GOD WARS Future Past
Been out for a while and I didn't see any posts on it. Definitely not a main stream game but i actually ordered it as i really had a SRPG itch and its customization looked pretty solid. I have bought < 10 games for my PS4 since I got it when they released so definitely pretty picky on what i buy.
I'm into chapter 2 with some time grinding; just my overall impressions up to this point for any true SRPG fans out there who might have missed this.
- Set in Japaneses mythology; being an avid Smite player and general fan of Japanese story telling/culture I have enjoyed the story up to this point. Its not overally kiddish but also not anything to sell the game on its own. Its definitely not too immature like alot of JRPG's.
- Definitely a look and feel to FFT but alot more potential complexity and options. The fights are alot longer for one thing, you can easily spend 30-45 minutes on a map. There are no "one shots", killing people takes coordinated attacks and heals come from all over so you do need to focus on burst. Game is turn based (grid system) based off a speed stat to see who goes. In addition you start at 0 MP and each turn (starting with your 1st) you regen X % of your mana which is a stat you can improve from class abilities, spells, gear etc. So you can't just go ham on everyone every turn without dedicating a mana battery person etc. Positioning greatly effects damage and hit chance so there is abit of strategy on that front and the maps they through at you have all sorts of various starts so you can't always turtle and cheese them down.
They also have a tank mechanic, basically you get impurity (aggro) for using heals and abilities that will draw attention (AI isn't dumb though compared to most games and is very aggressive). So you can use some abilities to reduce or transfer impurity or gain it yourself (warriors can essentially taunt). So one tactic is to have a hero set up skill and gear wise is a good tank and try and keep alot of attacks on him while you buff and heal him. Impurity decays over each turn though and others are gaining it during battle so its not a 100% cheese mechanic.
- Play on hard; i read normal is way to easy and ruins the combat since you don't have to do any form of strategy. So far hard has been definitely manageable but you do have to be abit smart on your tactics or you can get cleared out abit fast and rezzing people is very expensive (the item) earlier on. Money is always tight as you dump cash into a shrine to get increased bonus stats that keeps going up higher so its a money sink.
- Gear; decent amount of stats on things to keep it interesting at least abit. You also can get light and dark blue gear drops that are copies of existing gear in game but has an extra unique stat. Nothing game breaking but things like 10% better drops, 20 hp/mana etc. Most that gear is dropped randomly and rarely from npcs in fights as well sometimes in chests. Also there is some quest like missions at the shrine that usually when you do all of them unlocks another that rewards you with a yellow item which has really good stats and some add on.
- Classes; best part of the game. You have a character lvl which increases your base stats each lvl (doesn't matter what job you lvl as even though their is a type and it shows stat growth for the different classes, its actual aptitude not growth). Then you can pick a primary and second job; primary dictates what gear you can wear and abilities from that job. Secondary you can use all the abilities and you have 50% of the JP you earn towards that job (100% for your primary). Like FFT the JP earned for each job is separate so you can spend whatever you like for each class. There is a decent amount of classes basically breaking out from warrior, mage, priest. They branch out into intermediate classes and then advanced classes as well as 4 secret classes based off mixing some of the mid/top tier of each path. You get to equip 3 passives that once you unlock you can use no matter what even if you aren't that class. Lastly you have a unique class for each hero in the game (there are no "standard soldiers). Some have some pretty defining abilities like a girl who can summon a 999 impurity moss tank that sits there and just pulls aggro for you until its dead. Definitely alot of variance from hero to hero as far as how useful their unique class skills are. There is also a mechanic that starts in chapter 2 that has a flower petal meter that can be used to do various special abilities that take 1-5 flower petals. Just got into them but looks like some really good stuff and most are behind the advanced classes and a few unique classes (1 of main characters can apply team wide 100% JP ability for instance).
- All and all, so far well worth the money. Sounds like it might only be 30 hours or so of game play so not a barn burner but the class development is definitely its strongest point and if you play on hard its just a complete face roll. Not a triple AAA title but if you liked FFT this is definitely up your alley.
