BoF discussion thread (and Breath of Fire 6 was announced)

[danzibr]

EDIT: Let's throw general BoF discussion in here.

Not sure if everyone knows this, so I'll share.

BoF6 finally got announced! It's coming out next summer on iOS and the like. Still undetermined if it'll make it to other countries or not. Here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJ2Yuu8FmJ8)'s the vid. Skip forward to 0:30 (I think there's some way to do this in the link, but... I forget).

For as much crap as it's getting, I'm excited about it. I loved BoF3 and BoF4 (never played the first 2), though BoF5 was alright. Honestly, it was an okay game, but too far from 3 and 4 for my tastes. I'm actually glad it's not going to be a big PS4 game or something. Maybe keeping it on tablets will bring it back to the BoF3 and BoF4 style.

[erikun]

iOS games tend to get especially bad publicity. It's not that they're significantly worse, but that there are a few games (Final Fantasy All the Bravest, Mega Man XOver) where are notably bad and have generated a lot of negative feelings over them. I think that a BoF6 iOS game could be decent, as long as it's more like a typical game and less like a flash game.

I think my biggest concern is how small the game might end up. One thing I liked about the BoF games was the different people/cultures in the world. If Capcom decides that BoF is all about turning into dragons in combat, though, we could end up with something considerably disappointing for people hoping for a large world from the game.

[danzibr]

So true. The world exploration was a great factor.

I'm hoping they to back to the gene system.

[Ogremindes]

I'd be interested to see a game more in the spirit of 5 than the earlier ones myself. Dragon Quarter did some really interesting stuff.

[lord_khaine]

I certainly dont!

In my oppinion 5 allmost killed the serie.

[danzibr]

5 certainly had its merits. However, it badly botched the dragon system (in my opinion), which is sort of the trademark of BoF. And you had no world exploration.

It *did* have nice new game+ features though.

[danzibr]

I changed the thread title, since I want to talk about... BoF in general.

Personally, I never played I or II. From what I read of II's dragon system, I don't think I want to play it.

I've played III a lot though. I'm thinking of doing another play through before too long, in the original Japanese. I plan on going mage Ryu and playing everyone else to their strengths and not excluding anyone. It seems every time I play there's always *someone* I never use. Not this time!

So I was going to ask... anyone play a mage Ryu in BoFIII before? How'd it go?

[tyckspoon]

So I was going to ask... anyone play a mage Ryu in BoFIII before? How'd it go?

Poorly, spellcasting in BoF III just doesn't scale very well (there's a reason the best 'spells' are Magic Ball and Magic Sword, which basically just use your magic stats to make a normal attack.) You can do it, but when you really need to lay the beat on a boss you're still better off spamming physical attacks from a Warrior form or something.

[lord_khaine]

Personally, I never played I or II. From what I read of II's dragon system, I don't think I want to play it.

The dragons system is unfortunately the weakest, though i think that it is more than made up for by the story and characters, who in my oppinion are the strongest in the entire serie.

And i think you are cheating yourself for not giving it a chance, as i understand it was a huge part of why the serie became so popular.

[Traab]

I didnt like number 5 but then, when I played it I was deep into my dislike for non random encounter type rpgs. I dont know why I hate walking into a room and seeing 3-4 spawns that will trigger a fight, but I do. Probably too much Final Fantasy in my blood to enjoy it. FF 3,7,9 those are the titles that always embodied how I like my rpg games to play. I greatly enjoyed bof3 and 4 though.

[lord_khaine]

surprised not to see any love for 6 there..

[Traab]

You mean FF6? Its the same as 3. Just released for a different system.

[Pendulous]

I hope this gets a US release, but since it's not coming until next year in japan, who knows. I like the classic style RPG's, and if it's a game made for Andriod, then it's probably more of that classic style.

It's weird that I'm even excited though. I only played 1-3, and 2 and 3 are very forgettable to me. In that, I don't remember anything about the games. Except in 2, there was this city you built along the way, but it was one of those things where you had to know exactly what to do exactly at the right time, or you didn't get squat. I don't like it when they do that. But in any case, 1 is one of my favorite all time RPG's, and easily my favorite on SNES (wait....a certain plumber competes, as does a kid and his dog in another world....damn you Square...)

[T.G. Oskar]

I hope this gets a US release, but since it's not coming until next year in japan, who knows. I like the classic style RPG's, and if it's a game made for Andriod, then it's probably more of that classic style.

It's weird that I'm even excited though. I only played 1-3, and 2 and 3 are very forgettable to me. In that, I don't remember anything about the games. Except in 2, there was this city you built along the way, but it was one of those things where you had to know exactly what to do exactly at the right time, or you didn't get squat. I don't like it when they do that. But in any case, 1 is one of my favorite all time RPG's, and easily my favorite on SNES (wait....a certain plumber competes, as does a kid and his dog in another world....damn you Square...)

To me, it's the opposite.

I'm very wary of games made for Android/iOS from existing game franchises. You can say stuff like what they did to the Mana and SaGa series has made me somewhat skeptic. I sincerely hope Capcom proves wrong, but sadly, what they've done to Mega Man (specifically Xover) isn't very recomforting.

As for BoF2/BoF3...I remember them more than the first. BoF2 had interesting mechanics, such as the Shamans (mix the right ones, and your characters transform into unique versions of themselves, at times changing their outside powers), Townsville (the city you create slowly but surely, and that has some relevance to the story if done correctly), and the overarching story is pretty unique (it's one of the few games where your main opponent is a world-spanning evil church, and one that isn't Final Fantasy). I don't like the way the main character uses his dragon powers (as summons, essentially, where its power is based off the amount of AP you get, so unless you have full AP at all times, your dragon powers are weak), though.

