Thoughts, side-notes and conclusion.

[Shizuka]

I come here to make my point about this forum's game, Last Rebellion.

I have a long history with NISA's games and I've yet to find one I really dislike, so I decided to make this topic to explain about the game, pros and cons, everything you should and shouldn't worry.

First one, if you don't like JRPG or RPG's, don't buy it. Someone can say this is obvious, but I really need to explain. There are well-known RPG's that can make any gamer fall in love with it. This is not the case. If you really like JRPG's, then that's the first step.

Second, mind the overall, not the flaws. Someone that only see the game's flaws would run away from this game (and basically all games, because none is perfect). In the overall aspect, considering EVERYTHING, this is not a bad game. It would be between a regular and a bad one.

Third, it really helps if you're a NISA fan and like to support the company, since there are people that love to support companies (the so-called fanboys). I'm one, so that counted as an advantage for me.

So I'll begin writing about the game overall (I've got the Platinum today).

Graphics: they aren't really that bad, since I really liked the flow WITH the conversation, as everytime I ended the sentence. The gameplay graphics are acceptable, but if you're reading this, you must already know you won't be mind-blowed. I don't think this would be a PS2 game, but it sure doesn't flatter the PS3 engine capacibility. Overall: not good, but not awful.

Gameplay: this one is a double-edged knife. It's really something you haven't seen in your regular RPG, and that's a good thing, but it isn't well done, so it seems somethings can get in the way in the beggining. After 2~3 hours of game, you get used and nothing will seem a challenge. That something bad, because you can easily over-level and nothing serves as a challenge (not even bosses).
The world-map is really bad, and you'll just want to see if you're moving in the right direction, because you'll not identify anything else in it. Equipments will not make ANY difference. Items will be rarely used. Anything you know as a basic of a RPG will not ever be applied in this game.

Presentation: one of the worse aspects. It comes a bit polished, but it seems more as an unfinished project than a ready-to-release game. Those loadscreens seem as begginers drawing project, and I've seen better for much less. The history is the only aspect that is not that bad, and if they were to give more attention to it, and develop the characters more, it would be a unusual and interesting history.

Music and sound: It's ok. The noises from the monsters are really bad, but the voice acting is really nice, although if you played anything by NISA, you'll notice that Sephi is the lost twin of Raspberryl, Nine is a less crazy version of Mao, and so on. The first screen's (New Game - Load Game) music is really good, and I've seen people praising it.

Don't expect to replay this game. After the credits, you'll get a tidbit oh history and that's it. It is expected from you that you kill the Optional Bosses BEFORE you kill the last boss, as there's no New Game + and no saving after you beat the last boss. The whole story, not skipping anything and trying to get everything, is the most optimistic vision, would give 15 hours of game (I've got everything in 12 hours). If you skip everything, you get platinum in 6 hours.

It's a short, common, ordinary, NISA's RPG. You can skip it if you want, you won't miss it, but if you get it, you'll see it not the freakshow people say it is. I hope I've helped. I'll edit this as I remember what I've forgot to write about. (:

My rating: 5. Nothing good, nothing bad. Too short, though.

[Ar Tonelico]

Funny you should mention Raspberyl since Laura Bailey plays both Sephi and Raspberyl.

In the beginning of the game you have almost no CP to use and enemies taking to long to beat means like you would attack, skip a turn, attack, skip a turn, and so on. Then once you get some leveled up and the CP Recovery spell, it's like how in the hell did I have so much trouble in the beginning of the game and now it becomes so easy?

One thing to note is make sure your Bonus from your attacks reaches 999 before you finish the battle so that enemies don't overpower you as you progress in the game.

Whatever you do, do not and I repeat DO NOT open the blue chests with your keys. Sure you might find like a Greater Healing Potion which sounds good and all but better to just either use the HP Recovery spell or walk around with Aisha instead of Nine.

Listening to Haruka Shimotsuki's song in the credits is enough reason to own the game IMO and plus the other music is pretty good too where I may even import the soundtrack.

The game may not have a New Game + but however because it doesn't save the game after the credits, it'll just take you back to your last save point which should be just before the final boss. So if you missed the Optional Bosses then no worries but would recommend beating them 1st.

Optional Bosses come out randomally so you could probably search for like half an hour for all 4 enemies(entering with Nine gives you Prinnies, going in with Aisha gives you the cat-looking creatures called Orange) or you could be searching for like 1-2 hours hoping you get all 4 of each enemy. So basically you could get like Prinny 1, Prinny 3, Prinny 1, Prinny 2, Prinny 3, Prinny 1, Prinny 4 or could be like Prinny 2, Prinny 3, Prinny 1, Prinny 4.

