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. ZeroTrunks
    Feb 8, 2016
    3
    Linear game play, poor camera controls, undigestible story, and a script so bad I wanted to skip through all cut-scenes to reduce the feeling of a drill being forced through my head. The game basicly plays itself and is so unbalanced that if you die, you simply respawn as if the fight didn't occur. Some of the characters are just reprints of Squares older work Lightning = Cloud, Snow =Linear game play, poor camera controls, undigestible story, and a script so bad I wanted to skip through all cut-scenes to reduce the feeling of a drill being forced through my head. The game basicly plays itself and is so unbalanced that if you die, you simply respawn as if the fight didn't occur. Some of the characters are just reprints of Squares older work Lightning = Cloud, Snow = Zell, Sazh? I don't know what they were doing there...

    It is obvious that this game was handled poorly by the director who had a difficult time getting reigning in all the departments under the same banner. This game is rushed, and is starting a trend that SquareEnix does not know what they are doing in the gaming world anymore. This game deeply saddens me, and makes me nauseous thinking about what has become of my childhood.

    The only redeeming thing about this game are it's beautiful graphics and some of the new monster concepts and models.

    Overall a very difficult game to endure D-    … Expand
  2. Nidave
    Jan 12, 2017
    3
    Worst game in the series.

    I remember how hype I was for this game when it released only to get disappointed 5 chapters in. It also didn't help that this game was a straight line from chapter 1-11.
  3. ArcCoat
    Jun 12, 2019
    3
    Boooooorrrrriiiinnngggg.

    This game is extremely linear, the battle system is uninteresting, the story is an incomprehensible boring mess, the characters are some of the worst cast that I've seen in video game history. The only good thing about this game are the graphics, but I would rather play a low graphic game with great content than a high graphic game with bad content. The game    Boooooorrrrriiiinnngggg.

    This game is extremely linear, the battle system is uninteresting, the story is an incomprehensible boring mess, the characters are some of the worst cast that I've seen in video game history.
    The only good thing about this game are the graphics, but I would rather play a low graphic game with great content than a high graphic game with bad content.

    The game starts to open up eventually, but only towards the very end of the game and the sound track is not too bad.

    Conclusion: 1 point for effort, 1 points for graphics and 1 point for good soundtrack.    … Expand
  4. MazrimTaim14
    Nov 3, 2019
    3
    What. A. Mess. Of. A. Game

    Main Character was offputting which showed the emo type characters of Cloud and Squall are better off in text based dialogues and cutscenes. The archetype suffered in the current cutscenes where can see nuances of their facial and body expressions. Story went needlessly convoluted halfway thru and this time the linear progression is more damning since we    What. A. Mess. Of. A. Game

    Main Character was offputting which showed the emo type characters of Cloud and Squall are better off in text based dialogues and cutscenes. The archetype suffered in the current cutscenes where can see nuances of their facial and body expressions.

    Story went needlessly convoluted halfway thru and this time the linear progression is more damning since we keep on changing perspectives over and over with the characters leaving no impression in me since we just go from pt a to pt b then change characters.

    Battle system was refreshing and challenging which is one of the positives i get from this game.

    Making a bad entry into the final fantasy series is understandable since we can't get all hits but not only doubling down but TRIPLING down on this mess of a title really breaks the momentum of the series. Relegating it from the top of the echelon of great series.    … Expand
  5. caiomachi
    Jul 5, 2020
    3
    Pros:
    • Characters
    • Story
    • Graphics
    • Innovative battle system
    • Bosses

    Cons:
    • Too linear
    • Too long
    • Too many boring and repetitive mob battles
  6. TriforceGem
    Mar 29, 2021
    3
    I have been a Final Fantasy fan for a long time. I pointedly ignored the FF13 franchise when it was being touted as the "Fabula Nova Crystallis." It was obvious they were trying to find the same success as the FF7 franchise and all the games and media around that story.

    I decided, after returning to FF12 and completing it, to give FF13 a try. I gave it a good long try, 29 hours, and I    I have been a Final Fantasy fan for a long time. I pointedly ignored the FF13 franchise when it was being touted as the "Fabula Nova Crystallis." It was obvious they were trying to find the same success as the FF7 franchise and all the games and media around that story.

    I decided, after returning to FF12 and completing it, to give FF13 a try. I gave it a good long try, 29 hours, and I finally realized what this game is: a multi-million dollar auto-battler. Hallway fights. Cool upgrades/leveling, but extremely grindy to get anywhere decent (especially with the items, holy crap). Story, unimportant and boring. I want to like this game, but I found myself, eyes glazing over, thinking "no one cares" while story dialog happened. I will not finish it. It is just so boring and the story is just monotonous exposition and data logs.

    What a terrible game.    … Expand
  7. 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
  8. James
    Mar 9, 2010
    2
    Wow, this is by far the worst Final Fantasy game I have ever played and I've played every game from and including FF7, how it is scoring so high is beyond me. The only good thing I can say about it is that it looks incredible, and it does. It;s probably the best looking console game I've ever seen, but that is where the praise ends. Everything that was great about the franchise Wow, this is by far the worst Final Fantasy game I have ever played and I've played every game from and including FF7, how it is scoring so high is beyond me. The only good thing I can say about it is that it looks incredible, and it does. It;s probably the best looking console game I've ever seen, but that is where the praise ends. Everything that was great about the franchise has been stripped out and replaced with either nothing at all or a bit pile of dumbed down blandness. The combat system is boring and shallow grind, meh is the perfect word to describe it. The world is a joke, it's just a series of corridors that you just have to keep grinding through. And when the world does open up (after 20 painfuly dull hours) it's just so underwhelming and WAY too little too late. Then theres the so called class levelling system, I say so called because in comparison to the FF games that came before it, not to mention every other RPG that you can buy today, it's beyond a joke. No real tactical choice can be made, just which of the available classes you want to spend your points in first. Even the camera controls suck ass, the crapness of this game go's all the way to the smallest detail, it's just that bad. If the developers were going fo a bland, grinding, boring JRPG with all of the awesomeness of the previous games removed and the memory of all that awesomeness completely shat on then the score of 8.3 is well deserved. The fact that this steaming pile of s**t is the first Final Fantasy game for this generation of consoles is just sad.… Expand
  9. EthanL
    Apr 3, 2010
    2
    This game had many great things going for it and a huge number of wonderful creative ideas and developmental risks that gave it such huge potential. But ultimately it had to be marked down as a huge disaster for one very simple reason. It seems to push the player to want to stop playing. The game takes forever to get anywhere, and the paths in between are littered with massive numbers of This game had many great things going for it and a huge number of wonderful creative ideas and developmental risks that gave it such huge potential. But ultimately it had to be marked down as a huge disaster for one very simple reason. It seems to push the player to want to stop playing. The game takes forever to get anywhere, and the paths in between are littered with massive numbers of pointless battles that serve only to slow down the game even further. And even if you get past all that once you figure out the convoluted systems. Once you get to anything remotely interesting, suddenly the game throws at you horribly impossible fights with no way guide or method to deal with them effectively. These become horrible experiences of torture where there is simply no way to progress without insane bonuses, micromanagement, and ridiculous item use.… Expand
  10. 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
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. risky
    May 15, 2012
    2
    Final Fantasy 13 is a real disappointment. The characters are despicable and flat. Actually, if you would take a typical JRPG character, peel away all the game-specific personalization, cast some cheesy american voice actors and put on some typical japanese RPG clothes, you would end up with the characters of FF13.

    The story linearity is so frustrating you're ending up hitting X    Final Fantasy 13 is a real disappointment. The characters are despicable and flat. Actually, if you would take a typical JRPG character, peel away all the game-specific personalization, cast some cheesy american voice actors and put on some typical japanese RPG clothes, you would end up with the characters of FF13.

    The story linearity is so frustrating you're ending up hitting X frenetically to get by the battles just to see if there's something else at the end of the tunnel. But there isn't. The voice acting is depressing and unrealistic, the satiric FF humor is completely gone and there's no sign of trivia nor exciting hidden quests nor interesting plots besides the main one. Sure, the graphics are stunning at first and the battle sequences really look gorgeous, but it's all emptied out during the first gaming hour and you end up on some kind rave from the 90s where absolutely everything glows, twinkles and sparks, leaving absolutely no surprises visually.

    The only positive thing with Final Fantasy XIII is that the next installment (besides FF13-2) will be better. Really, this is feels like something put together just to show off what the crystal tools for PS3 are capable of.    … Expand
  15. Anebriate
    Jan 15, 2014
    2
    This is one of the worst games I have ever played. How in God's name it has a 7.7 user score on this site is completely beyond me.

    I've heard it said that it gets better towards the end, but something this bad can't be redeemed, regardless of how it ends. Every character is a pathetic cliche. The battle system is rigid, formulaic, tedious and repetitive. In fact, that describes the    This is one of the worst games I have ever played. How in God's name it has a 7.7 user score on this site is completely beyond me.

    I've heard it said that it gets better towards the end, but something this bad can't be redeemed, regardless of how it ends.

    Every character is a pathetic cliche. The battle system is rigid, formulaic, tedious and repetitive. In fact, that describes the entire game--a 10-20 minute jaunt through poorly-balanced, often unavoidable encounters against a handful of boring enemies followed by a cut-scene, ad infinitum, all in one giant straight line from point A to point B. I was bored after 30 minutes of this.

    The graphics earn it 2 points, even though the hand all look like turds. The fact that they released this game to the public as it is means they aren't even trying anymore. The fact that they are making this cesspool a trilogy means something is horribly wrong with the world.    … Expand
  16. GrumpyTheNick
    Mar 13, 2013
    2
    I have been a Final Fantasy fan since I was 10 years old. I was very excited about this game. Needless to say, I was disappointed. Square-Enix no longer exhibits any sort of real inspiration. This game suffers from a number of problems stemming from this one factor. The battle are pretty, but after you become familiar with the patterns it becomes a boring and uneventful slog. The story isI have been a Final Fantasy fan since I was 10 years old. I was very excited about this game. Needless to say, I was disappointed. Square-Enix no longer exhibits any sort of real inspiration. This game suffers from a number of problems stemming from this one factor. The battle are pretty, but after you become familiar with the patterns it becomes a boring and uneventful slog. The story is mediocre and linear in the extreme. There is little to no exploration or discovery of any kind until near the very end of game, by which point you no longer care. And the characters...Oh, the characters. I would rate a few of them as the most stupidly annoying I have ever encountered in a game. The JRPG melodrama in FFXIII is incredibly cloying and is absolutely terrible. If you care about a solid, interesting, experience, don't play this game.… Expand
  17. cidgrad01
    Dec 10, 2013
    2
    Jim Sterling from Destructoid called this game a “pompous and masturbatory affair, creating seemingly to promote the developer’s ego first, and the player’s enjoyment second”. Speaking as someone who has been a rabid fan of the series since the very first one on the NES, I’ll say two things: Jim is exactly right, and playing this game broke my heart.

