Unpopular Opinion

**Xanatos** · 03-06-2016, 04:41 AM

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King is mediocre. There, I said it. It baffles me this is considered to be arguably one of the best, if not the best RPG on PS2. The only thing this game has going for it are its graphics (looks surprisingly gorgeous even today), and Akira Toriyama's art style. Everything else is painfully average, and has been done vastly better in countless other RPGs. I'll be brash and arrogant and go as far as to say this isn't even a subjective opinion.

There's not much going on in terms of story and characters. The story in its entirety is as straightforward, old and clichéd as it gets, hell, certain Zelda titles have deeper story and that's saying something. Characters are for the most part just there, each can be summed up in tops two sentences without missing anything, and I'm being overly generous here. The worst thing though, is its battle system. It's shallow, the only word that comes to my mind right now, shallow. Final Fantasy I, a 30 year old game, requires more strategy during combat, let that just sink in. Despite having huge open world exploration is extremely linear, in other words each location is tied to normal story progression one way or another, save perhaps for two locations, one of which you can access only after you beat the game. I forgot to mention Monster Arena which I have to admit is a nice and fun distraction, wish there was more to it though.

Perhaps I'm being overly harsh, but if this is truly one of the best games, if not the best game in the series, I honestly don't want to play others.

I went all out on this game, now let's hear your unpopular video game opinion.

**Unknown Entity** · 03-06-2016, 07:54 AM

To be fair, I've only recently picked this game up in the last couple of years. Sometimes we get PS2 games in at work, and found it dirt cheap. And I've yet to play it on the PS2 other than on a demo disc I had once upon a time.

I played the hell out that demo disc, even though everything was pretty much closed off. It's coming out on the 3DS though, which I'm more excited for. Means I'll have a chance of playing it, as the PS2 is packed away somewhere.

I really don't like The Legend of Zelda games. In much the same way as I dislike Adventure Time, it's the fan group that puts me off. It's the melodrama I just can't hack. Say you've never played a Zelda game before? You MUST play one! You CAN'T be a real gamer! OMG, Y NOT, didnt ur parents luv u enough? Being in the presence of Zelda fans for me is like walking through a corridor of spider webs. GET THEM OFF.

I mean, they're not even that special. I probably own about four or five of the games, and I can't get into them. Ocarina of Time seemed okay, but then it just went on to give me a headache and boring. And I think Bravely Default came out about the same time and I got hooked on that for months.

Maybe I was born a little too late for the happy Nintendo club. I can't stand Mario games either. He's creepy. Or maybe I'm just not a save the princess fan. I dunno.

**Victoria** · 03-06-2016, 11:31 AM

Sounds to me, Xanatos, that you just don't gel with the DQ series as a whole. Because the combat style is basically more or less the same across the entire series. I for one have always enjoyed DQ8 the most. Also yes, it is a subjective opinion. Because all opinions are subjective whether you like it or not.

My unpopular opinion, like Gemma, is that the Zelda franchise is very overrated. Though that is me being a major hypocrite, because while the stories of the Zelda franchise are always the same, ....the Musou games I love like a fangirl are literally the same game over and over with more playable characters and new mechanics.

Although I guess my fangirling of Musou games themselves, is and of itself an unpopular opinion.

**Pete** · 03-06-2016, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by Unknown Entity

I really don't like The Legend of Zelda games. In much the same way as I dislike Adventure Time, it's the fan group that puts me off. It's the melodrama I just can't hack. Say you've never played a Zelda game before? You MUST play one! You CAN'T be a real gamer! OMG, Y NOT, didnt ur parents luv u enough? Being in the presence of Zelda fans for me is like walking through a corridor of spider webs. GET THEM OFF.

I mean, they're not even that special. I probably own about four or five of the games, and I can't get into them. Ocarina of Time seemed okay, but then it just went on to give me a headache and boring. And I think Bravely Default came out about the same time and I got hooked on that for months.

So much this. It's the same damn game over and over, in the same pattern over and over. It was fun the first few times when it was new and on Gameboy (my first) and then cool when it got to the Gamecube, where I played OoT, Windwaker and Twilight Princess. I understand the whole "if it's not broke, don't fix it" approach, but it feels like the same exact thing over and over again, and because it's Nintendo, I'm supposed to blow my load. The first time they give you the chance to change your world or season or whatever, it seemed like a pretty cool idea, but then it seemed to be like that in every game after.

