The Last Story Review

By Martin Robinson Published 23 February, 2012

Tale spin.

Version tested: Wii

Hironobu Sakaguchi helped invent the modern-day Japanese role-playing epic. In 1987, having skirted around the edges of games development at the then-fledgling outfit Square, he decided to give it one last shot before moving on. That project's title has been the basis for one of gaming's most enduring and entertaining contradictions.

25 years on from the first Final Fantasy, Sakaguchi has moved on. Following the release of The Spirits Within, Square's multi-million-dollar CGI folly that remains one of cinema's greatest disasters, Sakaguchi founded Mistwalker: co-creators of traditional fare such as Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey, games cut from the same cloth that Sakaguchi first wove.

Looking back, you'd be forgiven for thinking that the genre's hardly moved on at all. There's a strong, clear line that can be drawn from the first Final Fantasy to the likes of Lost Odyssey, their rich worlds held together with turn-based combat and a pairing of heavy exposition and free-form exploration.

The Last Story - Mistwalker's latest, and Sakaguchi's first game as director since Final Fantasy 5 - is an attempt to reinvent the modern-day JRPG epic. Its tale is told in under 20 hours, its action is fast, in real time and requires no grinding, while its systems are slick, streamlined and easy to grasp. It's an RPG like no other before it.

3

Party members' magic abilities are dealt with elegantly, the battlefield painted with circles that imbue your attacks with fire or heal you.

Its desire to tear things up isn't explicit at the outset. Set in and around the fantasy setting of Lazulis Island, The Last Story is framed by the ongoing war between humans and the Gurak, and its story is as well-worn as it is simple: boy meets girl, gains superpowers and proceeds to save the world. Just another day's work for your typical JRPG hero.

But while its backdrop and tale are plucked from the dog-eared JRPG textbook, they come alive in the telling. The Last Story is a beautiful game, its visuals washed through with a sepia tone that perfectly reflects the wistful melancholy that Sakaguchi's work has been steeped in; a thick, deep sunlight lends the world a soft autumnal glow.

Lazulis City, the sprawling hub from which The Last Story's various chapters spring forth, is a breathtaking construction. It's the heart of the game, coursed with sinewy alleyways where you can chase the echo of people lost in lazy mid-afternoon gossip to find secluded courtyards that then give way to bustling markets and picturesque waterways. It's one of games' great cities, and it's a heady pleasure to get lost in.

Its characters benefit from an equal amount of care and colour as well as some thoughtful translation. The lead - the softly spoken orphan, Zael - is sadly limp, though the group of mercenaries that he surrounds himself with are anything but. They're a likeable and memorable bunch, thanks in no small part to another incredible localisation job from Nintendo.

There's Syrenne, the bawdy, heavy-drinking vixen with a blunt yet strangely fitting Lancashire accent, and her partner in crime, Lowell, equipped with an equally apt soft Scottish burr. Such strong regional accents shouldn't sit so well in a JRPG, but with The Last Story's world being made out of thick oak, worn stonework and black lace, they work well with the European flavour suggested by the art design.

Shared Stories

The Last Story's relatively thin single-player running time is bolstered by the addition of co-op and deathmatch modes for up to six players. The former allows you to take on a selection of bosses across five maps, while the latter's a surprisingly engaging mode that comes complete with its own ranking system and ten maps of quick-fire competitive play. It's sparsely populated right now, though the few games that did crop up were both solid and enjoyable.

2

The title's not the only nod to Sakaguchi's prior work; characters and locations are often eerily familiar.

Together, they inspire a sense of camaraderie that's often invoked in RPGs, but rarely so successfully. Indeed, it's the bond between the group rather than the telegraphed story beats that fuels the impetus for progression, and The Last Story's swathes of downtime as you chat with team-mates often provide the game's brightest moments.

With such strength of character and warmth in its aesthetic, it's disappointing that, in Mistwalker's eagerness to jettison many JRPG tropes, it's thrown away so much that makes the genre compelling. Its systems are streamlined to the point where you can feel like a hindrance to the game's desire to tell its tale.

