Final Fantasy XIII

 Xbox 360
User Score
6.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 692 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 312 out of 692
  2. Mixed: 174 out of 692
  3. Negative: 206 out of 692
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  1. 113
    Aug 17, 2023
    7
    So this game is about my old crystal girlfriend that goes into the future to do things, however I dont really know why. All I remember it that you can use the funny chickens against Kyle the apparat antagonist . There is a cat like creature that follows you around the ENTIRE GAME that is super annoying and yet is so important to the story that i completely forget him while writing thisSo this game is about my old crystal girlfriend that goes into the future to do things, however I dont really know why. All I remember it that you can use the funny chickens against Kyle the apparat antagonist . There is a cat like creature that follows you around the ENTIRE GAME that is super annoying and yet is so important to the story that i completely forget him while writing this review. A Yuna lookalike died like 20 times in the game which most of them were very, very preventable while you just kind of stood by and watched it happen. Very cool game, very cool.

    Also something to note, Snow still likes 15 year old girl which is kinda weird. And the Shopkeeper is a Chicken Lady (I feel like should be noted). And for some reason Hope is basically King which is the compete opposite of the first game which I appreciate that the writers went out of there way to do a full 180 on his character to make me like him (He may or may not a hat now but I won't spoil you.) The best part of the game was you can gamble on some chickens which is very innovative.

    Would rate higher if it had more cute girls. Not just the same cute girl who died 30 times. Kyle didn't deserve that at the end. He was simply misunderstood and he only wanted what was best for    … Expand
  2. Risolu
    Aug 2, 2023
    10
    Still one of the best FFs in the series. Probably the best music among all FFs. Every chapter is a different and beautiful world. I dont care about how linear it is. FF7R was linear too and still loved. Also the endgame content is incredible. There is no FF with that many challenging bosses or things to do post game. The mythology is extremely deep. Probably the most complex world among all FFs
  3. 4yuxan
    Aug 16, 2023
    0
    New discover of Final Fantasy XIII in 2023 on my Xbox Series X and i really enjoy it.

    The game is aways really awesome with 60fps and 4k compatibility and look like recent games.
  4. Roxu
    Aug 3, 2023
    0
    Worst Final Fantasy game that lead us to the horrendous trash final fantasy games that they still developing today.
    Empty trash, with s%it plot, garbage gameplay for building a trash game
  5. Nivhu
    Jun 26, 2023
    0
    The worst jrpg I've ever played in a long time
    And essentially the worst Final Fantasy game ever made
  6. Frenchhouse91
    Jun 24, 2023
    8
    The Xbox Series X version is a must. Best looking game of its generation, incredibly frustrating but also captivating. Not every main character is a winner, but Sazh is one of the best in the entire franchise.
  7. 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,
  8. Mazody
    Apr 7, 2023
    0
    Il peggior Final Fantasy mai stato creato.
    Una pessima esperienza dal primo minuto fino all'ultimo.
    Evitare di perdere il vostro tempo con questa schifezza
  9. ZRHILDE
    Apr 6, 2023
    10
    Un gioco davvero bello sottovalutatissimo all uscita e rivalutato con l uscita xbox
  10. Whotic
    Jan 26, 2023
    0
    Easily the literally worst piece of garbage ever made by Square Enix, since the Xbox 360 era.
    And still a piece of garbage even today.
    You should avoid this trash, especially if you are looking for a jrpg, since this is definitely the worst I've ever played.
    Automatic combat system, trash summons, trash plot, with literally 0 citys, and 0 NPC.
    A sh/t corridor game, the worst kind of
  11. neomoonsevin
    Jan 21, 2023
    10
    Took me years to understand where squarenix was going in terms of the mechanics and class switching I had play this years ago but back then I didn't like this but I endured and understood only afew weeks ago now I am keen to see the end now great game great franchise
  12. Yased
    Jan 15, 2023
    0
    Atrocious and boring piece of trash.
    Final Fantasy 13 is literally the worst jrpg I've ever played, and also the worst Final Fantasy game. 0 explorable city, 0 NPC, 99% linear maps, transformers trash Summons, ridiculous monsters design, forgettable ost, ecc....
    Pitifully bad in every single way, especially the trash plot and the sh*tty automatic gameplay.
  13. LastResource
    Jan 14, 2023
    10
    worth it and glad to play this game again. so much memories and nostalgia within this thirteenth game in the series.
  14. Vhofa
    Dec 31, 2022
    0
    To this day, FF13 remains the worst Final Fantasy game ever created. Horrible in pretty much every single aspect of the classic rpg scheme. With an atrocious story from all points of view, to the 0 explorable citys, and 0 NPC, and the automated gameplay sucks.
    Don't waste your time in this garbage.
  15. Yucuvu
    Oct 2, 2022
    0
    This trash game was one of the worst games I've ever played in my whole life. And I can easily say why:

    - 0 city - 0 NPCs to talk - 0 minigames - 0 exploration (because there are only corridor maps for 95% of the game, literally) - 0 plot (since it is an incomprehensible mess and without any logic or sense) - 0 gameplay (since every battle is actomatic, literally) Avoid this    This trash game was one of the worst games I've ever played in my whole life. And I can easily say why:

    - 0 city
    - 0 NPCs to talk
    - 0 minigames
    - 0 exploration (because there are only corridor maps for 95% of the game, literally)
    - 0 plot (since it is an incomprehensible mess and without any logic or sense)
    - 0 gameplay (since every battle is actomatic, literally)

    Avoid this horrible piece of trash.
    Because it's only a waste of time and money.    … Expand
  16. wmurphy011
    Sep 27, 2022
    10
    While the Xbox version is inferior to Playstation (as all cross platform Games are) it's still and amazing game. The magic here is not lost.

    Be aware of a massive number of falsely posted negative reviews for this game for each console. This was one of the first video games to be review bombed by people who have never played it. I have spoken to countless people over the years who try to    While the Xbox version is inferior to Playstation (as all cross platform Games are) it's still and amazing game. The magic here is not lost.

    Be aware of a massive number of falsely posted negative reviews for this game for each console. This was one of the first video games to be review bombed by people who have never played it. I have spoken to countless people over the years who try to tall me it's not a good game. Every single time, these people prove that they've never even played the game. I always ask them about a certain, major, plot point that happens early in the game and they never have any idea as to what I'm talking about.    … Expand
  17. TheGreatNikakis
    Aug 4, 2022
    10
    A very late review, but i had to write it. Being the first game i've played in a major console i'm probably biased while scoring this game. The good parts of the game are the battle systems, the visual effects and the it's music, with all three being incredible. I also loved it's liner nature. However, the characters, besides Lightning and maybe Snow are not memorable and the story is kindA very late review, but i had to write it. Being the first game i've played in a major console i'm probably biased while scoring this game. The good parts of the game are the battle systems, the visual effects and the it's music, with all three being incredible. I also loved it's liner nature. However, the characters, besides Lightning and maybe Snow are not memorable and the story is kind of convoluted. A more objective rating should be a 7.… Expand
  18. 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
  19. OutlawTX
    Apr 12, 2022
    4
    Truly one of the most annoying games I’ve ever played. The decisions made in the creation of the game are bafflingly stupid. Walk down a path for 30 hours until you reach an open area grindfest. What makes the bad gameplay even worse is the fact that the characters are so well done. Great, intriguing characters with a good story that’s completely ruined by insanity boring gameplay thatTruly one of the most annoying games I’ve ever played. The decisions made in the creation of the game are bafflingly stupid. Walk down a path for 30 hours until you reach an open area grindfest. What makes the bad gameplay even worse is the fact that the characters are so well done. Great, intriguing characters with a good story that’s completely ruined by insanity boring gameplay that leads to insanely annoying gameplay. I bought the game day 1 when it originally came out but sold it after playing for about 15 hours and literally falling asleep about 7 times while playing. Seeing it on Gamepass, I decided I would make a point to finish it. After enduring the slog of walking down empty linear paths for 25 hours, I’ve spent 7 hours in the open area and can easily say that the combat, upgrade system, level design, progression system and camera control suck beyond belief and I’ve almost completely run out of patience. For a game to have such good presentation with such an abominable user experience is such a let down. All and all, it’s just as much of a turd as I remember it being 12 years ago.… Expand
  20. Doke
    Feb 17, 2022
    10
    [ J'écris cette critique et je met la note de 10 pour compenser les autres notes que je considère excessivement basses ]

    La critique comportera quatres grand axes : en premier les musiques, en deuxième les décors, en troisième les personnages, en quatrième les graphismes et en cinquième le gameplay [ Je ne traiterai pas l'histoire car j'estime que c'est à l'appréciation de chacun ] Avant    [ J'écris cette critique et je met la note de 10 pour compenser les autres notes que je considère excessivement basses ]

    La critique comportera quatres grand axes : en premier les musiques, en deuxième les décors, en troisième les personnages, en quatrième les graphismes et en cinquième le gameplay [ Je ne traiterai pas l'histoire car j'estime que c'est à l'appréciation de chacun ]

    Avant propos : Je n'ai pas vraiment l'habitude de donner mon avis sur les jeux vidéos et encore moins sur un opus de la saga "Final Fantasy" car je dois l'avouer qu'avant l'achat de ce jeu je ne portai pas vraiment cette série dans mon cœur. Je trouvai leurs systèmes de combat dépassé et je ne comprenais pas l'engouement autour, mais mon avis a changer depuis la découverte de ce jeux : Final Fantasy 13 ; et j'ai beaucoup apprécié, malgré quelques défaut.
    Néanmoins je trouve certains reproches fait au jeux excessifs Première partie : I) Les musiques Ce sera probablement l'un des points qui a provoquer le moins de débats au sein de la communauté. La presse et les joueurs ( y compris moi ) sont unanimes pour dires que les musiques de ce jeux sont excellentes, et c'est VRAI ! Les musiques sont nombreuses variées et s'adaptent particulièrement bien au différentes situations. Le seul petit reproche que j'aurai à faire serai au niveau de la musique des combat qui est à mon goût un peut trop répétitive, des musiques différentes pour les combats auraient été le mieux.

    II) Les décors Encore un fois, l'un des points où la presse et les joueurs étaient unanimes, les décors sont - tout comme les musiques - très beau et riches en détail mais par la même occasion assez frustrant car nous ne pouvons pas les explorer à cause de linéarité du jeu.

    III ) Les personnages Je ne voulais pas traiter ce point à la base car à l'instar du scénario, je pense que cela relève des goûts de chacun mais je le fais quand même car je fais ce que je veux. Je trouve les personnages globalement bon malgré que certains soient légèrement énervants comme Vanille ou Hope ( mais pas autant que certains le prétendent ). C'est aussi assez frustrant de voir Lightning rester aussi froide avec ses coéquipiers tout au long du jeu.

    IV) Les graphismes J'aurais très bien pu réunir les graphismes et les décors en un point mais encore une fois je fait ce que je veux. Je vais être très simple, ils sont super superbes et la qualité des grandes cinématiques sont même au dessus de ce que l'on a parfois en 2022.

    V) Le gameplay Ce point ce sera divisé en deux sous parties : la partie "a" traitera le gameplay hors combat et la partie "b" traitera les phases de combats a) C'est peut être le plus gros défauts du jeux : la linéarité du jeu, ont doit se contenter de se balader dans des longs couloirs ce qui limite l'exploration et est donc un peu frustrant. Ce sentiment est renforcé par les décors. Mais côté je le dis que ça évite au jeu de tomber dans le piège de monde ouvert vide et ennuyeux.
    Les personnages dont agréables à contrôler et les menus sont ergonomiques b) Les combats font une grande partie de l'intérêt du jeu. Même si dans 2 premières heures il peuvent paraître répétitif, tout change quand vous débloquez les stratégies qui rendent les combats beaucoup plus stratégiques. Malheureusement le jeux est globalement facile même si les boss vont vous donner du fil à retordre.

