Game Over?! Oh Wait...

[Mitsuki]

So I noticed that they featured something new to Final Fantasy: basically if you die in battle, you don't have to restart from when you last saved - it brings you back just right before you start that same battle again. Now, this is a good thing for me since I don't have to restart the other battles...but then again, Save Points are all over the maps anyway so it wouldn't really have made that much of a difference seeing as all I do is save every 5-10 minutes anyway. >.> But still, what are your thoughts on this checkpoint manner that was newly introduced to a Final Fantasy?

 

[FinalHeart]

It's great, because this Final Fantasy is a very trial-and-error sort of thing, especially if you don't know what you're facing. You'll almost always know what you did wrong, and know how to fix it.

At least for me.

 

[MVP]

Depends I guess. I guess you get plenty of chances fast, but, it goes away from the traditional way which everyone was use to and was fine with. It speeds up the process of getting back there, but there is no penalty, as in having to come back from the save point and going through enemies.

 

[Busta]

I have to admit I do get tired of seeing a Save Point every 5 steps I take, and after every cut-scene that is shown, but I accidentally fell asleep in battle last night late when I was playing and I died since I didn't give Lightning any commands. I woke up to see how much progress I lost and it had me put back at the last battle I fought in like Mitsuki said.

Sort of a cool touch because I know I got really frustrated in FFXII after fighting through the Henne Mines for 2 hours, only to get my ass kicked by Zodiarc, and having to do the mine journey alllll over again.

 

[Rey]

This is an awesome new feauture! I love it. Also we get healed after every battle Last Remnant style xD I really like though that if you die you start off from where you died. Its just awesome! Im enjoying every single bit of XIII and Im just loving it

 

[Busta]

Yeah the healing after every battle is something I had to get used to as well. I mean I think it's due to how much contact goes into these battles and how fast paced they are when you stop and think about it. With you only controlling one character while the others are set up on Auto-Action, the battles can be over in around 20 seconds on average if you're decent.

 

[Rey]

Well not really Busta. The farther you get the more hp the bosses nad monsters have. I died from a few monsters already tbh. According to my guide there is a monster called the Long qui Admantoise and he has 16 million 200000 HP. It unlocks an acheivement too. Im looking to 100% in this game!

 

[moogling]

I like it. When I first heard about it, I thought that it would start you off at the beginning of the battle, already initiated. It's nice to see that you start off a bit away from the enemy, so you can decide if you want to sneak around or not.

Especially since I die a lot, and am a perfectionist when it comes to battles. If I end up having to use a potion that wasn't really needed; I'll start over.

 

[Fusionist]

Honestly, I'm all for the feature. Kingdom Hearts is similar to this, and is something I appreciated since sometimes you just need to change your strategy and not just grind a bit.

Save points might be accessible, but it's immensely infuriating to be on an awesome role and then all of a sudden you died in one battle Dx

And anyways, if you really want to experience the old FF way, you could just choose to reload your save data when you're KOed, haha.

 

[Eric Hanlon]

I Dont like it i've gotten used to having to start from where you saved last . This just makes the game easier taking away difficult decisions like chosing whether or not to heal at a certain point or just trying to bull through an area because apparently you also get healed after every battle so it removes the need for potions and magic in battle if you can just kill everything by brute force

 

[SapphireStar]

Im happy for having more save points in the game and its a nice touch starting over the the start of a battle. Some people are angry at this and the fact that you get healed after every battle. I keep thinking Im playing it on an Easy setting XD

 

[Gingerbread Lesbian]

I like it, there's not many points I can mention that haven't been already but it's a good installation compared to the likes of FFXII where you spend hours doing something only to die and realise it was a waste of time. Plus it's generally the trend of most games nowadays to start near where you died so it's a good feature

 

[Koto]

I've no complaints about it. I feel that it's a very welcome addition, along with the healing after battle feature that was previously mentioned. Also, like others have said in this thread, it's really frustrating spending a lot of time on something, only to lose it all because you're unlucky or because you've been pulling a several hour gaming session and begin to succumb to sleep in the midst of battle. It's really discouraging, and I often take a break from the game when this happens.

