Final Fantasy 13

Customer Reviews

Square Enix's new entry into the final fantasy series is certainly a fresh approach for the franchise. In the beginning, I was sceptical of the new style of gameplay, but it did eventually grow on me. This review will examine several components of the game, and how they can affect the overall experience.

Sound and Music:
From the opening theme to the end credits, both the sound and the musical choices that have been made fit perfectly with the futuristic style of the game. I really cannot fault the developers for their choice regarding the music, especially in the cut scenes. As always, Square Enix have been especially good at building tension and drama through the sounds in the game.

Graphics:
While I have seen my fair share of great-looking games in my time as a gamer, final fantasy 13 is easily one of the best. I found myself completely amazed by the capabilities of the developers. Every minute detail of the game is perfectly crafted to look amazing. The graphics are so good that I often had trouble finding differences between the in-game graphics and the graphics used in cut scenes! If you like good graphics in a game, this one will not disappoint.

Story:
The story of this game, much like all the others in the series, is centred around a group of misfits trying to save the world. Granted, it isn't stellar writing compared to a movie script or book, but it does keep the player interested enough to keep coming back. At times, the story can seem very confusing, but the addition of a library feature helps clear this up.

Gameplay:
Without giving away much of the game, I can safely say that the gameplay in this game is a step above the rest of the series. It feels much more fast-paced and streamlined compared to previous games, and while it can take a bit of time getting used to, it does eventually feel very natural. If you didn't like the slow paced, turn-based combat of the other final fantasy games, this one is the one to go for.

Criticisms:

While the overall game is very good, there are a few downsides. For one, the game does take a while to get to the good gameplay, with the first few hours being a tutorial, and the next few involving travelling through corridors. It does eventually open out into a big area you can explore.
Another criticism I have is with the Xbox360 version of the game. This version does not come on one disc like the PS3 version. Instead, it appears on 3 discs. While this is a small issue, it is still a bit of a nuisance to change discs a few times during the game.

Overall, this game is very engaging and will take up a good 40 hours of your time. I have greatly enjoyed the new feel of the gameplay, and I am sure you will too!