croik

I DEFEATED YIAZMAT!!!

We were all level 79 and it took 32 stages, but I beat him at last...! I can't say for sure how long I spent fighting him, but when I booted up my save file for the first time in over a year I was at 180 hours, and I ended at 192. That includes the time I spent leaving Ridorana to replenish my items and hunting around Nabudis for the ether-seller, and even a trip to the Henne Mines, so not all of those twelve hours were spent in battle, but damn. This is where I hear my brother's voice saying "Sarah, you gotta get out more."

Which is a CSI quote, and that's why he's calling me Sarah and not by my actual name.

( Some more details for those FFXII-familiar )

Now that I'm a member of the Order of Ambrosia it's time to start all over again! Yayyyyyy!!!

From last spring until November I didn't really play anything but action games and Phoenix Wright, and now I've got three RPG games going. Crazy O_o.

In FFXIII I've just passed the 160 hour mark, making it...probably the longest running single file I've had for an RPG (or any game). All that's left for the final Clan Ranking is filling out half a dozen common monsters (I got all 80 rare - anyone know where the damn Wild Snakes are??), Omega (FUCKER), and Yiazmat. My guys are all at level 75 but I'm gonna wait until at least 80 before going back into that goddamn Crystal. Stupid Omega ;_;

In FFIII I'm getting ready to go to the Crystal Tower at the end. I've got a Dragoon, Devout, Ninja, Summoner team (I haven't decided yet if I'm gonna bust the Summoner to Sage, the Summoner class is kinda boring and limited). Honestly, I haven't really enjoyed the game all that much. It's...pretty tedious, really. The best part of it is the artwork in the player guide. I might sell it back when I'm done.

I'm also several hours into Shadow Hearts, the first one, on loan from a friend. But...ugh, it's not much better than FFIII. The Judgement Ring keeps me from falling asleep while playing but that's about it. It's not god awful, but I can't think of anything positive to say. If it doesn't pick up by the time the cravat dude shows up, I'll probably give it back.

On a final note...I've got the pre-order site on watch, but if I don't nab a spot in line for the Limited Edition GS4 Super Box Set, every one of those "I'm getting it just for the sake of having it" fannies had better lay low come April 12th. Theft via internet just might be possible by then...!!! >O

I beat FFXII last night :D (84 hours, and I'm still planning to go back for the rest of the hunts).

Final thoughts? I loved it. There were a few things that kept it from being TOTALLY MIND-BLOWING GAMING EXPERIENCE, OMG!!!! But overall it was better than I expected (given my luck with Square games lately) and I thoroughly enjoyed every bit it. Balthier was my clear favorite early on, but I also really liked Larsa and Gabranth (aka Wiegraf 2.0) and by the end just about everyone had grown on me. I can't think of a single character I disliked (unlike the last couple FF's - Zell, Quina, Eiko, Lulu etc etc).

One shot from the credits even choked me up. Can you guess which!? (Need artbook ASAP).

So in short, the game looks fantastic, the music was great, the voice acting was some of the best I've heard in a video game, the liscence board was addictive, the gambit system was great once I got the hang of it, and the story kept me going up through the end. The various FFTactics and Vagrant Story references made it even better.

Is it the best FF I've ever played? HARD TO SAY. Now that I can't bear to look at FFVII and my interest in FFIX fizzled soon after I beat it, I think it definately earns a place as best "numbered" FF game. But Tactics has been my favorite game ever for a long time, and even now that I've had it for nearly 10 years it's still the game I replay most often. I started a new file of it just this past summer getting ready for the return of Ivalice. If I pick it up for another 80 hour run sometime several months from now, then I'll know.

But of course, I still have some issues with it XD

( One complaint and a few irks - spoilers )

And now I'm playing Vagrant Story again! With my old save it's my 7th time time through, and it took my just over 3 hours to get to the halfway point of the game. I'll beat it tomorrow. Oh Ashley, how I missed you and your assless pants!

I've wanted to do an Ivalice crossover fic for the longest time - maybe it'll happen this time, if I think of anything (not until One of Every Color is finished and up, I promise!). But I think if I put Delita, Guildenstern, and Balthier in the same place I'd explode from successive cranial orgasms.

But damn, I'd die happy.