Turbo Review: Final Fantasy XIII vs. Alex

Add Fang to my list of favorite JRPG characters

Final Fantasy XIII changes paradigm to Relentless Assault!

• Characters are diverse and conflicts between the group members are interesting
• Story is straight forward and enjoyable... for the first half of the game.
• Graphics, both in game and cinematic, are incredible.
• New battle/character development system is engaging, tactical, and makes you feel like every decision is important.

Alex casts Ruinga!

• Story becomes convoluted during the second half of the game.
• Lack of clear motivation / enemy during second half of the game.
• Vague weapons system will leave you clueless without using a guide.
• A few cheap, unavoidable battles, where enemy may 1-hit kill you.
• Side quests are more boring and uninspired than quests in MMOs.

Battle Summary:

I'm going to assume you have all read other reviews or played FFXIII, and also I assume that many of you are wondering why "linear" didn't show up under my negative list above.  That is because i don't think the game being linear is bad, but rather differet.  In fact in terms of story and characters, I thought Final Fantasy XIII shone brightest during the first 25-30 hours, and I felt the game nose dived at the point most reviews say the game becomes enjoyable.  While the battle system becomes more enjoyable when you reach the "open world" section, the rest of the game suffers greatly.  I felt like I wasn't making progress in the "open world" and the side quests were so terribly boring (hint hint: all quests require you to kill a specific enemy.)

That being said, I really enjoyed Final Fantasy XIII, more so than FFX and FFXII, and it got me back into JRPGs for the first time since the beginning of this generation.  The game is long, it took me 42 hours to beat, and that is with only a few hours of side quests.  For those of you who don't play many games, this may be great news, but personally I felt so incredibly relieved (and satisfied) when Final Fantasy XIII was finally over.  This game is very different than from other Final Fantasy games, and you may find yourself disappointed at first, but give it a chance and you may find a lot to like.

Turbo Value: $50/$60

(msrp $60) score explanation...

About Alex

Alex has always had an interesting in technology and a love for games. He started gaming with Mario Bros. at the age of 2 and never looked back. He looks fondly on the past and eagerly toward the future as he spits the truth about the currant landscape of the video game world.