Incoherent Thoughts

2/24/08 05:45 pm

Played through Sylph Cave and Cave of the Summons last night in FF4. When I saved outside of the Sealed Cave, my Cecil was level 59. I'm doomed. There's no way to keep him at a reasonable level at this point. *sigh*
Sealed Cave worries me. They have Chimera Brains there, and those managed to pretty much one-shot 4/5 of my party the last time I encountered one. Then again, that was 9 levels ago for Cecil, so...maybe there's nothing to worry about.
Tower of Babel monsters seem to be everywhere. I seem to have filled up most of the missing entries from there, wandering around Sylph Cave and Cave of the Summons, and just the regular underworld area. I don't have them all by any means, but at least there's no huge gaps in the list like there used to be. And then there's the fact that the Cave of Summons island seems to have a frequent encounter rate for Mystery Eggs, and they rather often hatch into dragons. Dragons that drop tails, which give you Onion equipment when brought to the tail-collecting guy in Adamant Grotto. =D I've been trying to fight many of them, but no luck so far, not even by stealing. Ah well...there's still time. For those tails, as well as for the damn Rainbow Pudding I need to bring to Doublebookingway...

Also discovered why I didn't see any new monsters at Mt Hobbs. I was at the wrong mountain. The missing one was at Mt Ordeals. Ooops. =D; Well, I'll look into it when I get out of the underworld again.

The Before Crisis soundtrack sounds awesome! I didn't even imagine it could sound something like that. I want that game, dammit. Port it to another platform, SE. Japan-only cellphone games suck. D:

Tags: ff4, ff7, music

Current Music: Samba de Chocobo (FF4 DS OST)

Current Mood:

bouncy

Thoughts?

2/24/08 07:57 pm (UTC) - jyuukoi

Random comment from someone who sometimes goes on her friends of friend's page to see if there are any new people.

I'm playing through FF4 as well (replaying rather.. back from way back when) and oh dear you know I'm at level 30.. and I can already see that I'm going to need to buff up my levels alot of I am going to make it through the major caves of FF4. Though I always loved the part where you go into the underworld, still it's one of those games that is definitely worth a replaythrough. >.>

I keep missing monsters for my beastiary though and that makes me a bit sad. >.> (since I keep track of stuff like that)

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2/24/08 09:36 pm (UTC) - irreversibly

Oh, hello! =D

Replay for me, too. (only the third time, if you count my unfinished solo Cecil challenge) Although not from so far back, I first played FF4 as the GBA version, some time after it was released. Comes with not being allowed any console as a kid.
So, DS version, or..? I can't even remember what level you should be in other versions to make it through those caves, and obviously this time through the DS version I'm...a bit over-leveled. But hey, what can you do, an obsessive completionist needs all the bestiary entries.

2/25/08 10:43 pm (UTC) - jyuukoi

Oh, well actually I don't have the DS version (Though I'm dying to play it.. I mean the very fact that the DS version exists). I played through the game when I was fourteen years old.. right when it came out for the Super NES. (Oiya I feel old) but yes, it brings back so many good memories.

Right now I'm heading right into Eblan to pull Edge off from fighting Rubicant at the entrance ot the Tower of Zot.

I love the fact that you keep going back to the Tower of Zot.. ALL THE TIME. I forgot that part of the game. (Overleveled isn't necessarily a bad thing I think)

2/25/08 10:58 pm (UTC) - irreversibly

Tower of Babel, you mean. :) Zot you only visit once during the game. Right now I'm in the Giant of Babel myself. It all revolves around that damn tower, yeah.
You have a lot to look forward to in the DS version! The graphics are positively drool-worthy, and the new tactics you have to implement to defeat the toughest opponents make it a fresh experience. Definitely worth waiting for! =D This whole remake-and-sequel thing for FF4 has raised it a couple notches in my FF series ranking, that's for sure. Not that it was very low to begin with.

2/25/08 11:01 pm (UTC) - jyuukoi

I get those two towers confused constantly, I think that is because I'm usually half asleep when I kick out my DS to play it. I think the most interesting part of the DS version that I really want is the voice acting... and I've already grown attached to Cecil's voice in the little theme of love video that has been wandering around Youtube.

I am an old school FFer. I love the older ones, I remember playing FF6 for the first time, it was love at first sight (what I wouldn't give for a DS remake of that one >.>)

2/25/08 11:15 pm (UTC) - irreversibly

I got them mixed up pretty often in the beginning. Then I started writing waff (my FF resource site/wiki thing) and suddenly my mind is full of tiny little FF details, let alone simple stuff like place names. =D;
The voice acting is quite an amazing addition, I agree. I'm a little worried how the English voices will turn out, but at least I get to enjoy the Japanese ones, too. I'm a voice actor freak, in that way. Can't stand most English voice-overs, they sound somehow fake to me (although admittedly FF12 did a really good job with the voices, wasn't really expecting that)

I'm not too averse to the older FFs, they can get quite amazing. And the music is much better in the earlier ones, IMO.
A FF6 remake..that'd be awesome. Although I haven't even finished the GBA one, I get distracted too easily.. funny how I obsess over that game sometimes, yet can't bring myself to finish even one playthrough of it. =D;;

2/25/08 11:21 pm (UTC) - jyuukoi

Agreed that FFXII did an exceptionally good job with the voices. In anything I will usually give the voices a chance, but then if I don't feel that they've done the series justice, then I'll usually just go with japanese version.

