Final Fantasy XIII
7.4
10
453
454
It was somewhat of a let down.
I got this game and thought it would be really cool. This would be my first Final Fantasy game and I am here to say it was somewhat of a let down. I was expecting it to be like Kingdom Hearts were you could explore amazing worlds freely. Not having to do missions all the time. Not with this game. Your always on a mission and the battle system is not very good. All you really do with the battle system is select an attack and press A. Thats it. Nothing more to it. I am not trying to say the game was horrible. Even though it was pretty close. I am just saying that in future let the Final Fantasy game worlds be Free-Roam. Let the Battle System be more interactive like Kingdom Hearts. I am not even through the first disk yet and already I am having a hard time beating the enemies. If in the future Square Enix decides to make the games more interactive I think all Final Fantasy fans would be thankful for it. But overall I am personally sad to say that this game is not very good.
4/15/13
This game rocks
I don't know why people are saying this is such a bad game this game rocks!its very hard but still worth buying.
3/30/13
When did RPGs become hard, and a curbstomp fest?
When I first got my brand new 360, I purchased FFXIII and XIII-2 right off the bat. When I finally got the 360 hooked up, I started to play this game. The first two disks were mainly this: look at the pretty flashy cutscenes, look at tutorial, run along a linear path, fight monsters, find items, level up, and reapeat everything until disk 3. Disks one and two were easy enough for me (a few rage moments that were easily fixed with minor grinding). Disk 3 (RAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGEEEEEEEE!!!) Disk three kept CIRBSTOMPING ME WITH OVERLEVELED MONSTERS AND I HAD LIKE 5000 HP on almost all the characters. After grinding for a whole (fill in the blank) week, I finally made it past that part and into the final dungeon. I hate Square for making me go through the horrible gameplay, but the story and some of the battles kept me going. The graphics are the best in a FF game so far, forget the gameplay, and the story is meh, until disk 3 (where I think Square should have based the whole game like--in other words open world exploration on both Cacoon and Pulse no invisi-walls.) To be 100% honest Sqaure should have made this one a movie, instead of a game (like Advent Children) Play this if you want to play a game to either entertain yourself (fan of FF) or to pass time for a newer JRPG or something to come out (fan of anything BUT this) Oh, and RPGs are usually easy for me, when did it become a slap in the face?
3/29/13
my first Final Fantasy
This is my first Final Fantasy.. its amazingly fun. i never played the old nes ut i figured id give it a try and im glad i did... extremely pleased.
3/24/13
Final Fantasy finale I hope...
If you are looking for a Final Fantasy game or RPG, avoid this! This is more like a 3d side-scrolling arcade game, gutted of almost all RPG features. Battles are basically button mashing with timers and cooldowns, the characters are boring/irritating/cliche and forced down your throat most the game, the story is lackluster and you'll have more flashbacks of past pointless happenings than an episode of Lost, there isn't ANYWHERE to explore or people to talk to, you don't level up, and you can't level skills beyond low levels for most the game.
But you can upgrade your gear further, if you spend hours upon hours grinding (running back and forth on the narrow path maps) timed battles to win materials to do so, which you have to do whether you like to or not. Because the bosses are way ahead of you and will beat you silly.
So if you want an RPG, again I urge you to avoid this! But if you enjoy soap opera story-lines that are very VERY whiny, then you should give it a try.
1/3/13
Amazing work of art
This game is amazing if you know what you're getting into.
This is not a casual gamers cup of tea, it can get quite complicated at times since you individually select commands and constantly are switch through paradigms.
The graphics are great for 2009, but compared to nowadays standard they may slightly fall short.
The gameplay is obviously repetitive since every encounter is similar with just different enemies, there are various environments throughout the game which make it seem less of a repeat.
The storyline in this game is the best of any game I've yet to play (I've played 100s) The story all ties together and makes perfect sense, there are hints in cutscenes, missions, and battles that make you think but add in detail. I felt emotionally attached to characters alot, only a select games make you actually care about the characters, this is one.
The characters are amazing too. Each one has a unique personality that adds flare to the game. You'll definitely gave a favorite person by the end. (personally mine is Lightning)
The verdict is that this game is amazing, its only about $10 (or 8£) and it is worth the price by a long shot.
