Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII

 Xbox 360
User Score
6.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 271 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 145 out of 271
  2. Mixed: 49 out of 271
  3. Negative: 77 out of 271
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  1. novasinister
    Feb 11, 2014
    9
    I beleive people are making this game seem a lot worse than it is, people are giving this 1's and 0's! No game is worth a zero unless it is completely unplayable. And this game isn't. This has an incredible new combat system that is extremely customisable, and is really fun. The story is told the way its supposed to, Lightning is supposed to save souls, and thats what she does, their is noI beleive people are making this game seem a lot worse than it is, people are giving this 1's and 0's! No game is worth a zero unless it is completely unplayable. And this game isn't. This has an incredible new combat system that is extremely customisable, and is really fun. The story is told the way its supposed to, Lightning is supposed to save souls, and thats what she does, their is no other part of the story to it.I know lightning isn't the most likable character in the world but she is becoming a god basically in this game. And the people who made this understood that in all cultures gods don't have emotion. But most fof the other characters in this game are pretty likable. The open world is fantastic! I mean how many other games can you make a certain type of monster species go instinct, there is so much stuff to do in this game that are behind the scenes. I believe this game is a great way to close a fantastic triology in the Final Fantasy series.… Expand
  2. pheagolol
    Feb 12, 2014
    10
    Lightning Returns improves upon everything its predecessors brought to the table tenfold. Having the same feel as the previous two games but improving upon the battle system, exploration, and customization are only some of many multitudes of improvements found in Lightning Returns. Another big feature is the timed mechanic not unlike those found in Deadrising and Majora's Mask, which makesLightning Returns improves upon everything its predecessors brought to the table tenfold. Having the same feel as the previous two games but improving upon the battle system, exploration, and customization are only some of many multitudes of improvements found in Lightning Returns. Another big feature is the timed mechanic not unlike those found in Deadrising and Majora's Mask, which makes the game more hectic and fast paced. All in all it is a terrific game that get's an incredibly high recommendation.… Expand
  3. sephirothx
    Feb 13, 2014
    10
    I would say that this ff13 game has the best combat out of the trilogy. The world is vibrant and has a sense of urgency. I am rating this game based on the fun factor and seeing people give this game 0's and 1's is sickening.
  4. GearsNBeers
    Feb 20, 2014
    10
    While I totally agree FFXIII was a terrible game, it also appears this game is being unfairly judged in it's wake. The storyline and voice acting is mediocre at best, but the game play is excellent. After completing my first play through the time issue seems intimidating but I assure you its not. Obsessing with freezing the clock through in game abilities only added unneeded stress as IWhile I totally agree FFXIII was a terrible game, it also appears this game is being unfairly judged in it's wake. The storyline and voice acting is mediocre at best, but the game play is excellent. After completing my first play through the time issue seems intimidating but I assure you its not. Obsessing with freezing the clock through in game abilities only added unneeded stress as I completed the majority of the game by day 6 of 13 or 14 depending on how many side quests you do. There is more than enough time. Play the demo and if you like it ignore the games low rating. You won't regret it.… Expand
  5. sandlefoxiv
    Feb 12, 2014
    9
    First off, good things: The combat system (a mix of three personally created classes with your own attacks that you can switch between at any time in-battle) is fun, fast-paced, and keeps you on your toes. Lots of customization as far as outfits go, colors and garments and a depth to outfits never seen before in a FF-related title. The music is fantastic as well. You can also just jumpFirst off, good things: The combat system (a mix of three personally created classes with your own attacks that you can switch between at any time in-battle) is fun, fast-paced, and keeps you on your toes. Lots of customization as far as outfits go, colors and garments and a depth to outfits never seen before in a FF-related title. The music is fantastic as well. You can also just jump wherever you feel like around the maps, even though you'll wind up wasting time trying to step-ladder up over a wall using crates or what-have-you, which leads to the bad...

