Final Fantasy XIII

 PlayStation 3
User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 2976 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,797 out of 2976
  2. Mixed: 513 out of 2976
  3. Negative: 666 out of 2976
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  1. NyberX
    Feb 1, 2012
    10
    This game was my first final fantasy and I enjoyed it. Battle system was great. The characters are great, The story is OK. This deserves a well earned 10
  2. CloudStrifeVII
    Jan 22, 2012
    10
    This game is a masterpiece. The best RPG of this generaion (but XIII-2 looks even better).
    Everybody should buy and enjoy this masterpiece.
    A true Final Fantasy, and one of the best games of all the story (or maybe the best).
  3. pedromont32
    Jan 16, 2012
    9
    Amazing visuals, amazing gameplay. This is my first final fantasy and since the start of the game i've been dragged into the plotline, its not the perfect game but it has a thrilling battling system that will keep you constantly involved in the combat and not just the usual turn for turn rpg. Yes it has his flaws like the slow develop of the gameplay but once you are in the 4th chapter ofAmazing visuals, amazing gameplay. This is my first final fantasy and since the start of the game i've been dragged into the plotline, its not the perfect game but it has a thrilling battling system that will keep you constantly involved in the combat and not just the usual turn for turn rpg. Yes it has his flaws like the slow develop of the gameplay but once you are in the 4th chapter of the game the battle system will begin to build itslef and will become extremly fun. Easly controled and no tedious waiting for attack turns since when you are not attacking you can use objects or watch the other npc's attack the enemies, despite the fact the other 2 members of your party ar ai controlled you'll have a truly "final fantasy" experience. I highly recommend this game to those who are beautiful graphics and strong story lovers.… Expand
  4. BasilZero
    Jan 16, 2012
    9
    For the typical Final Fantasy fan, you will love this game, but to those who are hardcore FF fans might find this game a bit displeasing due to the changes made into the overall game compared to other games in the series. Regardless, Final Fantasy XIII brings in a breath of Fresh air when it comes to Character Design, Battle System, Music and overall story telling. You will enjoy this gameFor the typical Final Fantasy fan, you will love this game, but to those who are hardcore FF fans might find this game a bit displeasing due to the changes made into the overall game compared to other games in the series. Regardless, Final Fantasy XIII brings in a breath of Fresh air when it comes to Character Design, Battle System, Music and overall story telling. You will enjoy this game and it is worth every penny!… Expand
  5. crazydangerous
    Jan 12, 2012
    8
    This game looks really really really good, I don't enjoy how linear it is and the combat can be frustrating but I can't blame SE for taking things in a different direct as it feels like a fair effort was put forward on it, It's not blatantly lazy and with a crap story like Dragon age 2 that's for sure. Be ready to commit 35 hours though this game takes time.
  6. nabushi
    Jan 10, 2012
    3
    I played this game for 25 hours. I really wanted to enjoy it. Even after i had heard that it was linear, with no real overworld, I still wanted desperately to believe this was a great addition to a great series of games. Once i got to the 25 hour mark, i realized that I could not go on deceiving myself. The story of the game was fairly engaging, but to understand all of the things goingI played this game for 25 hours. I really wanted to enjoy it. Even after i had heard that it was linear, with no real overworld, I still wanted desperately to believe this was a great addition to a great series of games. Once i got to the 25 hour mark, i realized that I could not go on deceiving myself. The story of the game was fairly engaging, but to understand all of the things going on, there was an encyclopedia that was there to basically enhance your knowledge of the world that you found yourself in. As i spent more and more time reading these entries, I did not feel a connection growing with this world, rather it felt like boring reads that added nothing real to the game. When I play RPG's i tend to enjoy overleveling myself. this allows me to enjoy the story of the game without having to worry about the combat as much. When I discovered that there were caps to how powerful your characters could get at any given point in the game, it was upsetting. The combat itself was much less engaging than just about any other game i have ever played. I found myself analyzing my enemy, and selecting auto-attack over and over again, as the game would pick the best abilities to use anyway, and my input was hardly needed. this removed me further from the actual game, and made me feel more like i was watching a movie than playing a game. One of the things that really hooked me when I started the game was the graphics, but once the allure wore off, i began to realize that amazing graphics, while nice, did not make up for horrible story and gameplay. Square likes to change things up between Final Fantasies, and they definitely did that here. I will not condemn that, they did something innovative and new, even though it did not work out.… Expand
  7. CincyJosh
    Jan 6, 2012
    10
    Great story, great battle system, and an amazingly beautiful game. Sure there are no towns and the game play is linear but when the story is about these characters fleeing from the purge, is it realistic that they have time to poke around towns with NPC's being friendly, or to wander on meaningless side quests as if they had all the time in the world? Sure these things could have beenGreat story, great battle system, and an amazingly beautiful game. Sure there are no towns and the game play is linear but when the story is about these characters fleeing from the purge, is it realistic that they have time to poke around towns with NPC's being friendly, or to wander on meaningless side quests as if they had all the time in the world? Sure these things could have been written into the story, but it wasn't and I respect that decision. The game was worth the $60 I paid at its release and it is surely worth the $20 it costs now, especially with its sequel XIII-2 coming out on 1/31/12, which will have towns and side quests etc. I highly recommend this game.… Expand
  8. Zemeckis
    Dec 22, 2011
    9
    I play the Final Fantasy series since the V. I really love RPGs and, like many others, VII is my favorite and it will always be. But I think many people people simple don't understand that not only games changes as time passes, but also our preferences and desires. Final Fantasy XIII is far from the previous ones for its linearity and an optional auto battle. A game consists not only inI play the Final Fantasy series since the V. I really love RPGs and, like many others, VII is my favorite and it will always be. But I think many people people simple don't understand that not only games changes as time passes, but also our preferences and desires. Final Fantasy XIII is far from the previous ones for its linearity and an optional auto battle. A game consists not only in gameplay, but also plot, soundtrack, graphics and fun. Each FF offers you new experiences, and that is why the series get high rates in most websites. Games must innovate in some way. We don't want more from the same, like most shooters. Square makes some mistakes, but they're trying. And gamers should recognize it, because one day Square can make something really awesome. My life changed a lot since FF V. Today I work, I have a girlfriend, social life, personal projects and family to give attention. I don't have time to explore 100% of what the game offers. FF XIII has an advantage on its linearity: if you have short time to play games and if you love RPGs, FF XIII is great for you. I loved it and I'll buy FF XIII-2. If you want to focus on traditional gameplay and more from the same, maybe you should take a look at some shooters out there, like Call of Duty. Maybe a lot of players didn't like FF XIII, but no one can deny that each time you get a new FF you'll see something different. And that is something many companies aren't capable of. Open your mind for new experiences: it will be good for your games and your life.… Expand
  9. rpgczar
    Dec 18, 2011
    7
    Graphics 9 one of best looking games on ps3 and 360 story the story is average at best I liked ff10 approach much better 13 story has alot of. Flashback type scenes and it harder to connect with characters though the connection is better than ff 12. Level design 7 this is one of the weaknesses of ff 13 the beginning is very linear making it feel like you are traveling down long hallwaysGraphics 9 one of best looking games on ps3 and 360 story the story is average at best I liked ff10 approach much better 13 story has alot of. Flashback type scenes and it harder to connect with characters though the connection is better than ff 12. Level design 7 this is one of the weaknesses of ff 13 the beginning is very linear making it feel like you are traveling down long hallways until you get to pulse where you must do lots of grinding and some monsters are just ridiculous in difficulty battle system is a 8 somebattles take much too long due to the stagger system which prevents you from taking large amounts of hp til its filled summons are more useful than in ff12 and can revive fallen allies once what I don't like is when the main character dies its gameover unless you hit he retry button which starts you back at where you left off the thing is some battles are so hard you will be hitting retry over and over another thing I hate is you can't switch between party members during battle therefore you can only use one characters summon also I thought the weapon customation sucked in this game because it takes forever to get enough money to upgrade weapons and when you do upgrade them the amount you take doesnt go up by much compared to ff10 where if your strength went up 100 you'd be taking alot more the games strengths are its music and its graphics the story is average the battle system is exhausting because of one fight after another and overall this game could have been much better.… Expand
  10. HD3
    Dec 16, 2011
    9
    Good story, interesting and flashy combat, excellent soundtrack, lush enviroments. Very linear though to the point you may find it annoying if you prefer to just wander. Never the less, quite an enjoyable game.
  11. DBZ19
    Nov 25, 2011
    0
    Like most negative reviewers i was deeply and utterly disappointed with this game. Looking at the amount of positive reviews this got, they just can not be true FFFs. I remember getting this game it was a friday (the day of release) i was extremely excited as i just purchased one of the greatest rpg series around. within 2-3 hours in i HATED it. I've played FF7-10 and within the said timeLike most negative reviewers i was deeply and utterly disappointed with this game. Looking at the amount of positive reviews this got, they just can not be true FFFs. I remember getting this game it was a friday (the day of release) i was extremely excited as i just purchased one of the greatest rpg series around. within 2-3 hours in i HATED it. I've played FF7-10 and within the said time i became completely immersed (read ChristopherC. reviews) in the final fantasy world, but not his rubbish. I hated the characters i couldn't careless about them, in fact i REALLY hoped (no pun intended) hope was killed in the most horrible way. His constant whining was giving me a headache and i still hear vanille's voice when i close my eyes. Also am i the person who felt that the characters DIDN'T actually look like there represented ages?? Snow looked AT LEAST 25+ and serah looked 12. It was disgusting to say the least and i just DIDN'T feel anything for them when serah turned to crystal/ice, i just didn't care at all.