    [ C'était ma première critique donc soyez indulgent ]    … Expand
  21. Evolvedsoul
    Sep 14, 2021
    10
    My favorite Final Fantasy…I’m very sorry that I love this game so much, I’m sure that I love everything that some people hate . I grew up in Hawaii, I different tastes , I like beautiful characters, not ugly sjw ones f of go make your own wile games that nobody will play
  22. Tomoncio
    Aug 27, 2021
    8
    Muchos consideran esta entrega la peor de toda la saga, pero yo le he dado una segunda oportunidad a Final Fantasy XIII y hoy lo disfruto con otra mentalidad y puedo decir que ni de lejos es el peor Final Fantasy. Jugablemente está más "automatizado" que otras entregas, pero no es tan simple como sólo pulsar A en los combates: los roles y las formaciones son muy importantes y tienes queMuchos consideran esta entrega la peor de toda la saga, pero yo le he dado una segunda oportunidad a Final Fantasy XIII y hoy lo disfruto con otra mentalidad y puedo decir que ni de lejos es el peor Final Fantasy. Jugablemente está más "automatizado" que otras entregas, pero no es tan simple como sólo pulsar A en los combates: los roles y las formaciones son muy importantes y tienes que saber controlar cualquier situación y cambiar formaciones si lo requiere. Existen 6 roles en total: algunos se enfocan más en el ataque, otros en la curación, otros en aumentar tus estadísticas, otros en reducir la fuerza y defensa del rival, etc... Por si fuera poco, cada personaje es más afín a unos roles que otros. Por todo ello, finalmente los combates no son tan sencillos, además de la importancia de combatir y desarrollar el Cristarium, un sistema de desarrollo que recuerda al visto en Final Fantasy X. Aparte de esto, estéticamente es precioso y gráficamente una pasada que, además, se disfruta mejor en XBOX One X y Series X|S, ya que incluyen mejoras gráficas respecto a 360. Así mismo, la historia es genial, incluyendo una base de datos que te aclara cualquier duda, ya sea de los episodios, de acontecimientos previos, personajes, lugares, etc. Si todavía piensas que es el peor juego, te animo a que le des una segunda oportunidad y comprendas bien el funcionamiento de las formaciones y roles. De lo contrario, es imposible que disfrutes de un Final Fantasy que, en contra de lo que muchos piensen, no es ni de lejos el peor de la saga.

    (Valoración realizada en base al título de XBOX 360 jugado con mejoras gráficas en XBOX Series S)    … Expand
  23. CloudStrife05
    Aug 16, 2021
    7
    FFXIII was ok. I do like Lightning and the battle system was alright. The lack of side quest through most of the game did not help. And once the side quest do start coming in, by them you have over half way done with the game and by that point you have either quit or just want to rush through it to the end. Hope is by far one of the most annoying FF characters ever.
  24. BeeSting1
    Jan 1, 2021
    9
    linear progression and button mash is the first half of the game. Second half tests your speed and paradigm knowledge.

    Gameplay: 7.5/10 You have probably heard, but this game is very linear. What I mean by that is each area you are in is basically point A to point B. Even when you look at the map of the area you are in, it looks like a narrow path with very few branches. They have    linear progression and button mash is the first half of the game. Second half tests your speed and paradigm knowledge.

    Gameplay: 7.5/10
    You have probably heard, but this game is very linear. What I mean by that is each area you are in is basically point A to point B. Even when you look at the map of the area you are in, it looks like a narrow path with very few branches.

    They have taken quite a new approach to the battling system. It is not turn based. You are just able to control one character, and the AI controls the rest, based on what role you have set the rest of your team to have. It has its good and it has its bad. You have paradigms in which you can set your players as a medic, ravenger, commando, synergist or saboteur. A medic's role is to heal; a ravenger's is to cast magic attack spells; a commando's role is a lot of physical attacks; a synergist casts spells that buff your team; a saboteur casts spells that de-buffs the opponent. In the beginning, there is a lot of button mashing. You are basically only selecting the same command since you have not acquired any new roles or attacks. However, later on in the game when you have your roles and commands mastered. It is very intense, especially in the boss fights. Your victory will be based on whether you have chosen the right paradigms and the speed at which u command and switch.

    What kills it for a lot of gamers is the combination of this game's super linear progression, and button mashing combat for the first half of the game. I can conclude that it was pretty annoying when I had to just button mash to win.

    Graphics: 10/10
    The graphics are amazing in this game. The environments and design are beautiful. In-game graphics and the highly rendered cut scenes are both very good. The reflections, shadows and the concentration on details are really breath taking.

    Story: 9/10
    The story is decent, but I would say a few other Final Fantasys before this definitely had a better story. I would describe it in more detail but a period of time has passed since I beat it, so I can't remember it all. The cut scenes did a good job in building the characters. And I really liked how as the story progressed certain characters learned and matured then eventually changed for the better. However, some deeper details about the story have to be read in one of the options in the menu.

    Replay value:
    The only real replay value you can get from FF13 a run through it is the side jobs the fal'cie have that are lying around in the field. They are side missions in where you have to go and defeat a certain group of monsters. In my opinion, there was not much incentive to go back and do that.

    Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed my review please add me and track me. I will write more.    … Expand
  25. iKen
    Apr 13, 2020
    8
    Played on XBOX 360.
    Gameplay: GREAT.
    Story: GOOD.
    Graphic: GREAT.
    Music/Sound: GOOD.
    Dialogue/Voice Acting: GOOD.
  26. SOTZ
    Apr 11, 2020
    9
    Lightning's and the bands journey in this journey is a straightforward and flawed experience.
    Perhaps dialogue in my opinion is one of the worst offenders to prevent a liking to this game. But apart from that, this romp through the beautiful looking locations, the game presents us with an eye popping art design, fantastic world building, endearing characters once u piece together their    Lightning's and the bands journey in this journey is a straightforward and flawed experience.
    Perhaps dialogue in my opinion is one of the worst offenders to prevent a liking to this game. But apart from that, this romp through the beautiful looking locations, the game presents us with an eye popping art design, fantastic world building, endearing characters once u piece together their tales, interesting well crafted (if not well told through the story) lore and an incredible soundtrack to listen to and monsters to behold.
    That said The greatest achievement of this game is the monumental iteration in the ATB system that's fun, stretegic, fast and brutal.
    This is the system that Square should have kept iterating upon and moved forward with.
    FFXIII is an interesting game and an interesting look into the series history now after all the years of hype, hate & love is over.    … Expand
  27. 22446688Bb
    Aug 5, 2019
    10
    Trio 13 is excellent in all respects, offering an excellent story with very famous characters. Turns out to be like the old parts.
  28. brendo214
    May 21, 2019
    4
    After I had to wade through 25 hours of b.s. to get to the 'good' part of the game, I just quit. Nothing about his game is redeemable enough to make up for all the bad stuff.
  29. SolarConker
    Jan 21, 2019
    10
    I don't care what anyone says about this game, this game has an amazing story, characters and such a deep lore that most people get lost into and just say the game is full of plot holes all these reasons and much more is why this isn't just my favourite Final Fantasy but also my favourite game of all time
  30. Xplocion
    Nov 20, 2018
    9
    * The good things: The design of characters, the graphics today are spectacular (the cinematic also), an excellent story to know, Lightining is an excellent central character and strong character that is opening as the game progresses, the soundtrack is very good (recommended OST), the battle against the final boss, defeat the final boss returns to chapter 13 to continue with the missing* The good things: The design of characters, the graphics today are spectacular (the cinematic also), an excellent story to know, Lightining is an excellent central character and strong character that is opening as the game progresses, the soundtrack is very good (recommended OST), the battle against the final boss, defeat the final boss returns to chapter 13 to continue with the missing missions, if you want to defeat the most powerful monsters you must deactivate self-action and develop the Cristarium full

    * The bad things: centered on the story that is told (until chapter 13, which is where the game opens to the exploration), you can only invoke the Eidolons once per battle, if the leader dies the game ends, untapped characters (Cid Raynes, Jhill Nabaat and others), nobody explains the stones or the final weapons, the Cristarium shows a false idea of ​​freedom in the personalization of attributes and abilities

    * The meh! things: this game has been judged by people who have not finished it, it has other things Final Fantasy - Enemy forgettable (FF2), separated into teams to know its history (FF4 / FF6 / FF9), forgettable characters (FF5 ), at the end of the Cristarium all the characters do everything (FF7), walk down the corridor (FF10), there are no cities and you can not go back on your steps (FF2 / FF4 / FF10), you get to an open area to hunt monsters and do missions (FF10 / FF12).    … Expand
  31. velikaplana
    Jul 7, 2018
    8
    There are some elements that keep Final Fantasy XIII from being everything it could have been. Even so, it is still a legitimately great game for its stunning beauty, fantastic story, and enjoyable battles, which means it has a lot in common with the Final Fantasy games that came before it. The stubborn gal in the blue sari, the steely blue-eyed star, and even the apprehensive,There are some elements that keep Final Fantasy XIII from being everything it could have been. Even so, it is still a legitimately great game for its stunning beauty, fantastic story, and enjoyable battles, which means it has a lot in common with the Final Fantasy games that came before it. The stubborn gal in the blue sari, the steely blue-eyed star, and even the apprehensive, spiky-haired adolescent are easy to root for, and their journey is as memorable as any other in the series. Even if the gameplay doesn't reach those same heights, almost any RPG lover can still get lost in Final Fantasy XIII.… Expand
  32. The3AcademySins
    Jul 3, 2018
    6
    There's a lot to digest when it comes to examining Final Fantasy XIII. There's a lot to this game that I genuinely enjoy, and there is a lot to this game that leaves much to be desired.

    Let's start with the positives. The art design and soundtrack are quite superb. The battle theme is memorable, and the world is pretty to look at, especially once you get to Chapter 10 and are able to    There's a lot to digest when it comes to examining Final Fantasy XIII. There's a lot to this game that I genuinely enjoy, and there is a lot to this game that leaves much to be desired.

    Let's start with the positives.

    The art design and soundtrack are quite superb. The battle theme is memorable, and the world is pretty to look at, especially once you get to Chapter 10 and are able to explore Gran Pulse. The characters are well designed, and there are some solid voice acting performances, particularly from Lightning and Snow. The combat is fast-paced and intuitive once you unlock the whole function over the first 10 chapters. The gameplay itself is well animated, even if the cutscenes are very-over-the-top anime in style.

    Now the negatives:

    The story.

    Dear God, the story.

    It's an incomprehensible mess that requires reading over 400 pages of footnotes that are hidden in Datalogs that explain the nonsense we see in the cutscenes. Not once do the characters explain the world around them, or talk about how the feel. These emotions are almost all hidden in datalogs. The lore of the world is all hidden in these datalogs and slowly unraveled over the first 20 hours. We are expected to know what a L'Cie and a Fal'Cie are off the bat, as well as the Sanctums motivations, and the motivations of the characters with NO CONTEXT and it's a huge roadblock in developing the characters and the story and why we should care about their struggles. Instead this is SLOWLY rolled out through 20 hours of flashbacks, and the story never feels like it goes anywhere. I don't know who wrote this, but this is not an optimal way to tell a story. Things like Memento or Pulp Fiction work because we understand the context, and we never know the context here.

    Another huge problem is the linearity of the game. The first 20 hours are a long endless hallway with pre-determined battles that get you to where the game wants you to be, but the exploration element that made Final Fantasy great is notably absent until you hit Gran Pulse. Even there, inspite of the beauty of the world, there is very little substance other than hunting monsters.

    The Crystarium is a cool concept, and improves on the "GridSphere" feature introduced in Final Fantasy X, but the fact that all of the characters eventually unlock every role really makes them feel identical, and there is no reason to use all of the characters. Games with job systems like Final Fantasy X-2 or Final Fantasy III and V worked because the cast was limited, so you could experiment with classes and jobs as you wanted. With a party of six, and only three participants in combat at a time, it really doesn't add to the gameplay, and instead detracts from it.