    being the massively constricting time-system. It gives you 13 in-game days to beat the game, and while doing side-quests and the main story missions can increase your days and the time you have, it still feels incredibly limiting. On the plus side, if you fail, you can just start over with a new game and have all of your things there. Still, the added time-constraint is something that just never should have been put in the game, I don't like feeling pressured. Story is as (un)believable as the last two, but if you've played both of them, there's no reason you'll be turned off from this entry! You made it this far, you're not repelled by it. If you're one of those that didn't like the previous two games--don't even look at it. What are you even doing here? To the others--go rent it, have fun!    … Expand
  6. MenisMilk
    Apr 30, 2014
    10
    This game is awesome, and one of the best game play in the series , its easy to manage time, its not lot of fun in the beginning but later it become really fun the story was awesome , good way to finsh the series and i hope they make a remake of this in pc,

    10/10 i recommend this game
  7. Plasmaneedle
    Mar 15, 2014
    8
    The characters of this game could be better but there is still a lot to like about this game. The battle system is the best in the series with a lot of depth put into it. The environments are good and the plot is fairly interesting as well
  8. shane7218
    Mar 15, 2014
    10
    A fantastic game that brings a great trilogy to a close. Don't understand why it gets so much hate the story is excellent as is the game play a must play.
  9. Zurph85
    May 16, 2014
    8
    When I bought this I genuinely expected this to be terrible based on other reviews , but from playing it myself I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it. The time element isn't as restrictive as people think at all , the graphics are gorgeous , the world is vast and beautiful and the gameplay is epic. Once you stop listening to reviews and stop comparing it to older FFs and The previous 2 gamesWhen I bought this I genuinely expected this to be terrible based on other reviews , but from playing it myself I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it. The time element isn't as restrictive as people think at all , the graphics are gorgeous , the world is vast and beautiful and the gameplay is epic. Once you stop listening to reviews and stop comparing it to older FFs and The previous 2 games , there's some serious fun to be had. It's not perfect but no FF ever was not even 6 and 7. People should definitely focus on the positive when it comes to this series rather than over exaggerating every little fault. Perfect end to an entertaining Trilogy.… Expand
  10. 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.
  11. Volpes
    Feb 26, 2014
    9
    This game did a lot of things right by listening to complaints about previous games while innovating on the systems in place in this 3-game series.

    The combat has quick pacing and a challenging, but fair difficulty. Selecting new actions and switching between setups has a seamless and snappy feel to it. The enemies all have different weaknesses, which adds more strategy than your    This game did a lot of things right by listening to complaints about previous games while innovating on the systems in place in this 3-game series.

    The combat has quick pacing and a challenging, but fair difficulty. Selecting new actions and switching between setups has a seamless and snappy feel to it. The enemies all have different weaknesses, which adds more strategy than your typical button-mashing ARPG.

    The story is compelling and interesting. If it has a fault, it is that you need to be pretty familiar with the series to know all of the layers. But the Fabula Nova Crystalis mythology is coherent. The characters have mostly become darker over the span of the series, which actually makes an interesting and relatable character out of someone as annoying as Snow. To cap it all off, the player is free to complete the main story segments in any order they choose, which is a valuable design decision in a time when gamers devour anything that is open world.

    If the game has some significant flaws, it's in the music and visuals. This last entry in the series was clearly rushed and does not have the visual quality of the first two. There are some weak textures and very few pre-rendered scenes. The music also appears to be mostly recycled from the previous games. In short, the gameplay is fantastic, but it looks like it could have used some more polish time. Still, it is passable and rarely detracts from the gameplay.

