Blue Dragon Getting Some Poor Reviews

[rrmorton]

I thought I read that you had to beat it once on regular to unlock the harder mode... but I could be mistaken. Little help?

[Calvin]

I thought I read that you had to beat it once on regular to unlock the harder mode... but I could be mistaken. Little help?

We don't know is the short answer. Euros are reporting (metal, reemul) that the additional difficulties are available as an Xbox Live download, and you must beat the game to unlock them. Previous reports were that the NA release had them available from the start-normal/hard. See demo for possible proof of this-it had a normal and a very very hard.


So...we don't know?

[EddieA]

GameInformer has posted their review - 9/10.

[metallicorphan]

I thought I read that you had to beat it once on regular to unlock the harder mode... but I could be mistaken. Little help?

We don't know is the short answer. Euros are reporting (metal, reemul) that the additional difficulties are available as an Xbox Live download,

a lot of people who have bought this on xbox.com have not started this because they are under the impression that a harder difficulty setting is due on xbox live...i dont know how they know,but it is available in Japan(has been for some time)but the japanese download wont work with the PAL version,but a Hong Kong download does
hopefully the download will happen so i wont have to make a HK account just to get the download...and i am hoping for that truffle shuffle dungeon as well(10 mega hard bosses for 50+ levels)

[USMC Kato]

Well I'm picking up my pre-order of Blue Dragon today and I created a Hong Kong account to see if the difficulty download option will work with my U.S. copy.  The available downloads for the Hong Kong account are the Ultra Hard Mode, Shuffle Dungeon for 400 points, and some sort of equipment/item pack worth 200 points.

[Calvin]

Well I'm picking up my pre-order of Blue Dragon today and I created a Hong Kong account to see if the difficulty download option will work with my U.S. copy.  The available downloads for the Hong Kong account are the Ultra Hard Mode, Shuffle Dungeon for 400 points, and some sort of equipment/item pack worth 200 points.

Well wait and see what happens today-as I said, the demo had options for standard and hard. Who knows what we are going to get for the US release!

[Reemul]

Could be the Euro update for difficulty will go live along with the US release. I've looked again and nowhere is there an option to start a harder game otherwise i would start again.

Also even if the difficulty is available after completing the games for the 1st time surely the addon dungeon will be able for us soon as well.

[metallicorphan]

Well I'm picking up my pre-order of Blue Dragon today and I created a Hong Kong account to see if the difficulty download option will work with my U.S. copy.  The available downloads for the Hong Kong account are the Ultra Hard Mode, Shuffle Dungeon for 400 points, and some sort of equipment/item pack worth 200 points.

is it only ultra hard mode?....hmm,i want the game harder,but i dont wanna be kicking the cat when i die every 5 minutes


and i wonder what the item pack thing is

[USMC Kato]

Well I'm picking up my pre-order of Blue Dragon today and I created a Hong Kong account to see if the difficulty download option will work with my U.S. copy.  The available downloads for the Hong Kong account are the Ultra Hard Mode, Shuffle Dungeon for 400 points, and some sort of equipment/item pack worth 200 points.

is it only ultra hard mode?....hmm,i want the game harder,but i dont wanna be kicking the cat when i die every 5 minutes


and i wonder what the item pack thing is

Actually the download is called "Ultra Hard Mode" but in fact it is 3 difficulty levels which are "New Game Plus", "Hard Game Mode", and "Impossible Game Mode".

New Game Plus: Start a new game using a saved game file near the end of the game (while carrying over stats)

Hard game mode: An option when starting a new game thats twice as hard as normal mode

Impossible Game Mode: Ultimate Difficulty that should be played at level 50 or higher.

The item pack thingy is called "6 Treasures - Package of 6 handy items".  Not sure if these items are to be bought, found, quested for.

[metallicorphan]

okay,i want all that on our marketplace!!!

[Reemul]

Is there a specific day when our marketplace is updated or do they appear as and when, i thought live games was a Wednesday and was really hoping for Sensi World of Soccer but no sign today.

