I really want to like this game, but...

[Asher]

...but I'm starting to really feel like getting a refund. I'm almost at two hours in, and while I can see the strong parallels to FFT, I think one of the issues that I'm having with the game is that the game play loop is failing to draw me in.

I'm still pretty early on in the story, but nothing has really drawn me in or driven my interest to keep going. And on top of that some of the missions I have run have really annoying layouts where it is unclear whether or not where I am moving will be beneficial to attack from or go on the next turn. For once, at least compared to FFT, I've gotten my head around the class system and ability system much better than I had previously. So I've got that going for me.

I guess my question then for everyone else is pretty simple: when did the game "pick up" for you? Was it at the first beat? Was it at some plot point or mission that maybe I haven't reached yet?

Thanks for the feedback and I hope it's helpful to other people. Looks like this just isn't my kind of game. Ironically, back in the day I always found myself enjoying Ogre Battle more than FFT/Tactics Ogre. It's probably more likely that I'll play a game like Ogre Battle faster if I just make it myself though.

[Conan The Librarian]

I mean, of course the first couple missions are more simple and introductory in nature, however, as you progress and gain more access to skills, passives / counters, start building some combos to work with for primary / secondary class, things will fall into place.

Movement is important due to flanking (for non-spells). You do extra damage from the sides and back.

Since your comments seem a bit more vague in general, did you have any specific questions?

[Asher]

I buried the lead didn't i.

I know and understand how the combat works. I'm not doing so great at excecuting it because I don't have the whole FFT/Tactics Ogre series worth of base knowledge to build off of. My issue is that I just am not finding it very interesting or exciting.

My question is this: at what point did the game pick up people -- or were you/others just kinda stokes/ready to roll from the opening bell.

[Conan The Librarian]

Originally posted by Asher:

I buried the lead didn't i.

I know and understand how the combat works. I'm not doing so great at excecuting it because I don't have the whole FFT/Tactics Ogre series worth of base knowledge to build off of. My issue is that I just am not finding it very interesting or exciting.

My question is this: at what point did the game pick up people -- or were you/others just kinda stokes/ready to roll from the opening bell.

Mmmm...maybe to paint a picture.

In the beginning, you might feel like "most of the time I'm just moving around and attacking". As things progress, however, you will need to start using things much more strategically, and have a lot more tools to work with. Using "regular attack" will still happen at times, but you'll start using attacks which do more damage, or do less damage than regular, but have cool effects on them (such as debuffs). You'll find more equipment, unlock more classes, get passives and counters which really start shaping your build. More spells for your casters to work with to accomplish things more than just "elemental damage and healing"--but also buffs / debuffs etc.

If I had to say "when does it pick up?"--especially from Alpine Woods and onward, you have a couple battles under your belt, some Ability Points to work with, some more skills / equipment, more enemy challenge, etc.

[Manred]

For me, the first 10-15 hours felt quite tedious to play. The lack of damage, the tendency of enemies' AI to heal and resurrect.
I took a break from this game from time to time.

But after the first temple (maybe? I don't remember the exact point), when I got more powerful skills. The first one I went to is Sneak attack (everyone who plays FFT/FFTA should have known already how powerful it is.). There's also Kyrie's special class's skill.

When the fight became more efficient I felt it's more enjoyable. If you ask me that's maybe when it picked me up. Now I've played past 90 hours and I still don't finish the first run.

[DragonByDegrees]

Loved it from the start, picked up a few stages in when I started to have more control over team comp and skills, really kicked into high gear when I pushed further into the story and started encountering more use of terrain, avoidable instakills that either team can use, demons, and more.

Gotta say, Kuckool, I have neither the patience nor the inclination to play a game for 10 hours or more in order for it to feel non-tedious. I'm surprised you kept at it if you disliked it that long.

[Manred]

Originally posted by DragonByDegrees:

Gotta say, Kuckool, I have neither the patience nor the inclination to play a game for 10 hours or more in order for it to feel non-tedious. I'm surprised you kept at it if you disliked it that long.

I’m quite tolerant when it comes to SRPG. I’ve played them all my life and know how rare a good one comes by. I tend to spend a bit more time to learn their mechanics to make sure I don’t miss good games.

[Mochan]

The game never picks up storywise in my opinion. It's just a bland flat line all throughout. Neither the plot nor the writing nor the characters are a draw in this game, IMO.

The gameplay though is another matter. Personally I think the tactical combat is topnotch. Although the graphics are rough and unimpressive, the game marries many great things from Tactics Ogre and FF Tactics. My only real complaint tactical combat-wise is the archery mechanics from higher ground (something sorely lacking in this game). Otherwise it does many things really well from a combat perspective.

It's the combat and unit leveling/customization which is the meat of this game. And if you were ever a fan of FFT or Tactics Ogre's gameplay then this is really a good take on it, and you shouldn't have any problems with it. If you can't get into it, then likely what drew you to FFT in the first place wasn't the combat.

Story-wise though the game is dismal, to be honest. Plot is pretty straightforward and predictable. Characters are not interesting with lackluster interactions. The most dramatic point of the entire plot - Reiner and Yates' history, is glossed over and handled badly, with no real reveals. There is on ingenious conflict between any characters, there are no surprising plot twists, and the conflict is basically Kyrie going, "You lawbreaker, prepare to die."

There is no interesting relationship between Kyrie and any of the antagonists like Raife and Grim Eye, or even that fop that was your "rival" at the start of the game. Moreover the faces that Kyrie and Anadine make when trying different emotions is more hilarious than anything else. It's unintentional comedy. They are just pretty bad. Meanwhile Yates looks like a flaming gay man not wearing drag for the meantime, and Reiner is just boring and uninteresting and a flat, uninteresting decoration to the party. Bzaro is like the pet you wish you never had, and the bounty hunter girl is grossly underused.

Do not play this game for the story or characters, frankly. They are all mediocre at best. But play it for the combat and character customization, which is really good. And it is good from the get go. The AI is consistently challenging and offers a great tactical battle every single time without being unfair. The wealth of classes and skills to build from are a joy. I would even go so far as to say this is superior to both Tactics Ogre and FFT gameplay-wise.

[BlackRose]

i guess im the only one who likes the Characters the Story and the Fights.
The only thing i dont like is that there is no longtime Motivation to play this game after u finished it. Because i wanna pay this game every day :)

[DragonByDegrees]

I liked the story, and if a guy feels that the most dramatic part of the plot is something between Reiner and Yates, and not the potentially world-ending boss, or anything involving a certain guy leading a certain faction and who he is/ what he does/ what his real goal is, etc., then I doubt I'm going to change his mind and I'm not going bother trying.

[Tuidjy]

The story is serviceable, and I actually like the way Kyrie deals with the fact that she is a straight cop in service of a horrible government.

But the combat and character customization? I absolutely love those!

It would have been nice to have both, but one of those is enough to make me fell that my money was very, very well spent.