Board 8 > anyone else here kind of disappointed with FF7R so far?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Menji posted...

Is there any other materia besides elemental that you can link?

Magnify

I assume in Hard Mode you are making heavy use of Steadfast Block, Prayer and Chakra if there's no items and no MP regen at benches.

ShatteredElysium posted...

MP auto-regens in fights but at a pretty slow pace

I...hadn't noticed in 25 hours lol

Man I feel like I've had a couple boss fights where I had Aerith (fully specced into +magic damage) do nothing but blast the enemy's weakness over and over and still used multiple ethers in getting through the fight

Guess I'm just a noob still

I'm going to assume in Hard Mode you carry over some stuff from a completed game because some of the early bosses would just be impossible without it even at their normal difficulty.

MP fills verrrrry slowly in battle, so I've definitely used a bunch of ethers too. Definitely don't think I'll be attempting hard mode.

---

It probably doesn't help that enemies gravitate towards the character you are using so it means in hard mode you probably have to actively cycle through characters to stop them getting their teeth kicked in constantly

Hard Mode is NG+, everything carries over. That makes it harder though since every chapter expects you to be max everything.

Even at 50 with a pile of maxed materia it's stupid hard. You basically need two maxed HP/MP Up on each character, Prayer or Chakra, then tune for each specific fight.

---

I just finished myself and I needed multiple minutes to process what was happening. So much so that I essentially completely missed what the game was very unclearly trying to tell me until I read stuff online and was like, "wait what".

I loved the game all the way through, including the ending, but I will say that after that ending I am no longer excited to jump right back in on hard like I was for the first 98% of the playthrough.

Also it's not great hearing that it's hard in an unfun way.

---

I think, regarding the ending stuff that I know some of, that episode 2 will obviously shed some light on the direction. It's a cliffhanger, to a degree, and whether it's a good or bad thing, we won't know for a bit. I know a lot of people have soured on it, for obvious reasons, but I also think we can't shit on it quite yet until we see its effects. If it ends up going in a ridiculous way and messes up a lot of iconic things, yeah, we can totally shit on it.

That said, am I worried about it? Absolutely. I'm trying to be optimistic though lol.

---

Ending spoilers:

It's funny that people are debating how many parts there will be or what will be in the next part when this game is literally about to go off the rails with Nomura level bullshit. I am expecting at least one Xehanort/Sephiroth team-up in Castle Oblivion in the second part.

---

Use one of the spoiler topics for ending discussion

But yeah MP is pretty strange so far. Ethers give 20 but a medium spell is 11+ on its own, so it's only giving you 1.5 more attacks. Can't rely on them. The key I've found is that nothing is ONLY weak to magic. Magic is used for staggering or pressuring, after which they can be physically damaged. This means that often you do want to use the weaker magic which only takes 4MP, plus ONLY cast attack magic inside Arcane Ward to get the double cast. It also means your physical attackers need to use magic to cause stagger (and heal) too, not just Aerith spam.

I haven't really had major MP issues playing that way, using 1 ether per boss at most. I've gotten near 0 in some bosses due to Cura and Barrier usage, but not due to attacking.

---

I have had a frustrating time managing MP. The Crab Mech actually almost killed me because I ran out and had to use ATB for Phoenix Downs and I wasn't able to get Curas off.

---

I haven't really had to use Ethers but I was pretty liberal with my use of potions and I also tended to use Tifa and Chakra a lot when she was an option.

Hard mode is hard

---

I clearly need to be using Chakra as I almost completely ignored it and replaced it a long time ago.

---

ExThaNemesis posted...

I have had a frustrating time managing MP. The Crab Mech actually almost killed me because I ran out and had to use ATB for Phoenix Downs and I wasn't able to get Curas off.

Fuck the Crab Warden. I struggled HARD against that thing. Granted, I still hadn't really mastered the battle system (and I still don't think I have), but damn did I almost get murdered in that fight.

---

If you use Tifa, her ATB gauge builds so ridiculously quick you can just spam it. I just have it on a hot key and so incorporate that hotkey into square spam instinctively when using her.

You just can't rely on it to keep health near full for big hitting attacks as it barely heals for anything above like half health

ShatteredElysium posted...

If you use Tifa, her ATB gauge builds so ridiculously quick you can just spam it. I just have it on a hot key and so incorporate that hotkey into square spam instinctively when using her.

You just can't rely on it to keep health near full for big hitting attacks as it barely heals for anything above like half health

I really need to use hotkeys more, and actually map them correctly. That's a big failing on my part lol. At chapter 9, so don't have Tifa back yet, but when I do, that's definitely a good call.

---

I set hotkeys and then never use them because I always want to make sure I'm using the "correct" thing for that ATB bar

---

Oh that's right. I forgot about arcane ward. Yeah I've literally never used it so that probably had an impact LOL

I binged the game all weekend but haven't played for a few days. I already had a conversation with someone on Monday and they mentioned arcane ward and I was like what's that and then I realized I dun goofed and was like "ohhhh that explains a lot." But in the past 3 days I'd totally forgotten that conversation happened

I got rid of Chakra immediately cuz it's just 25% of missing health so it gets exponentially weaker, and also only works on herself. She does generate a ton of ATB, but that can be used on Cure and other spells since she does have a big chunk of MP as well (or better yet, summon abilities during bosses which are 0 MP). Basically if you notice any imbalance in MP among your party, give them Cure and make them the heal slave so you have more space for offensive magic. Barrier too since that saves a lot of Cure MP long term.