Been out for a while and I didn't see any posts on it. Definitely not a main stream game but i actually ordered it as i really had a SRPG itch and its customization looked pretty solid. I have bought < 10 games for my PS4 since I got it when they released so definitely pretty picky on what i buy.
I'm into chapter 2 with some time grinding; just my overall impressions up to this point for any true SRPG fans out there who might have missed this.
- Set in Japaneses mythology; being an avid Smite player and general fan of Japanese story telling/culture I have enjoyed the story up to this point. Its not overally kiddish but also not anything to sell the game on its own. Its definitely not too immature like alot of JRPG's.
- Definitely a look and feel to FFT but alot more potential complexity and options. The fights are alot longer for one thing, you can easily spend 30-45 minutes on a map. There are no "one shots", killing people takes coordinated attacks and heals come from all over so you do need to focus on burst. Game is turn based (grid system) based off a speed stat to see who goes. In addition you start at 0 MP and each turn (starting with your 1st) you regen X % of your mana which is a stat you can improve from class abilities, spells, gear etc. So you can't just go ham on everyone every turn without dedicating a mana battery person etc. Positioning greatly effects damage and hit chance so there is abit of strategy on that front and the maps they through at you have all sorts of various starts so you can't always turtle and cheese them down.
They also have a tank mechanic, basically you get impurity (aggro) for using heals and abilities that will draw attention (AI isn't dumb though compared to most games and is very aggressive). So you can use some abilities to reduce or transfer impurity or gain it yourself (warriors can essentially taunt). So one tactic is to have a hero set up skill and gear wise is a good tank and try and keep alot of attacks on him while you buff and heal him. Impurity decays over each turn though and others are gaining it during battle so its not a 100% cheese mechanic.
- Play on hard; i read normal is way to easy and ruins the combat since you don't have to do any form of strategy. So far hard has been definitely manageable but you do have to be abit smart on your tactics or you can get cleared out abit fast and rezzing people is very expensive (the item) earlier on. Money is always tight as you dump cash into a shrine to get increased bonus stats that keeps going up higher so its a money sink.
- Gear; decent amount of stats on things to keep it interesting at least abit. You also can get light and dark blue gear drops that are copies of existing gear in game but has an extra unique stat. Nothing game breaking but things like 10% better drops, 20 hp/mana etc. Most that gear is dropped randomly and rarely from npcs in fights as well sometimes in chests. Also there is some quest like missions at the shrine that usually when you do all of them unlocks another that rewards you with a yellow item which has really good stats and some add on.
- Classes; best part of the game. You have a character lvl which increases your base stats each lvl (doesn't matter what job you lvl as even though their is a type and it shows stat growth for the different classes, its actual aptitude not growth). Then you can pick a primary and second job; primary dictates what gear you can wear and abilities from that job. Secondary you can use all the abilities and you have 50% of the JP you earn towards that job (100% for your primary). Like FFT the JP earned for each job is separate so you can spend whatever you like for each class. There is a decent amount of classes basically breaking out from warrior, mage, priest. They branch out into intermediate classes and then advanced classes as well as 4 secret classes based off mixing some of the mid/top tier of each path. You get to equip 3 passives that once you unlock you can use no matter what even if you aren't that class. Lastly you have a unique class for each hero in the game (there are no "standard soldiers). Some have some pretty defining abilities like a girl who can summon a 999 impurity moss tank that sits there and just pulls aggro for you until its dead. Definitely alot of variance from hero to hero as far as how useful their unique class skills are. There is also a mechanic that starts in chapter 2 that has a flower petal meter that can be used to do various special abilities that take 1-5 flower petals. Just got into them but looks like some really good stuff and most are behind the advanced classes and a few unique classes (1 of main characters can apply team wide 100% JP ability for instance).
- All and all, so far well worth the money. Sounds like it might only be 30 hours or so of game play so not a barn burner but the class development is definitely its strongest point and if you play on hard its just a complete face roll. Not a triple AAA title but if you liked FFT this is definitely up your alley.