Star Ocean: Till the End of Time

[Harmonixer]

...is what those who are be playing it WILL be playing until the end of time, or so it may seem. I have just started this game once again, and it is my 4th attempt to get through it. As I have heard, the first 8-14 hours are simply boring, and slow. From what I have seen, this is true. But there IS a good game behind that....I'm SURE of it!

Slow starting story aside, this game has simply beautiful graphics...not the type that make you go "Wow, technology has really advanced." But the type that are just colorful, vibrant, well-put together (if that applies), and like I said, beautiful.

Now, has anybody played through the entire game? Even if you haven't, what are your thoughts on it?

Discuss! :D

[LL Cool L]

I'd been wanting to start it up for a while since it came out, but I kept procrastinating because I'm one of those completionists who absolutely must play all the games in the series in correct order. But a few months ago, I realised I'd never get around to mustering the will to play through SO1, so I just said fuck it and started SO3 (played through SO2 a few years ago).

From the start, I loved everything about the game. I was pissed at the fact that they never went into great detail about what happened on Expel, but everything else about the game was great. I didn't find the first 14 hours boring at all.

One of the biggest things I love about the game is the detail it goes into with the Dictionaries. Especially in the matters of explaining how things in their universe works, like the creation engines, space travel, weapons, etc. They go into great detail about how all these work. Hell, they even give an actually believable story behind warp speed - almost believable to the point where it could be possible in real life someday.

My only true gripe in the game is the AI - it's terrible.

It's extremely hard to keep the combo gague full because you never control all the characters at once, and ANY of the characters can cause a combo break by losing their combo by getting hit. It REALLY frustrates me when I have a 5-bonus combo and one of the AI characters loses it for me. Especially since the game doesn't give you SHIT for EXP unless you have the Triple-EXP bonus active. It's overall a pretty easy game even without much leveling, but still, it sorta pissed me off that you pretty much needed the triple EXP bonus active to even get anything worth while in EXP.

Since then I stopped playing tho. Not that I got bored of it - in fact, quite the opposite. When I stopped playing, I was still very into it. But I have this problem where if I don't play the game I'm currently into every day, I tend to just lose the urge to start it up again for no reason at all.

[Harmonixer]

Damn you Lipsky!

Okay, I guess that my attention span was just exceptionally short the first few times I tried to play through the game. Now that I've discovered how to use wonderful cancel bonuses, the battle system has gotten a lot more interesting.

However, I do have one question.....when the HELL did they even MENTION Expel? Or does that come later in the game? Please tell me it comes later in the game x.x.

[malborro2000]

i love this game i'm about 75 hours into it pumping up my characters just about everything about it rocks but the user party AI npc AI of course kicks my arse from time to time
and yes the mention expel a few times there's 3-4 npcs that make mention to that universe it has no real play in the storyline but at least they say things about it :) now if only ashton was around :P

[Harmonixer]

'kay Lipsky, I have a question for you. **Possible spoilers for those who haven't played it**

I'm currently in the ruins of Mosel, and the king of Airyglyph just told me I had to go and get Crossel. But...whenever I go into battle. Cliff just sits there. And does nothing. Except maybe die once in a while. He's not set to manual control, and I have his tactics set at "Act in a well-balanced manner." Any idea why this might be? o.O

[xBlackIrisx]

I've heard from a bunch reliable sources that this game sucks. XD

[Harmonixer]

Congratulations, you've learned to judge things based on others' opinions instead of trying them yourself!

If you're not into RPG's, then yes, it's going to suck. Thing Xenosaga, only you get to PLAY. And if anybody knows what 'pop culture movie this game has stolen its plot from', kindly let me know.

The game's battle system is a bit annoying, that's about it. The graphics are simply beautiful, the characters have from what I've seen so far...-gasp- could it be? DEPTH?! And the storyline thus far is great. Sorry to have called it boring before Lipsky :D

And an answer to my problem from ANYBODY will be much appreciated.

[LL Cool L]

Damn you Lipsky!

Okay, I guess that my attention span was just exceptionally short the first few times I tried to play through the game. Now that I've discovered how to use wonderful cancel bonuses, the battle system has gotten a lot more interesting.

However, I do have one question.....when the HELL did they even MENTION Expel? Or does that come later in the game? Please tell me it comes later in the game x.x.

The only things that really mention Expel are the Dictionaries, and a few Expelians you meet along the game. No mention of the Kenni family or anything. But it just really pissed me off how they don't go into any detail about it. I mean, it WAS the main focus of the last game in the series, y'know? You'd think they'd give us a little nostalgia or something, but this game pretty much forgets about it.

Oh, and I can't really help you there. I stopped exactly at the point when you get to the ruins of Mosel - just after the dessert you cross to get there. Maybe I'll start up again if I feel like getting around to it, but I've got other fish to fry right now.

Oh, and in the future, if you really can't call me Andy (since there's another more well-known man here by that name
:D ), than can you just call me Andrew or something? I never liked being called Lipsky. It's ok sometimes, but I really despise how people use it as my primary name. I asked Bryan to change my username, but I guess he hasn't gotten around to it yet - no matter, I know he has alot of stuff to do. But till then, call me Andrew, or at the very least, Andy L.

[malborro2000]

there's a few points in the game where cliff will get "confused" with terrain and he will stand there what i did was took off standby healing and no guard put him to all out attack and if he did "get stuck" just shifted to manual to get him going

[Harmonixer]

Haha, no problem. Sorry, I was just saying "Lipsky" due to the fact that there is the other Andy. I'll stick to Andy L. now. And yea...pick it up again...because damn. The end to chapter 3 is SO hot :P

[xBlackIrisx]

Congratulations, you've learned to judge things based on others' opinions instead of trying them yourself!

If you're not into RPG's, then yes, it's going to suck. Thing Xenosaga, only you get to PLAY. And if anybody knows what 'pop culture movie this game has stolen its plot from', kindly let me know.

The game's battle system is a bit annoying, that's about it. The graphics are simply beautiful, the characters have from what I've seen so far...-gasp- could it be? DEPTH?! And the storyline thus far is great. Sorry to have called it boring before Lipsky :D

And an answer to my problem from ANYBODY will be much appreciated.
I read like 3 reviews and it just didn't interest me thats all...-_-

[ashi]

It's a very good game. Enix = pwnz. The characters are fairly decent... I hated Sophia's voice acting though. I just couldn't stand it. :(

The gameplay is great. There's tons of sidequests/PAs/inventing to do, too. Not to mention the battle system (although it does have it's flaws AKA CLIFF)... it's kickass. Very similar to Tales series (because they're both initially created by Enix teams). I'm very happy that they kept it the same way ever since SO1. Not that I think they'd change it but... ::shrug.::

Sadly, I've only played the NA release. I'd love to own a copy of the Japanese version. :guin:

[Hi-C]

Lol this thread is like year old.

[ashi]

Does it really matter? People still get interested in games that are old. :)

[malborro2000]

well seeing as your bumping a ton of posts it just seems your putting up your post count to use the arcade :P

[Ishbo]

Alright. Please for the last time. No bumping threads that just had their one year annivesary. Thanks.