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. 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.
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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.
  6. ZRHILDE
    Apr 6, 2023
    10
    Un gioco davvero bello sottovalutatissimo all uscita e rivalutato con l uscita xbox
  7. rotku
    Apr 12, 2011
    7
    Visually fantastic and with a good storyline it makes the game worth persevering with until the challenge really starts to kick in on disc 2. It's the same old tried and tested Final Fantasy concept of linear running around, levelling up the characters, reaching the next cut scene, repeat again and so on, however what I found make this game an improvement on previous versions is that inVisually fantastic and with a good storyline it makes the game worth persevering with until the challenge really starts to kick in on disc 2. It's the same old tried and tested Final Fantasy concept of linear running around, levelling up the characters, reaching the next cut scene, repeat again and so on, however what I found make this game an improvement on previous versions is that in this game it does make you feel that character development and balance is more important so some strategic planning is required. Recommended to fans of the series otherwise there is nothing new to appeal to those looking for something different.… Expand
  8. Neepwah
    Apr 18, 2011
    8
    While a departure from the series the game, when taken as a stand alone, is very fun to play, especially in the later chapters. That said, the early chapters do tend to drag a bit, with the exposition being laid on much slower than it could have been. The characters, as a whole, seem to be a matter of taste. While some may find them quite enjoyable, others will detest them. The plot isWhile a departure from the series the game, when taken as a stand alone, is very fun to play, especially in the later chapters. That said, the early chapters do tend to drag a bit, with the exposition being laid on much slower than it could have been. The characters, as a whole, seem to be a matter of taste. While some may find them quite enjoyable, others will detest them. The plot is nothing new for a Final Fantasy, though the gameplay offers some fun challenges, though again later on (5-6 of 13 chapters are overtly simple to play.) Overall, if you tend toward RPGs, specifically JRPGs, then this is a solid, enjoyable title.… Expand
  9. LordOFlibertY
    Jun 1, 2011
    7
    Final Fantasy XIII is a a game with many ups and downs but mostly ups. The graphics is amazing however the gameplay itself is quite controversial. For many hardcore FF fans they will not like it due to the massive overhaul of the game but for new comers it can be quite extraordinary. The first hour or two is very boring and repetitive but if you can live through it is very enjoyable. As aFinal Fantasy XIII is a a game with many ups and downs but mostly ups. The graphics is amazing however the gameplay itself is quite controversial. For many hardcore FF fans they will not like it due to the massive overhaul of the game but for new comers it can be quite extraordinary. The first hour or two is very boring and repetitive but if you can live through it is very enjoyable. As a gamer that spends alot of time in the story/lore, the game's storyline is fairly good but can drag in some areas and some of the character's dialogue is very 'not something you hear' though this is probably due to some translation fault. One of the character, Hope turned out to be a total rascal in my eyes. He starts out as an ignorant little brat but later on the writers try to make it so that we feel sympathy/empathy towards him. But so far I cant see it and I hate him. 5.5/10 in the character creation. Overall Final Fantasy XIII shines as an absolute inspiration for new comers of the series but for previous FF fans they may not like it or even hate its gut out. All I can say is that I personally loved the game and can't wait for Final Fantasy XIII-2… Expand
  10. Xenrathe
    Aug 24, 2011
    10
    I've been playing RPGs for a very long time, and the Final Fantasy series, like many other old-school RPGers, comes close to beloved status for me. FF3 (6), FF7, FF10, these have a special place in my RPG shrine, also known as a dusty corner in my closet.

    So when I saw that FF13 was shortly due to be released, I decided to borrow my buddy's stormtrooper costume and go out for the midnight    I've been playing RPGs for a very long time, and the Final Fantasy series, like many other old-school RPGers, comes close to beloved status for me. FF3 (6), FF7, FF10, these have a special place in my RPG shrine, also known as a dusty corner in my closet.

    So when I saw that FF13 was shortly due to be released, I decided to borrow my buddy's stormtrooper costume and go out for the midnight release. He opted to go as Voldemort. Much fun was had, and I returned excited to play.

