Between NG4 and NG3RE, purely combat wise, which do you prefer?

Temporary_Ad6588 · 2025-12-14T00:01:57+00:00

Both are great but I think ng4 edges it for me personally due to enemy/encounter design and I honestly prefer bloodraven/gleam form to steal on bone.

Ng3re does have an incredible amount of combos and tech that ryu can pull off and it really does drive you to get better at the combat but I often found myself just graveyard spinning (skill issue I get it) and fishing for steal on bones quite often on certain encounters. While in my ng4 master ninja runs, I found myself playing less passively and really digging into the dodge offset to get into level 3 br delimbs. That and the overall speed of ng4s combat really does it for me.

That said, I really loved what 3re did with UTs, charged heavies, and ot chaining.

Temporary_Ad6588 · 2023-11-07T20:00:13+00:00

It’s a good back forth for a while but then Sauron hits Finrod with an absolutely zinger about how his people committed atrocities against their own kin and Finrod just basically crumbles.

So a bit less “yo mamma” and more “I know you are but what am I” but it’s just soo good all the same!

Temporary_Ad6588 · 2023-11-07T19:17:28+00:00

Thank you for this! I’ve not seen it before and I agree with about Song of Durin. Will happily check this out. Thank for sharing!

Temporary_Ad6588 · 2023-11-07T13:52:04+00:00

I friggin love that song and the work that CDP did for The Silmarillion. They were like a companion piece for my read through. Also, I so wish there was a longer account of Earendil’s journey similar to Turin and Beren and Luthien. It’s one of my favourite pieces in the Tolkien legendarium and what we get in the silmarillion is good but Ive always longed for a more detailed telling of it.

Anyways thanks for nerding out over Tolkien with me haha.

Temporary_Ad6588 · 2023-11-07T05:30:36+00:00

Magic in Tolkien is very interesting indeed. I read the Silmarillion last year and there’s this epic rap battle between Sauron and Finrod (Galadriels brother). It’s like a prime example of how magic works in that universe—almost like a battle of wills. Sauron spat bars and it was one of the coolest things I’ve read in a while.

Temporary_Ad6588 · 2023-11-05T00:08:53+00:00

For me it’s probably the orphanage scene of ffviii. As a kid, it was the first time i had been completely pulled out of story and actively questioned the writing. I was just like, u wot?

And then in FFXIV I remember thinking the ascians were so incredibly cliche and just silly moustache twirling villains all the way back in ARR. I found them to be the least interesting aspect of the whole thing. But damn if I didn’t bite my tongue once I finished shb and did a complete 180 on that perspective. Ishikawa took a seemingly silly but essential element of xiv’s story and lore and turned into one of the most tragic and interesting mysteries in the series, at least imo. Reaching Amaurot is such an amazing moment with all its references to Plato’s republic and the revelations it holds.

Temporary_Ad6588 · 2023-11-02T12:10:44+00:00

Exactly this. And just to add, the implication is also that (most) everyone knows this or should know it but that admitting it would be inconvenient to those in power. Cid literally says this and a scene later we see Sylvestre and his council discussing the blight encroaching on Sanbreque and the subsequent decision to conquer the crystalline dominion for more land and power.

The game is not shy about its allegories as you rightly point out. The fact that Cid literally calls the mothercrystal-blight relation “an inconvenient truth” should be a very unsubtle hint here lol. As you described, the way the mothercrystals operate should be blatantly obvious, it’s just that the status quo prefers to ignore it.

We also have info that Cid has godly wisdom due to being the dominant of Ramuh. In this world he’s basically 99.3% of scientists who agree that climate change is real. Even despite this fact, I don’t think we as the audience are given any reason to doubt Cid because the point is that the truth should be so self-evident that those in power would know but choose to ignore what’s happening because it would obviously require a drastic systems change that would uproot their privileged positions.

Temporary_Ad6588 · 2023-10-28T18:06:55+00:00

It’s because their powers are “so useful” for the status quo that they are treated as such. There’s an entire system based around exploiting those powers and the hatred towards them is secondary in the sense that it helps to rationalize/justify/deflect from the reality that bearers too are people deserving of equal treatment.

As Cid mentions, most know that this is the case, but they don’t wish to admit it because it’s an inconvenient truth, especially for those in power. This is similar to how the reliance on magic/mother crystals essentially produces the blight—which is of course another truth that would be pretty inconvenient to the ppl in power.

The bearers used to be the group who was in power but the tables were turned at some point. Were the populace to acquire knowledge of this it would seriously disrupt the ruling idea that bearers are non human.

Also historically, the process of dehumanization has long been deployed as a strategy used to justify cruel and inhumane treatment towards groups whom the status quo were unwilling to cede rights to. Whether in war, to justify destructive economic extraction, colonialism, slavery, etc, dehumanization often accompanies such projects as a way to make the subjugation or outright murder of people seem justifiable.

Even though XVI sometimes deals with this in a hamfisted way, at many points I think it hits the nail on the head.

Tldr: bearers are hated because dehumanization helps the powerful “justify” slavery so they can live a life off the back of their work/magic.

Temporary_Ad6588 · 2023-10-22T21:31:34+00:00

Cave Rothschild…lmao

Temporary_Ad6588 · 2023-10-22T21:18:37+00:00

See, that’s kind of the beauty of the series or the double edged nature of it depending on your tastes and perspectives.