---

omfg I just listened to the new One Winged Angel on youtube

i don't know how they managed to improve on perfection but they did it

---

I think I haven't really optimized my materia loadouts yet but I'm still trying to figure out what works.

I probably shouldn't double up on any offensive magic but I like having multiple people with ways to stagger enemies.

---

ExThaNemesis posted...

omfg I just listened to the new One Winged Angel on youtube

i don't know how they managed to improve on perfection but they did it

So this is good and I'm not saying I don't like it, but it's the same problem I have with basically all versions of OWA other than the original, in that I prefer that song as grungy and basic as possible. No versions of the song have ever hit the highs of that PSX sound card, especially the very beginning of the song.

ExThaNemesis posted...

I think I haven't really optimized my materia loadouts yet but I'm still trying to figure out what works.

I probably shouldn't double up on any offensive magic but I like having multiple people with ways to stagger enemies.

auto cure on one and healing + magnify on the other is a must

---

UshiromiyaEva posted...

So this is good and I'm not saying I don't like it, but it's the same problem I have with basically all versions of OWA other than the original, in that I prefer that song as grungy and basic as possible. No versions of the song have ever hit the highs of that PSX sound card, especially the very beginning of the song.

I don't disagree with you. I love every version of OWA in its own way. I have probably heard just about every version of it possible, including all the OCRemix versions lol.

Advent One Winged Angel is probably just barely my favorite. When they add the metal into it I just lose my shit every time. And I headbang so hard to the bridge lol

---

The only reason I enjoyed Sephiroth completely destroying my under-leveled ass over and over again was coz I got to hear that incredible PSX version every single retry.

---

foolm0r0n posted...

I got rid of Chakra immediately cuz it's just 25% of missing health so it gets exponentially weaker, and also only works on herself. She does generate a ton of ATB, but that can be used on Cure and other spells since she does have a big chunk of MP as well (or better yet, summon abilities during bosses which are 0 MP). Basically if you notice any imbalance in MP among your party, give them Cure and make them the heal slave so you have more space for offensive magic. Barrier too since that saves a lot of Cure MP long term.

The thing is if you are using her, the other party members barely take any damage to require cure because the AI prioritizes targeting the player controlled target.

I have never had anyone die that I wasn't personally controlling and they require far less healing due to A. Not being targeted B. Being far less aggressive and C. They basically always have guard up so even when they are targeted, they take less damage

foolm0r0n posted...

Use one of the spoiler topics for ending discussion

This is the only one that is active.

---

FFD did make one a little bit ago

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/78586917

Edit: Though it is fairly recently made, so probably wasn't up when that first statement was said.

---

Perfect, thanks!

---

I am no longer disappointed w the game by the way

---

ExThaNemesis posted...

I am no longer disappointed w the game by the way

It only gets better as it goes on. I am at the end of the game and its been thoroughly great

---

ExThaNemesis posted...

I am no longer disappointed w the game by the way

What Chapter you on now?

---

Chakra seems good on Barret because he has SO much HP (even more with HP up) and you can swap to him every so often to use his Triangle ability to boost his meter, but I only just got him back in my party after the Wall Market stuff so I haven't tested it out too much.

Also I really, really want more Magnify materia but the game hates handing out the good blue materia.

---

BK_Sheikah00 posted...

What Chapter you on now?

Just beat Air Buster. Good lord the theme they gave him is incredible.

---

ExThaNemesis posted...

Just beat Air Buster. Good lord the theme they gave him is incredible.

When it started up, I just listened to it for a bit. One of the remixes I've been looking forward to the most, and they nailed it. Huge fan. There are a few other remixes I'm waiting for, though I don't think at least one or two are in this game (or they shouldn't be, but who knows).

---

The real question is what is your opinion on Hip Hop de Chocobo?

---

FFDragon posted...

The real question is what is your opinion on Hip Hop de Chocobo?

I know this is meant for Extha, but this song is awesome!

---

It's a question for everyone. Because I seriously can't decide if it is the best or worst thing ever.

Because it's one of those and both of those at the same time, all of the time.

---

It is very obviously the first song you get in the game for a reason.

I just can't decide which reason that is.

The GOAT can't be toped, though.

https://youtu.be/hEUOOgNzOv4

Mods de Chocobo is still the GOAT chocobo theme imhotbqh
---

Just beat it. Man... what a game. I am super satisfied.

---

HeroDelTiempo17 posted...

Also I really, really want more Magnify materia but the game hates handing out the good blue materia.

Yeah it's the most perplexing thing about this game to me. There are four blue materia: Elemental, Magnify, Warding, and Synergy. The last of which is completely useless, warding is pretty useless too. The other two are clearly the best yet you only seem to get one of each... it's baffling. I found ONE more blue materia after those four... and it was a warding. Wooo.

---

Are there DLCs or preorder rewards that give more blue materia?

---

Yeah I also couldnt find any more magnify materia. Doesnt mean they dont exist, but I sure didnt see them.

---

There's a second elemental materia fwiw

---

foolm0r0n posted...

Are there DLCs or preorder rewards that give more blue materia?

I think all the DLC are summons? Don't quote me.

---

Maybe the lack of blue Materia is a sign that they intend to have hard transfers from one game to the next, and they're limiting it as if it were how much you would have 1/4 or 1/3 through the game.