It’s been almost four years since fans of the Final Fantasy series got their hands on the 12th instalment. The long wait, along with loss of console exclusivity, has led to high expectations for the 13th game in the Final Fantasy series. As one might expect, Square Enix has implemented some radical new features that many RPGs of the future are sure to adopt yet there are some major flaws that taint an otherwise fantastic game.

It’s impossible to discuss any Final Fantasy game without mentioning the story and plot actions. In Final Fantasy XIII, you take control of Lightning, an inhabitant of Cocoon, along with her posse in a quest to discover the truth about why their people are so afraid of the inhabitants of Pulse. The gang come into contact with a fal’Cie, a mysterious mechanical being with godlike powers, in the exposition which brands them as l’Cie. Each l’Cie has a Focus given to them by the fal’Cie which they have to complete within a set time period, otherwise they turn into monster-like beings named Cie’th. It’s all very confusing to being with, as the game delves straight into story progression before setting the scene. I was confused as to what I was fighting towards to begin with. In addition to cut scenes are dialogue, the Datalog is used to portray story information. After each Chapter, you can enter the Datalog to read in more detail what has happened. It’s a feature I had to rely on for a few hours until I had a full understanding of the world and the motives behind the characters. The character progression is mostly sound as secret pasts get revealed and new opinions are formed. It is somewhat impossible to not be frustrated with some of the characters, especially in the exposition. In this respect, Square Enix have sought to broaden the appeal of the franchise by adding “witty” retorts which in reality are just awkward. It also seems that Nomura’s characters have become a stereotype of themselves. Hope is the quiet, troubled teenager who blows up later in the story. Vanille is the annoying, boppy, squeaky young girl who is rather disturbingly turned in a sex object. The characters broaden out as the game progresses, yet, certainly in the exposition, they grate on you and prevent the story from being clearly explained. The most frustrating aspect of the story is that it takes an incredibly long time to become totally engrossing. Final Fantasy XIII is the first in the series to have the “magic” that entices you into the world. It took nearly 15 hours for the plot action to really ramp up and become the tale of danger and adventure that you expect from a Final Fantasy game.

The Active Time Battle system returns in this instalment with some changes that really make battles feel more intense. You only fully control one character in battles, yet you can influence the actions of you two AI controlled allies. You have the usual assortment of spells and abilities at your disposal which can be unlocked by using the Crystarium system. The system is easily comparable to Final Fantasy X’s Sphere Grid system. You use points earned by battling to progress through a grid, some of which have multiple paths, in order to earn stat upgrades along with new abilities. There are different grids for the different “classes” which have a pivotal role in combat. At any time during a battle, you can Paradigm Shift into another class. This system can again be compared to a system found in another Final Fantasy game, this time X-2’s Dress Sphere system. As you progress, you unlock new classes, some of which have defensive advantages, other have healing advantages etc. For the first few hours, battling can be tedious as your one character has few abilities and classes to use. Yet as you progress, the battle system is arguably one of the best ever in a Final Fantasy game. The ATB makes battles feel intense while the Paradigm Shift system allows for micro managing which becomes a necessity as you battle tougher foes.

The presentation in Final Fantasy XIII is impeccable. The characters are intensely detailed and fit in well with the beautifully crafted world. A great deal of time has obviously gone into recreating the folds, stitching and texture of all clothing items. The characters’ animation is largely excellent with realistic facial expressions and body language that closely mimics various human mannerisms. The cliché running animation that looks your character is running against a strong wind has been a staple of many Japanese games is present in Final Fantasy XIII; at first it looks goofy but you soon realise that much of your time will spent watching the animation so it’s better than a stale animation. The CG scenes are simply stunning. The minute detail really makes the world come alive. Most cut scenes are well choreographed yet sometimes suffer from severe lack of action. Many scenes near the beginning feature stationary characters delivering lines which soon become a bore to watch.

Square Enix have crafted a world full of mystery and legend yet poor pacing taints an otherwise wholly enjoyable story. The battle system has been tweaked to near perfection. Battles are fast, engrossing and cater to many play styles. The graphics, sound and general presentation really excel due to attention to detail and the user friendly interface. Final Fantasy XIII is an investment beyond monetary. Any player who wishes to consume everything the game has to offer will have to invest many many hours and wade through a sloppy and tedious opening.

+ Simply sublime presentation; astonishing graphics, moving music and mostly solid animation

+Fast and responsive battle system

- Very slow opening

- Annoying characters taint a largely fascinating and interesting array of characters

8.5/10

By Cameron Milne Posted Monday, March 22nd, 2010 11:32 pm