Final Fantasy XIII Review

By Oli Welsh Published 5 March, 2010

Experience.

Version tested: PlayStation 3

It's tempting to portray Final Fantasy at a crossroads: stumbling, after three unusually long years, into an unfamiliar landscape of multi-platform releases and a weak Japanese gaming industry, and onto a generation of console hardware that was already middle-aged by the time the great series showed up. Role-playing games have been scattered to the four winds of American sci-fi, pocket monster hunting, genre crossover and MMOs, and you might assume that Final Fantasy needed to do something to redefine itself.

But the truth is, it was ever thus. The first Final Fantasy, made as the young Square faced bankruptcy, was born and named in a desperation that was only ironic after the fact. Since then, despite its gargantuan success, the series has treated every moment like it was its last. Every Final Fantasy - especially since its arrival on disc and in 3D with the seventh game in 1997 - has been a reinvention, telling the same old story with new characters, new worlds, new tools, new systems, and ever-greater helpings of spectacle and sentimentality. They've always been a contradiction.

In that sense, Final Fantasy XIII is no different. On one hand, it sticks closer to the strict formal rhythms and linear underpinnings of the Japanese RPG than not just the divisive Final Fantasy XII, but even many of its predecessors. But the thirteenth game is also far more innovative and forward-thinking than it's been given credit for. It's as bold and intractable, as rebellious and respectful as one of the series' angsty teen heroes.

But that's not quite the whole story. Final Fantasy XIII is different in one respect; it does have a manifesto for the strange new world it finds itself in. And it's one a lot of fans of the series might not like.

'Final Fantasy XIII' Screenshot 1

In-game cut-scenes mesh surprisingly well with Square's blockbuster CG. This is a stunning-looking game, especially the character models.

It is absolutely, ruthlessly, single-mindedly populist. It's stripped down, streamlined and simplified to the extreme. Its features are spoon-fed so slowly it's excruciating, even as the pace of the battles is amped up to be as fast and flashy as possible. It is a My First Final Fantasy, promoted with power ballads, and all that implies.

This agenda results in both awkward weaknesses and stunning strengths, but you have to respect the intention: to toss out all the decades-old clutter of the JRPG form, distil the Final Fantasy experience to its very core, and then make that as relevant, approachable and slickly modern as possible.

So, you don't get an overall character level and you don't have to wait for new skills; you just buy advancement from the menu when you see fit. Health is instantly replenished after every battle and there's no mana or other resource to worry about. Equipment slots are few, options limited, depth sparing and mostly optional.

You don't get direct control of more than one character at a time and input, if you want to, can be automated to the extent that it's more like tapping out morse code on the action button than selecting from menus. There's no downtime in towns for trading and tinkering, with functional services - shopping and a rather undernourished system of equipment upgrades - available from the very frequent save points.

'Final Fantasy XIII' Screenshot 2

Every single Paradigm permutation has a pithy, memorable title. This is a great localisation job.

Until halfway through the story - and that's some 20 or 25 hours in, treble the length of many of the action blockbusters Final Fantasy XIII has modelled itself on - you don't even get to choose the composition of your party, or where you go and what you do next. There's no world map, and for the first half there's no element of choice or exploration at all. There is absolutely nothing to distract you from whatever the game wants to throw at you next - the next lush, twinkling vista, melodramatic cut-scene or punchy scrap. It's the RPG equivalent of a corridor shooter.

Does that sound like a nightmare to you? It's worth pointing out that this one-way crawl punctuated with battles has always been the meat of Final Fantasy, with the world map acting as an elaborate but limited graphical menu in most games - Final Fantasy XII was the closest to being open-world, and even then just barely. It's the illusion of choice and exploration that's been removed - although that is an important illusion, and XIII has lost a measure of excitement and romance as a result.

Square Enix's developers would also argue that if it's good enough for Modern Warfare or God of War, it's good enough for Final Fantasy, and to some extent they'd have a point. When Final Fantasy XIII is at its best - when the simple tactical brilliance and snappy, intoxicating pace of the battle system asserts itself; when the storyboard is shovelling breathtaking, colour-soaked vistas, inconceivable monsters and sumptuous video at you faster than you take it in - the last thing you have on your mind is wandering off a path that's not been beaten so much as carpeted in gold leaf.

But it isn't always at that best. There are one or two drab environs crammed with too many samey encounters, and what's worse, these come early in the game when you're existing on a gameplay diet that is thin indeed, with only the most basic features available. Bizarrely, there are also impractically lavish locations in which there is nothing to do but wander around and listen to the insane number of audio soundbites provided for a milling cast of thousands. All it takes is for the pacing to be a little off for that gilded path to become a gilded cage, and the few avenues of interaction open to you to feel claustrophobically narrow.

Pacing, in fact, is everything that's right and wrong with Final Fantasy XIII. In terms of the locations, the story, the character advancement and the unfolding of the game's systems, it's best described as a lumpy crescendo, with painful longeurs at the start gradually, oh so gradually, giving way to satisfying pay-offs.

'Final Fantasy XIII' Screenshot 3

Beefcake Snow (centre) and chirpy Vanille (right) could grate parmesan. Lightning, left, has the least convincing inspirational speech though.

The first half is spent in the appropriately named sky-world Cocoon, a rich but oppressive society and the most aggressively futuristic, science-fiction milieu yet for Final Fantasy. The barbaric otherworld of Pulse is spoken of with fear, and anyone who comes into contact with it - which includes all our heroes - is "purged". At the game's midpoint, you reach Pulse - a world of natural wilderness, dinosaurs and creaking steampunk tech - and the contrast isn't just stylistic. It coincides with the game finally offering up an open play-field and the option of taking time off from the main story to do some questing, exploration or even grinding.

The effect is so dramatic, so deliberate and so carefully metaphorical that it goes a long way towards justifying the long, long wait. In fact, it even overstates the charms of Pulse somewhat - it's a beguiling place and a glorious change of pace, but it won't be that long before you're back on the hamster-wheel of story, and secretly not minding that much at all.

That story concerns a bunch of Cocoon misfits who, for various and mysterious personal reasons, end up in contact with a fal'Cie - one of this world's demigods - from Pulse. This makes them l'Cie - magic-wielding agents of the gods - and enemies of their own world, Cocoon (or so it seems). It's typically soapy nonsense, and it has to be said that the basic, gauche lines of dialogue don't come across nearly so well in fully-voiced cinematic presentation as they used to in little blue text boxes with some dots and exclamation marks at the end.

'Final Fantasy XIII' Screenshot 4

This summon actually turns into a racing car. They went there.

That said, the way the characters' intersecting stories are revealed in flashback is artful, the thumping twists and revelations arrive with appropriate force, and the CG action scenes are dependably jawdropping. The cast isn't the most charming in Final Fantasy history - Tetsuya Nomura's character designs seem calculating and stereotyped, if unimpeachably good-looking - so it's all the more surprising to feel genuine affection developing for most of them over the course of the game, from stiff military poster-girl Lightning to blaxploitation refugee Sazh - even the standard-issue simpering JRPG moppet Hope turns likeable. The English (well, American and Australian) voice cast mostly do a great job with what they have to deliver.

The storyline has an obsession with pairing them off with each other during the early stages, which might help define the characters but has an unfortunate ramification for gameplay. Although each character can ultimately learn any of the game's six classes, they're initially limited in what they can do, and some pairings work better than others (Sazh and sweet-girl-with-a-secret Vanille give good odd couple in the cut-scenes but have no chemistry on the battlefield). The excellent battle system is designed for a trio and needs three to really sing, but opportunities to experience that before the magic halfway mark are scarce. It's one of several examples of Final Fantasy XIII being so careful not to overwhelm the player that it underwhelms instead.

The character advancement is another. This is done by spending Combat Points earned from each battle in an absurdly over-produced and nonsensical 3D talent tree called the Crystarium. This unwieldy beast allows you to buy skills and stat boosts whenever you like and on a set path for each character with some very limited branching.

A less flashy presentation allowing you to see more of the tree would have been much more useful, as it's actually rather limited and the stat distribution is rather odd. It's also strange to have to remember to go into the menu and level up. But the freedom and more organic character progression make a nice change, and the options you do have - creating a jack of all trades or master of some - tie in beautifully with the battle system's structure.

Which brings me to Final Fantasy XIII's star attraction, and the one area where its pacing is thrilling and perfect. Its all-new version of the series' Active Time Battle (ATB) system has been controversial, and initially seems worryingly basic. It takes a few hours to reveal its true colours; in the end it turns out to be radical, ingenious, elegant and exciting to use. That's thanks to a great suite of character classes, the system of chaining attacks and 'staggering' enemies, and something called Paradigm Shift.

On the face of it, you only have control of one character, the party leader; you can select role-specific abilities for the leader to use each turn according to how many slots they use in that character's ATB bar, which grows as you progress through the game. In actuality, you'll rarely be doing even that. Much of the time, you'll pick a role for your leader and use the "auto-battle" command, letting the game do the rest. This effectively relegates them to the same level as the AI party members (which is very smart, provided you use Libra to study your enemies' strengths and weaknesses first).

'Final Fantasy XIII' Screenshot 5

Efficient battle performance earns you star ratings and TP to spend on summons and other Techniques.

Why would you do that? Because the fun is all in setting up Paradigms - permutations of two or three of the six roles - and swapping between these instantly and frequently to suit the situation. It actually represents similar thinking to Final Fantasy XII's wonderful Gambit system - in that it allows you to automate the behaviour of your party and wield several characters as one, in real time, without turns - only instead of being based on back-end tinkering, it's about direct input and quick responses on the fly.

