[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Originally Posted by Gobo

Also KH2: FM+ critical mode. You'll never complain about KH2 being too easy or lacking strategy ever again.

Two problems with that:

(1) Challenge and strategy should not be a feature, it should be the feature of any game. CoM and and 358/2 have several things to strive for outside of the main storyline, not to mention planning ahead is a huge part of the game, whereas its really not in the console versions.

(2) Unlockable difficulty modes should be more than just raising enemy numbers, damage, HP and adding one measly special boss fight to the mix. It should be a New Game + mode with several additional challenges, not just a mode where you regrind everything from the bottom to fight one new guy.

I'm replaying Persona 4 on Expert Mode right now. The rank and file enemies are still pretty much that, but it scales more dramatically as I get to the tops or bottoms of particular dungeons this time. Optional bosses this time are more difficult, but while I do have to restart from level 1 every Persona I created in my previous game is purchasable from the Persona Compenduim regardless of level.

It doesn't make things 100% easier, but it allows me to build a roster for the more formidable fights. Additionally, I retain all my character's emotional growth, so Social Links are easier to raise and the Personas I create get a EXP bonus the stronger they are and the more links I forge. That also strengthens bonds to party members and changes thier tactics.

When you raise the difficulty of a game like DMC, it doesn't throw the rank-and-file at you in greater numbers or difficuly, it just replaces them with things tha were harder to deal with anyway.

Stuff like Demon's Souls, Etrian Oddeyssy, Shiren the Wanderer are even less forgiving and that;s just standard difficulty for them. They will teach you how stupid it is just to try to charge ahead to advance yourself or the story.

[Gobo]

Originally Posted by Omgwtfbbqkitten

Two problems with that:

(1) Challenge and strategy should not be a feature, it should be the feature of any game. CoM and and 358/2 have several things to strive for outside of the main storyline, not to mention planning ahead is a huge part of the game, whereas its really not in the console versions.

(2) Unlockable difficulty modes should be more than just raising enemy numbers, damage, HP and adding one measly special boss fight to the mix. It should be a New Game + mode with several additional challenges, not just a mode where you regrind everything from the bottom to fight one new guy.

I'm replaying Persona 4 on Expert Mode right now. The rank and file enemies are still pretty much that, but it scales more dramatically as I get to the tops or bottoms of particular dungeons this time. Optional bosses this time are more difficult, but while I do have to restart from level 1 every Persona I created in my previous game is purchasable from the Persona Compenduim regardless of level.

It doesn't make things 100% easier, but it allows me to build a roster for the more formidable fights. Additionally, I retain all my character's emotional growth, so Social Links are easier to raise and the Personas I create get a EXP bonus the stronger they are and the more links I forge. That also strengthens bonds to party members and changes thier tactics.

When you raise the difficulty of a game like DMC, it doesn't throw the rank-and-file at you in greater numbers or difficuly, it just replaces them with things tha were harder to deal with anyway.

Stuff like Demon's Souls, Etrian Oddeyssy, Shiren the Wanderer are even less forgiving and that;s just standard difficulty for them. They will teach you how stupid it is just to try to charge ahead to advance yourself or the story.

Critical Mode is Automatically available from the get go. The changes made are 1/2 HP boosts (max HP is 60) and 1/2 MP boosts, damage received x4 (or higher? not really sure, Large Bodies could 1-shot Sora on the first trip to Beasts Castle), the rest is identical to proud mode. The game compensates by giving you MP Hastera, Finishing Plus, a few other abilities and 50 AP from the get go (Plus No Exp for the real crazies). All new boss fights (Roxas, Larxene, Zexion, Marluxia, Lexeaus, Vexen and Terra+Data Rematches) are available on any difficulty.

The whole point of critical mode is how well you can play without being hit and using your defensive abilities efficiently and smartly. Most of the bosses will kill you in a few hits, Terra being the notable exception where you get 2 hits, 1 to bring to to 1 HP (being saved by Second Chance or Once again) and a second to kill you. It adds an extra layer of difficulty for people who want it, that's all.

[Lmnop]

Originally Posted by Omgwtfbbqkitten

Two problems with that:

(1) Challenge and strategy should not be a feature, it should be the feature of any game. CoM and and 358/2 have several things to strive for outside of the main storyline, not to mention planning ahead is a huge part of the game, whereas its really not in the console versions.

(2) Unlockable difficulty modes should be more than just raising enemy numbers, damage, HP and adding one measly special boss fight to the mix. It should be a New Game + mode with several additional challenges, not just a mode where you regrind everything from the bottom to fight one new guy.

Hearing a lot of "should" that I don't agree with. If they decided to polish an already-released product and make a new version, swell to those who feel it's worth buying. If they made a game my sister can button mash through w/out thinking too hard about because she wants to focus on the story, I'm glad they supplied that. If not everyone gives a shit about replaying a game multiple times just to up the challenge, then I don't see a reason to make game+ modes such a key feature e.g. I've never ever wasted my time on any of the advanced Devil May Cry difficulties. I play on the Normal difficulty (ok, i actually beat the original on Hard at some point), beat it, and don't play crazy "Dante must die" modes. tada!