 

[Linnaete]

I was rather sceptical about this system at first - but I'm glad that the game has proven me wrong. Dying and then being given the chance to start over a few feet away from the enemy just lifts the frustration I have had in past FF games. I know save spots are an abundance, but the system just double ensures that I'm not going to have to spend 15-20 minutes just to get to a fight I lost in before to try again.

So far I have died a few times/messed up badly. It's nice to be able to have an almost instant chance to have another go at it. There is the argument that this makes the game too accessible and removes the challenge away, but do remember that you will probably need this function when you are fighting Gran Pulse's worst quarries - like that Adamantoise.

 

[Koto]

Another thing I forgot to mention: respawning just before you enter the battle is a godsend. Since you must have been doing something wrong if you died, you're able to better prepare yourself for the upcoming fight by changing your accessories, default paradigms, using shrouds, etc.

 

[Bambi]

I died on a boss and it restarted me right next to the save point anyway, I dont think it makes any odds at the moment seeing as there are more save points than you can shake a stick at. I save at every opportunity anyway, so it's not like if I die I'd even have to trek that far. Unless it makes a difference later, with like, save points not being every 5feet away from each other, then it seems like a pretty pointless feature. Even if you snuff it just BEFORE you get to one, chances are you have only saved around the previous corner anyway

 

[DeadFantasy]

Of course we all know I have yet to get my copy of XIII but, it's good to know that they have this feature in XIII. I do get really frustrated (in the past games) where I'd spend a lot of time on a boss or some shit and end up dying where I have to go through the same shit again until I get to the boss. Of course from what I've heard there's a lot of chances to save but, just in case it's a good-backup. Plus, if you want to change your strategy or something so, that's a good thing too. =]
So far, i'm hearing good things about it
oooh I can't wait

 

[Amizon]

I thought it was originally a good idea and still think the same thing even now. It's nice to not have to start all over from the last save point and continue just before where you were.

 

[Serah]

Okay so initially I had like this massive post typed up right? And as soon as I hit the send button my browser crashed on me. So yeah, needless to say I was NOT a happy camper at all. Anywho, I was going to say that I really think this is all an awesome an idea tbh. It would get so frustrating when you're playing and say you're low on Potions, especially Ether, there's nowhere to buy them and you still have a long way to go, but you're health was low because of your last battle and you're fighting so hard to win and the enemy kills you anyway...soooooo you have to start right back from where you last saved and do you have ANY idea at all how frustrating that is? EXTREMELY so I have to say that I am eternally grateful that you get to retry your battles and you start off pretty damn close to where you fought the last monster or boss.

What's even more frustrating is if you went through and fought all these monsters and made tons of progress, leveled up and such and you make it to the boss, fight it and die you lose all that progress you just made and have to do it ALL over again. Now THAT really fucking sucked. So, tbh I love all the save points, and I love that you're automatically healed at the start of a next battle. Granted it took me a few to get used to it and I was determined to use a potion on myself after the battle so I could heal myself, but I didn't need to because I remembered you're healed at the start of the battle! Yay! I think all of it is very beneficial and I was rather pleased with it. I'm glad they initiated this into the game and quite find it very useful. So yes, I like it.

 

[barrenwombs]

Heres my take.

Its a shit system designed as a crutch and removes any of the thrill from the gameplay. I'll elaborate.

Being an old school gamer i remember when the concept of health and lives actually meant something. Through practice and a lot of patience you were finally able to beat the games. You were rewarded for sticking at it even when that meant going back to the start again. In a sense you were being taught of important virtues such as patience and perseverence. A very real sense of achievement results from sticking at it and completing the goals.

That this system is gone is a sign of the times. In general games are far less rewarding and designed to allow the player to have a smoother progression at the expense of any real challenge.

Now i dont play FF for the challenge (unless im running some self imposed challenge, NSG etc). The FF series has never been difficult but this latest system really is just a bit too much.

Fight not going well just reset it! Oh no not a game over! Well that carries absolutely no meaning now. Hard to see how im going to get any feeling of accomplishment out of FFXIII when i essentially am under no pressure at any point to win a battle. This coupled with the after battle regeneration works to trivialise the actually gameplay, the battles.

It takes away from the experience. If you want to be immersed in the game then you should be made to feel that the characters are not immortal clone lords that just spring back up immediately.

Its a weak element.