The roles are Medic, Ravager (magic damage), Commando (physical damage), Sentinel (protection or "tanking"), Synergist (buffs) and Saboteur (debuffs). They all interact with each other and the enemy designs, and combinations of enemies, in interesting ways. Also, every enemy has a Chain gauge which can be filled by balancing magic and physical damage, increasing in effectiveness all the time and when filled, 'staggering' the enemy for huge damage multipliers. It's essential (not to mention immensely gratifying) to use Stagger to get through fights efficiently, but it's always an edge-of-seat challenge to balance it with switching your party between different utilities.

To be fair, Paradigm Shift and Stagger are actually more interesting in combination with groups of moderately tough enemies than in the thoughtful but rather gruelling boss fights. Nor do they sit that well with XIII's other battlefield innovation, Gestalt Mode, a sort of QTE affair that allows you to pull off showboating attacks in tandem with the visually astonishing Eidolon summons (which look like Transformers designed by Gaudi). Gestalt is amusing but doesn't quite offer the massive-damage pay-off to match a well-executed Paradigm strategy.

'Final Fantasy XIII' Screenshot 6

Part Covenant Elite, part butterfly, part fifties hot rod, all monster. FFXIII's enemy design is as fabulously bonkers as ever.

Still, Final Fantasy XIII's is a superb system overall, easily making up what depth it has lost in speed, tactical cunning and moment-to-moment engagement. Some have bemoaned the apparent retreat from XII's daring reinvention - I did myself, at first - but in its way XIII is just as big a step for the party RPG, albeit a simpler and perhaps more palatable one.

Palatable is very much the word for Final Fantasy XIII. The Final Fantasy series, with its lengthy cinematics, stubborn style and carefully prescribed limitations, can never hope to please everyone. So it's strange to see it try, and no surprise that the result is not a total success. It's cautious, narrow, far too slow to get going, and is stripped down to such a bare naked form that even some FF traditionalists might find it off-putting.

What's left, though, is faultlessly accomplished, gorgeous to behold and, in the long run, thoroughly enjoyable. For better or worse, it's another new beginning, and that's one Final Fantasy tradition that should never be changed.

8 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Oli.

About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (179) 1 year ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • JohnnyWashnGo #1 2 years ago

    I get a 404 error : (

  • the_dudefather #2 2 years ago

    Can you ride ©H0©080S?

  • crwoody #3 2 years ago

    Sweet

  • mowgli #4 2 years ago

    \o/ Can't wait.

  • hiddenranbir #5 2 years ago

    Didn't read much like an 8 to me, tbh.

    Typical safe score for a big title.

  • mowgli #6 2 years ago

    I'll be buying the PS3 version for the simple fact that I'm so used to the PS controller when it comes to Final Fantasy.


    Because it hasn't changed in 13 fucking years!

  • curtlikesmeat #7 2 years ago

    Interesting, I wasn't looking forward to it all that much, but I think going into it in the right frame of mind (as in what to expect) could allow me to get more out of it. Still, what with the fairly heavy games schedule at the moment it'll probably have to wait a month or two for me to get round to it.

    I enjoyed the review as I think it does well in describing what to expect whilst trying to look for positives rather than spending too much time comparing it to what has gone before.

  • MasterNameless #8 2 years ago

    Oh dear. The idiot ratio is already surprisingly high. /o\

    Well, from the reading the intro and conclusion - I don't want to spoil any surprises - it sounds bloody good to me. I never had the pleasure of a PS2, so this will be my first Final Fantasy since PS1 days. I'm too impatient though, there must be an indie shop selling it today somewhere! :D
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/10 @ 00:29

  • MasterNameless #9 2 years ago

    I'm going with the PS3 version too, mainly as I want all the high res loveliness for the cutscenes - which I assume is going to be the biggest difference between the two versions, and swapping a couple of disc in 40 to 60 hours of gameplay is a complete non-issue. I may be being a little optimistic for the 360 version, but I guess we'll find out from Digital Foundry pretty soon....

  • Setaro #10 2 years ago

    So basically FF in name only, just like FF12.

    I guess us old-school fans have to stick to the PS1-era or Shin Megami Tensei games to play good ol' fashioned JPRGs.

  • Zoro #11 2 years ago

    Interesting.

    Oddly, even though the scores it's getting are not quite as good as its predecessors, this is probably the FF game I'm more excited about in recent years. Heck, maybe it's the one I'm more excited about period. Being my favorite genre, I've played lots of RPGs and it's becoming increasingly difficult to find something that actually surprises me. So I began to pick up titles that weren't all that good but bent the rules a little, stuff like Ar Tonelico and Steambot Chronicles. And while those are far from being the best RPGs I've ever played, I'm really glad I did.

    And it's with that mindset that I'll give this a try. Even if I don't find it all that remarkable, I'm sure I'll enjoy it. Nice review.

  • MasterNameless #12 2 years ago

    @SPAM

    Oh yeah! Completely missed that in my excitement of seeing the review. Cheers!

    Edit: And after reading only the first few paragraphs I already take back my earlier optimism! I know the odds were against the 360 with this game, but thought it'd come out better than that.
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/10 @ 00:38

  • Physically_Insane #13 2 years ago

    HOW DARE YOU GIVE IT AN 8 YOU CUNTS! YOU ABSOLUTE FUCKING CUNTS!!! I HATE YOU. I HATE YOU SO FUCKING MUCH!!!!!11111!

  • Physically_Insane #14 2 years ago

    whatever

  • Stuz359 #15 2 years ago

    Obviously when this was first revealed, I was hugely excited. The prospect of marrying FF gameplay with next gen visuals was a mouth watering prospect, probably THE RPG we had all been waiting for.

    The disappointing thing is that the more I have heard about the game, the more annoyed I have become. It seems they have paired back all the things I enjoy about RPG's and removed/severely cut back on them. I like exploration, I like towns, I like talking to completely irrelavent NPC's, I like sidequests and I like to explore.

    If anything, I would have preferred them to cut back on the battle system, because this is probably the least enjoyable aspect of a JRPG for me.

  • RobotRocker #16 2 years ago

    Huh. Someone finally had the balls to give a fair mark to a FF game.

    Good for them.

  • porkface Verified Features Editor, Eurogamer Network #17 2 years ago

    Super review sir!

  • ChronoMizaki #18 2 years ago

    That's a good score I'll agree with. Some choices they made were bad, some choices they made were good. Can't wait for ShopTo to deliver it =]

    Got to complete Heavy Rain quickly before it comes.
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/10 @ 00:46

  • Instinct #19 2 years ago

    Oh noes, a linear game.

    Oh wait, I love linear games :) Can't wait.

  • Retroid #20 2 years ago

    So, good but not amazing.

    I can live with that.

  • ecureuil #21 2 years ago

    360 made this shit then, there's a surprise. If it was only on PS3 then it wouldn't have been linear, but they had to make it a corridor trawl for the shitbox 360 because it still uses primitive DVDs, something decent consoles stopped using years ago. Maybe Square will learn their lesson now and make FFXVI exclusive to a console that can actually handle it.

  • Rens11 #22 2 years ago

    what was ever wrong with turn based action! all we want is an RPG was expecting a 7 from eurogamer so pleased with an 8 all the reviews so far seem a bit harsh hopefully the game lives up to its predeccesors
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/10 @ 01:06

  • darkmorgado #23 2 years ago

    @ecureuil

    You, sir, are a moron.

    Just face the reality: Final Fantasy hasn't been the pinnacle of RPGs for years, and has ALWAYS been linear. If you think that the xbox can't handle non-linear, open-world games than please explain Borderlands, Fallout, Oblivion, GTA 4, Crackdown, etc etc etc.

    Stop talking such utter shite.

  • Zedux #24 2 years ago

    EUROGAMER WAY TO FUCK UP THE SCORE SYSTEM! THE PS3 VERSION IS CLEARLY THE SUPERIOR VERSION SO HOW CAN THIS GAME SCORE 8 FOR BOTH VERSIONS??? WAIT I KNOW THE ANSWER!!! YOU FUCKING GO TO BAD WITH MS JUST LIKE SE SHAME ON YOU!
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/10 @ 01:09

  • darkmorgado #25 2 years ago

    @Zedux,

    Stop being such a noob. Digital Foundry has already shown that the differences between the two are minimal. The only appreciable difference is that the cutscenes are in a slightly higher resolution on the PS3.

    Oh, and for the morons saying it was crippled for DVD, please explain the fact that when you strip out the CGI, the actual game data is only 6gb?

  • Zedux #26 2 years ago

    Blu-ray x 3 DVDs
    1080p x 560p (CGI)
    720p x 560p (in game graphics)
    just to name a few all deserve the same score yeh right!

  • Ka-blamo #27 2 years ago

    @ecureuil

    Exactly, 360 holding us back innit

  • MasterNameless #28 2 years ago

    The difference is debatable. Some of those high motion 360 vids looked awful, bleh :/

    If that sort of stuff doesn't bother you then I envy you, it jars me when I notice it and anything stopping me thinking about whats happening in the cutscene/plot is bad thing. Saying that though, if I didn't have both systems, it wouldn't stop me getting it for the 360!

  • Galathorn #29 2 years ago

    7/10 no more. Try and you'll see.

  • Metalfish #30 2 years ago

    Epic trolling in here.

  • Razzajazz #31 2 years ago

    All these idiots talking about the 360 holding it back or whatever, that's just foolish talk. Why do you think that they decided to go multi-platform? It was because at the time the PS3's install base wasn't looking very good, and they wanted to make sure that they recouped their development costs.