    The one and only positive I can give    Jim Sterling from Destructoid called this game a “pompous and masturbatory affair, creating seemingly to promote the developer’s ego first, and the player’s enjoyment second”. Speaking as someone who has been a rabid fan of the series since the very first one on the NES, I’ll say two things: Jim is exactly right, and playing this game broke my heart.

    The one and only positive I can give FF13 is that it has gorgeous visuals. That’s what the 2-score in my review is for. It fails in every other category so badly that it feels like some other company trying to make a knock-off FF game (think Sony’s Legend of Dragoon for PS1) rather than an officially sactioned entry into the series. It doesn’t deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as classics like IV, VI, VII, or X. It’s unbelievable that Squeenix is granting an unprecedented two sequels to this game while utterly ignoring, for years on end, pleas from their fans to do a modern-day remake of 7, 6 or even 5.

    Why is it so bad? Let me count the ways. First of all, the story is weird & stupid. I stopped caring about it early on and didn’t like any of the characters. Secondly, there is practically no exploration. Almost the entire game is a brutally linear affair, and I mean that quite literally as areas tend to shuffle you through a completely straight path. No exploring towns, no buying weapons from the weapon shop, no hidden dungeon areas with secret chests, etc. Things finally open up at one point, but not for 30 or 40 hours or so and even then, it’s a relatively small environment that is boring to travel through. The music, usually a dependable staple of the series, is terrible as well. I mean, they put words in the chocobo song. Good grief, why? There isn’t a single memorable track.

    Gameplay is terrible, as well. There’s not a whole lot of thinking involved and it almost plays itself. The summoning system is truly bizarre (I did a facepalm when I saw the Shiva motorcycle; seriously, WTF is that about?) and the worst the series has ever seen. I played this game for a good, long while, about 75% through, before giving up on it in disgust. To give you some idea of how bad this game is, I didn’t care much at all for the story of FF12, either, but I still had fun with it. FF13 never gave me a moment of enjoyment. The entire package is dull & uninspired and I’m sorry to have wasted money on it.    … Expand
  18. PandaWhisperer
    May 5, 2014
    2
    Final Fantasy XIII felt like a punch to the face for some old school Final Fantasy fans like myself. Final Fantasy characters, although fantasy, used to be relatable. Sorry to get sidetracked; in FF7, Cloud never achieved his dream and coped with this throughout the game. He stole someone else's identity, he broke down, and eventually accepted this and recovered. Cloud was a complexFinal Fantasy XIII felt like a punch to the face for some old school Final Fantasy fans like myself. Final Fantasy characters, although fantasy, used to be relatable. Sorry to get sidetracked; in FF7, Cloud never achieved his dream and coped with this throughout the game. He stole someone else's identity, he broke down, and eventually accepted this and recovered. Cloud was a complex character with flaws; I believe that is a huge reason FF7 was so successful and critically acclaimed. The majority of characters in XIII were shallow and one note. Everyone seemed like they had one singular reason to carry on with the story. This story became bland very fast. There is very little exploration, meaning that the story was critical to pull off; sadly this was not the case. The main reason I am writing the negative review is that this was the first Final Fantasy game that was released that just didn't seem very much like a Final Fantasy game to me at all. Sure, FF12 was a huge departure from where the series started, at least I could understand these changes (although, I felt like FF12 was a way to shift the console fan-base to their MMO's for more profit). Many of the decisions in XIII simply confuse me. There was very little redeeming value here. Lost Odyssey felt more like a Final Fantasy game than this one.… Expand
  19. Reaperplot
    May 30, 2014
    2
    Final Fantasy XIII can summed up with two words; pretentious and lack-luster.

    Graphics were technically good, but mechanical, failing to produce an atmosphere. The game play was incredibly linear, driven along by a story which acted more like a train headed to Auschwitz, than an adventure. The combat in the game was the most disappoint aspect of this game for me, there was no skill    Final Fantasy XIII can summed up with two words; pretentious and lack-luster.

    Graphics were technically good, but mechanical, failing to produce an atmosphere. The game play was incredibly linear, driven along by a story which acted more like a train headed to Auschwitz, than an adventure.

    The combat in the game was the most disappoint aspect of this game for me, there was no skill involved, it was as though the developer thought their audience had lost all ability to play video games, and that they were starting with a group wholly unfamiliar with the concept of gaming.

    I hope that this game goes down in history as one of the worst games ever made.    … Expand
  20. Nioji
    Jun 2, 2014
    2
    I think FFXIII is the worst RPG I ever played. Why ? Well, the story-telling is AWFUL. Not a single character explains anything about the universe, and the reason why the Big Bad want to destroy the world (no spoilers, it's a JRPG) is only explained in a sub-entry inside the game's Codex. The Paradigm Shift system destroys all the preparation of a job-based RPG, since you can change jobsI think FFXIII is the worst RPG I ever played. Why ? Well, the story-telling is AWFUL. Not a single character explains anything about the universe, and the reason why the Big Bad want to destroy the world (no spoilers, it's a JRPG) is only explained in a sub-entry inside the game's Codex. The Paradigm Shift system destroys all the preparation of a job-based RPG, since you can change jobs during a fight. The characters are all annoying. don't buy this game. Seriously.… Expand
  21. TornadoCreator
    Jul 16, 2014
    2
    This games gets a 2 for being technically functional, that's the best I can say about it. Final Fantasy XIII Is an insult to the franchises heritage and an obvious lazy cash-in by Square Enix who've clearly given up long ago.

    Gameplay wise, there really isn't any. The game isn't just linear, it's a straight f*cking line. You walk down a corridor for about 80 hours, that's it. There are    This games gets a 2 for being technically functional, that's the best I can say about it. Final Fantasy XIII Is an insult to the franchises heritage and an obvious lazy cash-in by Square Enix who've clearly given up long ago.

    Gameplay wise, there really isn't any. The game isn't just linear, it's a straight f*cking line. You walk down a corridor for about 80 hours, that's it. There are no towns, no NPCs, no side quests, no exploration, no collectibles, no intrigue... nothing. Crash Bandicoot is less linear than this game. Add in that character customisation is a joke, and combat is so convoluted that you can win everything without even paying attention and you have the most boring game ever. The first 40 hours is a tutorial explaining how the game plays itself, which you can ignore as you can win all the combat by just mashing the X button for the most part. Some people claim the combat opens up in the late game but that's simply not true, it's still just as broken then and once Lightning learns the move 'Army Of One' you can pretty much kill anything through a combination of poisoning and using that one move. There's more tactical decision-making in tic-tac-toe.

    So what about the story? What story?! What passes for a narrative is only explained through hidden away data longs that you're not prompted to read, and even with this mountain of poorly written exposition, the story is still an incomprehensible mess with plot holes you could drive a plane through, inconsistencies as standard, character motivations that make no sense, and a world setting that's not explained or explored in any way; mainly because you never actually go there because you never leave the damn corridor.

    This is a painfully bad game, don't waste your time on it.    … Expand
  22. Cleanshooter
    Oct 17, 2014
    2
    This is one of the worst games in the series. If you enjoy running through endless tunnels (this game coined the phrase "ultra-linear"), a combat system that requires next to no user interaction, characters with little depth and a story line you won't care about because you just want the entire affair to end... and STUNNING VISUALS then get the game.

    Otherwise don't waste your time or    This is one of the worst games in the series. If you enjoy running through endless tunnels (this game coined the phrase "ultra-linear"), a combat system that requires next to no user interaction, characters with little depth and a story line you won't care about because you just want the entire affair to end... and STUNNING VISUALS then get the game.

    Otherwise don't waste your time or money... the only reason I played it is because I'm a fan of the franchise.    … Expand
  23. var_stark
    Feb 2, 2016
    2
    I simply can't believe what i'm reading in the possitive comments.... First of all this game is linear as hell, it destroyed everything that made FF franchise make history, the RPG component, this is not an RPG this is an action game like Metal Gear Rising, more like a hit and run. It's Ok but it's not what final fantasy used to mean. "Oh but in final fantasy X you almost didn't have anyI simply can't believe what i'm reading in the possitive comments.... First of all this game is linear as hell, it destroyed everything that made FF franchise make history, the RPG component, this is not an RPG this is an action game like Metal Gear Rising, more like a hit and run. It's Ok but it's not what final fantasy used to mean. "Oh but in final fantasy X you almost didn't have any NPC or exploring" Excuse me? That's simply not true, X was one of the last properly made FFs even XII had a very clear exploration, crafting and leveling compound while the only thing that changed was the combat, this game changes the way you playd final fantasy almost completely. You don't even have the feeling of discovery anymore, even combats are rearanged, when you enter a new chapter you could even look up a guide and know exactly wich enemies are waiting for you and in what order.... please. What about the live your own adventure, what about discovering the world for your own, the whole game has no point in calling himself final fantasy, it could as well be called some Japanese medern pop action title instead "LIGHTING ULTRA ROBOT ADVENTURE ELECTRIC SONATA" yeah, that would be appropriate.

    To the point, it lacks all kind of exploration, the game is a path you must follow, items and enemies will appear suddenly, they are just there, waiting for you one by one... yeah you have some shortcuts you can take if you don't want to battle. So no NPCs, the shops appear just in the savepoints...

    The combat is not bad, in fact that's all the game is about, combat and trying all the different classes and combinations, is good for me, it kinda looks like turn based combat just with a lot of camera movement ( you cannot move the character though) and real time turn based fight, i mean, you have your cooldown and you can just give him like 3 commands at once, instead of stop, think what would each character do wait for the enemy attack.... yeah, it's not bad, i would have like to control and customize my team but.... i just fear what will be next. Changing your formations plays an important roll in the fights but its a piece of cake, since the attacks are almost automatic you just have to wait for the right time to change between the aggresive formation, healing formation, condition formation.... it's a game moew about waiting than planning, as the previous, yes, they were turn base but at least you were taking risks each time your turn arrived and so you have to plan how to deal maximum damage and survive at the same time, and i think you really got fond of the characters even if their plots weren't really interesting, but here linking a character or not just depends on the story itself, i don't even like vanille, it's so annoying but if at least i could controll her properly well maybe i would appreciate her as a healer, but like this is just like, well yeah, this girl that just.... heals me automatically... and talks with a high pitched voice.

    The story its ok, intense and memorable, but in general this game seems to have the urge to excite continuosly, not even one single shot is steady and peacefull, even the most dramatic scenes the camera is like," wow wow wow, so exciting, look, its so exciting, i can't stop moving, look a bird!!!! oh my god, so exciting, everything is so epic.!!!! " STOP, god, let me enjoy the plot, sometimes you just don't care about what they're saying because everything wants to be so fast paced...

    Anyways, for me is just another action game, but not a final fantasy game. Seriously change the name of the saga, so you can avoid being constantly compared to the old games.    … Expand
  24. Lion7
    May 7, 2015
    2
    This game lacks depth or engagement. Even the earlier Final Fantasy games--where you are generic heroes gathering crystals--have more to them than this week long movie. You don't even get the pleasure of hearing Nobuo Uematsu's work.

    I played this game as a part of the Playstation Now service, and I still feel like I was ripped off for playing a "free" game. I would not pay for this    This game lacks depth or engagement. Even the earlier Final Fantasy games--where you are generic heroes gathering crystals--have more to them than this week long movie. You don't even get the pleasure of hearing Nobuo Uematsu's work.