    All in all, this is a fun game if you want to turn your brain off and not think too hard for a few hours and look at pretty worlds. Sometimes we need that.    … Expand
  33. KjoDevilHunterS
    Jul 1, 2018
    10
    This game is great.
    It's an roller-coaster of an experience.
    The Main-Story is good
    Lightning is one of the most badass characters of all time.
    Soundtrack is one of the best.
    Graphics has aged well.
  34. Charlybs
    Jan 22, 2018
    7
    Gráficamente muy bueno, sobretodo en las batallas que se vuelve muy espectacular y cinematográfico. Jugablemente es un pasillo a seguir, y puede llegar a ser repetitivo. Hay bastante variedad de enemigos, y personalización de armas y accesorios equipables con la posibilidad de ir mejorándolas a lo largo de la aventura. Algunos jefes muy buenos.
  35. Captivate
    Nov 9, 2017
    9
    One of the better FF's in recent memory. The world design is more linear than you're used to, and the story can be a little confusing at times, but (most) of the characters are presented in a very nice way and develop in a natural way as the game goes on. The new combat system is definitely an improvement over the typical JRPG style, and the art design and music in the game is one of theOne of the better FF's in recent memory. The world design is more linear than you're used to, and the story can be a little confusing at times, but (most) of the characters are presented in a very nice way and develop in a natural way as the game goes on. The new combat system is definitely an improvement over the typical JRPG style, and the art design and music in the game is one of the best in the series. Definitely worth a playthrough, regardless of the unnecessary hate it gets.… Expand
  36. Locke_Cole
    Apr 23, 2017
    5
    Cuando jugué este juego por primera vez pensé: "Square se relajó al hacer éste Final Fantasy"

    Ahora lo he rejugado varios años después de mi primera experiencia, y sigo creyendo lo mismo. Veo una historia interesante, un buen sistema de pelea, gráficos punteros en su época , una gran banda sonora y un diseño artístico con personalidad. El problema es que todo aquello se ve arruinado por    Cuando jugué este juego por primera vez pensé: "Square se relajó al hacer éste Final Fantasy"

    Ahora lo he rejugado varios años después de mi primera experiencia, y sigo creyendo lo mismo. Veo una historia interesante, un buen sistema de pelea, gráficos punteros en su época , una gran banda sonora y un diseño artístico con personalidad. El problema es que todo aquello se ve arruinado por tres motivos: Mala narrativa, pésimos personajes, horrible diseño de niveles.

    El problema es que esos son tres de los elementos mas importantes en la saga de Final Fantasy, por ello el hate de algunas personas a esta entrega. La forma de la narrativa intenta con todas sus fuerzas que no la entiendas, tomando giros incoherentes y llamando de forma estrambótica cosas muy sencillas. Los personajes son desagradables, actúan sin motivos, sobre reaccionan, van en contra de u propio guion y son clichés de las personalidades mas desagradables que hay, llorones, filósofos inentendibles y malos chistes. Por último el juego es un pasillo, un horrible pasillo que se estructura en base a cinemática/dialogo/luchas/dialogo/esfera de guardado/jefe. Y aunque esa estructura es típica de los juegos, al menos el diseño de nivel lo intenta ocultar, aquí esa formula es incluso visible en el mapa.

    Es una pena lo de éste juego. Tiene bases sólidas, pero algunos de los aspectos mas importantes de cualquier juego, y mas aún de un Final Fantasy son francamente horribles. Al ponderar todo esto en una nota tenemos un juego mediocre, en el sentido literal de la palabra. Un juego medio que no puede ser recomendado. El peor Final Fantasy que he jugado.    … Expand
  37. Barnes1987
    Mar 6, 2017
    4
    One of the worst Final Fantasy games ever made, if not the worst Final Fantasy game ever made. The only thing amazing about this game is the fact that it spawned not one but TWO sequels.
  38. Algur
    Dec 8, 2016
    0
    This game is far and away the worst Final Fantasy game ever made. It almost universally makes players cringe. Between a mess of a story and uninteresting gameplay, it's a wonder this game sold anything other than preorder copies.
  39. 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.
  40. jcarl663
    Aug 12, 2016
    7
    It's ok. It has the groundbreaking visuals and soundtrack that we're all used to in Final Fantasy. It definitely loses points for being extraordinarily linear though and the story is not the strongest aspect. The characters are a mixed bag. While the main hero Lightning and Fang are both super awesome, I could care less for Sazh and Snow, and Hope is not very likable. That said, I doIt's ok. It has the groundbreaking visuals and soundtrack that we're all used to in Final Fantasy. It definitely loses points for being extraordinarily linear though and the story is not the strongest aspect. The characters are a mixed bag. While the main hero Lightning and Fang are both super awesome, I could care less for Sazh and Snow, and Hope is not very likable. That said, I do appreciate the world building and, while I MUCH prefer turn based RPGs, I drastically prefer this battle system to FF12's. What this really showed me, though, is that we will NEVER see an RPG like FF7/8/9 again and I think that's the worst part.… Expand
  41. Dagamingphoenix
    Jul 25, 2016
    6
    Final Fantasy was THE go-to JRPG series. It MADE Square and is the 10th highest selling video-game franchise of all time with 111 million games sold.
    And my oh my, this series fell
    hard. For a start, 3 of my points go towards the graphics and cinematic cutscenes because one of two redeeming qualities about this game is very pretty. The first time I layed my eyes on those visuals...    Final Fantasy was THE go-to JRPG series. It MADE Square and is the 10th highest selling video-game franchise of all time with 111 million games sold.
    And my oh my, this series fell
    hard.
    For a start, 3 of my points go towards the graphics and cinematic cutscenes because one of two redeeming qualities about this game is very pretty.
    The first time I layed my eyes on those visuals...
    just AMAZING!!
    The other point goes towards Lightning, stoic, determined, fearless. Truly inspiring. (Although she sounds board for the majority of the game and even more so in it's sequels)
    Everything else about the game is bad.
    Autobattle is a crime and is another obstacle in my journey to the abilities tab.
    If it wasn't for the internet, I would have drowned in the swirling storyline.
    The gameplay follows the same pattern, run, fight, run, OOOOHH TREASURE SPHERE!! Run, fight, run, talk, cutscene, boss battle, repeat.
    All characters (except Lightning) are generally "meh"
    And don't get me started on Vanille.
    AND THE MUSIC IS HORRIFIC!!
    Thank God I got this second-hand for 4 quid.    … Expand
  42. Gerard51MX
    Jun 22, 2016
    8
    siento que han sido muy injustos con las criticas hacia este juego, pero hay que ser honestos... es dificil, muy dificil complacer a los amantes de los rpg, y mas a los seguidores de la saga final fantasy... square enix lo tiene muy dificil despues de darnos obras como las que nos ha dado... creo que ahi recidela mala critica a este titulo... no se puede complacer a todos los usuarios, sisiento que han sido muy injustos con las criticas hacia este juego, pero hay que ser honestos... es dificil, muy dificil complacer a los amantes de los rpg, y mas a los seguidores de la saga final fantasy... square enix lo tiene muy dificil despues de darnos obras como las que nos ha dado... creo que ahi recidela mala critica a este titulo... no se puede complacer a todos los usuarios, si cambian el estilo de juego es malo para los mas conservadores, y algo freso para los nuevos y los que quieren algo diferente... el mundo se siente lineal y cerrado pero para los seguidores de las primeras ediciones esto es un fiasco, y si fuera abierto se criticaria que se pierde la historia y es innecesariamente abierto... en fin. Graficamente no hay que decir, de lomejor de la saga, la musica es una extraña combinacion entre lo clasico y electronico, a veces funciona y a veces no, los controles son buenos y añaden algo de accion a la saga, la estrategia no falta, siempre sera parte de la saga, la historia me gusto, no la mejor pero creo que la personalidad de los protagonistas ayuda demasiado, esas misiones en las que nos quedamos a solas con algun miembro del equipo y escuchamos su historia y sus motivos... que genialidad, el reto es algo bajo a mi parecer, hay enemigos fuertes, como siempre, pero no alcanza una dificultad demasiado grande; cosa aparte es la manera de adquirir habilidades y subir nivel.... deja bastante que desear. Lo recomiendo solo si estas dispuesto a recibirlo con mente abierta, no esperando un final fantasy con lo mismo de siempre y claro, para los seguidores de los rpg… Expand
  43. Chowda
    Jan 4, 2016
    6
    Graphics, music, sound effects, battle sequences, weapons, upgrades, story, and characters are all great. The the quality of the cut scenes and battle animations are phenomenal......the battle system is different and interesting for about 15 hours and then it feels like just hitting the same button over and over again. I got very bored with the fighting system about 30 hours in and triedGraphics, music, sound effects, battle sequences, weapons, upgrades, story, and characters are all great. The the quality of the cut scenes and battle animations are phenomenal......the battle system is different and interesting for about 15 hours and then it feels like just hitting the same button over and over again. I got very bored with the fighting system about 30 hours in and tried to finish the game as fast as I could. I got to the end of the game and was underpowered and couldn't beat the final boss.

    I lost interest halfway through so the most I can give it is a 6.    … Expand
  44. mr_dad
    Aug 30, 2015
    6
    Oh boy, another hallway to run down!

    When it comes to FF13, most people seem to fall into a "love it" or "hate it" category. Not a lot of people fall in the middle, but I happen to be one of them. FF13 tries to combine many different elements from previous games together into what is ultimately a messy cluster of both good and bad in both the story and gameplay. To say this game has    Oh boy, another hallway to run down!

    When it comes to FF13, most people seem to fall into a "love it" or "hate it" category. Not a lot of people fall in the middle, but I happen to be one of them. FF13 tries to combine many different elements from previous games together into what is ultimately a messy cluster of both good and bad in both the story and gameplay. To say this game has NOTHING good I far to extreme, but I think even a lot of its fans agree it's far from perfect.

    And yes, it's linear as heck.

    THE GOOD
    + There's a huge spike in quality in the final hours.
    + The battle system (when fully unlocked) is extremely deep, focusing more on speed and efficiency.

    THE MIXED
    +/- The characters are very hit or miss, depending on how easily annoyed you can be.
    +/- The linear nature greatly reinforces the themes of the game...but it's still super linear.

    The BAD
    - The first 10-20 hours of the game test your patience like few games before (if you can get that far.)    … Expand
  45. ClassicRPM
    Aug 27, 2015
    8
    Amazing, stunning graphics. Some of the best animation cinematics I have ever seen in a videogame, Square Enix took a brave step, and moved its biggest franchise into a more direct style of gameplay. No more open world, no more secondary stories, no more visiting shops and talking to villagers. Instead, a long corridor to walk through for hours while beating enemies, with numerousAmazing, stunning graphics. Some of the best animation cinematics I have ever seen in a videogame, Square Enix took a brave step, and moved its biggest franchise into a more direct style of gameplay. No more open world, no more secondary stories, no more visiting shops and talking to villagers. Instead, a long corridor to walk through for hours while beating enemies, with numerous cutscenes in the middle.

    The plot is good, maybe not the best in the franchise but definitely better than what we are used to in the current generation. In my opinion, the characters seem quite annoying in the beginning, but they evolve during the game and get more interesting and complex.

    The combat system might seem awkward in the beginning, but by the end of the game (which took me around 40 hours to finish, a very decent number) you might think it is very fun and challenging. Each boss fight needs strategy and planification, but also agility to switch your team formations in the middle of the battle to be able to survive.
    The main problem in this game, though, is the high difficulty of some enemies. The nature of this game is that of a corridor (we go from point A to point B to proceed in the story, and we cannot go anywhere else), so training your characters needs some extra motivation. In other RPGs, exploring a dungeon or a mysterious area might be a good excuse to level up and get nice items before you face the "big boss". In FF XIII, you are sometimes rewarded very little for fighting hardcore creatures; and very much for fighting 4 or 5 weak enemies. This is something I find unfair, and it does not encourage training your squad. What you might do instead is to find one single enemy that is easy to beat and rewards you with a lot of experience points, and repeat this fight many times. This will be the most time-efficient manner of leveling your squad, which is a pity. However, this was corrected in FF XIII-2, and that is a point for the guys of Square Enix.

