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Customer Review
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 30, 2011
I find it rather hilarious that people scream and flail when SE, maker of FF games, comes out with an FF title that's too similar to the old formula, and criticize them for making "another cookie cutter FF game," but when SE attempt something that's completely different in a bid to answer those who screamed about how there's nothing new, they get whammed with a ton of criticism for how the older games are so much better.
I guess you can never give people what they want? lol
I've personally played FF2 (4), FF3 (6), FF7, 8, 9, X, and 12. All of them have their goods and bads, and I will say that I like certain FF games more than other. However, all FF games have their own merits, and that's certainly the case with FF13 now. Personally I thought FF8 and X were crap compared to FF13, but those two were hailed as awesome while FF13 get slammed.
FF13 has its faults, some of which are mentioned over and over again like a mantra. Yes it is linear, I get the point. FF13 is almost like a direct reaction to FF12. FF12 was criticized for being too open (people apparently went into areas they weren't supposed to at their level and got slaughtered. SE's fault? not really when you're the one who runs off into other areas and expect SE to hold your hands...and they put that exploration there because you were yelling for it) and how the over arching plot is not very strong. The towns were also supposedly too large so people got lost in there and wasted too much time running around trying to find the shops (i'm guilty of that one). The characters were also rather flat. In direct contrast to that, SE decides to move toward the direction people seemed to have been yelling for...which is a more story and character focused game. The linearity is there to keep your attention at the story and characters, and honestly, if you're supposed to be hated by the citizens of the world you're running around on, i really doubt you can just stroll into town and be like "yo, gimme somma that weapon you got there...you know, so i can go destroy your ruling government and potentially destroy your lives."
The battle system itself is, personally speaking, really fun. In the beginning it was a little slow, but i rather appreciate the slow leading up toward the craziness that was later battles. I'm also quite glad that characters are fully healed after each battle, and the retry option...as I've had to use it a few times. Yet the game is well balanced enough that I really didn't have to use that option too many times. It's only when i'm being very irresponsible during battle that I pay for it by having to redo. Boss battles are suitably difficult enough that typically it never feels like i'm banging my head against a wall (unlike some other games). SE did a great job with ramping the players up from a complete n00b to someone who can really make use of the entire configuration and battle system.
It is also true that the story and character development also had its faults. There are no notable villains in the game that really stood out, and in many ways, the focus was more on each character having to fight against something within themselves in order to move on and reach the goal. But the following completely made that a minor issue in my world.
The true standout in the game (aside from the battle system) is the presentation. Graphics are absolutely amazing no matter where you go, the characters are awesome looking, and the voice acting is the cream of the crop. I normally dislike English dubbings for anything Japanese (jrpg or anime), but after beating FF13 and then started Star Ocean The Last Hope on PS3 (International edition which have Japanese language) in Japanese, I actually find even the original Japanese voices craptastic compared to the English dubbed voice acting in FF13. The voices fit the characters (though Vanille and Hope could use a smidgen of help, but not awful by any stretch of the imagination) and are completely emotional and believable. Every cutscene and every interaction between the characters are awesome to watch, particularly some of the early to mid game scenes (scenes before Chapter 11 are better imo, probably due to the urgency of the story line, whereas the story became a little more loosely structured after Chapter 11 along with the opening of the explorable world).
I suppose this game isn't for everyone, but if it wasn't marked as an FF game, I'll bet it would've been more raved about than criticized against. the FF name tag unfortunately screwed over several awesome games just because the expectation from all the fans are typically far higher than can be achieved at that point in time (with that amount of development time). Even FF8, which is my absolute most hated FF game, deserve a "it's pretty good...if it's not an FF game." Truth of the matter is, everyone goes into each FF game with a preconceived notion of what it should be, not what it actually is. Funnily enough, due to busy work and other issues in my life during the period when FF13 was being advertised, I actually went into this game with very little expectation at all. As a result, i loved it.