    I played this game as a part of the Playstation Now service, and I still feel like I was ripped off for playing a "free" game. I would not pay for this game.

    STORY: That's all there is, and it's not even very good at that. Hours of watching the characters interact through various rendered cutscenes and FMVs. They don't even do a good job with that. Out of your six main characters, only one really has an interesting personal story. The rest waver between deciding if they want to fight back against their overlords, or buckling from the pressure of being mankind's hated enemy by doing it. Their personalities are about as generic as their names (Snow, Hope, Lightning...) and the buildup to fighting one of the major antagonists... I honestly forgot who he was and why we were fighting him at that point.

    GAMEPLAY: What little there is, is rather boring. The formula for the first half of the game boils down to this: Cutscene, maneuver down a small hallway-like map, reach a save point, enter a "boss battle". To switch it up, your party is broken down into 2-3 sub-parties who repeat the formula. 10 hours into the game (I still hadn't unlocked the ability to make your own party yet) I was actively trying to avoid fights, because they weren't entertaining at all.

    There was a joke that this game should be called Final Hallway 13. I definitely agree. 20 hours into the game I gave up. I couldn't remember any of the areas I had been through, and they're one-path treks through a generic forest, junkyard, or ice land. Even the cities set you down one track and your characters can't interact with them at all.

    BATTLE: The battle system is a neat interpretation of the ATB System, but the problem is, aside from a handful of tough battle here and there requiring a MED character, you can get through the game with little trouble using just COM/RAV/RAV and a small stack of Potions. Because of the role-shifting nature of the class, the lack of control over your party members, and that everyone can do just about anything, the genericness of the characters is further compounded. Everyone can be a warrior, a black mage, and a subset of a white mage.

    MUSIC: One of the few Final Fantasy games not composed by Nobou Uematsu. The battle theme is catchy, and variations of the main theme are done nice. There are some annoying pieces throughout the game, but overall... it's alright. Blinded by Light (Lightning's theme, main battle theme) is the earworm of the game, and after hours of hearing it, I still like it.    … Expand
  25. alfok
    Jun 30, 2016
    2
    Boring, Repetitive, Lineal
    Is the worst title of the saga, Dunno why have that score...
    basically the only thing u need to do is pressing 3 buttons and go forward, damn even the worst game I remember have more entertaining than this... The only "good" thing us the graphics, but even that dont matter a little when you have this dumb storyline and linear gameplay.
  26. LaiusBunansa
    Jul 11, 2015
    2
    I have played every single FF main installment and I daresay that this could provide an alienating feeling to new comers. I barely finished this game due to boredom. This is blasphemy to the great FF legacy and another proof that Graphics cannot lift the game wholly. I cannot even freakin imagine why did this had its own saga.
  27. Tyrus
    Sep 7, 2016
    2
    I'm replaying this game again after initially buying it, playing all the way through, and then not remembering ever having hated a game so much.
    I thought I'd give it another shot. It's not any better.
    A hyper linear game, you spend most of your time for the first half merely walking forward and pressing X. Eventually, you have a little bit of strategy involved. Very little. By the    I'm replaying this game again after initially buying it, playing all the way through, and then not remembering ever having hated a game so much.
    I thought I'd give it another shot. It's not any better.
    A hyper linear game, you spend most of your time for the first half merely walking forward and pressing X. Eventually, you have a little bit of strategy involved. Very little. By the second half of the game, every fight become long, tedious, and unavoidable. The entire combat system is really based on micro managing, since you don't actually select moves for more than one character, and the game will auto-pick those for you, too, since there are few anyway, and there isn't a whole lot of tact required.
    And as those fights get longer and longer, there's extremely little you can do to speed things up. You can't really grind like in other games, because your stats quickly max out for the moment you're in. I get WHY they do that, forcing you to actually play the battles rather than get overpowered for them, but then you end up on boss fights, where all you're doing is saying, "Fight... heal... fight... heal..."
    The monotony it's intended to break up isn't broken up.
    I can't fathom anyone liking this game. I've never met anyone personally who did. I get that there are positive reviews, but this game is the crown jewel of the new class of Square Enix games that just want to be pretty, and not have any guts or substance. 12 bordered on that, but managed to get enough moving around, enough thought by the player to manage to be a good game. 10 was TOO much character switching, but it was passable. This is just an awful, linear, boring game. The story is as convoluted as a political conspiracy theory. It's an awful game, and I'll give it the 2 that I did because it was made by a professional company, it DOES have good graphics, and honestly, because it's in the Final Fantasy franchise, which I've been playing for just about 30 years now.
    But this game is simply awful. I again find myself only getting through it to say that I did, again. And that's not a good reason. I should really stop myself.    … Expand
  28. Broyax
    Apr 15, 2017
    2
    Je donne tout de même 2 points pour la direction artistique, certes parfois à la limite du mauvais goût mais la plupart du temps, c'est fort dépaysant. On ne voit nulle part ailleurs des trucs pareils, décors, effets... aussi maniérés et précieux et avec autant de couleurs ou des costumes et monstres complètement chtarbés. Et techniquement c'est du beau travail.

    Pour le reste, la    Je donne tout de même 2 points pour la direction artistique, certes parfois à la limite du mauvais goût mais la plupart du temps, c'est fort dépaysant. On ne voit nulle part ailleurs des trucs pareils, décors, effets... aussi maniérés et précieux et avec autant de couleurs ou des costumes et monstres complètement chtarbés. Et techniquement c'est du beau travail.

    Pour le reste, la niaiserie est à vomir, les dialogues d'une bêtise à se tirer une balle et la musique à se pendre. Les combats qui ne sont ni en temps réel ni en tour par tour consistent à appuyer sur X pendant de longues heures pour éventuellement s'intensifier de longues heures plus tard en zappant d'une attaque à l'autre aussi vite que possible comme dans un jeu de merde en stratégie temps réel afin d'éviter que l'un des ados ne reste plus de 0,5 s sans rien faire, ce qui le mènerait à une mort stupide.

    Quant à l'histoire, entre de nombreuses cinématiques à piquer un roupillon et des combats abrutissants, on se demande quand elle commence. On se demande même parfois s'il y a une galette dans le lecteur et ce qu'on est en train de faire, à perdre son temps devant une telle, une abominable japoniaiserie.    … Expand
  29. BarelyLewd
    Mar 15, 2019
    2
    The second worst FF game I have ever played only eclipsed by ffx-2, stay far away from this game, this game suffers from the linear story, the awful characters, the below average voice acting, and the terrible terrible battle system, stay far away from this **** sandwich, trust me you don't want it.
  30. SporadicDeviant
    Dec 6, 2019
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is not a troll review. This is me explaining why I hate this game.
    The game is linear, that's not a surprise. Linearity is not a bad thing, in and of itself. The problem is the tedium that comes with FFXIII's linearity. The main thing you do in this game is walk forward, fight, walk forward, fight, watch cutscene, walk forward, fight, walk forward, watch cutscene, walk forward, fight, walk forward, watch cutscene, fight, walk forward, and on and on. It gets tiresome. Even after the game "opens up", 25 hours into the game, the gameplay loop is still the same. Just replace "walk forward" with "walk around".
    The battle system is laughably bad. Square tries to make combat strategic with the paradigm system, but with the autobattle function and the Diversity paradigm, you can make it through 95% of the enemy encounters in the game with no trouble. The fact that combat boils down to "press x" multiple times doesn't help FFXIII's tedium issue.
    The story is a mess. The game expects you to read paragraph upon paragraph of lore found in the pause menu instead of properly telling the story in game. Character motivations change on the spot, and the characters themselves are either annoying or forgettable.
    There is one exception, Sazh Katzroy. He's is without a doubt the best thing about FFXIII. He's charming, his motivations are clear and never change, he's the only character in the game that acts like a real person, and he's just a relatable, sympathetic character. I also have to give the writers credit for holding off on revealing that Sazh has a family until after the player can get to know him as a character. Other stories would just shove a character's family into the player's face and expect the player to get automatically invested in the character, but they showed restraint, and that's commendable. Sazh might just be in my Top 5 favorite Final Fantasy characters ever, he's that good. Aside from the good visuals and great music, Sazh is the lone bright spot of the game.
    If you genuinely like this game, that's fine. There's nothing wrong with liking this game or any game that most (or half) of the people don't like. Understand that there is a reason why FFXIII gets a mixed reception. Like Far Cry 2 and The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword, FFXIII decided to try to experiment with its mechanics. Unlike Far Cry 2 and Skyward Sword, in my opinion, FFXIII did not succeed in doing so.    … Expand
  31. DrunkC
    Mar 10, 2010
    1
    For an RPG, it would be an 8 for a FF game a 1. This game takes the FF formula and throws it out the window, with linear gameplay, poor characters and story and minimal exploration. Content was cut to make it on the 360, and SE wouldn't spend the extra cash to put another disk and give all users (PS3 and 360 alike the full experience). Only people who like this game are FF For an RPG, it would be an 8 for a FF game a 1. This game takes the FF formula and throws it out the window, with linear gameplay, poor characters and story and minimal exploration. Content was cut to make it on the 360, and SE wouldn't spend the extra cash to put another disk and give all users (PS3 and 360 alike the full experience). Only people who like this game are FF fanboys/girls, SE new motto, call it FF and watch it sell.… Expand
  32. BrettJ.
    Mar 12, 2010
    1
    I really dislike this game. For the comments related to this having some of the best graphics, you really need to go outside and play another game in your life, this must be your first one. Metal Gear Solid 4 which came out 2 years ago has better graphics, Killzone 2 last year has better. Crysis for PC came out 3 years ago has better... the list goes on and on. An extremely average I really dislike this game. For the comments related to this having some of the best graphics, you really need to go outside and play another game in your life, this must be your first one. Metal Gear Solid 4 which came out 2 years ago has better graphics, Killzone 2 last year has better. Crysis for PC came out 3 years ago has better... the list goes on and on. An extremely average graphics engine, nothing is going on in the environment, other than character models which look ok, everything looks generic and bland. A pathetically linear game for a jrpg. I have nothing against a linear game if its done well, but this is ridiculous for a game put into this genre. This is not a FF game. If it didn't have the name slapped on it, all these high scores would be no more than a 4. Blind love for the series is getting ridiculous. The battle system is ok, but it gets old. Unless your a 5 year old girl, you wont like the characters or plot (which is the same garbage we've seen 500 times before). Pass on this. It was only made for money, nothing more. I'm done with SquareEnix for good... there simply crap. Bioware can have my money now.… Expand
  33. CoreyB
    Mar 24, 2010
    1
    I have played and loved all the Final Fantasy games since FF7 (with the exception of FF11). The series has long been the gold-standard in the JRPG genre; it's one of the few series where I am willing to buy the game the day it comes out without checking any reviews. All this is to say I'm biased towards liking any Final Fantasy and being forgiving towards the series flaws. Yet, I have played and loved all the Final Fantasy games since FF7 (with the exception of FF11). The series has long been the gold-standard in the JRPG genre; it's one of the few series where I am willing to buy the game the day it comes out without checking any reviews. All this is to say I'm biased towards liking any Final Fantasy and being forgiving towards the series flaws. Yet, despite this, all I can say is that FF13 is an incredible disappointment. While all the Final Fantasy games have been somewhat linear, FF13's linearity is oppressive. The battle system is awful; it involves no strategy, you don't even choose the specific attacks 95% of the time. The story is melodramatic, cliched, and completely unengaging. The characters are static and impossible to like. The only thing going for this game is the gorgeous graphics. All in all, this is an abomination that does not deserve the title of Final Fantasy. Absolutely awful.… Expand
  34. 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
  35. UUSKA
    Dec 25, 2012
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I tried hard to like this game but no, FF13 is meant for people who like movies where they can interact a little, if you like to play an j-rpg where you actually are holding the controls this isn't for you, this game was meant for people who decide oh golly what is on the television while hitting the x-button on the controller.
    Even though you can choose paradigm's later on it still has so little impact, there is no reason to do anything else than choose a good paradigm then auto-attack to win since it takes a lot longer to stack different attacks, and since the AA chooses the best ones automatically there is no need for that.

