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    Final Fantasy XIII

    Game » consists of 17 releases. Released Mar 09, 2010

    This entry into the Final Fantasy universe is set in the worlds of Pulse and Cocoon. Players take control of multiple characters who are caught in a war between these worlds.

    Short summary describing this game.

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    4 (22)
    3 (19)
    2 (12)
    1 (6)
    3.4 stars

    Average score of 73 user reviews

    A Japanese Interpretation of a Western Game 0

    Final Fantasy XIII is an odd beast of a game. FF XIII is a game that blurs the lines between what we expect from Japanese and Western game design. It moves away from what has become staple for the series resulting in an odd mixture of action and rpg elements.  The Japanese version has better names for the classes and Paradigm shifts.   Ostensibly FF XIII looks far more watered down or simplified than it actually is. In combat you don't have control over any other character besides your leader, ...

    81 out of 91 found this review helpful.

    A Great Game That Should Have Been Better 0

    This is my first Final Fantasy game since the Playstation games. Yup, you heard me right. Being my first Final Fantasy for a decade or something, I had no clue what I was getting into. I was always very found of JRPG's such as the Shin Megami Tensei games and somewhat the Star Ocean games. But I don't think i have ever played such a game with such a fun and fulfilling battle system as Final Fantasy 13. The visuals are mind-blowing. Characters are compelling, and the story did not meet my expecta...

    56 out of 62 found this review helpful.

    Final Fantasy XIII in 500 words. 5

    Looking at the game objectively, there’s no other way around it: Final Fantasy XIII is a great piece of entertainment. It oozes with high production values, from the texture of every flawlessly rendered environment to the robustness and variety of the orchestrated score. The battle system is complex and expertly-designed, and has enough challenge to keep it interesting but sufficient concessions to keep it from frustrating. But it’s a Final Fantasy game, so there’s always more to it than that.  ...

    38 out of 44 found this review helpful.

    A Game of Two Halves 0

    All good Final Fantasy fans have been waiting for the better part of a decade for the titanic release that is FFXIII. It is perhaps for this reason that the games highs seem all the higher, and it's lows all the lower. Few titles in the annals of gaming history have demanded fans wait for such a length period of time, so anything short of a masterpiece was likely going to leave a bittersweet taste in players' mouths. That is precisely what happened from my point of view, as I could consciously f...

    16 out of 17 found this review helpful.

    Not quite Final Fantasy 2

    Final Fantasy 13 is an excellent game, but due to the long standing Final Fantasy brand it is receiving quite a bit of negative feedback. When I pick up a Final Fantasy game I am expecting a great deal of exploration, a somewhat deep story, deep character development, crazy FMV scenes, and tons of content. Final Fantasy 13 only delivers a few of these things, while leaving others out entirely.  The main gripe I have with this game is the complete lack of exploration. The developers took the term...

    18 out of 20 found this review helpful.

    A methodical character driven experience 2

       The first 20 hours of Final Fantasy XIII were a drag, I was confused and let down, my spirits sagged and I nearly gave up. But then it clicked, everything came together and the world made sense again. Final Fantasy 13 is very slow at revealing itself, every aspect develops painfully slow, taking time to form an exceptional game; the story takes forever to be explained, the characters themselves fight with their fate, struggling with meaning and direction, the combat is so methodically establ...

    40 out of 49 found this review helpful.

    Efing Media Reviews - Final Fantasy XIII 1

     Final Fantasy XIII a mixed bag of totally awesome, and somewhat inane design choices.The game starts off with the main party being fugitives on the run. I believe that’s why a bulk of this game is so linear. When you’re running and hiding from the army, you don’t have time to dick around at Inns or Weapons shops. Yet, even with the game being so streamlined, the environments still felt really fat. Like they were 20 - 25% bigger than they needed to be. Nothing in this world felt “human” s...

    13 out of 14 found this review helpful.

    It takes a lot of risks, and the end result is somewhat mixed. 11

    The Final Fantasy series has experimented with its gameplay since the beginning, explaining why the quality from title to title has varied considerably. Final Fantasy XIII, the latest game in the series, sums up that spirit as perfectly as it can: certain parts come across as well written, highly involved fun, yet other moments are hackneyed portions that demonstrate what not to do in a game. However, in the end, Final Fantasy XIII is a game which improves on many of the concepts from pre...