    So you shouldn't be complaining, you should be happy! The fact that it's going to come out on 360 too means that it'll sell more copies, and SE will get to make more games! Or do you not understand the concept of business?

    As for the game itself, just like many other people here have said, this one's gonna have to wait, I've got far too much on the go right now game-wise!

  • darkmorgado #32 2 years ago

    Oh and to the idiots moaning that some slightly shinier graphics mean the PS3 version should have a better score...

    It's the GAMEPLAY that counts, you noob. You can have the best graphics in the world, but unless you have interesting, original game mechanics to back them up, the end result simply won't be brilliant. And as the review points out, it takes over 25 hours before the game gets interesting, the character progression is shallow, the story is nonsense and by stripping out much of what makes RPGs interesting they have moved the genre backwards rather than forwards.

  • VandelayIndustries #33 2 years ago

    @ecureuil
    You're trying too hard :p

    The review has sold me on it, having never played a FF game before this shall be my first!

  • ecureuil #34 2 years ago

    "It's the GAMEPLAY that counts, you noob."

    The game has like 100 hours of cutscenes, so it makes a huge difference. 360 version is more like a 5 tbh.

  • Bloodloss #35 2 years ago

    So then... a dumbed down, worthless JRPG with terrible character design that removes all that was ever good about Final Fantasy and attempts to appeal to the lowest common denominator in every possible way. Final Fantasy is truly dead. Shame really.

  • Shakey_Jake33 #36 2 years ago

    @Zedux - What? The Digital Foundry article demonstrates the differences between the two versions for all to see, and is pretty damning about the quality of the 360 port. I am aware of no other website that does this kind of coverage, let alone offering different review scores for each version,

    It seems pretty evident that it is still an 8/10 game regardless of which version you buy. The PS3 versions turns out to be the superior version, but they're both the same basic game, so it's an 8/10 all round. It seems pretty straightforward to me.

    Honestly, if anyone wants to start throwing the blame about with regard to the quality of the port, throw it at SquareEnix.

  • Collymilad #37 2 years ago

    "Honestly, if anyone wants to start throwing the blame about with regard to the quality of the port, throw it at SquareEnix. "

    Indeed. It's not the 360's fault that SE seem petrified of making "HD towns" (omg, no dev has managed that before eh?) and other stuff that could have brought this game above 8/10.

    Blame MS and the 360 all you want, but basically, as we've seem with SE's other RPGs this gen (seriously, name me an awesome RPG this gen by SE?), it seems as if their skills were somewhat suited more to a time when we had more limited hardware, as sad as that may be.

    I'll still be buying the PS3 version though, not because it's far superior to the 360 version, but it is FF ffs, seems almost like a duty :p

    @ecureuil : look at the screens, you're a blatent fanboy - end of. Seems like you're one of those people that cried for 3 hours after MS did the reveal at E3.

    Your opinion is rubbished by many open world games that the 360 was perfectly capable of running. Just face it, FF XIII is an 8/10 because SE don't really know how to develop for this gen anywhere near as well as they did for the last gen.

    SE should go to a Bioware lecture about having a clue about developing environments for this gen, i know all the anime-lovers will flame the s**t out of me for saying that, but i really couldn't give a crap :|
    Edited by 6 at 05/03/10 @ 02:04

  • darkmorgado #38 2 years ago

    @ecureuil

    Are you seriously suggesting that the quality of a cutscene should have an impact on the overall score?

    You truly are an utter noob. Aren't you up past your bedtime?

  • KeirGT #39 2 years ago

    I'll still buy it. Felt like a 7/10 review with an 8/10 score, though.

  • FenderMaster #40 2 years ago

    Stuz359

    Obviously when this was first revealed, I was hugely excited. The prospect of marrying FF gameplay with next gen visuals was a mouth watering prospect, probably THE RPG we had all been waiting for.

    The disappointing thing is that the more I have heard about the game, the more annoyed I have become. It seems they have paired back all the things I enjoy about RPG's and removed/severely cut back on them. I like exploration, I like towns, I like talking to completely irrelavent NPC's, I like sidequests and I like to explore.

    If anything, I would have preferred them to cut back on the battle system, because this is probably the least enjoyable aspect of a JRPG for me.

    definitely agree with this, menu driven battles have always been my least favourite aspect of rpg's, i play for the story, the characters, the music, to immerse myself in the world, exploration, sidequests and all that jazz. The battles are just a necessary evil i need to grind (such an appropriate word) through to get back to the story...

    I'm not saying battles should be cut out completely, but how about, instead of grinding, just have vahve big storyline battles, and better yet, make them as good as srpg's like Valkyria Chronicles or Fire Emblem, that way battles can be fun, and a challenge can still be maintained
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/10 @ 02:18

  • TWIGishere #41 2 years ago

    Kind of expected the score, but Im still bloody excited!... Moreso with confirmation that my Play order has been despatched!

  • Shabbaranks #42 2 years ago

    Gets a goodish review (i read a 7), but am sure like many others there are plenty of other games that take priority over this.

    Possibly give it a go but don't want to waste 60 hours of my life hitting a few buttons to watch a pretty film unfold without any real input from me.

  • SpiritKing #43 2 years ago

    Everyone bashing this game needs to stop. Honestly you have not even played it yet. I feel bad for this game for all the harsh comments and hate dumped on it. Personally I feel many here are bashing it because the 360 port turned out so lack luster. I always knew it would turn out this way, when the game was PS3 exclusive everyone hammered and down played it because it wasn't on Xbox. Then 360 gets a lesser port and the 360 crowd goes right back to bashing it. So what was the point of it coming on 360 again?

  • heyyo #44 2 years ago

    ecureuil shut up, you're transparent and boring.

  • JeroenZM #45 2 years ago

    What's wrong with an 8 nowadays? It seems people consider everything below an 9 as a disappointment.

  • JeroenZM #46 2 years ago

    Can´t seem to delete this double post, strangely.
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/10 @ 02:33

  • Harmonica #47 2 years ago

    Can't even feign an interest in the game series anymore (SNES FF is more my era) - but this was a well written informative review that I enjoyed reading. Good detailed discussion of a lot of aspects without descending to picking over details and quibbling over them. Thanks.
    Edited by 2 at 05/03/10 @ 02:45

  • Seabeast #48 2 years ago

    Zedux said

    Blu-ray x 3 DVDs
    1080p x 560p (CGI)
    720p x 560p (in game graphics)
    just to name a few all deserve the same score yeh right!

    Yet he probably plays on his 26 inch budget LCD his mummy and daddy got him for his bedroom that wont even support full 1080p :)

    Yet i bet

  • Stepharneo #49 2 years ago

    I think the depressing thing isn't so much fanboys who wanted this to get a 10/10, rather the fact that it's been in development for how long? it's cost how much? and all it gets is an 8.

    Which translates as what, "very good"? Only "very good", what a waste.

  • Tongan_Dave #50 2 years ago

    When this is released in Q2 of 2011 in my country, I will play and love the game. Final Fantasy XII was finally made Tongan in January this year and I played it and loved it and would like to play more Final Fantasy in future.

  • Harmonica #51 2 years ago

    It 'gets an 8' according to Oli.

    Reviews are a buyers guide not a buyers bible.

  • spookyzombie #52 2 years ago

    Played both versions earlier today and they are virtually identical. I usually end up getting multi platform releases on the 360, but all things considered I think the PS3 version is the one to go for if you have both consoles. Very close call graphics wise though.

  • ElNino9 #53 2 years ago

    @ Ecu

    :D

    They're like clock work toys; wind 'em up and watch them go.

  • Diogo_Ribeiro #54 2 years ago

    It's actually quite telling that FFXIII is being used by people as ammunition to fire the "which platform pumps out the most polygons" canons, while Cristal Bearers is out there, doing its thing, confident enough to experiment with things held "unnecessary" in an FF title. Quite telling that an "8" manages to simultaneously be strikingly positive of the game yet not enough for the fanbase that won't shut up about an FFVII remake.

    Telling because the more I read about, and see stuff from Crystal Bearers, the more it seems that's the one still carrying the sense of wonder and adventure that had always been a part of the series. When Square released the first of the series, it was a matter of survival; so is FFXIII. Except Square, even facing bankruptcy, dared enough to convert people. The same that now impose a tyranny of expectation. That's what FFXIII is, really: proof that your expectations would always get the better of you. Proof that the company's survival is damned by "fans", who are more of a stone around their necks than anything else. No wonder Crystal Bearers could sidestep expectations - when people call it "inferior", a "spin off" and "not as fully realized as an FF title", they're showcasing nothing but contempt for Square's last cries of criativity and risk.

    Some people deserve the games they get.
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/10 @ 03:14

  • Charlie_Miso #55 2 years ago

    Not as good as Dragon Quest VIII

  • Scimarad #56 2 years ago

    Yay! It's not crap after all!

  • FooAtari #57 2 years ago

    You can always trust the comments for any big review to be more entertaining than the review itself (which I thought was well written by the way) as all the 12 year olds and fantards come out to play.

    No game has been interesting enouugh for me to buy anything so far this year and this won't change that, never could get into any of the FF games.

    But an 8 is a solid score, still trying to figure out when it became the new 4. Remember folks 5 IS AVERAGE. Any thing above that is somewhat good, getting better the closer you get 10
    Edited by 2 at 05/03/10 @ 08:48

  • super_monty #58 2 years ago

    The way the review read I was expecting a 9, but hey this is Eurogamer.
    OK there is no real difference betweem the 360 version and the PS3 one, that's good to hear. But I this I will go for the PS3 version as the controller does't flare up the RSI the way the 360's does!

    PS I happy it's on both consoles, hence securing future development for this expensive series.

