Resonance of Fate (X360/PS3)

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I finally picked up Resonance of Fate yesterday, after finally showing up in person after two days of Gamestop employees telling me over the phone that no, they don't have "Residence of Faith" in stock. Were I more paranoid I'd think they were disdainful of this heretic who is playing a JRPG that is not Final Fantasy 13.

This is a pretty good game. If you pick it up I'd recommend you head to the arena (just leave the first city and you'll see it on the map) and run the tutorials as the combat system is really interesting, and really unintuitive. More on that later.

I love the setting. The screenshots may make it seem like the usual technofantasy Final Fantasy sort of world but it's not. It's more about a clockwork world where people are living on the machinery and seem to have very little understanding of where it came from and how it works, and even less hope for the future since the machine is not perfect and is expected to fail some day.

Or so I gather. The game has not been very forthcoming with information on its strange world. I haven't found any codex/journal entries to explain things and there's almost no exposition. I'm glad they spared me the stilted dialog ("As you know, Zephyr, our society is a hereditary oligarchy organized by altitude...") but I want to know more. Even the opening cutscene was incredibly confusing (very minor spoilers from first 5 minutes of the game):

Spoiler:

It opens with a young woman climbing onto a ledge to jump to her death when Zephyr swings in Tarzan-style and grabs her out of the air. Then the "vine" snaps and the two begin to plummet through open air, since all this takes place up on a really tall tower. The girl seems surprised to be alive and Zephyr lets her know that they're about to die. And... that's the end of the cutscene. It skips to a little over a year later. Zephyr seems just fine. The girl, who is apparently named Leanne, does as well except that her hair has inexplicably changed color and the only reason you know it's the same person is that someone mentions it in another cutscene (I think it's the second or third mission, so still extremely early).

I imagine they'll explain what happened eventually but for the time being it distances me from the characters since clearly something pretty major must have happened, yet I haven't been informed.

One thing that really surprised me was the level of character customization. So far it's mostly just texture swaps and accessories, which is till enough to totally change the feel of each character. I've even found colored contact lenses for Leanne: one for the left eye and one for the right eye, which can be equipped together or separately. There's a shop to buy new clothing but it's extremely expensive, like 2 to 3 times more expensive than the best weapon mods I can buy right now. It's unusual to give the player so much control over the visual design of characters in a character-driven game.

Then there's the weapon modification system. It's pretty ridiculous. You get a grid with a fixed and arbitrary size, the same for each weapon. In this grid is the general shape of the gun in question, which fills a certain number and configuration of squares and has certain socket points. Then you get weapon modifications, like sights, ammo magazines, barrel extensions and the like that also have their own dimensions and sockets. Attach a magazine to the handle or under the barrel, a barrel extension to the muzzle and a sight to the top. So far so good. Except the game doesn't seem to care how you'd actually USE the damn thing. Right now I have an M1911 with a front sight mount and a rear sight mount. Attached to each are what look like red dot sights with mounting brackets, except the brackets can't overlap the gun itself so what I've got are two ridiculously tall sights, one looking directly into the other. Mounted to the TOP of each is an ACOG scope; again, one looks directly into the other. So my pistol has 4 sights, and all of them grant their full bonuses. Thankfully, this monstrous sight-scaffolding doesn't appear on the in-game 3D model. I'm left wishing they'd skipped the visual aspect of the mod system entirely since the only way to make a gun that looks even remotely realistic is to customize it sub-optimally.

Now, the combat system is really where the game shines except it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. First off, there are two kinds of damage. Grenades and pistols do "direct damage," which takes off a relatively small amount of an enemy's health permanently. Machine guns (visually, SMGs) do "scratch damage," which takes off huge amounts of health, but only temporarily. You can't kill enemies with scratch damage and they recover from it over time, which means that if you fire a submachine gun into an enemy's face, it cannot kill them, ever. However, if they take any sort of direct damage before they've healed, it'll turn all that scratch damage into permanent, direct damage. So the strategy of choice is to have one guy blast away with an SMG till the enemy has a full health meter of scratch damage, then have someone with a pistol kill them in a single shot. Ideally, you do this with these "hero action" things.

