RPG Corner: Lightning Returns

Final Fantasy 13 ushered in Fabula Nova Crystallis, a brand-new series mythos defined by games featuring crystals whose significance were tied to Gods and/or God-like powers.

Its announcement seemed like a fresh start for the franchise with an aesthetically beautiful world ready to be explored in future entries. Fast forward to launch, however, and Final Fantasy 13's mixed reception poked holes in Square Enix's plans. While it featured dense lore, much of it was buried in menus, making it a haphazard investment for many people when coupled with the unbalanced distribution between cinematics and player agency.

[Teflon02]

My only issue with lightning returns is the time limit honestly. Otherwise fantastic game

[Darkwatchman]

The game gives you enough time to do everything. I completed all 5 main quests with 5 days left on the clock.

[Teflon02]

It's not about it giving you more than enough time. A time constraint in any form was my issue. Doesn't matter how simple it is. As a person who likes to 100% things and take my time. I hate the idea of something that is made to make you feel like your under any form of constraint. Even if new game plus exists. The only way I'm fine with time is like Persona, Trails of Cold steel etc. Where you decide on what you're doing before time goes forward. I play some games with time constraints and while the games I liked like Lightning Returns and the PS3 Atelier titles. As a person who likes to complete everything. Even if easy or not, it becomes a annoyance for me

[Darkwatchman]

again, the game gives you more than enough time. There are other time-restrictive games that actually force you to micromanage carefully to make sure you can even complete the main story. I remember barely getting by the main story of one of the Atelier games. With this, I had 5 whole days left over JUST to do side quests. There some annoying side quests and canvas of prayer missions that are more bothersome than they're worth, but if I care enough to actively seek them out and the item drops I need, I'd be able to 100% the quests by the final day.

Other games of this nature, only give you enough time to beat the main story and do some side stuff if you're careful. This game gives you enough time to 100% it as long as you don't escape from battles constantly, which eats up an hour of time, but that's it. Lightning Returns has the clock to "pressure" the player, but it's actually incredibly lenient with how much time it gives the player to see and do everything.

[rainslacker]

I'm playing Atelier sophie now, and they threw away the limited time mechanic. Instead, they went into weeks and weekends, so you have more time to casually do stuff, and don't have to worry so much about missing character story events...although there are apparently a couple that require you pay attention to the time.

[rainslacker]

I didn't mind the time limit, but the time constraints and having to wait for certain things was a pain. Plus, too much potential to miss things if you didn't pay enough attention. It was like some of the atelier games, but without the interesting time mechanics.

Other than that, the biggest problem I had with it was that it threw away most of the lore of the first two games to make up a non-sensical plot which didn't have anything to do with anything that had been done before but to take away all the interesting aspects of the characters that did exist.

The game play was really good though, and what content was there for that was a lot of fun to play, and it had a pretty deep combat system.

[Segata]

All 3 of the games are bad but this was easily the worst of the 3. On top of it just being bad it felt like the most budget of the 3. Meaningless sidequests. More corridors and bad platforming. Horrible story and a shit Majoras Mask mechanic.

[AK91]

Lighting Returns should have been called Valkyrie Profile: Lightning Edition or something it’s not an FF game and meant to be a spiritual successor to Valkyrie Profile.

[Elda]

The worst out of the 3 especially with the time issue & the cheap graphics. FFXIII will always be my top favorite next to FFX.

[FullmetalRoyale]

More like Lightning: Never Come Back.