Final Fantasy XIII-2

[Bondgirl0072]

Re: Final Fantasy XIII-2

Just wondering who all is getting this game?

[Spongedaddy]

Re: Final Fantasy XIII-2

Just wondering who all is getting this game?

against my better judgment, I am..somewhat for myself and some to play through with my son who is crazy about the Moog and having monsters in the party.

[Spongedaddy]

Re: Final Fantasy XIII-2

IGN Review 8.0 (not bad at all)

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/121/1217386p1.html

I wish they would have kept telling a deeper character driven story. It's what I liked most about XIII...still sounds like a fun JRPG

[Flawless]

Re: Final Fantasy XIII-2

Eurogamer - 8

Final Fantasy 13-2 is a mixed success, then. Smart, engaging mechanics and a novel structure ensure that it is compelling on a functional level. But it presumes you care about fixing a broken world that the previous game failed to make loveable, or even knowable.

Nearly two decades ago, Chrono Trigger demonstrated that skipping between eras, making changes in history and marvelling at their butterfly effect through the centuries, could offer up some of the most exciting interactive storytelling anywhere. But Final Fantasy 13-2's world is too ethereal, disjointed and abstract to offer the player a firm hold on how historical cause leads to contemporary effect. It's a better game than its predecessor, but there is no escaping the fact that it builds on Final Fantasy 13's weak foundations.

For all its mechanical cleverness and forward-thinking design, Final Fantasy 13-2 is also convoluted, complicated and unfriendly to newcomers. In Square-Enix's desperation to discover what its flagship series looks like in the modern world, what should be an interesting curio has been inflated to blockbuster proportions. Hurling money at a development team that has been labouring without firm creative leadership for close to a decade now has led to a game that is, in many ways, as disjointed as its world, as rambling as its lead character. In those fragments excellence, confusion, beauty, strangeness, wonder and loss may all be found.

Gamespot - 7.5

Square Enix should be commended for addressing Final Fantasy XIII's problems and for once again delivering a fun and highly playable RPG glowing with visual beauty and saturated with simple but universal sentiments. Nevertheless, the improvements feel less weighty than they might have--mechanical triumphs in a game that feels less than the sum of its parts. You won't perform awe-inspiring summons as a matter of course, and the ending--well, the ending isn't likely to leave you with the sense of closure you might want. Yet the monster collection and time-hopping freedom alone are enough to make it worth embarking on this enjoyable adventure. Just remember to keep your expectations in check: Final Fantasy XIII-2 isn't a timeless adventure in the grand tradition of the beloved series. But if you're curious to see the next stage in this ongoing tale, there's no reason you shouldn't chase after Lightning. After all, she can't defeat Caius without you.

Destrucoid - 8

I've heard the same question many times in the last few months: Will those disappointed by Final Fantasy XIII enjoy this sequel? I think so. In fact, it seems like Final Fantasy XIII-2 was made with these people in mind as it seems to address many of the criticisms of its predecessor. Many of the best aspects of this game seem to be direct responses to concerns raised on the last game, so now the combat is deeper, the customization options are wide open, and the pacing is sensible and anything but linear. Lack of substance? Not here, I'm glad to say. The story, while still a bit stunted in the character development department, is vast, and now offers a lot in the way of player choice. There's better writing for better characters, and the performances for these characters are outstanding.

But, overall, for me, what really made Final Fantasy XIII-2 an enjoyable game was that Square Enix brought the fun back. They brought back some the inventiveness, creativity, humor and uniqueness that we sorely missed in Final Fantasy XIII. Maybe this game tries to do a bit too much, and it's probably too late to dig this story out of the hole that it's in, but it was made with a heaping dollop of that undeniable charm that we loved in the older series games, and that goes a long way towards making it enjoyable.

Joystiq - 3/5

Ultimately, if Final Fantasy XIII took the series five steps back, Final Fantasy XIII-2 takes it one hesitant step forward. Features like non-linear dungeons, optional side quests and NPC-populated towns are wonderful and all, but they were RPG staples twenty years ago. While Final Fantasy XIII-2 does quite a bit to fix the mistakes of its predecessor, it does very little to stand out on its own merits. It's enjoyable, but it's also disappointing in many ways. Final Fantasy deserves better.

Gametrailers - 8.8

<div style="background-color:#000000;width:520px;"><div style="padding:4px;"><embed src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:moses:video:gametrailers.com:726283" width="512" height="288" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" base="." flashVars=""></embed><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#FFFFFF;padding:4px;margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;">Get More: <a href="http://www.gametrailers.com">GameTrailers.com</a>, <a href="http://www.gametrailers.com/video/review-final-fantasy/726283">Final Fantasy XIII-2 - Review</a>, <a href="http://pc.gametrailers.com/">PC Games</a>, <a href="http://ps3.gametrailers.com/">PlayStation 3</a>, <a href="http://xbox360.gametrailers.com/">Xbox 360</a></p></div></div>

[Spongedaddy]

Re: Final Fantasy XIII-2

My take on these reviews: How often do we get a decent JRPG these days? I welcome the fact that it's enjoyable even if it isn't at the top tier.

