Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII Review - FF And More

Final Fantasy And More's Erin writes:
"In the end, the game hardly feels worthy of being called a Final Fantasy game and, quite honestly tried to be far too ambitious. It is truly disappointing that this is one of the last Final Fantasy titles that we will see on PS3 and XBox 360."

[Potnoodle999]

XV please!

[3-4-5]

This game is getting not so hot reviews all around so far.

Hopefully Square takes notices at How people feel about this series and then they compare it to Bravely Default.

If they were smart they would understand which direction to head.

I like how FF15 looks though. Has potential.

[pupa]

Wow

[Dirkster_Dude]

I liked the combat in the demo and the graphics, but that isn't enough for me in this case. I need a decent story and so far several websites have said the story is not very good. Going from point A to B is only fun if you feel it is worthwhile and for me that means a decent story.

[DragonKnight]

"The series started off strong with a good story with a great mythology to back it up."

No it didn't.

"That said, the story is pretty much non-existent and what does try to exist is just a huge mess."

Just like the first game.

"While playing I often times found myself just sitting there going “whatever” or browsing stuff on a computer instead of trying to pay attention."

Reminiscent of the first game's "Press X to win" style.

Basically, this review applies to the whole series. That this reviewer didn't seem to see that in the other 2 games but did see it in this one is perplexing.

A score this low for a Final Fantasy game would have never happened pre-FFXIII unless the reviewer really hated JRPGs or FF in general. That Final Fantasy has sunken this low is criminal and disgusting.

To elda, Erryk, and the other FFXIII fanboys/fangirls who are going to complain about my comment, it's your fault for reading it.

To AdmiralSnake, I have you on ignore so don't bother replying to me because it won't be seen and, again, you'd be wasting your time.

[LiViNgLeGaCY]

I completely agree with everything you just typed. I can't believe people actually defend this awful series.

[JasonRoseEh]

Agreed and I've seen this in a few reviews now. The story was never good from the get go, same for the mythology. The series vastly improved with XIII-2 and the scores were lower. By all accounts, I expect LR to be better than the original and that's fine with me.

[NarooN]

Agreed totally. I have no idea why people somehow try to defend this series (XIII) and pretend that it's actually not trash compared to previous installments.

[rainslacker]

"To elda, Erryk, and the other FFXIII fanboys/fangirls who are going to complain about my comment, it's your fault for reading it."

So. Your word is final, and anyone who has a dissenting opinion counter to your own shouldn't express it? Why do you bother visiting forums then, as you really did nothing to add to the discussion except make some vague comments that were counter to the article's opinion. What makes you so special?

The first game did have a good story, and a deep mythology. The mythos itself is apparently deep enough to carry everyone's precious FF savior FFXV.
The story however was delivered poorly, and some of the characters were bland. The story was a huge mess in the first game due to it. The 2nd games story was more concise, but confusing early on due to all the time travel hopping, and SE trying to explain it with too much detail instead of just letting the player fill in the blanks.

Play style was a variation of the battle system used in FFX-2, with different roles provided by the paradigm system. Take it for what it's worth, but outside of the regular level fodder monsters, if you just pressed X the whole time you would probably die unless you significantly out-leveled the enemies. The 2nd game refined this and made it more engaging.

I'm not going to agree or disagree with the reviews until I play it, but since I doubt you've played the game yet, I feel you're just using this review as a way to hate on the series. You can do better than just spouting off some random fanboy hate that adds nothing of value to the discussion.

[DragonKnight]

"So. Your word is final, and anyone who has a dissenting opinion counter to your own shouldn't express it? Why do you bother visiting forums then, as you really did nothing to add to the discussion except make some vague comments that were counter to the article's opinion. What makes you so special?"

Wow. I would expect this kind of response from a few here on the site, but to see you fabricate such a conclusion is very surprising. I didn't say I'm special, I didn't say my word is final, I'm pre-empting their comments that they are going to make to me. They don't like to see certain comments about these games and always complain when they have to see them. I'm telling them that if they don't like what I'm saying, it's their own fault for reading my comment. They have the option to not read what I have to say since they never like what I have to say.

As for the rest of your rant, I'm not interested in hearing erroneous praise for terrible games and I've never said FFXV is a saviour of anything. FFXV only has the mythos of FFXIII because of what it originally was, which was Versus XIII and part of an original trilogy of very different games in the Fabula Nova Crystallis series. To completely recreate FFXV to have absolutely nothing to do with the mythos would mean an even longer wait and the marketing nightmare that would ensue in having to explain such.