    everything from summoning to battles was just out of place and disjointed. RPG is meant to immerse the player make them feel that they are they for the long haul and at the end you'd get a sense of happiness and enjoyment; that the world is now saved. how this game got such a high score when it is soo badly linear is beyond me i don't care how well presented the game FF is all about character development, rich graphics and a happy ending. this game has none of those.    … Expand
  12. ArcticZombie
    Nov 18, 2011
    3
    Industry leading graphics, really good music (minus that disgusting fruity-pie song that was "popular" for a bit), and some really great menus and options. But why the failing score? For starters; the cast is completely forgettable. The story is predictable and poorly dialogued. And the game is very much on rails most of the time. The inventory system overall feels overly-simplified.Industry leading graphics, really good music (minus that disgusting fruity-pie song that was "popular" for a bit), and some really great menus and options. But why the failing score? For starters; the cast is completely forgettable. The story is predictable and poorly dialogued. And the game is very much on rails most of the time. The inventory system overall feels overly-simplified. Actually, the main problem here is: everything essential about this game seems too streamlined and simplified. I've been hoping since FF8 that the series would grow in complexity and challenge, and offer me an even bigger open-world to explore. But what's happened is that SE is only interested in making things "more accessible" to gamers. In this case it shows. And it shows way too much. No open-worlds to explore, just graphics, graphics, graphics. A boring, cheesy, lame-charactered snore-fest that should have never been included in the Numbered Series of FF. Not where games (especially RPGs) should be headed. It's an interactive movie with battles tacked on, with a weak character building system and world. This game broke my faith in the franchise. The final nail in the coffin for me.… Expand
  13. Schmooblidon
    Nov 15, 2011
    8
    First off, I absolutely loved this game. But my score may confuse you? Well even though i clocked around 150 hours in total into this game, i can still see a lot of flaws. The storyline is great but it has the classic "WTF" square enix feel, and can become confusing. on my second playthrough i understood a lot better however. the graphics, well they are absolutely stunning and theres noFirst off, I absolutely loved this game. But my score may confuse you? Well even though i clocked around 150 hours in total into this game, i can still see a lot of flaws. The storyline is great but it has the classic "WTF" square enix feel, and can become confusing. on my second playthrough i understood a lot better however. the graphics, well they are absolutely stunning and theres no question to that, the different areas are all very well designed and unique, unfortunately though my xbox copy lost framerate in the open world area. not sure what went wrong there, ive seen bigger worlds play better in other games. the sound is absolutely amazing and possibly my favourite part of the game. the soundtrack is possibly my favourite ff to date! but whilst still on sound, the voice for vanille became annoying fast. finally the gameplay, well there is a lot of debate on this. some people absolutely despise this game because of its linearity. but through my eyes i can hardly tell the difference between any other jrpg. all jrpgs are linear, they are all story driven. i guess too many people have been playing open world rpgs, that they forgot the structure of a jrpg. sure ffx had the airship, near the end of the game. xiii has the portal near the end of the game, no difference. as for combat, a lot of people are giving this grief aswell. they say its basic and dumbed down. i admit it starts slow but it has to, or it will confuse all of the new audience, which it did gain btw. id didnt annoy the first time around as i was locked into the story. anyway the battle system becomes very enjoyable as the game progresses and becomes quite hectic in boss battles. i for one think it was a brave move by square and i personally really enjoyed it. so my final score is around 8.3 as of course it could of been better, but gave it a good shot. lets see if they improve with xiii-2.… Expand
  14. gaminkid05
    Nov 8, 2011
    8
    This was fun game all the way through. It was the right difficulty level, the battles were interesting, and the graphics, great. The cut scenes were fun, although occasionally the story lost me, and the characters were a bit unbelievable. My only real complaint with the game is the linearity, which I found to be a touch annoying because I thought having multiple roads to follow would haveThis was fun game all the way through. It was the right difficulty level, the battles were interesting, and the graphics, great. The cut scenes were fun, although occasionally the story lost me, and the characters were a bit unbelievable. My only real complaint with the game is the linearity, which I found to be a touch annoying because I thought having multiple roads to follow would have been cool. However, by and by, this a great game, a must play for any JRPG fan.… Expand
  15. dobserver
    Nov 8, 2011
    7
    Final Fantasy has always been about the great story and gameplay. That is what has made it a very successful franchise, even today. Lately, though it seems that the developers are focusing more on the graphics then the core competencies. Final Fantasy XIII has great graphics, the cinematics are amazing and everything is pretty smooth. The gameplay and difficulty level is not bad, but it isFinal Fantasy has always been about the great story and gameplay. That is what has made it a very successful franchise, even today. Lately, though it seems that the developers are focusing more on the graphics then the core competencies. Final Fantasy XIII has great graphics, the cinematics are amazing and everything is pretty smooth. The gameplay and difficulty level is not bad, but it is not especially amazing either. The story is a bit recycled and linear but I didn't find it really 'bad' either. This game is simply 'okay.' There isn't anything particularly bad about it, but there isn't anything particularly amazing about it either. I'd get it if it was on sale. The difficulty level of the game is really easy until near the end, in which you have to grind a bit to catch up. But after grinding, the game is pretty easy in general. This might make it a turn-off for many players. It's not that this game was bad, but Squaresoft has been known for making groundbreaking games and it was just surprising to find that this isn't one of them. (Score: 7.0)… Expand
  16. SolidLinkSnake4
    Nov 4, 2011
    2
    Final Fantasy should be called Final Corridor XIII or Final Hallway XIII. This game is so linear and doesn't live up to the previous Final Fantasy titles at all. Never get this game. Wait for Kingdom Hearts 3 or Final Fantasy versus 13 , because this game is horrible.
  17. RazgrizKnight
    Nov 4, 2011
    10
    Final Fantasy XIII is an interesting game to say the least. As an old time Final Fantasy fan since PSX Final Fantasy games, I was eagerly anticipating FFXIII. Before I bought it I heard a lot of controversial opinions about this game. In fact, my own opinion about it wasn't clear until about 2/3 of my own playthrough of FF13. The thing is, FF13 is different from its predecessors in manyFinal Fantasy XIII is an interesting game to say the least. As an old time Final Fantasy fan since PSX Final Fantasy games, I was eagerly anticipating FFXIII. Before I bought it I heard a lot of controversial opinions about this game. In fact, my own opinion about it wasn't clear until about 2/3 of my own playthrough of FF13. The thing is, FF13 is different from its predecessors in many ways, but there is one thing that is the same. The quality, my friends. This game was meant to be exactly what it is and the execution is pretty much perfect. And here comes the major problem. A lot of people are expecting traditional Final Fantasy elements to be in every new numbered Final Fantasy games, and they will see the lack of aforementioned elements as a major flaw. In short, don't buy this game if you're looking to see many traditional Final Fantasy elements, you will be severely disappointed. However, if you're looking for a good JRPG with high-production values, plot that focuses on main characters (personally, I haven't seen that in the main series since FF10, 10 years ago), fun and fast battle system, stunning design and graphics and an outstanding soundtrack from one of the FF10's composers then Final Fantasy XIII is definitely worth checking out.… Expand
  18. Professor
    Nov 2, 2011
    6
    Way too linear as everybody mentions, what happened to the choice in exploring and return visits for necessary missions ? Very limited in this regard. A trigger happy x button child could complete 90percent of the game successfully. Too slow to start and leveling up above level 4 was just painful. This could have been a good game but poor story line and limited choices spoilt it. Glad toWay too linear as everybody mentions, what happened to the choice in exploring and return visits for necessary missions ? Very limited in this regard. A trigger happy x button child could complete 90percent of the game successfully. Too slow to start and leveling up above level 4 was just painful. This could have been a good game but poor story line and limited choices spoilt it. Glad to complete it and stop wasting my time. In the end feels like they all failed and the l,ice was successful in destroying cocoon after all - what a disappointment .… Expand
  19. initialmender4
    Oct 15, 2011
    10
    a perfect Final fantasy game, from the story to the graphics to the actual gameplay. i could literally play for most of a day at a time and still want to keep going
  20. Pauliina
    Oct 14, 2011
    2
    After playing IV to X of Final Fantasy series, I must say that I had such high expectations of this...
    But sadly, the game was just a long long, long movie :/ Played about 5 hrs, then quit.
  21. pg-shadowrunner
    Oct 8, 2011
    8
    There's no denying that Final Fantasy XIII is a devisive game, but I still believe it is a good one. I understand why some people don't like it, I really do- it's different. But it's still an enjoyable entry in a great series of games. The story is interesting. I've always been impressed in the lore behind each new FF game, and XIII doesn't dissapoint. Interesting themes concerning a warThere's no denying that Final Fantasy XIII is a devisive game, but I still believe it is a good one. I understand why some people don't like it, I really do- it's different. But it's still an enjoyable entry in a great series of games. The story is interesting. I've always been impressed in the lore behind each new FF game, and XIII doesn't dissapoint. Interesting themes concerning a war between utopias, great voice acting (for the most part) and complex characters add to a very epic storyline. The only flaw I feel is present is that the datalog sometimes becomes overbearing, carrying details about the plot that should have been weaved into the narrative. Still, not a dealbreaker.
    It's worth mentioning that the game is absolutely gorgeous. Square Enix put an incredible amount of detail into this game, and everything from the characters to the locations screams polish. Once you reach the beautiful Gran Pulse area, all bets are off, and you're free to explore a vast wilderness and undertake side quests. The music is fantastic as well, with many stirring tracks, including one of the best orchestral boss battle themes I've ever heard.
    Now, the gameplay, easily the most divisive part of XIII. The fact that the game is linear doesn't really bother me. After all, Final Fantasy X was linear, and I loved FFX. I honestly believe the linearity was a conscious decision on the developers part to carry the story, and I'm fine with that. The real meat of the game is in the combat. Now, I've heard the criticism that the game simply plays itself, and all the player needs to do is press X. This is a load of crap. XIII's combat does indeed feature an auto-battle option- which can be switched off- but even if you use it, you'll still be swept up in fast-paced combat, where quick reflexes mean just as much as your strategy. Using loadouts known as Paradigms, you give orders to your party, who follow your commands quite well using excellent AI. Having the right Paradigm loadouts is imperative, and being quick enough to pick the right abilities is important if you want to survive. XIII's combat is fast-paced and intense. As far as character growth goes, the Crystarium features a path of stat upgrades and new abilities (sort of like, I don't know, LEVELING UP), but allows each character to master new classes and learn abilities in each of the six roles available, and when upgrades start to get expensive, you'll have many touch choices concerning your character's builds.
    All in all, Final Fantasy XIII is a flawed, but still highly entertaining gem in this fantastic series. I loved it, and will continue to look forward to the future games in the series. FFXIII isn't perfect, but it's still good.    … Expand
  22. JenJen
    Sep 21, 2011
    5
    Pros: Amazing graphics. Details are impeccable and all aspects of the game ,visually, is wonderful. The gameplay is also ridiculously addicting and fun to explore.

    Cons: Terribly forced dialogue which leads to forced emotions which leads to an awful way to present an already boring story. Typical character line-up; angsty protagonist, comedic relief, hot-head, annoying girl, etc. The plot    Pros: Amazing graphics. Details are impeccable and all aspects of the game ,visually, is wonderful. The gameplay is also ridiculously addicting and fun to explore.

    Cons: Terribly forced dialogue which leads to forced emotions which leads to an awful way to present an already boring story.
    Typical character line-up; angsty protagonist, comedic relief, hot-head, annoying girl, etc. The plot is linear: you cannot go between worlds or revisit worlds. Side quests are a joke.

    Over-all, I didn't care much for the game. My emotional attachment to is none existent.    … Expand
  23. sharkpro
    Sep 21, 2011
    1
    Major disappointments with this game. It doesn't live up to expectations from the previous series. Boring storyline, gameplay, game design, linear straight path for the most part of the game. A real disappointments for those buying a ps3 just for this game.
  24. lorddavy
    Aug 26, 2011
    3
    The worst game quality/price that i had ever played. Only graphics game. Really hard end it. In the beginning i was expected, some hours later i was deathly bored. Frustrating pay more than 100 euros for it + guide. The worst buy in my life.
  25. Kadeemluvmusic
    Aug 25, 2011
    10
    I've never seen a Final Fantasy game that is so big, even Cloud Strife ever had a sword. Final Fantasy XIII is without a shadow of a doubt, the best game of 2010. Call it like you mean it, but with a phenomenal set of battle systems, impact challenges, and even new characters like the always talented Lightning, the fans keep spreading the word after almost 25 years of JRPG awesomeness.I've never seen a Final Fantasy game that is so big, even Cloud Strife ever had a sword. Final Fantasy XIII is without a shadow of a doubt, the best game of 2010. Call it like you mean it, but with a phenomenal set of battle systems, impact challenges, and even new characters like the always talented Lightning, the fans keep spreading the word after almost 25 years of JRPG awesomeness. I'm am so dying for a sequel to Final Fantasy XIII because it's coming out next January. Until then, maybe I'll spend time playing hour after hour until I may die tryin'. But Final Fantasy XIII is the best game since Final Fantasy X.… Expand
  26. c0mmander
    Aug 15, 2011
    8
    Yeah this game has it's pitfalls but it doesn't deserve such awful press, ok it's not up to the standard of some other RPG's out there or even the other final fantasy titles. But after playing this on both the xbox 360 and the PS3 I feel this game does more right than it does wrong, the storyline has engaging moments although they do occasionaly fall through due to a bit of cheesy voiceYeah this game has it's pitfalls but it doesn't deserve such awful press, ok it's not up to the standard of some other RPG's out there or even the other final fantasy titles. But after playing this on both the xbox 360 and the PS3 I feel this game does more right than it does wrong, the storyline has engaging moments although they do occasionaly fall through due to a bit of cheesy voice acting or the under development of some characters. The autobattle system takes away some of the thinking on your but the paradigm system more than adds an intruiging twist to the gameplay. The crystarium system is not a highlight of the game although there was some promise there. I agree the game is very linear and this took a point off my score. The game has stunning visuals and open enviroments and has a stellar cast of characters and as before stated the paradigm system adds a layer of depth hopefully issues and more depth will be added with xii-2… Expand
  27. chare11
    Aug 2, 2011
    10
    While still playing this game, I can assure you that Square-enix took one step in the right direction. In Final Fantasy XIII you will find everything a game should have: Great story, well-developed and compelling characters, stunning enviroments, one of the best musical scores of the series, entertaining battle system, and DIFFICULTY. Every role is vital, and strategies are key for someWhile still playing this game, I can assure you that Square-enix took one step in the right direction. In Final Fantasy XIII you will find everything a game should have: Great story, well-developed and compelling characters, stunning enviroments, one of the best musical scores of the series, entertaining battle system, and DIFFICULTY. Every role is vital, and strategies are key for some battles. For those who like to compare FFXIII to other FFS just remember how great were FFVIII & FFVII, but how easy they were as well. I found that FFXIII is the oppossite of FFXII. Whereas FFXII gave you the freedom you 'need', tons of quests, it offered, IMO, the weakest story and character development of the series. In contrast, FFXIII is brilliantly developed, as characters and story is concerned. Sure, some things can be improved, some towns and quest can be added, but I, for one, cannot complain, as this game exceeded my expectations and I can't wait for its sequel. It's not a 10, as I gave. I would probably rate it as a 9.5, but hey, some put 0s and 1s so I wanted to raise the user score.… Expand
  28. ozarmidrashim
    Jul 24, 2011
    1
    To put in simple, this is not a final fantasy, this is not even a jgdr.
    There is no exploration, no freedom in character upgrade, no strategy, no city, no secondary mission, is only a long, very long highway.
    The combat system is spectacular but very ripetive, you can win almost battle with the same formation, with one button only. you may need just one or two more formation for the boss    To put in simple, this is not a final fantasy, this is not even a jgdr.
    There is no exploration, no freedom in character upgrade, no strategy, no city, no secondary mission, is only a long, very long highway.
    The combat system is spectacular but very ripetive, you can win almost battle with the same formation, with one button only. you may need just one or two more formation for the boss battle. The gameplay is surprisingly linear and in the end very boring besides the the difficulty of the game is too low.
    The characters don't leave you anything and soon you forget them, especially they are very poor if you compare with the glorious character of the past (cloud, terra, tidus).
    The story may be attractive but is too confused and the characters with there poor dialogues don't help.
    Is my personal opinion but i believe that this game don't offer anything beyond the graphycs, is better replay the real Fianal Fantasy, FFVI-VII-VIII-IX-X, the game of the squaresoft.
    Probably the Final fantasy Saga, the real Final fantasy games, is dead.