I must be a terrible gamer. Insufferable that I'd ever consider picking up a controller!

[Armando]

I was too absorbed in the story, Gummi Ships, and insanely bad-ass reaction commands to really care that most of the game was button mashable. While it takes very little skill, teleporting around and deflecting sniper shots feels goddamned good. You gotta consider the demographic too - as serious business as it may be, there is still no bloodshed (remember kids, killing people is OK if they just disintegrate away), and it's 100% kid friendly. They need to make sure the core game is beatable by non-hardcore gamers. Besides, even if the game is easy, I don't think there's a single person that didn't get his ass handed to him by Demyx (what were they thinking?) and Xaldin.

That said I do wish they had made more reaction commands that you couldn't button mash through. Stuff like the scripted part against Xemnas where you're wallrunning up, and if you hit the reaction command too early he screws you over. Except applied to reaction commands that aren't scripted. There really ought to be some timing to it.

My gripe with Final Mix+ isn't that it exists, it's that they never brought it over. Critical Mode sounds like my kind of thing (I've been having fun running around with perma-1HP on Days) but alas, I'll never play it.

CoM is still the most fun shit ever though.

[Ketaru]

You must admit Kingdom Hearts II did not quite have the "Wow, this shits hard" factor that Kingdom Hearts had when you first played it. If you ask me, the most damnable thing about the game is the addition of "Reaction Commands", and Sora being practically a one-man army.

In Kingdom Hearts, part of what made it fun was that, while your partners were computer controlled, it still felt very much like you were just a member of the party. Part of what made it fun for me was almost like an awareness that they had a life of their own and were just as important to winning as Sora was: you had to be aware of how they were using their MP, what enemies they were keeping busy, and keeping them alive was vital to winning. A lot of that feels like it was lost in Kingdom Hearts II. So the battles don't feel as dynamic.

358/2 Days and Chain of Memories were able to somewhat replicate the difficulty of the first game. I found Re:Chain of Memories downright nightmarish in some battles. Not to mention losing more than my fair share of times in 358/2 Days. A lot of the battles were not simply attacking in a frenzy, but involved a lot of waiting for the right opportunity. The right opportunity sometimes doesn't make itself available unless you successfully block certain attacks.

If nothing else, you got to admit, playing Sora gets stale, especially now with the prospect of being able to control a whole variety of characters whose playing styles are actually quite unique from each other. When Kingdom Hearts III is finally developed, hopefully they take this cue and work with the fact everybody and their mother seems to have a keyblade these days: maybe we'll get to play a different variety of characters like Sora, Riku, Mickey, and Kairi?

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Originally Posted by Gobo

Critical Mode is Automatically available from the get go.

The changes made are 1/2 HP boosts (max HP is 60) and 1/2 MP boosts, damage received x4 (or higher? not really sure, Large Bodies could 1-shot Sora on the first trip to Beasts Castle), the rest is identical to proud mode. The game compensates by giving you MP Hastera, Finishing Plus, a few other abilities and 50 AP from the get go (Plus No Exp for the real crazies). All new boss fights (Roxas, Larxene, Zexion, Marluxia, Lexeaus, Vexen and Terra+Data Rematches) are available on any difficulty.

In Final Mix, a special edition only released in Japan. As in, not what was released in America or the UK, not the version that is being judged on a lack of difficulty. Not everyone blindly imports RPGs. I'm going by what was made available. That's not the version reviewed in America. We only even got half of the Final Mix package and it was RE: Chain of Memories.

[Gobo]

Originally Posted by Omgwtfbbqkitten

In Final Mix, a special edition only released in Japan. As in, not what was released in America or the UK, not the version that is being judged on a lack of difficulty. Not everyone blindly imports RPGs. I'm going by what was made available. That's not the version reviewed in America. We only even got half of the Final Mix package and it was RE: Chain of Memories.

Sarcastic Response

Oh good golly gosh, you're right. I shouldn't state my opinion of something at all. I was so wrong to bring up something that is only available to the japanese and those wheeaboos, okatus and japanophiles, just because I felt it was an appropriate response. I really should act like a bottom more and just listen to what other people tell me to say and do and never ever act like a top at all. But before I do that, I think I'll go get Tales of Vesperia PS3, Final Fantasy XII: Zodiac and maybe even KH: FM cause I can just blindly throw my hard earned money away. In fact, I think I'll buy so much, I'll be like most other college students can go into debt.

Polite Response

I was merely stating my opinion. The fact you do not agree because the game was not available to everyone is perfectly fine with me. We are all entitled to our opinion and shall continue to do so as such in a calm and dignified manner.

This is fun :D lets keep going!

Random KH trivia time!

Err actually I got nothing atm. So I'll leave with this. If Aqua (or at least her armor and Keyblade) are in the Room of Slumber beneath Radiant Garden, will we find Ventus or Terra in the Room of Awakening, or maybe someone else?