Basically, that lets you set a destination point your character will run towards while shooting. The music swells and they go all John Woo, attacking multiple times, even multiple targets if you like. They can jump in the air dramatically to get over obstacles and shoot down at enemies as well, which is important because obstacles will normally stop them dead and some enemies are much better protected from certain angles than others. It's kind of like an evolution of the TRPG mainstay of attacking an opponent's rear for extra damage. Enemies have "parts" with different durabilities, strengths, weaknesses, etc.

Given all that it seems like the ideal strategy is to have your machine gunner run through and cause a lot of scratch damage to a lot of enemies, then have someone with a pistol follow and finish each target off. That does work rather well, except that these hero actions take up what the game calls, "bezels." These little pips can be restored by killing enemies and the like. Except that your characters take scratch damage from all attacks and if they're reduced to 100% scratch damage, you lose one bezel charge to restore their health. Lose all your bezel charges and your characters enter a "critical" mode, where they hilariously tremble and run about in exaggerated ways as if panicking.

Then they get slaughtered.

While panicking, their accuracy is dramatically reduced. Their aiming and firing speeds are reduced. Their damage is reduced. If they're attacked they take permanent (well, till you can stop and recover) damage and a bezel shatters into four pieces that are scattered around the immediate area. If an enemy gets to one of these pieces before you do, they are healed. This makes it extremely difficult to kill an enemy to regain a bezel charge, and if you don't have any remaining bezels intact you CANNOT get out of this critical panic mode. So basically, if it happens you're well and goodly f***ed. It's a very harsh penalty for a system that's otherwise quite forgiving and it quickly teaches you to be careful when spending those bezel charges. Hero actions can do a ton of damage very quickly but do too many and you can easily lose the fight.

It's the kind of thing you really need to play around with to understand. It's very unique and quite a bit of fun, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone looking for something fresh and new, if not a bit obtuse.

That's my take from about 5 hours of play and I haven't even scratched the surface. The world map is unlike any I've ever seen before, but it's a little confusing and not very interesting to describe.

This game sounds very interesting. I just watched the gametrailers video review. My gaming budget is empty right now, and my JRPG pile is nasty. So i won't be able to get it any time soon.

I really liked your explanation of the mechanics lobster.

When I'm done with FFXIII I'm picking this up. The battle systems seem vaguely familiar but the customization and setting in RoF looks like it will draw me in.

I'm getting this at the end of the month when my paycheck comes through. I'm looking forward to more impressions, Lobster.

That actually kinda turned me off of the game. Guess it's on the "Wait til it's 25 bucks" list now.

When I read the title I though that the "resonance of fate" was that I liked Fate so much I purchased Torchlight.

I was gonna wait for the price to drop on this, but I broke down and ordered it. In fact, it arrived not 15 minutes ago, though technically I'm still on the clock. Ah, the pains of working from home.

It really sounds like it's a very interesting title. Is it as difficult as the Eurogamer review claims?

The difficulty is kind of weird. To some degree, you're invincible. Enemies do quite a bit of damage but all damage you take is scratch damage, which you can recover from. As soon as your HP hits zero it trades in your charged bezels to heal you at a rate of one bezel per 1,000 HP. So you're pretty durable. Right up till you run out of bezels. Once you're out, you're doomed. If any character dies at that point, it's game over. As the Gametrailers review said you can pay money to restart that fight but yeah, it is possible to get in a really bad situation (for instance, I got into that panic mode and retreated back into the previous room, only to find that I was STILL in panic mode there, plus the enemies had all respawned). So, think of it as running toward the edge of a cliff. If you aren't paying attention, you suddenly find yourself in free fall.

So far the "RPG" side of combat has been a bit limited, too. No one has any heal spells. Leanne is equipped with a first aid kit with a limited number of heals on it, Vashyron has a grenade box with limited grenades and Zephyr has special ammo with (guess!) a limited number of shots. On the one hand it's a little jarring having so few kinds of actions to take once you're actually in combat, on the other, the game's designed with that in mind and there's a lot you can do with those limited actions.

