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. CynicalCyberCat
    Feb 28, 2014
    8
    Enter, a refreshing new female heroine, reminiscent of your previous cool aloof mains from the other titles, Lightning is very much like Cloud and Squall/Leon with their cold shoulder personality and military backgrounds.

    Characters are varied and typical of the franchise. Their responses are typical but that what makes it the signature Final Fantasy game. Some personality changes occur    Enter, a refreshing new female heroine, reminiscent of your previous cool aloof mains from the other titles, Lightning is very much like Cloud and Squall/Leon with their cold shoulder personality and military backgrounds.

    Characters are varied and typical of the franchise. Their responses are typical but that what makes it the signature Final Fantasy game. Some personality changes occur a bit too quickly for comfort but this isn't a huge game breaker as you spend much more of the game utilising the new combat system.

    This game introduces the new battle system, although many people say pressing 'A' will play the game for you, I disagree. This mechanic requires the player to chain abilities with the use of particular damage classes such as the Ravager or the Commando - a system which hasn't been implemented in the other games. The new instantaneous switching between roles provides relief as it doesn't take as long as some changes in other games (FFX-2 Dress-spheres for instance which took one turn each time you changed).

    It brings clearly defined roles to your party which can be set in the options according to your likes. Various characters are more suited towards particular classes such as Lightning - Ravager/Commando, Snow - Sentinel/Commando and so forth. There are Ultimate items as there has been in some titles but they require some crafting to be created.

    Storyline is not the best but it is interesting, the race created by the Gods, fal'Cie, and then those who are chosen by the fal'Cie. Those who are chosen, the l'Cie' are given a task called the 'Focus'. You explore Lightnings home 'city' the Cocoon, before venturing to the rumoured hell: Gran Pulse. Although somewhat linear you do explore areas and grind as you do in the usual games although you're just on a shorter leash this time.

    Music is quite a pleasure to listen to, a bit more modern than the usual fare. Reason being a new composer on the block. The graphics are amazing and most actions are seamless and smooth - what I'd expect from Square Enix's quality of work.