"I'm not going to agree or disagree with the reviews until I play it, but since I doubt you've played the game yet, I feel you're just using this review as a way to hate on the series. You can do better than just spouting off some random fanboy hate that adds nothing of value to the discussion."

The game has been out in Japan for quite awhile now and I've been able to absorb all that I need to about this game. The graphics are sub-par even when compared to the first FFXIII game. The story is, like this review has stated, practically non-existent. What this game is is SE's attempt to please too many people while maintaining their own already flawed vision for the trilogy. When you see the ending of this game, you'll understand even more. For goodness sake, there isn't even a frickin' leveling system. A Final Fantasy game that DOESN'T have a leveling system. Dat Perfection. *rolls eyes*

I love how people talk. They complain about negative opinions and say they "add nothing of value to the discussion" which really means that only positive or neutral things to say have any value. Basically, coddle the feelings of the minority that love this trilogy because they have to feel good about supporting such an abomination of a series that has departed so much from what made the franchise great.

Face the facts. These games are terrible. No one wanted this sequel, and with each successive FFXIII game that releases, less and less people buy it and the review scores get lower and lower.

FFXII, a game that was incredibly divisive among fans, has a 92 score average. 92.

FFXIII has an 83.
FFXIII-2 has a 79
FFXIII-3 currently sits at 68.

FFXIII is the best selling game of this trilogy and sold based on expectation alone. People wised up for XIII-2 and indications, at least in Japan, of how successful XIII-3 will be are worse than the first game, possibly worse than the second game.

The writing is on the walls here. The games score progressively lower, sell progressively worse, and that is really for one reason only.

[rainslacker]

I don't mind constructive criticism, or discussing any game, but you come across as anyone who has a differing opinion is a fan boy and not worth your time. I disagree with the vague way in which you state your opinion, although I've seen you discuss it enough in the past that you can make more meaningful arguments, and overall I know what your opinion is on the game. But your responses to the article were just short and final, with no elaboration as to why you felt that way. That's why I say you add nothing of value to the discussion. Your comments come across as nothing more than how any fan boy would react to something they don't like.

I also disagree with you and believe that the game/s isn't as bad as you make it out to be, but I do agree it doesn't live up to the overall legacy of prior FF games. Too many people make it out like it's the worst game/s ever, which it isn't. So a game like this, which has high production values, a decent(yes I think the story is decent, although not amazing) story, and is not broken deserves a 5, while other games which are broken on release, have mediocre to no story deserve 7 or 8's, if not more? Speaking of course of the series as a whole. Isn't it logical to conclude that people are holding this game to a higher standard just because of the FF name? I don't necessarily disagree with doing so, but a game's overall worth should always be tied to it's individual entry. As a series, there are a lot of people that like it, and yes, even lightning. Are they wrong? Are they fan boys? Are your subjective feelings on the matter how other people should feel as well, and if they don't, are they not able to discuss it without being dismissed before hand by you not even willing to listen to what they have to say?

Anyhow, my "rant" as you so dismissed it, isn't against your opinion. Your feelings for the game are subjective. My rant was wondering why you feel it's not worth discussing, and you just do a pre-emptive dismissal of any opinion that is differing than your own. Why even worry if your opinion is going to offend others, in particular those who you call out directly? People who like to instigate stuff do that, and again, you can post better comments than that as witnessed by other comments you make around N4G.

I'm one of those people that like the series enough to buy and play it, which I'll do tonight since I got it through Amazon. Metacritic be damned. I will make my own conclusions on the game as I have done with the prior ones.

There are a lot of people who hate on this series. But, there are obviously enough people out there who want to finish the series, as SE sees enough sales to make it worth producing another game.

[DragonKnight]

"I don't mind constructive criticism..."

I didn't feel like making a huge comment on it at the time, which is why I picked points that I did and made the comments that I did. What it boils down to is that this author's complaints about 13-3 have been present since the first game and it's surprising that he only sees it now, in the final game of the trilogy. He claims the first game had an amazing story with a deep mythos, but it didn't. What it had was a poorly constructed, convoluted mess that you had to read in game while it was actually happening. And then he has the nerve to say that his game lacks a story? Did he play the other 2 games or even look them up? I could have easily gone into every point that he made, but at the time I didn't feel like it.

"I also disagree with you..."

Allow me to tell you some of the words I have heard associated with this trilogy in terms of reviews.

"Decent", "Serviceable", "Worth Playing", "A Good Attempt."