In short, it is difficult but so far it hasn't been unfair. Whenever I've ended up in trouble it's because I was too aggressive.

After an hour, which means I finished the tutorials, I'm happy with the game. I read and watched a lot about this game, so I knew what to expect. I'm still pleasantly surprised by how much more fluid the action looks while playing live as compared with the videos I watched.

The music, I must say, is top notch. I imagine some music may repeat and grate over the 40 hours or so, but so far I'm quite impressed by the sound. The graphics are just okay. Nothing bad to say, just not wow-ing me.

Oh, and Lobster, I get the feeling that the first aid kits are probably best saved for bosses. The first thing they tell you about them is that they're rare. However, that's clearly speculation on my part.

Can anyone tell me if they've kept the boobie jiggle scene in? I just want the boobie jiggle scene. I find that stuff hilarious. The kind of things Japan finds funny and when they find something funny they have to put THAT on steroids.

I'm a bit deeper into it and I'm really starting to get a feel for the hex system, though I feel like they aren't giving me enough hexes for what I want to do. The colored hexes come at an understandable rate. After all, they're special. You use them to activate terminals and spread their special effects all over. I've turned one floor into a great farming area by giving it and its various dungeons all "double item drop rate," "double rare item drop rate," and "double charging speed."

Thing is, every time they want you to go somewhere new you need to dig your way there with hexes. It requires some grinding or farming to get enough, and while I don't really mind grinding a bit it can kill some momentum.

I just got to the second shop. In the first shop, weapon mods were very basic. Handguard or grip, a few different kinds of scopes, one kind of magazine for each weapon, one kind of barrel for each weapon and then a sub-barrel that plugged into the end of that, no problem. It was easy to get the ideal configuration on each gun. In the second shop? Sweet Jesus.

I'm looking at barrels that are literally two barrels on one piece with all sorts of mounts coming off the front and sides. There's a piece that spaces my hand guards, and another that turns them at a 90 degree angle for some reason. There's an ammo magazine with a socket to attach ANOTHER magazine into the bottom. There's a giant freaking rifle scope that's about twice as long as some of the pistols I have (remember that there are no rifles in the game). I called it quits for the night there as it's going to take some real thought to figure out just how much I need of which part. I feel kind of like buying a bunch of random bits and playing LEGO with them, then moving on once I've got a few setups that work, optimal or not.

What this shop doesn't have is another gun. I'm 15 hours in, level 20, and I have received all of one new gun. It was available in the first shop from the beginning of the game (but was too expensive for me to buy for a while). I've got a lead about a weapons stash in a mine that I'm going to check out but so far I'm getting a bit of a Mass Effect 2 vibe.

Cosign wrote:

Can anyone tell me if they've kept the boobie jiggle scene in? I just want the boobie jiggle scene. I find that stuff hilarious. The kind of things Japan finds funny and when they find something funny they have to put THAT on steroids.

*ahem*

The uh... That... scene is definitely in, yes. As well as some choice dialog from Vashyron.

garion333 wrote:

Oh, and Lobster, I get the feeling that the first aid kits are probably best saved for bosses. The first thing they tell you about them is that they're rare. However, that's clearly speculation on my part.

Perfect Aid kits are extremely rare. They're the type that can heal ANY damage. First Aid kits, which only recover Scratch Damage, are pretty easy to get. You can even buy them in the shops. So far I've never used a Perfect Aid kit because if my team is taking permanent damage, we've already lost.

LobsterMobster wrote:

I just got to the second shop. In the first shop, weapon mods were very basic. Handguard or grip, a few different kinds of scopes, one kind of magazine for each weapon, one kind of barrel for each weapon and then a sub-barrel that plugged into the end of that, no problem. It was easy to get the ideal configuration on each gun. In the second shop? Sweet Jesus.