To be fair, Assassins Creed and Far Cry are the same way. Swapping out one type of long range weapon for another or one type of grappling weapon for another.

Also, I think that FF is pretty much ruined at this point by androgynous characters and being too stubborn to give players story choices with consequences. I'm sick of the idea of just riding the rails for expansive games with no option on how I want my characters to react.

**Xanatos** · 03-06-2016, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by Victoria

Sounds to me, Xanatos, that you just don't gel with the DQ series as a whole. Because the combat style is basically more or less the same across the entire series. I for one have always enjoyed DQ8 the most. Also yes, it is a subjective opinion. Because all opinions are subjective whether you like it or not.

So you're telling me each game in the series has a shallow, painfully basic, combat system with barely any strategy to it. You would think something would change for the better seeing as this franchise is older even than Final Fantasy. Alrighty then, thank you for the heads up, I most definitely won't play other game in the series. Also, if I call something linear or shallow and it actually is, how's that a subjective opinion?

My unpopular opinion, like Gemma, is that the Zelda franchise is very overrated.

I actually somewhat agree with you, Unknown, and Pete on this one. I love Zelda to death, Link's Awakening is in my top 10 favorite games of all time, but let's face it, Zelda hasn't evolved in over 20 years. Actually, this can be said for most if not all Nintendo games. It's always the same shallow story, and characters, hell even dungeons are starting to feel the same. Call of Duty gets called out for being the same game every year, but God forbid you say that about Zelda and Mario, and that's why I find most Nintendo fans to be the biggest hypocrites in video game industry. Another unpopular opinion, I guess.

**Andromeda** · 03-06-2016, 02:33 PM

I would that Lightning Returns is one of the best FF games that Square Enix has made from a pure gameplay stand point with only FFX-2 as the other possible contender. As an evolution of the FFXIII paradigm system, Lightning Returns remains a ATB based system while giving it far more control and dynamic reactions than any of the previous games in the series. There is no game in the series that I had more fun playing than Lightning Returns and that was because the combat was a blast and kept things active and constantly engaged throughout the entire time. Adds the needed spice to the ATB gauge to keep it fresh and interesting in the current generation of gaming.

And yes, Lightning Returns and the FFXIII series as a whole are ATB games, not action RPGs. You're still filling up gauges to take actions, the only difference is your gauge can be better than a single action. It makes it feel like an action game while still being an ATB system.

The fact that I know the Dragon Quests games don't change their formula from game to game, unlike the FF series is the one reason I've only played DQVIII.

**Rowan** · 03-06-2016, 02:34 PM

Women aren't funny
-Thats not a sexist statement.

**loaf** · 03-06-2016, 02:55 PM

Rowan isn't funny.

Idk if that's an opinion though. Let alone an unpopular one at that.

**Rowan** · 03-06-2016, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by loaf

Rowan isn't funny.

Idk if that's an opinion though. Let alone an unpopular one at that.

You're just not my crowd

**Victoria** · 03-06-2016, 05:46 PM

So you're telling me each game in the series has a shallow, painfully basic, combat system with barely any strategy to it. You would think something would change for the better seeing as this franchise is older even than Final Fantasy. Alrighty then, thank you for the heads up, I most definitely won't play other game in the series. Also, if I call something linear or shallow and it actually is, how's that a subjective opinion?

It's your opinion that the gameplay is shallow, not fact. There's a lot of strategy (or power leveling) to it. But that can be said by any JRPG. JRPGs in and of themselves have basically the same combat system as DQ. Even FF does, aside from the new ones. Linear is one thing, but again, most if not all JRPGs are linear to a degree.

One thing I hate is how people word their opinions as complete facts when that isn't the case. If you would have said "I personally think DQ8 is mediocre." I wouldn't have pressed you as hard as I did.

I just get the vibe, that you personally, just don't like JRPGs as a whole.

Also I'm sorry, but Lightning Returns is complete garbage, as far as story and myself are concerned.

**Andromeda** · 03-06-2016, 05:54 PM

I was only speaking to the gameplay and never brought up the story though. But it is an unpopular opinion and Lightning Returns is about as unpopular as the mainline series gets. Combat is a blast though, should at least be able to enjoy that even if you didn't like the story.

**Rowan** · 03-06-2016, 05:58 PM

Everyone knows im not a fan of the trilogy, but I played and not only completed them, but I platinumed them all (with the exception of XIII).

It was enjoyable.
I liked playing as a female protag for a chance. I like powerful women too, so maybe thats why I was biased.

