[PSP] Final Fantasy: Dissidia

**Fuyumine** · 08-19-2009, 05:18 PM

I am not going to lie to you, Rising Star. When I had first gotten wind of a Final Fantasy cross-over fighter, I got psyched. I had all but jumped for joy and clicked my heels, freezing frame, and letting the credits roll (okay, that was a little much, sorry). As a fan of a lot of Square-Enix's games, particularly the Final Fantasy franchise, why wouldn't I have been excited? Especially since it provided the notion that I would perhaps get control of Cloud Strife and decimate every other (INFERIOR) FF hero.

So you can imagine how giddy I was when I finally got my hands on this game. This epic, fanspeculawesome game. Sure the game's in Japanese, and I don't know what the fuck I'm reading or what any of the characters are saying, but the point was that I had a copy and I was more excited than Gary Glitter getting invited to a pre-teen slumber party.

I pop in the game, and... OMG it's awesome! Jesus Christ! There are so many characters! So many characters to choose from! Twenty-two to be precise! Oh, man, who do I pick? Cloud, duh. So, I select Cloud and I get right down business.

I start off running through sumbitches with little to no problem, basking in the awesomeness of the stylish combat animations, squealing like a school girl whenever I performed leapt into the air and performed "Braver" or "Cross Slash" with the press of a button, all while robbing them of Braver Points to fuel my own attack power. Oh, man, it was sweet. The game reminded me of Power Stone, with its arena field maps and such littered with items and character boosts.

As I progress through the game, watching cut scenes in a language I can't understand except for a few words (desu, ka, nanda—useless otaku stuff), the game's gettin' a little more difficult, which is cool. I like whippin' ass as much as the next guy, but I also like a good challenge. And the more difficult the game becomes, the more I realize...

This game is getting annoying...

Now, I don't read Japanese, but I read the strategy guides on GameFaqs.com enough to know what the hell I'm doing in the arena. And I sure as hell practiced enough to not get my ass handed to me as much as I did as I progressed through the levels. But it wasn't so much the game's difficulty as it was the controls.

For one, the game's Lock-On feature doesn't seem to work all that well. Naturally, upon learning that there was a Lock-On feature, I was inclined to believe that when you were actually doing some Locking On and pressing the attack button, my character would attack in the direction of my enemy. But... no. It merely locks the camera in the direction the enemy's direction. I know you might be thinking "Well, just point your character in the direction of your enemy!" Fair enough, but it's real easy to forget that the Lock-On feature doesn't do what I expect it to. Especially when it's done in so many other games.

Which brings me to my next gripe. One of the reasons I'd like for my Lock-On to automatically have my attacks directed toward my enemy is that hitting the attack buttons performs a combo rather than a singular move. Which means if you run up on your opponent, hit Square, and miss? You're going to be open for at least two seconds. Which is an ETERNITY in fighting games. Luckily though, characters can perform magic and make long range attacks.

Some attacks prompt QTE's (quick time events), which can make for some AWESOME pwnage, but feels broken sometimes. During certain attacks, you're given the opportunity to dodge your opponents QTE attack and counter with one of your own (I found myself going back and forth like this with Sephiroth for at least a minute and a half). But sometimes... despite successfully hitting the button they prompt you to tap (which is X), you're smacked across the arena with less HP, feeling slightly confused as what just the hell went on.

But, hey, aside from those screw-ups, the combat system is pretty cool. I like the fact that I can draw away my opponent's attack power to fuel my own, performing Limit Breaks is fun as hell, and the QTE's (when they work) make the combat awesome look at.

I mentioned before that the game had some similarities to Power Stone, with the field map arenas and such, but that's pretty much where the similarities end. The whole "one button performs a 30 hit combo" gets old fast, and kind of takes away from the gameplay if you ask me. I'd like to be able to perform those combos myself, and cancel them at will. This game is definitely easy to play, but I don't think anyone who plays this game like a ranked Street Fighter gamer is going to lose to some asshole just mashing buttons, praying to God that it nails him a win.

Overall, it's a fun game to play. Production values are great. Animations are top notch. The selection of characters is fuckin' AWESOME. And I couldn't read it, but I'm sure the story was pretty interesting as well, LOL. Hell, it's a PHENOMENAL game. That is, until your fandom winds down, and you start thinking and seeing clearly. If not for its setbacks, this game actually could have been phenomenal.

So I'll have to give Final Fantasy: Dissidia:

And now, I shall leave you with a video of an awesome Cloud player:

- Chris U.

**Sephiroth** · 08-19-2009, 05:25 PM

I dont have a psp so I can't really put much comment on this but even after your review I think this game will be prolar xD I give ie 1000 stars out of 5 :P

especially since when I do get my hands on a PSP and get this game Sephiroth FTW my friends xD.

**Fuyumine** · 08-19-2009, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

I dont have a psp so I can't really put much comment on this but even after your review I think this game will be prolar xD I give ie 1000 stars out of 5 :P

especially since when I do get my hands on a PSP and get this game Sephiroth FTW my friends xD.

As a fan, I can honestly say that the game is a must-have for any super mega FF fan. I mean, we bought (and KEPT) Dirge of Cerberus, despite our many complaints.

But as a gamer? Definitely a rental.

**Sephiroth** · 08-19-2009, 05:36 PM

yea DOC did have its problems but I enjoyed some parts of it.

But I consider my self a good FF fan ive bought many FF items but yea I agree if they dont like FF but like these fighting type games they should def's rent it

**Fuyumine** · 08-19-2009, 06:33 PM

Also, dudes, let me know what you think of the review. I might start doing these regularly if you guys like reading 'em.

**Mellusia** · 08-19-2009, 11:45 PM

For the record, I liked FFVII: Dirge of Cerberus. Different from other FF games, but so was FFVII: Crisis Core and less people were complaining about that game, so I don't take complaints about gameplay to heart since most people saying them are just hypocrites then >_>

I do have to agree that only an FF fan can truly appreciate Dissidia and would buy it. From what you've said in your review and from what I know, playing the game is all well and good, but it's not the standard game people that like PvP would like to play on a regular basis.

It's pretty enough and has significant scenes of the characters that people only having played the original games said characters came from can appreciate. If someone unfamiliar to the FF franchise played this, it wouldn't make all that much sense.

The gameplay flaws you've mentioned make me all pouty now, but I've already pre-ordered it, so no backing out now-not that I would anyways. I am a decent enough FF fan to want to have Dissidia anyways ;D

And off-topic, but yeah, if you takee the time to play a game and can write a review for it, I say go for it then. Other people could probably share their own reviews of the game as well ^^

**BirriaDS** · 08-19-2009, 11:49 PM

That was a fairly good review, I agree with some of the things(I mean most) you typed.

Would you mind if I add my opinion to this as well?

Also....I hate myself for this but...Cloud is a fairly good character....but Terra/Tina(girl from FFVI) just rocks!

**Fuyumine** · 08-20-2009, 12:56 AM

Originally Posted by BirriaDS

That was a fairly good review, I agree with some of the things(I mean most) you typed.

Would you mind if I add my opinion to this as well?

Also....I hate myself for this but...Cloud is a fairly good character....but Terra/Tina(girl from FFVI) just rocks!

Hey, dude, that's what a forum's here for! Have at it! =D

And Terra is awesome, man. Especially once she *SPOILER ALERT*