The combat is a daring hybrid that never quite takes off, an odd mesh of mechanics that rub up uncomfortably against each other. For the first few hours, it's simple to the point of being confusing, skirmishes being won with scant input or insight into the system's depths. Fights are prefaced with an overview of the battlefield, giving you the lay of the land and a little tactical foresight - and once the fight starts proper, the action's in real-time.

As Zael, you can snap to cover before firing off an assortment of ammo types from your crossbow (including, amusingly, banana skins that can send enemies crashing to the floor), pause the action to direct your comrades, or get up close and personal for a melee attack. With large groups of enemies often thrown into the mix, it tends to descend into a messy bundle, and at this point you're encouraged to engage Zael's gathering ability - a power that attracts all nearby enemies and allows you to shepherd the action.

The fighting is quick-footed and dynamic, and it's stretched out across an impressive range of situations. Stealth sections in which Zael can spring from cover to deal a deathly blow give way to extended scenes of crowd control as you acrobatically dance from victim to victim, while boss encounters introduce additional layers of strategy.

1

Nobuo Uematsu's score is warm but largely anonymous, providing a gentle bed rather than any stirring or memorable themes.

But it never involves you anywhere near enough. By default, melee attacks are carried out automatically, and even when everything's under your control, fights are typically won with numbing ease. There's rarely the need to dip into the five lives that you're granted at the beginning of each encounter.

More on The Last Story

Character progression is also puddle-deep, with levelling being taken largely out of your hands. Outside the ability to equip your party, there's the chance to tailor each character's appearance to a stupendous degree, with dyes and pigments allowing you to become an alchemist of colour. It's scant compensation for having little meaningful control over your party's proficiencies.

Comparisons will inevitably be made to Monolith Soft's Xenoblade Chronicles, a JRPG defined by its sense of freedom and its generosity. The Last Story is filled with a similar spirit of innovation, though where it ends up is nothing like as satisfying. Its world is beautiful, but the few opportunities for exploration rob it of the thrill of its more expansive counterpart, while its battle system excites but never truly engages.

The Last Story is born from the same desire to reinvent the genre that both Final Fantasy 13 and Xenoblade Chronicles sprung from, but in sacrificing complexity to serve narrative, it seems that Sakaguchi has arrived at the same place as his former employers. It's a familiar mix of wonder and frustration, and it's eclipsed by Monolith's more intoxicating vision of the JRPG's future. The end result is a tale that's worth hearing out, but hard to hold dear.

7 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Martin.

About Martin Robinson

Martin is Eurogamer's features editor with responsibility for commissioning, editing and often writing our feature and preview content. He's also passionate about driving games.

Read more articles from Martin by visiting the Martin Robinson archive page.

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Comments (103) Latest comment 3 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • theguy #1 3 months ago

    7? Worst game everrrrrrr
    Xbox>ps3 haha
    /troll
    Edited by theguy at 23/02/12 @ 16:08

  • Abdu@EG #2 3 months ago

    7 / 10

    Ouch

  • WillyWongler #3 3 months ago

    I cry!

  • the_dudefather #4 3 months ago

    I've been lining up outside Game all week, can't wait to get my copy!

  • Phantom_Dynamite #5 3 months ago

    Now I just sit back and wait for my pre-order from Game to arrive.

    Edit - some one beat me to it
    Edited by Phantom_Dynamite at 23/02/12 @ 16:11

  • jaguarwong #6 3 months ago

    7 is the new 1

  • pigsy2400 #7 3 months ago

    @the_dudefather lol,. considering that they arent stocking it at all and have cancelled all pre-orders you might be in a for some disappointment!

  • mossychops001 #8 3 months ago

    Post deleted at 11:49:27 04-05-2012

  • Golgo #9 3 months ago

    Action-heavy RPG-lite, then, without too much fucking about in menus, shopping for crafting components and magic-potion ingredients. Sounds like my kind of thang!

  • ZuluHero #10 3 months ago

    @pigsy2400 Swing and a miss ;)

  • jambii267 #11 3 months ago

    @pigsy2400 Missing the joke. :p

  • TheFalc #12 3 months ago

    I betcha its epic

  • Der_tolle_Emil #13 3 months ago

    Sounds good enough to me. Looking forward for my pre-order to arrive and gather dust because I cannot put Xenoblade down :)

  • Daryoon #14 3 months ago

    "Such strong regional accents shouldn't sit so well in a JRPG"

    Bollocks. Regional accents suit fantasy perfectly!

