HOLD MY CURTAIN CALLS, THERE'S A NEW THEATRHYTHM: Theatrhythm: Final Bar Line

[Kirin]

Tried out the "Simple" mode that seems to basically just remove all stick usage, replacing everything with taps and holds, and dang, it's *still* pretty tough on some Ultimate songs.

Anyway, got 10 hours in the demo and maxed everyone out. I should really not stay up after midnight for the unlock........

 

[Kazin]

Oh my god I'm so glad normies will have to play "Ink Long Dry"/Great Gubal Library. I can only imagine the reaction someone who hasn't played XIV would have to that weird ass song lol

I'm so glad this game is out.

 

[Kirin]

Just booted up the full version and... having a key isn’t sufficient to unlock a new title? Looks like I have to get to the end of one of the open titles *and* have a key? Weird system but okay.

Oh also I thought one of the messages about having the deluxe edition on startup mentioned getting a stack of bonus hero cards, but I don’t see them in the card collection in the museum. Maybe I read it too fast and it was something different unlocking?

 

[Kazin]

Masayoshi Soken is a fucking genius.

 

[YangusKhan]

Just booted up the full version and... having a key isn’t sufficient to unlock a new title? Looks like I have to get to the end of one of the open titles *and* have a key? Weird system but okay.

Oh also I thought one of the messages about having the deluxe edition on startup mentioned getting a stack of bonus hero cards, but I don’t see them in the card collection in the museum. Maybe I read it too fast and it was something different unlocking?

After you unlock 6 titles yeah you have to play to the end of one of those, BUT then you can keep unlocking other titles as normal. It's a little silly to do it that way but whatever.

 

[Vaeran]

Oh also I thought one of the messages about having the deluxe edition on startup mentioned getting a stack of bonus hero cards, but I don’t see them in the card collection in the museum. Maybe I read it too fast and it was something different unlocking?

They're not in the museum, they're various character portraits you can set for your Proficard which you'll exchange with people you battle against online.

I can't believe this game has eight fucking versions of Battle on the Big Bridge. I love it

 

[Positronic Brain]

I can't believe this game has eight fucking versions of Battle on the Big Bridge.

I know! I can't believe they left out so many more (where's my Distant Worlds version, Square?)

 

[SpoonyBard]

If you opened the six titles from the demo then FF2 is probably your best bet if you just want to run to the the end of one for the clear.

Definetely a weird decision if you can just use keys as normal after that.

 

[YangusKhan]

If you opened the six titles from the demo then FF2 is probably your best bet if you just want to run to the the end of one for the clear.

Definetely a weird decision if you can just use keys as normal after that.

I went with FF7 which was still decently short. And yeah I don't understand why they decided to unlock it this way. The Series Quest menu does still indicate that to unlock the "Final Fantasy Series" category, I need to complete 6 more titles. But the rest of the games are showing the normal key unlock for me, and the only main games I have yet to unlock are 1, 11, and 12.

 

[Peklo]

For those wondering about the character-building aspect and what happens at level 99: that is the nominal cap, but experience gain from then on transitions into building toward "Star Levels", which go up to 9 and continue to increase core stats and make abilities hit harder. If the regular pace of leveling is maybe 2 to 3 levels gained per song on an average, then a single Star Level, at least starting off, would take about a hundred or so completed stages to attain judging from the EXP demands--Growth Eggs expedite the process, of course. If long-term incremental gains is what helps structure and incentivize sustained play of a game like this, then this is certainly something that's present in it.

 

[Kazin]

That is relieving as heck to hear, thanks @Peklo. I was worried about that, and haven't had time yet to level anyone that high (plus I've been swapping characters around now that I have access to more games than the demo had, too).

 

[Vaeran]

I think I like that better than Curtain Call's system, which gave you the option to reset characters back to Level Baby once they hit 99, with the idea being that their stats in general will be higher level for level the second time around. Then they reach 99 again, and you reset them again...

How's everyone making use of their five party presets? I kinda wish we'd been given more slots so I could set up elemental and series-focused parties, but that's probably the Record Keeper disease talking. Here's how I have mine set up for now:

1: Current leveling party
2: The most powerful physical team I can muster
3: The most powerful magic team I can muster
4: Oops, All Treasure Hunters
5: Free space for weird one-off parties, like if I need all lightning element damage for a quest or something

 

[Kazin]

Oh, right, you can build five parties lawl

 

[Peklo]

I'm staying on theme according to the Series Quest I'm currently doing, but the "main" party is just characters I like--at this point, The Emperor, Cloud of Darkness, Golbez and Exdeath have hit their level caps. It's fortunate most FF villains are typecast as sorcerers and warlocks, so that group synergizes amongst themselves if the goal is just to pile on the magic and buff it while doing so. I'll probably think about composition more when I unlock most of the roster.

 

[YangusKhan]

How's everyone making use of their five party presets? I kinda wish we'd been given more slots so I could set up elemental and series-focused parties, but that's probably the Record Keeper disease talking.

Hey now, there's plenty of other gachas where you can assemble 30+ different parties!

Anyway the 5 team limit is killing me too. I was trying to use them for specific things but I've only really focused on a "leveling" team that has a nice +EXP Bahamut summon. I have a notional "give me physical damage" team too but those 2 are the only ones I've used regularly.