    Characters.... you hate almost everyone one of them since most of them are irritating and annoying, Hope is this whiny brat who is such a huge mama's boy, vanille is this girl who accidentally smashed his happy pills with depressants and hogged everything in. Snow is just a normal brute who got brain of an oyster. Now this is only 3 of the very boring.
    in conclusion they did character design wrong, i'm supposed to remember, but instead you gave me these champs that you want me to like but tried too hard.
    And the early part where hope see's his mom dropping to her death is not sad it is fu**** irritating first you see she is dropping hope is like NEJ! then after snow drops no biggie. in later of the game you can see hope blaming snow for killing his mom...... mind-blown... genius story telling.

    Story:
    They say you can forgive a lot of a game if it has a good story. I call bs on this one. I like a good story in a video game. I can forgive some story if the game-play is good and vice versa. but the problem is story is told so boringly. if they would throw me constantly with a flowing story i would appreciate it. Here it is part of a story followed by a loooooong and i mean LOOOOOOOOOOOONG corridor with nothing in it, you get baddies, some random lines, but there is no main plot inserted here. The only reason why there are long a** corridors is.... there is none. it feels like busy work. but on with that in a sec.
    so in the end. the story would maybe been good. but i just could not play long enough to enjoy it.

    Game-play:
    Simply.... there is none. As for roaming there is nothing. Only hallways, long hallways.
    Battle system? there is no challenge, all you do is hit x. but sometimes on boss battles you get a hard blow on your squad so what you do? if i remember right.. R1 up X X X X X R1 down X X X X... Repeat that for like 40 or 50 times and bam you win the boss battle. As i said there is no challenge, and boss battles don't differ in any way... Or maybe in one way. they are 100 times longer.

    In the end. you don't control the game, you just watch it from a distance ask if you can do anything you pat the game 3 times in the head and sit back.

    Overall:
    It delivers nothing, if you can see i typed something wrong on the details THAT is just because that is the impact this game has left me... absolutely nothing.
    In games i respect quality over quantity. I hate when there is little quality and so much useless content. Wonder where the 1 singer star comes from?
    There is nothing good in this game. characters are forgettable, story is told slowly, graphs were nothing extraordinary (dunno why people praise this game for graphs). music is horrible AND forgettable. Leveling up system is busy work, the interaction of merchants and shopkeeper's have been deleted. EVERYTHING i love bout j-rpg's is gone in this game. This is no j-rpg, this is an slightly interactive document, a boring one that is
    and the challenge is all gone, POOF TO THE GULAG, boss appears, you die. you did not save? no worries since there was a checkpoint 10 ft away and you can keep all your stuff and exp.....
    There is no penalty
    Wonder where the 1 point comes from?
    the 1 point comes from the battle themes violin part, i actually liked that. But i'm a sucker for violin played themes.

    So who can i recommend this movie? People who don't have anything ANYTHING at all to do.
    Retards
    Casual gamer's, those kinds of casual players who think solitaire is hardcore.    … Expand
  36. 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.
  37. 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.
  38. vahn
    Jan 23, 2020
    1
    I don't know what crazy thought went through my head after new year's eve, but I decided to try this game again after 10 years it came out - or close to 10 years - and only today I managed to finally finish it and get over it and I'm glad to say It doesn't disappoint in disappointing.

    It's not a surprise if this game was THE game that made Square Enix become the laughing stock they are    I don't know what crazy thought went through my head after new year's eve, but I decided to try this game again after 10 years it came out - or close to 10 years - and only today I managed to finally finish it and get over it and I'm glad to say It doesn't disappoint in disappointing.

    It's not a surprise if this game was THE game that made Square Enix become the laughing stock they are in current year and for good reasons: plot is non-sensical, has glaring plot-holes that eventually keep stacking up, there's barely any explanation for anything, characters are unlikable, combat is a chore, game is so linear it makes Call of duty look open world in comparison, and many MANY more issues.

    Let's start with the plot: Lightning and the gang are humans who turn into l'cie, which are essentially tools for beings called fal'Cie, and are given a focus to complete. If they manage to complete said focus they will be turning into crystal but if they lose they'll be turned into crystal zombies. What's the focus? We don't know because the writers didn't know how to make it any more idiotic and instead actually telling us "we have to figure it out ourselves" they relied on images and dreams because "deep".
    The main cast is also abhorrent to say the least: Lightning is a totally unlikable B, Hope is your whiny teen boy who cries for half the game, Vanille is your generic japanese school girl if she was australian and a dressed like a native american, Snow is an idiot and Fang is a man but turned into a woman at the last minute but without changing her dialogue or even how she behaves. Sazh is probably the only good character but because Square wanted to make him a comedy relief they tried to make him that, resulting in a mishmash of ideas.
    In addition a lot of plot details aren't explained ingame, which is a role given to the datalog...yeah, if you don't know what a l'cie is check the datalog. What's the PSICOM? check the datalog. Don't you love having to do homework for following a plot? I don't!

    There's more I could say about the plot but bottom line it's borderline boring and insipid: there's no flow, there's no pacing, characters keep repeating the same thing all the time and the deus ex machina at the end is so **** it would make anyone lose credibility this plot had any potential. I played bad stories before but this one isn't even that bad, it's just boring and uninspired.

    But let's step into the main part of a game, the gameplay, and oh my Lord this game is terrible: for starters the game is extremely linear and for at least 20-30 hours you will have long hallways of fights to do in order to complete the game, which aren't funny nor are exciting. Secondly, when the game opens up you are required to grind a lot of in order to be "acceptable" later in the game, as enemies in Pulse hit like trucks. And third the combat is so unfun, so repetitive that at the end fo the game I couldn't bother fight anymore and went straight to the end boss.

    Infact let's put the focus - HAHAHA - on the combat: the combat is turn based and you'll be controlling one character per time, and if the leader dies it's game over. That's a good start isn't it?
    Secondly, the game is based around "classes" such as dps tank, healer and buffer and shifting paradigms to change formation each time required to kill the enemies. However there's one major fact in the game which is the "stagger" system", which after a certain amount of damage your enemy will be staggered, turn orange, and for a short time will take X more amount of damage shown in the stagger bar, and after the bar ends you fill it again.

    That's the entire combat for the rest of the game: you quite literally do this over, and over, and OVER again, for 50-60 hours, non-stop. Bosses cannot be killed normally - I mean last boss has 6 million hp! - so you NEED stagger to kill any enemy with more than regular hp, which is all of them, and this makes combat not only redundant but also not fun or exciting. There's no variety, no real tactics or anything: all you do is stagger and kill. Close to death? Heal, buff, then stagger again, until they die.
    Of course unless the enemy will suddenly decide to insta-kill your leader and make your entire 10-15 minute boss fight go to waste...which is so nice and totally didn't make me wanna rage quit one single bit!

    So, bottom line, do I recommend this? ABSOLUTELY NOT. Stay away as far as possible from this abomination!. There is a reason Square Enix - not Square SOFT - has been going downhill for a while and this game is the proof of all that: it has no "focus", it has no passion, it has no love, it has no sense, it literally has nothing going for it. It's simply a shallow game with a famous brand name on top of it which meant it sold a lot, even had 2 sequels, but no quality into it.