For those who hated it due to comparing it with old FF games, well, you can always just completely drop the FF franchise, replay your old games, and stick with other games since you probably will never like another FF game. For those who aren't sure if they want to play FF13, just go into it with an open mind and less expectations, and i think you'd be very happy with your purchase.
I guess you can never give people what they want? lol
I've personally played FF2 (4), FF3 (6), FF7, 8, 9, X, and 12. All of them have their goods and bads, and I will say that I like certain FF games more than other. However, all FF games have their own merits, and that's certainly the case with FF13 now. Personally I thought FF8 and X were crap compared to FF13, but those two were hailed as awesome while FF13 get slammed.
FF13 has its faults, some of which are mentioned over and over again like a mantra. Yes it is linear, I get the point. FF13 is almost like a direct reaction to FF12. FF12 was criticized for being too open (people apparently went into areas they weren't supposed to at their level and got slaughtered. SE's fault? not really when you're the one who runs off into other areas and expect SE to hold your hands...and they put that exploration there because you were yelling for it) and how the over arching plot is not very strong. The towns were also supposedly too large so people got lost in there and wasted too much time running around trying to find the shops (i'm guilty of that one). The characters were also rather flat. In direct contrast to that, SE decides to move toward the direction people seemed to have been yelling for...which is a more story and character focused game. The linearity is there to keep your attention at the story and characters, and honestly, if you're supposed to be hated by the citizens of the world you're running around on, i really doubt you can just stroll into town and be like "yo, gimme somma that weapon you got there...you know, so i can go destroy your ruling government and potentially destroy your lives."
The battle system itself is, personally speaking, really fun. In the beginning it was a little slow, but i rather appreciate the slow leading up toward the craziness that was later battles. I'm also quite glad that characters are fully healed after each battle, and the retry option...as I've had to use it a few times. Yet the game is well balanced enough that I really didn't have to use that option too many times. It's only when i'm being very irresponsible during battle that I pay for it by having to redo. Boss battles are suitably difficult enough that typically it never feels like i'm banging my head against a wall (unlike some other games). SE did a great job with ramping the players up from a complete n00b to someone who can really make use of the entire configuration and battle system.
It is also true that the story and character development also had its faults. There are no notable villains in the game that really stood out, and in many ways, the focus was more on each character having to fight against something within themselves in order to move on and reach the goal. But the following completely made that a minor issue in my world.
The true standout in the game (aside from the battle system) is the presentation. Graphics are absolutely amazing no matter where you go, the characters are awesome looking, and the voice acting is the cream of the crop. I normally dislike English dubbings for anything Japanese (jrpg or anime), but after beating FF13 and then started Star Ocean The Last Hope on PS3 (International edition which have Japanese language) in Japanese, I actually find even the original Japanese voices craptastic compared to the English dubbed voice acting in FF13. The voices fit the characters (though Vanille and Hope could use a smidgen of help, but not awful by any stretch of the imagination) and are completely emotional and believable. Every cutscene and every interaction between the characters are awesome to watch, particularly some of the early to mid game scenes (scenes before Chapter 11 are better imo, probably due to the urgency of the story line, whereas the story became a little more loosely structured after Chapter 11 along with the opening of the explorable world).
I suppose this game isn't for everyone, but if it wasn't marked as an FF game, I'll bet it would've been more raved about than criticized against. the FF name tag unfortunately screwed over several awesome games just because the expectation from all the fans are typically far higher than can be achieved at that point in time (with that amount of development time). Even FF8, which is my absolute most hated FF game, deserve a "it's pretty good...if it's not an FF game." Truth of the matter is, everyone goes into each FF game with a preconceived notion of what it should be, not what it actually is. Funnily enough, due to busy work and other issues in my life during the period when FF13 was being advertised, I actually went into this game with very little expectation at all. As a result, i loved it.
For those who hated it due to comparing it with old FF games, well, you can always just completely drop the FF franchise, replay your old games, and stick with other games since you probably will never like another FF game. For those who aren't sure if they want to play FF13, just go into it with an open mind and less expectations, and i think you'd be very happy with your purchase.