    In conclusion, this is a very good (but linear) RPG. Probably it was meant to be more accessible for the public, with great graphics and an intuitive gameplay. This disappointed the fans of the saga, which I understand.
    One might not mention this game when it comes to define the Final Fantasy franchise... But its name might sound in the "top 10 Japanese RPGs" of the Xbox360-PS3 generation.    … Expand
  46. Joe_E_Dee
    Apr 28, 2015
    7
    Being generous giving it a 7. This game is fairly terrible for the first 20 hours or so. The combat system is high paced and I found myself always needing to use different group makeups to take out bosses. Lots of items and weapons to choose from, with a upgrading system that keeps you interested. The game has its short comings though. Really linear and there isn't any towns or merchants.Being generous giving it a 7. This game is fairly terrible for the first 20 hours or so. The combat system is high paced and I found myself always needing to use different group makeups to take out bosses. Lots of items and weapons to choose from, with a upgrading system that keeps you interested. The game has its short comings though. Really linear and there isn't any towns or merchants. I found myself not interested in the story at all.… Expand
  47. 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
  48. Gold458
    Jul 31, 2014
    10
    Ah Final Fantasy XIII a game that is hated and loved by many at the same time. I love this game. This game is gorgeous, the battle system was pretty cool, and the story was simple at least for me to follow. I love the character development this game has. Overall I love this game a lot. I recommend you try it.
  49. Jekel8888
    Jul 18, 2014
    2
    So far I've played Final Fantasy 13 for about 6 hours since I purchased it Thursday. About an hour and a half of that was interactive play. The other four and a half hours were some great cinematics. The hour and a half I did play was me repeatedly pressing A for combat with the occasional Y thrown in every fifteen minutes or so. And when not in combat I walk in a straight line forwardSo far I've played Final Fantasy 13 for about 6 hours since I purchased it Thursday. About an hour and a half of that was interactive play. The other four and a half hours were some great cinematics. The hour and a half I did play was me repeatedly pressing A for combat with the occasional Y thrown in every fifteen minutes or so. And when not in combat I walk in a straight line forward because there are no side quests or routes. I'm not sure if they intended this to be similar to listening to a story by a fire, or a movie. I'm absolutely baffled by how they got this labeled as a game. Games are interactive, and usually make at least a half hearted pass at including skillful mechanics in order to succeed. I would give this a 35/100 if it was a low budget game but given how big the series is I'm gonna have to be honest and give them a 20/100 since they have no excuse to make such a poor excuse for a game.… Expand
  50. quickster6243
    Jun 25, 2014
    9
    I have played every single Final Fantasy game except for the ones on handheld devices and the MMO ones. Square made one huge mistake with this release and that was calling it Final Fantasy. People have really high expectations for this series because it literally is one of the last good JRPG series out and frankly? Square has done better than this. This game is by no means WHATSOEVER a badI have played every single Final Fantasy game except for the ones on handheld devices and the MMO ones. Square made one huge mistake with this release and that was calling it Final Fantasy. People have really high expectations for this series because it literally is one of the last good JRPG series out and frankly? Square has done better than this. This game is by no means WHATSOEVER a bad game though! I couldn't put it down because the story is amazing. The graphics are amazing. OMFG the graphics are so good. Even in 2014 the cut scenes are like WHOA! The music is great. From what I remember about every Final Fantasy Square always brought at least that to the table except for the music on X-2 (really?). The bad? The game is super linear. I still put in about 65 hours in this game from start to finish only doing about half of the side content. The side content is not that great. It's just a bunch of monster slayer missions. You have the opportunity to get your group super OP and take down super OP mobs. Who has time for that anyway? Not me. I was semi thankful towards the end that the first 2 cds were so linear. The content is still astounding though if you compare 60 hours to the 25 hours it takes to beat Final Fantasy 2(US release) for the SNES. Think about it. They made this super linear and it still takes at least 45-50 hours to play through your first time. Do yourself a favor. Forget about the other Final Fantasy games and play this with an unbiased opinion. You will probably like it. I know I did when looking at it like that.… Expand
  51. LordDeathsama
    May 29, 2014
    8
    First of all, all those nostalgic fanboys should shut their **** mouths. Seriously FFVII is not so good, so stop praising it so much. Now to you FFXIII. I like it. Visuals are one of the best in the entire console generation. The battlesystem may seem really dull and easy because of the auto buttin, but Battles will get challenging, I mean a lot challenging. Story I nice, and yes you canFirst of all, all those nostalgic fanboys should shut their **** mouths. Seriously FFVII is not so good, so stop praising it so much. Now to you FFXIII. I like it. Visuals are one of the best in the entire console generation. The battlesystem may seem really dull and easy because of the auto buttin, but Battles will get challenging, I mean a lot challenging. Story I nice, and yes you can read the stuff up, but everything that is important for the story will be explained. The things you actually read is lore, it's like reading all the boss souls in Dark Souls. Character overall meh. Lightning is groomy most of the time, ok she lost her parents when she was a kid and now she lost her sister. Snow can get annoying, but in chapter 7 he opens himself a bit. Hope is a whiny **** at first, but is also getting quite the character development in chapter 7. Sazh is the best character and a reasonable. Vanille seems at first glance annoying, but you will realize that she is carrying a burden and only hides her actual feelings. Fangs is the badass that every Final Fantasy has. There is also a reason within the story that there are no towns, so I can forgive the developer for this. And yes the game is linear but so was FFX.
    But what I think this game could have needed is more end game content.    … Expand
  52. chr1so
    May 11, 2014
    7
    As always with FF the story & cutscenes were mint, not predictable at all. The fighting tho is the worst I've seen in a FF game, most fights I was just mashing A for auto-battle and switching formations every now & then. Worth playing but no classic
  53. csabber
    May 11, 2014
    7
    The thirteenth installation of Final Fantasy took everything that made the previous entries successful, put them together, added great graphics, but even so it can’t scratch the ankle of the likes of 7 or 9. It’s not even the best JRPG of the year it came out. It’s good, but long time FF fans might not appreciate it.

    MORE ON: http://prosncons.22web.org/ + Now this one of the most    The thirteenth installation of Final Fantasy took everything that made the previous entries successful, put them together, added great graphics, but even so it can’t scratch the ankle of the likes of 7 or 9. It’s not even the best JRPG of the year it came out. It’s good, but long time FF fans might not appreciate it.

    MORE ON: http://prosncons.22web.org/

    + Now this one of the most beautiful games that the Xbox360/PS3 ever produced. The character models of the protagonists, backgrounds and enemy models are of the highest quality.
    + Square-Enix doesn’t stop inspiring fans when it comes to battle systems is their favorite franchise. The paradigm system has a long learning curve, but it is one of the best in the series. It has great enough depth, for the player to feel their choices matter. We have to tactically approach every tougher battle, because brute force sometimes won’t be enough.
    + Final Fantasy games are well-known for their great boss battles. 13 isn’t different in that regard. There are huge monsters and difficult enemies which can take 20+ minutes to destroy.
    + We must emphasize the soundtrack. It successfully combines electronic music with classical themes. The battle theme will ring in your ears days after putting the game down.

    ~ While the game is awesome long (around 40 hours) it continues to bug you with tutorials up to the halfway point. That is extremely long-drawn.

    - The story wants to be epic, that unfortunately it fails badly . It’s very hard to follow with flashbacks making it even confusing. The biggest problem is when the story doesn’t follow it’s own rules, making it even more muddled. You’ll ask “what?” and “why?” more times than you meet chocobos.
    - The game is essentially an incredibly long corridor. There’s almost no room for exploration, only the path to follow all the time. Towns, which are a trademark elements of every Final Fantasy games, are missing. You buy and upgrade in save points.
    - The first half of the game is underwhelming and sometimes frustrating. The game clearly holds itself back compared to the second half. You are very much limited in what you can do and who you can play with. It’s simply too much.

    Time to beat: 40 hours.
    Replay Value: 1/5
    In one word: Disappointing as FF
    On P’n’C scale: Fun Time
    Must give points: 73

    MORE ON: http://prosncons.22web.org/    … Expand
  54. JamMasterJayFan
    May 1, 2014
    6
    I reviewed this game back in late 2013, and I started to get really into it. The problem with me and games is that I won't play a game to completion until something about it grabs my attention, or else I'll play other games and only continue it later. I'm wishy-washy when it comes to completing games nowadays, and what's disheartening about this game was the fact that I was finally aboutI reviewed this game back in late 2013, and I started to get really into it. The problem with me and games is that I won't play a game to completion until something about it grabs my attention, or else I'll play other games and only continue it later. I'm wishy-washy when it comes to completing games nowadays, and what's disheartening about this game was the fact that I was finally about to beat it.

    I purchased this game over the summer and didn't really play it that much until school started. Then all of a sudden the game really ramped up, and I saw myself completing disc one, and after that I was hooked. Disc 2 was an incredible experience from beginning to end, as it was breathtaking visually and the story got more and more interesting. Later on, I beat disc 2, and I couldn't wait to continue on to disc 3, finally beating this game. I was ready for that great sense of completion one gets when they beat a game they've had on their backlog for so long.

    But alas, the third disc was a horrible miscalculation. It went from an enjoyable experience overall to a shocking, horrendous slog. It's so freaking hard that I simply couldn't keep up with the enemies. I put 30 hours into the game, only to have a brick wall erected in front of my progress. It turns out that in order to even stand a chance in disc 3, you're supposed to do all the side missions. This is terrible. And it's a shame too.