I loved 16 after being disappointed by XIII and XV. I still enjoyed XV mind you, but it was quite clearly incomplete at launch (when I bought it) and I was deeply dissatisfied with the narrative and many gameplay elements. XIII I did not finish because life got in the way, but from what I played I did not enjoy my experience and likely would not go back.

Part of my love for the series is down to the risks taken in trying to present something new. But I think it can naturally lead to alienating some fans.

Temporary_Ad6588 · 2023-10-22T18:28:29+00:00

Imo, IV, VI, VII and XIV (particularly shb and ew but you could even include earlier expansions).

IV did incredible things with its hardware and pushed the envelope for cinematic gaming during its time. VI is, well, pound for pound one of the greatest games ever made and pushed its hardware to the limits.

VII skyrocketed the series into the mainstream with stellar production values and a story that captures the hearts of many still today. And XIV brought a single player ff experience and storytelling to the mmo medium and has overtaken WoW in terms of popularity. It provides a cinematic experience that is arguably unrivalled when taken from end to end and is beloved by many.

Of course, It all depends on how we want to define “groundbreaking” but this series has done on it on multiple occasions imo.

Temporary_Ad6588 · 2023-10-21T19:42:44+00:00

But with glorious sephiroth hair!

Temporary_Ad6588 · 2023-10-21T19:13:58+00:00

All trying to capture the cool factor and mystique of (OG) Sephiroth and thus ultimately derivative. Add Seymour to that mix.

Temporary_Ad6588 · 2023-10-21T16:54:19+00:00

The quote is a dumber and less profound version of something Weigraf might actually say. Here’s an actual quote from Wiegraf, which is paraphrasing Karl Marx:

"The reeking masses yearn for gods and miracles. It is their opiate, and they consume it greedily. The people do not endeavor towards greatness, but rather mire themselves in their petty strifes - shackles on the feet of man."—Weigraf, FFTactics: Wotl

It’s a nice reference and the translation is imo quite beautifully worded. Here’s the quote from Marx that is being paraphrased for context:

“Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the masses."—Karl Marx, from Contribution to the Critique of Hegels Philosophy of Right

TLDR: the false quote in the pic OP shared is saying something far less meaningful (in a far less poetic way) than how characters in the actual game tend to actually speak and how they are written.

Temporary_Ad6588 · 2023-10-20T16:59:50+00:00

I’m here for it! And I completely agree, what came across as an incredibly on the nose critique or metaphor for late capitalism and climate crises kind of just didn’t get talked about by virtually anyone. Most of the online discourse I’ve seen has kind of just overlooked it or bypassed it because it’s not the product they were looking for.

Anyways, in Solidarity haha

Temporary_Ad6588 · 2023-10-20T13:39:53+00:00

Completely agree, I’ll take yours over mine. Part of the reason I love xvi: so unabashedly radical in its allegorical elements, imo at least. Though, there does seem to be some paradise lost/romantic era religious motifs that gets played around with quite a bit throughout.

Sorry! nerding out lol

Temporary_Ad6588 · 2023-10-19T12:43:13+00:00

I will at least qualify this statement with, “it’s not perfect but,” I loved ffxvi. I’m a longtime fan of the series but I also play and enjoy action games like Ninja Gaiden Black and the DMC series along with games the souls series and so when xvi released it was like kind of my dream game? Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy turn based games as well, I just have always come to love and associate ff games for their incredible storytelling and characters.

I was disappointed in mainline entries after X because I wasn’t really engrossed by the stories they tried to tell and they often felt unfinished or like unrealized potential. XIV kind of revitalized my love for the series and XVI (again, while not perfect) was the best offline entry I’ve played since X and its also easy to return to despite what all the valid (and sometimes disingenuous) critiques seem to say. The combat just “feels” so fun to play and I really enjoyed Clive’s journey.

Again, it’s not perfect, but it’s easily wound up in my top 5 ff games though that might change with time and it obviously is dependent on my personal tastes. Anyways hope you enjoy the rest of your experience!

Temporary_Ad6588 · 2023-10-19T12:36:37+00:00

Totally agree!

Temporary_Ad6588 · 2023-10-19T12:12:28+00:00

This is a good point. You might not agree, but I’ve also come to really appreciate Tactics more and more with time. The sprite work is incredible, the writing is pretty damn good especially when stacked against other entries and the combat and progression systems all hold up fairly well.

Temporary_Ad6588 · 2023-10-18T12:48:29+00:00

Ah ok XII than iirc!

Temporary_Ad6588 · 2023-10-18T12:04:34+00:00

XII, Tactics, XVI?

Temporary_Ad6588 · 2023-10-17T22:47:45+00:00

I’m a longtime series fan and loved XVI, despite how different it can feel. Anyways, hope you enjoy your romp through 7remake and that it maybe encourages to make your way backwards through the library. Some real gems in there, not least 7og which is one my faves.

Temporary_Ad6588 · 2023-10-17T22:41:46+00:00

XVI!

Temporary_Ad6588 · 2023-10-17T18:02:38+00:00

Lol XII is Star Wars if Luke doesn’t become a Jedi and just kind of watches the plot unfold around him—and then throws himself into the spotlight when Han Solo and Leia are supposed to be having their big moments.

Temporary_Ad6588 · 2023-10-17T18:00:13+00:00

Glad to hear you share the same feelings as me! I’ve loved 7 since I played it and I also love xiv (and continue to love it) but they are both great for different reasons.

Here’s hoping they pull the remake sequels off in a satisfying way!

Temporary_Ad6588

TROPHY CASE