    PS sorry for my English.    … Expand
  29. Davidm4
    Jul 23, 2011
    6
    I'm not surprised that people say that the game has no challenge. This isn't true, as it is arguably is one of the most difficult of the series, but it takes so long before the game actually gives you a challenging fight. The first time most people will die is usually the eidolon boss fights, but you only have to be aware of your characters primary role to overcome them. If you excludeI'm not surprised that people say that the game has no challenge. This isn't true, as it is arguably is one of the most difficult of the series, but it takes so long before the game actually gives you a challenging fight. The first time most people will die is usually the eidolon boss fights, but you only have to be aware of your characters primary role to overcome them. If you exclude these as challenges then you may spend close to 20 hours of gameplay before you come across a challenging boss. For people who have a few hours of play time a day, this is going to be hard to take. Those who are used to playing hours on end won't find it to be a problem. Those who state that you can mash "x" to win are correct, as you can use auto battle throughout the whole game, but you just need to use the correct paradigms at the right moments. Linearity is fine, but repetition isn't and this game rarely stops to take a break from fighting. There was nothing like the Golden Saucer to mess about with for a while. This game doesn't even try to hide it. I felt that the music was disappointing as it was mostly atmospheric music rather than the memorable, melodic songs that have been in previous installments (to zanarkand/fishermans horizon/melodies of life). I don't believe that the open world of Grand Pulse makes the game any better, as you are still just fighting/grinding, except you now have a chance to get lost rather than just travel in one direction. It certainly isn't enough for the amount of time it takes to get there anyway. The saving grace of the gameplay is the boss fights in the later stages of the game, which provided enough challenge to make the game decent for me. Without them, it would have certainly been a poor game.… Expand
  30. dz9
    Jul 22, 2011
    3
    Starting off my review, I must say that the reason why I give this so low of a score is not because Square made changes to FF that took the franchise in a different direction... it's because the changes they made were terrible. I understand Square has to evolve FF to a more action styled experience to accomodate to the times and to compete with bioware games... so it was no surpriseStarting off my review, I must say that the reason why I give this so low of a score is not because Square made changes to FF that took the franchise in a different direction... it's because the changes they made were terrible. I understand Square has to evolve FF to a more action styled experience to accomodate to the times and to compete with bioware games... so it was no surprise that the turn based style was more active. Although they evolved the game, they should not have completely left everything that made FF so special; guided yet open exploring, deep engaging characters, incredible story, immersive world, and strategic gameplay... And only one of those was even close to being fulfilled. The characters were all cliche's: Lightning was the tom-boy, Fang was the clone of Lightning, Hope was the vulnerable child, Snow is the jar-head, Panille is the free spirit, and Sazh is the only character who contains depth. That is honestly all they tell you about the characters, and that's also all you need to know. As for story, the story was not BAD, mainly because it wasn't even really there, the story is vague and barely engaging at all, and the pacing is awful. The only real story development is actually character development, which I have already stated that the characters are uninteresting empty shells. As for the open world? Simply put...THERE IS NONE. The world the game puts you in looks nice enough and on the exterior seems amazing but due to the lack of characters, story, and the extremely linear feel of the game... the seemingly awesome world is reduced to nothing. The gameplay is really the only place the game shows innovation. Don't get me wrong, it's far from perfect, but for Square's first "crack at it," it presents a good milestone for them to improve and perfect in later titles. The main drawback to the gameplay is the level up system, you are held back to "level up" by milestones in the story. Example: You cant excede level 1 warrior until you reach the next chapter even though you have enough crystal points. And for the game mechanic titled "Paradigm," it promotes side jobs but the level up system punishes you for venturing into side-jobs... it's extremely counter intuitive. For example: For Lightning to level up her warrior to level 1 costs 10,000..... but for Lightning to level up Sentinel to level 1, will cost 1,000,000. This by itself does not RUIN the combat , but all the minor flaws with the combat do add up. The Good: Although graphics are nothing more than scenery, the game is gorgeous and presents a lot of detail in design. And square does-in-fact show a few innovative ideas which however werent entirely capitalized on. The Bad: Simply put... Square takes away everything that FF fans and RPG fans alike would expect. If this game was any other RPG game, i would give the game a 5.5/10, because it does have a few fun moments and amazing graphics. But for the final fantasy game it was suppose to be, it's barely worth a rent at redbox… Expand
  31. Jho88
    Jul 14, 2011
    3
    This is definitely my least favorite final fantasy game, and I've played them all. I had previously felt that FF12 was a real let down, and playing this made me sincerely miss 12. It was that bad. None of the characters were interesting at all, Vanille was annoying as hell to listen to, the plot was not particularly interesting, nor was it told very well, and the music was not at allThis is definitely my least favorite final fantasy game, and I've played them all. I had previously felt that FF12 was a real let down, and playing this made me sincerely miss 12. It was that bad. None of the characters were interesting at all, Vanille was annoying as hell to listen to, the plot was not particularly interesting, nor was it told very well, and the music was not at all memorable (which to me is perhaps the biggest let-down since the music of the previous games was arguably the best part). There were no towns to explore, shops to visit, NPCs to interact with, side quests to perform, or other basic RPG elements. The leveling system was really dumb: the tried to give the illusion of choice by having a pathway with branches so you could either pick like HP+200 or Str+50 for example, but each branch was only 1-2 elements long, so it's not like you could choose different ways to specialize your characters. The battle system was horrible because you really couldn't tell what was going on. Often I would upgrade a weapon or learn a new spell and try to use it in battle to see how much damage it did, but there are so many numbers flying all over the place it was really hard to tell who was doing how much damage with what. It basically devolves into mashing 'X' and switching to a more defensive paradigm if you're getting hurt too much. For all final fantasy games until this one, when the game was over I felt sad for a little while, like I wished it would continue because I missed the characters and places. When this game ended, I was glad I would never have to touch it again. I felt like I had finished a homework assignment. "That's done, now I can go do something fun." Please don't waste your money on this crap, and don't let square enix think it's okay to butcher their series like this.… Expand
  32. ArkonBlade
    Jul 12, 2011
    4
    i heard such mixed reviews from my friends and other on this game that i waited awhile to buy it and since sqaure's track record hasnt been very good lately on RPG's. the first thing ill say is wow the graphics are fantastic it looks amazing . then you start playing and you are like huh? what the hell is going on? and after 7 hours i was still asking myself that . the combat system justi heard such mixed reviews from my friends and other on this game that i waited awhile to buy it and since sqaure's track record hasnt been very good lately on RPG's. the first thing ill say is wow the graphics are fantastic it looks amazing . then you start playing and you are like huh? what the hell is going on? and after 7 hours i was still asking myself that . the combat system just sucked and sucked so hard . honetsly this makes FF8's combat system look kinda good . the ability to control only 1 charicter just burned me . when i play a RPG i want 100% control on what my party is doing . not i control the leader which by the way swiches up every 30 minuites and annoyed the living hell out of me and have my other 2 party members doing what they want. so what they have instead is this switch tactics mode which feels so very very very very very off and HORRABLE! i mean usaully i can get through a crappy combat system if the story is solid like FF8 i mean that combat system in that game sucked but the charicters and story are very well done and i could get past that . but after 7 hours of going WTF IS GOING ON!? i couldnt do it any more . i mean the charicters seemed like they might get intresting and they wernt badly voice acted at all but after 7 hours i just couldnt care any more .… Expand
  33. Ignatius_Reilly
    Jun 29, 2011
    4
    Final Fantasy is dead. This game is proof. It's a boring slog through one long corridor with little to no attention from the player. Everything is dumbed down to the point where an 8 year old could beat it with both hands tied behind their back. The storyline is needlessly complicated and just non sensical and all of the characters are insufferable. The creative well at Square Enix hasFinal Fantasy is dead. This game is proof. It's a boring slog through one long corridor with little to no attention from the player. Everything is dumbed down to the point where an 8 year old could beat it with both hands tied behind their back. The storyline is needlessly complicated and just non sensical and all of the characters are insufferable. The creative well at Square Enix has been dry for a long time and this game shows it. Long gone is Sakaguchi and all that is left is a bunch of amateurs drowning in a kiddie pool. This series has become a joke.… Expand
  34. Galbias
    Jun 20, 2011
    5
    While it still has the production values one would expect from an AAA game, Final Fantasy XIII ultimately fails in the "game" part. It nearly plays itself; much of the game is spent running down repetitive corridors with no element of choice involved, and the combat and customization are similarly one-dimensional. As per usual for the FF series the graphics are fantastic and soundtrackWhile it still has the production values one would expect from an AAA game, Final Fantasy XIII ultimately fails in the "game" part. It nearly plays itself; much of the game is spent running down repetitive corridors with no element of choice involved, and the combat and customization are similarly one-dimensional. As per usual for the FF series the graphics are fantastic and soundtrack is good, but they can't save a game that isn't any fun to play.… Expand
  35. Yoshinaruto
    Jun 9, 2011
    9
    I don't see how people don't like this. It has excellent characters, excellent game-play, and an excellent plot. The voice acting was wonderful and it is very challenging at some points. Looking for a challenging time killer? This is for you. Oh, and the graphics are also wonderful.
  36. Angeredsoul
    Jun 7, 2011
    3
    So finally picked this game up after waiting for it to drop in price after reading alot of reviews. I thought they might have been just final fantasy haters. But 6 hours in, and I am about ready to snap this disc in disgust. Annoying characters, terrible story, and so damn linear its not even funny. In fact I can't think of any point up till now where I've had to make a choice story wise.So finally picked this game up after waiting for it to drop in price after reading alot of reviews. I thought they might have been just final fantasy haters. But 6 hours in, and I am about ready to snap this disc in disgust. Annoying characters, terrible story, and so damn linear its not even funny. In fact I can't think of any point up till now where I've had to make a choice story wise. The combat isn't too bad and I like the system they have implemented, just a shame that everything else fails. Shame Square-Enix.… Expand
  37. Marc19
    Jun 4, 2011
    9
    This certainly isn't the best Final Fantasy, but it's not the worst either. I thought the game play was a tad oversimplified as others have mentioned (spam Auto-battle for pretty much 95% of the battles), but the graphics were very impressive and I personally thought the story was very good. The linearity didn't put me off very much because I tend to play Final Fantasies very linearlyThis certainly isn't the best Final Fantasy, but it's not the worst either. I thought the game play was a tad oversimplified as others have mentioned (spam Auto-battle for pretty much 95% of the battles), but the graphics were very impressive and I personally thought the story was very good. The linearity didn't put me off very much because I tend to play Final Fantasies very linearly during the first few hours anyway. Those who are giving the game anything less than a 5, if you played up to Chapter 11 I guarantee you that your opinion of the game would change. The last 3 Chapters really felt like a more nostalgic FF experience.… Expand
  38. DemonWithin
    Jun 3, 2011
    5
    Ok first off I am a HUGE RPG fan and Final Fantasy is one of my favorite series.But 13 let me down.The story was confusing the battle system is boring in my opinion and I don't really like any of the characters other than Lightning and Fang.The graphics are great but to me that doesn't make up for the game-play.I couldn't even finish this game I was so bored with it but after spending $60Ok first off I am a HUGE RPG fan and Final Fantasy is one of my favorite series.But 13 let me down.The story was confusing the battle system is boring in my opinion and I don't really like any of the characters other than Lightning and Fang.The graphics are great but to me that doesn't make up for the game-play.I couldn't even finish this game I was so bored with it but after spending $60 bucks I felt in titled to review it.It may be for some, I sure as hell wasn't one of them though.It's linear game play,I still can't get over that it's FF after all.I waited for this game since the first trailer and info was out,but it wasn't worth it.… Expand
  39. Jonttutan
    May 23, 2011
    10
    Purely Epicness! Gameplay is great, story is interesting, characters are memorable and graphics are AWESOME! So far best game what I have ever played. Yes I'm FF13 fanboy.
  40. Grrsawn
    May 23, 2011
    8
    People giving this a score of below 5 are **** you--this game deserves a 5 at least for the sheer beauty of it. The gameplay is fun and addicting, but the story and dialogue can be awful. It's your typical save the world game spun into a miserable melodrama. My biggest gripe is that such a vast an beautiful world cannot really be explored at all, and myself being a huge fan of XII, feelPeople giving this a score of below 5 are **** you--this game deserves a 5 at least for the sheer beauty of it. The gameplay is fun and addicting, but the story and dialogue can be awful. It's your typical save the world game spun into a miserable melodrama. My biggest gripe is that such a vast an beautiful world cannot really be explored at all, and myself being a huge fan of XII, feel this especially hard. A decent but oh so pretty and fun game.… Expand
  41. Tridus
    May 20, 2011
    4
    This game got high praise because of its name, and because it's got very shiny graphics. As a game, it fails. Player involvement is minimal, and uninteresting when it does actually need you. There's no exploration at all, and for most of the game not even a need to go any direction other then forward. As a corridor simulation it's great, though.
  42. GooGooguru
    May 18, 2011
    4
    Having Played Several FF games over the years i was deeply disappointed in this title, Bland uninteresting Story, Forgettable uninteresting characters, Unengaging Combat that practically plays the game for you.. color me unsatisfied
  43. Bunny
    May 14, 2011
    9
    This is the best Final Fantasy game I have played in years, since FFVIII in fact. I love the old FF games. I've played FFIV and FF VI over and over again and was hesitant to get into this 'new fangled' game, but I ended up loving it. I know there has been a lot of criticism of the linear format of the game, but I actually liked it, I thought it worked. Besides, there is plenty of roomThis is the best Final Fantasy game I have played in years, since FFVIII in fact. I love the old FF games. I've played FFIV and FF VI over and over again and was hesitant to get into this 'new fangled' game, but I ended up loving it. I know there has been a lot of criticism of the linear format of the game, but I actually liked it, I thought it worked. Besides, there is plenty of room for free, independent quests while completing the missions in Chapter 11.