    I was having a great time with this game, but unfortunately I was rendered unable to complete it. This game gets a 6 for horrendous difficulty spikes. It really is a shame, because late disc one and all of disc 2 were a very enjoyable way to pass the time.    … Expand
  55. Soujirop
    Apr 23, 2014
    9
    I honestly don't know why you would objectively give this game a bad score. Amazing graphics, amazing music, amazing story. The only thing you can complain is that in terms of gameplay it is quite limited for an RPG, specially for a Final Fantasy. But it is clear they have focused a lot on the story, which is the keystone of Final Fantasy, its essence, and this game haven't lost that ATI honestly don't know why you would objectively give this game a bad score. Amazing graphics, amazing music, amazing story. The only thing you can complain is that in terms of gameplay it is quite limited for an RPG, specially for a Final Fantasy. But it is clear they have focused a lot on the story, which is the keystone of Final Fantasy, its essence, and this game haven't lost that AT ALL. Also the new combat system is great and seems the natural evolution of the classic turn-based combat, and battles are very challenging, some are among the most difficult of the entire saga.… Expand
  56. jeffcloudy
    Apr 11, 2014
    5
    The game was fine. But a boss along the name of ODIN ruined it for me. The boss battle is unfair and seemingly poorly created. I cannot attack fast enough due to the constant barrage of enemy attacks - most of my time was spent healing myself. When I do manage to get a constant ring of attacks - the timer runs out. Therefor putting me to death. I give this game a 5 out 10 because of this.The game was fine. But a boss along the name of ODIN ruined it for me. The boss battle is unfair and seemingly poorly created. I cannot attack fast enough due to the constant barrage of enemy attacks - most of my time was spent healing myself. When I do manage to get a constant ring of attacks - the timer runs out. Therefor putting me to death. I give this game a 5 out 10 because of this. If I manage to beat the boss in the future - I might reconsider changing this score.… Expand
  57. Cursedwind
    Mar 2, 2014
    8
    Ok this is gonna piss off a lot of people but.....i enjoyed this game....a LOT.....the story in my opinion was great and the battle system,even though it was kind of press a button to win,wasnt that bad....even though i love seeing the characters in this game fight like they are in an anime i have SOME problems.....for example if your main character in your party dies,you lose unless youOk this is gonna piss off a lot of people but.....i enjoyed this game....a LOT.....the story in my opinion was great and the battle system,even though it was kind of press a button to win,wasnt that bad....even though i love seeing the characters in this game fight like they are in an anime i have SOME problems.....for example if your main character in your party dies,you lose unless you have called an eidolon/aeon/summon and thats another HUGE problem in the game.....most of the time eidolon battles come at the worst of moments....translation you only have 1 or 2 party members when you fight them and they are almost always pre-selected...the ONLY good eidolon battle i can remember is the bahamut one because you can use whoever you want in your party and you have 3 PARTY MEMBERS!!!! And you are controlling fang which,in my opinion,is the best commando in the game.Now lets talk about the leveling up system.....i dont hate it......i hate it in 13-2 but thats a story for another time....what i meant by not hating it is that while i like growing stronger in certain classes and gaining special boosts that help you in all the classes is pretty cool.....what is not cool is some story bosses stopping your progression in the crystal leveling up system.....ok back to the good stuff of this game,like the music,while not perfect 10/10,is pretty catchy and sometimes really touching.....by far the best music comes in the form of background music which continues to be great in all the 13 games and with each new game,they get better. Another thing i love is that almost everyone can learn the same moves as others but still feel unique,unlike ff7's materia system.You might want to de-buff the enemy,buff yourself AND be protected at the same time and you can do that by having a sentinel(or guard) a synergist(or buffer) and a saboteur(or de-buffer) in your party.....and just so you know,no you are not bound to this choice in each battle...you can actually change the battle formation with a push of a button.That is actually pretty damn awesome because you might want to be safe but still deal some damage,or wanting to make the enemy staggered quickly with 2 ravagers(black mages) and 1 commando(warrior) in your party....i wouldn't QUITE recommend the game to everyone because its too linear for a final fantasy game and all of that....but if you are ready to see this game as its own game then you will enjoy it like i did… Expand
  58. msherry9
    Jan 16, 2014
    9
    Let me start off by first saying that this is easily one of the best Final Fantasy games out there right now. Ever since I finished Final Fantasy X's epic storyline, I've been yearning for another Final Fantasy game to come along that can emulate the emotions that I had felt all those years ago. I'm happy to say that I have indeed found that game in the form of Final Fantasy XIII. I'veLet me start off by first saying that this is easily one of the best Final Fantasy games out there right now. Ever since I finished Final Fantasy X's epic storyline, I've been yearning for another Final Fantasy game to come along that can emulate the emotions that I had felt all those years ago. I'm happy to say that I have indeed found that game in the form of Final Fantasy XIII. I've slowly come to realize that most fans either love the game or absolutely hate it and I can understand both sides of the spectrum. Graphically, even by today's standards, FFXIII is one of the sharpest looking games out there. Character models still look extremely solid and the environments and cutscenes are absolutely gorgeous. The game features an entirely made-from-scratch world with its own rich history and extremely deep lore that is presented in spot-on fashion so as to not overwhelm the player with too many details. Now, moving on to the core aspects of the game, starting with the storyline. As mentioned earlier, FFXIII's story is one of hope. It's about setting out to accomplish something, rather than sitting around wishing you could, when others say it is impossible. Admittedly, it's not exactly the most unique message a video game has ever conveyed, but the manner in which it is presented is spectacular. The story starts off focused on Lightning Farron (whose real first name is revealed later), a Guardian Corps. soldier whose sister becomes branded by a demigod-like being called a Fal'Cie. Those that are branded, called l'Cie, have what's called a Focus, which is a single objective that must be accomplished in a limited amount of time. If the l'Cie fails to carry out their Focus in the time given, they turn into mindless demonic creatures called Cie'th. However, if they do carry out their Focus successfully, they turn into crystal to sleep for all of eternity, which isn't exactly much better. Without giving away too much more, Lightning desperately tries to help her sister out of this impossible situation. By far, this is one of the most stellar endings, in my opinion, to any video I've ever played, neatly wrapping up all loose ends and satisfying the player. The game features an extraordinary cast of hit-or-miss characters. My friend hated every single party member while I grew fond of every one of them. Each of them features an engaging backstory and personality and I actually cared deeply what happened to them as the story progressed. The game's score is absolutely fantastic and suits the game's tone and atmosphere perfectly. Moving on to actual gameplay, many critics fault the game for its extreme linearity and I wholeheartedly agree. This is easily one of the most linear games you will ever play, with very little to no side-missions or objectives to accomplish. The side missions that are available (late in the game) are nothing more than monster-slaying missions and a majority of them offer rewards that barely warrant the time and effort put into these challenging battles. In fact, the majority of the game is very challenging. The game lacks any sort of difficulty setting and so if you're a very casual gamer, you may want to steer clear of this one. Personally, I enjoy challenging video games but this game was just downright frustrating at times. I honestly don't even know how they expect you to win some of the fights without maxing out your characters. The game's battle system is a healthy combination of turn-based combat and a fast-paced action game. It's difficult to describe in a few sentences but it is extremely satisfying without becoming a mindless button-masher. Triumphing over rough boss fights is a real treat that truly tests your skills as a gamer. Fortunately, you can "Retry" any battle mid-fight, which resets your character to right before you engaged the enemy, and the save systems throughout the game are very generous. Overall, Final Fantasy XIII is a treat of a video game. Boasting sharp visuals, an intelligently-satisfying battle system, a fantastic cast of characters, an emotionally engaging storyline and an absolutely stellar ending, this truly is the Final Fantasy game that all fans should play.… Expand
  59. NickPVT
    Dec 5, 2013
    7
    It took a while for me to get through this game and it didn't leave me with that desire to come back to it every evening. I had to force my way through the first half of the game before i started to enjoy it. Once things opened up and i was free to roam around (a little) I was drawn in to the hunting side quest. Obviously the visuals were top notch, i don't think anyone can fault thisIt took a while for me to get through this game and it didn't leave me with that desire to come back to it every evening. I had to force my way through the first half of the game before i started to enjoy it. Once things opened up and i was free to roam around (a little) I was drawn in to the hunting side quest. Obviously the visuals were top notch, i don't think anyone can fault this game for that. The story was OK but I didn't feel for the characters as much as i did in past FF games.… Expand
  60. Rox22
    Sep 11, 2013
    8
    Another good but flawed FF game, Square really do have a pattern going here. At least it'S a positive one.

    FF XIII has gotten ALLOT of criticism on it's linearity, but in fairness the linear gameplay was a necessity to drive the story forward, so I can forgive it. In fact, once it opens up (after you finish the game) there is a ton of exploration that can be done a but loads of    Another good but flawed FF game, Square really do have a pattern going here. At least it'S a positive one.

    FF XIII has gotten ALLOT of criticism on it's linearity, but in fairness the linear gameplay was a necessity to drive the story forward, so I can forgive it. In fact, once it opens up (after you finish the game) there is a ton of exploration that can be done a but loads of challenges just begging to be completed.

    The graphics and animation are some of the best the series has ever seen. Every cutscene is breathtakingly beautiful. Lightning is just a great protagonist that comes off a bit flat and mysterious at first, but as the game progresses you learn that she has so much depth, she just hides it very well. The other characters are alright. Fang is damn hot!!!! Hope is so damn whiny and I really do not like his personality.

    Combat is a little confusing at first, but once you get the hang of it and all options open up it is allot of fun as it relies on the player using more tact than finesse (ie what the action-junkies complain about.)

    Overall:
    Final Fantasy XIII is pretty much a standard FF game as a whole. It lacks the openness the previous games had, but in exchange we get a far rich story and plot.    … Expand
  61. EddieHokie
    Aug 7, 2013
    2
    What. The. Heck. Is. This.

    How has Final Fantasy not figured out dialogue and voice acting yet? This is AWFUL and almost impossible to want to listen to. This game as only two things going for it but little things even destroy the good stuff 1) The graphic design is creative, colorful, and big which is fun to look at BUT the characters suck, you can't explore, its one big hallway    What. The. Heck. Is. This.

    How has Final Fantasy not figured out dialogue and voice acting yet? This is AWFUL and almost impossible to want to listen to.

    This game as only two things going for it but little things even destroy the good stuff
    1) The graphic design is creative, colorful, and big which is fun to look at
    BUT the characters suck, you can't explore, its one big hallway all the time

    2) The fights are fun and changing strategy on the fly is entertaining
    BUT I don't like being judged by stars and rushed to finish fights quickly; after a good amount of leveling, characters individual fighting identity becomes really muddled as everyone can almost do any strategy, getting weapons sucks because its a crapshoot knowing which weapons to upgrade; knowing what strategy to use against an enemy the first time you see it can be life or death without the ability to scout it first and bosses are one giant guessing game the first time around

    The story is probably good and possibly deep but it's written like it is meant to be a 2nd graders lullaby.
    I was insulted by its simplicity and the whole thing feels like I have no control over any of it

    What a disappointment after previous installments. Square Enix goes from ground breaking to grounded and out of ideas    … Expand
  62. JenJen387
    Jun 13, 2013
    7
    Shamefully this is the first Final Fantasy game I've ever played. It gave me a decent impression. I think they focused too much on the graphics, but I must admit, they're beautiful. The characters can be kinda irritating and the quotes aren't very convincing.. Unfortunately, players can't talk to non-playable characters, probably due to the scenario of being a l'cie and all. The game lacksShamefully this is the first Final Fantasy game I've ever played. It gave me a decent impression. I think they focused too much on the graphics, but I must admit, they're beautiful. The characters can be kinda irritating and the quotes aren't very convincing.. Unfortunately, players can't talk to non-playable characters, probably due to the scenario of being a l'cie and all. The game lacks decent transportation considering the unnecessarily huge settings. There are too many cutscenes and the story goes on forever making it repelling to finish the game. And after you actually do finish the game, theres not much of a reason to continue on. Though I can tell a lot of effort was put into this game. This game has not failed to impress me on the soundtrack. It's greatly composed and currently in my music lists.… Expand
  63. JakeSteel
    May 16, 2013
    0
    Such a tragic letdown. After years of being the first name in console RPGs, Square has had nothing but a trilogy of beautiful polished turds in it's last three numbered final fantasies.
  64. PrincePeroxide
    Apr 10, 2013
    0
    I can't even say anything good about is big, messy turd.
    I've always liked the final fantasy series, but is had me clawing my eyes out after 10 minutes. slow, overplayed story, unoriginal characters, redundant environments and needlessly complicated everything. The name Lightning is so F***ing dumb. Everything in this game is stupid. It was a waste of 20+ hours. The Graphics were terrible    I can't even say anything good about is big, messy turd.
    I've always liked the final fantasy series, but is had me clawing my eyes out after 10 minutes. slow, overplayed story, unoriginal characters, redundant environments and needlessly complicated everything. The name Lightning is so F***ing dumb. Everything in this game is stupid. It was a waste of 20+ hours. The Graphics were terrible compared to the Square Enix standard.
    I expected so much more form this, it was a waste of $20
    Anyone who enjoys this game is a tasteless moron who's only in it for the novelty.    … Expand
  65. JohnLemon
    Jan 29, 2013
    0
    Game is incomplete garbage! I absolutely hate it. I hate it's gameplay, story, characters, graphics, visuals! EVERY SINGLE ASPECT! Gameplay is worthless boring button masher for +20 hours with exploration of giant hallway in which you won't find anything worth mentioning, ever. Story is boring-ass underdeveloped scrap of what could've not so bad story. Characters are retarded andGame is incomplete garbage! I absolutely hate it. I hate it's gameplay, story, characters, graphics, visuals! EVERY SINGLE ASPECT! Gameplay is worthless boring button masher for +20 hours with exploration of giant hallway in which you won't find anything worth mentioning, ever. Story is boring-ass underdeveloped scrap of what could've not so bad story. Characters are retarded and unlikeable. Graphics are mediocre, textures are okay, but nothing really to look at. Visuals are screwed up. So, okay, we have this "realistic" wanna be graphics, what should we do? ADD A GUY WITH IMPOSSIBLE BLUE HAIR OF COURSE! Or, motorcycle from two half-naked women?! WHY FREAKING NOT!? A teenager that annihilates fully armed and trained army soldiers, WHY NOT?! The world isn't ugly just because graphics aren't horrible, but you won't ever find any place, any building, anything worth mentioning. I simply can't put something, at least one good thing about this game! Oh, wait, i can, music is kinda cool, but they ruined it with some pop-singers. I usually was turning off music every time when some **** pop song started. Game isn't good because it's bad, it's bad, because it's bad. Really, really bad.… Expand
  66. Skals
    Jan 8, 2013
    8
    The problem with this game, was that it was way too linear. Square Enix basically made a game compromising of 13 chapters and about 50 side quests, and then they made the players wait till Chapter 11 before they could even start doing any of the 50 side quests. Their justification for this was that the combat system is completely new to the series, and that players need extra time to learnThe problem with this game, was that it was way too linear. Square Enix basically made a game compromising of 13 chapters and about 50 side quests, and then they made the players wait till Chapter 11 before they could even start doing any of the 50 side quests. Their justification for this was that the combat system is completely new to the series, and that players need extra time to learn it, but they took it a bit too far, forcing us to play past 40 hours of content before the real game began.
    But if we set that aside, everything else about the game is amazing. I did everything in this game. The strongest monster in the game was a big harmless grass eating turtle, who was so massive you had to break it's legs before it would fall down and then you could deal damage to it's head. I thought that was kinda unnecessary and a bit over the top, but go figure.
    I loved the story and loved the combat system past the first 40 hours. 8/10 for the Xbox version as it's graphics are not as good as the PS3 versions.    … Expand
  67. Merr
    Dec 28, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. One of the best games of this generation of consoles. Beautiful graphics, interesting story, great world, deep characters, nice battle system.