    I just wished I finished it 10 years ago so I would return it but alas, this game will stain my collection forever and ever...    … Expand
  39. 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
  40. 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.
  41. Camille
    Jun 30, 2013
    1
    It just isn't very fun I'm afraid. Very linear and rather dull. The world is lovely but I cannot explore. The story is interesting but it's hidden in the datalog while the game focuses obsessively on a bunch of characters shouting about the same things over and over again. The gameplay looks great but all I am doing is watching it. It's like the game doesn't want me as a player. Give thisIt just isn't very fun I'm afraid. Very linear and rather dull. The world is lovely but I cannot explore. The story is interesting but it's hidden in the datalog while the game focuses obsessively on a bunch of characters shouting about the same things over and over again. The gameplay looks great but all I am doing is watching it. It's like the game doesn't want me as a player. Give this once great series a break and just go and make films SE.… Expand
  42. pdhenrique3
    Mar 19, 2012
    1
    GRAPHICS ARE THE MINOR ASPECT OF A GOOD RPG GAME. Final Fantasy XIII is not a RPG game for me and another million of FF fans. Yes, the graphics made stop playing and stare at the scenario many times, but this is it. The development system SUCKS, It's linear, there is no "level-up". You can't talk to people (actually there are not so many people around to try to speak with). The game is soGRAPHICS ARE THE MINOR ASPECT OF A GOOD RPG GAME. Final Fantasy XIII is not a RPG game for me and another million of FF fans. Yes, the graphics made stop playing and stare at the scenario many times, but this is it. The development system SUCKS, It's linear, there is no "level-up". You can't talk to people (actually there are not so many people around to try to speak with). The game is so linear that if someone who never played Final Fantasy before plays it will call it an ACTION game. WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THE MAGICS AND THE KNOWN MONSTERS?!?! The battle system is different, but far, VERY FAR from better than the older series. Side mission? What side mission?! Ah, you mean that cieth stones... Come on... What were they thinking about while they were developing this game?!?! There are no SHOPs, no INNs, only some F%$#&* flying computers where you do everything. Where is that epic harp melody that everybody loves on the Main Menu?! I can't tell more, it's frustrating, I can't believe it, the SquareEnix killed it... You you are a FF fan, pretend this game never existed at all... I gave it 1 only for the graphics, but a prefer to play Final Fantasy 2 on NES than this one...… Expand
  43. Darkleliel
    Apr 12, 2014
    1
    This game was absolutely horrible. It took me a year to get through because the first time I played it, I had to put it down for MONTHS on end because it was so bad. The dialogue is predictable and boring, the story, while it HAD potential, feels like it's nothing more than something a sixth-grader might come up with in their creative writing class. By the end of the game, the entire thingThis game was absolutely horrible. It took me a year to get through because the first time I played it, I had to put it down for MONTHS on end because it was so bad. The dialogue is predictable and boring, the story, while it HAD potential, feels like it's nothing more than something a sixth-grader might come up with in their creative writing class. By the end of the game, the entire thing devolves into one big cliche, each character boiling down to nothing more than the few idioms they seem to know. It's also very tunnel-visioned; there's no room to roam around, the game just feels like one long corridor where you go from one cinematic to the next, with little to nothing in between. The battles are endless, and while it is definitely a pretty game, that seems to be all that it has going for it.… Expand
  44. FantasyFanatic
    May 5, 2012
    1
    Even though this Final Fantasy game has beautiful graphics and breathtaking locations it cannot save this entry from being one of the worst. The game structure is too linear and it keeps the game from being any fun. There are no towns, no overworld, no gameplay variety and barely any NPC's (non-player characters) and when the game starts to open up the game you will already have almostEven though this Final Fantasy game has beautiful graphics and breathtaking locations it cannot save this entry from being one of the worst. The game structure is too linear and it keeps the game from being any fun. There are no towns, no overworld, no gameplay variety and barely any NPC's (non-player characters) and when the game starts to open up the game you will already have almost completed the game so when it comes to this it is one of those "too little too late" situations...it really upset me. Combat gets way too hard especially the boss fights the bosses feel almost invincible and you will spend hours using the crystarium and upgrading your weapons just to get past a boss, the lack of control in battle is also infuriating because you can only control one character during battle and once the character you are controlling dies then it's Game Over. The story is also problematic all it is is just a bunch of cutscenes crammed together and in turn it makes it feel too much like a long boring movie than a game that is supposed to be enjoyed. Plot twists, characters, and story development are badly done they are predictable and cliche and they screw up in more ways than one. I have been a RPG and Final Fantasy nut for a long time but this entry takes the cake this game does not live up to any of the series standards (apart from the graphics). Whatever Square Enix is doing they driving the series in a bad direction with this entry I had high hopes but they have been crushed big time. If you are a fan of older entries like Final Fantasy 5, 6 or even 7 you are better off playing those but whatever you do avoid this Final Fantasy game at all costs I beg of you.… Expand
  45. Aquilla
    Jun 12, 2012
    1
    The characters are uninspiring, flat, and disappointing. They're a badly cobbled-together cookie-cutter Jrpg bunch, and in a way that does no credit to the genre. The world is nonsensical. SE clearly has the money to put out eye-popping visuals -- why not spend a bit more time and make a good story/compelling narrative/creative world? Instead, they gave us a rehashed plot with blow-upThe characters are uninspiring, flat, and disappointing. They're a badly cobbled-together cookie-cutter Jrpg bunch, and in a way that does no credit to the genre. The world is nonsensical. SE clearly has the money to put out eye-popping visuals -- why not spend a bit more time and make a good story/compelling narrative/creative world? Instead, they gave us a rehashed plot with blow-up dolls for characters. Disgusting and disappointing. If you're a FF fan, or a RPG fan: run from this game.… Expand
  46. DirtyBird07
    Dec 29, 2015
    1
    This game is so bad. like I am not kidding.
    It's so bad. I think it got 1500 positive reviews because SquareEnix paid people to give it good reviews.

    Do not buy this pile of garbage. You will regret it. I promise.

    Has an overly convoluted story. Characters are cheesy and the Voice Acting is bad.
    Graphics are beautiful, but game play quickly destroys it.
    Not enjoyable in the slightest.
  47. Evangellist
    Oct 9, 2013
    1
    Unfortunately this marked the end for Final Fantasy, for me, personally. Square Enix made the game linear, so much so that the gameplay literally consists of holding forward, and pushing A, oh, and don't forget pressing the start button to skip cutscenes, because the story is NONSENSE. I don't even think Square Enix knew what the story was supposed to be, because the important parts of theUnfortunately this marked the end for Final Fantasy, for me, personally. Square Enix made the game linear, so much so that the gameplay literally consists of holding forward, and pushing A, oh, and don't forget pressing the start button to skip cutscenes, because the story is NONSENSE. I don't even think Square Enix knew what the story was supposed to be, because the important parts of the story are hidden away in menus. Gotta love that conveyance....

    I hate that I am forced to hate this game, I wish it was better, but it just isn't. From the people that made a JRPG series that DEFINED the genre for years, and the people who made my favorite game of all time, this pains me to see this direction. The gameplay and combat is shallow, repetitive, and streamlined to all hell. The story would be predictable if I knew what the Hell was even going on, they leave you in the dark story wise the whole game, and are beyond vague about everything.

    JonTron said it best, "The game is a Hallway, a long, boring, uninteresting, vague.,... hallway. AND GAMES SHOULD NOT BE HALLWAYS!:    … Expand
  48. Kendojosh
    Apr 18, 2013
    1
    Firstly, I am a Final Fantasy fanboy. Happy to hold up my hand to admit it. FFVII best game in the history of games.
    Secondly, before giving this a 1/10 I tried really hard to think of a reason to bump it to a 2 or 3, because I tend to see scores like this as being born of ill-considered hostility, rarely accurately reflecting the true quality of the game.
    In all of my 25 years of    Firstly, I am a Final Fantasy fanboy. Happy to hold up my hand to admit it. FFVII best game in the history of games.
    Secondly, before giving this a 1/10 I tried really hard to think of a reason to bump it to a 2 or 3, because I tend to see scores like this as being born of ill-considered hostility, rarely accurately reflecting the true quality of the game.
    In all of my 25 years of gaming I have never been so upset about a game in my life. I've been disappointed plenty of times. Aliens CM was disappointing. But FFXIII was damn upsetting. Probably because I'm such a series fanboy. I felt -angry- at Square for insulting the Final Fantasy brand with this piece of garbage.

    So, rant done, what is actually wrong with it? The problem with FFXIII is that it is the OPPOSITE of everything that was great about the rest of the series. The score I give it is applied with respect to how it stands among the great FFs that it SHAMES by taking their name.

    Great characters? Nope. We get vapid, shell-like stereotypes. These FF characters are PARODIES of those that have come before in the least humorous way possible.

    Great story-line? Nope. What story-line? The flimsy excuse for a narrative that this 'game' exposed me to for the 30 or so hours that I suffered through, hoping, excruciatingly, in vain that it would improve at some point never seemed to evolve or progress into anything more than a series of inane dialogues and sigh-inducing intermissions between running forwards and 'fighting' clutches of useless enemies (such is my love for the rest of the series that I sat, simmering with growing contempt, through 30 hours of what I can only describe as being like watching a seemingly never-ending scene of someone defecating on your childhood).

    Great battle system? The FF battle systems have been revolutionary. What does FFXIII give us? BUTTON MASHING. You will spend the first several hours running up to an enemy and mashing the A button. You'll win, you'll run a bit further, you'll mash that button some more. Rinse and repeat and repeat and repeat, and you keep hoping that as you gain more abilities, you'll be able to do more stuff, but somehow, someway, the button mashing never seems to end!!

    FFXIII gets the 1 point I can bring myself to award it because it is pretty. Well done, Square, you created the prettiest piece of trash capable of enraging me like this since my ex-wife.

    SO if you like platform games where you can't do anything but run at an enemy and jam that 'Action' button, and you like RPGs that don't let you go anywhere but forward, and you like story-lines that only make sense if you smoke a little sumtin-sumtin, and characters that make you care about them as much as the that live under your sink, then FFXIII is for you.    … Expand
  49. TimothyTuatara
    Nov 27, 2013
    1
    Boasting stunning graphics, many gamers will easily be swayed to believe that XIII is the best Final Fantasy has to offer. However, the game is just too freaking long. When I asked fanboys "dude wtf this sucks isn't there a world map? when does it get decent?" they have acutally responded "aw man dude don't worry keep on chuggin it gets really awesome at about the 30 hour mark". I don'tBoasting stunning graphics, many gamers will easily be swayed to believe that XIII is the best Final Fantasy has to offer. However, the game is just too freaking long. When I asked fanboys "dude wtf this sucks isn't there a world map? when does it get decent?" they have acutally responded "aw man dude don't worry keep on chuggin it gets really awesome at about the 30 hour mark". I don't want to wade through 30 hours of absolute cringe to get to something good. What really drives this home is how freaking annoying the characters are. Lightning is supposed to be cool and brooding, but mainly just comes off as square weakly attempting to emulate cloud with added fanservice. The battle system is ok to begin with, but they get far too long and the fact that my party is healed after every battle unexplainably is disgusting. Every thing I loved about Final Fantasy has been thrown down the drain. But still, pretty graphics! ooh shiny… Expand
  50. nono5551212
    Aug 17, 2013
    1
    I was so excited for this to come out..... I thought I'd be up all night playing it..... After just a few hours I realized it was not a game at all but, just one big lame cut scene.... Walk a few steps, kill an enemy or two, cut scene, repeat indefinitely.... I think this was the most disappointed I've ever been in a game.... Should give it a zero
  51. Ogr
    Feb 26, 2014
    1
    Seriously, is this a joke? It's not only the worst Final Fantasy ever, it might be the worst RPG on PS3 and 360. How could things go so wrong for SE? A poor world, poor Story, poor Gameplay and poor Characters. Just nothing really good about it. Sounds like trolling or nerd-rage, but it's just how I really see it.
  52. SrDBZ
    Nov 25, 2013
    1
    One of the worst games that have come in these last years, simple boring, empty, with characters flatter than a piece of paper.

    This is not a Final Fantasy
  53. archonome
    Feb 16, 2014
    1
    Do yourself a favor... stop caring about graphics and go play FF7,FF8,FF9.

    This game was a huge let down...but I expected this after FF10. This isn't a Final Fantasy Game, they should give it a new name. 1. No overworld map 2. Unlovable characters 3. Overly Feminine characters, Emos everywhere 4. Overly complex story that doesn't make any sense Basically, this game lacks the    Do yourself a favor... stop caring about graphics and go play FF7,FF8,FF9.

    This game was a huge let down...but I expected this after FF10.

    This isn't a Final Fantasy Game, they should give it a new name.

    1. No overworld map
    2. Unlovable characters
    3. Overly Feminine characters, Emos everywhere
    4. Overly complex story that doesn't make any sense

    Basically, this game lacks the atmosphere of the previous FF series... it doesn't have the Charm anymore.