    The characters are cool, the battle system is fun and interesting and as a whole the game is challenging. I really like that the lead character is female, Lightning is great, the best lead I've seen in a long time, my favourite FF female since Celes in FF VI!

    Looks wise this game is gorgeous and Masashi Hamauzu's fantastic soundtrack is haunting and memorable, I often found that the game's music was stuck in my head even when I wasn't playing the game.

    I wasn't crazy about the fact that there were no towns and I had to get used to the upgrading system and how hard it is to get gil, I sort of wished that your levelling up didn't completely stop with the crystarium, but those are small flaws. I liked the freedom of not having to cure after every battle like in some of the previous FF games that had the player so dependent on buying items.

    This game has restored my love for Final Fantasy and I can't wait for FF XIII-2    … Expand
  44. lightning101
    May 14, 2011
    5
    Not a game I would recommend to my friends or for people viewing this comment. They have good looking characters in it, I love Lightning, but the game is just not good enough. The story, character backgrounds, the ending, the sexual gasps being heard from Vanille is just bad. The trailer might be good but those are only the best parts of the game, the rest is just awful. And I am a fan ofNot a game I would recommend to my friends or for people viewing this comment. They have good looking characters in it, I love Lightning, but the game is just not good enough. The story, character backgrounds, the ending, the sexual gasps being heard from Vanille is just bad. The trailer might be good but those are only the best parts of the game, the rest is just awful. And I am a fan of this game, but it's just not good enough.… Expand
  45. takeoky
    May 14, 2011
    2
    The dream that Square ever has brought us, definitely it has over. There isn´t trace of the great components that que has make great games. Since we see a game play very rigid, sometimes the battles are funny, but there no more. Linear as a few, the game weary, bore and tire. The composition of the BSO is only his salvation of burn.
  46. theshonen8899
    May 13, 2011
    5
    You need to be aware of the following things before you buy this game. First, this is not like any other RPG you've played. That's not a good thing. It's extremely linear and you only get to wander around during one of the thirteen chapters. Second, the story and characters are extremely disappointing compared to well known Final Fantasy titles. The story is boggled and all over the placeYou need to be aware of the following things before you buy this game. First, this is not like any other RPG you've played. That's not a good thing. It's extremely linear and you only get to wander around during one of the thirteen chapters. Second, the story and characters are extremely disappointing compared to well known Final Fantasy titles. The story is boggled and all over the place and the characters act is alarmingly predictable and stereotypical ways. This is a first for a Final Fantasy chronicle title, as normally the characters are either extremely life-like as in Final Fantasy IV, VIII, and XII or they are simply silent and shallow like FFI, II, and III. They have rarely been blatantly annoying and forced into your face with cut-scene after cutscene. Third, the graphics and soundtrack and phenomenal. No video game has ever come close to creating as beautiful a setting as in FFXIII, and the soundtrack will keep you in euphoria, that is until Hope starts screaming about his mother or until Snow starts rambling about destiny and heroes or until Vanille and Fang share a lesbian moment. Play this game knowing that this is not going to be a Final Fantasy we will remember like IV, VI, VIII but as a FF you will forget but play because at the moment, there's really nothing else to play.… Expand
  47. DougBefell
    May 2, 2011
    5
    This could have been oh so much better. The graphics are astonishing. Backgrounds are truly pleasing to the eye, and you'll find yourself, even 50 hours in, just rotating the camera and taking in the sights. The battle system is good. Not fantastic, not what Square wanted, either (Battles of equivalent excitement to Advent Children), but it's really interesting for about 35 hours. (thisThis could have been oh so much better. The graphics are astonishing. Backgrounds are truly pleasing to the eye, and you'll find yourself, even 50 hours in, just rotating the camera and taking in the sights. The battle system is good. Not fantastic, not what Square wanted, either (Battles of equivalent excitement to Advent Children), but it's really interesting for about 35 hours. (this game has a ridiculously slow and tedious learning curve, not putting much trust in the player.) Unfortunately, you'll be spending at least half of your time with very unpleasant and unlikeable characters. All they do is whine, have irrational flashes of anger, and pout. During loading screens, a scroll tells you what the characters are feeling, and why they're acting so poorly. Ever hear of 'show, don't tell,' Square? Voice actors are OK, with the massive exception of Vanille, who spends the entire game making little gasps, grunts and sighs. It is embarrassing. I am serious. No matter the levity or gravity of a situation, Vanille's reaction will be some sort of awful giggle, or moan. The plot doesn't go anywhere for the first 30 hours of the game. It just meanders as the characters all slowly grow up and decide to act like decent human beings. Only Sasz and Fang act decently. Vanille probably does too, but it's impossible to get over the voice acting. The bosses, and villains of the game stink. They have paper-thin motivations, and are cackling 'mu ha ha ha' stereotypes. The various gameplay systems are not nearly deep enough for a game of this length, they are hideously dumbed down. But I keep coming back to the characters. I didn't want to spend even an hour with them, why would I want to spend 70? Square failed in every conceivable way with this plot. It bores us with its lack of direction. It annoys us with its self-pitying 'heroes' by circumstance only. You will spend half of your time with this game bored and annoyed. Worst of all, this doesn't feel like a Final Fantasy game, and I've never really felt that of one of the core titles before. There are chocobos.... The spell names and some item names are familiar... that's it.