    Anyway... suspected this wouldn't be as amazing as Xenoblade. Nintendo ought to have released them the other way around!

  • RoOhDaMite #15 3 months ago

    "Nobuo Uematsu's score is warm but largely anonymous, providing a gentle bed rather than any stirring or memorable themes."
    Wait what?

    I still get goose bumps everytime I listen to this.

    EDIT:

    Been playing the game for a while now, and I think I have to aggree with the reviewer that the score remains in the background for most of the time.

    I once read in an interview that it was Sakaguchi who rejected Uematsu's early work on this game's score, because it didn't suit his new approach.
    I believe he did it because the game is filled with voice-overs, that get triggered midst gameplay.
    While in games like FF VII the music was crucial to express the mood during the scenes for all you had was textboxes, now with all the real time voice acting a more dominant score would rather distract from the actual conversations.

    The soundtrack had to adapt in order to support the new dynamik gamedesign, and I believe it was in the games best interest.
    Edited by RoOhDaMite at 27/02/12 @ 09:14

  • abigsmurf #16 3 months ago

    ooeeeeoo Tale Spin
    oeeeeeoo Tale Spin
    Friends for life, through thick and thin With another tale to spin

  • Eldritch #17 3 months ago

    @pigsy2400 You're American, right?

  • Mr.Spo #18 3 months ago

    @Golgo Absolutely. While I don't doubt Xenoblade is an incredible game, I wonder if the reviewer has been a little too harsh on The Last Story for the sake of comparison with Xenoblade?

    Personally, the idea of a 20 hour JRPG that's straightforward, yet engaging and beautiful in the sense of its characters and world, is exactly what I need before Mass Effect 3 and is exactly what I need while in the hectic mid point of a Masters degree. Xenoblade will have to wait until later on this year, which is a shame. I will fall in love with it when I play it, but I don't have the time to invest in it just yet.

    I suppose the concerns about ease of combat might bother me, but then again, I never was a fan of grinding or having to fight a JRPG boss half a dozen times before retreating. Particularly tough boss encounters or boss marathons have seen me give up on otherwise excellent games.

    It's interesting to think that The Last Story got a better critical reception in Japan than Xenoblade, and the opposite is happening here. Perhaps that's because Xenoblade offered a more Western vision of the future of the JRPG in its sprawling, open world, while The Last Story has offered a more linear, stream-lined approach that is perhaps more flavoured to where Japan wants its RPGs to go. Food for thought, I think. Regardless, I look forward to my £18 Last Story Collector's Edition (bless relatives sending me Amazon vouchers!) and to eventually becoming engrossed in Xenoblade Chronicles.

  • Apaar #19 3 months ago

    I'm rather disappointed by all the criticism. I'm not convinced that I'll end up agreeing with Mr. Robinson's views, though.

  • RoOhDaMite #20 3 months ago

    The german eurogamer gave it a 9/10 by the way.

  • WillyWongler #21 3 months ago

    Reading the review, it still sounds right up my ally. As a working adult now I don't mind sacrificing a few things for a good narrative experience. Xenoblade was too rich for me to complete without feeling guilty for skipping loads of it.

  • Cjail #22 3 months ago

    @RoOhDaMite
    Martin Robinson must be a stingy Scottish!

    I am JOKING.

  • Nevflinn #23 3 months ago

    At first I felt the 7/10 sting that bothers a lot of people, especially since not even Wii games are exactly cheap. But really, this review gives the game a great compliment, and I'm hoping that it is a success.

  • Eldritch #24 3 months ago

    @RoOhDaMite ...which is a bit like saying The Sun was chuffed about Transformers 3.

  • Eldritch #25 3 months ago

    @WillyWongler So, by that rationale, a teen on the dole won't make sacrifices for a good narrative experience?

