To be honest

lol I get this

the skill tree and different move sets are dope don't get me wrong but you can't say this game has deep RPG elements over a skill tree. Every game has a skill tree now thats like saying spider man 2 is a rpg

It’s funny because in practice, you’re doing the same thing in this that you would while exploring old school JRPGs. Walking around and talking to NPCs, buying stuff etc.

I can’t quite place why it doesn’t hit the same way myself

You do basically the same things in DQXI which is also a modern RPG that has 1:1 world scale, yet it doesn’t feel as bad as it does here imo. Curious

For me its probably the lack of party interactions. Idk if you noticed but outside the actual story its as if Cid/Jill don't actually exists.

If you take a side quest the game acts like they are not with you, they don't comment on what just unfolded on the side quest, they literally just act as lifeless AI to provide more damage.

Whats even worse actually is that the party members barely interact with the other party members, they really only have a relationship with Clive.

I feel like Jills character has been handled especially poorly. In the intro she seems extremely close to Torgal but when we are reunited she doesn't even acknowledge his existence. I know the story has a focus on Clive but I feel like they forgot they have other characters they need to develop in the game too. Which again, is funny because they are quite good at this in XIV

EDIT: Also agree with you that I have had to kind of approach this game as if its not a JRPG, kinda hard to do that sometimes though considering its a Final Fantasy game

Bro all of the “QUEST COMPLETED”, “ENEMIES SLAIN”, “(insert enemy) DEFEATED”, the level up screen, the mission start screens

Ain’t no way they thought pausing the entire game for all that s*** was a good idea. That’s what they be doing in MMO’s or something? S*** terrible

Now that we all have the game and can play it ourselves hopefully y’all understand why I said it’s not a JRPG a few weeks ago

It was clear as day to me that this game is way closer to DMC and Bayo than it is to DQ, FFX, or even FF7R

OH S*** ITS TIME

Mid has been in my screen for like 2 minutes and I lover her already

Super early game: Just beat Benedikta

Lol you about to see pure chaos next boss . One of my most anime moments in all of gaming

Yeah they got to remove that for quality of life especially for boss fight endings

oh boy

You don’t even understand lol I wanted to sleep but I was like “ nah I got to run this fade”

Eikon fights improve for sure and scale is there . I’m about 10 hours in Lmfao .

There are some homework or grind feeling parts between the epic moments. Lacking exploration , side quest that hit and always taking itself so serious makes it flow odd so far at least . I am about 10 hours on

Like I’m constantly like why did they do this on many decisions where they had a lay up .

How far are you lol I am wondering what slump of the game you are in ?

You know ball

Weapon upgrading and crafting could be so much more lol . Hope it develops late game

Genuinely insane to compare to Witcher 3 and Diablo in the rpg sense they are much more to both of them it’s okay to realize this is much more action game

Which is okay that it doesn’t click for people . This game is cinematic at its core and that’s not clicking for some that come wanting the rpg staples of final fantasy that are missing .

Exactly this throw dial sends mini games into it . The layup is right there . It’s literally right there . All that s*** helps the immersion .

The game of thrones story elements ads just aight to me but gameplay and anime over the top s*** I love .

it might be cause performance mode might drop quite a few but this one of the few games i CAN play in graphics mode, like the frame pacing is really good imo super smooth 30 for me. legit feels & looks like a FMV from older games I see myself flipping between both

I hope spider man 2side quest aren’t this bad