Final Fantasy 13-2
Final Fantasy 13 came with its ups and
downs. You either loved it or you hated it. The number one complaint, it
seemed, was its linear pathways and corridors. In fact, “linear” was perhaps
the word that popped up the most and was the number one word used to describe
Final Fantasy 13. And with the new release, Final Fantasy 13-2, many were
afraid that the sequel would continue the unfortunate linear experience so many
gamers loathed about the original. So does Final Fantasy 13-2 fix this issue?
Does it reignite hope in SQUARE and it’s ability to create memorable, beloved Final Fantasy games
? Or does Final Fantasy 13-2 come with its own set of
problems that hold it back from greatness? All of this, and more, will be
answered in this review.
? Or does Final Fantasy 13-2 come with its own set of
problems that hold it back from greatness? All of this, and more, will be
answered in this review.Final Fantasy 13-2 Trailer Youtube by G4Videogame Trailers
Final Fantasy 13-2 Fixes
Let’s address what is perhaps the chief
concern here. Is Final Fantasy 13-2 the same linear experience of the original?
Well, that’s a bit of a mixed bag all things considered, but in general, the
answer is an overall NO. Final Fantasy fanatics rejoice, it’s about time you
had something to be happy about again. When playing Final Fantasy 13-2, it
becomes apparent early on that this is one of the biggest issues Square-Enix
worked on and avoided at almost every possible opportunity. Are there still
some linear paths and corridors? Absolutely. And I challenge you to find a game
that doesn’t have at least some linear elements. Fortunately, Final Fantasy
13-2 is a more open experience with tons of choices and paths to choose when
compared to the original.
Final Fantasy 13-2 Story
In Final Fantasy 13-2 players control Serah,
Lightning’s sister, and Noel, a time traveler seeking to fix and change certain
events of the past to change some unfortunate things that happen in his time. I
won’t ruin too much for you, so all I’ll really say is that’s pretty much your
party. Serah, Noel, and any monsters they capture and train. But more on the
monsters later. With Noel’s help, Serah can traverse the ebb and flow of time,
and space, even changing alternate realities, and everything else you’d expect
from a time travel movie or game. And no, the whole time travel paradox isn’t
really explained or solved. Players will go to different places, usually when
something important happens that must be changed, and fix it. The usual right?
Most time travel games are like that, nothing new, nothing surprising. But
Final Fantasy 13-2 does manage to add it’s own unique twist. Players can close
Time Gates and start the area and even from the beginning, correcting mistakes
they made or starting something new. Think of it as a level reset if you
screwed up or wonder what would happen if you did this or that. It’s actually
fairly interesting, especially if you’re big on “what if’s” like I am.
Final Fantasy 13-2 Environments
The environments are breathtakingly
gorgeous, Final Fantasy is known for its graphics and visuals, especially its
effects and set pieces. And as I said, most no longer follow the set linear
path formula. Players are encouraged to stop and smell the roses, take some
time, explore, see what there is to see, and find secrets. Treasure chests
abound and many are out of sight and must be located through exploration.
Final Fantasy 13-2 Combat System
Another big complain players had with the
original Final Fantasy 13 was the combat system. Many found it to be confusing,
others felt it was simply a bad setup and not user friendly, and some just
preferred the battle systems of old. Final Fantasy 13-2 has changed the way
battles work to a certain degree, but the overall core and principles behind
the mechanics are essentially the same as they were. Serah and Noel are the
only human characters. To, this was actually a bad thing. Having two party
members that are so similar and get along all the time takes away from the
experience. Most Final Fantasy games have several characters each with
different personalities, different motives, and in some cases, are literally a
stark contrast to another party member. They often clash, argue, even fight,
but ultimately learn to work together. Final Fantasy 13-2 lacks this almost
completely. But I digress. Final Fantasy 13-2 has streamlined the process of
the battle system and Paradigm Shifts are easier to execute and can be done in
quick fashion. The action is more fast-paced and it’s easier to queue up
commands, execute abilities and magic, and the whole process is more intuitive
and easier to wrap your head around whereas the original left many newcomers to
the franchise scratching their heads.
Final Fantasy 13-2 Monsters
The most obvious change to the battle system
is the new addition of monsters. Every time Serah and Noel defeat a monster,
they have a chance to capture and tame it. Monsters level up with certain items
and by consuming other monsters. The whole thing made me feel like an ancient
Aztec, sacrificing someone to appease the gods. Only in Final Fantasy’s case,
it’s to get a cooler, better monster…. It’s not murder, I swear it. The monster
you choose will take up the third slot in the party and help Serah and Noel based
on the type of monster it is. One might cast spells, one might use physical
attacks, and another kind might provide passive buffs and healing abilities for
the party. This creates Final Fantasy’s take on Pokemon. And while I will admit
it is kind of addicting collecting all the monsters you can and trying them out
in battle and leveling them up, I would much rather have had an actual party
with real characters like in previous Final Fantasy games. The monsters should
have been a fun addition. Maybe a certain character uses monsters in battle as
his/her own unique ability. But these monsters should never have replaced an
actual party and while it does add a twist to the constant fighting, it is a
missed opportunity overall in terms of story, and ultimately takes away from
what Final Fantasy 13-2 severely lacks, a good story.
Final Fantasy 13-2 Gameplay Youtube vid by Gamespot
Final Fantasy 13-2 Narrative
The story of Final Fantasy 13-2 is lacking
to say the very least. The interesting characters have been pushed to the
sidelines for the most part. The story itself is lost in all the gameplay, as
if the developers working on the game got so caught up in fixing all the
problems of the original, they forgot about the story, or perhaps didn’t feel
like they had enough time to really work on it and make it something
substantial and memorable. And while the main story is decent in the long run,
this is, for me at least, one of the weakest stories in terms of plot and
character motivation, and fails to truly grab hold of the player and invest
them into the plot. Most of the time I found myself doing something simply
because it was the next thing to do to progress through the story, not because
I really cared. As a game on its own, the plot is good enough. But this is
Final Fantasy folks. The masters of narrative. It just falls short and I can’t
help but worry about what’s happening to one of my favorite video game
franchises.
Final Fantasy 13-2 Easy Battles
Most battles too easy. Combat is fun at
first but grows stale, even with all the flash and effects because there is
very little strategy difficulty and suspense as the older games. There is even
auto-battle for crying out loud that aids the player in selecting smart choices
for taking down foes or preserving their lives. Almost as bad and boring as
Final Fantasy 12’s Gambit System.
Final Fantasy 13-2 Final Verdict
In the long run, Final Fantasy 13-2 is the
better game in terms of gameplay. As far as the narrative, Final Fantasy 13 is
superior in every way. Plain and simple. The battle system of Final Fantasy
13-2 has been streamlined and improved. The linear paths are gone for the most
part, and players will all benefit and appreciate the separate paths and layers
of divergence available to them. At the same time, there are new problems with
the combination of Pokemon and Final Fantasy that just doesn’t make up for the
lack of a real party. The characters, even the leads, are average, if not eager
in their own right. And while the battle system has seen some improvements,
it’s still far from perfect. So there it is; it even seems contradictory in
some parts, but with a game that fixes so many things and yet manages to create
a new one for everything that is fixed, it’s hard to write a review that sticks
to one particular praise or critique. But I do stand by what I said. I think
Square-Enix is in some serious trouble as the numbers are in and the statistics
don’t lie. Per capita, most vets feel the older games are better. And if the
Final Fantasy franchise doesn’t return to form soon, they may find themselves
back in the same situation that led the developers to dub what was supposed to
be their last game Final Fantasy. Final Fantasy 13-2 earns a strong 7
out of 10.
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