    Bottom line: it is a game typical of the FF universe, some interesting implementations that seem to be a hit or miss with its audience at times. It is of personal opinion in most cases. The combat system is definitely very interesting to use, it may take some time getting used to. Game play is the usual. Storyline isn't up to the usual standard. Graphics is top notch. Interesting characters and a satisfying ending. Not for all but it is all for some.    … Expand
  2. CptThreepwood
    Feb 27, 2014
    3
    As a long time FF fan I was really looking forward to this game when it was first released. FF XII was a huge disappointment so I was expecting that this game would definitely be an improvement. Sadly, I was wrong. I could not adjust to any of the characters at all. I played this game for 40 hours, didn't finish it and the only character I started to like after several hours was Lightning,As a long time FF fan I was really looking forward to this game when it was first released. FF XII was a huge disappointment so I was expecting that this game would definitely be an improvement. Sadly, I was wrong. I could not adjust to any of the characters at all. I played this game for 40 hours, didn't finish it and the only character I started to like after several hours was Lightning, once she stopped acting like a total b*tch. One character is total pointless to the story, and the other characters just don't make sense. Years later I found out that if I had kept playing, there would have been a turn in the story and all the characters (except for the earlier mentioned one) would have made sense. but I never reached that point. Maybe I got spoiled by FF VII, IX and X which I played when I was quite younger, but FF XIII was easily the worst I have played. Anyways, I can recommend to give FF XIII-2 and Lightning Returns a shot! You don't really need to finish the first game to get the main plot because unsurprisingly they manage to summarize the whole story of FF XIII in a few sentences during the beginning of second game.… Expand
  3. 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.
  4. vank
    Feb 21, 2014
    4
    This game was an unfortunate attempt to pander to the LCD of gamers. I have (a slipping) faith in Square Enix, and like to see merit in most anything they produce. Still as a longstanding fan of the Final Fantasy series, and after waiting for years for something to come out after FFXII, this came, at the very least, as a disappointment to me. To me, what makes an RPG good: round, humanThis game was an unfortunate attempt to pander to the LCD of gamers. I have (a slipping) faith in Square Enix, and like to see merit in most anything they produce. Still as a longstanding fan of the Final Fantasy series, and after waiting for years for something to come out after FFXII, this came, at the very least, as a disappointment to me. To me, what makes an RPG good: round, human characters that are able to be identified with; an intricate story that is mysterious (not confusing!); the ability to customize characters; a sort of real-world verisimilitude (shops, inns, money); a requirement for a player to carefully consider his game-play actions that is challenging yet manageable; and an extensive world that allows for exploring and revisitation. FFXIII had very little of these qualities. The story was hardly engaging for me (I didn't give a damn about the l'Cie and that... and I still don't know what Orphan is all about?); the characters were distant and a player doesn't really get to see enough of them to begin to identify with them (Yeah, Lightning, you're an icy wench, we get it); and the biggest irritation was the game play, specifically the battles, which is supposed to be the part where the gamer has most control and actually "plays" was simply a holding down of a singular button to continually select "auto-battle." It wasn't fun, and will probably only be remembered to me as the worst FF game I've ever played.… Expand
  5. 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
  6. 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.
  7. kaizidokiller
    Feb 11, 2014
    8
    The improved combat system and graphics is the only thing that this game got going for. The active time-based combat system is truly thrilling. Battles are more fast-paced and action-oriented. The graphics is breathtaking, from the moment you start playing. It's truly one of the best looking games of this generation. But the game is bogged down by the game's linear gameplay and weak story.The improved combat system and graphics is the only thing that this game got going for. The active time-based combat system is truly thrilling. Battles are more fast-paced and action-oriented. The graphics is breathtaking, from the moment you start playing. It's truly one of the best looking games of this generation. But the game is bogged down by the game's linear gameplay and weak story. The story is typically about a heroine and her team trying to save the world, not exactly the best they've come up with. The gameplay is just fight monster, fight boss, fight monster, fight boss, fight monster, fight boss throughout most of the game. There are 13 chapters so I would say about 10 chapters is basically the game on autopilot, you're constantly doing the same thing and you're constantly moving forward. All you can do is complete the game, there's nothing else to do after and during the game. You're free to explore, fight and obtain Platinum but there's no side stories or puzzles or anything like that which makes exploration pointless. In previous FF games, you're free to take a break from the main story to complete a series of side quests. None of that is presented in this game so it's likely that I'll never play this game, after completing it, again. A good game overall, but it doesn't do justice for the best JRPG franchise. Avoid if you're uninitiated but give the previous games a go because you're missing out. For fans, it's worth a rental!… Expand
  8. boshi
    Jan 28, 2014
    9
    this game has amazing graphics. while some of the characters are dull and can be really annoying the overall story is nice. the combat system is nice, with the exception of switching paradigms. when you switch paradigms in the game it takes several seconds in real time, which gets frustrating. another thing that bothers me is that you don't receive gil (currency) in battle, which isthis game has amazing graphics. while some of the characters are dull and can be really annoying the overall story is nice. the combat system is nice, with the exception of switching paradigms. when you switch paradigms in the game it takes several seconds in real time, which gets frustrating. another thing that bothers me is that you don't receive gil (currency) in battle, which is annoying as well. however, the music, especially the battle music, is amazing.… Expand
  9. 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
  10. evangelism
    Jan 21, 2014
    5
    Not horrible, but not good either. Extreme linearity with no attempt at all to hide it. Long stretches of copy pasted corridors with no plot development to pad the run time. No freedom for the player in terms of how they level up (FFX and XII) did it much better. Everything about this game screams handholding. You are not allowed to level up too fast (due to level caps for each chapter),Not horrible, but not good either. Extreme linearity with no attempt at all to hide it. Long stretches of copy pasted corridors with no plot development to pad the run time. No freedom for the player in terms of how they level up (FFX and XII) did it much better. Everything about this game screams handholding. You are not allowed to level up too fast (due to level caps for each chapter), you are not allowed to get lost, except with the story. The story is told horribly. With long stretches of not knowing what the hell is going on, things are explained long after they should be and by the end we still don't know the true motivations of the antagonists (SPOILER: they are suicidal, BUT WHY ARE THEY SUICIDAL?). The only thing that kept me playing was the promise it got better in the end and the battle system. Does it get better in the end? For a short period, yes. Chapter 11 gives you a land to explore and sidequests to complete. However the sidequests are very linear (go to location, kill boss, get next quest) with a lot of running around getting from starting location, to boss, to next quest giver, to boss, repeat 60 times. Then for chapters 12 and 13 it is back to the mind numbing linearity and repeating corridors. I feel like this game was made by either an entirely new team or was made to 'appeal to a wider audience,' the type of people who don't understand traditional RPG's. And it shows with the incredibly high and undeserved metacritic score this game has that they were successful. If you are reading this to determine whether you should play this or not, take heed of my warning. It is not worth it.… Expand
  11. 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
  12. Rodolfoluke11
    Jan 14, 2014
    8
    Final Fantasy 13 was a good game but it wasn't great. I enjoyed the story very much but constantly fighting the same creatures to level up wasn't that exciting.
  13. LilD
    Jan 9, 2014
    7
    Let's be honest, the crux of the Final Fantasy games are its stories. FFXIII has to have one of the worst stories of any game I’ve played let alone one that is meant to be a major blockbuster. It is overly confusing and convoluted that no one I talked to has any idea what is going on. Some have even tried writing down plot points into a note pad and are still baffled as to the storyline.Let's be honest, the crux of the Final Fantasy games are its stories. FFXIII has to have one of the worst stories of any game I’ve played let alone one that is meant to be a major blockbuster. It is overly confusing and convoluted that no one I talked to has any idea what is going on. Some have even tried writing down plot points into a note pad and are still baffled as to the storyline.