  • Incarta #26 3 months ago

    Still getting it. Most reviews have been 8s or better

  • Elven_Star #27 3 months ago

    It's got good narrative. That's pretty much all I needed to know. We need more games like this.

  • RoOhDaMite #28 3 months ago

    @Cjail
    He really should have taken the game for what it is. A charming fast paced varied action RPG. This game doesn't need to be like Xenoblade to be enjoyed.
    Edited by RoOhDaMite at 23/02/12 @ 17:13

  • cloudskipa #29 3 months ago

    Why not give this game to someone who is experienced with JRPG's to review instead of this joker who is "passionate about driving games" (that is, so long as they are called Gran Turismo).

  • deathcabdan #30 3 months ago

    is Martin Robinson really in any position to criticise Nobuo Uematsu's music? you are a gaming review editor who likes driving games. Nobuo is a genius.

  • Oli Verified Reviews Editor, Eurogamer.net #31 3 months ago

    @cloudskipa JRPGs are another of Martin's passions.

  • madjim #32 3 months ago

    No matter the 7/10, I strongly tend to purchase. After all, Lost Odyssey was amazing to me and I think I will enjoy this one too.

  • deathcabdan #33 3 months ago

    @Oli still in no position to call his score 'anonymous' without justification.

  • RoOhDaMite #34 3 months ago

    @Oli
    You mean besides tuning cars, he also enjoys leveling up and tinker with skilltrees, which is the RPG equivalent of tuning cars?
    Edited by RoOhDaMite at 24/02/12 @ 08:12

  • porkface Verified Features Editor, Eurogamer Network #35 3 months ago

    @deathcabdan You're right, I'm no music critic - but I'm a fan of Uematsu's other work, and this isn't his best. Also I do play more than just racing games - promise!

  • Rajin #36 3 months ago

    I think that the reviewer absolutely loved Xenoblade and came with very different expectations then me towards this game.

    I expected a more action-based streamlined game with less rpg elements but enough atmosphere in the town, characters and story to make up for it. I for one am glad that this game isn't above 40 hours, for that i still have Xenoblade to complete.
    Edited by Rajin at 23/02/12 @ 17:50

  • KDR_11k #37 3 months ago

    Sounds like this is the Mass Effect to Xenoblade's Elder Scrolls.

  • Fox89 #38 3 months ago

    Please please PLEASE stop lumping all RPGs from Japan together. They're much more diverse that is often implied, some are action RPGs and others are console-style; so they're not even all in one genre. From Software make Japanese RPGs as well; was Dark Souls 'plucked from the dog-eared JRPG textbook' too?

    Now that's out of the way, I can say I'm looking forward to this. And glad I read the review before my copy arrived as I didn't really know what to expect. Whilst I enjoy exploration and in-depth mechanics, as long as the story is well told I'm happy enough.
    Edited by Fox89 at 23/02/12 @ 17:32

  • MattEdWithCheese #39 3 months ago

    @RoOhDaMite and Eurogamer's own Simon Parkin gave it 86%

  • bawlsforface #40 3 months ago

    7/10! Worse than FF XIII and XIII-2. You heard it here first.
    ...wait, what!!!?

  • Cid #41 3 months ago

    Well FFXIII-2 is a good game, so there'd be no shame in that.

  • HULK-HOGAN #42 3 months ago

    LET MET TELL YOU SOMETHING JACK, THE HULKSTER IS NOT IMPRESSED DUDE, THE WII HAS DROPPED THE BALL BROTHER, THEY NEED TO GET WITH THE PROGRAM, THE HULKSTER THINKS THIS GAME IS THE LAST STOOL SAMPLE ON THE WII, STUPID UNDERPOWERED NINTENDO CHILDREN TRASH, YOU JABRONIES ARE WELCOME TO THIS GAME, THE HULKSTER WILL BE PLAYING ONE OF THE ADULT CONSOLES

  • Zaiz #43 3 months ago

    Reads like a nine tbh. It seems like the complaints are that its too easy? Sure, that's a problem, but not worth docking a zillion points.

  • KevvyMetal79 #44 3 months ago

    10 - Buy it!
    9 - Buy it!
    8 - I dunno lol
    7 - Meh.