    Rule #1 of FF games: You must have an outstanding Story and the Main characters must be EPIC.... "lightning" lol what a joke.    … Expand
  54. orsonriven
    Mar 3, 2014
    1
    its crap, this is not a true final fantasy, its a movie that make believes its a game, if you are looking for a great game go and pull up the PS network and grab some on the older games in the series.
  55. todesmilch
    Dec 29, 2015
    1
    My very first experience with RPG games was with Final Fantasy VII. I have been in love with RPGs, and the FF series, ever since. I have loved and been invested in FF for a long time. I know I am late on reviewing this, but this game is the worst FF (in series/non-spinoff) game I have ever played. It literally ruined the series for me. I want to know what game these people played whoMy very first experience with RPG games was with Final Fantasy VII. I have been in love with RPGs, and the FF series, ever since. I have loved and been invested in FF for a long time. I know I am late on reviewing this, but this game is the worst FF (in series/non-spinoff) game I have ever played. It literally ruined the series for me. I want to know what game these people played who say that the story is rich and the characters are compelling. The story is VERY vapid, and the characters reflect this exponentially. All of the characters have trite personalities, and by the end of the game I had no emotions invested in a SINGLE one of them. It took me over two years to finally beat this game, 'cause I had to finish it. (some of you know what I mean) If I wasn't compelled to beat it as a gamer, I never would have. I will give credit to the combat, I enjoyed it a little. Seriously nothing else about the game was fun. I am a fanboy, yes. My favorite FF is IX, that game had such a rich world that you could feel there was a history to it. It is unimaginable, to me, that anyone would enjoy this game having played the other Final Fantasy titles in the series. I really wish Square would abandon the **** Tokyo-fashion style of their characters, they all look like some weak attempt was made to make them fashionable and trendy. To my mind, X was the last truly good FF, and XII was last remotely good title in the main series. If you agree with me, then you are better off avoiding this colossal disappointment.… Expand
  56. HopelessVoice
    Feb 1, 2015
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. FFXIII has no gameplay elements to serve a place in the series, or as a RPG game at all. Although taste is subjective, there are several facts that just show how thin the game is. If one likes the game for being a limited storydriven CGI movie, then there's no arguing. But here's some facts:

    - Character customization & building? = Nope, just mash the X button on Crystarium. The stat growth in the tree should be automatic, as there are no choices anyway. The paradigm system is a joke compared to the likes of FFV job system, FFVII materia system and even FFVIII junction system (at least you could build your characters freely on that one)
    - Exploration & item hunting? = Nope, just run the hallway and loot the flying boxes. The game opens up a bit much later on but by that time its too late and too minor to have any impact. There's nothing even close to the sidequests of 1-12. No open world to explore, no hidden caverns beneath the ocean to reveal hidden weapons, no hidden islands behind the map that you only reach with a golden chocobo. There's only the endless hallway. Remember the optional mansion in VII where you needed to unlock the hidden door to reveal a hidden playable character? Well there's no optional places so there can't be optional characters to play with either. Remember the optional battle arenas that when conquered gave you endgame skills and items? There's nothing even close to that.
    - Special attacks, skills, limit breaks or any other form of unique combat? = Nope, there's a "stagger" bar that goes up when you mash the X button long enough, which only makes the characters do more damage, and then you mash X some more. No epic Omnislash, Lionheart or Blitz Ace to save for a difficult boss battle.
    - Unique weapon models? = Nope, they all share the same skin on one charachter. No Masamune, Excalibur, Ultima Weapon and so forth here.
    - Optional bosses that require various strategy to defeat = Not really, although there are optional bosses. However, as they only require you to max grind your characters and then mash the X button there's really no purpose. No Ruby where you have to figure out to have two characthers dead when entering the battle, No Emerald where you need to figure out how to surivive his final attack, No Penance where you need just the correct characters to even have a chance, No dark aeons, No Omega Weapon etc.

    There's so little RPG-elements in this game to even call it RPG. It is an interactive (debatable) movie, and whether one likes the story or not is a matter of taste. The graphics and CGI of the game is high quality, but so is the quality of the CGI in the Hobbit movies. No-one is calling those movies RPG-games though.

    I'll give the 1 point for the game having no apparent or gamebreaking bugs.    … Expand
  57. Toxsick
    Aug 4, 2023
    1
    Incredibly boring corridor guided jrpg with action elements. By far the worst and least engaging FF, took a lot of steps back compared to even the now almost 30 years old entries for the sake of simplifying the gameplay. Another example of publisher trading creativity and innovation for marketing driven goals.
  58. SCCMAESTRO
    Jul 8, 2016
    1
    This is the worst game I have ever played, partially because I can see how it could have been great. The visuals and music are beautiful, some of the best in the entire series. But everything else about the game is an unfinished, incoherent mess. The story is so poorly formed that half of it isn't explained at all and the other half is stuck in the in-game Wikipedia, the Datalog. TheThis is the worst game I have ever played, partially because I can see how it could have been great. The visuals and music are beautiful, some of the best in the entire series. But everything else about the game is an unfinished, incoherent mess. The story is so poorly formed that half of it isn't explained at all and the other half is stuck in the in-game Wikipedia, the Datalog. The writing is as repetitious and padded as the gameplay is. The gameplay itself is linear corridors of far too many battles where the strategy is the game literally playing itself. You can change the parameters for how the game plays itself, but it fundamentally is still beyond the player's control. It is an unfinished pile of waste and one of the worst pieces of media I have ever experienced. I played 20 hours and I am somber thinking of that time I will never, ever get back. A full day wasted on untalented, confused hacks.… Expand
  59. estebambuco
    Nov 25, 2016
    1
    Una mierda no lo compres:
    -Mala historia
    -Mala traducción
    -Repetitivo y aburrido
    -Mucho cine poco juego
    -No hay exploración es una línea recta
    -Personajes nada interesantes
  60. vanvejar1
    Dec 16, 2019
    1
    El peor final fantasy de la saga, pasillero el 100% del juego, no tiene personalizacion alguna, la protagonista bipolar es odiosa, los personajes terriblemente elegidos, las graficas son un engaño ya que el entorno parace de nintendo 64, tocan por 40 horas las mismas 2 canciones, me recuerda a the order 1886 asi de malo es el juego, solo causa pasar un mal rato
  61. Sequn
    Aug 2, 2022
    1
    This is the worst piece of crap game I've ever played.
    A disastrously and aggressive waste of my time.
    Since this sh#t game it plays itself for the most of the time.
    Oh, and there's isn't literally nothing to discover, since it's a tremendous corridor simulator, with a trash "story".
    I suggest you to stay far away from this piece of crap
  62. Mekoci
    Mar 24, 2023
    1
    Final Fantasy 13 is not a Final Fantasy game.
    It's just some crappy garbage put together to sell a horrible product.
    Avoid this, because it's one of the worst games I've ever played
  63. Ologreek
    Jan 31, 2023
    1
    A piece of crap game.
    Since it's a completely linear game, with a sh/t automatic gameplay, a ridiculous plot, and horrible characters.
    One of the worst games I ever played
  64. Breck
    Mar 11, 2010
    0
    Quite possible the worst final fantasy in the entire series. It shouldn't even be considered a true final fantasy. Nothing about this game is good, I returned it. Something that took 2 years to make, was delayed for ps3 for another 2 years and downgraded so they could put it onto 360. Pathetic. Besides that, graphics still are bad with ps2 style environments. Annoying characters, and Quite possible the worst final fantasy in the entire series. It shouldn't even be considered a true final fantasy. Nothing about this game is good, I returned it. Something that took 2 years to make, was delayed for ps3 for another 2 years and downgraded so they could put it onto 360. Pathetic. Besides that, graphics still are bad with ps2 style environments. Annoying characters, and the same damn plot you've heard 100 times. Unless your a 6 year old girl, avoid at all costs.… Expand
  65. billc
    Mar 15, 2010
    0
    Right !! can anyone tell me where the heart is in this game? im yet to see it. now i may be on my own BUT isnt the point of a game to relax and have fun, be a "FUN pastime?" So far all this game has to offer is bad game play, The music is shocking! a battle system thats terrible... if your a old school gamer dont bother, if your a new age gamer that only cares about graphics and couldnt Right !! can anyone tell me where the heart is in this game? im yet to see it. now i may be on my own BUT isnt the point of a game to relax and have fun, be a "FUN pastime?" So far all this game has to offer is bad game play, The music is shocking! a battle system thats terrible... if your a old school gamer dont bother, if your a new age gamer that only cares about graphics and couldnt care if its a pile of crap, and you know no better, Then this games for you.… Expand
  66. BillG.
    Mar 16, 2010
    0
    Just beat this game, and I want my money back. I have played almost all Final fantasy games, and this by far is the worst. It's a Linear tunnel crawler, with cut scenes. I Never got that "Involved Feeling" with this Final Fantasy. By the end of the game I just wanted to finish it, and get it over with. It kind of makes me sad that Square Enix would do this to us.
  67. ChadS
    Mar 13, 2010
    0
    "..." is what comes to mind. I have played every FF game since nirmal nintendo. I think I wactehd the trailer for this game a zillion times and read everything leading up to its release which i had on pre-order of course and bought the collectors edtion game guide. that being saif, i could not of been more disapointed in my life. The intro seemd promising with you fighting a seemingly "..." is what comes to mind. I have played every FF game since nirmal nintendo. I think I wactehd the trailer for this game a zillion times and read everything leading up to its release which i had on pre-order of course and bought the collectors edtion game guide. that being saif, i could not of been more disapointed in my life. The intro seemd promising with you fighting a seemingly cool epic kinda boss, although of course super easy to win it gave me a pleasure shiver juting thinking of what was to come next. well what came next was 25+ hours of the most boring story ever with the most annoying characters ever. lighting is the only char worth caring about. The other 5 just wine and complain and do stupid annoying things common to anime. this game might of well been a 2d side scoller cause that is what it is a linear p.o.s. suureeeee it looks good but so does any game for a next gen console if it isnt made by r-tards. now the battle system. what battle system? you mean the one click system, one char system??? and witht he paradimes every char basicially becomes the same. only some are a lil bit better in a role than others they all have the same moves and can be substitued with anyone else whcih u can't until chapter 10 of 13 WTFFFFFFFFF. OH yeah and the worst thing about this money sucking succubus of a game is that 90% of it is played with only TWO CHARACTERS!! wow i mean at least let the game be 2 player if your going to screw me out of a party system which is a conrer stone of any FF game. PLEASE STOP RATING THIS GAME 8+ JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE IN BED WITH THE COMPANY (like most of the online review sites) OR A BLIND FAN BOY!!!!! dont even rent this game cause it will just waste your weekend b4 u get to the good parts and have to take the game back. Id pay around 4$ for this crap.… Expand
  68. Breck
    Mar 9, 2010
    0
    Quite possible the worst final fantasy in the entire series. It shouldn't even be considered a true final fantasy. Nothing about this game is good, I returned it. Something that took 2 years to make, was delayed for ps3 for another 2 years and downgraded so they could put it onto 360. Pathetic. Besides that, graphics still are bad with ps2 style environments. Annoying characters, and Quite possible the worst final fantasy in the entire series. It shouldn't even be considered a true final fantasy. Nothing about this game is good, I returned it. Something that took 2 years to make, was delayed for ps3 for another 2 years and downgraded so they could put it onto 360. Pathetic. Besides that, graphics still are bad with ps2 style environments. Annoying characters, and the same damn plot you've heard 100 times. Unless your a 6 year old girl, avoid at all costs.… Expand
  69. IanA
    Mar 9, 2010
    0
    Worst first hour of gameplay ever. The dissapointment of realizing that shops were relegated to save points and that until I finish all the achievements and sell this thing back to some other unlucky sod I'd be going through endless, tedious dungeon crawling through an overly-detalied superficial coating of glitter and polish on a long, dark tunnel of shite. The battle system has Worst first hour of gameplay ever. The dissapointment of realizing that shops were relegated to save points and that until I finish all the achievements and sell this thing back to some other unlucky sod I'd be going through endless, tedious dungeon crawling through an overly-detalied superficial coating of glitter and polish on a long, dark tunnel of shite. The battle system has been completely dumbed down in favor of "simplifying and streamlining" combat which critics praise as "thrilling" and I call boring. I'm sure in the next game not only will party members be AI, but so will the lead character, towns will continue to be absent and all dungeon exploration will be automatically enabled so that all the player has to do is push the power button and just watch the computer play itself. The developers seemed to have realized how terribly pointless the battles have become, what with the lack of levelling and re-hash of X's sphere grid as done by a control freak with Down Syndrom, and so enable the player to completely sneak by a great deal of enemies and offer rewards by way of the new rank system for getting the fight over with as quickly as possible. The voice acting has a strong mix of barely competent and terribly irritating, the game over screen is a lie becuase it just re-starts you right at the beginning of the last initiated battle, and the terribly unrelateable characters all have silly names that, while totally acceptable to a Japanese culture, suffer something terrible in translation to a western audience. As much as I kept waiting for an orgasmic "O WAIT, THIS IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT!" moment I'm sad to say that it never came (hurr hurr) and that I won't be darkening my shelf with this game much longer. If you're a fan of JRPG's in the style of Druaga you might find some appeal here, but for fans of the series as a whole or the wider array of JRPGs just give it a miss and dig out your old copy of Suikoden and tell yourself that game developers will get it right again, some day. Until then, Avatar syndrom will keep its hold on everything; as long as its pretty enough or have a long-standing franchise (LOOKING AT YOU, SQUARE-ENIX) you can have a boring a plot and as stupid a cast of characters as you like and people will buy it.… Expand
  70. AdabrianA
    Mar 13, 2010
    0
    This game would be a 5/10 actually but the lack of soul, the terrible character designs, the ridiculous adolescent plot, the linear and boring gameplay, and everything else on a game with the Final Fantasy pedigree deserves a zero. XII with all its faults, was way better than this. Stay away if you are mentally older than a insecure 16 year teenager or you will despise this game.
  71. LungY
    Mar 14, 2010
    0
    I used to be a FF fan, but this game just destroyed the franchise for me. I Played FF13 for 8 hours, and hated it. I was basically smashing the x button for most battles except for boss fights. I didn't get drawn in with the story or the characters. I hate how they are introduced and their unrealistic reactions. So far, in my 8 hours of gaming, puzzles and areas are ridiculous I used to be a FF fan, but this game just destroyed the franchise for me. I Played FF13 for 8 hours, and hated it. I was basically smashing the x button for most battles except for boss fights. I didn't get drawn in with the story or the characters. I hate how they are introduced and their unrealistic reactions. So far, in my 8 hours of gaming, puzzles and areas are ridiculous linear... Enemies AI is just plain stupid. They are constrained in a small region. When you get detected, the enemies would follow you up to the limit of the small region. You can basically have the enemy right in front of you doing nothing. The control and camera are terrible too. There are invisible walls everywhere. Clearly, when there is no prop blocking the way, I expect to be able to move in... On top of this, the moving animation does not look fluid at all. On many occasion, the camera control becomes unresponsive and tedious. Sure, the cut scenes are pretty, but they are overdone and doesn't make much sense. This is a HD game? Only the main character's head look good, everything else looks low poly. Clearly, I am done with Square Enix. I have not enjoyed any of their games since FFX. One last thing... Summons==Transformers... Really square?... really?!… Expand
  72. 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
  73. 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.
  74. 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.
  75. msg78
    Dec 6, 2016
    0
    I have absolutley nothing positive to say, this game is complete and utter garbage. All you do is walk in a linear line from one stupendously long cut-scene to the next. You can't even over-level yoursself if you're struggling to beat a boss, it's the most linear and restrictive RPG I've ever played. I hate it.
  76. 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
  77. medv4380
    Feb 2, 2012
    0
    Purchased the game at launch and in almost 2 years I could not bring myself to finish it. For even a linear RPG it's far too linear. Mazes, dungeons, or instances should never be just strait hallways all the way through. The battle system is basically auto play, and trying to do otherwise will result in failure. I usually like to keep my games, and until the system dies I usually buyPurchased the game at launch and in almost 2 years I could not bring myself to finish it. For even a linear RPG it's far too linear. Mazes, dungeons, or instances should never be just strait hallways all the way through. The battle system is basically auto play, and trying to do otherwise will result in failure. I usually like to keep my games, and until the system dies I usually buy new. This game has gone into the small pile of trade-ins of unplayable games.… Expand
  78. scorched595
    Jan 16, 2013
    0
    The worst final fantasy game by a long shot. It is essentially a no surprises typical JRPG with the "goofy" characters, the angsty characters, and just the out right retarded characters. The gameplay is also your typical JRPG fair, just grind a **** ton until you win. The level design is just one huge **** corridor repeated over and over again with an occasional reskin, it may branch offThe worst final fantasy game by a long shot. It is essentially a no surprises typical JRPG with the "goofy" characters, the angsty characters, and just the out right retarded characters. The gameplay is also your typical JRPG fair, just grind a **** ton until you win. The level design is just one huge **** corridor repeated over and over again with an occasional reskin, it may branch off occasionally, but you hit a dead end and have to go back onto the corridor. The story is just outright stupid, and I won't even bother explaining it. Not to mention to keep up with the story you have to read a bunch of stupid journal entries, which is fine in small doses, but TO KEEP UP WITH THE PLOT?! **** that. And seriously? an 8.0 for this game? what horse **** it's probably from the final fantasy fanboys who have been spoon-fed the same bull**** for many years and that's all they want to eat now. This series is just dead, there is nothing redeeming about this series anymore, and there is nothing redeeming about the fanbase anymore either. Seriously, this review is gonna get downvoted to hell, all because of some raging fanboys who think "How DARE he insult this perfect game series", well, **** YOU, go back to masturbating to your creepy final fantasy porn, **** head… Expand
  79. FlippySuper
    Feb 7, 2013
    0
    OK, i can go on and on about how much i hate this garbage but lets put my hatred to this game very simple,the entire game is a corridor....Enough said!
  80. sirojasb
    Jan 22, 2013
    0
    this game it´s the most dissapointing installment of the series since the playstation era, the gameplay it´s not enjoyable at all, the character development it´s boring, the soundtrack it´s well produced, but it´s far behind from emotions that can bring uematsu´s soundtracks. There are a bit of memorable moment´s, what saves the game is itsthis game it´s the most dissapointing installment of the series since the playstation era, the gameplay it´s not enjoyable at all, the character development it´s boring, the soundtrack it´s well produced, but it´s far behind from emotions that can bring uematsu´s soundtracks. There are a bit of memorable moment´s, what saves the game is its impeccable production and presentation. Gameplay linear, boring and frustrating which only makes sense in the middle of the game until the end… Expand
  81. bigtakilla
    Jul 3, 2013
    0
    The timeless score of the series is ditched for J-Pop which sounds dated the moment it was released, the World is nothing more than a pretty painting in the background in which you cannot interact with AT ALL EVER, the story is cliche, the characters are shallow, the voice acting is okay at best, the gameplay is insulting, the strategy is non existent, the ending is, well lets just put itThe timeless score of the series is ditched for J-Pop which sounds dated the moment it was released, the World is nothing more than a pretty painting in the background in which you cannot interact with AT ALL EVER, the story is cliche, the characters are shallow, the voice acting is okay at best, the gameplay is insulting, the strategy is non existent, the ending is, well lets just put it this way, there are three games in the series so tell me how good you even think the ending is, the number of spells are limited, the summons are the worst since the japanese FF 3 (maybe, never played actual the actual FF2 or 3) and they turn into vehicles but guess what, you never get to control the vehicles.