BoF3, on the other hand, is a very well-made game. The combat system I prefer is the 4th game version (where all your party is there at all times, they serve as back-up, and the combo system that works with virtually all abilities), but the one from III is its precursor. The way you can customize your character's abilities is nice, though it's pretty obvious who should have each skill (such as Ryu having all elemental attacks, Garr having abilities such as Charge and Berserk, Nina having all spells she lacks + Mind Sword, etc.) Furthermore, the world feels vast: you finish the game, and you feel there's still half the world to explore (and half the game to complete still). Also, the characters are pretty memorable. Probably why I've played it pretty much to completion twice. The mentor system is another nice touch.

However, the one thing I like about BoF is how each story is both unique in its own way and yet it weaves a story. You get enough information to figure what happened in the original story with each game, and yet, you don't need to have played the earlier games to understand what happened in the first. BoF III does a bit of retcon with the original (you don't fight the Guardians in the first game), but it's pretty obvious to figure that the backstory from BoF III is basically that of the first.

It's because of how this story was woven, and the sudden genre shift, that I don't like Dragon Quarter (just as much as I dislike FFXIII, and I'm not sure which one I dislike the most). DQ could have probably worked well as its own game, but the traits that make it a BoF game are pretty much lost; aside from the main character being a guy named Ryu who can transform into a dragon, and a winged girl called Nina, there's no actual relevance to the spirit of BoF. It's not the same argument as with Final Fantasy, where each game is distinct from the other. It's also why, more than anything, I take BoF "6th" with a huge crystal of salt, if it's anything like Xover or All the Bravest (no actual story to speak about), it'll be no more than something to spend time for about a month before you get bored. This would be a big disservice to a franchise that people actually like, and that Capcom has treated as if it had never existed (I mean, why Myria can't be the final boss of a Marvel vs. Capcom series? She'd be the first female final boss of the series, and she could use her final form from BoF III as her second battle).

[danzibr]

Poorly, spellcasting in BoF III just doesn't scale very well (there's a reason the best 'spells' are Magic Ball and Magic Sword, which basically just use your magic stats to make a normal attack.) You can do it, but when you really need to lay the beat on a boss you're still better off spamming physical attacks from a Warrior form or something.
Ever visit the gamefaqs forum? There's a dude, StarryKnights or something, who promotes mage Ryu big time. I think the idea is... well, exactly as you said. Tons of AP, cast some big spells like Typhoon or whatever to kill the scrub mods, turn into Myrmidon or something and whale on the bosses. Seems unusual, but strength is capped, so even if you focus on melee, after a point you get no returns.

BoF3, on the other hand, is a very well-made game. The combat system I prefer is the 4th game version (where all your party is there at all times, they serve as back-up, and the combo system that works with virtually all abilities), but the one from III is its precursor. The way you can customize your character's abilities is nice, though it's pretty obvious who should have each skill (such as Ryu having all elemental attacks, Garr having abilities such as Charge and Berserk, Nina having all spells she lacks + Mind Sword, etc.) Furthermore, the world feels vast: you finish the game, and you feel there's still half the world to explore (and half the game to complete still). Also, the characters are pretty memorable. Probably why I've played it pretty much to completion twice. The mentor system is another nice touch.
Yeah, while I overall prefer BoFIII, I'd love to see IV's combat system involved. Switching party members, combos, etc.

[Wookieetank]

In order of me playing:

BoF 2: Had a decent plot (with many creepy bits to it) and remained challanging, even if you power leveled. Even with extra levels gained you had to play carefully (final boss went from near impossible to nailbiting anticipation of doom with level grinding for me). My first BoF game and the one I've played the most.

BoF 3: Probably my favorite, based on the gene system alone. The rest of the game was very well done and enjoyable too, but the gene system just felt amazingly done.

BoF 4: Enjoyed the visuals, had a decent plot. Liked being able to play both sides of the conflict. Just didn't feel quite as epic as 2 or 3 for me.

BoF 1: Was well put together, and neat to finally get to play the first of the series, but didn't really stand out for me.

BoF 5: Had decent visuals, and the combat was rather solid. Was sad to see it was just a multi-leveled straight corridor for the level design. Being able to explore more of the underground city bits would have been neat. Ended up having to rely heavily on a guide to finally finish the game due to the dragon meter system (blech).

[GloatingSwine]

You mean FF6? Its the same as 3. Just released for a different system.

The world has moved on from the days when anyone thought FF3 was a SNES game. Given that the actual FF3 now has an international release, and FF6 has been released as FF6 on numerous occasions if you say FF3 people will actually assume you mean FF3, not FF6.

[danzibr]

The world has moved on from the days when anyone thought FF3 was a SNES game. Given that the actual FF3 now has an international release, and FF6 has been released as FF6 on numerous occasions if you say FF3 people will actually assume you mean FF3, not FF6.
I'm in the same boat.

And UURRGGHHH I just remembered what I disliked about BoFV so much. The save system! That was bullcrap.

[GloatingSwine]

The save system was something akin to the whole point of Dragon Quarter, it's basically a roguelike where you're expected to progress to a certain stage, die, and then get a bit further next time because you build slightly on your prior progress.

(I'm not sure which version you played, but the PAL version is actually even more restrictive for saving because it doesn't have the soft save, which could be used for item duping)

[danzibr]

The save system was something akin to the whole point of Dragon Quarter, it's basically a roguelike where you're expected to progress to a certain stage, die, and then get a bit further next time because you build slightly on your prior progress.

(I'm not sure which version you played, but the PAL version is actually even more restrictive for saving because it doesn't have the soft save, which could be used for item duping)
Oh hmm, I never used soft saving for item duping. I used it just when I wanted to pick it up later.

Still... that's what I disliked most about that game.