  • bionic_v2 #45 3 months ago

    7/10 is this game people were boohooing about when GAME call off their pre order.

  • Blazewamp #46 3 months ago

    why do people seam to think 7/10 is bad?
    Edited by Blazewamp at 23/02/12 @ 18:14

  • The12thMonkey #47 3 months ago

    Very much looking forward to this, especially after I dragged myself (possibly dutifully?) through the terrible plot in FFXIII-2. Twenty hour plot sounds right up my street. Xenoblade is on it's second playthrough, and that's a long ol' investment. Also, my first gf was a Lancashire lass so this Syrenne character sounds right up my street!

  • RPGamer #48 3 months ago

    Odd. All other reviews I've read claimed the battle system was the strongest point of the game and that it was fantastic :/

    Also, was it necessary to compare TLS and Xenoblade in this review? These two games were created with completely opposite ideas. Why not review each for what it is? It sounds like TLS is being criticized here simply because it isn't LIKE Xenoblade. The game may not be as open as Xeno and may not offer as much exploration because, unlike Xeno, that isn't the main focus of this game but it certainly isn't linear from what I've watched. You're still allowed plenty of freedom to go do and explore as you like. Also, as far as a "well-worn" story, some people talk as if the underlining story of Xenoblade isn't about your typical hero falling for his childhood friend like always, finding the usual magical sword, and then also proceeding to go save the world/s.

    Anyhow, strong narrative and characters happen to be two components I personally look for in my JRPGs so I'm sure I'll like this one just fine. For those wondering about the game being under 20 hours long, it may be that long if you rush through the game without quests and exploring. The creator of the game himself said that if you did the quests(30 of them), it should run right around 30 hours. That's pretty average for rpgs. I know of those who have spent 40 hours on their games. Also, it offers online modes so the replay value should make up for some of it. Another thing is, although it hasn't exactly been confirmed in the western release yet, the Japanese one offers a new game+ mode that really spikes up the level of difficulty...just for those interested.

  • AntiRad #49 3 months ago

    I held a copy in my hands today - and tomorrow I get to buy it.

    *SO EXCITED*

  • Osahi #50 3 months ago

    A short RPG with a classic, but interesting tale and world and gameplay that's not too deep or difficult is exactly what I want since having to work and being able to buy too much games that is good for my has sliced up my free time for good. Glad I don't have to dig in too deep to be able to enjoy the game...

    Picked up the LE today, which is beautifully crafted (not just a soundtrack cd stuffed in the box, but a jewel case in a carton sleeve). Played the first half hour and digging it, although it is very, very easy. Love the voice acting too.

  • galerian86 #51 3 months ago

    Doesn't this have multiplayer of a sort?

  • Zerrin #52 3 months ago

    @WillyWongler Cry On, then.

  • RPGamer #53 3 months ago

    Post deleted at 19:02:47 23-02-2012

  • WillyWongler #54 3 months ago

    @Eldritch My rationale is for myself only. I'm saying that despite hoping it would get a higher score, the review itself suggests that I will still get what I want out of the game. I don't speak for all other working adults of the world or teens.

  • seeyoshirun #55 3 months ago

    @Mr.Spo I agree with what you say about this possibly being a case of the divide between Western and Japanese expectations of the future of RPGs. I, too, found it a little surprising that The Last Story was the more positively reviewed game in Japan, while Xenoblade has been the more acclaimed of the two in Europe, but Western games (and I know I'm generalising here) have definitely shifted more towards a focus on scale and open worlds in the last five years or so (partially influenced by MMOs and by open-world games like GTA, perhaps?).

    Personally, I think there's room for both types of games. I loved Xenoblade Chronicles to bits and racked up more than 250 hours on that beast of a game, but I do have a great appreciation for RPGs that keep things streamlined in the interest of helping the story flow. Reminds me very much of one of the problems Fragile Dreams came up against in the West, actually. It was quite linear and limited in terms of customisation, but the story and feel held that game together, too. I'm sure I'll still be very happy that I pre-ordered this game, like, two months ago. <3

  • AntiRad #56 3 months ago

    @Zerrin

    A Mistwalker joke. Very clever :)

    [For those marking Zerrin down, 'Cry On' was the game Mistwalker started after Lost Odyssey and then aborted, before commencing work on The Last Story]
    Edited by AntiRad at 23/02/12 @ 19:54

  • megatronx #57 3 months ago

    @galerian86 Yeah it does: Two modes co-op and deathmatch. I'm finding this review silghtly incomplete and rushed although written in nice manner.

