Future Tactics Writer Interviewed On Unnoticed TRPG

Thanks to NTSC-UK for its interview with scriptwriter Paul Rose regarding Zed Two's tactical RPG Future Tactics, as he discusses some of the issues with current game scriptwriting ("You may think there's nothing wrong with them, but to someone like myself who makes a living out of writing scripts and stories, they set my teeth on edge. Especially when you get developers, or publishers, going on about their Hollywood-style scripts"), as well as the sad demise of Zed Two (then a part of Warthog) just before the game's release ("A big, big shame, given that Zed Two's ethos was to produce genuinely innovative and interesting games.") Elsewhere, Gamecritics.com has a thoughtful review of the PS2/Xbox/GC game, "saddled with poor cover art and positioned as a budget release", but considered "a breath of fresh air" by the reviewer, though NTSC-UK's review is a little more ambivalent, arguing: "It can only be hoped that [the developers'] inventiveness is met with the time and budget to do their creativity justice [in the future]."

Always nice to see a new SRPG, or?

[Leffe]

First some info about the game: http://reviews.teamxbox.com/xbox/749/Future-Tactic s-The-Uprising/p1 [teamxbox.com]

Hm, let's see, how would I like this?

It's a SRPG, starting score 8.
3D graphics, -1.
Includes the word 'Tactics' in the title, -1.
Not Japan-developed, -1.
For the XBOX, -1.
Aliens, -1.
All characters have ranged weapons?, -1.
Final score: 2... quite sub-par.

I don't think I'm going to like it, couldn't find a single point that sounded interesting. Sorry, SPRGs are supposed to be pseudo-medieval with lots of swords and magic ;)

Re:Always nice to see a new SRPG, or?

[damiangerous]

All I can say is that you have some very bizarre criteria for enjoying a game. I'm not even going to address any but your most ludicrous assertion: If a game is released for the XBox it's automatically less enjoyable. That's completely nonsensical. You'll only enjoy games that are released for the PS2 and GameCube? What if it's ported to the XBox later, like GTA3? Does your PS2 version start sucking after that? (Hmm, you know, I guess you have a point. GTA3 did suck on the PS2 once the superior XBox

Re:Always nice to see a new SRPG, or?

[Leffe]

All I can say is that you have some very bizarre criteria for enjoying a game. I'm not even going to address any but your most ludicrous assertion: If a game is released for the XBox it's automatically less enjoyable. That's completely nonsensical. You'll only enjoy games that are released for the PS2 and GameCube? What if it's ported to the XBox later, like GTA3? Does your PS2 version start sucking after that? (Hmm, you know, I guess you have a point. GTA3 did suck on the PS2 once the superior XBox version

Re:Always nice to see a new SRPG, or?

[damiangerous]

Well... hm, I've never heard of a good SRPG for the XBOX. I've actually not heard of any at all! The same goes for the developed in not-Japan argument :)

Gladius. Cross platform and LucasArts, not Japanese. Despite being modern, still one of the best SRPGs ever.

Hmm, I guess you could say that I like SRPGs that are like the Fire Emblem games, which is not wrong at all as the first game invented the genre.

Fire Emblem is a great game, and I'm looking forward to the new GameCube version. But saying it a

Re:Always nice to see a new SRPG, or?

[Amanset]

Includes the word 'Tactics' in the title, -1.

The game was developed by ZedTwo under the name "Pillage". Many of those involved with the game still refer to it as that. The changed to "Future Tactics" was due to someone else (Warthog or the Publisher) and came in very soon before release.

For the XBOX, -1.

And PS2, GC and PC last time I heard. I know I own the GC version.

Re:Always nice to see a new SRPG, or?

[Leffe]

The game was developed by ZedTwo under the name "Pillage". Many of those involved with the game still refer to it as that. The changed to "Future Tactics" was due to someone else (Warthog or the Publisher) and came in very soon before release.

Name changed by publishers, another -1

And PS2, GC and PC last time I heard. I know I own the GC version.

Multiplatform: +1
XBox port: -1 ;)

why all the fuss? its really not that good.

[PaganRitual]

seriously tho, this game isnt that good, certainly not good enough to warrant all this 'slipped under the radar' crap.

the combat system, while different, on the whole is pretty poor and doesnt immerse you in the action, or whatever they hoped to achieve by employing it, as much as you think.

for those that dont know, the combat system is primarily based around a large circle placed over the direction you wish to aim, and a line starts moving diagonally across that circle, back and forth. a button press stops it when you think its best lined up across the target, and then a second line does the same thing perpendicular to the first. stop that in a similar way and you have your target reticle, and thats where you fire.

i never played it far enough to see if the system changed at all, but obviously as it stands like that it makes the idea of RPG style skill upgrades pretty pointless, in all except damage dealing, and possibly area of effect.

and it employs this amazingly stupid system whereby creatures that, when they do a sucide melee attack (their only attack), take off half your health, and half way thru the /very first level/, 4 or 5 enemies appear (i cant remember exactly, its been a while, its possibly more), and if you dont have a clear shot to at least three, then there is a better than very high chance that they will kill one of your characters next round, forcing a restart. im the last person to complain about hard games, more games need to employ a challenge nowadays, but games that are just blatantly unfair thru randomness really arent worth bothering with. im sure this issue was addressed in at least one of the reviews i read (possibly gamespot)

from what i played it seems to be badly designed, and, graphically and character wise, its not in any way appealing, and quite rightly was released as a budget title given its unknown name and less than impressive gameplay, and probably deserves nothing more than to slip under the radar into the xboxes of the few that might appreciate this sort of thing.