Pull a Working Designs and modify this game, XSeed.

[JiggiUp]

In its current form it's laughably easy. There's really no point in playing it other than to look at pretty pictures and admire the terrible plot. It would only take an extra menu selection and the changing of a few simple variables to fix this.

Here's my proposal: Start new games with a difficulty selection. Your difficulty decides the number of lives each party member has in battle.

Very Easy: 5 lives (original game)
Easy: 4 lives
Normal: 3 lives
Hard: 2 lives
Very Hard: 1 life

See? You wouldn't need to be a world-class programmer to pull that off, and I'd buy the game a second time. Maybe they could even release it in Japan as an international edition.

[Shizuka]

XSEED doesn't have in-house programmers.

[JiggiUp]

Then get Mistwalker to do it. They're pretty much circling the drain right now and I don't think they have anything better to do, unlike a certain vanilla studio.

Wait, are they even still around? Their site seems to have been purchased by a Russian cybersquatter.

[Shizuka]

They're busy with their three iOS titles.

[JiggiUp]

And the iBorg assimilates another victim. I hope that wasn't Sakaguchi's decision.

[Shizuka]

And the iBorg assimilates another victim. I hope that wasn't Sakaguchi's decision.

...It was.

[JiggiUp]

Then this truly is The Last Story.

[Takao]

I don't think it was a decision he took enthusiastically, but realistically it was the only decision he could take. He had 3 big bombs this generation, partially because he put his games all on the wrong platforms. It's amazing how a sequel to a game people in Japan hated, White Knight Chronicles 2, still outsold both Xenoblade, and The Last Story.

[SIN]

I don't think it was a decision he took enthusiastically, but realistically it was the only decision he could take. He had 3 big bombs this generation, partially because he put his games all on the wrong platforms. It's amazing how a sequel to a game people in Japan hated, White Knight Chronicles 2, still outsold both Xenoblade, and The Last Story.

Wow really? That is surprising.

[Chaosblade]

This seems to be one of the bigger non-preferential complaints about this game (i.e., not about the linearity or something). I'd like to see this adjusted, but I'm really not sure XSEED will be able to make it happen.

[wrath]

hmmm actually my goal in most games is to not die even once(unless its a storey scenario I cant avoid) Its a little game I play with myself ....But ive actually not read any negative reviews of the game or to many reviews of it period....Even if it is easy I dont have to many games that are so its nice to have a non super difficult game roll arround once in a while....BUt as I havent been enthusiastically looking into the game I suppose I should see what some folks think of it not that it'll deter me I mean everyone loved FFXIII and I didnt so I dont put to much stock in reviewers at this point.

[Aria]

In its current form it's laughably easy. There's really no point in playing it other than to look at pretty pictures and admire the terrible plot. It would only take an extra menu selection and the changing of a few simple variables to fix this.

Here's my proposal: Start new games with a difficulty selection. Your difficulty decides the number of lives each party member has in battle.

Very Easy: 5 lives (original game)
Easy: 4 lives
Normal: 3 lives
Hard: 2 lives
Very Hard: 1 life


Very Hard: 1 life?
Would that mode even be possible? What about all the 1 hit kills I've been hearing people complain about?

Maybe easy mode should have 5 lives(I hear that towards the end of the game, it gets a little more challenging). Normal should be 4, and hard should be 3. I don't usually play hack 'n slash type JRPGs so I'm pretty positive the difficulty of this game will be just right for me. As for the "terrible plot"...I know of plenty people who enjoyed it even if they thought it was a little on the predictable side. Maybe this game just isn't for you?

[JiggiUp]

I didn't hate Last Story. It has a great aesthetic and plays well. I just felt it could have been exponentially more enjoyable by simply modifying the number of lives you have in battle, and maybe cutting back on the hand-holding (party members always tell you a boss' weakness right away).


I don't think it was a decision he took enthusiastically, but realistically it was the only decision he could take. He had 3 big bombs this generation, partially because he put his games all on the wrong platforms. It's amazing how a sequel to a game people in Japan hated, White Knight Chronicles 2, still outsold both Xenoblade, and The Last Story.
He was getting money from Microsoft to develop for the 360, it was part of their initial (failed) push to boost the system's popularity in Japan.

Blue Dragon's sequels just ended up on the DS.

[Shizuka]

It's amazing how a sequel to a game people in Japan hated, White Knight Chronicles 2, still outsold both Xenoblade, and The Last Story.

People in Japan didn't hate the game, or the franchise, for that matter. It's the closest they've got to a Monster Hunter-esque game on the PS3 until Capcom released the PS3 port of 3rd Portable.

[momo]

I have not played the game yet. But, why not just leave everything as is? If xseed messes with the code, they might break it.

[VernorsMan]

In its current form it's laughably easy.

Anything that becomes more like WD is laughably terrible.

[JiggiUp]

Anything that becomes more like WD is laughably terrible.
Thankfully, XSeed doesn't have to design gameplay modifications to suit the whims of Vic Ireland. They could instead make actual improvements.

[ClintNixwood]

Just going to have to accept it as it is. I'd love for an adjustable difficulty, as I think more games should do it (Tales of Graces f, for example, has it and it works really well to customize your experience). But then again, OP has already played the game and we haven't. Unfortunately I don't think they will be changing it. This is the way Mistwalker designed it; if they wanted to change it they would have for the EU release (or maybe it is that they can't; they didn't use an in-house development team for programming).

Sometimes you have to accept something for its good and bad qualities. It will still be worth experiencing for those of us who haven't played it yet.

[JiggiUp]

Yeah, in its current (and likely final) form I really can't recommend this game. It's a solid set of art assets and game mechanics utterly broken by the complete lack of difficulty and incessant hand-holding. Blue Dragon was the best traditional JRPG on an HD console (which also included a very punishing hard difficulty setting), and I really didn't think Sakaguchi would stoop so low.