  • ilmaestro #58 3 months ago

    Can anyone confirm that this doesn't come with a JP language voice track?

  • ShiroBen #59 3 months ago

    There's no hard mode, right? Kind of sick of easy RPGs. Are there any RPGs out there with far less random battles, but where every battle feels like a boss fight? (With the appropriate rewards.) I think that's what I'd enjoy.

  • figaro7 #60 3 months ago

    What sounds simple to you mr robinson actually sounds a lot better to me, had this on pre order and its just been shipped, cant wait!

  • AntiRad #61 3 months ago

    A gent on C&VG's feedback mentioned that 'auto attack' is on by default. Go into the options and set it to 'manual' and you have a more challenging game.

  • Coldwine #62 3 months ago

    IGN (USA) gave it a 8.5 saying: That combat system brings the game alive – it could be a little more challenging, but it’s always fun to play.

    Looks like a "must buy" for me, sounds like good, simple fun.

  • lucky_jim #63 3 months ago

    Can somebody give us a list of which review scores EG can dish out without people complaining? 7 and below is apparently heinous, 8 isn't allowed either, so that just leaves 9 and 10. 2012’s gonna be the best year for games ever, then.

    7 has always, always been a good score on EG, and so it should be.

  • Oh-Bollox #64 3 months ago

    Also, was it necessary to compare TLS and Xenoblade in this review?
    Don't see why not, seems like a fair comparison to me. Xenoblade is another JRPG that has come out recently on the Wii that people were expecting great things of.

  • daddygerplex #65 3 months ago

    20 hours just sold me on this. The whole game is the time it takes for FFXIII to stop giving you tutorials \o/

  • levitate #66 3 months ago

    I'm tempted to get this. The review read like an 8.

  • copyofcopy #67 3 months ago

    whenever a review knocks points off an rpg for 'streamlining', it always just makes me more interested in the game

  • porkface Verified Features Editor, Eurogamer Network #68 3 months ago

    @ilmaestro There's no Japanese voice track, which is a shame - that said, the dub and the translation are both incredible.

    And if anyone's on the fence, I'd recommend this. I really, really liked it, but it's not a genre favourite - hence it getting a good but not a great score.

  • IvorB #69 3 months ago

    They need to go back to Final Fantasy XII and continue down that path. That is where JRPGs will find their salvation. Until then I will stick with Kingdoms of Amalur. That game has shown me that Western RPGs are where it's at.

    Incidentally isn't Mistwalker a Microsoft studio?

  • Mogwha #70 3 months ago

    That last statement speaks volumes, Xenoblade was a bag of shit if you were over 13. Lost Odyssey remains this gens best JRPG if your over 20.

  • Laythe_AD #71 3 months ago

    Awful lot of criticism here for a solid score. People seem to forget that 7 amounts to a good game, even if flawed. Nothing is to say that a 7 is not a game well worth paying full price for, and some of the most flawed experiences prove to be the most memorable, all the same. Chill, people.

    That said, as someone very sick of JRPG's, Persona aside (Speaking of the more conventional idea of JRPG's aside here, Dark Souls is a rather different beast),Xenoblade offered me a vision of a future of the genre that I wanted to see, and i'd find myself comparing this game to that, just as much as the reviewer.

  • Daryoon #72 3 months ago

    20-30 hours isn't really that bad. Older FF games averaged around 30-40 at best.

    Like Skyrim, Xenoblade is a beast, but it would be pretty terrible if EVERY game were a 100+ hour epic. Same way it would be a chore if all films were Laurence of Arabia, or all books Atlas Shrugged. Besides, how many of these epic-length games are padded out with filler material?!