    Only - is closed-corridors levels.    … Expand
  68. Gamezillabrodud
    Oct 4, 2012
    9
    This is the Avatar of video games. With jaw-dropping graphics, beautiful music, and incredibly well crafted and detailed environments, FFXIII is THE best looking and best sounding games EVER. OF ALL TIME. Another thing that is incredible is the magnificent, and emotionally capturing story and the colorful and memorable characters that we have come to expect from all the final fantasyThis is the Avatar of video games. With jaw-dropping graphics, beautiful music, and incredibly well crafted and detailed environments, FFXIII is THE best looking and best sounding games EVER. OF ALL TIME. Another thing that is incredible is the magnificent, and emotionally capturing story and the colorful and memorable characters that we have come to expect from all the final fantasy titles. Not to mention the impressive, fun and challenging battle system. The things that annoy me about this game are that some of the dialogue is stupid, random, and corny( much like other Japanese games) and the 50 hour story may be a bit much for some gamers. Other than that, great game.… Expand
  69. chronoT
    Sep 6, 2012
    6
    This game was disappointing to me overall, showing that Final Fantasy may never return to its' epic roots. FF 13 feels more like a generic Devil May Cry than it does a FF. The game is extremely linear once again but even worse than 10/10-2, the story is bland and some of the characters are extremely annoying. This really hurts because as a kid I absolutely loved FF 1-9, and ever since 9This game was disappointing to me overall, showing that Final Fantasy may never return to its' epic roots. FF 13 feels more like a generic Devil May Cry than it does a FF. The game is extremely linear once again but even worse than 10/10-2, the story is bland and some of the characters are extremely annoying. This really hurts because as a kid I absolutely loved FF 1-9, and ever since 9 its has been steadily going downhill. I could name a few positives, the graphics look very nice and battle system is different but actually really fun to use.… Expand
  70. TJ_Kragt
    Aug 2, 2012
    10
    Before I write the review I just have to say FFXIII trolls give this game way too much crap. This game is a great game, the linearity was not a huge issue. It's just westerners have gotten used to these WRPGs where you have a wide open world that you can easily get lost in (literally), not to mention the story is usually lacking. So the bad reviews is just westerners complaining that theBefore I write the review I just have to say FFXIII trolls give this game way too much crap. This game is a great game, the linearity was not a huge issue. It's just westerners have gotten used to these WRPGs where you have a wide open world that you can easily get lost in (literally), not to mention the story is usually lacking. So the bad reviews is just westerners complaining that the JRPG is a different type of RPG. Also, the FF fanbase is very split and conflicted. If Square does one thing then half are going to be pleased and half not pleased. Honestly, I think you can't ever please more than 60% of the fanbase at one time anymore because we all want different things. Now on to the review.......Final Fantasy XIII is another great addition to the franchise. The story is a compelling tale and the characters play well off of eachother. The only short coming is Vanille's high pitched voice, but thats the voice coach's fault for wanting it that way. The characters are well developed and you see the main protagonist mature through the course of the game. The combat is fantastic, very flashy and fun, as well as fast-paced. It offers a refreshing change up for the series. The music is good also, but not quite up to what Nobuo Uematsu has offered for previous installments. That doesn't stop the soundtrack from being good, though. There are also over 60 sidequests to indulge in when you get the chance which offer plenty of post-story play. Final Fantasy XIII's more streamlined nature pays off in this epic tale of heroism.… Expand
  71. LilD
    Jul 24, 2012
    8
    I thought I had totally given up on Final Fantasy. X is one of my all-time favorite games, but XI and XII were absolutely awful. XIII definitely has its ups and downs. The characters are just ok, linear gameplay, and the story was clearly written by someone on crystal meth. However, the graphics, sleek menus, and above all...the combat were top notch. The combat is bar none my favorite ofI thought I had totally given up on Final Fantasy. X is one of my all-time favorite games, but XI and XII were absolutely awful. XIII definitely has its ups and downs. The characters are just ok, linear gameplay, and the story was clearly written by someone on crystal meth. However, the graphics, sleek menus, and above all...the combat were top notch. The combat is bar none my favorite of any RPG. Had the combat been different, I probably would have rated this game a 2. I finished the game in a week logging around 50 hours and had a blast doing it.… Expand
  72. LelouchR2
    Jul 23, 2012
    10
    Final Fantasy XIII is a game that has garnered quite a bit of backlash for largely misunderstood reasons. The game is linear yes, is that a negative aspect of the game? no it is not. Is the plot really that convoluted? no it isn't, you aren't even required to read the datalog that so many people dislike. The story of Final Fantasy XIII is it's strong point. The main character of the gameFinal Fantasy XIII is a game that has garnered quite a bit of backlash for largely misunderstood reasons. The game is linear yes, is that a negative aspect of the game? no it is not. Is the plot really that convoluted? no it isn't, you aren't even required to read the datalog that so many people dislike. The story of Final Fantasy XIII is it's strong point. The main character of the game is a young woman named Lightning. The story begins with her attempt to rescue her younger sister from the clutches of a god like being known as a fal'Cie. From there Lightning and her friends are put on the path of an adventure that will test both their battle prowess and who they are as human beings, calling into questions their morals. The battle system is a fresh take on the ATB system. Being able to que up to six consecutive attacks is something that the series has needed for a long time. The system revolves around two things, first is the paradigm shift system, which is the roles that you assign to your characters, second is the stagger meter, a bar that once full staggers said opponent and lowers their defence allowing you to inflict massive damage. The battle system has been criticized by "fans" of the series saying that it only consists of pressing X. That is not true but even if it were, what series have they been playing for all these years? Every FF game requires an over abundance of the use of X, that is just selective whining. XIII will require you to use the L1, directional pad and X in battle, not just one, unless you want to lose that is. The biggest bright points among Final Fantasy XIII when compared to the rest of the series is the protagonist of the game, Lightning, the character development of the party and their interactions of a group. Lightning has been compared to Cloud on a lot of message boards, but that isn't an apt comparison, there is a world of difference between the two. The development and characterization that Lightning undergoes through the game is a lot more human than anything Cloud has to offer. She is a very strong female lead that is so relatable that almost any player should be able to relate to her. The character development of the party as a whole is done a lot better than in previous iterations. Each character will come to realizations throughout the quest that will change who they are and how they view the world. The chemistry of the group also makes their interactions that much more meaningful. Another criticism is just how linear the game is. It's true that the game is indeed linear but it is done for a purpose. Final Fantasy XIII is a story driven game, moreso than it's predecessors. The linearity of the game is used as a story telling tool to help put you into Lightning and co's shoes. They are on the run and have no where to go but forward, they cannot stop to shop and lolly gag in towns because they are fugitives. The game is simply being realistic in it's plot and should be commended for taking such an effective approach to telling the story of Lightning so that you could relate to her situation and how she would be feeling. The soundtrack is also top notch, including beautiful orchestral pieces that fit perfectly with each scene. It adds another layer to the storytelling. Overall Final Fantasy XIII deserves a ten out of ten for it's epic plot, memorable protagonist and addicting battle system. There is not a better release in the series than this one. Definitely worth playing through.… Expand
  73. moonman1994
    Jul 15, 2012
    4
    Final Fantasy XIII is a pretty game but it lacks all the elements that make a Final Fantasy game good. The characters are boring, unmemorable and at some points even annoying. Lightning is a perfect female replica of Cloud if you take away all of the details that make Cloud interesting. The game is extremely linear and even when you reach Pulse. The battle system is extremely annoyingFinal Fantasy XIII is a pretty game but it lacks all the elements that make a Final Fantasy game good. The characters are boring, unmemorable and at some points even annoying. Lightning is a perfect female replica of Cloud if you take away all of the details that make Cloud interesting. The game is extremely linear and even when you reach Pulse. The battle system is extremely annoying because your party tends to randomly wander around the field and that causes problems during many boss battles when a boss is able to do damage over a specific piece of area. Leveling up is also annoying in the game because you have to use the crystal system. It's not the worst game I've ever played but it's nowhere near the excellence of the games 7 to 10 of the Final Fantasy series.… Expand
  74. Notdavidbowie
    Jun 21, 2012
    7
    This game indeed lacks that certain spark usually found in Final Fantasy. The characters aside from Lightning come across as bland and boring with a storyline that is overly complicated. This does not make it interesting! I didn't get a lot of what happened in this game until I played the sequel, thankfully it was more clear. You have you're new fighting system, unlike that of any otherThis game indeed lacks that certain spark usually found in Final Fantasy. The characters aside from Lightning come across as bland and boring with a storyline that is overly complicated. This does not make it interesting! I didn't get a lot of what happened in this game until I played the sequel, thankfully it was more clear. You have you're new fighting system, unlike that of any other Final Fantasy game. Though its more action orientated, it's quite boring. I must say though, I did play the game fully through and found it... pretty decent. There a whole bunch wrong with it, but I still enjoyed it. The setting is quite interesting with fairly interesting monsters and creatures to fill it. I will say I'm slightly biased to the series and have never missed a game (Except those horrible online ones). In short I feel that if you enjoyed Final Fantasy and enjoy J-Rpgs, I'd say give it a go! If you dont like these kind of games... I can't imagine you liking this at all!… Expand
  75. wesker2012
    May 28, 2012
    8
    II liked the games story and combat but got really repetitive.
  76. VermillionHaze
    May 9, 2012
    5
    This game is a slap in the face to loyal FF fans. All the good things the series is known for such as character development, exploration and a wealth of extra content is thrown out for a simplistic point A to point B experience that will leave you scratching your head. The battle system is equally boring, and it's tutorial lasts about 6 hours. Graphically it's amazing and the cutscenes areThis game is a slap in the face to loyal FF fans. All the good things the series is known for such as character development, exploration and a wealth of extra content is thrown out for a simplistic point A to point B experience that will leave you scratching your head. The battle system is equally boring, and it's tutorial lasts about 6 hours. Graphically it's amazing and the cutscenes are stellar but apart from that it's a dismal direction for FF. I cared absolutely nothing for any of the characters 10 hours in and even less about the mangled excuse for a plot. It's worth a rent or a $9.99 or below price tag.… Expand
  77. FinalFantasyG
    May 6, 2012
    0
    terrible. a slap in the face. warning, this is not a rpg folks. I have been playing the FF series since it started. God, where do I start? No freedom, computer does everything, you have no control over anything. Bosses with a millions of hit points, that you begin to fall asleep while you play. Seriously, one boss had 3 million hit points. Only thing that saved this game was the cutterrible. a slap in the face. warning, this is not a rpg folks. I have been playing the FF series since it started. God, where do I start? No freedom, computer does everything, you have no control over anything. Bosses with a millions of hit points, that you begin to fall asleep while you play. Seriously, one boss had 3 million hit points. Only thing that saved this game was the cut scenes, they are beautiful. I felt like I walking through a hallway, and everything was set up for me. The first chapters of the game were BORING. I want to be able to PLAY all my characters, build them the way I see fit. Also, if your person in command dies, the whole team is dead. So lame. I really, really hated this game. I hope to see a big change with 14, or my FF days are done.… Expand
  78. lambdafish
    Apr 14, 2012
    7
    First and foremost, I am a Final Fantasy fan, have been since FFVIII, and have played all the previous ones before it since. As you can imagine, I was excited about FFXIII. Was I disappointed? Yes! Does this make it a terrible game? No. FFXIII does have many flaws which many people point out as the entire game, when they do not look at the good points. I'll start by talking about theFirst and foremost, I am a Final Fantasy fan, have been since FFVIII, and have played all the previous ones before it since. As you can imagine, I was excited about FFXIII. Was I disappointed? Yes! Does this make it a terrible game? No. FFXIII does have many flaws which many people point out as the entire game, when they do not look at the good points. I'll start by talking about the story. FFXIII is the story of a band of l'cie, beings branded by fal'cie and are from then on rejected by society. I did not understand this at first, as the story is slow to get into, however being a fan of the series, I went with it. Im so glad I did as the vague introductions do lead into a memorable journey that binds the party together. Each of the characters are well developed, and you grow to love some of them (sazh), although a few do annoy me (vanille - I wont let this retract from the score though). The battlesystem is usually the defining point of any final fantasy game with exception to the story, and I feel that SE created an odd battlesystem here. Some people love it, and some hate it, but the paradigm system is certainly new. What SE tried to do was do away with micromanagement, and switch to a much simpler system, where the player is able to choose the job roles of their party, and utilise the job at the correct moment. For some reason, some do not see this at all and only see the glowing auto-battle button. I do not agree with this in the slightest, as the only mistake made there is that they should have named it "Action," as that is what it is. The player chooses the job, and then performs that jobs actions at that moment, and that is the meat of the system. Do I prefer it? No. However, i feel that many people do not play enough of the game to unlock the full potential of the system (i.e. unlock all of the jobs). Further into the game, battles actually get very difficult, and you need to learn to fully utilise the system to strategise victory.
    The other main issue, and this is the big one, is the linearity of the game. This is why I am not giving this game a 9 or 10. The game is essentially moving from A to B, fighting through the obstacles in your way (i.e. where the battles come in), I felt that there was some variety in the environment design, on how it felt like you were making progress, however the journeys just feel too boring as there is nothing to do except battle and pick up chests. Linearity has been seen in previous Final Fantasy games, such as the Midgar section of FFVII and FFX, however their linear sections were full of life, whereas FFXIII is only full of the same battles, over and over again (2 points deducted).
    Overall, I felt satisfied with my journey in FFXIII, I play Final Fantasy to explore new worlds, and experience new stories, and FFXIII delivered on both of these points. I did have to persevere with the navigating of the world however, and I felt that it was highly underdeveloped. I hope to see this improved in FFXV. Other than that, another great, if slightly dwarfed by its predecessors, entry into the legendary series.    … Expand
  79. Triggerhappy
    Mar 22, 2012
    8
    I was new to the genre and was blown away. Everything from combat to the art felt amazing. The storyline is set and you do not get to change it anyhow, it is on rails and you´re just moving along rails, the dialogues are sometimes poor and the over-the-top emotions do feel a bit awkward, but it has a certain naive charm that made me love it. And the music is brilliant.
  80. Adardar786
    Mar 20, 2012
    9
    This is the first Final Fantasy I have ever played, I expected a huge open world with towns, side quests among other things. However, there was none at all. You start off (after some Jaw-dropping cut-scenes) with the most basic moves of "Attack" as the game teaches you about this new battle system. This lead me to run in a very straight line and fight battles again and again with no ideaThis is the first Final Fantasy I have ever played, I expected a huge open world with towns, side quests among other things. However, there was none at all. You start off (after some Jaw-dropping cut-scenes) with the most basic moves of "Attack" as the game teaches you about this new battle system. This lead me to run in a very straight line and fight battles again and again with no idea of the characters or the story. By chapter 3, thankfully, you begin to understand what the game is about. The boss fights are pretty epic and will keep you entertained, but the fight that get you there will wear you out a lot. The story more than makes up for this though.

