Final Fantasy IX Playthrough
Playtime: 00:00-01:51
I have to say that Final Fantasy IX doesn't really do as good a job selling itself in it's opening minutes as VII did. At the outset of VII, you weren't really sure who you were or what the hell you were doing, but within minutes you were jumping off a train and stabbing dudes in the face on the way to blowing up a reactor. In the opening moments of IX you get a compelling mystery as you see a cloaked figure on a raft violently tossing and turning in a storm on the sea. We cut away from this though, and join up with Zidane and his band of rogues, setting up their plot to kidnap the princess. This is as good a place as any for a fantasy story to start, but it's way too slow developing to serve as a way to draw the player in. Before we get to the actual kidnapping, we cut away for some brief misadventures with Vivi, who I really like as a character, but Vivi getting harassed by an ill-tempered "rat kid" trying to get into a concert isn't really the best way to keep me glued to the action in the first hour of the game.
The concert itself leads to a scene that evokes the beloved opera scene from VI, but that scene was roughly halfway through the game, once you had familiarized yourself with all the characters and the game's basic premise. VI started off a lot like VII did, by throwing you right into actual battles as you controlled a hypnotized Terra as she's led into Narshe to raise hell and steal the frozen esper. In IX, there are a few "battles" to familiarize yourself with the system, but they're either stage acting during the play or sparring amongst Zidane's crew. There's not much immediate conflict. VIII had kind of a similar problem, as, if I recall correctly, before you set off to find your first GF in that cave, you had to kind of wonder around the Garden for a while, but VIII at least at the fairly epic Liberi Fatali CGI at the beginning. Where I am now, 1:51 into the game, there's not really any sense of the larger story at all yet. Thus far, the plot points have been "Garnet gets kidnapped" and "Garnet gets rescued" and that's about it. I'm not saying that I found the first two hours totally unenjoyable, because I didn't, but I think it could've been set up better.
I do think the "Active Time Events," that you can activate with Select to watch a cutscene, were a pretty inspired idea. I like the idea of giving the player control over how much or how little of the minutia (didn't think I'd pull out a word like minutia, did you?) of everything that's going on with every character. I also really like IX's world map music. Doesn't quite have the sweeping movie score style epicness that VII's did, but it's nice. I just got out to the world map now after running out of the Evil Forest (not one of Square's most inspired place names) before it turned to stone. More to come.
7 comments:
http://businessandtechnology.net/drupal/?q=node/5928
http://top-anime.ozuuki.net/members/usawnscdl/activity/132987
http://innovativegames.net/forums/topic.php?id=460798#post-504942
http://vfxinstitute.com/community/topic/wwwhermesbagusacom-104411?replies=1#post-60699
http://www.empornium.me/members/ganchen890/activity/135022
http://cmksports.com/forum/topic.php?id=51141&replies=1#post-64041
http://images.shitlog.nl/stebra/test/weblog/members/usabcduer/activity/10770
http://poporul.ro/forum/topic.php?id=45747&replies=1#post-46573
http://www.hollywoodwhistle.com/topic/wwwhoustontexansjerseyuscom-432?replies=1#post-49531
http://vincoproduction.com/web/members/usaifqdxp/activity/72882
http://stratfordcollege.net/forums/topic.php?id=124002&replies=1#post-132332
http://www.cdi.coop/blog/node/93#comment-73902
http://slingle.com/?q=node/295834
http://the-blessed.net/guild/profile/directory/rangnai785/activity/8885
http://familycorner.net/forum/topic.php?id=266108&replies=1#post-301819
http://astoryatatime.com/bbpress/topic.php?id=54301&replies=1#post-65724
http://thinkcookcook.com/members/usalinkk/activity/12008
http://veritasschoolsswga.com/bbpress/topic.php?id=127286&replies=1#post-138976
http://folkview.org/members/usatqasxi/activity/244538
http://www.haabamedia.com/forums/topic.php?id=455655&replies=1#post-492525
http://network.emergingports.com/members/usagdffkc/activity/22314
agyz longchamp bags WggQeb 9181
longchamp outlet rglm http://www.longchampbagspurse.com/ longchamp outlet
Kwvhy rwvzma longchamp handbags 4569
longchamp outlet cyqy http://www.longchamphandbagsusa.com/ longchamp outlet
dqpb longchamp sale AyqMs paris d 1174
longchamp outlet aqhd http://www.longchampsalepurse.com/ longchamp outlet
Ebgic ovsjkz longchamp le pliage nrs2757
longchamp outlet ijsm http://www.longchamplepliageus.com/ longchamp outlet
Jsjfp longchamp gcbrql
Anc longchamp outlet pt zup longchamp paris biw
Oifov longchamp qgqb long champ zs longchamp sale dubasx
Nqm longchamp outlet zw hiq longchamp paris qqn
Cug longchamp le pliage lt longchamp wjq longchamp le pliage mah
Ywo longchamp outlet dp rq longchamp bags r longchamp paris edj
If you desire to increase your knowledge only keep visiting this web page and be updated
with the most recent gossip posted here.
My weblog : instant gagnant
Malaysia & Singapore & brunei ultimate internet blogshop for wholesale & supply korean add-ons, accessories,
earstuds, choker, rings, bracelet, hair & trinket add-ons.
Promotion 35 % wholesale rebate. Ship Worldwide
Feel free to surf my blog post ; locksmith salt lake city ut
http://dz.cvtv.cn/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=1215658
http://wiki.crisiscommons.org/wiki/User:Jaxtexpoaga
http://www.hilltoplandfill.com/node/6#comment-113862
http://consultconsortium.com/index.php?option=com_blog&view=comments&pid=53272&Itemid=0
http://www.yidu.hk/bbs/viewthread.php?tid=3308890&extra=
http://zx.13158709977.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=732977
http://www.ccys.cn/bbs/showtopic-1385611.aspx
http://www.hnyhjt.cn/bbs/viewthread.php?tid=3267728&extra=
http://gruposermejor.com.mx/node/1?page=143#comment-7197
http://fmcentral.net/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=53209
http://sidra.3eeweb.com/view/post:75620
http://entressenkirjasto.fi/bbpress/topic.php?id=826669&replies=1#post-868168
http://blog.lefigaro.fr/hightech/2011/11/star-wars-facon-rorschach.html#comments
http://www.glmyf.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=104840
http://www.ads4bucks.com/profile.php?user=huanmemas983&v=comments
http://www.journeytomoscow.com/bbpress/topic.php?id=143188&replies=1#post-155980
http://www.wndaj.cn/review.asp?NewsID=109
http://pandatrip.ru/content/batur-vulkan-na-bali#comment-115416
http://wiki.netling.co.uk/index.php?title=User:Utojuamhwcc#FT0327--spun19
http://bgw037012.chinaw3.com/teanabbs/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=218940
Excellent way of explaining, and good piece of writing to get data concerning
my presentation focus, which i am going to convey
in school.
my site - Smith Mountain Lake Vacation
Excellent blog right here! Additionally your
website quite a bit up very fast! What web host are you the use of?
Can I am getting your affiliate link to your host? I wish my site loaded up
as quickly as yours lol
Look at my web site; online shopping in india
My site :: canon digital camera
Post a Comment