  • JumpinJackFlash #73 3 months ago

    JRPG's bore the shit out of me now, i use to love them when i was in my teens. Last year i made the mistake of buying the so-called great Xenoblade Chronicles thinking it would be great due to all the hype and great reviews.

    I don't know what gaming journalists were smoking when they praised Xenoblade Chronicles as the game was just like every other JRPG before it i.e. clichéd narrative, clichéd characters, lots of grinding, terrible voice-overs, plus the user interface implemented within the game was one of the worst i've experienced.

    I won't be buying The Last Story or any other JRPG again, no matter the hype.

  • darkmorgado #74 3 months ago

    @JumpinJackFlash

    Xenobalde Chronicles is amazing.

    The problem isn't with the games, it's with the fact you have shit taste.

  • geordiek #75 3 months ago

    I'm now finding it hard to not go and buy a cheeky £50 Wii from CEX

  • Fox89 #76 3 months ago

    @geordiek Just be careful if you do! Early Wiis and Dual-Layer DVDs don't always work :(

  • JumpinJackFlash #77 3 months ago

    @darkmorgado

  • actionfitz #78 3 months ago

    people still buy games for the wii?
    huh.

  • geordiek #79 3 months ago

    @jiankan88 Fuck off x infinity

  • Acrid #80 3 months ago

    My limited edition has been dispatched, can't wait to play this when it arrives in about 10 hours

  • Nirvanes #81 3 months ago

    At least The Last Story have Nobuo Uematsu... Even though this is not his best work, it surely is better than FFXIII/FFXIII-2 soundtrack. Please Square, hire him again...
    Edited by Nirvanes at 24/02/12 @ 20:53

  • touxiong #82 3 months ago

    Good thing I don't give a rat's ass about exploration, which is probably why I got bored with Skyrim so quickly. I did enjoy Xenoblade, but it wasn't for the exploration; in fact, I found the exploration be a drag after awhile and it gives way too much EXP.

    Oh, and I love narrative stories so its probably right up my alley too.

  • kenichi-san #83 3 months ago

    Got my Limited Edition 2 days ago, really looking forward playing it this weekend. :D It's a bit sad it only got 7/10, but not because it's a bad score (because it's not!). But because so many other thinks it is, who then will overlook this game.

    It's really sad that games getting 7/10 scores now-a-days is not enough for many gamers. 7/10 is not a bad score people.

  • touxiong #84 3 months ago

    @JumpinJackFlash Xenoblade? Grinding? AHAHAHHAAH. Yeah... you've never actually played the game did you? Probably because you were already determined to hate it so it didn't really matter. I had to run away from battles all the freaking time to avoid being over-leveled; was one of my biggest complaints about the game.

    Actually, few JRPG promote grinding for level so you must not have played one in a long ass time. If you hate the combat system that much then the semi-random battles can be annoying though.

    Not surprising really, people who complain about stuff they don't even play/watch/do or have much knowledge about is quite common.
    Edited by touxiong at 24/02/12 @ 06:01

  • galerian86 #85 3 months ago

    @porkface Why there is no mention of the multiplayer modes?

  • Pwnsweet #86 3 months ago

    @darkmorgado

    I'm sorry but Xenoblade is an amazing game no matter which way you slice it. Even if it's not your thing, you've got to admire it's genius soundtrack, innovate battle style and excellent voice acting.

  • porkface Verified Features Editor, Eurogamer Network #87 3 months ago

    @galerian86 There is, in the boxout next to the review.

  • galerian86 #88 3 months ago

    @porkface
    I see, apologies. Why is that there, anyway?

  • porkface Verified Features Editor, Eurogamer Network #89 3 months ago

    @galerian86 We've started using boxouts for various articles, but it seems they're getting missed out as people think anything in the gutter's an ad. Something for us to bear in mind for the future, definitely.

  • Schiraman #90 3 months ago

    Sounds like a fun game, makes me a bit sad that it's exclusive to a platform that I don't own. It'd be nice to see more JRPGs go multi-platform TBH, that's one thing to be said in favour of FF XIII at least.

  • Kendalf #91 3 months ago

    It's a small point, granted, Eurogamer, but are you sure you don't mean Final Fantasy 12 in that last paragraph?