I'm looking at barrels that are literally two barrels on one piece with all sorts of mounts coming off the front and sides. There's a piece that spaces my hand guards, and another that turns them at a 90 degree angle for some reason. There's an ammo magazine with a socket to attach ANOTHER magazine into the bottom. There's a giant freaking rifle scope that's about twice as long as some of the pistols I have (remember that there are no rifles in the game). I called it quits for the night there as it's going to take some real thought to figure out just how much I need of which part. I feel kind of like buying a bunch of random bits and playing LEGO with them, then moving on once I've got a few setups that work, optimal or not.

What this shop doesn't have is another gun. I'm 15 hours in, level 20, and I have received all of one new gun. It was available in the first shop from the beginning of the game (but was too expensive for me to buy for a while). I've got a lead about a weapons stash in a mine that I'm going to check out but so far I'm getting a bit of a Mass Effect 2 vibe.

I dropped close to 8 hours this weekend and I must say ... it's losing my interest. They really don't dangle anything in front of you to continue on, so I'm extremely happy to hear things open up ... in another 7 hours. Wtf?

Honestly, it's reassuring that you get more mods for the weapons because I was wondering how many chapters it would take for the old store to start offering up new stuff. Apparently it doesn't, which is fine, but 15 hours. Ugh.

Anyway, there is a significant lack of story in the game, which is okay for the most part (no story is better than bad story), except that when there is actual dialogue between the characters I rather enjoy it. Between this game and Dragon Age, it's pretty clear to me that I want all banter and communication to be sarcastic. It makes for a more interesting game.

I like the mechanics. I like the setting. I even like grinding (for the most part, the Arena is lame). I just wish there was more of a payoff for doing everything. I mean, I'd like to customize my outfits, but it's so damn expensive that I'm not even going to bother wasting my money on an $8,000 jacket when I could save up for the $100,000 gun, which, apparently, I need to be doing.

While I'm griping, when I get home from the gym tonight, I'm turning this on first thing. Sorry Infinite Space. You're on the backburner.

Garion333 wrote:

I'm extremely happy to hear things open up ... in another 7 hours. Wtf?

I've been really taking my time with the game. On Saturday alone I spent 3 hours grinding to set up that farming spot I told you about. I haven't even been to the Arena since I did the tutorials (I keep forgetting).

Don't worry too much about your $8,000 jacket, or your $100,000 gun for that matter. That farming spot is in a place called the Forest of Idols and even without the double drop bonus, they drop a ton of items, including a certain "scrapped" weapon. For 100 rubies you can dismantle that weapon into a few Scrap Iron and 6 Powder Gel. Powder Gel sells for 125 a piece. After that 3 hours of farming I had about 300,000 rubies.

I rather like the music in that dungeon too, which helps.

Well, good to hear that. I just unlocked the Forest of Idols and did two battles on the hex map, but haven't gone into the FoI area yet.

I would check out the Arena sooner rather than later if you're going to bother with it. Each level in the Arena is composed of 10 battles of the same enemies, but in different positions and levels. It's kind of boring, but an easy way to grind (you don't have to wander, and the enemy levels get to be higher than those on the map), get some $$$ and also get coins. Coins? Yeah, you get copper, silver and gold coins to trade in a shop there at the arena for a bunch of different stuff ... including a gun. I think you will need to go through all the Arena challenges and not spend anything to get enough coins to get that gun, which is exactly what I'm doing.

There's also a bunch of accessories to equip and potions, ammo, etc.

So, I'd recommend checking it out now or never because you have to do at least 5 challenges per level to open up the next level in the Arena and if you get too far ahead in the game then you're going to easily win the lower challenges, but it won't give you much benefit in terms of experience or money. Basically I've been going to the arena first thing with every new chapter and doing 10 challenges. It seems to be gated that way.

So, silly question...what platform is everyone playing on? Are there differences between them?

PS3.

I've heard that the versions are virtually identical. The PS3 has slightly higher resolution textures in some situations. The X360 version has slightly improved long-range detail. It's definitely the sort of thing you'd need a side-by-side to notice.

