So is Avatar Tuner worth buying? - http://www.mmcafe.com/ Forums


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Variable Savior
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"So is Avatar Tuner worth buying?" , posted Tue 22 Mar 12:50:post reply

Seeing how as AT is supposed to be released tomorrow (supposed to being the operative words) I thought I'd petition those who have played the japanese version for their opinion of the game. In the interest of actually getting a copy I intend to buy it as soon as possible so I am rather curious if it's worth the money (particularly since there are at least two other games released this week that I'd like to buy).

I've really enjoyed the Atlus RPG's I've played but most of what I've heard and read on AT was kind of lukewarm (and this from people who seemed to love SMT:N). Is AT a good game that unfortunately suffers in it's comparison to SMT3 or is it merely a so-so offering?





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[this message was edited by Variable Savior on Tue 22 Mar 12:51]

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Pollyanna
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"Re(1):So is Avatar Tuner worth buying?" , posted Tue 22 Mar 15:54post reply

I recommend AT. There are a lot of "catches", but I still recommend it...maybe even highly. It's most definitely inferior to SMT3 in many aspects, but that doesn't really bother me. If you like SMT3 enough to tolerate a game that's very much like it (only not as good) without feeling cheated, then it's an excellent game.

There are some great mazes and boss fights (especially toward the end), excellent music and a solid system. When I first played the game, I felt a little "cheated", not only because it had a lot recycled from SMT3 (minus demon interactions), but because I expected it to be more plot/character-based. I was told that it was like Persona, which is absolutely not true. Once I got over that, I enjoyed the game a lot.

Also, I just finished the 2nd Avatar Tuner and it has...arguably, the best battle and last boss themes ever. The plot is also quite excellent (although the ending totally sucks) and the mantra system is tuned up rather nicely.

So...in the end, there are a lot of little things that could be better about AT (I wouldn't call them problems) and it's not as good as SMT3, but it's still better than most other RPGs out there.

Ah...what else is coming out that you want? That plays an important part in the choice as well.





Ammadeau
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"Re(1):So is Avatar Tuner worth buying?" , posted Tue 22 Mar 21:27:post reply

No. Just wait for AT2 or virtually anything else. AT really isn't worth slogging your way through. Unless you like fighting the same enemies over and over using the exact same tactics on them. They even make you fight the same boss three times. Gah.





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[this message was edited by Ammadeau on Tue 22 Mar 21:29]

Evenor
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"Re(1):So is Avatar Tuner worth buying?" , posted Wed 23 Mar 01:36post reply

I think its coming out next week, not the 22nd. Anyways, I plan on getting it after I beat Nocturne.





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Mosquiton
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"Re(2):So is Avatar Tuner worth buying?" , posted Wed 23 Mar 02:44post reply

quote:
I think its coming out next week, not the 22nd. Anyways, I plan on getting it after I beat Nocturne.



I'd say if you need a new RPG, get it. It's no Nocturne, as Polly had mentioned, but it's way the hell better than Suiko IV, LoTR: The Third Age, Xenosaga II, and any other RPG to come out in the last while. The music and sound is pretty damn rocking, I love the experience gaining sound.

Storywise though it is kinda half a game.





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"Re(3):So is Avatar Tuner worth buying?" , posted Wed 23 Mar 03:09post reply

quote:
Storywise though it is kinda half a game.



Sounds uncomfortably like Xenosaga/.hack/et al...





Ammadeau
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"Re(3):So is Avatar Tuner worth buying?" , posted Wed 23 Mar 03:24post reply

quote:
I'd say if you need a new RPG, get it. It's no Nocturne, as Polly had mentioned, but it's way the hell better than Suiko IV, LoTR: The Third Age, Xenosaga II, and any other RPG to come out in the last while. The music and sound is pretty damn rocking, I love the experience gaining sound.


Heh, it's a positive gem in that context. I did finally finish it so I guess I shouldn't bad mouth AT too badly. I was just expecting too much after Nocturne.





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Pollyanna
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"Re(2):So is Avatar Tuner worth buying?" , posted Wed 23 Mar 05:24post reply

quote:
No. Just wait for AT2 or virtually anything else. AT really isn't worth slogging your way through. Unless you like fighting the same enemies over and over using the exact same tactics on them. They even make you fight the same boss three times. Gah.



Who do you fight 3 times? Is it Bat? I don't remember...

I didn't think the "exploit enemy weaknesses repeatedly" was any worse than it was in SMT3...it just seemed worse because you didn't have as much variety in your team. I would blame that before blaming the enemies.

But yeah...for people who don't want to possibly have to buy the sequel, AT is totally half of the plot and it's the uninteresting half, too. When the plot in AT is good, it's quite good, but most of the game isn't especially interesting...it's very gameplay driven. AT2 is exactly the opposite. They sacrifice some gameplay elements (people leave and rejoin your team a lot) for a more dynamic plot. Unfortunately, the dungeon/boss designs suffer a bit.

After finishing AT2, I was left with the same feelings I had for Persona 2. IS had better characters, story and music, but EP had better gameplay. Together, they're profoundly awesome, but apart, they're only excellent.





Variable Savior
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"Okay.. question #2" , posted Sun 27 Mar 18:00post reply

Well, I've decided to buy AT when released - thanks for your opinions. Now on to question #2 (possible SMTIII spoilers? - I dunno).

I've heard that AT is 'loosely' related to SMT:N - or at least it's ending. My question is which ending is it related to? I believe I got the neutral ending and there wasn't alot of room there for them to build on. From what little I know of AT it seems more likely that it'd be related to the 'true demon' ending.

So which ending does AT reference (or is it even related at all to SMTIII)? Oh, and I plan on playing through the SMT:N demon ending (I retained a save before entering the final dungeon) and possibly going for the Reason endings so please keep the spoilers to a minimum if possible.

Thanks and sorry for the deluge of questions.





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Spoon
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"Re(3):So is Avatar Tuner worth buying?" , posted Sun 27 Mar 18:54post reply

quote:
Together, they're profoundly awesome, but apart, they're only excellent.



Hm. The way I thought of two things like that is that having them together only creates a double-serving of mediocrity; one doesn't really "make up" for the other, considering all the new, signficant flaws each introduce.





Pollyanna
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"Re(4):So is Avatar Tuner worth buying?" , posted Sun 27 Mar 19:40post reply

quote:

Hm. The way I thought of two things like that is that having them together only creates a double-serving of mediocrity; one doesn't really "make up" for the other, considering all the new, signficant flaws each introduce.



I would agree with you if both games were mediocre. In this case...the flaws are small enough for me to only (slightly) sneer at. I tend to find things wrong with every game I play, so if my complaints can be verbalized in less than half an hour, then it might not even be worth complaining about.

Also, AT does NOT tie into ANY ending of SMT3, as far as I can tell. If people are drawing conclusions like that, they're -totally- stretching it. It is possible to hypothesize that AT takes place in the SMT world, but there's no direct evidence or tie-ins. Not even as much as there was in SMT3 in reference to SMT1 and 2.