[Feba]

Originally Posted by Ketaru

You must admit Kingdom Hearts II did not quite have the "Wow, this shits hard" factor that Kingdom Hearts had when you first played it.

honestly, I only remember four fights in KH really giving me trouble: Riku (just before you seal Hallow Bastion), Maleficent, Chernobog, and Ansem (phase two). KH2 had its share of damn-hard fights too, some of which I only managed to beat through sheer determination and a bit of luck on shadow form.

Also, I found my party members to be colossal dicks most of the time. and what part of COM had party members, anyway?

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

I was merely stating my opinion. The fact you do not agree because the game was not available to everyone is perfectly fine with me. We are all entitled to our opinion and shall continue to do so as such in a calm and dignified manner.

Opinion or not, there is no real challenge to the Normal campaign, which is the predominant complaint and then you go running to a different version to say otherwise. It would be one thing to play on the Easy Mode and complain about how easy things are, but that's not what people have been doing. Most folks opt for Normal difficulty on the first go and that's what games tend to be judged on.

Aside from a few instances of things that are really just difficult to avoid, KH and KH 2 do not provide a real challenge.

The only really hard fights were Vexen, Marluxia, Ansem and Xemnas Marluxia and Vexen were tough, but fair through and through. Xmenas and Ansem were both endurance fights, with Ansem being obnoxiously overpowered in a Kefka final-tier sort of way and xemnas being obnoxious with reaction sequences.

I'm really hoping they ditch reaction commands after BBS or at least use them in the fashion Dissidia uses them, which is more environmental or context sensitive than a move based off of who your opponent is. There's actually a lot that KH could stand to gain from Dissidia - it achieved the cinematic style of combat KH2 was clearly trying for, but it doesn't turn into an pure buttonmash. While I didn't like talking of KH characters being considered for a follow-up, I can't deny the characters would feel right at home in Dissidia's combat system.

[Gobo]

Looking at the newest scans (on the front page of KHInsider, for now Home - Kingdom Hearts Insider) reaction commands are definitely back, though I'm not really sure to what extent.

[Armando]

I'm really hoping they ditch reaction commands after BBS or at least use them in the fashion Dissidia uses them, which is more environmental or context sensitive than a move based off of who your opponent is. There's actually a lot that KH could stand to gain from Dissidia - it achieved the cinematic style of combat KH2 was clearly trying for, but it doesn't turn into an pure buttonmash. While I didn't like talking of KH characters being considered for a follow-up, I can't deny the characters would feel right at home in Dissidia's combat system.

Or, you know, they could keep the kick-ass reaction commands, make them fail if you button mash, give us something akin to Critical Mode and call it a day.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Getting toward the end of 358/2.

I have to say that for the first time in the series, Synthesis is actually a useful and important part of building your character and moves. I hope they revisit the panel and synthesis systems that they did in 358/2.

Additionally, the harder bosses have been challenging, but fair, as opposed to just batshit insane overpowered. The encounters with Leechgrave and Protector of the Sky were still pretty long, but by the time you had gotten to them, you had put some serious consideration to what your panels were anyway.

I'm also really liking how this one really ties it all together - at least for the original story, not so much for the roots of the Organization.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

OK, finished this a few days back.

One little thing is bugging me.

spoiler tags since its newer info :P

There's a scene where Axel and Saix are arguing about real friendships, to which I'm assuming they implied these two once had a friendship as well. Then it ends with Saix addressing Axel by his former name.

I have a hard time buying these two were ever friends. If they were, I guess its on BBS to do the explanation there.

Then calling Axel by his original name, Lea.

Axel has always been the member of the Organization that was always out of place. He often acts on his own accord, seemed more emotional than the rest. Was he just conned into thinking he was a Nobody? From the moment you meet him in CoM, it seems he's always on his own agenda. While it comes to light that he was in CO on a covert mission, he seems more than content to play the others against each other than get directly involved.

The Organization convinced Xion she was fourteenth member even though she as never granted a seat and wasn't really a Nobody at all, but a replica like the Riku Replica in CO. A pet project of Vexen's.

Could Axel have been easily as duped into thinking he was a Nobody?

Oooh, completing the game opens up some hidden journals. They're a little insightful, but none of the entries tell who exactly is writing them and it seems there's criteria for unlocking some of of them. I can figure out who's writing them, though

And yeah...

Something certainly came betweeen Axel and Saix in the past, but it seems very much it changed Saix more than Axel

[Armando]

Regarding Axel and Saix:

Have you checked the Secret journal entries yet?

There's an entry that was clearly written by Axel. He reflects upon Saix's accusation ("You've changed,") then concludes that Saix was the one that changed, not him. It would seem they really were close at some point, and Saix became serious business when he started running the Organization.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Well, i just posted I did, so yeah. I checked moments after I posted. I tend to lowball my expectations with SE games and things unlocking or there being new game plus modes.

Seems quite a few other things unlock on top of the new enteries, including some new items for sale from the Moogle. Maybe SE's finally observing that players like to have reason to go back to games they've beaten for new stuff. Crisis Core did this as well. Maybe SE finally started cribbing notes from Atlus or maybe they realized a decade later they did something really good with Chrono Trigger that could be applied elsewhere.

My bet is on the Atlus thing.