    33 out of 40 found this review helpful.

    A Terrific Addition to a Legendary RPG Franchise 0

     The Final Fantasy series is one of the most well known and prolific in all of video gaming. Every time a new game in the series is released, is it undoubtedly a huge event, even if not every fan cares for it at the end of the day. Recently, Final Fantasy XIII was released in North America for the PS3 and Xbox 360, and while it is not quite the absolute best game in the franchise, it is still a terrific RPG and a fantastic addition to the series.The story of Final Fantasy XIII is about the war b...

    12 out of 13 found this review helpful.

    How Final Fantasy 13 improved my life 2

      Final Fantasy 13 has had a highly positive effect on my life.   I found myself studying more diligently for finals, effectively boosting my grades to honour-roll levels. I spend more time exercising, socializing with friends and family, and dating a lovely lady (insert winking smiley face) thanks to Final Fantasy 13. The reason being that the disc for Final Fantasy 13 sits there, begging to be played, and the part of me that puts the guilt trip for spending $70 on the game is demanding I finis...

    12 out of 13 found this review helpful.

    Utterly Beautiful, but that's not all 0

    Final Fantasy XIII is yet another addition in the long running RPG series from Square Enix. It uses the pleasure of intensely sophisticated graphical prowess and the absolutely dense combat system to make this entry to the series as great as ever. It should be noted that this Final Fantasy is different, as with most entrees to the series, it has its own spin on things. A new role specific system makes the battles extremely complicated at points, and completely boring at others. The game begins w...

    11 out of 12 found this review helpful.

    Facing destiny 0

    I've had a long, affectionate relationship with the Final Fantasy series, and perhaps the main reason I've stuck with the series for so long is that it takes plenty of risks with reinventing itself whenever it can. Final Fantasy XIII continues this tradition, and produces many fresh, exciting moments on its own right. The unfortunate part, however, is that it takes its sweet time getting there, making it a pretty divisive experience that you'll probably come to either love or hate.First and fore...

    17 out of 21 found this review helpful.

    Hard to recommend 0

    Final Fantasy 13 doesn't leave a great first impression. It then actually gets fun for quite a while, but the aftertaste isn't really that sweet.  The game tells its story in a completely linear fashion, which I actually prefer in most cases if the story is interesting. There's a decent story here but it's clumsily told. Terms are thrown about that you have no connection to until you go into the datalogs to read up on the universe, and that's some classic bad storytelling right there. If you nee...

    8 out of 9 found this review helpful.

    My Final Fantasy 13 Review 0

      ...

    10 out of 12 found this review helpful.

    A Disappointing Experiment 0

    Final Fantasy XIII is the newest title in one of the most popular JRPG franchises in the world.  Available on the Playstation 3 and XBox 360, Final Fantasy XIII boasts a fast-paced battle system, massive summons, and new world to discover.  The only question now is: Is it any good?  Grab your sword and get ready to save the world (again). VisualsFinal Fantasy XIII is easily one of the most beautiful games on the Playstation 3.  A game of two worlds, Pulse and Cocoon, the environments are remarka...

    14 out of 18 found this review helpful.

    One ugly duckling. Which becomes a slightly above average duck. 0

    I've had a pretty longstanding love for the Final Fantasy brand, originating from back on the Playstation with Final Fantasy 7.  While not every game in the series has blown me away, I generally feel like they are well made adventures that continue to be unique even after so many iterations.  Final Fantasy 13 kind of continues along that path, and delivers some things that are certainly unique, but the whole experience is held back by some questionable design decisions.  There are many things I ...

    3 out of 3 found this review helpful.

    The anticipated installment in the ironically named franchise. 0

     The long-anticipated installment in the Final Fantasy franchise lets go of some of the more trusty aspects of the franchise in favor of more linear storytelling, and a more fastpaced combat system.    Most of the problems people seem to have with the game is the fact that its about as linear as a straight line tetris block. Whereas the old Final Fantasy had at least an open world filled with cities to go to, and hidden locations to explore, Final Fantasy XIII favors a set route for your ...

    3 out of 3 found this review helpful.