[Desu]

I'm surprised you forgot to ask for a questlog.

[Slur]

I'm surprised this thread even exists.

He's asking for fake difficulty in a game which doesn't need it.

[321jassman]

How difficult is this game anyways?

[Deepthroat]

In its current form it's laughably easy. There's really no point in playing it other than to look at pretty pictures and admire the terrible plot. It would only take an extra menu selection and the changing of a few simple variables to fix this.

Here's my proposal: Start new games with a difficulty selection. Your difficulty decides the number of lives each party member has in battle.

Very Easy: 5 lives (original game)
Easy: 4 lives
Normal: 3 lives
Hard: 2 lives
Very Hard: 1 life

See? You wouldn't need to be a world-class programmer to pull that off, and I'd buy the game a second time. Maybe they could even release it in Japan as an international edition.

The Last Story is neither easy nor difficult. In fact, if you want the game to be "hardcore" it can be, really : just check the map :p And the "Very Hard: 1 life" is already available : just need to find THE cursed weapon to equip ! :D

[Zero]

The OP's suggestion would be nice. I doubt it'll happen, though.

...And this'll be so ironic if The Last Story truly is Sakaguchi's final game.

[Lazy_Penguin]

How difficult is this game anyways?

Lets just say even on hard the game is really really easy, the live system was pretty much unneeded, no need to grind ever, even when the enemies were ten levels higher then me, it was still easy. The AI can be pretty dumb too, just run from them hide behind cover and most of the time they'll stop targeting you, easy back stab right there. Which by the way takes a chunk of their health. To get really any challenge use the Main character only, suggestion once you unlock hard, use only the MC.

[perrandy]

sakaguchi come home, back to sony

btw, if the game is "easy" then thats up my alley, really hate frustrating games

[Aria]

You know, I can't speak for everyone but a good game, to me, doesn't necessarily depend on how difficult it is. I tend to be able to enjoy games more when it's not overly difficult/frustrating. Also, I don't see how Sakaguchi is "stooping low" just because the difficulty of his game didn't personally suit you. I'm viewing TLS with the idea that it's like an experimental project from Sakaguchi. Perhaps he'll increase the difficulty level and/or have difficulty options the next time he makes another action-type jrpg.

[omgfloofy]

sakaguchi come home, back to sony

I find that comment hilarious as Sakaguchi started with development on PC-88, then jumped to Nintendo two games later and stayed with that way for the next 10 years before he went to Sony.

[Terro]

You know, I can't speak for everyone but a good game, to me, doesn't necessarily depend on how difficult it is. I tend to be able to enjoy games more when it's not overly difficult/frustrating. Also, I don't see how Sakaguchi is "stooping low" just because the difficulty of his game didn't personally suit you.


This. As long as its fun, why worry about of not bring challenging? Was the gamesply and story enjoyable at least? Those should be the biggest concerns.

[Lazy_Penguin]

You know, I can't speak for everyone but a good game, to me, doesn't necessarily depend on how difficult it is. I tend to be able to enjoy games more when it's not overly difficult/frustrating. Also, I don't see how Sakaguchi is "stooping low" just because the difficulty of his game didn't personally suit you. I'm viewing TLS with the idea that it's like an experimental project from Sakaguchi. Perhaps he'll increase the difficulty level and/or have difficulty options the next time he makes another action-type jrpg.

I'm not saying having an easy game is a bad thing, but it is a flaw when even on hard you get barely any challenge. Yes it was an experiment by Sakaguchi, but that does not mean he and his games are not above criticism. Besides I'm not saying I don't recommend buying it, I do, I still call it a good game.

[Aria]

^Just out of curiosity but what do you mean "on hard"? Is there more than one mode as far as difficulty setting? And, no, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying a Sakaguchi game is above criticism. I'm just saying it is like an experimental project after all, so my expectation for this game isn't going to be perfection. Thing is, the degree of difficulty is going to vary from player to player because we're not all the same. While you're saying the game is flawed because it didn't offer any challenge whatsoever, someone else may think differently. Most I have talked to have been telling me that the majority of the difficulty of the game will come from the bosses and that the game does throw in a higher degree of difficulty toward the end of the game. Not saying that I don't believe you breezed through the game without any challenge, but, my point, again, is that it's not the same for everyone.

BTW, I apologize if you thought my post was directed at you. It wasn't, just so you know.

[Lazy_Penguin]

^Just out of curiosity but what do you mean "on hard"? Is there more than one mode as far as difficulty setting? And, no, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying a Sakaguchi game is above criticism. I'm just saying it is like an experimental project after all, so my expectation for this game isn't going to be perfection. Thing is, the degree of difficulty is going to vary from player to player because we're not all the same. While you're saying the game is flawed because it didn't offer any challenge whatsoever, someone else may think differently. Most I have talked to have been telling me that the majority of the difficulty of the game will come from the bosses and that the game does throw in a higher degree of difficulty toward the end of the game. Not saying that I don't believe you breezed through the game without any challenge, but, my point, again, is that it's not the same for everyone.

BTW, I apologize if you thought my post was directed at you. It wasn't, just so you know.

Yeah I can understand that, and you're right not everyone is the same. It was only my opinion anyway, again not a bad game just a little disappointed I suppose. And no problem, I shouldn't have quoted you like that with just an assumption, so I too apologize.

Yep there is a hard mode you unlock once you beat the game. So there is replay ability so that is a plus :)

[Aria]

No hard feelings at all :]
And, oh, I see...you're referring to the New Game+ mode. I guess I thought you were talking about there being more than one difficulty setting for the game at the start or something.