For the most part though I agree with almost everything you said since this game isn't as bad as most people make it sound like but definitely won't win any awards either. It's basically an average, quick, easy but very different game with a pretty descent English only voice cast.

[Shizuka]

Ar Tonelico, you practically said everyting that was missing in my first post. Thank you very much. Every tip in your post I learned reading through out forums, but you summed it all.

In ALL bosses, I got 999 bonus before it dies because you can get 5 levels or even more for just one killed monster. The optional bosses, I repeated them 4 times until I got all of them, because it would appear an Orange IV and I've already killed it.

I kinda knew the voice actress must've been the same since the voice was REALLY similar, almost no tone change. The beggining is really hard because CP always run out before you can do anything. I must have had 8 Game Over's during the game because of CP and lack of attention, and after I got through half the game, not even one Game Over.

I appreciate that you agreed with me, since it's really hard to find someone that really appreciate the game and not whine about it. Thank you. ^^

[silvertongue]

Someone else here too that hasn't moaned about it, me!!

I really enjoyed it. I really liked the battle system, story was ok, graphics not PS3 standard but they certainly weren't bad. The thing is I play games for the enjoyment and I certainly don't focus on the looks of a game. Yes it's great when they look amazing but isn't it the gameplay that counts and personally IMO it has it. Admittedly it was on the short side but hey, it's nice to play an rpg that's not gonna take you forever to complete and get a Platinum Trophy in the process!!!

[Shizuka]

It's really nice to see that more people than I would've thought liked the game. People is just used to graphics, as if they've never played SNES and actually ENJOYED more than a lot of games out there nowadays.

[Ar Tonelico]

I think it's just that we have games like Uncharted and other games like that which have a very high budget that it was made on and so people expect that all games should look like that since people get spoiled by those kinds of graphics in games.

People need to realize that low budget games = graphics that can't look like Uncharted.

If NIS wasn't having financial trouble and had like about the kind of money Square Enix or Namco has then maybe they can make a game that has amazing graphics like say the PS3 version of Final Fantasy XIII. But because they don't have that kind of money and I bet Hit Maker doesn't either, then we have graphics like this.

So when you consider the budget used to make this game, the graphics are not really all that bad and surprised they didn't make the characters look like how Disgaea characters look like.

[Shizuka]

But I have to say, if NIS or Hit Maker had the money necessary to make a game with graphics to rival Final Fantasy XIII, I'ld prefer another game, with better gameplay and story. I mean, ir they were to make the graphics better, they should invest in everything else too.

[silvertongue]

Well at least we enjoyed it and I'm sure there are many other people that did too.

[Shizuka]

Well at least we enjoyed it and I'm sure there are many other people that did too.

I hope so, even if the sales were rather weak (only 30k):

http://www.vgchartz.com/game.php?id=34286

[Ar Tonelico]

Well at least we enjoyed it and I'm sure there are many other people that did too.

I hope so, even if the sales were rather weak (only 30k):

http://www.vgchartz.com/game.php?id=34286

VG Chartz isn't a reliable site for info on sales of games. Besides it says on the European section N/A so which means those numbers don't count for Europeans who have purchased the game.

[Shizuka]

Well at least we enjoyed it and I'm sure there are many other people that did too.

I hope so, even if the sales were rather weak (only 30k):

http://www.vgchartz.com/game.php?id=34286

VG Chartz isn't a reliable site for info on sales of games. Besides it says on the European section N/A so which means those numbers don't count for Europeans who have purchased the game.

I didn't know they weren't reliable, that's the only reference I have for number of sales, but I wouldn't be surprised if that were the real sales number. ):

[tobiaslaw82]

Graphically, the game is atrocious, especially for a PlayStation 3 exclusive. It honestly looks like it was originally a PSP or PS2 title that was hastily upscale..

[TheNecromancer]

Well, i bought both The Last Rebellion for myself for Christmas(sadly i couldn't afford TLR when it came out ).

I played TLR from beginning to end and enjoyed the hell out of it. I wish i had been able to support it when it was released.

Edit: I wish there was an OST for it. I absolutely loved the music.

[Shizuka]

There are nice songs in the game, but the fact that they're limited is my only complaint about it, it repeats on and on. Other than that, the songs are really great.

[Ar Tonelico]

Well, i bought both The Last Rebellion for myself for Christmas(sadly i couldn't afford TLR when it came out ).

I played TLR from beginning to end and enjoyed the hell out of it. I wish i had been able to support it when it was released.

Edit: I wish there was an OST for it. I absolutely loved the music.

I've only seen just OSTs for just the opening and closing songs for the game with the closing song by Haruka Shimotsuki.