12/30/12
Epic but repititive
This game is EPIC. I like the gameplay, its unique. But the bosses suddenly get overpowered in the second disk, and at one point i had to fight the same boss about 10 times! The rest was ok, but i really didnt understand the story, thats all. Overall, its awesome.
12/10/12
Final Fantasy XIII Review
Graphics 9.5/10
The graphics are great. Animations are smooth, environments are detailed, and the characters models look good. The cutscenes are the most visually stunning I've ever seen. Two years after its release, this is still one of the best looking games on consoles.
Sound 9.25/10
The musical score is tremendous. As we've come to expect from Square Enix, English voice acting is head and shoulders above the norm for most Japanese developed games and puts more than a few American and European developed games to shame. The sound effects are solid and it all combines nicely to make the game nearly as nice hear as it is to look at.
Gameplay 4/10
The battle system removes almost all control from the player and takes on the job of tactical decision making all by itself. Not only does auto-attack select the best abilities for each enemy target, it also remembers enemy weaknesses once discovered. For the vast majority of battles all the player has to do is shift paradigms when necessary, and press A to initiate auto-attack. Not engaging, not fun, and certainly not what we've come to expect from a Final Fantasy game...
Replay Value 4/10
The narrative doesn't change based on your actions, there's nothing to try a second time around that you didn't see the first, and no new game plus feature. Its unlikely you'll feel compelled to return to this game once you've beaten it and there's really nothing here to entice you to do so.
Positives
The visual and audio quality are top notch. Its one of the best looking games on the Xbox 360 to this day. Best cutscenes ever seen on consoles. Voice acting is superb, sound effects are solid, and the musical score is masterful and engaging.
The characters have some depth and their connection to each other gives their relationships real significance, even if the game takes it sweet time putting it all together. The story can be confusing at times but it gets clearer after a bit. Though its clearly not the most compelling plot in the series' rich history, its not the worst either.
A typical playthrough will take around 50 hours, which makes the game worth the price of admission if you enjoy JRPGs. Completionists may be able to get 70-80 hours out of the game, but that includes a lot of grinding.
Paradigms gives the otherwise boring and stripped down battle system a change of pace and shifting between them is really the only tactical decision you'll be making during combat. Being able to customize your paradigms is a nice touch and experimenting to find the best synergy between them on various party members is rewarding.
Negatives
The game really takes a while to get going. You can't pick your party until around the 20 hour mark and halfway up to that point the game is still giving you tutorials.
Areas don't become consistently more difficult. Instead, one particular chapter might be very hard after a string of easy ones, then the next goes back to being easy. This is partially tied to the fact that you're forced to play with undersized parties of various characters all the way up to and including chapter 9. (there are 13 chapters in all)
The battle system nearly plays the game for you. Other than switching paradigms, every battle consists of just a few pushes of the A button. You don't even have to make a tactical ability selection at a critical moment. The auto-attack feature will always select the best attack for each situation and it even remembers enemy weaknesses once they've been discovered.
No towns, no world map, dumbed down character customization options (crystarium), straightforward level design and little interaction with NPCs outside of cutscenes makes the game feel distinctly linear and streamlined to attract new players to the series as opposed to catering to longtime Final Fantasy fans.
Final Score 6.7/10
This is a perfect example of why gameplay is so important; great presentation can only get you so far. It's also proof that tried and true formulas shouldn't be so recklessly abandoned. Unlike its predecessor, Final Fantasy XIII has none of the hallmarks of a traditional Japanese role-playing game: the combat isn't rewarding, the story's not enthralling, and it's far too linear. As great as this game looks and sounds, there's just nothing fun or addictive about it. Final Fantasy XIII isn't a bad game...but it's not a good game either. It screams of 'meh' which is beyond disappointing for a title attached to such an iconic game series.
11/27/12
sucks
this game sucks i hope they have a game like DISSIDA final fanstasy more fun then the fanstasy 13 frick
11/7/12
What were they thinking?
This game is so broken. You can put the battle system on auto, the game is linear, the story is terrible, leveling up isn't fun at all, and the replay value isn't fun. The game barely resemble's anything for it to have the title of "Final Fantasy." This isn't a "Fantasy," this is a nightmare! Yeah, let's call it "Final Nightmare XIII" That would be a better title. You can play any Final Fantasy title (except for Final Fantasy 11, 12, and 14) and you will love it!
9/1/12