stagger the enemy, rendering them vulnerable to additional harm. Throughout battle, gamers management the workforce chief because the ATB bar fills. Gamers can auto-battle or choose particular person talents, shifting paradigms to buff, debuff, heal, or just to spike the stagger gauge with magical assaults or sustaining the bar with bodily ones. The Stagger mechanic has proved fairly sturdy, displaying up in each mainline single-player Remaining Fantasy recreation since XIII, to various levels of prominence.
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Whereas Remaining Fantasy XII centered on having gamers micromanaging the get together (be it by means of detailed instructions or in-depth Gambit development), XIII does the alternative and focuses on macro administration of the complete get together, shifting duties to reply to any specific want in fight: a celebration low on well being can make use of one to a few medics for fast heals, whereas others could begin a battle with a Synergist/Saboteur combo to buff the get together whereas weakening enemies. The sport rewards progressive fight kinds, issuing a score after battle which influences Crystarium Factors and gadgets awarded.
The tip result’s fight which is fast-paced, high-octane, and visually spectacular. But it does so whereas nonetheless demanding planning, fast pondering, and even faster button presses. Whereas XII asks gamers to concern themselves with minute particulars, XIII calls for a step again and evaluation of the scenario. The direct sequels to XIII first tinker with this method in XIII-2 earlier than shifting altogether right into a hybrid of fight techniques between XIII-2 and X-2. Likewise, the fight system in XIII is appreciably totally different from its successors, who’ve continued a paradigm shift of their very own in the direction of motion – together with the newest entry, Remaining Fantasy XVI.
The fight within the two video games couldn’t seem like extra totally different: XIII duties gamers to macro-manage a bunch, whereas XVI is concentrated totally on Clive. XIII revels in elemental weaknesses and standing results, each of that are lacking in XVI. But the defining system behind XIII’s fight system – the stagger mechanic – has been adopted in each Remaining Fantasy VII Remake and Remaining Fantasy XVI. Shifting between Eikon stances to make the most of specific offensive or defensive talents feels similar to shifting between Ravager and Commando paradigms.
Taking part in by means of XVI jogs my memory of some criticisms levied in opposition to XIII on the time, together with allegations of linearity or qualms relating to the battle system. XVI is ready to keep away from a few of XIII’s points with higher pacing and doling out of the sport’s techniques. Each video games characteristic unbelievable fight in opposition to a backdrop of beautiful locales. But the place XVI boasts visually dazzling fight, XIII does so in equal measure of spectacle and technique. Because the Remaining Fantasy sequence seems in the direction of XVII and onwards, the fight of Remaining Fantasy XIII ought to be acknowledged for the affect it continues to have on the sequence.