    Worst in the series hands down, and downright an insulting entry for the JRPG genre. The strangest part of all is, people are actually defending this title.    … Expand
  82. Bulbotrax
    Jul 18, 2019
    0
    everything in this crappy game is badly done: the script is stupid (what drives lightning and hope is dumb), the gameplay sucks (it's only corridor with silly fight, and the battle system is a shame), the music is poor , the designs are ugly... a shame for square.
  83. Cid_Highwind
    May 26, 2013
    0
    It doesn't matter who are you FF fan or not, this game sux anyway. Press X to win gameplay, boring storyline, uninteresting characters, terrible soundtrack... Yeah, CG amazing but i play games, not CG.
  84. Onikami
    Aug 18, 2013
    0
    I've heard a lot of people harp on the complaint of the game being linear however this cannot be true as Final Fantasy X was very linear and achieve greatest, so why did this game utterly fail? There is nothing from with changing mechanics however Square changed their core engagement. Why do you play a Final Fantasy game over every other game?

    The two main element would be exploration    I've heard a lot of people harp on the complaint of the game being linear however this cannot be true as Final Fantasy X was very linear and achieve greatest, so why did this game utterly fail? There is nothing from with changing mechanics however Square changed their core engagement. Why do you play a Final Fantasy game over every other game?

    The two main element would be exploration and story with idles of being on a hero's quest perhaps. Now Final Fantasy X was linear however the world varied enough, while juxtaposed with times in towns and peaceful settlements with battles to create a flow while Final Fantasy seem very little various and takes too long for it to happen; run through the same jungle with three difference groups of characters. Now, Final Fantasy X had a slow start for sure but Final Fantasy 13 flat out beats this without tell us anything basic about the world and only leaves us more confused unless we continue or read up on it. The exposition dumps fro Final Fantasy X were annoying but they fit because they were teaching Tidus, a everyman thrust into a new world with us, they were teaching us the player, meanwhile FF13 doesn't want to teach us anything but the world or it's characters. Both FFX and FF13 are linear but FFX had colourful characters and world so we didn't notice or it didn't matter while FF13 has spent all its money on graphics and paid for it.

    You can say FF13 got a good score but did it? Every single FF since six has gotten anywhere from 8-11 points above this one so while it could be "good" it is bad as a FF. However, this is where my argument breaks down as I didn't get to finish FF13. I know that the world opens up, and I've seen the gameplay of it, about 20 hours in but honestly to goodness my system caught fire after 18 hours. Perhaps it does get good after this point but than the 18 hour long tutorial was bugging me a bit.

    See with the loss of Sekaguchi FF has lot its way. Final Fantasy moved over to the playstation for more disk space and this served them well because they used it to teach a better story while the story here seems best suited to serve the graphics. Maybe there was a story but it wouldn't explain it self or let me in to understand it at all. Instead, I'm on the outside wondering who these people are or why I should care.

    I should talk about the simplification of the combat a bit. Now normally the slow turn based menus are great for tactical play and allowing you to control all your characters but the moment you speed things up controlling everyone isn't possible. This isn't bad, games like Kingdom Hearts showed us a good way to do this. However, Final Fantasy 13 throws you in and doesn't explain a thing. Not only that my input on the battles is very loose. Now, again I've seen gameplay of later in the game in which it does appear to get a bit hectic however, does this mean that the first 20 hours are all tutorial? If it was meant for the game to progressive and get harder as we go, well that's a good idea but it never came. 18 hours in and I was still doing nothing but changing classes for when I needed to heal, the curve never came. Also, I must admit being healed to full after every battle killed the game and took all challenge away. I know you want the game to be easy so all can play but all tension is now gone. However, I must admit FF has been off the combat I like for a while. FF9 was great because each character had a set of skills and that was all they had. Not only did they have to work together but it gave the sense that their skill (lets say black magic) was something hard that they had mastered and not everybody and their dog could do it.

