Final Fantasy 13 Review

Final Fantasy 13 has a fractured time-line that tells most of the story in revealing flashbacks. The game starts out in the fictional world of Cocoon. Cocoon is run and protected by powerful god-like creatures called Fal'Cies. Sanctum is the government, who is ordering a Nazi-like purge on civilians suspected of being or coming in contact with l'Cies. I'Cies are humans who have been given super-human abilities along with a focus, or task, by the Fal'Cies gods.

During the struggle between Sanctum and the people of Cocoon a group of people are forced ally themselves together to survive once they become I'Cies. Though this ragtag group of misfits seem to be thrown together haphazardly it's not long before you suspect something like fate or destiny might have had a hand in their meeting.

Design

The overall design of the game was surprisingly fresh and fits together very well with the fractured time-line. At one point in the game you leave the world of Cocoon for Pulse, the world of the I'Cies. I was really impressed by the stark contrast between the confines of the cities of Cocoon to the huge expanse of Pulse. This game does a fabulous job making the player feel as if they have really come to a new and intimidating world.

The character design is also impressive and in depth. Each character is given a role and a background and I felt that I really got to know all the characters as individuals. I also deeply appreciate not only one strong female character but two, both Lightning and Fang are shining examples of grace, strength, and beauty.

Gameplay

The battle system is definitely one of the highlights of this game. It's starts off very simple but as the game and your characters progress, the battles become more complicated. I enjoyed the freedom of being able to avoid battles or instigate them whenever I wanted and the speed of the battles made leveling up characters a lot more enjoyable.

Another aspect of the gameplay I enjoyed was the incorporation of chocobos, the chocobo riding in this game was fun and it really adds a lot if you love chocobos.

Visual

To date, this is the most beautifully designed game I've ever played. The cut-scenes are cinematic and impressive and definitely movie quality. The in-game graphics are just as impressive and I took the time to appreciate the small details of the unique environments.

Again, I was impressed by the contrast between Cocoon and Pulse. Cocoon is a clean, modern utopia while Pulse is the untamed wild, punctured with ruins.

Conclusion

I really enjoyed this game, it lived up and even surpassed my expectations. I would recommend Final Fantasy 13 to anyone, especially fans of Final Fantasy. If your still not sure if you will enjoy playing this game, I suggest hitting up your local game rental store.