These are words that, until now, have never applied to a Final Fantasy game. Not unless the reviewer already had a pre-existing bias against RPGs in general. Think Yahtzee from The Escapist for examples of that kind of reviewer. I am stating outright that the game is that bad, that the series is that bad, and that it is the worst ever Final Fantasy in existence. From FF1 to FFXIV, no other Final Fantasy game comes close to the level of terrible that this trilogy has.

From convoluted, terribly told stories (and in some cases a lack of a story completely), to bland and uninspired characters, to the most linear RPG you'll ever play in your life, to auto-battling, the only saving grace of the Final Fantasy trilogy is the graphics and the music. In FF13-3 the environmental graphics suffer greatly, while the in-game battle graphics suffer from far too many particle effects and a "flash over substance" style. Clearly 13-3 was built around its version of the dress up mechanics from FFX-2, which is funnily enough a better game than every FF13 game in existence. I'll not comment on the baited argument involving scores you presented as I have made no statement or implication in any fashion which you present.

The issue you had with the quote you presented in your first comment is taken completely out of context. You either don't know my interaction with the users I specified, in which case your comment shouldn't exist as it lacks vital information, or you don't understand it.

To be clear, the people I referenced do not want criticism of the game, they only want people discussing it positively because they are tired of hearing negative opinions about the game.

I'm simply telling them to not waste our time with telling me they don't want to hear it, as well as similar fanboys of this series. And yes, fanboys is the term I'm using for good reason.

[DragonKnight]

Part 2

"Anyhow, my "rant" as you so dismissed it.."

Nowhere did I state, or imply, that it's not worth discussing. I was telling certain individuals that they are wasting their time replying to my comment with comments talking about how they don't like me talking negatively about the game, and don't want to hear it. Again, you're lacking crucial information.

"I'm one of those people that like the series enough to buy and play it.."

Good for you. I'm going to be honest and tell you that you're making a mistake, and it's my personal opinion that people who like this series are showing poor taste in games and contributing to the further dilution of a once great franchise by supporting Toriyama's idea that the player should have less and less interaction with the game world and simply be along for the ride. He has stated himself that that's the direction he wants FF to go, and that's why this trilogy exists as his experiment to that end. I cannot and will not condone that kind of experiment, and I do have the right to voice that opinion at any time just as you have the right to say "I like the series and am going to buy/play it." That's not an attack on you as a person, it's my opinion on your taste in games.

"There are a lot of people who hate on this series..."

The majority hate the series, and SE would have gone through with this trilogy unless the games sold under a million copies. They are trying to capture the FFXIII success with the sequels and won't. FFXIII sold on expectation, not quality.

You don't even have to take my word, or metacritic's word for it. The sales prove how much people do not want these games. Thankfully this is that last of the trilogy and I personally hope to never see Lightning again.

[Knightofelemia]

$20 bin for me not paying full price for this title when there are other games coming out.

[izumo_lee]

This is what happens when a Japanese developer tries to hard to westernize their games to appeal to a wider audience instead of catering to their already loyal fan base.

Squarenix saw how popular linear shooters were in the west and made their bread and butter similar in format. I said it many times on N4G that by itself the Final Fantasy 13 series are good games but they bare the Final Fantasy name. With that name comes greater expectations and in many the 13 series just didn't reach those expectations.

Hopefully Squarenix and Toriyama can finally move away from Final Fantasy 13.

[Cryptcuzz]

Why in the world would they want to make a JRPG more like a Westernize shooter is beyond me (I know why MONEY)

The whole point of it being a JRPG is that its gameplay, world, characters, etc are that of the opposite to Western Shooters.

I too hope they learn from this and see that their fans are not too happy with how the XIII series has turned out critically.

Go back to making a more traditional FF game. Have your devs play the previous entry in the series over and over again util they understand why so many people liked the series in the first place. Hell look at Bravely Default as a renewed inspiration of what that is.

If I had to sum it up why I myself did not enjoy the XIII series as much as I would have with previous entries in the series:

The lore and characters. If the player couldn't relate or care for why they are fighting, then everything else will seem like a chore. If the characters are pretty and nice looking, what is the point if they lack character, personality and originality that makes them memorable?

Even FFX was more of a linear game compared to previous versions of the series. But when I was playing it, I wanted to find out who or what is Sin. I wanted to see how things turned out for Tidus and Yuna. Spira had character and personality and that's the world and not even a character! Every character from Auron to Wakka was likable. Yuna has an awesome ability and that is to summon badass Aeons, like series staple Ifrit and Shiva. I wanted to see what other cool summons there would be in the game. Not like the mechanical summons in XIII that seemed so off putting and weird. If they wanted a more western approach in terms of linearity in gameplay, they done it right before with that game.