    If you're just scrolling down to the end to see what I'm going to say I'll repeat. Final Fantasy 13 fails not because it's linear but because it changes the core engagement. I play a FF game for a well crafter stories with colorful characters in a varied world. FFX showed us that linear worlds aren't a bad thing but FF13 shows that that unvaired repeating ones are. While save points that heal you to full made earlier games too easy, being healed after every battle is beyond overkill to take out any challenge or tension. Finally, FFX may have had exposition dumps but it served to explain the world while FF13 doesn't care to. FF13 doesn't care to explain itself at all but throw a bunch of proper nouns at me and never explain a single one nor teach me or give me anything likeable about the cast.

    I"LL SAY IT AGAIN. FINAL FANTASY 13 FAILS NOT BECAUSE ITS LINEAR BUT BECAUSE IT CHANGES IT'S CORE ENGAGEMENT!! Everything we love to see in FF game is not here for changes no one asked for and a pursuit of graphics over gameplay, story, or world. This may be the lowest rated FF in the main series in the best 20 years for a reason guys (and only because those games ((FFV)) are being judged by today's standards).    … Expand
  85. FogCityRoller
    Nov 26, 2015
    0
    Basically a joke of a Final Fantasy game. It should have been released as an expansion to a Mary Kate & Ashley adventure series. xxxxxxxxxxooooooooooooo
  86. agentesupremo
    Sep 20, 2013
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. bad game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1… Expand
  87. SliverPatriarch
    Jan 27, 2014
    0
    Final Fantasy 13 is nothing less than pure garbage. It spits on the foundation of RPGs as we know them. It's linear, enough said. Final Fantasy is never linear. There is no customization that doesn't involve formations. I heard that it gets good, but when you've played through 20 hours of boring x-mashing gameplay, and you've just now gotten the entire party together, you say F**K THIS!Final Fantasy 13 is nothing less than pure garbage. It spits on the foundation of RPGs as we know them. It's linear, enough said. Final Fantasy is never linear. There is no customization that doesn't involve formations. I heard that it gets good, but when you've played through 20 hours of boring x-mashing gameplay, and you've just now gotten the entire party together, you say F**K THIS! The characters are bland, the story sucks, and is hard to follow because it's so boring. There is one path, gear is the last thing on your mind, enemies are forgettable. The only thing you remember about the bosses is how long they took. You just mash x, sometimes use a potion, and wait to stagger it. The summons are nothing more than transformers. But that brings me to another point. Why does the main black character dual wield guns, have a summon that transforms into a car, and has a chocobo living in his afro? Why does Square think this is a good game, and give it TWO sequels? Seeing Lightning in Cloud's costume, is a disgrace to the series' former glory. Don't buy this, or the sequels, and if you have any of these games, trash them. They're a waste of time and money.… Expand
  88. Octavio87
    Feb 16, 2015
    0
    Worst game I have ever played and I started playing on my Gameboy about 20 years ago.

    Annoying characters (especially that emo-crybaby and that wannabe- Paris Hilton- Barbie), horrible and hectical fighting system (why the **** the game ends, when Lightning is defeated, even though there are other characters who could easily revive her?), mega linear maps (basically just one direction-    Worst game I have ever played and I started playing on my Gameboy about 20 years ago.

    Annoying characters (especially that emo-crybaby and that wannabe- Paris Hilton- Barbie), horrible and hectical fighting system (why the **** the game ends, when Lightning is defeated, even though there are other characters who could easily revive her?), mega linear maps (basically just one direction- alleyways), annoying music, that repeats itself and repeats itself until your brain goes numb. Besides that the actual game gets interupted with cutscenes every 10 minutes or so, so there is no fluent gameplay at all.

    I even enjoyed playing Ride to Hell: Retribution more than this, that game made you laugh at least, while FFXIII just makes me angry as hell. So **** this game, **** it to oblivion.    … Expand
  89. mario7489
    Dec 29, 2013
    0
    The game's playing itself Jon. The games just playing itself Jon. THE GAMES JUST JON JON JUUUSSAHHHHAHA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAhahahhghbhnhn AHGHAGHNM SAHHWNEUYHUU GGEHH WMEMWNNANH EHEH AHT HWP JUSY APPLAYIG NANFMMAN HHHAJ OON JO N
  90. PatternFalls
    Feb 11, 2014
    0
    This game is an insult to fans and an insult to anybody who bother to pay for this absolute trivial excuse for a game.
    Final Fantasy is horribly written, has terrible combat and does everything in it's power to make you hate the experience.
  91. qu4nt0
    Nov 14, 2014
    0
    This is the worst video-game I have ever played in my life. First of all there is no challenge, 90% of the game is just about walking narrow paths and have boring fights with enemies.
    Second the fights are more boring than in previous Final Fantasy games, because the system is doing everything for you. You basically just have to choose a class and the Game is doing the rest of the fight.    This is the worst video-game I have ever played in my life. First of all there is no challenge, 90% of the game is just about walking narrow paths and have boring fights with enemies.
    Second the fights are more boring than in previous Final Fantasy games, because the system is doing everything for you. You basically just have to choose a class and the Game is doing the rest of the fight.
    Please don't buy this video-game.    … Expand
  92. neuro-punk
    Feb 25, 2016
    0
    Final Fantasy XIII is one of the very worst games ever made and nothing like a Final Fantasy game. This game is a plague/curse to the franchise and i would not wish this crap on even my worst enemies. Can't even change party members with ATB turn based combat, no world map, no airship/vehicles, no exploration, no mini-games, no fun, it's lacking almost everything that makes Final Fantasy,Final Fantasy XIII is one of the very worst games ever made and nothing like a Final Fantasy game. This game is a plague/curse to the franchise and i would not wish this crap on even my worst enemies. Can't even change party members with ATB turn based combat, no world map, no airship/vehicles, no exploration, no mini-games, no fun, it's lacking almost everything that makes Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy.

    Whoever likes FFXIII has horrendous taste and should stop playing video games if they like this crap.    … Expand
  93. sorastrife2890
    Apr 21, 2016
    0
    i am a very final fantasy fan. but this game is just **** **** i dont know why the people like this game. is just a rect line, a very bad story, very bad characters and a very bad game sistem. dont buy this game please
  94. Laggron1111
    Apr 19, 2017
    0
    Final Fantasy XIII is a very bad Final Fantasy. This game is not interesting. The characters are really boring.
    The scenario is very bad. It's the worst Final Fantasy .
  95. pelonchascomes
    Sep 20, 2017
    0
    As a big fan of the FF saga, I must say that this game made me feel bad. Horrible. The worst FF game to me. It was disappointing, gameplay is an insult, the combat system is a joke. I've played almost the entire FF saga, and I can say that this is the worst one. Characters look incredible, but the maps? the environment looks dead and horribly made. This is an insult to all the FF fans. AndAs a big fan of the FF saga, I must say that this game made me feel bad. Horrible. The worst FF game to me. It was disappointing, gameplay is an insult, the combat system is a joke. I've played almost the entire FF saga, and I can say that this is the worst one. Characters look incredible, but the maps? the environment looks dead and horribly made. This is an insult to all the FF fans. And the story is so bad and confusing. Exploration is non-existing because you walk through straight paths! Characters are cliches and forgettable, and the main character is the worst main character ever I hate her I cannot stand her. And I mean, I really really tried to play this, I really did but this game made me angry. I regret buying it. Where's the exploration? Where's the customization? This game don't deserve to be called a "Final Fantasy". So disappointing. If you are a fan of FF saga, buy it under your own risk.
    Bad story, bad combat system, boring characters... and a boring experience in general. Soundtrack is good and graphics are ok too. But as a FF this is the worst one I've ever played.    … Expand
  96. LeonStrife
    Jan 28, 2018
    0
    Worst Final Fantasy ever made.

    Simply put , no cities , no exploration , linear as hell. The whole game feels like a huge hallway. Avoid at all costs , play anything else.
  97. jugadorhardcore
    Feb 1, 2018
    0
    The worst FF ever. That for real. They almost blew up one of the biggest saga in the industry. This game just have nice grafics on the caracters and nothing more. Storyline is unexistant, an extremtly easy game, is not open world just move the caracter forward. A complete joke for the fans...
  98. Revoltado
    May 16, 2018
    0
    Sem dúvida, o pior FF de todos:
    - personagens super desinteressantes, a personagem principal é a mais sem sal da história
    - Linear ao extremo, pessoas que acham o X linear não jogaram esse que nem cidade tem - Evolução dos personagens é linear e limitada e seu personagem não evolui mais enquanto não derrotar o boss da área - Sistema de combate pior de todos, odiei o sistema de    Sem dúvida, o pior FF de todos:
    - personagens super desinteressantes, a personagem principal é a mais sem sal da história
    - Linear ao extremo, pessoas que acham o X linear não jogaram esse que nem cidade tem
    - Evolução dos personagens é linear e limitada e seu personagem não evolui mais enquanto não derrotar o boss da área
    - Sistema de combate pior de todos, odiei o sistema de paradigma... vc só usa a magia tal se estiver em tal paradigma...
    - lutas lentas demandam um monte de buff e debuff, entediante e não se pode controlar o movimento do personagem na luta... ficam andando sem propósito... mais atrapalha do que ajuda
    - Evocações robóticas - TODAS
    - História boa na essência mas porcamente executada (confusa ao extremo)
    - Nem as músicas gostei
    - Péssima dublagem, vide Vanille    … Expand
  99. Gamepro3093
    Nov 27, 2020
    0
    A massive disappointment back when it released and still one to this day. There’s practically nothing to like here. The characters are annoying and badly written, the world design is bland and boring, the battle system is badly designed and so on. To date, this is the only Final Fantasy game I ever returned after buying it new. It was unfortunately a casualty of the early end of the 7thA massive disappointment back when it released and still one to this day. There’s practically nothing to like here. The characters are annoying and badly written, the world design is bland and boring, the battle system is badly designed and so on. To date, this is the only Final Fantasy game I ever returned after buying it new. It was unfortunately a casualty of the early end of the 7th generation of consoles, along with other disappointments like Metal Gear Solid 4 and Grand Theft Auto 4 due to the unnecessarily steep learning curve that came with the PS3 hardware and the way it made games more difficult to make and longer to make meaning that titles that would’ve probably been vastly superior were severely hampered and ended up being frankly **** Fortunately Final Fantasy 15 made up for this disaster.… Expand
  100. Toshi_inu
    Jun 16, 2023
    0
    muy mal videojuego, lineal, las batalla son malas, o tiene casi nada de rpg, personajes genéricos, lo único bueno es la banda sonora,
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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

All reviews »
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.
    Read full review
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