  • des #59 2 years ago

    At least it's better than WKC(7/10)...
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/10 @ 06:58

  • tossetaz #60 2 years ago

    I'm just too busy with Battlefield: Bad Company 2 i'm afraid :) I don't even think I'll get GoW 3 on launchday.

  • GamerG #61 2 years ago

    so who's went staright to the score and then posted comments without reading the review?

  • tossetaz #62 2 years ago

    @GamerG: I did, I dont' have time to read the, rather long, review at the moment - and I'm probably not gonna buy the game anyway due to Battlefield: Bad Company 2 taking up all the time I have between university and socializing.

    I'll definitely get it down the line though - I never played a Final Fantasy game before since I was PC only for so long - but I really want to experience it at some point.
    Edited by 2 at 05/03/10 @ 07:49

  • Les #63 2 years ago

    "Bug an 8 is a solid score, still trying to figure out when it became the new 4. Remember folks 5 IS AVERAGE. Any thing above that is somewat good, getting better the closer you get 10"

    Yeah that might be true in light of the review scoring policy around here but the human/gamer psyche just doesn't register it as such. Caused by years of inflated review scores and it isn't in line with school grades either. IMHO it's very silly to try and keep fighting that.

    I'd prefer not to have review scores at all but as that's probably a step too far given the average gamer's intellect, a 5 point scale would already be a step in the right direction.

  • lucky_jim #64 2 years ago

    Meh, any Final Fantasy fans looking for a solid, proudly traditional JRPG should play Lost Odyssey instead.

  • Praetorianer #65 2 years ago

    Bloodloss and Diogo_Ribeiro pretty much said it all. When I saw the first trailers for the game and ingame videos, I was in awe and excited. Now that I read the reviews, I can't help but feel alienated by the way the game turned out to be in the end. Few positive things I read in the review here and the review itself is quite contradictory at some points. Reading the review I thought it would be a 7...basically it doesn't matter if it's a 7 or 8 at the end, because the important things are written in the review and everyone has to judge for himself, if he likes and how he weighs what he just read.

    So, my brother can't wait to play the game...in the meantime I will be finishing FFVI Advance, while waiting for my copy of GoW3 to arrive (and hoping that he will have finished FFXIII until then).

  • Caimbeul #66 2 years ago

    [Adopts manerisms of the Salarian Mrdin] Surprised, Hmm, Yes.

  • MichaelDesloover #67 2 years ago

    "It is a My First Final Fantasy, promoted with power ballads, and all that implies."

    Awesome quote from the review and describes how I feel about the generalisation of videogames to tailor to a broad audience, instead of trying to make the game amazing so a broad audience would want it.

  • Widge #68 2 years ago

    Hoping this will turn up today!

  • MrWonderstuff #69 2 years ago

    I'm using this thread to put people on my ignore list.

  • M4RV #70 2 years ago

    What's wrong with an 8 nowadays? It seems people consider everything below an 9 as a disappointment.

    Because whenever you feel the need to display your games' library to someone, you have to make sure that EVERY single title you own, has actually been awared a 90 plus average on metacritic. That's the law of the land these days... Anyway, back to gaming.

    * goes to play Dante's Inferno *

  • Mcstrife #71 2 years ago

    Fair review I think. I'll still be getting this come launch day.

  • KujiGhost #72 2 years ago

    I might finally play through Lost Odyssey in the meantime and wait until this comes down in price for the 360. The Digital Foundry article makes for a sad read...

  • saku_luk #73 2 years ago

    Can I have FF6 remake or something new based on its system? :(

    Tho as for FF13, grabbing collectors edition day 1, and i am sure it will be great to play regardles of it flaws....

  • Emmit_Assassin #74 2 years ago

    Personally, I don't care if all FF fanatics like it, or it fails to appeal to the more mainstream audience it's clearly aimed at. What I care about is the sentiment in the last line of this review - they changed everything and attempted to yet again reinvent itself. This is something they try with every FF game, which makes every FF game divisive, exhilarating and feeling brand new to play.

    Something which the likes of Halo, COD and other franchises should take serious note of. Its all well and good building on what's gone before and simply refining, but it takes a huge amount of bravery to do what FF has done with every game.

    I lost interest in Halo after Halo 2, because its always just been more of the same with punchier visuals. The same happened with MW2. I gave up after a couple of weeks, as it was just more of the same as MW1.

    If every franchise took this approach (I'm looking at you, Fable and NFS!) imagine the possibilities.

  • silentbob #75 2 years ago

    So basically FF in name only, just like FF12.

    Do you have any idea how nonsensical this statement is? The very essence of the review states that every new FF is a shift in delivery. There is no 'FF' standard to which you allude.
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/10 @ 09:01

  • Emmit_Assassin #76 2 years ago

    Who is this ecureuil you all speak of? I can't see any posts by him.

    Oh, no wait, I decided to ignore his trolling idiotic rants a long time ago. The little boy is a pure fanboy. At least he's good at something though - small mindedness.

  • FooAtari #77 2 years ago

    Got to agree with MichaelDesloover and Emmit_Assassin

    Getting pretty fed up of every game trying to appeal to the broadest market possible to the detriment of the game. What's wrong with doing for a specific group of people who like a more hardcore JRPG?

    And with Emmit, at the moment several developers could take note of Squares approach to FF. I have bought Modern Wardware 2 or Halo ODST? Why, cause they are the same as the two or three games that came before it in the series. And I sure as hell won't buy the next ones if they following the same tried, tested and boring formula.

  • Zidargh #78 2 years ago

    I really don't know what to think of this.

    One part of me is more than willing to take the plunge on the name alone (is/was admittedly an FF fan boy), yet I can see myself playing to about 30 hours in, just like I did with FFXII and then say 'this isn't Final Fantasy' and switch off.

    I understand change is good, especially innovation. But what won me over every time up until, well, 10 at a push, was that they kept the base of their IP that everyone loved, and added new stuff on top. This to me seems as if that rather than giving it a few mods and a paintjob, they've completely dismantled the engine and turned it into something different.

    Argh, I guess I just need to play it.

  • Skorms-Boss #79 2 years ago

    fight!

    How about we make Eurogamer Comments, The Game. Seriously it's a rollercoaster ride full of fighting and back biting, it would make for a great game.

    As to FF 1050 (or what ever where up to now) their all the same game, they just look prettier as time moves on. I'll wait for GOW III

  • gallow #80 2 years ago

    I pre-ordered Just Cause 2 (also got BF:BC2 yesterday) on Wednesday but after reading this review and playing the demo I have now cancelled it and I am seriously thinking of getting this instead. After months of moaning how its been dumbed down/streamlined the review and changed my mind on this game and so it will be my next purchase.

    I thought I would hate FF12 as it was a dramatic change of style but I loved it and put over 100 hours into it and I have still not completed the main story yet. I am beginning to think it will be the same with this game to.

    I will miss the towns and juggling my money about to buy better equipment when skint.
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/10 @ 09:31

  • Vilhelm #81 2 years ago

    I completely agree with this review. The combat system is fun, the story is OK, the graphics are very slick, etc. The game is extremely well polished, to say the least.
    But the game is missing so much of what makes RPGs FUN, like exploration, character interaction etc. It took me about 60 hours to finish it for the first time, at least 10 of those spent grinding combat points.
    I'll probably go back to the game in some months to grind towards my Platinum trophy. I mean, the game is good; it's just not what I expected.

  • etherfiend #82 2 years ago

    For anyone thats played this what's the battle system like compared to other current generation RPGs? It seems real-time from the review but I hated the real-time action in Star Ocean/Infinite Undiscovery and much prefer the Lost Odyssey/Last Remnant type of battle. Is it different enough to warrant a look at or will I just end up being sorely disappointed?

    *edit* And I get it's a whole 'shift' in combat system, I'd rather just get a feel for an approximation towards the turn-based setup of groups or annoying button mashing.
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/10 @ 09:37

  • Jay-ITFC #83 2 years ago

    After reading the first page of the review I thought this was all set for a 6!

  • Stompy #84 2 years ago

    "I feel bad for this game for all the harsh comments and hate dumped on it."

    I feel bad for you having such messed up priorities.
    Buying a game isn't giving to charity - I suggest that you have enough money to do both.

  • Setaro #85 2 years ago

    "Do you have any idea how nonsensical this statement is? The very essence of the review states that every new FF is a shift in delivery. There is no 'FF' standard to which you allude."

    FF1 to 9 (and many aspects of 10) had a very similar template (the JRPG standard pretty much), strong narative, similar turn based battle system, random battles, world maps to wander around on, hidden stuff/characters that rewarded exploration etc etc. Square didn't try to reinvent the wheel with every game. While I completed and enjoyed FFX, FF12 was a monstrosity that bared little resemblance to a FF game. From reading EG's review, FF13 seems to reject even more of what, to me, made FF (and JRPG's in general) great.

  • FooAtari #86 2 years ago

    @crez
    Xbox v PS3 aside - can someone tell me the actual game isn't as cringeworthy as the overwrought, teen-emotional, melodramatic trailers I've watched?

    What you really mean to say is, can someone tell me that it's not some emo shit :)

  • Andrefpvs #87 2 years ago

    To be honest you have to read the whole review to know ether you want this game or not. Just looking at the score will tell you next to nothing.

    For example, MGS4 got a 8 here and I enjoyed it immensely.

    With that said, excellent review, 'twas a good read.

  • FogHeart #88 2 years ago

    Can anyone link me to footage of the actual combat? I played a Final Fantasy a long long time ago - don't know which - and found that I really don't like turn-based combat, which felt a lot like <a href="http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=i9SSOWORzw4">this</a href>. I'd like to know if it's significantly different these days.