    Ultimately, this is a "pretty good, but not great" game. I wouldn't recommend it to someone who was unfamiliar with the first two games, but it is a faithful conclusion to the trilogy with innovative and fun gameplay.    … Expand
  12. SC541
    Dec 7, 2014
    10
    "Pitch Perfect" 10 out of 10. Great RPG. Lightning finally smiles genuinely again! Why the bad reviews? Pretty impressed with my first Final Fantasy game, so now I am obligated to play XIII and XIII-2. STOP HATING YOU **** HATERS. Keep it up Square Enix.
  13. DarkNeiki
    Mar 15, 2017
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Esse jogo oferece jogabilidade, gráficos, dublagem, história, balanceamento do poder, tudo combinado de uma forma que não enjoe tão facilmente o jogador, o fato é que ele foi feito pra ser jogado bem mais de uma única vez, todos esses votos negativos estão principalmente de jogadores que não souberam jogar o jogo. O jogo deve ter sido feito para jogar uma vez no easy ou normal pra aprender a jogar e depois de "zerar" a história você pode jogar o desafio de verdade no modo hard onde o combate contra chefes é elevado a outro nível, principalmente se você fizer tudo nos conformes para liberar o dia extra podendo batalhar contra todos os monstros fortificados do jogo e um chefe extra AVISO!: no modo hard você vai precisar pensar em estratégias para conseguir matar os 3 chefes desse jogo.… Expand
  14. cargUlet
    Feb 15, 2014
    10
    It's a good game, no matter what they say. What I don't understand is that Nier has the SAME (almost) score than Lightning returns, when obviously Nier is worse.
    Too many haters/spoiled fan boys.
  15. sharkman265
    Feb 13, 2014
    9
    This game is very well done i heard from IGN that this game is confusing but i played FFXIII &FFXIII-2 so i knew the backstory before heading into this and i found it not confusing at all besides that with 24 hours under my belt in this game i feel it deserves a 9 out of 10 purely from the gameplay alone and customization while i do enjoy the story i am probally 6 ingame days left till iThis game is very well done i heard from IGN that this game is confusing but i played FFXIII &FFXIII-2 so i knew the backstory before heading into this and i found it not confusing at all besides that with 24 hours under my belt in this game i feel it deserves a 9 out of 10 purely from the gameplay alone and customization while i do enjoy the story i am probally 6 ingame days left till i complete the game aka all main quests stop after 1-5 are done you have to wait till the last day so if you get done with them early leaves plenty of time for sidequests which are the only way to level lightning up upon completion but are fun in their own right (coming from someone who plays alot of MMORPGS im used to fetch quests) in all if you liked FFXIII-2 this game will blow it out of the water its very open world i would recommend any skeptics to rent this or buy it !!!… Expand
  16. GhostRJ
    Feb 13, 2014
    9
    The second better FF that i ever played.
    FFXIII it's awesome, the combat system, the class personalization and everything else, i really enjoyed it.
    Some people like to live stuck in the past and that is what is killing the final fantasy series.
    The bad point is that there are some little bugs, but i really enjoyed playing this game in the PS3.
  17. antirishad
    Feb 13, 2014
    10
    Ignore all of the nostalgia tards. In terms of actual gameplay, this is one of the best Final Fantasy titles to date. Story: so-so. Characters: so-so. But the game itself is damn amazing.
  18. SebastianJones
    Jun 19, 2014
    10
    +Amazing Battle System
    +Beautiful Soundtrack
    +Interesting Story
    +Fun Exploration

    -Graphics are a little unpolished at times
    -Couple of Framerate Dips
  19. Hamster
    Feb 17, 2014
    10
    Far better than other ff13

    Combat system improved and far better than other ff . Freedom of quest and exploration. Nice non-linear story telling so far. Difficulty intersting. And no more forced mob grind as previously.
  20. Soujirop
    Nov 20, 2016
    8
    Overall, I would say the game is not better than XIII-2, which for me is the best one of the three. I will start with the bad things and end with the pros:

    So the bad things: The graphics are almost identical to XIII-2, and honestly, in these days, I can't say they look as good as they used too. Some textures and npc models are pretty difficult to watch. Artistic design isn't very    Overall, I would say the game is not better than XIII-2, which for me is the best one of the three. I will start with the bad things and end with the pros:

    So the bad things:

    The graphics are almost identical to XIII-2, and honestly, in these days, I can't say they look as good as they used too. Some textures and npc models are pretty difficult to watch.

    Artistic design isn't very good either. Personally, I liked almost none of lightning outfits, and the 4 big worlds that you can explore lack uniqueness and charm. Actually, they made me crave for that time when FFXIII used to be all about straight corridors, but at least they were all beautiful lol

    Multiple choice XIII-2 style dialog is no longer here. Why?