    Naturally, a bad story leads to awful characters. This is partly true. A few characters are memorable: Lightning and Fang, a few that just occupy space: Vanille and Sazh, and a few that are completely irritating: Snow and Hope. This volatility is a theme of how this game’s production is. With a series that has brought us Sephiroth and Auron, the characters are generally forgettable.

    I know Final Fantasy games can be cutscene heavy, but it almost felt as if you were playing between cutscenes at many times. One of the biggest complaints is its linearity. I personally didn’t find this to be a problem. It does open up slightly in the latter parts of the game.

    One of XIII’s strengths is that it just feels fluid and polished. The smooth graphics, the quick and stylish UI, and has hands-down the best battling system. For me, this game’s saving grace was its battling system. Battles never felt like a chore and kept me interested in the game despite an awful story.

    As a Final Fantasy game, it is a letdown. If viewing in isolation, it is a decent RPG. Despite its many shortcomings, it only took me like a week to get through the 60+ hours of gameplay, a marathon only a few games have warranted.    … Expand
  14. 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
  15. ruriruri
    Dec 28, 2013
    8
    I had this game since release and it took me this long to complete it. Not from lack of trying but a general lack of interest. I finally sat down and decided to beat it and came across the realization that I had really missed out on something fun in the end. I wasn't bothered by the apparent linearity (most FF games are pretty linear if you realize it or not) or the characters (althoughI had this game since release and it took me this long to complete it. Not from lack of trying but a general lack of interest. I finally sat down and decided to beat it and came across the realization that I had really missed out on something fun in the end. I wasn't bothered by the apparent linearity (most FF games are pretty linear if you realize it or not) or the characters (although Hope was pretty annoying at the start) but I just didn't have the energy to continue it at first. Once I dug into it, I found an enjoyable experience as the action and pace kicked up and characters stopped being a little you know what (Hope).
    My biggest problem is that the final boss battles were a joke. It was entirely too easy to me, but it may have been due to all the grinding I had done beforehand. Hitting the end credits, I was still satisfied with my adventure but mildly disappointed by that final string of battles.
    Overall a good experience. Way better than the trash that was FF12, but nowhere near the best Final Fantasy titles (like 4).    … Expand
  16. smelly
    Dec 28, 2013
    10
    While it's easy for me to see why people don't like this game, I honestly loved it. In many ways, it was perfect for the mind-state I was in and the amount of time I had during the day to play it. Great graphics, distinct character designs, INCREDIBLE soundtrack, and the kind of storyline that I really like that involves normal people fighting against an unjust fate. For gameplay, IWhile it's easy for me to see why people don't like this game, I honestly loved it. In many ways, it was perfect for the mind-state I was in and the amount of time I had during the day to play it. Great graphics, distinct character designs, INCREDIBLE soundtrack, and the kind of storyline that I really like that involves normal people fighting against an unjust fate. For gameplay, I thought it struck a great balance between simplicity and strategy that is fast and rewarding...coupled with the linear nature of the game, you get battles that are never too easy, sometimes too hard, but always intense.