  • JDFreeman #89 2 years ago

    Final Fail. I like villiages and shops and big wide world. I might buy it if I see it in a bargain bin in a few years.

  • busboy33 #90 2 years ago

    @crez:

    "can someone tell me the actual game isn't as cringeworthy as the overwrought, teen-emotional, melodramatic trailers I've watched?"

    What . . . as opposed to all the other FF games that were grounded, unmelodramatic and emotionally subtle and mature?

    Just kidding!! Glad the FF fans get what appears to be a pretty good game. This doesn't rub me one way or another -- I've played 7 and 10 but just didn't get what the big deal was about the series, but then again I'm not much for JRPGs overall.

    Still, Given how many people have been looking forward to this (and pretty much anything with FF on the cover), I'm glad it's good.

  • Nazo #91 2 years ago

    Good review and more objective than I was expecting given the negativity in the hands-on and DF article. I think it's worth an 8 definitely.

  • Zidargh #92 2 years ago

    Back when I played FF7 I was too young to even know what angst meant.

  • welshben23 #93 2 years ago

    Not as good as Heavy Rain, then.

  • Lunatic4ever #94 2 years ago

    good review,i think the NEW Final fantasy finally changes things i never liked about the predecessors.
    might give this a try...bu oh lord...im not sure i can leave bad company 2 that fast :D

    @Physically_Insane:

    please..just jump down a bridge...please....


  • Darren #95 2 years ago

    FFXIII sounds great to me and the initial linearity and the complete lack of towns doesn't bother me as these games have always been linear anyway even if they gave you the illusion otherwise. I was hoping the game would arrive this morning but, alas, it did not despite GAME sending it out yesterday. Oh well... there's always tomorrow and Assassin's Creed II has just arrived for the PC this morning... so... adios!

  • Grayvern #96 2 years ago

    Yes but unlike heavy rain which you can complete conservatively in three play sessions or 1 weekend with time to download Stalker Call of Pripyat on Sunday, FFXIII will go on for a lot longer.

    And while COD and such are linear even the first wasn't more than a twelve hour game. Which is the thing, I'm willing to put 60-70 hours into a open game or 40 into something like Mass Effect 2 but with total linearity and no nostalgia (I replayed VII last year) anything over 30 hours is really pushing it.

  • muscleblade #97 2 years ago

    Glad it isnt as amazing as many thouth it would be. I dont have time for 150 hour long games. Too much else to play.

  • andromeda #98 2 years ago

    When i started to read that first page of comments, all I could picture was a guy tossing lumps of bloody meat off the side of a boat..

  • Kremlik Verified Co-Founder, Crash To Desktop #99 2 years ago

    Dissapointed, it seems to me, irronically with this build is make everything run in real time instead of having instanced combat and made XIII an action title a kin to theKingdom Hearts series and this would have been the perfect game, even XII seems more RPG then this, I think thats what is hurting the series - they don't want RPGs anymore

  • actionfitz #100 2 years ago

    ah well.
    I'm currently playing Heavy Rain and have dipped into Ass Creed 2 finally.
    Having just ordered Darksiders and an import copy of Demon Souls... and God of War 3 coming soon... and the fact im still raiding 2 nights a week in WoW...
    no fucking way i'll have time to do this game justice this side of march at least :(

    I would have made an exception for a FF game, but the review makes me less excited tbh.
    will play it eventually.

  • Postumo #101 2 years ago

    Final Fantasy has always been a "Playstation (or sony) exclusive". As an Xbox 360 user i wasn't looking for this game, and it should have remained exclusive to sony, I prefer that over a poor ported game.

    I bought an xbox and a PC because i liked other kind of games. Does anyone think that this games carry nothing but a nonsensical plot and backstory and some cliched characters?

    I have Tried JRPGs but i have enjoyed few. I'll get back to my cave, waiting for The Witcher 2 to be released.

  • FortysixterUK #102 2 years ago

    Well, that's another review that doesn't make it sound as bad as I thought it would be.
    Anyway, Shopto took the cash from my bank for the pre order today so I've got it coming now !
    One thing I will say.
    Bring back Final Fantasy 12 for the next one please Squaresoft.
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/10 @ 11:37

  • SwashbucklingStuff #103 2 years ago

    People just don't know what they want. For everyone saying 'they' should just remake Final Fantasy 6/Pro Evo 4/Goldeneye with next-gen graphics, there are the exact same number of people chastising Nintendo for remaking Zelda/Mario/Mario Kart with updated (albeit not necessarily next-gen) graphics. I'd rather developers did try and explore new ideas and approaches while still staying faithful to what makes a brand strong and that seems to be what Square are doing.

    The review reads ok as an 8 too.

  • JDFreeman #104 2 years ago

    EVERYONE JUST LEAVE BRITNEY...i MEAN FANTASY ALONE! wHY! WHY DO YOU ALL MOCK HER! LEAVE FANTASY ALONE...WHY...SHE'S SO BEAUTIFULL...JUS COS SHE'S SHALLOW....LEAVE FANTASY ALONEEEEE!

  • Mkwone #105 2 years ago

    You're debating over an 8? Edge gave it an 5/10 http://ww w.edge-online.com/magazine/revi...

  • manuel_garcia #106 2 years ago

    I salute the level of subtle trolling in some of these comments. Fantastic work.

  • Mooglepies #107 2 years ago

    Not overly concerned. I might see if I can pick it up cheap somewhere down the line. Good review though EG, nice and objective.

  • Tonka #108 2 years ago

    Sounds more shit than FFXII (one of the worst "games";) ever made. I'll be sad to see this piece of shit climb the charts.

    Oh well, at least it will be forgotten in a few months time. And then it's back to the mouth breathing begging for a FFVII remake again.

    The future looks bleak.

  • Softie2k #109 2 years ago

    I wish people would STFU about 5 being 'an average score'. Most games do not get 5, it is not a score for the average game.

  • Pac #110 2 years ago

    That Edge review sounds a little harsh. They love the combat system and say that there are 25 hours of great game in there (half the game) and then give it a five.

    Sounds like it has its faults, but a five.

    With this and the Dragon age review (both tested on the Xbox by the way) Edge really seems to have lost the plot of late.

    EG seems closer to my way of thinking these days.

  • harhol #111 2 years ago

    Slogged through the Japanese version desu and I'm looking forward to playing it in English (although not really looking forward to the voice acting). This review is very reasonable. The battle system is magnificent and it looks stunning, but over the last few years JRPGs have officially become a niche genre. As a JRPG fan this doesn't bother me (in fact it delights me), but the days of JRPGs getting maximum scores across the board are long gone. This is basically a 10 if you still like JRPGs, and an 8 if you stopped playing them in the early 00s.

  • geeza2020 #112 2 years ago

    i have been a final fantasy fan for years, have played every ff since 6, loved all of them (to different levels) but this just doesnt sound like my cup of tea AT ALL. Everything they have taken out to make the game "streamlined" (read: Final Fantasy for dummies) seems to be the things i love about final fantasy. And someone in a previous post mentioned that they were glad that they took out the "illusion" of freedom to make a more direct game; bollocks. That was what made FF so great. Although thjere was an epic story, you could always leave it and go and do something else. It was this illusion of freedom that gave the games their epic scale. Without this "illusion" your just left with a futuristic, good looking version of an Eastenders omnibus. Hey-ho, ill pick it up still, but when its sub £30.

  • Psi #113 2 years ago

    While the review read as negative, all the negatives the reviewer pointed out were positives for me.

    I hate open world rpg's, couldn't play the last FF game as all I wanted was the storyline.

    If you were watching a film and it paused itself and wouldn't restart until you'd completed a pointless task over and over and over, would you continue?

    I like rpg's to be on the rails and storyline driven. So I may get this one even given that the last FF I found dissapointing

  • BillyBrush #114 2 years ago

    @PAC

    people always, always manage to quote Edge wrong re testing which version, their review says quite clearly they tested the PS3 version of the game, and they are about the only magazine who are always clear on which version they review.

    I can understand people not liking their score, but they are always give clear information on platform

    Edited by 1 at 05/03/10 @ 13:24

  • groovychainsaw #115 2 years ago

    I'd lost enthusiasm for this after the japanese release making it seem much more simplified, linear and less 'exploratory'. I need some innovation in JRPGs right now, so will look elsewhere (resonance of fate, maybe?). I liked FFXII though, so might be a ff fanboy in the minority here...

    Edit - Looking above, it seems quite a few other liked FF XII as well, so, maybe not just me eh? If only Squenix had the courage of their convictions, there was a good gameplay foundation in that game which they just threw away...
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/10 @ 13:29

  • geeza2020 #116 2 years ago

    PSI - If all you want is a good storyline, why not just watch a film? You wont even have to keep hammering the X/A button over and over again. And the acting will better, so will the script, plot, production values etc etc.

  • harhol #117 2 years ago

    Re: the simplification issue, it's probably the hardest FF since the SNES days. The fact that your HP is fully restored after each battle means that they can throw tougher battles at you.

    Edge's review is silly and sensationalist. They say that the battle system is "among the genre's finest" (which it is) and then give it 5/10. This is a 25-year-old, massively saturated genre we're talking about! Would an FPS with combat among the genre's finest ever get a 5/10? I don't think so.

  • monkeylite #118 2 years ago

    @groovychainsaw

    Also loved FF XII.

    Hated FF X, so maybe this game isn't for me. Will still pick it up and play it one day, but right now I've other priorities.