    In the end, I played this game for two reasons: it was a graphical showcase for my new-to-me PS3. And I played it out of obligation, like many old Square fans. No more. Square has been living off the legacy of FFVI, Chrono Trigger, and FFVII for far too long. I've played exactly two Square games worth playing in the last decade (that wasn't a re-release): The World Ends With You, and Final Fantasy XII (and hey, they fired the director of that game). I'm done. Every Bioware game, or Shin Megami Tensei/Persona game, I've played has been better than all the Square games of the last decade combined. That's coming from someone for whom FFVI is still the best game ever, who used to be a giant Square fanboy. Don't reward Square's awful, juvenile, melodramatic, garbage storytelling with your money anymore. This game is not good. This game's story is a catastrophe.    … Expand
  48. GoldenDragon
    Apr 20, 2011
    8
    Not the greatest Final Fantasy by any means, but it is still great. The story is okay, not the best, but it fits the game world. The characters are good, but can be annoying at times. The gameplay is fast, fun, and addicting, and has extreme depth later on in the game. It is linear until you get to a certain point in the game (Then it opens up). The sound/music is good, but a bitNot the greatest Final Fantasy by any means, but it is still great. The story is okay, not the best, but it fits the game world. The characters are good, but can be annoying at times. The gameplay is fast, fun, and addicting, and has extreme depth later on in the game. It is linear until you get to a certain point in the game (Then it opens up). The sound/music is good, but a bit disappointing. The original Final Fantasy theme is not in the game, at all, which may throw some people off. Overall, the game is really good, but not the best Final Fantasy out there.… Expand
  49. MOGEnrique
    Apr 10, 2011
    4
    Final Fantasy XIII is probably one of the biggest disappointments of the 7th generation of gaming. Role-playing elements are inexistent, combat mechanics are anything but innovative, you need very little strategy and tougher enemies are beaten with the same formula you use with weaker ones. Its level design is simplistic and uninspiring. The story is cliche and boring, so as theFinal Fantasy XIII is probably one of the biggest disappointments of the 7th generation of gaming. Role-playing elements are inexistent, combat mechanics are anything but innovative, you need very little strategy and tougher enemies are beaten with the same formula you use with weaker ones. Its level design is simplistic and uninspiring. The story is cliche and boring, so as the characters. Everything is told with cutscenes making the player feel that there's a wall between him/her and the game world. In-game visuals are average at best and the soundtrack is forgettable. Square Enix's only purpose to make Final Fantasy XIII was to tell a story but forgot it was supposed to be a game.… Expand
  50. help_ma_boab
    Apr 1, 2011
    2
    Poor game. To call it a game is an insult to the modern video game. I played FFX and FFXII and loved them both. I'm not one of these anti-progress types who insists that games from 20 yrs ago are better. As I said, I loved FF XII and the main reason I bought the PS3 was this game. In the meantime I played Oblivion and thought 'this is amazing, just think how amazing the new FF could be!!'.Poor game. To call it a game is an insult to the modern video game. I played FFX and FFXII and loved them both. I'm not one of these anti-progress types who insists that games from 20 yrs ago are better. As I said, I loved FF XII and the main reason I bought the PS3 was this game. In the meantime I played Oblivion and thought 'this is amazing, just think how amazing the new FF could be!!'. It could have been amazing but it was terrible. It's basically a nice looking, barely interactive movie with a poor story. The player's input into this game is so limited. You follow the line on your mini map fighting utterly boring battles, just waiting for the next cut scene, waiting for the game to come alive. Never once did I give up hope that all the mundanity was a pre-cursor for an explosion of the usual FF charm, ingenuity, beauty (more than surface beauty), incredible story, characters. I had faith but I was horribly let down. This is nothing more than a badly acted soap opera. Awful.… Expand
  51. Mattaclysm
    Mar 29, 2011
    7
    FF13 is an average RPG put in an amazing environment. The graphics are hands down some of the best on consoles and the visuals are very nice in a lot of areas. Character models and people look good as well. What's ruined is that most areas are mainly narrow paths which I feel is a step back from FF12. Battle system is unique. Square has been trying to keep Final Fantasy's fresh ever sinceFF13 is an average RPG put in an amazing environment. The graphics are hands down some of the best on consoles and the visuals are very nice in a lot of areas. Character models and people look good as well. What's ruined is that most areas are mainly narrow paths which I feel is a step back from FF12. Battle system is unique. Square has been trying to keep Final Fantasy's fresh ever since 1 by adding new elements in every game and the Paradigm battle system is one of the worst idea's I think they've ever come up with. It becomes stressful and confusing mixing , matching and switching these to fight certain enemies, bosses and marks. What was wrong with the whole Attack Magic Item Defend style that they felt they needed to get rid of. The story isn't good. Though I don't think it's bad either. I had trouble getting into it for the first 15 hours or so which was about half of the game for me. I also was highly disappointed by the music it seemed like they used about 4 tracks in the whole game each had some form of rehash remix, which I felt got old after a while.
    I agree that Final Fantasy 13 is not as memorable as the older FF but it is the prettiest and probably one of the best looking games of this gen.    … Expand
  52. Diogenes4evr
    Mar 14, 2011
    7
    After 70 hours I really wanted to hate this game but I can't. It's a long way from perfect (other than graphically) the story needed some clarification and some more character development wouldn't have been a bad thing. The battle system while responsive was a bit oversimplified for every battle but the major bosses and the stats adding was far too linear. As I played though I grewAfter 70 hours I really wanted to hate this game but I can't. It's a long way from perfect (other than graphically) the story needed some clarification and some more character development wouldn't have been a bad thing. The battle system while responsive was a bit oversimplified for every battle but the major bosses and the stats adding was far too linear. As I played though I grew attached to the characters and the story does have merit the surroundings change although they have to considering the linearity. Not perfect but if you like JRPGs pick it up.… Expand
  53. onlyelisha
    Feb 28, 2011
    0
    The Final Fantasy series has been on a decline ever since the release of FFX. This is just another push in the wrong direction. Hopefully Versus XIII will be better.
  54. Deiradinn
    Feb 20, 2011
    9
    Okay, this isn't want everyone expected but several things you have to understand. It's not 1998 anymore, it's a completely new battle system. And if you were able to control all the players it wouldn't be the paradigm system at all. The linear storyline is to help newer fans know where to go, but the game isn't easy at all. You have to actually learn how to play and learn the system. IfOkay, this isn't want everyone expected but several things you have to understand. It's not 1998 anymore, it's a completely new battle system. And if you were able to control all the players it wouldn't be the paradigm system at all. The linear storyline is to help newer fans know where to go, but the game isn't easy at all. You have to actually learn how to play and learn the system. If you go through the game in a good pace, it plays out well. This game is linear yes, but all RPGs are just their sandboxed most of the time. In my initial playthrough, I raced through it, and I started resenting the game because how hard it got during gran pulse, the doom clocks, and if the main character dies it's game over. But you can start right back where you left off, don't have to reload a save and waste hours. Many long time RPG fans have to realize that games like FFVII, Chrono Trigger, and other classics are considered dated game dynamics now. Even the reviews for the remake of DQVI pointed that out. We RPGers have to evolve, and this game is nowhere near as bad as crazy RPG fans think it should always stay the same. I love turned based, controlling all characters too, and free exploring and more eastern elements but you can't just rip on a game because it's not just like your dear favorites. As a hard core expert RPGer for 15 years I can say this game is a well worth edition. Just learn how to stagger and save your party, and then the game will be much more enjoyable.… Expand
  55. JoeDowntown
    Feb 19, 2011
    10
    Most in depth battle system Ive ever seen in an RPG maybe any game. A game clearly driven by its narrative the 1up review the best Ive seen. Is it linear? Yes, but I believe it served a purpose the second best RPG behind Valkyria Chronicles for me.
  56. rave_rd
    Feb 15, 2011
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game was very much a mixed bag for me (thus the five)....most of the other reviews here have covered anything, but I'm going to add mine because maybe it'll help me feel a little bit better about the 50+ hours I just sunk in to this game. Did I enjoy the story? Yes (I can handle some melodrama, that's fine...and sure I can swallow some of the awkward writing). No surprise about the game being beautiful (and it really, really is, especially in HD). Then there's the gameplay: linear, linear, linear. Walk cutscene, fight, walk, fight, cutscene. Ok, this mean the story needs to keep me interested (and it did, I kept going).

    SPOILERS

    Then Orphan shows up. Death To All? Really? So if I don't have the right accessory then I have to rely on luck to not instantly die? REALLY? 50+ hours later and I'm screwed--I don't have the gil to buy things, and my saves are at the ending...so I guess I lose. Thanks FFXII.
    All I can say is make sure you read a walkthrough/guide, or expect to be really frustrated at the end.    … Expand
  57. Zorgly
    Feb 8, 2011
    6
    There is a lot to love and a lot to hate in this game. For starters the story in FF13 is absolutely pitiful. Nearly nothing is explained and the game insists on making you read these gigantic pamphlets on the back story that are just boring and destroy the pacing. The game play consists of walking down hallways (sometimes it can take up to 4 hours game time to get through a single hallway)There is a lot to love and a lot to hate in this game. For starters the story in FF13 is absolutely pitiful. Nearly nothing is explained and the game insists on making you read these gigantic pamphlets on the back story that are just boring and destroy the pacing. The game play consists of walking down hallways (sometimes it can take up to 4 hours game time to get through a single hallway) and then hopping into fights. The fighting is just as pathetic in that all you do is press the "Auto-Battle" button which does all the work for you. at this point you watch the same 2 animations over and over and over and over and over and over again. Tedious is the word that best describes both the gameplay and story. However, this game still will not receive a failing mark from me. why? Art Direction. This game is strikingly, unbelievably beautiful. I forced myself to endure through all the pathetic fights, brainless dislikeable character's, long winded dialogue, and tourist pamphlets simply because I wanted to see what world I would have the pleasure of walking through next. Giant glacial walls stretching miles above you, vast green fields covered in fascinating creatures, crazy futuristic amusement parks. It's all awesome, and it is the single reason I made it through the whole game. To the casual gamer, I simply cannot recommend this. It's to tedious, to confusing, and to slowly paced. An art connoisseur like myself however still found alot of beauty and value in this game. Even with its overwhelming amount of shortcomings. I dream of a day when art directors from Square Enix go and join rockstar games or something, and make an open world masterpiece in a fantasy world like this.… Expand
  58. JHango
    Jan 28, 2011
    1
    I feel exactly the same way like Igndsgn
    Final Fantasy has lost they soul. The last good Final Fantasy was FF9, and FF8 was a total crap, a little better them this ridiculous FF13.
  59. FD3355
    Jan 23, 2011
    10
    Final Fantasy XIII takes awhile to get the ball rolling but once you get in there's no coming back. The graphics are beautiful but that was almost a granted with this game, the battle system also takes a road somewhere between tradition FFX or FFVII battles and FFXII's complete departure. At first the game may seem simplistic but don't let that full you, I found it (in terms of pureFinal Fantasy XIII takes awhile to get the ball rolling but once you get in there's no coming back. The graphics are beautiful but that was almost a granted with this game, the battle system also takes a road somewhere between tradition FFX or FFVII battles and FFXII's complete departure. At first the game may seem simplistic but don't let that full you, I found it (in terms of pure enemy strength) to be the hardest in the series. However it is the least punishing as well, and deaths won't set you back to your last save point but right before the battle. The game walks you down a linear path in the beginning, but this helps more then it constricts. It lets you focus on becoming a master of the battle system before your thrown to the hellishly difficult open world where you'll die again, and again, and again. The story is certainly not the best in the series but it is still interesting with plenty of twists to keep you interested, also there is a ton of life in the game, enemy life mostly, but the world will always feel alive in some way. Finally I must state that I was disparaged with other reviews that criticize this game from departing from series trademarks like towns and airships. This new focus is more easy, all shopping is done through save points and teleporting around the world of Pulse means you'll never find yourself walking for 15 minutes just to get where you need to go. This is a bold step in the right direction for the series and Square Enix is best to ignore the detractors when making 13-2.… Expand
  60. SalarymanDaishi
    Jan 22, 2011
    5
    A grand journey like any Final Fantasy should be, sadly trimmed down to just bare essentials: flashy cutscenes and combat. As fine as both of them are, quite a bit of what makes an enthralling JRPG has been culled as well and the result is a linear and vapid ordeal of preciously little else than running and fighting for 50 hours. Sure, the story and the characters weren't bad at all butA grand journey like any Final Fantasy should be, sadly trimmed down to just bare essentials: flashy cutscenes and combat. As fine as both of them are, quite a bit of what makes an enthralling JRPG has been culled as well and the result is a linear and vapid ordeal of preciously little else than running and fighting for 50 hours. Sure, the story and the characters weren't bad at all but overall, the game is worthy of just one gigantic, heartfelt meh. Not because it wasn't what some of us stubborn FF purists wanted it to be but because it's not even a particularly memorable representative of its genre. Not exactly bad or good. Just... Meh.… Expand
  61. Vanbir
    Jan 16, 2011
    0
    Seriously one of the worst games I have ever played. Why would anyone want to play a game that involves pushing 1 button. On top of that the story line is very weak. Don't waste your money.
  62. austinbond
    Jan 15, 2011
    6
    A lot of the characters are unlikable, the game is incredibly linear and it is short for a Final Fantasy game. The combat is the best part of the game and the music is still beautiful, but I'm not going to say the game is great because of the graphics, as there are glaring holes in the gameplay department, and I only care about gameplay.
  63. nmaxw63
    Jan 14, 2011
    4
    What a waste of money. Only a FF fanboy could like this drivel.
    Amazing graphics. Silly story. Mindless combat (kept waiting 4 combat 2 get interesting). Annoying cliched characters. Good voice acting.
    Worst rpg in long time. Dragon Age is way better. Hell, Eternal Sonata is better (combat has element of strategy).
  64. Albyproulx
    Jan 9, 2011
    7
    By far the worst Final Fantasy game. It was still decent, but anything with the name Final Fantasy attached has built up certain expectations. I feel that the franchise is losing its luster with each release. This game was so linear it's ridiculous. As a player I felt like I was just running from battle to battle, cut scene to cut scene. The story was interesting, but the game playBy far the worst Final Fantasy game. It was still decent, but anything with the name Final Fantasy attached has built up certain expectations. I feel that the franchise is losing its luster with each release. This game was so linear it's ridiculous. As a player I felt like I was just running from battle to battle, cut scene to cut scene. The story was interesting, but the game play has no depth. The visuals are very nice, but there is not much beyond that.… Expand
  65. Goldheart
    Jan 8, 2011
    10
    When I bought my Playstation 3, just a few weeks ago, I knew right away that my first game would be Final Fantasy XIII, in spite of all the criticisim from critics and fans. For the first 5 hours, the game, if not for the beautiful cutscenes and story, was for me quite boring and tedious. However, once I started to be given more Paradigms, which is the basis of the ATB battle system,When I bought my Playstation 3, just a few weeks ago, I knew right away that my first game would be Final Fantasy XIII, in spite of all the criticisim from critics and fans. For the first 5 hours, the game, if not for the beautiful cutscenes and story, was for me quite boring and tedious. However, once I started to be given more Paradigms, which is the basis of the ATB battle system, battles became more fun and less tedious. After the 10 or 15 hour mark, I was thoroughly enjoying each battle, as each battle was different from the last. I rarely had, early in the game, to do any grinding to continue through the game, but in Chapter 10, the game suddenly became excruciantingly difficult, and I had to do hours of tedious grinding to handle a the chapter's second Boss Battle. After that, the game went back to its usual fun and engaging self. Putting that aside, the story in Final Fantasy XIII is great. It is wonderfully crafted and was almost (but not quite) in the level of the Metal Gear Series in terms os storytelling. I found all the Playable Characters great and engaging. I know that most people complain about Vanille's personality and voice, but I actually found her to be the most likable character in the game, and from the very moment she began to talk she made me smile. Lightning, Snow, Hope and Sazh were great characters, and their voice actors were excellent. Fang herself is also perhaps the second most charismatic character of the cast. As for the Secondary Characters, I was very dissappointed for the lack of development they were given, especially Cid Rains and Galenth Dysley. In graphics, I think its the best game yet. The enviroments, cutscenes and especially the character models, are beautiful and detailed. The characters themselves look extremelly realistic, even in cutscenes with the in-game engine. The only moment in which I found the graphics a little bland was in the Vile Peaks, where I saw many low resolution enviroments and objects. The rest of the areas were amazing, especially the "Lake Bresha", "Palamecia", "Eden" and "Nautilus". The soundtrack is great, but not the best in the series. I think it should have been more orchestral and less eletronic, and a few of the tracks became too repetitive for my taste. The best songs for mewere "Fighting Fate", "Born Anew" and "Fang's Theme". The voice acting was excellent all around, although on a few, small ocasions, the lips movements were not according to the words said. The battle system is most of the time fun, and it's both fast paced and strategic. The game is, until Chapter 11, very linear, but I didn't find it as extremelly linear as some critics said, and I think that the linearity can be excused thanks to the fun that the battle system gives. Also, about the lack of towns, well, I wasn't so annoyed at this after I realised that there were towns, just without NPCs and Shops, and that they were fun to see and explore. In conclusion, Final Fantasy XIII is a great, fun, beautiful game, with just a few small flaws that, thankfully, don't ruin the experience. I don't think it's the best of the series, in fact, I think that Final Fantasy XII was a lot better, but it is still excellent andnot nearly as bad as some critics said.… Expand
  66. XuDavella
    Jan 4, 2011
    5
    Didn't like the idea that the entire game was all about fighting and pretty much nothing else to do on the side that didn't have something to do with fighting. You hear people talking about how it takes like 10 hours before you get to the part of the game that you can really appreciate....and that would have worked 20 years ago when people were living at a slower pace, but this is the 21stDidn't like the idea that the entire game was all about fighting and pretty much nothing else to do on the side that didn't have something to do with fighting. You hear people talking about how it takes like 10 hours before you get to the part of the game that you can really appreciate....and that would have worked 20 years ago when people were living at a slower pace, but this is the 21st century. I know I'm taking this out of proportion, but if I want to learn how to do something, I would like to learn how to do that quickly, not have to take a gradual step - lots of fighting and then another small step. Now I'm not saying the fighting is bad, in fact it really is kind of impressive - oh wait, all I have to do is set the damn thing on autopilot and it does it all for me! Now that's 21st century right there. *sigh* So the review is not 'all' bad. The graphics are to die for, and the story line will echo in my mind for a long time. It was musically heart warming and the relationships between the characters developed very very nicely. Oh and the weapon upgrade system was retarded.… Expand
  67. jonathanM21
    Jan 3, 2011
    1
    Se claims the disappointment with this game is western audiences expecting open worlds. In truth this is a bad game even for JrPG and FF fans. So linear, confusing and boring story, battles that require you only to monitor classes if you wish, horrible characters...its all so bad. I want to love it but I can't . Skip this.
  68. hero43xx
    Dec 30, 2010
    10
    Perfect. The graphics were completely amazing, the battle system was just the way it was like before, storyline shocked me significantly through many changes, and it should be in part of Game of the Year. Not only that, I think the linear nature of the gameplay is still fine because although it wasn't challenge, it did make the gameplay more easier in my opinion and allows players toPerfect. The graphics were completely amazing, the battle system was just the way it was like before, storyline shocked me significantly through many changes, and it should be in part of Game of the Year. Not only that, I think the linear nature of the gameplay is still fine because although it wasn't challenge, it did make the gameplay more easier in my opinion and allows players to concentrate their battles on bosses more than the dungeon itself. That way, people can fight along the way than to just ignore them and get beaten… Expand
  69. bjsteel
    Dec 13, 2010
    8
    As you'd expect, FFXIII offers a significant amount of tactical depth as well as being stunningly beautiful. The linear game play however, limits the enjoyment the gamer can have. As fans of the series know, some of the best parts of these game are seeking out side-quests and EXP grinding off the beaten track. This is strictly limited until the later parts of the game. If this was not a FFAs you'd expect, FFXIII offers a significant amount of tactical depth as well as being stunningly beautiful. The linear game play however, limits the enjoyment the gamer can have. As fans of the series know, some of the best parts of these game are seeking out side-quests and EXP grinding off the beaten track. This is strictly limited until the later parts of the game. If this was not a FF game i would probably rate it higher, but as it is, I have very high expectations which were not met.… Expand
  70. jaga420
    Dec 4, 2010
    5
    I absolutely loved the graphics and the gameplay.
    The story was detestable at best. It has a good base but it has way too many cheesy moments and doesn't make much sense unless you read all the data logs. It only had one cutscene that wasn't cheesy and had meaning (with Sazh and Vanille just before he gets his summon)
    The music was great and went well with the battles and environment, but    I absolutely loved the graphics and the gameplay.
    The story was detestable at best. It has a good base but it has way too many cheesy moments and doesn't make much sense unless you read all the data logs. It only had one cutscene that wasn't cheesy and had meaning (with Sazh and Vanille just before he gets his summon)
    The music was great and went well with the battles and environment, but I miss Uematsu's work
    The game was linear, but so was God of War.
    The voices are the worst part. Vanille's is the worst of the worst, with many of her sound effects sounding more like orgasms than pain. I would have liked an option of changing the voices to the japanese versions and having english subtitles.
    Overall, a huge disappointment but still worth a rent.    … Expand
  71. Chronolp5
    Dec 3, 2010
    9
    Although, Final Fantasy XIII feels different from past entries in the series, it couldn't have existed without all the hard work Square Enix has put into the twelve titles before it. The battle system is the product of years of experimentation, innovation, and refinement. The game world is part of a fairly consistent vision that Square Enix has been developing with each new installment.Although, Final Fantasy XIII feels different from past entries in the series, it couldn't have existed without all the hard work Square Enix has put into the twelve titles before it. The battle system is the product of years of experimentation, innovation, and refinement. The game world is part of a fairly consistent vision that Square Enix has been developing with each new installment.