**Andromeda** · 03-06-2016, 06:26 PM

Yeah playing as Lightning was a very welcome change in the series that was largely dominated by male leads, though there are a lot of good female leads out there in the series. But with the more story focused games in the series they make it very clear that the male leads are the main character and the ones that are driving the story rather than the women. But the XIII series is a very divisive series. So I understand people not liking it. Though I think people should give it a fair chance before just accepting it as bad because that's the group consensus.

**loaf** · 03-06-2016, 07:09 PM

FF13 sucks, yet I want to play it again.
Same with 13-2 and I haven't tried Lighting Return.

**Andromeda** · 03-06-2016, 07:59 PM

Lightning Return is really fun and very non-linear, probably the least linear FF ever made. It's a very different experience from XIII.

**Xanatos** · 03-06-2016, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by Victoria

It's your opinion that the gameplay is shallow, not fact. There's a lot of strategy (or power leveling) to it. But that can be said by any JRPG. JRPGs in and of themselves have basically the same combat system as DQ. Even FF does, aside from the new ones. Linear is one thing, but again, most if not all JRPGs are linear to a degree.

What strategy? Honestly, what strategy? I went through entire game doing exact same shit, my strategy for the final boss was identical to any other boss in the game, and to be fair it's not like I had options to mix things up. No matter how you slice it there's not much going on in terms of combat, I never ever thought I would say this, but for Pete's sake even Digimon World 2 had more thought to it, and if that's not shallow to you then fine by me. Final Fantasy may had the same combat once, still does at its core, but it vastly evolved in that department over the years where as Dragon Quest clearly did not, hell, even Final Fantasy III offers more in terms of combat compared to DQ VIII and that game came out in 1990.

As for linearity, this may surprise you but I actually agree, although in this case by linear I'm referring to the way exploration is done. Vast open world and only two optional locations to actually discover, one of which is useless and the other you only have access to after you beat the game, everything else is in the same line with the story progression.

I just get the vibe, that you personally, just don't like JRPGs as a whole.

As long as I get a great story, characters, and gameplay (the holy trinity) I don't really care if it's JRPG or WRPG. And for your information, I like JRPGs, two of my favorite games of all time fall under that genre, I enjoyed almost every JRPG I played, your vibe just might be off on this one.

- As for all the Final Fantasy XIII talk going around, I enjoyed XIII for what it was. I knew what I was going into, I was well aware of its reputation among the fans so my expectations were a lot lower. XIII-2 one the other hand I dislike for the very reason that it had every opportunity to do all the right steps, to succeed where XIII failed, and it did just the opposite. It was X-2 all over again, and that's why I'm skeptical to say the least to play Lightning Returns.

**Alpha** · 03-07-2016, 03:23 AM

Coffee doesn't taste good.

**Xanatos** · 03-07-2016, 08:43 AM

Originally Posted by Alpha

Coffee doesn't taste good.

I can't stand the taste of caffeine in general, it makes me puke, so I usually avoid anything with good dose of caffeine in it.

**Clint** · 03-07-2016, 02:54 PM

I don't understand why anybody would have an interest in playing XIII-2 or 3 since the first one was so terrible. Typically when the first entry in a trilogy is horrible, I tend to omit the sequels. I'm honestly surprised anybody gave them a chance.

As for my own unpopular opinion, I hate Skyrim. It was a hyped game, and it didn't live up to that hype at all. It was a sandbox with nothing inside of it, mixed in with a boring story and generic, forgettable characters. I played through it once, and it was the most tedious gaming experience of my life. Afterwords, I went back and played through Oblivion as a comparison, and as it turns out, that game is almost as bad. I remembered it being a lot better. I'm under the impression that Elder Scrolls is just a crappy franchise.

Originally Posted by Alpha

Coffee doesn't taste good.

It does when you're not a pussy.

**Xanatos** · 03-09-2016, 01:18 PM

I agree, both Oblivion and Skyrim can be dull, they offer little in terms of story and characters, that's way I play these games on PC where I can mod the shit out of them and make them that much better.

**SuperSabin** · 03-09-2016, 08:02 PM

Terranigma is a great game that doesn't get much attention. It's part of a gaia trilogy: (Soul Blazer, Illusion of Gaia, Terranigma) that really doesn't get touched upon and none of the games have any re-releases. Here's hoping for a eShop release of Terranigma on the Wii U. Seriously, check it out on youtube, it's a really interesting game with good concepts for it's time.

If you like it, you like it. If you don't, you don't.