    The Deepest Fantasy Yet. Eventually. 0

    Final Fantasy XIII comes off initially as a very standard Japanese role-playing game.  As the player, you’re introduced to a cast of characters, each with their individual tale of woe, and you’re pushed into a simplistic combat system that fails to be in any way interesting.  To put it bluntly, the general first impression of this latest installment in Square’s most beloved franchise is that it’s boring beyond repair.  But, while said ingression does go on to last a near full three hours, it giv...

    6 out of 8 found this review helpful.

    Designed to consume your time 0

    FFXIII is what happens when a design team under pressure to mix up a stale and dying formula looks across the Pacific ocean. They see Lost and notice the ensemble cast with a variety of interesting back stories, non-sequential story telling and mysterious settings that may involve more than just coincidence that the characters are brought together. They see Call of Duty and pilfer the focused environmental design and on-rails action. They see World of Warcraft making billions of dollars, and red...

    12 out of 21 found this review helpful.

    Lots of money spent, but not very well 2

    Let me start out by saying that Final Fantasy 13 looks really good. The CG cutscenes (of which there are plenty) are well done and most have cost a fortune to produce. The game also sports a combat system that's intriguing when it starts to open up, but it will take 15+ hours for you to get there. Unfortunately, except these two things there aren't many postive things to say about this game.    Press A to win  This game, and the designers of it, are apparently stuck in a time bubble which close...

    7 out of 11 found this review helpful.

    The battle within, is probably an appropriate way to put it. 0

     *Spoiler* Her real name isn't lighting but ironically means lighting.  (in Japan)I figure this is necessary.   Final Fantasy XIII is one of those games that comes along and is a big deal, as far as the gaming community is concerned, because of it's name. For years the series has such an impact with ever iteration, that all everybody wants to expect from it is quality.   Sadly, this game is full of ideas that just don't work all that well.   The game does have ups. The characters are an improvem...

    11 out of 21 found this review helpful.

    Reflections on the japanese version 0

    So, i finished the japanese version of FF 13 a couple of days ago. It was a long and tiresome journey from day one due to it's repetitive gameplay and many cutscenes. I love cutscenes and most of them are really well made, but i dont like it when you have a cutscene run for 10 sec and then there's another leangthy cutscene.Instead of writing a long text rambling on about the game i'll just divide it all into a couple of smaller sections, so. Here we go...  Also, may contain some smaller spoilers...

    4 out of 6 found this review helpful.

    Final Fantasy 13: My first review 0

    FInal Fantasy..whats not to like. Every single game is a stand alone experince, with great graphics, lovavble characters...its almost perfect..so lets talk about it shall we?  Presentaion: Like all Final fantasy games, this one lives up to its name with stunning graphics, and sounds. Though the game probaly isnt as good as say final fantasy 10 (not saying its a bad game) it just doesnt have the same vibe as the older ones, and that kinda pulls away from the god that is Final Fantasy. Probaly the...

    4 out of 7 found this review helpful.

    FFXIII - No Hope for a Sequel 9

    As a huge Final Fantasy fan, I've always enjoyed the deep engaging storyline, the relatable cast of characters, and the feeling of being in a world with limitless possibilites, for as the title says, this is a 'Fantasy'. I could not wait to sink my teeth into the newest installment of the series, hoping to re-capture the joy that the vintage games made me feel, because in this day and age we needed a game that could rise above graphics, a pointless plot and dialogue that a five year old could ha...

    8 out of 18 found this review helpful.

    Judge it for what it is, not what it's not 0

    I could start off this review with a cliché, such as saying that Final Fantasy XIII isn't for everyone. I could say that it's like Marmite: you either love it, or you hate it. However, if I said that, I'd be talking out of my arse. Every game, even the good ones, have people who love them and people who hate them. Final Fantasy XIII is no different. It's a good game, and whilst giving it criticism for its flaws is fair, I think a lot of the anger and distaste expressed towards it is more about w...

    2 out of 3 found this review helpful.

    Final Fantasy XIII review 0

    After the sad excuse of a game known as Final Fantasy XIII Lightning Returns, It was a breath of fresh air to return to the original Final Fantasy XIII. Believe it or not, I actually like FFXIII. It may have a "hallway" style of gameplay and it's battle system certainly a down grade from FF games of the past, but every game's got problems.The story is basically about Lightning and her team of friends (more like groupies) who have become l'cie, and after that, the story gets way to complicated t...

    1 out of 1 found this review helpful.