    As a game experience, this one was perfect for me and ranks among my favorite games of all time. This is all in the face of thinking I wouldn't like this game (based on how much trash people talk about it), but I took a chance and was rewarded immeasurably. Too bad the sequels go overboard on the crazier aspects of the FFXIII universe lore, and lose the human element. Oh well.    … Expand
  17. MarcinOS
    Dec 27, 2013
    3
    The worst part of the Final Fantasy series ever. The game is just boring. I'm a big fan of the Final Fantasy series, but I'm completely disappointed. Music is weak, what surprising, since each part of the FF can boast a fine soundtrack. Gameplay worse. Just constantly press the X button and directional buttons. The game is very linear. Characters are boring too, without expression No mapThe worst part of the Final Fantasy series ever. The game is just boring. I'm a big fan of the Final Fantasy series, but I'm completely disappointed. Music is weak, what surprising, since each part of the FF can boast a fine soundtrack. Gameplay worse. Just constantly press the X button and directional buttons. The game is very linear. Characters are boring too, without expression No map of the world is a huge minus. The only plus is the graphics and cut scenes, but the locations are boring for me. The title has sold so well probably only because we all flew to the magic of the series. I also I regret.… Expand
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. luneki
    Nov 27, 2013
    10
    XIII is a reinvention of the franchise, many fans don't like it precisely because, it's different and they don't like change, i love innovation and when franchises dare to go out of their comfort zone and do something different it's amazing, SE did that, and we got FF XIII, a completely new experience in the franchise that perhaps may not be as well receivred, but it's worthy of the FinalXIII is a reinvention of the franchise, many fans don't like it precisely because, it's different and they don't like change, i love innovation and when franchises dare to go out of their comfort zone and do something different it's amazing, SE did that, and we got FF XIII, a completely new experience in the franchise that perhaps may not be as well receivred, but it's worthy of the Final Fantasy title… Expand
  21. darkprophet
    Nov 26, 2013
    4
    tldr XIII's concept of a beautiful gem that just happened to be covered in a steaming pile of fecal matter by whoever "assisted" with its development that almost completely obscures the excellent core idea. It is not a game because there is no actual fun involved in playing it or watching the non-plot character interactions.

    Attention to the story in its current form is only    tldr XIII's concept of a beautiful gem that just happened to be covered in a steaming pile of fecal matter by whoever "assisted" with its development that almost completely obscures the excellent core idea. It is not a game because there is no actual fun involved in playing it or watching the non-plot character interactions.

    Attention to the story in its current form is only recommended in extremely small doses with copious amounts of drugs and/or alcohol, otherwise a loss of faith in humanity and a urge to destroy Japan may occur. The only cure to this is to play FFXIII-2 which will remediate all of these urges except for the realization that it is what XIII SHOULD and COULD have been.

    Extended Cut Review
    This game makes me seethe and writhe in frustration because of all the wasted and lost potential. Where to begin?

    Frustrating, arbitrary and grueling battle system.
    The "easiest" enemies later in the game take 10-15 minutes each simply due to the vast amount of hp and their damage output. If you don't use autobattle and make it basically a interactive movie with minor control, then combat in this game will be beyond frustrating and irritating. My girlfriend and I are both veterans of the final fantasy series which is to say, since the original game, and into chapter 11 we reached a point where there was literally no reason for bashing our heads against the mechanical system despite a deep desire for both of us to get to the end of all the plot threads dangled. Don't get me started on Eidolon battles and certain bosses if you did not build exactly the way the devs wanted you to, hope you like hearing Vanille and everyone's death cries.

    Plot, coherence, and narrative or lack thereof
    There is a intruiging plot backbone in the background which is never fully explored or explained except for a fully formed codex at the start of the game which is interesting but completely detached from the narrative of the game. The character interactions in plot scenes are top notch and compelling, as characters should be, but in the rest of the game they are reduced to mere stereotypical archetypes with completely nonsense exchanges, "observations" and no true character development.

    Nothing is explained about why the events that occur occur, even when many examples clearly contradict the game's existing lore and established narrative. Why do the characters get sent where they do and then come back? Never explained, ever. The only explanation to many things that contradict everything else is "power of friendship", which is unacceptable without some further establishment or explanation.

    Pacing
    The main criticism of the game from the community has been its pacing. The 30 hour tutorial is not a exaggeration and it is just as frustrating as it sounds, given you only truly "start" the full open proper game in the last 3 or 4 chapters of chapter 13. Compounded with the resounding question of "why are we here?" that is never truly answered, giving any thought to the game will give you aneurisms.

    Music and Sound
    The basic battle theme made me want to gouge out my ears. There were a couple of themes that were great, like Snow's, but some of them were completely discontinious like Sazh's. The repetitive battle effects and character combat lines were made worse by the ridiculious length of the battles.Overall, I preferred to listen to something else.