[kathode]

Is there a specific day when our marketplace is updated or do they appear as and when, i thought live games was a Wednesday and was really hoping for Sensi World of Soccer but no sign today.

Today is Super Puzzle Fighter II and Streets of Rage 2.  No release date that I'm aware of for World of Soccer but since they have trailers up it should be soon.  You can see when they upload stuff to Live by going to Major Nelson's site.  He posts shortly after they put anything up there.

Getting my pre-ordered Blue Dragon today and very excited!  Unfortunately I'll only be able to play very little until this weekend since I'm headed to London tomorrow on a whirlwind business trip

[Jarrodhk]

Grabbing this today as well... and not expecting to have much time with it either.  Probably start it and take a look at the opening, do the same with Dynasty Warriors Gundam and then play some COD4 beta.  <sigh> There are times when it sucks to have such a wide taste in games.

[Bullwinkle]

Grabbing this today as well... and not expecting to have much time with it either.  Probably start it and take a look at the opening, do the same with Dynasty Warriors Gundam and then play some COD4 beta.  <sigh> There are times when it sucks to have such a wide taste in games.

Same boat for me, except I'm not getting Gundam Warriors (or doing the COD4 beta).  I really want to finish Bioshock and Metroid Prime 3 before getting into a new game (RE4 Wii is getting attention, too...only a chapter and a half left).  And now Stuntman: Ignition keeps calling my name.

[Farscry]

Unfortunately I'll only be able to play very little until this weekend since I'm headed to London tomorrow on a whirlwind business trip

I can only wish I had a "problem" like that.

[Purge]

I may rent BD, but I still have Thief, Dark Brotherhood and the statue quests to complete... oh, and the main story in Oblivion.

Level 26 and I haven't closed one gate yet.

[Calvin]

Grabbing this today as well... and not expecting to have much time with it either.  Probably start it and take a look at the opening, do the same with Dynasty Warriors Gundam and then play some COD4 beta.  <sigh> There are times when it sucks to have such a wide taste in games.

I will find the time for it, but I also have this, Tiger Woods 08, a Madden season, and the COH XP beta (cod4? Maybe, PLEASE!) Going to head out in a few hours and pick it up!

[USMC Kato]

Well I just picked up Blue Dragon and I don't know if its because I downloaded all the extra content from the Hong Kong account, but I have all the difficulty options which are:

Normal
Hard
Impossible.

Anyways, I'm going to start in Hard mode.

[Calvin]

Well I just picked up Blue Dragon and I don't know if its because I downloaded all the extra content from the Hong Kong account, but I have all the difficulty options which are:

Normal
Hard
Impossible.

Anyways, I'm going to start in Hard mode.

NIiiiiiice!! Thats what i wanted to hear-Kato, can you please come back after an hour or two of play and report on hard mode so we have an idea what to start with? reports are still that the game is just too easy in normal.

[biggercup]

What  no easy mode?

[Calvin]

What  no easy mode?

That is called normal mode in this one cup

[StitchJones]

Debating whether I should buy this now or wait till the hard mode is available via download.

[USMC Kato]

Well I just picked up Blue Dragon and I don't know if its because I downloaded all the extra content from the Hong Kong account, but I have all the difficulty options which are:

Normal
Hard
Impossible.

Anyways, I'm going to start in Hard mode.

NIiiiiiice!! Thats what i wanted to hear-Kato, can you please come back after an hour or two of play and report on hard mode so we have an idea what to start with? reports are still that the game is just too easy in normal.

Yeah sure thing. I'm only 15 minutes in and I'll report back later on the difficulty modes.

[Calvin]

Debating whether I should buy this now or wait till the hard mode is available via download.

If you are in US see Kato's last post.

[Ridah]

I'm planning on playing BD in normal. The difficulty in completing an RPG for me isn't the enemy encounters but the length itself, so I don't want to make it more difficult for me to see the ending credits than it needs to be.