    Finally, all of the streamlined and convenient game design choices have been the result of honest reflection and recognition that certain design choices from past JRPGs no longer work. Thus, Final Fantasy XIII is the product of past JRPGs, as well as, a wonderful evolution of the genre. Most importantly, Square Enix's latest JRPG epic proudly continues the series' tradition of being an RPG that offers engrossing combat systems and unforgettable adventures. Simply put, Final Fantasy XIII shouldn't be missed.    … Expand
  72. ClawsOfSteel89
    Nov 24, 2010
    8
    Shame most people will attack a game for trying something new, and before I go on to say what I like or hate about this game, a little back story.

    I anticipated this game since the release of Final Fantasy XII (A title in the series I place above VII and ranked with VI as a definite must own), after the release date was pushed back for the umpteenth time, I was ready to give up on the    Shame most people will attack a game for trying something new, and before I go on to say what I like or hate about this game, a little back story.

    I anticipated this game since the release of Final Fantasy XII (A title in the series I place above VII and ranked with VI as a definite must own), after the release date was pushed back for the umpteenth time, I was ready to give up on the game. And then, the date was set, Final Fantasy XIII was finally slated to come out, and I couldn't wait to find out how great it would be. Well, after getting about 95% through the game and putting it on hold (a nasty habit I will admit to) I will say in confidence that I was mostly pleased with the final product.

    The first thing anyone should notice is the obvious production value, the game is quite possibly one of the best looking games ever made. Everything is alive and gorgeous, and there are few instances of clipping (Except for Sazh's hair). The music, while not as emotionally impacting as the previous titles, nor as appropriate or fitting, was clearly of high quality, and some of it was enjoyable to listen to. The story was about as confusing as any other RPG: hard to follow at first, but easier to understand as you went along. The game play, which is exemplified by the battle system, was surprisingly solid, and requires more strategy the further along you get into it, although I will admit it was initially simple and held your hand, but what game doesn't do this these days? (I mean, besides Demon's Souls)

    Thank god for what few side quests this game has, I don't need stupid, unpolished side quests like the ones in 7-12 to distract me and artificially inject hours into the experience. And when they finally do give you the side quests, you are well past the half-way point, thank god they're all battle related (unless you really want to count chocobos) and actually enjoyable (not ungodly cryptic searches like 12 had.

    By the time I had "finished" this game, I had gotten what I could out of it. To start, yes, the game is linear, but I hate open worlds because, as a perfectionist, they discourage me from following a linear focus and instead, attempt to goad me into wasting untold hours collecting crap I only want because I want everything (i.e. Fallout 3). If you look at it closely, the earlier FF titles forced a sense of linearity by placing monsters too hard to defeat in certain areas of the game, or making side quests impossible, so the accusation of this game's linearity is really moot. The battle system is actually based around the timing of role changes, so the whole press X to win argument becomes completely invalid in the latter half of the game (although, I will admit to giving the game it's score of 8 for the very fact that I felt babied through the first half, but at least I had the awesome characters to enjoy). The music was not as epic or grandiose as XII's, considering that they were both composed without any hands-on contribution from Uematsu. I would question the inclusion of Leona Lewis' music for the main theme, if it weren't for the fact that, for what I've heard, it is about as identical to the Japanese version in theme and quality. By the way, the voice acting doesn't really suck in any way, shape, or form, I knew exactly what they were going for, and they hit their mark pretty well. I will say that the regional dialectal choices made for the voices in XII were superior in that they created a more varied and interesting world.