    Upon popping that disc in and loading up the intro movie, I experienced what I consider the major positive of this game: the graphics. Let me just state that plainly: from a technical stand-point, the graphics are gorgeous. The characters are modeled with exceptional detail. It really is a pleasure just to watch them. On the other hand, I found the stylistic side of the graphics to be something of a let-down. There's a lot of recycled corridors and monster models. Nothing ever really popped out at me; I never encountered any memorable sort of artistic moments.

    So going from the intro screen, I had high hopes. And then I played the game.

    The gameplay is both exceptionally linear and exceptionally easy, especially in the first parts of the game. Basically you can control only one person and even then your options are limited. Essentially the entire strategy of the game comes from switching roles. Sadly there are very few fights that require even that. During some of the early dungeons I literally held up on the joystick and pressed A over and over and beat them, while I was outside grilling salmon (wireless controllers ftw?) An entire dungeon, without looking, except for the boss. Which is unfortunate because I was also randomly using items and libra and other such things, but I still managed to win the day!

    Let me elaborate further upon my claims of this being the most linear game ever: the game's dungeons are essentially corridors running in one direction, there are never any towns to explore, there are no extra townspeople to talk to, and your character development is more or less entirely linear. There are no choices to make because you can choose them all.

    Simply put, the gameplay is boring. It's a game made for over-achieving zombies.

    Now then let me move on to the story. A big letdown, for several reasons. For one, the dialogue is abysmal. The voice-acting is great, that's not my complaint: the script is terrible. Perhaps I was spoiled, coming from Dragon Age, but I found most of the conversations painfully formulaic. I understand that this game is made to be understood even by little kids, yet Pixar movies somehow manage to be entertaining and approachable for all ages so why couldn't FF13?

    Starting from a poor script, the story can really only go down hill. The villains (like in FF12) are somewhat vague and/or absent. It's not really very clear until later, and even then only just so, why exactly I'm running through corridors, killing everything that moves.

    As we say in the creative writing biz, the game never managed to "draw me in"; it never captured me and consequentially I couldn't careless about the fates of anyone involved.

    The characters are, like everything else in the game, one dimensional. Snow is the cardboard cutout of a "hero" oblivious to reality; Lightning is the cardboard cutout of the gritty tough soldier, even though as a Guardian soldier, she's the equivalent of a national guard soldier in a completely peaceful country; Hope is the cardboard cutout of a weak unguided boy who has "great potential" or some other BS; etc, etc, etc. I actually found Vanille, which Gamespot's reviewer thought was annoying, to be the only character with any real depth. Unfortunately, the game feels the need to constantly blungeon you over the head with this: I HAVE A SECRET, I HAVE A SECRET. Yet, if you are at all cognizant of how Square localizes their FF games, her Australian accent (as opposed to the accents of everyone else) is a dead give-away what her secret is.

    In short, this game has wonderful graphics and decent voice-acting and not much else. It'd be like if you gathered a bunch of beautiful actors, gave them a crappy studio with no props or tools or anything else, handed them a Danielle Steele novel to serve as a script, and told them: "Go at it." Then you'd have FF13.    … Expand
  11. Doctor_Cheese
    Oct 17, 2011
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Please everyone stop hating because of the terrible start. After a while the story will come together and you will get a chance to explore. You will finally understand the fal'cie l'cie cie'th pulse and all the stuff like that. But if you rented this game you wouldn't get a chance to get to that bit.
    Overall not as good as e.g. X or VII but still a great game    … Expand
  12. 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
  13. 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.
  14. 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.
  15. 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
  16. 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.
  17. 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
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. 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
  21. 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.
  22. 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
  23. 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
  24. 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
  25. wesker2012
    May 28, 2012
    8
    II liked the games story and combat but got really repetitive.
  26. 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
  27. 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
  28. iKen
    Apr 13, 2020
    8
    Played on XBOX 360.
    Gameplay: GREAT.
    Story: GOOD.
    Graphic: GREAT.
    Music/Sound: GOOD.
    Dialogue/Voice Acting: GOOD.
  29. 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
  30. 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
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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

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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.
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  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.
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  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]
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