  • redcrayon #92 3 months ago

    @ShiroBen

    'There's no hard mode, right? Kind of sick of easy RPGs. Are there any RPGs out there with far less random battles, but where every battle feels like a boss fight? (With the appropriate rewards.) I think that's what I'd enjoy. '

    Dark Souls?

  • ZuluHero #93 3 months ago

    Ok i went on a hunt to find this today. None of the supermarkets had it. Obviously GAME and GameStation are out of the question. HMV only had 2 copies in, both the limited version for £39.99.

    While i don't normally plump for LEs these days (extra tenner and all) I had stuff to trade and found an old gift gard in my wallet with a couple of quid on, so ended up getting it for £28

    I have a feeling this might end up being one of those rare games in time to come.

    Looking forward to hometime now though! :D

  • TheBusterMan #94 3 months ago

    Tempted to get a Wii with all this RPG goodness,but am enjoying Grandia,Front Mission 3,and FF7 on my PSP at the mo.My son enjoyed Xenoblades.Looks like a good time to have a Wii.Now,Sony sort out the PS1 classics for the Vita,then maybe I'll invest in one.

  • BluWacky #95 3 months ago

    @ZuluHero rather amusingly, HMV are selling the vanilla edition and the LE for the same price (£39.99). Bit of a no-brainer if, like me, you bought this on impulse!

  • JumpinJackFlash #96 3 months ago

    @touxiong

    I didn't like the game and others have different opinions from YOU. It's not my problem you can't comprehend that.
    Edited by JumpinJackFlash at 24/02/12 @ 21:55

  • Acrid #97 3 months ago

    Put 8.5 hours in to this today and I'm about 1/4 of the way through the story, it really is fantastic.
    Any one who owns a Wii and likes video games should be buying The Last Story.

  • RoOhDaMite #98 3 months ago

    Anyone else experiencing this weird green line at the buttom of the screen when in widescreen mode?
    Edited by RoOhDaMite at 25/02/12 @ 10:56

  • sugarbaron #99 3 months ago

    Bought a copy and I don't even own a Wii; someone has to help turn the tide against the turdfest of games out there.

  • andy25801 #100 3 months ago

    Eurogamer Italy 9
    Eurogamer Germany 9

    Eurogamer 7

    Says it all really.

  • Rai_The_Noblesse #101 3 months ago

    the Action in Xenoblade was not that satisfying either, infact the the action in the last story is more satisfying, even if it's far from perfect..,
    (I love Xenoblade though!)

    sure Xenoblade had a real and great overworld to explore, which is kind of missing in The Last Story (at least as far as I've gotten)

    but The Last Story has even more lovable characters, more dialoges, and looks at times even more beautiful than Xenoblade Chronicles (just have to turn down the controller sensitivity down 2 points..), there enought ot explore, and upgrading of weapons & co. is more satisfying then in X. Cronicles

    over all, it has other strengths and weaknesse then Xenoblade, but it's defently more than 7/10!..., just because it's "diffrent", doesn't make it worse...

    and The Last Story is surely better than FF XIII (which got 8/10..)
    Edited by Rai_The_Noblesse at 27/02/12 @ 10:55

  • RoOhDaMite #102 3 months ago

    I'm a few hours into the game now, and really enjoy the versitility of the gameplay, the fighting feels all fresh, exciting and satisfying. Lazulis City reminds me of Shenmue, whitch is a good thing, so much going on, it really is alive.
    The characters are very likeable especially Syrenne and that blond womenizer guy, hilarious couple ;)
    I just wished they wouldn't have picked such a feminine style for their clothes and appearance, it just breaks the immersion in places.
    Especially the main character, and that Yurik guy suffer from looking like they might break their nails if you know what I mean.
    Edited by RoOhDaMite at 26/02/12 @ 20:11

  • Devox #103 3 months ago

    HavingCompleted the Game i have to say 7-8/10 is pretty much spot on. Decent Story, above average Voice work & amazing Sound. Lacklustre combat, very limited play space and dire "side Quests" The Good outweighs the average and if you're a JRPG fan this should be on your shopping list. 7.5/10