    At the end of the day, this game succeeds on presentation and game play, which are really the only two things you need for a game to be good. I wish it had more challenge to its early portions, but end result is, this game has meat on its bones after all, and I hope to see the result of Versus XIII (hopefully they will give me more story on the world of Cocoon than even the original did).    … Expand
  73. DaraReviews
    Nov 3, 2010
    8
    First linear then comes to a beautiful word of over world space. The story is extremely great on this game, it feels like it took them alot of time on the story as well as the voice's. This was my first final fantasy game and i love it. I think a 8.5 describes this game.
  74. Tubie
    Oct 23, 2010
    9
    This game has me split into two. One part of me hates the corny story and mostly lame cast. The other part of me is addicted to the combat mechanics of the game and is only thinking about getting that platinum trophy. I think the combat is good enough for me to forget the lame story and just enjoy the game when I can. Oh and by the way this game looks insanely amazing, I still don't knowThis game has me split into two. One part of me hates the corny story and mostly lame cast. The other part of me is addicted to the combat mechanics of the game and is only thinking about getting that platinum trophy. I think the combat is good enough for me to forget the lame story and just enjoy the game when I can. Oh and by the way this game looks insanely amazing, I still don't know how they pulled this graphics on a PS3, you would need a massive PC to replicate them.… Expand
  75. PlutoniumTiger
    Oct 23, 2010
    3
    You know I can understand why some people would see the Environmental linearity as a plus; it keeps the action rollicking along at a fair pace. Okay. Sure, I can accept that. But what I most certainly do not understand is how anyone could not take issue with (perhaps their Zombies?) the phased linearity of the character progression. No sane person would enjoy constantly using the same 3You know I can understand why some people would see the Environmental linearity as a plus; it keeps the action rollicking along at a fair pace. Okay. Sure, I can accept that. But what I most certainly do not understand is how anyone could not take issue with (perhaps their Zombies?) the phased linearity of the character progression. No sane person would enjoy constantly using the same 3 skills for hours.… Expand
  76. prevbean
    Oct 15, 2010
    0
    This game sucks linear boring levels, garbage characters except for the **** he was funny.
    Weeabo wana be slants will only like this game. egggggggggggggggggggggg eggggggggggggg
  77. TobiasG
    Oct 5, 2010
    9
    Final Fantasy is a great game that is both rich in graphics and gameplay. My only flaw is that the game can appear a bit boring for some, but it can be easily avoided if you stay away from long grinding sessions. I would happily recommend this game to anyone.
  78. VengeanceUK
    Sep 21, 2010
    9
    Its a beautiful game, but it fails in the aspect that it is too linear and it still does not beat FFVII for story and variety. The battle system, while no doubt some will love it and some will hate it, i was disappointed by it. These flaws are i can only give it a 9
  79. snowmann
    Sep 13, 2010
    10
    I got this the same day i got god of war 3 and i kid you not after playing the two, it took me 2 weeks to go back and play the GOW3. it is that good. A lot of people say the game is "linear" all because they are too used to running around like headless chickens for hours in free roaming games. honestly i think this game was brilliantly made so that if your the type of person thats in aI got this the same day i got god of war 3 and i kid you not after playing the two, it took me 2 weeks to go back and play the GOW3. it is that good. A lot of people say the game is "linear" all because they are too used to running around like headless chickens for hours in free roaming games. honestly i think this game was brilliantly made so that if your the type of person thats in a hurry you can play through the the in 25 hours flat and move to something else. Then if you want to do all the sides missions all you have to do is turn around and take care of it. its that simple.
    if you ask me.. I'd say whats the point going into areas where the bad guys will kill with one swipe at the start of the game? its not the regular cliche of boy meets girl, love and unicorns no. Its deeper than that.
    And the battle system keeps you on your toes every second. If you thought Final fantasy X-2 was fast your in for a huge surprise.this game moves at a blistering pace. when i see games like fallout 3 rated at 90 and this beauty of a game given a measly 83 i'm crushed. Where have the real gamers gone..    … Expand
  80. Hikaru
    Sep 13, 2010
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Well... all I can say for FF13 is WOW.
    Good and bad, i found no in between here. All the good was amazing, the bad was... horrible.
    The story-line and most of the fighting styles were great, and put a new edge to the Final Fantasy series. Unfortunately, while the story and graphics were amazing, the fighting was great, I simply could not get my head around some of the changes from the old final fantasy elements.
    Turning summons into (for lack of a better word) mounts was ridiculous, and many boss fights were just pointless. Unless you were a longtime FF fan and knew how to defeat certain types of enemies, the only way to defeat some enemies was grinding levels and hoping for the best.
    While i HAD to play it because of it being part of the FF series, I would not suggest this game to anyone looking for a reminder of past Final Fantasies.    … Expand
  81. BDeyo01
    Sep 12, 2010
    7
    If you're looking for a good story, comparable to any of the previous FF's, you will not find it here. However, the Battle System is great. But that's all I find enjoyable about this game. I am very turned off by the direction the franchise is going, and I have pooled a lot of money into merchandise, video games, guides, and time, based on the franchise. This game has left a very sourIf you're looking for a good story, comparable to any of the previous FF's, you will not find it here. However, the Battle System is great. But that's all I find enjoyable about this game. I am very turned off by the direction the franchise is going, and I have pooled a lot of money into merchandise, video games, guides, and time, based on the franchise. This game has left a very sour taste in my mouth and I wish I had waited for the reviews to come out. As a stand-alone game, if you remove the intellectual property and give it a randomized name, then it just turns out to be a linear RPG with no ground breaking leveling or character improvement systems. Just about the only interesting / fun aspect of the game is the battle's. In the past, I have also ended up purchasing the sound tracks to the game, for nostalgia's sake, but I will not be doing so with this game as I am not impressed by the soundtrack either. At this time, Amazon is selling this game for $20 - well worth it, in my opinion, if you just need to feed your RPG appetite for the time being. However, Final Fantasy die-hards beware, this game has a high probability of disappointing.… Expand
  82. Valipex
    Aug 30, 2010
    5
    Well I wouldn't say that the game was THAT BAD but it could have been SO MUCH BETTER. VERY disappointing as a FF game.

    I mean, I haven't bought the game but I've watched the entire thing on Youtube and from what I've seen, there wasn't really much to do other than walking around and fighting monsters...Not much room for exploration at all dude. I DID enjoy the characters. All of them in    Well I wouldn't say that the game was THAT BAD but it could have been SO MUCH BETTER. VERY disappointing as a FF game.

    I mean, I haven't bought the game but I've watched the entire thing on Youtube and from what I've seen, there wasn't really much to do other than walking around and fighting monsters...Not much room for exploration at all dude. I DID enjoy the characters. All of them in fact, but some of them could have used some more time to develop ( i.e. Serah, Snow and Vanille ). And many aspects of the story still don't make sense to me ( AND I've read the novels )

    The graphics were pretty tight though and unlike many people I really like that SE tried to go all futuristic with the series! Nothing wrong with trying new things! But you gotta succeed in doing so....    … Expand
  83. VeryCutePanda
    Aug 29, 2010
    9
    Fans will continue to debate but I think the 13th installment of Final Fantasy is a delightful experience. As long as Square Enix are willing to try something new, I will give them a fair chance. Sure, the linear gameplay, uninspiring plot and the lack of interaction between the characters and the environment doesn't provide a fulfilling gaming experience, one cannot deny that it's easilyFans will continue to debate but I think the 13th installment of Final Fantasy is a delightful experience. As long as Square Enix are willing to try something new, I will give them a fair chance. Sure, the linear gameplay, uninspiring plot and the lack of interaction between the characters and the environment doesn't provide a fulfilling gaming experience, one cannot deny that it's easily the best gameplay in the series. The breathtaking graphics that vows me make forget the lack depth design interaction wise and some characters are memorable (sort of), the score provided is also an improvement from the previous installment. In some ways this game can easily be criticized for not following its roots, but as long as try and make it a fresh experience, it's a risk worth taking, hopefully they can improve themselves after this.… Expand
  84. Iqbal
    Aug 24, 2010
    6
    Shocked. The wait was not worth it. As someone who plays Final Fantasy for only the story telling aspect i was shocked to see such an unnecessarily complicated plot that it took away all meaning from the game. As an old school Final Fantasy player i was bitterly disapointed to find out the lead is not a blond haired male. Infact there were no traditional character roles at all. NoShocked. The wait was not worth it. As someone who plays Final Fantasy for only the story telling aspect i was shocked to see such an unnecessarily complicated plot that it took away all meaning from the game. As an old school Final Fantasy player i was bitterly disapointed to find out the lead is not a blond haired male. Infact there were no traditional character roles at all. No summoner, no black magic specialist etc. What a disapointment.… Expand
  85. lgndsgn
    Aug 24, 2010
    4
    Before buying FF13 I knew of two crushing facts about it - no overworld map/controllable airship and extremely linear gameplay. One of the main reasons I bought a PS3 was for this game, so even after learning of the disappointments I still gave it a try. Now I've been an rpg fan for a long time. Playing through Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy 6, and Secret of Mana were some of the mostBefore buying FF13 I knew of two crushing facts about it - no overworld map/controllable airship and extremely linear gameplay. One of the main reasons I bought a PS3 was for this game, so even after learning of the disappointments I still gave it a try. Now I've been an rpg fan for a long time. Playing through Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy 6, and Secret of Mana were some of the most memorable expereices I've had. These games have a certain charm, a certain soul, that I believe Square has lost. Indeed, the brilliant minds behind these games are no longer working together (Sakaguchi, Amano, Uematsu, etc.). FF6 I believe was the pinacle, with my enjoyment declining with each subsequent release. There's something quite endearing about the old overhead-view and world maps. You're able to take it all in, your imagination turns, and you feel a real sense of the universe that's being portrayed. But now because of cut-scenes, fixed viewpoints or locations, and flashy graphics we're given a much more controlled and limited environment. With that said, I did enjoy FF7 and I wish they would have stuck with that format at least. I honestly cannot comprehend how they thought taking away a free-roaming world and airship travel would be received well by fans. Actually, I'm sure they realized it wouldn't be, but instead did not care and opted to appeal to a newer generation, thus making more money. Overall, this Final Fantasy is not for me, and I am ok with that. But it is a shame that the days of Final Fantasy as I knew it are gone.