[USMC Kato]

Well just for the hell of it, I played an hour on normal difficulty and another hour on hard difficulty so take my early difficulty impressions with a grain of salt.  As it stands for me right now, playing in normal difficulty is really way too easy just like some/most of the reviews have stated.  I can spam the attack button during battles and not worry about getting hit much or killed.  I never had to use any healing items.  So if some people out there just play RPG's for the story, this is your difficulty.

Hard mode,  now this is the one for me and hits that challenging sweet spot.  During my brief paying period, I've already had to change formations, used many attack/status/healing items, and actually pay attention during my battles in order to survive.

Thats it so far, now back to Blue Dragon. 

P.S. English Voice Talent seems solid as well so far, even though I prefer Japanese with subtitles.

[Jarrodhk]

Thanks for the impressions Kato!

Edit: Glancing at the manual, there is no mention of difficulty level selection.  So I'm guessing we are either waiting on the content to hit the US marketplace, or doing the hong kong account thing.

[rrmorton]

This uncertainty about the difficulty settings is really annoying. I guess I won't buy it today. They'll hold my preorder for 48 hours so I have a little time to decide.

[Azhag]

I'm enjoying it so far (only about 1 1/2 hours in).  Fairly standard JRPG fare, but decent cutscenes and I like the style. Agree on it being easy so far though.

[Lee]

Are we going to get the difficulty level patch here in the US? (I don't want to mess with creating foreign accounts just to get a patch.)

Also can you change the difficulty in mid game?

[USMC Kato]

Are we going to get the difficulty level patch here in the US? (I don't want to mess with creating foreign accounts just to get a patch.)

Also can you change the difficulty in mid game?

There is no doubt that we will get the dungeon and difficulty downloads, the question is when.  There isn't an option to change difficulty mid-game, only the voiced language options.

I'm glad I created a hong kong account to get the downloads, it is relatively painless. And just for giggles I bought the new dungeon and item/treasure pack and they work in the U.S. version.

[Misguided]

Kato, where can you change the voice after you've started?

I don't see where the criticism is. The game looks good, and a couple of hours in, I'm rather enjoying it.
Yes, it has the "kids save the world bit" but there's a different take on it here which makes a lot of sense so far.
The combat is a lot of fun and feels quite different from a game like Enchanted Arms or even the Eternal Sonata demo.
The game does virtually no hand holding, which should please many, but has me fumbling my way through.

[metallicorphan]

Kato, where can you change the voice after you've started?

I don't see where the criticism is. The game looks good, and a couple of hours in, I'm rather enjoying it.
Yes, it has the "kids save the world bit" but there's a different take on it here which makes a lot of sense so far.
The combat is a lot of fun and feels quite different from a game like Enchanted Arms or even the Eternal Sonata demo.
The game does virtually no hand holding, which should please many, but has me fumbling my way through.

i think when you reload a game save(and the page you see your game save along the top) at the bottom it says to press X i think to change the voices

[Calvin]

I really don't understand the confusion here. Kato has stated, for the US version, that you can select normal or hard form the menu when you begin the game. The additional download is for an extra hard mode that only unlocks when you beat the game. If you are worried about difficulty, play on hard-its what I intend to do here shortly.

[Jarrodhk]

Actually, he downloaded the DLC before he got the game.  I'm pretty sure that out of the box you don't have the difficulty options.

[StitchJones]

I thought he said he downloaded the Hong Kong patch previously and didn't know if it was needed or not?

[Calvin]

I thought he said he downloaded the Hong Kong patch previously and didn't know if it was needed or not?

I will put the game in here in a minute, sorry guys not trying to confuse anyone lol

[Destructor]

I thought he said he downloaded the Hong Kong patch previously and didn't know if it was needed or not?

I will put the game in here in a minute, sorry guys not trying to confuse anyone lol

Okay, your minute is up. What happened?

[Jarrodhk]

It was so good his brain exploded.

[Calvin]

Ok, I got caught up trying to get a gold on a TW challenge. I just started. Unless I am missing something there is no hard option. I am going to try to download this hong kong content and see what happens.

What a pain in the ass. Why isn't this free stuff out today? Stupid. Just more signs MS has abandoned this game to die.