  • DocktorJ #119 2 years ago

    Can I recommend Lost Odyssey to, well, everyone who's bitching about Final Fantasy losing its way? It's made by Hironobu Sakaguchi with music by Nobuo Uematsu. It is Final Fantasy by the original creator, it just doesn't have the words 'Final' and 'Fantasy' on the cover art. Spells, combat, characters, storyline, NPC's, towns, equipment, levelling up... everything else is pure FF.

    And you can pick it up for about a tenner too! Problem solved.

  • dr_faulk #120 2 years ago

    ... But she's got a new hat...

  • groovychainsaw #121 2 years ago

    @DoktorJ - I played through a fair chunk of lost odyssey too, but still found it to be a bit uninspired (although not a bad JRPG by any means) and lacking originality (only in the mechanics, the plot was actually pretty interesting, and the story bits were superb). It WAS like a final fantasy game though, I'll give you that.

    Maybe I've just played too many of them by now, having played 1-12. Got a preorder on resonance of fate, look forward to the unusual combat and tetris style unlocking of new areas shaking things up a bit. i'll probably get this eventually, don't get me wrong, but I can't seem to muster the enthusiasm for a simplified, linear experience. For me the stories have never been that strong (maybe with the exception of 6 or 7) , usually poorly translated/voiced, so it's not enough for me to force myself through 25 hours of boredom (and I haven't found a review yet which doesn't describe the opening as something like that).
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/10 @ 13:56

  • Pac #122 2 years ago

    @BillyBrush

    My mistake, Edge did test the PS3 version. They did however test Dragon Age Origins on the Xbox 360 in their Christmas Edition and gave it a 5 (when the PC version was clearly superior).

    Obvously I do like Edge as I have been buying it for the last 10 years but I would say their reviews scores are out of synch with mine.

    Without wanting to harp on about the "score at the end" the Edge review reads about the same as the EG review and yet it only gets a 5 compared to 8 on EG.

  • unhappymatt1 #123 2 years ago

    I'll wait on this game. Dragon Age Awakenings will scratch my RPG itch until FFXlll drops in price. I'm not into all of the "Candyfloss sparkily stuff" graphics anyway. Not into the Japanese storytelling. Lost Odyssey was good.

  • Windypops #124 2 years ago

    Bah. Really wanted to get this; I haven't played a Final Fantasy since VII. Unfortunately, I haven't got a PS3 and that Digital Foundry article suggests the 360 version is quite badly compromised. Excellent review +1.

  • BillyBrush #125 2 years ago

    @PAC

    perhaps...personally i liked Borderlands a LOT more than the 6 Edge gave it. However, it's good that they don't just slap everything with a 7 like a lot of magazines...you can clearly tell whether they liked it or not, and that is good.

  • darc #126 2 years ago

    I can't tell if I'll love this or hate, definitely one or the other. But the review is helpful in indicating that I'll have to invest a good number of hours (on a rental) before deciding whether to write this one off. I'm not really a JRPG guy, but I have been looking for something to fill Lost Odyssey's shoes since completing that - specifically, an RPG whose mechanics are such that I can get away with pedaling an excercise bike at the same time. (Yes, Lost Odyssey actually improved my health LOL.)

    I'm surprised to be underwhelmed by FFXIII's graphics in game, though. The cutscenes - per the screenshots - are possibly the nicest I've ever seen, but the game engine looks a little dull. That's just looks, though. Jury's still out on gameplay.

  • Pastici #127 2 years ago

    I'm really not that bothered about this any more, I'll still play it but I don't feel the need to rush out and buy it straight away, this is more of an issue with JRPGs than FF itself though. The differences are cosmetic so I have no problem getting it on the 360, it is my olny choice though.

  • Psi #128 2 years ago

    @geeza2020 I still like the interaction and challange a game gives and a video doesn't. A correctly implemented difficulty curve and challanging fights with a compelling story line is what I'm after. Breaking that up with MMO style quests, go whack 50 rats please..

    like a mensurating woman pushed off a cliff..

    breaks the flow..

  • Climhazzard #129 2 years ago

    Eurogamer gave FFXII 10/10 and i hated it so im not that bothered about the review of this. People should just chill a bit instead of having a fit. Buy the game on whatever console you want and enjoy it. I know i will.
    Edited by 2 at 05/03/10 @ 16:31

  • M_of_the_sys #130 2 years ago

    Unfortunately, this will be the first FF I don't buy straight away :(

  • melch #131 2 years ago

    ecureuil takes the prize for the most -1's ever.......

  • Azazel #132 2 years ago

    Beefcake Snow

    ^_^ rly?

  • byakuya83 #133 2 years ago

    Never played FF before but it sounds fantastic. The streamlined approach and battle system sound fantastic but everything is at odds with the game's length. A linear game that has been stripped down to its core elements to make it more appealing should not take 50-60 hours to complete. I did consider purchasing this but I won't ever find the time to complete it. Will just play Heavy Rain through a second time instead. Hopefully something interesting hits the shelves next month.

  • Gaol #134 2 years ago

    Nice review.

    Can't wait, but I'll miss all the faffing about in shops and towns.

  • RandomTerrain #135 2 years ago

    I'll give this a go, sounds fun. I do hope they make the next Final Fantasy with exploring and so on as a higher priority rather than the graphics though. As stated in the review, even the illusion of added exploration near the beggining really makes things great.

  • GuyNoir #136 2 years ago

    Having read the review a couple of times, it does actually seem kak. But that's subjective and it did get an 8 rather than a "7", so maybe just maybe, but, well no It's bargain-bin territory regardless of hype.

  • FIGHT #137 2 years ago

    10/10 game if you like movies
    10/10 for me

  • busboy33 #138 2 years ago

    @Crez:

    "back when I played FF7 I was young enough to enjoy the teen angst!"

    In all honesty, I think you may be right.

    I played 7 after I was in my late 20s, so when I Seripoth killed Areth or whatever her name was I had already lived thru the death of people close to me. Rather than being emotionally traumatized, I was bored. Well, to be totally honest, I was glad -- she got on my nerves about 5 minutes after meeting her and it never got bette so her dying was a bit of a blessing.

    Its the same for Mario and Zelda. I played them well into my 30s, so they were just another platformer and dungeon crawler. Fun? Yes. Standout examples of the genre? They were certainly good games, no question. But I don't give a hairy damn about Mario or Link as characters. There's no emotional "hook" with the name for me. That's why things like Smash Bros. just mystify me:

    "Its awesome! You can have Mario fight Link!!"
    " . . . so? How is that different than having Ken fight Ryu? In a better fighting engine no less."
    "Dude, you're not listening -- I said you can have MARIO fight LINK!!"

    They wern't part of my formative years . . . so they are just character models to me.

    I came to FF after trying several JRPGS and disliking them, so when I played 7 all I could think was "yep . . . its a JRPG all right". I appreciate on an intellectual level that it was one of the progenitors for the entire genre, and how influential and relevant the genre has been to the history of video games, but aside from that there isn't any emotional resonance.

    Now, all I have to do is hear the sound of an incoming missle from Battlezone and I get goosebumps. Show me those green vector lines and I squeal like a little girl. If however you didn't cut class to sneak down to the local arcade to play it and today is the first time you try it out . . . it really does suck.

    Microsoft got me with that rose-colored nostalgia with their early XBLA releases. Dig-Dug, Time Pilot . . . these were the greatest!! After buying them and excitedly sitting down to get that magic back, I found out that they wern't as good as my 13-year old self remembered.

  • patchbox360 #139 2 years ago

    this isn't the kind of game you buy on a review score - i'll be the judge of whether this is good or evil

  • mcmothercruncher #140 2 years ago

    Holy fuck, I was well up for some FF action, but an Edge 5/10 has made me think twice :(

  • dcangel #141 2 years ago

    The only thing I have to say about this is... God, the character designs are utterly hateful. Is this game sponsored by Loreal, or am I just a hopeless cynic?

  • kaya08 #142 2 years ago

    Anyone else wish they'd stop putting voice acting in these games?

  • philreeduk #143 2 years ago

    thank you to all the trolls for making the last 5 mins incredibly funny!I would now ignore you, but man.....you guys just crack me up too much!!

  • Nikanoru #144 2 years ago

    "It's worth pointing out that this one-way crawl punctuated with battles has always been the meat of Final Fantasy, with the world map acting as an elaborate but limited graphical menu in most games"


    NO. Jesus, I wish people would stop saying this. When I walk out onto a world map, and I can walk all over the place and there's like three or four towns or dungeons and little corners and secrets to discover, even if I'm officially supposed to go in this or that direction, that's not linear. I don't care about peoples nonsense simplifications where everything is linear if you have a single ultimate goal regardless of how explorable and expansive your surroundings are. FF has never been strictly linear, that is until FFX came along and reduced the series, nay, the entire jrpg genre to a pathetic shadow of its former self.

    Battles were only the "meat" of the series in the sense that jumping is the meat of Mario. What happened with FFX (and apparently, FFXIII) was akin to making Mario into a single-button game that scrolls along and all you get to do is jump at the appropriate time.
    Edited by 1 at 06/03/10 @ 04:03

  • Ka-blamo #145 2 years ago

    I'd buy any final fantasy game to be honest.....1/10s all day, would still buy it....Love them.

    I am drunk BUT...to prove im drunk anyway, i'd never type this sober

    Poo bum wee gay erection turd fart homo piss poo

    believe me now?

    Okay, I miss the feeling of final fantasy 8....when you start playing and you think....This game is bigger than me...but Im gonna bloody get stuck in and try my best in this strange world...little old me (and friends) against the world, I miss that probably wont get it again, miss 6..miss 7...miss 8......fuck the rest, they're great....but not superb like the ones stated, fuck you, fuck me...fuck fuck.

    goodnight

  • Sar #146 2 years ago

    Odd how I can guess 95% of the scores here without even reading the review.