    Ok, as far as FF13 goes... after 15 hours of playing I have completely lost interest. The story is the only reason I played this far, though at this point I feel as though I understand it enough to not continue with it. The major things that prevent me from finishing are the core gameplay (as I mentioned earlier) and the characters. The characters have stupid names. There I said it. Vanille, Snow, Lightning... Anyone of those is fine by itself but all 3 together? They act too childish. And with all their action, vibrancy of colors, their whining and shouting, I am somehow still left with a vapid taste in my mouth; not to mention how annoying some of the voices are. Most everything about this game comes off as way too contrived. Another thing that has not sat well with me since it was introduced are fight scenes, or cut-scenes in general. This is just a way of making the game more presentable and easier to consume by the masses, who by and large appreciate this and find it entertaining. I do not. I am not a huge movie/television fan to begin with so it does not appeal to me in the least. Maybe a few cut-scenes here and there are fine (like with FF7), but when it's done as much as it is in FF13 you feel as though you're playing an interactive movie, and in an essence that is really what it has become. So if you are new to Final Fantasy, I urge to to take a look at the older ones (or older Squaresoft games like Chrono Trigger or Secret of Mana), and try to have some patience and imagination and I am sure you will find a much more rewarding experience.    … Expand
  86. Seraphy
    Aug 16, 2010
    4
    Gamepro descriped this game best: "a long hallway toward an orange target symbol on your mini-map that triggers a cutscene, a boss fight, or both. Frankly for the first six chapters I thought this game had longest tutorial ever, with total lack of towns, exploration or people to talk to. In short anything fun. There are some good points in the game of course. Story isn't horrible, it isn'tGamepro descriped this game best: "a long hallway toward an orange target symbol on your mini-map that triggers a cutscene, a boss fight, or both. Frankly for the first six chapters I thought this game had longest tutorial ever, with total lack of towns, exploration or people to talk to. In short anything fun. There are some good points in the game of course. Story isn't horrible, it isn't anything to write home about either, and combat is much improved, however all together game is just bad even with all the improvements. If you want to play final fantasy I suggest you play any other number from I-XII, they are all better than this one.… Expand
  87. JoshB
    Apr 26, 2010
    3
    Do you want to see what Final Fantasy would be if it was one of the most frustrating, boring, and underachieving games of all time. Look no further than Final Fantasy XIII. Sure the graphics are fantastic but that does not mean squat if you change everything else about the franchise that is great and make it all inferior. Thank you for ruining Final Fantasy and making me waste my money on Do you want to see what Final Fantasy would be if it was one of the most frustrating, boring, and underachieving games of all time. Look no further than Final Fantasy XIII. Sure the graphics are fantastic but that does not mean squat if you change everything else about the franchise that is great and make it all inferior. Thank you for ruining Final Fantasy and making me waste my money on what I thought was going to be a quality product. Opening up the exploration at Chapter 11 is pathetic and I am just glad I could sell this back before I waste any more time getting to that point.… Expand
  88. JamesB.
    Apr 20, 2010
    9
    This game is gorgeous, fun, inventive, and really is the best RPG series ever. Though, the only thing that confused me was the fact there was no multiplayer. the AI is good and all, but i would have liked to add in at least one friend to help me, but its just a small problem. i havnt played the entire thing, and i will do another review to overview the entire thing, i just think there This game is gorgeous, fun, inventive, and really is the best RPG series ever. Though, the only thing that confused me was the fact there was no multiplayer. the AI is good and all, but i would have liked to add in at least one friend to help me, but its just a small problem. i havnt played the entire thing, and i will do another review to overview the entire thing, i just think there should be a multiplayer, see u guys later in another review.… Expand
  89. NateS.
    Apr 20, 2010
    9
    Square Enix has taken a novel new approach to the design of their latest RPG. I've found that although the beginning of the game follows a linear path, the battle system has been redesigned, and there aren't the typical towns found in prior releases, the game is extremely fun and vastly different from other RPGs I've played in the past. My only complaint is that the game is Square Enix has taken a novel new approach to the design of their latest RPG. I've found that although the beginning of the game follows a linear path, the battle system has been redesigned, and there aren't the typical towns found in prior releases, the game is extremely fun and vastly different from other RPGs I've played in the past. My only complaint is that the game is slow to transition complete control to the player in battles, probably to entice people new to the genre.… Expand
  90. MarcusB.
    Apr 16, 2010
    3
    Notice that in Gaming Ages's Review they gave it 100, but none of it was about the gameplay Ok the graphics were great, and the normal battle theme was awesome. That's it, that's where i my praise ends for this game. They tried their best to cover up cliche character choices. I'm gonna compare it to the Tales of Series, partly because Tales of is good and also because Notice that in Gaming Ages's Review they gave it 100, but none of it was about the gameplay Ok the graphics were great, and the normal battle theme was awesome. That's it, that's where i my praise ends for this game. They tried their best to cover up cliche character choices. I'm gonna compare it to the Tales of Series, partly because Tales of is good and also because it is nearly diametrically opposed to every FF has. In Tales of they use many character cliches that FF has, but they do interesting things with the cliches, not cover them up. Pre-emptive Strick completely broke the battle system in most cases. This game got as close to being the Real time battle system as possible without being the same. When i heard about Final Fantasy having a real time battle system i was genuinely hyped, it ment i could start enjoying those graphics as i "controlled" the character instead of just issuing orders. But it turned out it was just the ATB system with a real time element. i.e ATB but you run over to hit them... I lost all hope in this game, ATB system ment i had to wait even more to attack and why the f*ck can't i start queuing my next attacks while i'm doing my current attack. The menu also decides to wait a menacing second each time i open something to fade it in or move it over to the middle. Tales of's menus left me mastering them so much i could fully change all the skills my characters were using and completely change are strategy we used in 20 seconds. Why can't i change the abilities my teammates use, i really hated it when my npc's would use magic phys attacks with magic attacks when the enemy has phys resist... STOP FOCUSING ON GRAPHICS PLEASE. PLEASE. I BEG OF YOU.… Expand
  91. Myst
    Apr 16, 2010
    10
    It may not be a 10, but I can't bring myself to give it a 9. Beautiful look, fast pace fun battle, interesting story line. I haven't played that many FF games, but this has to be a benchmark in the FF series.
  92. Matt
    Apr 15, 2010
    5
    Good visuals. Annoying battle system. Not being able to move your AI characters out of aoe attacks cripple the battle system. A fight that should be easy can turn into a disaster if the AI places characters to close to the enemy. Convoluted story. Annoying characters. Tedious battles. Crappy weapon customization/progression. I finished it only because I felt like I had to because Good visuals. Annoying battle system. Not being able to move your AI characters out of aoe attacks cripple the battle system. A fight that should be easy can turn into a disaster if the AI places characters to close to the enemy. Convoluted story. Annoying characters. Tedious battles. Crappy weapon customization/progression. I finished it only because I felt like I had to because it's a FF game.… Expand
  93. G1
    Apr 13, 2010
    1
    It's sad to see how far the genre has fallen. To think that over 10 years ago, in FF7, you had romance minigames and a worldmap, and now I have a single corridor to run down and grind through monsters.The entire game is an on-rails collection of fights followed by cutscenes where one character is feeling emo/depressed, and the other (usually younger) gives them a pep talk. Character It's sad to see how far the genre has fallen. To think that over 10 years ago, in FF7, you had romance minigames and a worldmap, and now I have a single corridor to run down and grind through monsters.The entire game is an on-rails collection of fights followed by cutscenes where one character is feeling emo/depressed, and the other (usually younger) gives them a pep talk. Character gets depressed/angry, then broods throughout most of the level, and finally a pep talk at the end of the level.The story, dialogue, and characters are like a bad anime.… Expand
  94. Joseph
    Apr 12, 2010
    7
    I've been playing Final Fantasy since the original NES release 23 years ago, and while FF13 was great in moments, I found the overall presentation fell flat on its face. The good points: The production values (as is expected from SE) were extremely high, the graphics were gorgeous particularly the cutscenes. The battle system was pretty solid but it took entirely too long for it to I've been playing Final Fantasy since the original NES release 23 years ago, and while FF13 was great in moments, I found the overall presentation fell flat on its face. The good points: The production values (as is expected from SE) were extremely high, the graphics were gorgeous particularly the cutscenes. The battle system was pretty solid but it took entirely too long for it to get fleshed out and no, I'm not just complaining because I can't let go of the older system. I liked how things were generally streamlined actually. I liked the personalities of the characters, and the voice acting wasn't terrible but... well that leads me to the bad: The story was terrible. Not only was the story bad, but the pacing of it absolutely killed the momentum of the game. I can think of several FF titles that were so engaging and story driven that I couldn't wait to make it through. With FF13... I just wanted it to be over. No direction, too much "well, gee, I guess we should like finish our Focus ... or not, idk." Spira (FFX) felt like a real place with a rich history and culture; FFXIII never comes even close to achieving this. I think a lot of the flaws could've been solved by not starting the story midway through and spent 75% of the game telling the story in reverse; it totally kills the pacing of the narrative. Surely they could've found a better way to present this... the potential was certainly there, even if it smacked of FFX and FFT's "humans defying the demi-gods and their own fate". Anyways, the combat and graphics saved the game from a lower score; 7 is being extremely generous... I can really only suggest this to RPG fans because there are so few decent J-RPGs being made these days. Otherwise... don't bother.… Expand
  95. AndrewG
    Apr 11, 2010
    10
    Take a game, add in a great plot, characters that throughout the game will have you guessing who they are and why they are doing what they are doing, give you bits and pieces that will slowly unravel the mystery. Add in a antagonist that you aren't even sure who he is or why he is doing what he is doing. Add in a new and exciting battle system that slowly evolves and picks up to a Take a game, add in a great plot, characters that throughout the game will have you guessing who they are and why they are doing what they are doing, give you bits and pieces that will slowly unravel the mystery. Add in a antagonist that you aren't even sure who he is or why he is doing what he is doing. Add in a new and exciting battle system that slowly evolves and picks up to a exciting conclusion. Add all of that to upgradeable equipment, a world that ends with hunts to do and many things to make a 60-100 hour game that is well worth it. besides the linearity of the beginning of the game there isn't much that can be said bad about it. they hit the most imporatant parts, gameplay and story. The game highly deserves a 9.2-10.… Expand
  96. Avsky
    Apr 11, 2010
    2
    Not since "Two Worlds" has a game left me feeling like my money would have been spent contracting herpes. This game is merely a battle mechanic wrapped around a horribly pathetic and flat story, filled with ridiculously flat characters I have no desire to identify with, not that the developer gives you a reason to do so in the first place. There is no depth to either the characters OR the Not since "Two Worlds" has a game left me feeling like my money would have been spent contracting herpes. This game is merely a battle mechanic wrapped around a horribly pathetic and flat story, filled with ridiculously flat characters I have no desire to identify with, not that the developer gives you a reason to do so in the first place. There is no depth to either the characters OR the story. The game is a linear as can be, removing pretty much any hint of player choice and customisation including the ability to choose your battle teams. The music is bland, the characters are bland... the only thing this game does right is offer a visual feast - but that alone can't carry a game.… Expand
  97. NoneNone
    Apr 9, 2010
    4
    More of an action game than an RPG. No exploration. Very guided character building. Extremely linear "hallway" maps. Poor storytelling and writing. You'll need to read the volumes of text in the in-game database to have even a basic understanding of the story. The battle system is the only the developers seemed to have spent time on gameplay-wise. You'll be fighting battle More of an action game than an RPG. No exploration. Very guided character building. Extremely linear "hallway" maps. Poor storytelling and writing. You'll need to read the volumes of text in the in-game database to have even a basic understanding of the story. The battle system is the only the developers seemed to have spent time on gameplay-wise. You'll be fighting battle incessantly from beginning to end. Overall, a poor outing. Would have worked better as a 9-hour action game than a 40-hour epic since the game's only strength is the battle-system.… Expand
  98. ThowraL
    Apr 8, 2010
    8
    As someone who's never played any of the FF games before, I have to say I don't mind the linearity the slightest bit. In fact, I rather liked. It saved me time worrying over, 'oh crap, I forgot to go to so so's house, did I miss out on anything important?' It was nice having a direct goal in sight, with a path completely traced out for you. The only thing I As someone who's never played any of the FF games before, I have to say I don't mind the linearity the slightest bit. In fact, I rather liked. It saved me time worrying over, 'oh crap, I forgot to go to so so's house, did I miss out on anything important?' It was nice having a direct goal in sight, with a path completely traced out for you. The only thing I don't like is the amount and length of cutscenes. I felt like I was watching some really long movie, and not playing a game. Other than that, it's great.… Expand
  99. Wang
    Apr 7, 2010
    10
    The one unchangeable certainty is that nothing is certain or unchangeable. As the most well known RPG series on the market, the last thing FF needs now is another look-alike game that will add nothing to the series' future. FFXIII is a step to the right direction. Not only will it not be a total break from the good traditions of the series, it will mark the new beginning of FF by The one unchangeable certainty is that nothing is certain or unchangeable. As the most well known RPG series on the market, the last thing FF needs now is another look-alike game that will add nothing to the series' future. FFXIII is a step to the right direction. Not only will it not be a total break from the good traditions of the series, it will mark the new beginning of FF by opening FF up to new possibilities while still keeping its most memorable traditions. FF isn't Pokemon, fans will complain even more if they made another FFVII or FFX. FF shouldn't be limited by what it was, it should be defined by what it will be. As a fan of FF series, I feel obligated to write this because we are fortunate to have a developing team that understands this. As for the game itself, FFXIII is a master piece. While it was potentially limited by the multiplatform design (Blue-ray, where are you?), the game is nearly perfect in every way. Sure, it is not the God of All Games, it has flaws, but it is still a memorable experience unparalleled by another game. Many complained about how horribly linear the game is. But, what they think a JRPG is? The story is the dominate factor in the making of the game. It is the soul, the backbone of all FF games. If Square screwed up the story, then FF will truly be doomed. And to those who cry about how empty and broken the plot is, either you never played this game or you simply glanced at the story and declared it incompetent. Did you ever tried to dive under the seemingly linear plot to explore the personality and motivation of the characters by simply reading a handy tool called the Data Log? Probably not. Yet I must confess that Square could of done better with character development and dialogue writing. Never the less, this game has one of the absolute best graphics on the market and a brilliant and innovative combat system that is not found in any other game. Some argued that FFXIII should learn BIoware, I agree that FF can take good lessons from them. But the point is, FFXIII is FFXIII, nothing else. It is not Mass Effect XIII or Dragon Age XIII, it IS FFXIII. It is different and it should be. It is different from others before it, for example, there aren't any towns or inns, who said there must be town to explore? Dictated by its plot, many of FF's traditions didn't appear or appeared in the different forms. But what the heck, so what they changed. World didn't end, we are still alive. As long as we change for the better, what is wrong with it? Let us not kill a true mater piece with of our prejudice.… Expand
  100. David
    Apr 7, 2010
    9
    Although this is the first FF game I've played thoroughly (Played 7 for a little bit), I really liked it because the stories were for the most part completely seperate. There are a couple similarities, but they don't cause major confusions. I would have given this game a 10, but there were two problems that become apparent later in the game. The earleir of which is the Although this is the first FF game I've played thoroughly (Played 7 for a little bit), I really liked it because the stories were for the most part completely seperate. There are a couple similarities, but they don't cause major confusions. I would have given this game a 10, but there were two problems that become apparent later in the game. The earleir of which is the difficulty spikes. Sometimes, you'll play 2 or 3 easy bosses (yes, bosses, not just big monsters) that you can knock down on your first try. But then, you come to one that will murder you the first 15 minutes you play him. This occasionally happens with the monster encounters, but that's not that big of a spike. The second problem I have, is that sometimes, the AI can make you want to throw your remote through your TV. You can be fighting something and have two members take hits from it. One will be a huge hit, the other will be a glancing blow. Your designated healer will sometimes heal the one with more health, causing the dying one to take another hit and die. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING!!! Especially on bosses. All-in-all, a very fun game I highly reccomend, despite its occasional shortcomings.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

37
#37 Best PS3 Game of 2010
2
#2 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2010
3
#3 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 83 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 73 out of 83
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 83
  3. Negative: 1 out of 83
  1. RPG Fan
    81
    As an RPG, it is an excellent experience that provides a beautifully crafted world and engaging battle system. However, as a Final Fantasy game, it falls short of expectations somewhat.
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  2. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    90
    Ten hours in you might have doubts, but stay with it and you'll be smitten right through to the frankly unbelievable end. [Apr 2010, p.104]
  3. Everyeye.it
    85
    An unexpected Final Fantasy. The 13th chapter has a great story and some of the most incisive characters of the whole series, and even the battle system works very well, being deep and complex (even if you control only a single character). But on the other side the overwhelming linearity of the plot, the absence of cities to explore, and the small amount of side quest will disappoint fans' expectations.
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