Dissidia 012[duodecim] Final Fantasy Review

Posted By Taylor Hoyt about 2 years, 1 month ago

Dissidia 012[duodecim] Final Fantasy Review

Dissidia 012[duodecim] Final Fantasy is the next, and final, iteration in the Dissidia series, at least as a fighting game. With a slew of new characters, game modes, and features, this title really packs a punch. Without really re-working the fighting system, DDFF could really be considered an expansion pack more than a sequel. That being said, there is a ton of content here that will definitely keep you entertained longer than you might think.

The story in Dissidia 012 is essentially a re-hash of the first game. Cosmos and Chaos are waging a war and the warriors of light have rallied to defeat the forces of evil and their clone army. This never-ending swarm of clones has the warriors questioning their allegiance and purpose in the world. It’s generic yes, but there is just enough plot to keep the story mode moving along. The one main issue is the pacing. The characters keep talking about the same issues over and over. There are rarely story arcs that keep you interested enough to not skip the cut scene.

oh, and nice purple fingernails, kain. they really match your armor’s complexion.

The story mode has been given a complete and welcomed overhaul. Players will no longer be given a continuous barrage of bland game boards, not in the same way at least. Dissidia 012 has opted for an RPG approach with a free-roaming world map. Scattered across the world map are various treasures, power ups, random battles, and portals to dungeons. Some dungeons are optional this time around, while others are part of the story. The dungeons themselves should be very reminiscent to players familiar with the series.

Within each dungeon is a board where your character moves along a series of paths. The board has a number of enemies obstructing your path to the exit, as well as other goodies to pick up along the way. What’s nice about this new board is that there aren’t any more confusing limitations to your movement. You also don’t have to complete the story mode to obtain the rarer items, there tend to be tougher enemies guarding them however. The whole experience is much more stream-lined and easier to understand.

The one aspect that is sure to upset a few people is that you don’t have the option to choose the character you play with. In fact, in the first story mode you can only play as the new characters: Lightning, Laguna, Yuna, Kain, Vaan, and Tifa. I think the idea behind this was to make a more cohesive plot with each character’s story playing a specific role in the overall narrative. However, upon completing the 012 storyline, you unlock a 013 storyline that allows you to play with other familiar characters.

a well-timed assist attack can make the difference in a fight.

Gamers familiar with the original Dissidia will feel right at home, as the fighting system hasn’t changed much. You’re still flying around, running up walls, and skating on terrain in attempts to pummel your enemy. You have two types of attacks, HP attacks and bravery attacks. Landing hits with bravery attacks will build up your HP attack gauge. Bravery attacks don’t actually deplete your enemy’s health though, only HP attacks will. The action is as fluid and intense as ever as you fly around the map trying to land hits.

The biggest addition to the fighting was the inclusion of an assist character. Like the story mode, you can’t choose your assist character, even in arcade mode. However, this feature does add to the chaos of the fights and is a nice inclusion. You can call them in to land bravery attacks, HP attacks, or break up a combo if you’re getting railed on. There’s nothing like a well-timed assist attack to turn the tide of a fight.