The only hitch I've really noticed is that on very rare occasions the sound seems to catch once. I only notice because my receiver displays audio out icons only when a signal is actually going to the speakers and that flickers when this happens. It doesn't interfere with gameplay in the slightest.

PS3 here too.

Only slowdown I've seen is when using a Molotov and I go to throw it and the camera swoops through three enemies and a bunker. So, it slows down for all of a second or two. That's all.

Oh, and I did the optional 5 gb install. Load times are quick.

I did not do the install. The loads aren't that bad.

So when I put three red dot sights with three ACOG scopes mounted on top on my gun, I thought that was wild. It was just bananas. Six sights? Who would ever need that? No one, that's who.

After spending about 150,000 rubies on those new mod components, my guns are officially "balls-out ridiculous." My M1911 has four red to sights and four ACOG scopes. In addition to its normal handle, it has two rifle-style forward grips, including one that's attached to the bottom of the magazine for some reason. A second barrel is jutting uselessly from the front grip, and both barrels have a sub-barrel attached to the end. The sub-barrels have even smaller sub-barrels. My SMG is similar except that it has 3 barrels. I tried to make one barrel going off in a stupid direction (straight down!) but even though the connectors matched up the game considered that to be invalid placement. Yet one of the new parts I bought was literally two barrels on a single piece. Resonance of Fate, there is no way for that to not be wrong. The second barrel doesn't even plug in to anything. It's just sitting there below the real barrel, with yet another useless barrel attached beneath it!

I really want to make a photoshop of one of these things. Maybe with stoic and elegant lighting, perhaps of the gun sitting in a velvet-lined case... bristling with scopes. I honestly can't even imagine how you're supposed to hold the thing, never mind aim with it. The M1911 reminds me of an N64 controller that someone covered in glue and dipped into the bargain bin at the gun store.

It's kind of amazing to me that they developed this system to mod recognizable guns (note I'm saying M1911, as in the Colt 1911, as in a real gun that really exists in the real world) with recognizable parts, yet immediately break the system with totally ridiculous and nonsensical components, including those that could not possibly work, ever.

If there's a gun lover in your life you really hate, show them this game. They will cry.

I'm enjoying your ongoing review Lobster, I did want to pick this up eventually. I'm not sure if the absurd impossible gun building makes me want it more or less.

Lobster, I demand a pic of this pistol.

cube wrote:

Lobster, I demand a pic of this pistol.

I'll see what I can do. It would take me a lot of time and effort to hook the PS3 up to my computer so maybe I'll set up the tripod and get a nice steady camera shot.

LobsterMobster wrote:
cube wrote:

Lobster, I demand a pic of this pistol.

I'll see what I can do. It would take me a lot of time and effort to hook the PS3 up to my computer so maybe I'll set up the tripod and get a nice steady camera shot.

I'd be okay with a cell phone pic. I just want to see this lobstrocity.

For some reason the ridiculous gun mods makes me want the game more. Sounds so over the top that it's great. From what LobMob mentioned it's only in the viewing screen anyway.

Yes, none of the mods have any effect on the 3D model the character holds in combat. Those just look like ordinary guns without so much as a flashlight mount.

It'd be great if they'd worked in a procedural animation system just so your character could figure out how to hold the thing.

LobsterMobster wrote:

Yes, none of the mods have any effect on the 3D model the character holds in combat. Those just look like ordinary guns without so much as a flashlight mount.

It'd be great if they'd worked in a procedural animation system just so your character could figure out how to hold the thing.

It could be a mini-game!

Hmm, sounds very interesting from what everyone here has said, as well as the GameTrailers review. I look forward to GameFly sending me this.

IMAGE(http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/494/1911z.jpg)

IMAGE(http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/5928/b226.jpg)

IMAGE(http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/9681/mp5k.jpg)

That's classic. Thanks, Lobster.

Thanks, I feel a little guilty about them. Almost like I've tortured an animal or something. They are morally wrong.

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