[Burns11]

Re: Final Fantasy XIII-2

As long as it has the same atrocious combat system, I'm out.

As far as decent JRPGs go, Atelier Totori and Rune Factory both recently came out, in March Tales of Graces and Hyperdimension Neptunia Mk2 releases and sometime Q1 Ni No Kuni is supposed to release in NA.

[PVarck31]

Re: Final Fantasy XIII-2

I was thinking about getting this but they don't use the traditional turn based combat anymore do they? I love and miss that from FF.

Are there any good PS3 games that still use the turn based system?

[bcruise]

Re: Final Fantasy XIII-2

I was thinking about getting this but they don't use the traditional turn based combat anymore do they? I love and miss that from FF.

Are there any good PS3 games that still use the turn based system?

It's a dying breed, that's for sure. FFXIII uses the active time system (like FF7-9) so it's still technically turn-based in that you can't act immediately after doing something (like you can in Star Ocean or Kingdom Hearts, for example) - there is a wait period between moves for both you and your enemies. It's much faster paced and can get chaotic, though.

Being a strategy RPG series, Disgaeas 3 & 4 are both purely turn based. Eternal Sonata is turn-based (with your turn consisting of a time limit during which you carry out actions), and so is Valkyria Chronicles to some degree (you deal with incoming interception fire from enemies as you move around in 3rd person view, and they deal with the same from you, but turns are still defined). Both of those are several years old, though.

The only other recent one I can think of (and I wouldn't necessarily call it "good") is Hyperdimension Neptunia. It's purely turn-based with a turn system very similar to that of FFX. Like I said though, you're going to want to read up on that one before jumping at it though - it's not for everyone.


BTW: I'm picking up XIII-2 later today.

[PVarck31]

Re: Final Fantasy XIII-2

It's a dying breed, that's for sure. FFXIII uses the active time system (like FF7-9) so it's still technically turn-based in that you can't act immediately after doing something (like you can in Star Ocean or Kingdom Hearts, for example) - there is a wait period between moves for both you and your enemies. It's much faster paced and can get chaotic, though.

Being a strategy RPG series, Disgaeas 3 & 4 are both purely turn based. Eternal Sonata is turn-based (with your turn consisting of a time limit during which you carry out actions), and so is Valkyria Chronicles to some degree (you deal with incoming interception fire from enemies as you move around in 3rd person view, and they deal with the same from you, but turns are still defined). Both of those are several years old, though.

The only other recent one I can think of (and I wouldn't necessarily call it "good") is Hyperdimension Neptunia. It's purely turn-based with a turn system very similar to that of FFX. Like I said though, you're going to want to read up on that one before jumping at it though - it's not for everyone.


BTW: I'm picking up XIII-2 later today.

Thanks man.

Do you know if there is any truth to the rumor that they are making an HD upgrade to FFX? I only got about a 1/4 through it so that would be awesome.

[Cyros]

Re: Final Fantasy XIII-2

Thanks man.

Do you know if there is any truth to the rumor that they are making an HD upgrade to FFX? I only got about a 1/4 through it so that would be awesome.

Another very solid turn based Rpg would be Lost Odyssey for the 360. I really enjoyed that game, and put it I want to say 70 hours.

[Jasong7777]

Re: Final Fantasy XIII-2

Just picked up the collectors edition. Looking forward to spending some time with it later.

[CaptainZombie]

Thanks man.

Do you know if there is any truth to the rumor that they are making an HD upgrade to FFX? I only got about a 1/4 through it so that would be awesome.

Yup FFX is getting the HD treatment this year.

[NY4Life]

Re: Final Fantasy XIII-2

I picked up the collectors edition this morning. Work has prevented playing the game but I am excited. I know the reviews are not up to FF score standards, but Chrono Cross got a 9+ scores, but I think it's like an 8. Shadow Hearts got sixes back in the day, but I see it as more an 8.

It's Final Fantasy, so if it is going to be somewhat enjoyable, I am in.

[Spongedaddy]

Re: Final Fantasy XIII-2

I have put in about two hours and for the most part I really like it. The part with Lightning is pretty awesome IMO...it looks like something out of a FF movie. I like exploring around the towns and dungeons and the story has been enjoyable so far. The combat is a more refined version of 13 and really is just the evolution of ATB. I am glad I got the game...only wish I had an Omega code..although the Genji bow makes Serah's ATB bars fill up faster.

[PVarck31]

Re: Final Fantasy XIII-2

Yup FFX is getting the HD treatment this year.

Now that's a day one buy for me. Can't wait.