    The game teaches you about the Paradigm System which changes a group of roles within a party. This makes you focus on switching between offensive and defensive strategies causing the battles to be a lot more fluid. I highly enjoyed this over the turn-based system I expected. It wasn't fun but it was tolerable. Mind you, you might not be able to play the game for more than an hour without it boring you.

    The story and graphics are what this game is made for. The story is dramatic and touching (but can go overboard at times) as well as great CG cut scenes which I looked forward to as well. A Data-log option also keeps you up to date with any confusion you have which helped me hugely half way through the game. It's a game that rewards you as you play more, however I hated the first 10 hours. As i went through it i was entertained by the personalities of the different characters and how real they felt. Vanille was hugely annoying though. She never shut up. This will probably be the only Final Fantasy game i will ever play and i really did enjoy it. Its a game that i will remember. The criticisms of this game really does confuse me but I guess we are all entitled to our opinion!    … Expand
  81. Rafalas
    Mar 18, 2012
    9
    I just can't understand why the bad reviews. People seem to go all fanboy when a new game of a saga comes out, and something has been changed. I've played all Final Fantasy games up to date in all different Playstation and Xbox formats. People complain that the combat system has changed, that the maps have changed, that the eidolons have changed... well, let me tell you that the way ofI just can't understand why the bad reviews. People seem to go all fanboy when a new game of a saga comes out, and something has been changed. I've played all Final Fantasy games up to date in all different Playstation and Xbox formats. People complain that the combat system has changed, that the maps have changed, that the eidolons have changed... well, let me tell you that the way of playing games have changed. I'm about 30 hours into this game and it plays beautifully: combats require some party preparation and although you can only control the leader, to tweak the AI and to administrate all the combat profiles is part of the game. The new combat system takes from the player all the boring management and just lets them get in what they like, to fight.

    Technically, this game is constantly impressing me. Final Fantasy games are known for being epic and spectacular, but FF XIII has just gone over all that. It's like on a different level from any other thing. Beautiful graphics, masterpiece soundtrack, amazing motion capture, and a catchy storyline. It's hard to get better than this in terms of production quality. Too hard.

    Fan gamers will just not even give this an opportunity, or even if they do, they'll be so stubborn about it being different that they'll be stuck. I think SquareEnix has done a great done adapting the Final Fantasy saga to mechanics with which players are more comfortable these days. And that's not bad, that's improvement.

    The only drawback of it, and the reason why I don't give a 10, is that enhancing the weapons, and knowing which ones to use, where to get them, or how to optimize them can be a very intrincate task. It's as if you really couldn't figure it out without a guide.