    I do not understand why this game is rated inferior to Final Fantasy XIII-2, which is superior to it every way. There was clearly a great conceptual idea that was handed off to a team of incompetent monkeys for implementation of certain core parts who butchered them completely. There were at least two main character writing teams, one for plot events (the great one) and one for side conversations the trash one), which held no standard continuity between the two. Final Fantasy XIII-2 is a vast improvement upon the two, with a streamlined battle system that SHOULD have been, a unified narrative, characterization, and a incredible soundtrack.    … Expand
  22. CiloH
    Nov 26, 2013
    7
    FF-XIII falls short of being the innovative Final Fantasy game it had striven to be. The game offers luscious CG cut-scenes accompanied with unforgettable soundtracks; The story is also not terrible for a J-RPG. Character models are beautifully drawn and their character development is quite decent. Game mechanics, however, lacks the depth and intricacy that was once present in itsFF-XIII falls short of being the innovative Final Fantasy game it had striven to be. The game offers luscious CG cut-scenes accompanied with unforgettable soundtracks; The story is also not terrible for a J-RPG. Character models are beautifully drawn and their character development is quite decent. Game mechanics, however, lacks the depth and intricacy that was once present in its predecessor: FF-XII. The dreaded "Auto-Battle" command is the most immersion-killing part of the entire game. This button essentially allows the game to play itself, since also the game is not difficult in any sense. FF-XIII's battle mechanics is basically a super dumb'ed-down version of FF-XII's. There a tiny traces of the gambit system in the form of the Paradigms, but now it is simplified to the point where it is as if it was teaching you "Rock beats paper, scissors beat paper, and paper beats rock. Do you need me to hold you're hand some more? How about I beat the game for you?". The battle game play is bluntly: Boring.… Expand
  23. 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
  24. IkqXP
    Nov 13, 2013
    6
    Probably the most linear game of the Final Fantasy series, lacking depth but packed with beautiful graphics and inspiring characters.

    If you want a short, followable game that you can just mend along with, Final Fantasy XIII may definitely be your choice. However, if you wanted an explorative, dense & replayable experience that Final Fantasy usually offers, this game may cut your    Probably the most linear game of the Final Fantasy series, lacking depth but packed with beautiful graphics and inspiring characters.

    If you want a short, followable game that you can just mend along with, Final Fantasy XIII may definitely be your choice. However, if you wanted an explorative, dense & replayable experience that Final Fantasy usually offers, this game may cut your expectations completely    … Expand
  25. SenshiV
    Nov 7, 2013
    8
    Well, it's true that the linear part is bad, but not so much, I mean, maybe it was disliked because this was not the case with previous titles, but when you think about if, can't this be taken as some kind of revolutionary 3D side scroller instead? I really disliked this 'stagger' system where monsters have ridiculously big health pools, but whatever, you get used to it. I enjoyed theWell, it's true that the linear part is bad, but not so much, I mean, maybe it was disliked because this was not the case with previous titles, but when you think about if, can't this be taken as some kind of revolutionary 3D side scroller instead? I really disliked this 'stagger' system where monsters have ridiculously big health pools, but whatever, you get used to it. I enjoyed the game not as much as other FF titles but it had his own magic plot. At least I feel like wanting to play the sequel, so yeah, it took me ages to finish this game because I left it at some point (again, hate stagger mechanic) but retook it and well, next.… Expand
  26. Revoltz
    Nov 1, 2013
    8
    It's a very linear game, the gameplay is nice but have some issues, the worst are the fact that you can't trade the leader in the middle of the battle.
    The soundtrack are really nice and Fang is awesome!
  27. 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
  28. kmj856
    Oct 5, 2013
    3
    This is not a good FF game. The first 40 hours are spent running in a complete straight line, reading mountainous piles of extra text to try to figure out what's going on and who all these people and different factions and organizations are. The game won't open up for you until you've run in a straight line for 30-40 hours.
  29. QurChuck
    Sep 21, 2013
    9
    This Final Fantasy is totally different than series before. Game looks fantastic on PS3, much better than X360. The plot isn't a masterpiece, but Square Enix put a pressure on relations between characters. I'm fan of the series and even the longest tutorial in history of gaming had much fun with completing this. Anyway there is, like always, cut scenes and audio (original Japanese dubbingThis Final Fantasy is totally different than series before. Game looks fantastic on PS3, much better than X360. The plot isn't a masterpiece, but Square Enix put a pressure on relations between characters. I'm fan of the series and even the longest tutorial in history of gaming had much fun with completing this. Anyway there is, like always, cut scenes and audio (original Japanese dubbing and also whole music) are MASTERPIECES… Expand
  30. agentesupremo
    Sep 20, 2013
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. bad game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 83 Critic Reviews

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