    :o

  • FladgeMangle #147 2 years ago

    The more I think about it, the more I like the thought of it being linear.The sainted FFVII was very linear at the start too, albeit not for 25-30 hours but hey, the comparison still works. Even after you got out of Midgar there was little or no choice as to the path you had to travel, despite the illusion granted by the 3D map.

    As an experienced FF player, I've always found the towns and side quests a bit of an annoying distraction that I nevertheless felt compelled to explore. Just give me a good story, point me in the right direction and give me plenty of stupid-good CGI for my lustful eyes... = One happy bunny.

  • Ka-blamo #148 2 years ago

    Your sainted mum is linear at the start....albeit not for 25-30 hours, but hey

    Boom in her midgar, I despited her illusion.

  • E_Goldstein #149 2 years ago

    Everything I've read about tells me I should hate this game. Yet I've still pressed the "Buy" button. The power of childhood memories is such a strong one. I'm guessing I last 3 hours before the annoying American voices break my spirit.

  • Les #150 2 years ago

    As a one-time FF fan, it's strange to feel that I don't care for this game at all.

    Reading the review I can't help but feel that if this game hadn't been called FF, it would have scored much lower.

    edit: spelling
    Edited by 1 at 08/03/10 @ 10:04

  • Les #151 2 years ago

    @Biker_Bob

    Thanks for your info. I've completed IV, VII, VIII, IX, X and X-2. Have played XII for 30 hours and then lost my saved games and just couldn't start over again. I also love the Tactics games. But for some reason XIII just doesn't connect with me. It might be the lack of a true world map. Or maybe Atlus showing that you can release great JRPGs with distinct characters without super-sized budgets.

  • Super_Deformed #152 2 years ago

    If you can bring yourself to stick with it Biker_Bob you'll see that the battle systems has a shed load of strategy to it, at 5 hours in you are nowhere, considering the battle system is drip fed over 20 hours of play. I enjoyed this so much I've racked up 20 hours over the weekend and only just got access to what i assume is the full on battle system. Later on once the Paradigm system opens up you'll see the strategy needed to beat some of the battles, there no way you can just press X all the way thru this game.

    It's one of my fave FF battle systems, just remember you dont control every action you control the bigger picture, the ebb and flow of the battle.

  • spekkeh #153 2 years ago

    I never get people bitching about Western voice acting and then praising the Japanese version.

    I've lived in Japan for a couple of months.. NOBODY talks like that. It's horribly stilted, overly theatrical cartoon speech what you encounter in games and anime. It's how people talk in Kabuki theaters, when they've just inhaled helium. There's absolutely nothing good or believable about Japanese voice dubs.

  • kaya08 #154 2 years ago

    I hate most voice acting, the japanese VA is just easier to ignore. It just reminds me of playing shining force on the mega drive. All the characters had beeps and boops for voices.


    I've heard that while a lot of parts of this game sound awful on paper they work quite well in practice (lack of a world map / towns).
    The only consistent criticism I've heard is that it takes way too long to get going. (the combat system).

    I'm kind of reluctant to find out for myself though since I spent 40ish hours waiting for FF12 to get going and it never did.
    (To be clear it was just the pacing that killed the game for me).
    Edited by 2 at 09/03/10 @ 00:06

  • sfp_noodle #155 2 years ago

    been playing this game for a good 6 hours and i have to say its not looking good. ive yet to 'get' whats actually going on and the futuristic sci-fi setting feels incredibly out of line with previous FF games. not only tht but ive found myself travelling for long sections of samey terrain fighting what appear to be rather pointless battles. its darn pretty to look at mind, especially on the ps3 but tht just isnt enough sadly. i have to agree with the review in tht it has tried so hard to appeal to everyone tht it ends up alienating the very fans tht gave it its worldwide success.

    i admit i was going to buy, and did buy this regardless of review scores as ive played and loved every FF game since 7. i agree with the people who say tht this game would have got a much lower score if it wasnt final fantasy in the title. prince of persia had more, and better gameplay than this so in tht respect this shud be scored lower at 5. but since the production valued are thru the roof ill be generous and award it a 6/10.

    to any FF fans, i strongly advise u to hold off for a price drop in order to avoid disappointment. i know most ppl will buy it anyway based on its history, but honestly, this is far more a movie than the metal gear solid games ever were. a true dissappointment with a big sad smiley face :(

  • DoctorZoidberg #156 2 years ago

    It's a FF game! OF course the first five or six hours are going to be awful, they always are, setting the scene and breakng you in!

    However stick with it. Its funny a lot of complaints about this are about the majority of woes with MGS4, but that was still a tremendious game!

  • butler` #157 2 years ago

    I second the fact that bob above needs to give the game more time. As someone said, 15-20hrs in and you're still getting new facets of the combat and character development system.

    Give it a chance.

  • butler` #158 2 years ago

    I'd sell my left nut to have original Jap voice overs and subs, though.

  • dannyboi #159 2 years ago

    I agree with Les on this one, i just managed to get a copy of IX of my friend (as I only completed it once and barely remember the story) and I am enjoyin that 100x more that XIII and I am only 4 hours into it, there is much more fantasy involved and I dont have to listen 2 that annoyin vanille ice idiot I can read the dialog and imagine what they sound like. Everyone keeps sayin play it for 20 hours but it dont know if i will be able to persevere that long. I also miss humming along to the awesome soundtrack of the towns (nothing can beat the tune from cosmo canyon)
    Edited by 1 at 09/03/10 @ 22:13

  • potrobot #160 2 years ago

    I end up getting tired of mini games and exploring towns in a lot of rpgs myself. I guess I do like shopping for upgrades, and selling off old stuff. Not to say it can't be done well, but how many times do you walk into some poor lady's house, mumble something about how something smells good, and then leave just to burst into someone else's house. NPCs can give a little insight to the story, but most times I talk to everyone because I can, and I get a little neurotic, not because the story becomes richer for it.

    I'm hoping this distilled version will have a lasting appeal to me (should be coming in the mail soon). I never really got into raising chocobos, or playing that weird underwater ball game in FFX. So, I'm not really lamenting the loss of those kinds of extras. Not in this Final Fantasy anyway. I'm hoping it's as fun as reviewers are making it out to be though. We'll see.

    (btw. Skies of Arcadia is my fav RPG of all time. A lot of random battles, but enough story, exploration, and variety to warm my heart.)

  • ActivisionMustPerish #161 2 years ago

    I wonder how long it took to add game-play to this movie...sooooo boring.

    5/10

  • Les #162 2 years ago

    "It's a FF game! OF course the first five or six hours are going to be awful, they always are, setting the scene and breakng you in!"

    Like Biker_Bob I don't agree with that at all. Most FFs gripped me from the start. VII, VIII and X definitely did and I think IX must have done it as well as I started playing that when PS2 was already two years out so I definitely wasn't in there for the graphics.

    XII I liked less story-wise. But that's probably got a lot to do with the way I play games (in short bursts over long time periods).

  • Goodfella #163 2 years ago

    Someone call a waambulance for Biker Bob. RPG purist? LOLOLOL.

    As a long running fan of FF games I love it personally, the only game I couldn't get on with was FFXII, now that was boring!

  • sfp_noodle #164 2 years ago

    sorry, but are the people saying 'wait til u reach the 20 hour mark' actually serious? u guys are basically admitting tht the game sucks til u reach half way thru the game! a mundane game is a mundane game. any game tht forces u to play 20 hours before it gets going has failed. NONE of the previous FF games made u wait even half tht time before the games actually sucked u in and got the player involved.

  • DoctorZoidberg #165 2 years ago

    @ noodle / bob

    I got about 3 / 4 hours in last night, and I wouldn't call it boring or dull at all. (to contradict my own earlier statements before i played it!)

    I really enjoyed X, and I really enjoyed VIII. I personally didn't like VII that much (from what I remember, in fact I bet most people who sing the heavens with VII can't even remember what it was really like - tinted glasses).

    I know I'm only a short way in, but "weak story"? Its one of the most well layed out story's I've seen for AGESS for people who bother to read the data files. And poor movie quality? Are you joking? I don't know what you've been playing but the graphics have been great... I think your trying to play the "cool to hate & I'm a game snob for the sake of it" cards.

    I'll give you the irritating characters (at least two of them) I found the rest of the cast to be pretty solid. Your always going to get stereotypes, because thats what characters are! Its how you define whos good at what and their back story!

    I'll be the first to admit its not for everyone... but is any game? I'm enjoying it, your not. Simple as that, but theres no reason to go around slatting it unfairly just because you don't like it. Theres plenty more games out there. I think you just enjoy the conflict and told yourself you wouldn't like it before you even got it. Stop being so purist.

    Edit :

    I see you've put Lost Odyssey as a game that gripped you. Thats quite interesting because that game is equally as linear, and equally as slow to get going as FFXIII.... And had more than its fair share of irritating characters (those bloody kids!)

    I'm not berating it, I really enjoyed it, but its odd that you have opposing views on such similar games.
    Edited by 1 at 10/03/10 @ 16:08

  • sfp_noodle #166 2 years ago

    @ doctorzoidberg

    erm if u read my comment im actually not thinking im cool to hate. neither am i a gaming snob. in fact i have one of the most diverse gaming libraries which range from the mega drive and snes era upto now. thts what, 2 decades worth? ive played enough games to know whats good and whats not and ive certainly played alot of FF games in tht time.. like u, i expressed my opinion, and as a long standing FF fan, i have a right to, like every other gamer. but not once did i make out my opinion to be elitist or tht im 'slating' a game because people think its cool. simple fact is, and this applies to ANY game out there - if it holds ur hand and bores u to death for 20 hours before letting u in then its failed. i dnt care what name the game has. if god of war 3, gears of war 3 or evn the next mass effect ends up being shit i will never let a series buy me with jus its name. pro evolution soccer is the perfect example in tht i was a big fan for just over a decade. i made the switch to fifa because its BETTER. in the same way, the latest final fantasy is not as good as previous ones. in my opinion, it is boring, and even a good battle system can only take u so far.