    Shockingly thin but not without merit 0

    The story jumps between characters, but the focus isn't really on any of them.This review follows my second completed playthrough of Final Fantasy XIII. My first attempt at finishing it came in the time around its release, but I didn’t make it more than a few hours in. I just couldn’t get into it and felt annoyed at how much it restrained my options. My gut reaction at that point was that FFXIII sucked and wasn’t worth playing. A year or so later, I decided to give it another c...

    1 out of 1 found this review helpful.

    Directed Enjoyment 0

     Final Fantasy XIII doesn’t hide its linearity. The game is heavily directed. The choices you make from character development to story progression are controlled. You’ll walk down straight paths, not branching dungeons. You won’t find towns, or even people to talk to.  You won’t explore – well, not for the first twenty hours, anyway. Everything is fine tuned down to the amount of levels you can gain (the game caps you at certain points until you progress farther in the story.) On paper, these so...

    1 out of 1 found this review helpful.

    Final Fantasy XIII Review 0

    The long awaited next gen Final Fantasy installment is finally here… But does it meet the lofty expectations set for such a high profile title? I’ll get this out of the way first: this really isn’t like your typical Final Fantasy game, as it changes much of the expected formula. You won’t run through towns and enjoy the odd mini game diversion. You will be placed on a path and will follow it almost completely unabated till well over half way into the game’s story. Whether or not you will enjoy ...

    1 out of 1 found this review helpful.

    13 proves again to not be so lucky. 0

     Few game franchises have been as successful over the years as Final Fantasy. It's impressive in its own right that we have now arrived at number 13, but does the now antiquated formula still hold up? Hold on to your hats, I'll be as fair and nice as I can be. I promise. The premise of Final Fantasy 13 is exactly what you would expect it to be. A mixed bag of characters, mostly dangling around their late teen years and into their early adult lives, has stumbled upon an unfortunate fate th...

    1 out of 1 found this review helpful.

    Good intentions, but misses the mark 0

    Final Fantasy XIII is a game that from the very start cannot decide whether it wants to hold the player's hand or throw them right into the thick of things. By now most people have heard about how long the game takes to really open up the gameplay, but at the same time the player is thrown into a complex world with little explanation or anything even resembling a coherent introduction. A lot of this can probably be blamed on wanting to hit a larger audience, but for a series that already has a l...

    1 out of 1 found this review helpful.

    FF with lots to like but... 0

     Final Fantasy 6, 7, 9, 10, 13, 8, 12. That’s the order I put the Final Fantasy games that I’ve beat from best to worst. First place is very close though because I like both of those games a lot. You’ll see also that I’m a person who will proudly say that I like Final Fantasy 9 because for reasons unknown to me people seem to begrudgingly say that they like 9, whereas equally mysterious to me people say that they like 8. Now that you know where I stand on these games then you can judge whether m...

    1 out of 1 found this review helpful.

    Final Fantasy XIII: Great Aesthetics with Forced Training Wheels 0

    Final Fantasy XIII, according to developer Square Enix, was the most anticipated title of all time. And, in a lot of ways, it was supposed to be. FFXIII is arguably the largest JRPG title on the Xbox 360, and the Final Fantasy franchise has obtained a certain level of prestige over the years. This was supposed to do for RPGs of this generation that Final Fantasy VII did years prior for the original PlayStation. Unfortunately, its lofty goals were short in almost eve...

    1 out of 1 found this review helpful.

    This is NOT a Final Fantasy game, even though it's a good game. 2

         Vanille is checking out the sceneryThis is NOT an RPG.  I don't know what THIS is?  But this should NOT have Final Fantasy on the front cover.  I'm sorry, but there it is.  Had this game been named "ANY ELSE", I probably would be reacting to it completely differently.  In a lot of ways, Square should be commended for basically inventing a whole new genre.  A different style of game play, something that has never seen before.  An exceptional way of telling a story.  This has never been done ...

    5 out of 12 found this review helpful.

    Final Fantasy is like a Grandmother 0

    You have a grandmother, everybody does. She's old and probably quite pleasant to be around. A lot of her old-timeyness is what gives her charm and even though she is often slow or tedious, she is very rewarding to be around (cookies, dinners, etc.)  To me, Final Fantasy is like a Grandmother. Like every one of us, she started out as a child (FF1, FF2) and proved that she had a bright future in store for all of us. There was a time where some of her best qualities (FF3, FF5, FFT) became obvious a...