    Another thing that annoyed me, is that I'm a big fan of Majora's Mask Zelda, so I expected a lot about the "everchanging world". It didn't fill my expectations. First because the worlds are so big, that you won't be able to know what's going on the cities, and second because npc do not actually have a pattern of behaviour that you can study. I mean, they do not go from their houses to the school, from the school to the park, etc. They simply appear at certain moments in the day, and vanish again at another hour. Really, Square? At least you could have played a little bit of Majora's Mask, or even Skyrim, to learn how to do an "alive world" properly!

    But the worst of all things, was that when I reached like day 9 (you have 13 days to save the world), I was like: ok, now what? I had done all main quests and almost all side quests by then! So I spent 4 days doing practically nothing. I know you can simply go to the inn and sleep till the final day, but still it sounded flawed to me, specially while in the previous games I had the completely opposite feeling: I ended the games, and still had tons of things to do.

    The side quests, by the way, aren't memorable at all. I think they should have made less "rubbish quests" and focus on doing a few ones properly.

    Now the pros:

    The one thing that have improved is that you can dress lightning with toons of weapons, amulets, shields, armor, etc. and I liked the fact that no outfit is better than other, which creates a more strategical and challenging battle system.

    Another pro is, of course, that lightning (now cooler than ever) is again the main protagonist, although you will have more party members for some parts of the game.

    The story is not as good as the previous games, although I must say some characters, like Lumina and Lightning herself, are excellently well written. The ending, which is also the ending of the entire saga, is fantabulous!

    Overall I was satisfied with the game, but at the same time I was somehow sad... Because I wanted a 4th!    … Expand
  21. Gold458
    Jul 31, 2014
    10
    I really enjoyed Lightning Returns Final Fantasy XIII. The story was simple at least for me to follow and the battle system was a lot of fun. Looking at all the different schema I could use was cool and the customization was great too. Overall I really loved this game and I can not recommend it enough.
  22. VisionEagle
    Apr 5, 2014
    8
    The biggest detraction for this game is having a time limit to complete main quests.I spent a lot of hours completing many side quests and exploring besides finishing 2 of the main quests only to face a "Game Over" screen.However,I love the series too much to put it down.I'm almost halfway done with my 2nd time around - in about a third of the time.This is because they allow you to keepThe biggest detraction for this game is having a time limit to complete main quests.I spent a lot of hours completing many side quests and exploring besides finishing 2 of the main quests only to face a "Game Over" screen.However,I love the series too much to put it down.I'm almost halfway done with my 2nd time around - in about a third of the time.This is because they allow you to keep almost everything you earned and found from the first attempt.I discovered the best way to do quests is to keep moving to different regions everyday,use chronostasis a lot but keep main quests a priority and finish what you can.The story is ok but Lightning plays the tough girl a bit too much.

    For me the battle system had a big learning curve to grasp (playing in different costumes that alter your stats rather than a party).Sure dress up was fun, but speaking as (a guy) the nicer outfits definitely need more experience to master.This has been a revised review as I'm having more fun the (2nd time around).    … Expand
  23. iMustang
    Mar 24, 2019
    8
    When Final Fantasy XIII-2 came out, it made significant improvements over the first game in every possible way. Lightning Returns most definitely continued that and made the best game yet of the trilogy. While being the most difficult and requiring the most intricate of the three, that lead to the greatest level of strategy and best execution of gameplay. And for those like me who love theWhen Final Fantasy XIII-2 came out, it made significant improvements over the first game in every possible way. Lightning Returns most definitely continued that and made the best game yet of the trilogy. While being the most difficult and requiring the most intricate of the three, that lead to the greatest level of strategy and best execution of gameplay. And for those like me who love the story of the three games, it brought everything to a fantastic conclusion that made everything worthwhile.… Expand
  24. 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.
  25. Leiska_Amber
    Jun 6, 2017
    10
    I loved it. Different and fun. I want to thank Square Enix for this final fantasy XIII trilogy i bought the 3 games in physics and now they are a relic for me. Story 10/10. Now FFXIII is in my top 3 of best games, Square Enix your games are fantastic, incredible, perfect. I accept that the first game had errors but they were correcting them. FFXIII-2 was better and lightning returns wasI loved it. Different and fun. I want to thank Square Enix for this final fantasy XIII trilogy i bought the 3 games in physics and now they are a relic for me. Story 10/10. Now FFXIII is in my top 3 of best games, Square Enix your games are fantastic, incredible, perfect. I accept that the first game had errors but they were correcting them. FFXIII-2 was better and lightning returns was much better. Despite all the bad comments and criticism, I found this game precious, a work of art. Thanks Square Enix for all :D… Expand
  26. Xplocion
    Nov 22, 2018
    9
    * The good things: the limitation of time gives a new dynamic to the game, it is very re-playable (more replay value), the dynamics of "The Last", closes the trilogy altogether, it has many secrets to discover and if you do not know how to manage time you will see, fighting style more strategic (used stamina bar)