I've played through FF6 at least 4 times on the SNES, but I can't manage even one playthrough in the GBA version, I think it is because back when I was in high school it was much easier to have a life that revolved around video games. Final Fantasy 4 is being played through in 30 minute increments just before I go to bed (because I need at least that long to be in bed before my eyes start feeling the gravity of the pillow.

2/25/08 11:31 pm (UTC) - irreversibly

I'm somewhat limited with my choices on some games, as I don't own a Japanese PS2/other region-locked consoles..but I do my best. FF7 has been one big offender, to mention one.

Hah, despite having the time in theory I haven't finished FF6 even once. xD; GBA version was my first, that early console problem I mentioned. I even pre-ordered the damn thing, and it's still sitting in my DS just waiting for me to continue playing...

I friended you, hopefully you don't mind. =D

2/26/08 12:21 am (UTC) - jyuukoi

Oh no, I hope you don't mind that I friended you back! It's always nice to have more gaming friends. And well I just own a DS and a PS2 with an extreme lust for a Wii.. especially with the shiny games that are coming out for it. (like that new Katamari Damacy game)

2/26/08 12:34 am (UTC) - irreversibly

Heh, the Wii is fun to play. I just wish there were more games available for it I'd find worth getting...I mostly play RPGs with a side-dish of action, so there's not too much of a selection yet. Got my Wii with Twilight Princess about a year ago, and it hasn't seen much action besides GameCube games...

2/26/08 12:43 am (UTC) - jyuukoi

The Wii is sort of starting out, I can't wait to see what it branches out with and I find myself anticipating it quite a bit.. I will play anything as long as I think it is good... just like I'll probably give anything (in terms of anime) a first watch.. I like quirky games that capture my attention, and for a long time RPGs are what consistantly grabbed me.

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2/25/08 12:03 am (UTC) - green_tea_kitty

Chimera Brains scare me. I just run away. >.>

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2/25/08 05:00 am (UTC) - lassarina

So I've been wondering since I saw this post yesterday: are you trying to keep Cecil low-level for a reason?

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2/25/08 09:42 am (UTC) - irreversibly

Not really, just that everything gets too easy if the levels are too high. =D; Kind of kills the enjoyment of a regular play-through. It's alright in all sorts of challenges, but I take a different mindset to those to begin with.

2/25/08 01:49 pm (UTC) - lassarina

Ahhh.

See, I'm of the school of thought that says "Level up until you can kill everything with a single hit." :D

2/25/08 02:02 pm (UTC) - irreversibly

Hah, yeah, that has its own appeal. But level up enough to do that in FF4 DS and it's total overkill, not to mention annoying (you'd have no time to use Pray, so no free HP/MP heal, which means actually bothering to open up the menu and use items..) =D;

2/25/08 02:04 pm (UTC) - lassarina

When I played in the old versions, I usually was in the mid 60's by the time we got to the final boss.

So - I'm getting the distinct impression from your posts that this version of the game is even more challenging than Hardtype was. Is this accurate? I'm not sure I'm very keen on spending hours upon hours upon hours levelling up just to survive.

2/25/08 02:17 pm (UTC) - irreversibly

I haven't played the Hardtype (I don't think the GBA version was based on it?), so I don't know.. my friend was level 70s before the final dungeon, and I doubt she did much extra training.

In the beginning I did find it necessary to level up a bit before some bosses, but certainly not for hours. Levels come rather easy in this game.. there's generally no trouble with the random encounters (even though their HP has been about doubled in many cases, and no doubt have other stat modifications), but some of the bosses can be really tough compared to them. The trick is to learn to use the Decant Abilities right, and know who to teach them to. There's no doubt in my mind that for example Barbariccia will completely butcher anyone who approaches her unprepared should they not have Doublecast on Rosa. =D;

2/25/08 02:27 pm (UTC) - lassarina

Thanks for the hint!

GBA was based on Hardtype, yes. The SNES was based on the simplified Easytype version. (The PSX Final Fantasy Chronicles variant was also based on hardtype.)

2/25/08 02:34 pm (UTC) - irreversibly

Ah, I see.. in that case: yes, it's harder than Hardtype. I don't remember getting game over nearly this many times in the GBA version.
Although it's less tedious, too. As I said, the levels come easier so you don't have to train quite so much.

2/25/08 02:37 pm (UTC) - lassarina

I guess it'll all balance out.

eeeeeeee omg voiced Kain!!!!

2/25/08 02:41 pm (UTC) - irreversibly

Heh, hopefully the English voices will be good. =D I haven't yet decided if I'll get the translated version, will have to see. I guess it depends on how much extra stuff (if any) they manage to stuff into it. =D

2/25/08 02:44 pm (UTC) - lassarina

My ability to read Japanese is nonexistent, so I'll be getting the translation. XD (Dear Square: HURRY UP.)

In the meantime I drool at Lost Odyssey. omg. so pretty. so, so pretty.

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