    7 out of 20 found this review helpful.

    A Tale of Two Games 0

     This is a tale of two games.   One game is almost simulated bliss.   With tons of action and variety, the first game is an awesome ride from near beginning to end, with you running into problems rarely.   The other game is pure pain.   An elongated torture on your soul, the game slowly breaks you until you can no longer take it anymore, forcing you to either continue taking its’ punishment while you slowly level up to not get killed in a single attack.   What are these two games you ask?   Why,...

    3 out of 7 found this review helpful.

    FFXIII the antiFF Game 11

    For a bunch of gamers Final Fantasy is more that a franchise and the launch of a Final Fantasy game is a memorable event. Many people are looking forward for the next FF since we all discover this series with the awesome piece of art that was FFVII.    This is a Final Fantasy. Since FFVII Square make great titles. FFVIII was a great game despite the critics, it had a great gameplay and an engaging and mature story. Even FFIX was a great game on their own. This 3 titles have the essential cha...

    7 out of 28 found this review helpful.

    A black sheep with a pretty coat 1

    While it might lose me points with the "cool" crowd, the one game that actually turned me into "this is something I do for fun" to "this is a huge part of my life and interests" was Final Fantasy VII. Whereas previously I made occasionally pick up a game intended for the hardcore, for the most part I strictly relegated my game purchases to more "fun" titles. But Square's monolith of a game was what compelled me to focus more on games driven by story, character development and immersion rather th...

    2 out of 6 found this review helpful.

    Sigh 0

      I enjoyed the game, but it really tested my endurance.  I would get tired just trying to figure out all the Fal'Cie mumbo jumbo.   I felt that this game had something to say to me, but it was lost through all the bad drama and bad story telling throughout the game.  There weren't many memorable moments and I never had that driving feeling of what happens next.     The level design felt like a joke for the first 20 hours of game play.  They were extremely linear.   The RPG is strong with vari...

    1 out of 2 found this review helpful.

    Late Opinion: Great Combat, but Underwhelming Plot. 0

    It's easy to complain about XIII's linearity, but harder to overlook the game's unique timing based combat that allows for players to literally air juggle their opponents.   One of the first things I noticed about Final Fantasy XIII was that opponent's had a lot of health. I did a lot of damage and their health bar never lowered all that much from my attacks. While games like Dead Space may have expertly removed the HUD (Head-Up Display) by placing key information on the player's avatar, Final ...

    1 out of 3 found this review helpful.

    Best FF in years! 0

    As I'm sure you've heard by now, this FF is different that any you have played - BUT IN A GOOD WAY!  Incredibly cool battle system, and a wonderful fleshed out story carries this title into gaming bliss.  Is it traditional? Not at all.  In this case however - Change is good!...

    2 out of 12 found this review helpful.

    What we have all been waiting for 9

    HELL YEA this game totally is SHITTY!!!!!!!!! this game was the exact opposite of what i expect from a final fantasy game i mean there is really no mini game what so ever unless you want to count this 10 second gameplay experance where you ride a big machine and kill a few robots, now this game had great CG cut scenes i mean wow on standard def and 1080p there is not much of a differance to see and the game graffix are great really well done and the scenery is great...on grand pulse...otherwise ...

    4 out of 40 found this review helpful.

    Tears of Agony and Joy. 3/5 stars 1

    Fans of previous Final Fantasy games will no doubt find plenty of things to praise and dislike in the newest entry into Square Enix's flagship franchise.  As a long time fan of the genre and the series I have mixed feelings about this game. It is responsible for both tears of joy and tears of agony. At around the fifth or sixth hour this game will really begin to test your patience, but I guess the developer's mindset is that if you bought the game then you are investing and pre-committing t...

    1 out of 5 found this review helpful.

    Final Fantasy XIII 0

    The story of Final Fantasy XIII takes place in the world of Gran Pulse on the futuristic sky utopia Cocoon. A purge led by PSICOM is beginning in the city of Bodham in response to one of the residents coming into contact with a fal'Cie named Anima-a being from outside Cocoon and a Pulsian. Lightning discovers that her sister Serah is the resident who was branded by Anima and she is becoming a l'Cie. While she and Sazh attempt to rescue her, Snow leads his resistance group NORA during the purge i...

    0 out of 0 found this review helpful.

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