  • ActivisionMustPerish #167 2 years ago

    Maybe its not only the game people are disappointed about, maybe the direction of RPG's in general. True console RPG's have been on the decline for years in quantity and quality the same, I believe most producers would rather make an MMORPG for the PC.

    Hardcore Fans of not only Final Fantasy but RPGS in general all share a basic understanding that Final Fantasy is one of the last Elite RPG titled series out there and with launch day approaching...

    Maybe this is how it went for you... you feel relieved almost refreshed and prepare by heading out to the store to get some snacks and maybe some pop to keep your eyes from slamming shut later because you don't want to miss anything, obviously anticipating that you'll be playing this all night.you go and pick up the game as quickly as possible its now 12:01. You finally have the game in your hand and your home its now 12:02 ;). You slowly unwrap it and read the book a little just because you want to drag this out as much as you can. Book looks good, throw it down on the table and put the game in, and its amazing...incredible...stunning visuals a great start, You think Whoa I cant wait to get out of here and into the world and begin my journey, A few hours pass and you are still in this "Dungeon" you think Hrmmm, I really cant wait to get out of this dungeon, what is this shit, more time passes however and no amount of sugar can keep you awake now. The next morning you awake, maybe I was just tired or just dreamed the game sucked, after a few more hours of play you come to the conclusion, yep this definitely sucks moose balls...I guess ill finish it as quickly as possible, as I would like to get a good share of my money back by selling it at auction.
    Edited by 1 at 10/03/10 @ 18:19

  • dannyboi #168 2 years ago

    ^ lol sensational ^

  • smithmaria #169 2 years ago

    I take reviews with a grain of salt. One person may love it, one may hate it. Until I try it my judgement cannot be made. Besides, being Final Fantasy, I am physically compelled to purchase it. Also, my fiance would probably punch me if I didn't.

    online payday loans

  • Collymilad #170 2 years ago

    Just got this and have only played a few hours so far.

    First of I would say so far I like it. I'm a long time fan of FF and my favorite is VII (yes :p) but I'm enjoying this. Could be because I had read a lot of reviews/comments and so was ready for the way the game would play out (linear) but I like the battle system and to be honest outside the world map it isn't that different in linearity to previous FF's.

    I agree with one previous comment about FF's being linear on the whole being BS though. It is simplification - they aren't linear as the world map allows you to go anywhere and do anything, saying it's linear just because certain places on that map progress the story is ridiculous. Even if it is an "illusion" that doesn't make it have any less of an impact as human beings are easily fooled.

    Also, Lost Odyssey was not as linear as this game, it had a world map which automatically makes that untrue. I know XIII opens up later on, but when you're caged for 20 hours that had to be taken into account as well.

    Now don't get me wrong, as I said I'm enjoying this, but it is quite different and more restrictive than previous FF's from what I've played so far.

  • Dafridge #171 2 years ago

    I bought this game with excitment having loved FF7 and FF8 and tolerated FF9 and creamed myself on FF10 and blocked out all memories of FFX2 and cried over FF11 and FF12 and now...
    I deliberately avoided all reviews and have spent the last 12 months with my hands over my ears going blah blah blah hoping to hear nothing about this game because I was always going to buy and always going to love it...until I played it.

    I put in 4 hours and went...huh then read the reviews and these messages then put in another 4 hours and after 8 hours its the same lifeless boring dull character-less disappointment. someone said earlier that he played 20 hours and now has access to everything and thats just stupid. That means I have to put in another 12 hrs to get to the goods? Even if that is true its simply not worth it! I think its time to accept that either FF series has changed for the worse or my gaming tastes have changed but I would much rather put 70 hours into Dragon age or fallout or oblivion and get the full pay off of the game within an hour of playing. Trade this in and get god of war and just pretend the final fantasy series ended on a high with tidus and get on with life!

  • Arwin #172 2 years ago

    After having played the game for 10 hours (and it looks like I may just play this game more than any previous game, which I never finished), I think this review about exactly matches what I think of the game! It's narrow to a fault and lacks the excitement of living in a strange new world, but while that limits the game to story, fighting, and upgrading, the last two are polished and streamlined, and the best I've had so far.

  • oerhoert #173 2 years ago

    <em>"Its one of the most well layed out story's I've seen for AGESS for people who bother to read the data files"</em>

    Which is a bit like saying that Attack of the Clones was a great movie for people who read all the books. Nobody cares about the fucking data files. With the budget FFXIII has, there's every reason to expect that the story should work and engage without having to trudge through boring data files. The whole idea should have died with Mass Effect.

    Other than that, though, I really love the game.

    <em>"Also, Lost Odyssey was not as linear as this game, it had a world map which automatically makes that untrue."</em>

    I did nothing but proceed along the obvious path for the entire first disc of Lost Odyssey, so I can't say I get what you're trying to say.
    Edited by 1 at 29/03/10 @ 14:13

  • fongy #174 2 years ago

    Well... after taking the plunge to buy this... and 14 hours in... I have to say... it's tough going...
    Don't get me wrong... graphics, story, sound, etc. all very nice and lovely... but...
    There's no engagement with the environments at all - it's literally run down a nicely presented corridor, stop to have a fight, run a bit more, stop to fight... rinse and repeat..
    I'm determined to get to that elusive 25 hour-mark where it 'opens up' - but games shouldn't be this painful to get through (especially considering it's only the first 'half')
    My last FF was X - and I loved every aspect of it... and I do love this... but be warned... you really really really have to invest time in this game - and it could be argued that it isn't worth it...

  • Aboutstu #175 2 years ago

    I've just hit the 10 hour mark with with Final Fantasy XIII and like everyone else have mixed feelings.......

    It's true the liner corridor thing is the most restricted of any FF yet, The combat systems still feels vague, and don't get me started on the restricted levelling up.

    But it's not with out it's charms.... the story is very typical but I still find it engaging, most of the Cut scenes amazing, and I still get a that tingle when the boss music starts...... something I only get from Final Fantasy Games!

    I enjoy it more playing in short bursts....... The last FF I had played was X and played nothing else from start to finish in between. This i can play after a session of Halo for about half an hour before bed..... It's like a book!

    I'm cracking on with it smiling.... and reserving judgement till then.... but so far it's a 8/10 for me!

    Whatever your view on Edge Mags 5/10 was ridiculous and think it was only done to get us looking, talking and buying about "That" review.... Very clever really!

  • himmelsturmerIX #176 2 years ago

    It is really linear until chapter 9. I don't particularly like the environment design. I hope in future FF game we can choose the language the character is speaking, i really hate Sazh dub.
    Fighting is fun. But I ended up using auto because it is to fast for me to choose a specific action. Just make sure to use libra first if you fight a previously unknown enemy so your character can use appropriate techniques.
    Fighting in FFXIII for me ended up being managing paradigm, not managing individual action. I miss town, I miss shops like you get in traditional JRPG.
    Do I enjoy FFXIII? yes. But I would not play it again when I finish it. Why because I simply refuse to play chapter 1 - 9 again. I already know the story and there is no alternative path for me to explore for the 2nd time.
    So I gave it 7/10.

  • Discalceaterabbit #177 2 years ago

    15-20hrs in and you're still getting new facets of the combat and character development system.

    Any game that takes more than 20 hours to teach its mechanics is a bad game.
    Forthose people who say that the story is great "if you read the data files", well, thats what books are for.
    If you want to produce a fantastic story, do that and charge a fiver for a book.
    If you want to produce a fantastic animation, do that, and charge a tenner for the DVD.
    If you have a weak story, but great animation, and the slightest amount of interacitvity, stick "Final Fantasy" in the title and charge £45 for it.



    3/10

  • abjhone #178 2 years ago

    I appreciate the effort and its been really useful information.
    dell coupon codes

  • Chibi-Kibou #179 1 year ago

    Well, I'm coming in terribly late; it'll be a wonder if anyone reads this. Buut.. whatever.

    This review was, for me, perfect. Bang on the money - though a few faults it highlighted (though not all, many I would've wanted to see fixed myself if it were possible) are things that for me are more like artistic choices than anything else. Characters for instance. Yeah, they're stereotypical in many cases, but that said I don't care because this is the first of all the Final Fantasies I've played that was finally, truly Character Driven. For once the game didn't stop bothering to develop its characters halfway through, and instead try to placate me with revelations and epic-ness instead of proper growth. I haven't had this sort of RPG storyline gratification since Grandia .. except maybe for Suikodens II and V.

    Quite frankly, I only had two real, serious complaints: 1: the lack of the Japanese voice track.. Stupid XBox limitations and Square-Enix attempts to be fair (or, in my opinion, pressure from Microsoft) denied me a much more enjoyable second playthrough. 2: Vanille. Her character was brilliant. The revelation about her was relatively predictable, but the way she dealt with that truth was extremely well-deployed, just like the really nice way Hope's character went and all. But Vanille's voice actress was, for me, horrible, and crippled what should have been the game's most appealing character. I would give a lot to be able to play it with the Japanese voice track, if only to see Vanille with a voice that didn't undermine her.
    Edited by 6 at 01/01/11 @ 12:37