    Do yourself a favor: don't listen to the fanboys, don't compare it with old Final Fantasy games, and play it. It'll submerge you in a fantastic experience you won't regret.    … Expand
  82. Tyrannis1964
    Mar 13, 2012
    7
    A good game I liked the characters the story and the gameplay.I was happy with the character development that accured. the game was very pretty but it was too linear. not the best installment in the Final Fantasy series but an okay one
  83. scarab5Q
    Mar 12, 2012
    4
    Ill start by saying I was a massive fan of near enough every final fantasy game before this (except XI) but I must say that this game is nothing like the other games. This is a very bad thing . there is no over world it is soooo linear and also the battle system is terrible
  84. You-Know-Who
    Feb 4, 2012
    10
    Despite being a polarized Final Fantasy, especially for letting many elements of previous titles aside, there is much to enjoy in Final Fantasy XIII. With a fast and functional battle system, flawless artistic direction, great narrative and a high quality soundtrack, Square-Enix proves that traditions are not necessary to forge an excellent game in the series.
  85. FGRaptor
    Jan 29, 2012
    9
    One of the best games I have ever played. While it is not perfect, it is a very engaging and interesting play. The main problem people seemed to have with it is that "it's not like the other FF games", but that is the point. Innovation can only happen if something differs. This doesn't mean it's a bad game. The story is completely amazing and it wouldn't be possible if the game would notOne of the best games I have ever played. While it is not perfect, it is a very engaging and interesting play. The main problem people seemed to have with it is that "it's not like the other FF games", but that is the point. Innovation can only happen if something differs. This doesn't mean it's a bad game. The story is completely amazing and it wouldn't be possible if the game would not follow on a "rail" for the first chapters. It is a worthy sacrifice for a deep story of this kind.
    Visually there is no need to talk about anything. It looks gorgeous, just brilliant. I love the look of the game. The soundtrack and the effects have me enchanted as well. I'm still listening to tracks from the OST, especially Snow's Theme and Lightning's Theme are very awesome songs.
    Gameplay-wise it is different from previous FF games. The combat is semi-real time, but pretty fast. Player's have to switch between paradigms to overcome different obstacles in enemies or bosses. I really love the combat system after I got used to it. It is very versatile, retains the tactical element of turn based combat, even adds a new layer with the paradigm system, but is more engaging than normal turn-based combat. The amount of text in the game is astounding as well. There is so much information about the world, the events, the characters and everything to read, it was a paradise for an avid reader like myself. The game also opens up largely in the last chapters and actually continues on after you finish the story. A chunk of content is only accessible after you finish the last bosses, because that opens up the last level of character upgrades, which allows you to go on a hunt for the biggest enemies in the game. It is a game with hundreds of hours worth of gameplay, a super-engaging and beautiful story, an amazing combat system and amazing graphics. I don't know how people cannot like it!    … Expand
  86. ps3sucks
    Jan 28, 2012
    1
    i am just not a fan of final fantasy you take turns fighting its like pokemon do not buy it comes with 3 darn discs nobody wants 3 discs DO NOT BUY THIS GAME IT IS LAME
  87. namDa65
    Jan 17, 2012
    8
    7.6/10. I've put in around 20 hours into the game and really dont wanna to keep going anymore. It's the most linear game I have ever played besides FPS. I just dont understand how the developers thought keeping the game linear for 20 hours and still not opening up is beyond me. The combat system is actually fun, but the linearity of it all... ruins the whole experience. Play it for the7.6/10. I've put in around 20 hours into the game and really dont wanna to keep going anymore. It's the most linear game I have ever played besides FPS. I just dont understand how the developers thought keeping the game linear for 20 hours and still not opening up is beyond me. The combat system is actually fun, but the linearity of it all... ruins the whole experience. Play it for the graphics and CGI effects. I played it on the 360 and it looks alright, but there are a lot of jaggies. Playing the 13-2 demo on my new ps3, I can tell there's a huge difference.… Expand
  88. sias
    Jan 16, 2012
    3
    Beautiful beautiful game with some fairly decent voice acting. However, that's where the positive parts of my review end. The story, such an important part of a Final Fantasy game, is so obscure and indecipherable in XIII that at certain points I was completely and utterly lost. The thing is, the story is actually quite straight forward, it's just the game is so poorly written that I foundBeautiful beautiful game with some fairly decent voice acting. However, that's where the positive parts of my review end. The story, such an important part of a Final Fantasy game, is so obscure and indecipherable in XIII that at certain points I was completely and utterly lost. The thing is, the story is actually quite straight forward, it's just the game is so poorly written that I found myself relying on online wikis just to understand it. This isn't helped by some terrible cut scenes that occur at a phenomenal rate. In fact the first 15-20 hours (maybe more) of XIII consist of walking down a corridor from cutscene A to cutscene B. Square Enix could have got away with this if they had created characters that are in any way likeable, but no, again, failure on all fronts. Every character is either depressed and/or completely deluded. They constantly moan about how terrible their lives are which just isn't fun to watch. This is the first final fantasy game where I have detested every single character. As for the battle system, well it's incredibly boring. The paradigm change thing feels very derivative and really limits your character customization. Also, the auto-attack function is just depressing. The game actually tells you what combination of attacks or abilities to use. Of course you can ignore it, but all so very often it's telling you to do what you were already planning, so you just hit auto-attack again, and again, and again, until your health is low and you switch to medic and back again, rinse and repeat. It is extremely boring. Also, you can only control one character in your party of three at any one time while the other two are controlled by the AI, which is disgraceful. Never have I seen a game series become so tremendously dumbed down to the point where the game doesn't need you to proceed. The character progression has also become linear and tremendously unexciting. The weapon crafting is also horrendous and almost completely obsolete. It's also very ugly and boring to use. There are also no towns or NPCs to speak to, no side missions to flesh out the world or add depth to the story, and, contrary to believe, no breaks from the linear formula of the game. Yes you do eventually get to a rather large green area with big monsters that look great. The problem is, there's pretty much nothing to do. Yes you can indulge in some monster hunting like Final Fantasy 12, but it's so charmless and quickly just becomes a list of things to spam auto-attack at to make dead. It has none of the charm of Final Fantasy 12. In this big area there is nothing exciting to explore, no cool items or summons to find or anything else really. Basically this large area that comes into the game after torturous corridor crawling is completely shallow. All style, zero substance. Honestly this game is a travesty. I hear there's a sequel coming out this month? Why Square Enix? Why on earth would you not want to ditch this horrid world and move onto something new?! Apart from some actually very pretty graphics, this is an excruciatingly boring and shallow game.… Expand
  89. Jamyz
    Jan 11, 2012
    9
    Final Fantasy XIII is a beautiful RPG game with a easy to learn battle system and impressive graphics, with all this comes a great story that will really touch your heart as every character brings so much life into the game and some you might even relate too. This game is a very fun game to play,you might spend atleast 50+ hours on your first playthrough and by that time you feel attachedFinal Fantasy XIII is a beautiful RPG game with a easy to learn battle system and impressive graphics, with all this comes a great story that will really touch your heart as every character brings so much life into the game and some you might even relate too. This game is a very fun game to play,you might spend atleast 50+ hours on your first playthrough and by that time you feel attached to the hero's of this story. As for its flaws there are no shops and the game is very linear well untill you pop in disc 3 then you see a huge world full of life but these are its only flaws i have seen but overall this is a must have for RPG lovers and Final fantasy fans.… Expand
  90. birrml
    Jan 4, 2012
    0
    Forgot to move score bar down to 1, and gave it 10 on accident, therefore using zero to counteract the accidental 10 score................................................................................
  91. muzziklover
    Dec 23, 2011
    1
    New update review: I decided to give 13 another shot since my previous criticism was slightly biased. After 8-10 hours of gameplay, it is still a piece of absolute crap. I'll get the good parts out.:Graphics are astonishingly beautiful, the combat system is quite decent and the soundtrack is awesome. Now to the bad parts: Unbearable and annoying characters, poorly written story,New update review: I decided to give 13 another shot since my previous criticism was slightly biased. After 8-10 hours of gameplay, it is still a piece of absolute crap. I'll get the good parts out.:Graphics are astonishingly beautiful, the combat system is quite decent and the soundtrack is awesome. Now to the bad parts: Unbearable and annoying characters, poorly written story, disengaging gameplay and limited freedom because of linearity. Let me quote the comment of FF13's director on its criticisms on linearity: "It becomes very difficult to tell a compelling story when you're given that much freedom". NO, NO, NO, NO!!! The story in this game is as compelling as watching a clock and waiting for the minute hand to move! Hell, watching a clock is more compelling than the story of this game. If the story was good, then the linearity wouldn't be a problem but it is because the story sucks!!! Have they not learnt from previous FF games that players enjoy exploring the mythology and landscape that they made while at the same time still engaged at the story? The previous games managed to tell a good story without sacrificing freedom. What the hell happened? From the first time I played the game, I instantly hated most of the characters in this game. There are only two kind of likable characters but the rest are unbearable and annoying, especially Hope, who should go die in a ditch. Probably the worst thing about this game is its overall gameplay. The player does little to no involvement in the game and even though the combat system is quite decent, there is little to no strategy. The characters in your party does most of the attacking anyways and the majority of most of your combat involves pressing X (PS3) or A (360) over and over again. This new take on FF's gameplay is so disengaging, it really breaks my heart. I heard that it gets good after 20-25 hours. Are you kidding me??? Why would anyone torture themselves to go through 20 hours of crappy, hard to understand story, unbearable characters and uninteresting gameplay to reach the good part in this abomination? Probably me because I do want to know if its good or not. Final Fantasy 13 scares me. Final Fantasy is one of my most beloved gaming franchise and this is what it came to? As I ended with my previous review, this is the worst Final Fantasy game ever. Wait, I wouldn't even call this a "game".It is a huge betrayal to the series and completely desecrates on what its predecessors achieved in terms of gameplay, characters and storytelling. Overhyped and highly overrated.… Expand
  92. CloudStrifeVII
    Dec 15, 2011
    10
    Best Rol game of this generation.
    Square did a masterpiece.
  93. moholdt
    Dec 3, 2011
    1
    Since the last good Final Fantasy game, FFX, and before that the very best, FFVII, I've been trying out the new games. Hoping to get an equally great experience as the franchise used to give me. However I end up more and more disapointed. It's like having your best friend becoming addicted to heroin. You try your best to support him but at the same time you sort of stand by watching himSince the last good Final Fantasy game, FFX, and before that the very best, FFVII, I've been trying out the new games. Hoping to get an equally great experience as the franchise used to give me. However I end up more and more disapointed. It's like having your best friend becoming addicted to heroin. You try your best to support him but at the same time you sort of stand by watching him slowly ruin himself and getting closer to the enevitable death. The game is linear. Move from point A to point B, watch cutscene, engage in combat with a terrible combat system, learn about shallow characters you couldn't care less about and in the end, if you actually get there before quitting, defeat the final boss. Squaresoft took the winning formula from previous successes, and broke it into pieces. I don't know what's going on. If it's change in management or if they just don't care anymore, but the Final Fantasy that I know is long dead and it's sad.… Expand
  94. TheRedZombie
    Nov 22, 2011
    6
    I have to admit that I am fairly new to the whole Final Fantasy series. I admittedly only really got into the series after FFX after have played FFIX and FFVIII casually when i was younger. FFXIII was a mixed bag for me. I liked the story and the character development, The evironments and graphics were amazing. But I just couldn't get past the fact that the game led you by the nose for 95%I have to admit that I am fairly new to the whole Final Fantasy series. I admittedly only really got into the series after FFX after have played FFIX and FFVIII casually when i was younger. FFXIII was a mixed bag for me. I liked the story and the character development, The evironments and graphics were amazing. But I just couldn't get past the fact that the game led you by the nose for 95% of the story and you could play almost the entire game with the automatic combat button. I know the whole series has tried to get away from the old school turn-based combat for some time now as it has become a little unpopular with the younger generation. Although I had some real fun playing FFIII, I couldn't help but be a little disappointed in some of the choices the developers made. I have played this game to it's conclusion, and even finished about 90% of the side quests but I don't see myself going through the story a second time.… Expand
  95. Vintage91
    Nov 22, 2011
    8
    As an Action RPG game goes, this game was great! As an RPG game goes, it was just meh. I agree that a true RPG has to be completely open and let you do whatever you want whenever you want and this includes exploring towns, talking to random people and so on. I found it funny that some of my friends didn't like it because they couldn't think quickly enough to play this game, especiallyAs an Action RPG game goes, this game was great! As an RPG game goes, it was just meh. I agree that a true RPG has to be completely open and let you do whatever you want whenever you want and this includes exploring towns, talking to random people and so on. I found it funny that some of my friends didn't like it because they couldn't think quickly enough to play this game, especially during battle. All they did was Auto-attack the entire time. I only auto-attacked in the beginning when you have no other attacks and didn't know what I was doing. Then I started developing strategies and it became a lot more fun. I would have liked this game to have more sidequests earlier on, but I can deal with major exploring during the later portions of the game. The graphics were AMAZING! being my first Final Fantasy game, I was astounded at the movie scenes, the in-game graphics and gameplay graphics. There weren't really any glitching enemies or characters. I didn't notice the lip-dubbing too often, it was only certain times that I really noticed it. The characters are great in that you really get attached to them. They grow throughout the game, especially Hope, Sazh and Lightning. The main character starts off stoic, but becomes more open and more "real" as the game progresses. I take away some points from the score because you don't really get to control your party until the 10th chapter and the game doesn't really open up until even later.… Expand
  96. ShadowFlare
    Nov 21, 2011
    0
    Maybe the most desapointing Final Fantasy ever. The game has the best beggining of the series, but after chapter 8 it started to get poor and Hope it's the only good character of this game.
    The combat is more like (watch the movie) and this game is so freaking linear. Don't have shops and cities. Bad FF, bad Fabula nova crystallis.
  97. Vio
    Nov 20, 2011
    4
    Poor story, too much auto combat options, little exploration, good art & movie animations, graphics good.

    This game starts out in all the excitement of a new "Final Fantasy" release, but i'm afraid the more you play it the more disappointed you will feel. In the end the game drags to the point were it feels more like a obligation to try and finish it that a desire. Liked it? - It was    Poor story, too much auto combat options, little exploration, good art & movie animations, graphics good.

    This game starts out in all the excitement of a new "Final Fantasy" release, but i'm afraid the more you play it the more disappointed you will feel. In the end the game drags to the point were it feels more like a obligation to try and finish it that a desire. Liked it? - It was DISAPPOINTING.    … Expand
  98. GestalReplicant
    Nov 19, 2011
    7
    Final Fantasy XIII is a game of contradictions, and ultimately disappointment. It begins with a spellbinding introduction filled to the brim with jaw-droppingly gorgeous visuals and smart dialogue, and slowly winds down from there. it ultimately reaches the jaws of death about two-thirds of the way through, and then rises up to a respectable (but not redeeming) conclusion. A roller-coasterFinal Fantasy XIII is a game of contradictions, and ultimately disappointment. It begins with a spellbinding introduction filled to the brim with jaw-droppingly gorgeous visuals and smart dialogue, and slowly winds down from there. it ultimately reaches the jaws of death about two-thirds of the way through, and then rises up to a respectable (but not redeeming) conclusion. A roller-coaster ride in a more accurate idealization of the idiom, Final Fantasy XIII is a strong game, but ultimately a failure. That's no reason not to take the ride, though: even the more average of roller coasters are enjoyable.… Expand
  99. el_rico12t7
    Nov 15, 2011
    6
    Final Fantasy XIII is a decent game. Its very liner with good graphics and a decent storey. I cant help but think that its popularity is piggy-backing off the back of final fantasy 7. After playing every final fantasy since FF7 im beginning to lose hope that square enix will ever come close to replicating the greatness of FF7.
  100. MadCustomer
    Nov 10, 2011
    10
    I really thought this game was quite fun, and it takes a long time to finish (around about 45-55 hours).
    I can see why some people don't like it, but i don't agree. One of my favourites, personally.
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Awards & Rankings

45
#45 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2010
12
#12 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2010
22
#22 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 54 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 43 out of 54
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 54
  3. Negative: 2 out of 54
  1. GamesRadar+
    100
    The streamlined, focused structure eliminates potential tedium without dumbing anything down, and the battle system strikes an elegant balance between strategy and fast-paced action. Stunningly beautiful graphics and a pervasively meticulous level of polish throughout only add to the experience.
    Read full review
  2. Vandal
    92
    We can't assure it is a turning point in the series, but it manages to make fights fun and it's no doubt an outstanding game.
    Read full review
  3. Official Xbox Magazine
    90
    While the game's first 10 hours still give me pause, the 60 magnificent hours after those initial steps onto Cocoon make up for the tunnel-vision tutorial. [Apr 2010, p.68]
See all critic reviews »