    * The bad things: it's shorter than XIII and that the XIII-2, the textures    * The good things: the limitation of time gives a new dynamic to the game, it is very re-playable (more replay value), the dynamics of "The Last", closes the trilogy altogether, it has many secrets to discover and if you do not know how to manage time you will see, fighting style more strategic (used stamina bar)

    * The bad things: it's shorter than XIII and that the XIII-2, the textures on Xbox 360 are simpler and less elaborate, the graphics are generic, there are battles in the desert in which you can see the drops of frames (FPS).

    * The Meh! things: The unnecessary cosplay in Lightning suits, if you complain or do not know why Lightning is Louis Bouiton's model is because you have not finished the game    … Expand
  27. SolarConker
    Jan 21, 2019
    10
    I didn't like this game at first but it grew on me I still don't like the constant timer but I like how it links back into the plot and how they completely changed the battle style while still being similar to XIII and XIII-2
  28. Lightning189
    Jun 23, 2020
    9
    Lightning Returns is probably my most favourite in the Trilogy because I feel like it found a good balance between Exploring the world (or what's left of it) and telling the story, and actually makes side quests feel more rewarding than just "Hey you did something for me... have a shield" or something like that, since completing the side quests buffs your stats, only by a small amount butLightning Returns is probably my most favourite in the Trilogy because I feel like it found a good balance between Exploring the world (or what's left of it) and telling the story, and actually makes side quests feel more rewarding than just "Hey you did something for me... have a shield" or something like that, since completing the side quests buffs your stats, only by a small amount but over time you'll see it add up. The game isn't really a "Dress up game" as some people have called it, although yes there was a lot of garbs, they all had something to them, like a buff to strength, a buff to magic, a buff to health, or heck all three in one. Even granting you unique abilities that only that garb can offer (granted, I didn't use many of those garbs, but my point still stands). I also liked the concept of making a species of monster go extinct, and that the last one became a Super Powered version of the normal one. Overall this game is really enjoyable, even if you do only get to play as Lightning... but Hope needs a mute button because sometimes he just repeats himself about a lot of things… Expand

Awards & Rankings

27
#27 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2014
6
#6 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2014
20
#20 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
69

Mixed or average reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 21
  3. Negative: 0 out of 21
  1. Games.cz
    Mar 25, 2014
    50
    A weak ending of the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy. Lightning Returns lags behind with its crappy story, atrocious dialogues, and new genre mechanics that work only sometimes.
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  2. Digital Spy
    Mar 9, 2014
    60
    While Lightning Returns is in most ways the opposite of Final Fantasy XIII's overbearing linearity, it ultimately shares the same core recommendation; if you manage to stick with what's a very uneven first half, there's definitely an enjoyable and satisfying role-playing game to be found. It's just a shame it takes so much time to get there.
    Read full review
  3. Critical Hit
    Feb 24, 2014
    65
    There is a lot wrong in this last installment for FFXIII. Fans of the franchise will need to play it to enjoy all the nods to past characters, yet it is not worth playing for those who aren't already huge FF or JRPG fans.
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