 

[Sprite]

That is relieving as heck to hear, thanks @Peklo. I was worried about that, and haven't had time yet to level anyone that high (plus I've been swapping characters around now that I have access to more games than the demo had, too).

In this interview they say they tried to ratchet up the RPG elements to require a bit more thought on the player’s part, even if it’s all still vestigial.

From what I’ve read, the endless mode sounds like a party builder’s dream, as you have three lives to get as far as you can, losing one life any time you fail a song or any time you fail a quest.

 

[Kazin]

@Sprite That was a fascinating interview, thank you for linking that, I had no idea it existed! I look forward to digging into the RPG mechanics more when I start wrapping up the various game playlists - I kinda want to play all the songs before I delve too deep into player customization and such (though I'll keep an eye on my levels to make sure I'm not leveling maxed characters lol).

 

[Kirin]

Oh my god, Magna Insomnia is SO LONG. I thought the song was over like four different times before it was. On the bright side, it makes it pretty easy to clear the quest of defeating Ardyn even with triple HP or whatever.

 

[Kirin]

Poking around in the museum after getting a bunch of cards, I noticed I have a normal Ifrit that raises its damage by 1%, and a “rare” Shiva that raises its damage by... 1%. Huh.

 

[Kazin]

How the hell is Honeybee Inn from Final Fantasy VII Remake not in here. Dammit, I wanted to play that song here

 

[Kazin]

Why am I taking any damage at all despite having a perfect chain? Not wild about that

 

[Paul le Fou]

The RPG mechanics of this make pretty much no sense to me. I quit looking at different abilities and just hit "optimize" now. I got a 3-gem Shiva summon pretty early on, so that's pretty much my go-to for everything anyway.

FF music good. I wish there were more characters.

I keep switching my party to use characters from the game I'm in for the most part (maybe this is why I think my first point about the RPG mechanics). I'm moving away from it though, having just built a party of "Characters I like." Terra, Agrias, Mog, and currently Tifa just because she's my highest, but maybe I'll swap Sephiroth in there or something. I should probably build physical/magic parties at some point.

I noticed Orlandeau levels up reeeeeally slowly. Is he super powerful or something?

 

[Sprite]

I got Red XIII to 99 and the experience needed for the first star level is almost 3x as much as it took to get to level 99 They really managed to have their cake and eat it too here, as getting a character to 99 is pretty trivial, but if you want more, hoo boy, you got it. Getting all 104 characters to 99 is an attainable goal but actually maxing out everyone would be an absolute abyss of number-go-up.

I’m impressed at the incremental points of obsession you can have with this game, from only caring about the music, to wanting to beat the quests, to playing the game forever and ever grinding experience and stones and items and cards and scrolls until you die

 

[YangusKhan]

Goddamn this game is wonderful

 

[Positronic Brain]

Tsukuyomi is a Proficard. Best. Game. Ever.

 

[Kazin]

Goddamn this game is wonderful

Suteki da ne? ...oh god I'm sorry, I'm trying to delete it, I'm sorry

For real though, it really is. It's just a delight to play. Fantastic music, fun gameplay, no BS. I'm getting used to the more advanced button presses, too, and so far, they've done a really great job at challenging me on Expert mode - I routinely get perfect chains, but I've not gotten a single 9,999,999 yet, which was routine in Curtain Call, despite clearing 10 games of series quests. I'm delighted to have found my challenge level. Hopefully I can get better at it and start regularly playing Ultimate (not gonna hold my breath on that one though).

Holy crap though - All Star Carnival got an absolutely KILLER set of remixes, didn't it? Those things are amazing.

 

[Peklo]

For a laugh, try watching the auto-mode demonstration of "Advent: One-Winged Angel" on Supreme--maybe even try playing it. It's not only subject to the bewildering chart complexity of the difficulty level, but in a game where almost all tracks are cut short to structure them better for short bursts of intense play, this track gets to wallow in its full measure of about 6 minutes and over 2000 triggers for a ridiculous endurance bout. The skill ceiling in this game isn't even in this galaxy anymore.

 

[gogglebob]

I like that this game puts me in grandma mode. I just like listening to Final Fantasy music and pressing buttons to the rhythm. The various challenges, skills, and level up features I do not worry about in the slightest unless they are a requirement for new/more songs. Just going to tap along to the Final Fantasy 6 soundtrack right now, you kids have fun, grandma is going to wear a blanket for the next two hours and enjoy her programs.

 

[Kirin]

What’s the deal with the daily featured song bonus? I played a bunch yesterday, then popped it open today and I’m not seeing anything highlighted in the music list.

Why am I taking any damage at all despite having a perfect chain? Not wild about that

I noticed poison damage still gets you even if the enemies don’t have a chance to get hits in. Maybe some other enemy skills also.

 

[YangusKhan]

What’s the deal with the daily featured song bonus? I played a bunch yesterday, then popped it open today and I’m not seeing anything highlighted in the music list.

Daily specials are picked from all songs in the game, not just from the songs you've unlocked. There were days during the demo period where no songs were daily specials, for example. This might also imply that no DLC songs will ever be daily specials?