Warning: wordiness ahead.
Let's begin with the game that's sucked the majority of my time within this past month:
Lemme say this right now: I love this game. This is by no means a horrible game, as much of the Internet would like you to believe. Then again, the Interwebz happen to specialize in the vocal minority and draws the attention of rabid fanbases.
Being a Final Fantasy, this installment is quite obviously different yet familiar as per the series' tradition of mixing up the gameplay on every main installment. Being different, however, has caused this one to be the target of much scrutiny more-so than the previous recordholders of VIII and XII. But all in due time: I'll start off with the premise.
The premise of the story is fighting fate, which is the namesake of the ominous piece of boss music that accompanies the acting antagonist. Go ahead, give it a listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTm6Rt-1SXY Like most installments before it, it follows the exploits of the usual rag-tag group of protagonists as they try going about defying their fate. In fact, it's the lack of a concrete villain that many have issue with the plot. I don't mind as much, since I'm willing to let each installment try something new, and change is what the thirteenth installment excells at.
First and foremost, XIII is ruled by its story. The story follows the archetypical heroes that anyone who's dipped into the JRPG scene will recognize. However, being the first seventh gen Final Fantasy, the presentation is typical Squeenix HD - pain-stakingly breathtaking and a spectacle to behold on a proper HD screen. Using their fantastic artistic skills, the characters are brought to life more-so than any previous installment, with some truly frightening character models. XIII focuses on a smaller group of characters, and that works for the story's benefit. The time spent on each character is evident in their fluid and subtle motions. The voice acting 'quality' from X is no longer an issue, with XIII adopting XII's excellent voicework. Each character was voiced authentically and I never had an issue on the casting choices. I also felt that the Aussie flair to the Pulsian members of the cast was a nice touch.
The playable cast had very defined roles in character and personality and I enjoyed the character-building interactions in the first 20 hours. This is otherwise known as the spoon-fed, linear portion of the title it's so infamous for. The trade-off is a story whose pacing is as quick as the battles that surround it. Granted, in the grand scheme of things, the story's very light in the sense of actually affecting anything as in previous titles. It constantly branches off like a serial as the characters seperate and group up with one another due to their differing motives, forcing you into a restricted and pre-set party for the plot-heavy portion of the first 9 Chapters. Still, I stand by the fun way those initial 20 hours are presented. Sure, the battle system's revealed at a snail's pace - the game feels like teaching you through repetition. Lots and lots of repetition, and this is what will most likely turn off most newcomers or those who do not possess a good 40+ hours to complete the main game, let alone the massively-rewarding-for-completists the end-game present. In my case, however, the interactions between each character and the history of the stage the world presents us with were worth the majority of the plot-centric first half.
I'm sure the dialogue shall be criticized for being a bit too literal at times, since most JRPGs inevitably remain with the remnants of it's Japanese translation showing through a bit at times. Then again, I'm used to such dialogue and it doesn't grate on me nearly as much as it does others. It's not as fancy-shmancy as XII's excellent translation (the dialects were spot-on according to Ivalice's inhabitants' homelands, as well as the Old English terms thrown about for good measure) in terms of voiceovers, but the menus sure make up for it.
These are some of the most - if not the - most gorgeous menus I've ever navigated through. They're clean and precise, with every description, icon, title, and data displayed with pristine crispness; very handy in a menu-driven series. I imagine the localization team had a blast naming every Paradigm, with colorful titles ranging from Bully to Tireless Charge. This also covers the majority of the backstory, mythos, and general history of XIII's universe, which is revealed mostly through the Data Log that automatically adds all relevant information when the story divulges it. It's not necessary to the point that the game's unplayable, but it's necessary for simply understanding the deeper meanings behind the actions and motivations of the cast. So, perhaps it is necessary? Otherwise, you'll need use your perceptive minds to pick apart the numerous cutscenes that throw around terms that aren't initially clarified for hours.
You're thrown into a new world, as in every other installment of Final Fantasy or a new series in general, and it's akin to the first time you step into the Star Wars films. You stand alone with these terms of Jedi, The Force, Tatooine, Ewoks, Chewie, and Lightsabers. Sure, your brain can deconstruct some terms (Lightsaber = sword of light), though you're left to understand the rest when it's presented. Or not, and if that's the case, you can delve right into the Expanded Universe if you're feeling brave. Same thing with XIII; it's setting up the Fabula Nova Crystallis universe with it's talks of l'Cie and fal'Cie. I think of it as the first act, setting up the stage of a grand tale. We don't yet know how Versus or Agito and further un-named titles in the sub-series relate to XIII proper, but we should all just enjoy the ride for the time being.
Call it bad storytelling. I'll just let it go in out the other ear as I've heard all this before, and I frankly don't care. I love how the title approached itself: a fantastic spectacle to all, but most likely a grand set-up for an entire universe.
That said, a Final Fantasy has another aspect aside from the story that is equally if not more important: the gameplay.
XIII is basically divided into two aspects to abide with its yarn: the cutscenes, peppered along pathways, the majority being linear affairs (If that bothers you, then so be it - it worked for X and it works for XIII's focus-driven plot.) and the battle system. There's almost no minigames or any other distractions to be seen, for better or for worse. I don't mind the lack of minigames, particularly due to the series' prior track record on the subject. (Seriously, whoever invented Blitzball as that.. hybrid of awful numbercrunching is prolly laughing their butt off at my utter frustration and lack of understanding of that water polo/soccer mess.) Though without these little time sinks, the game feels like it's missing a magical aspect of a Final Fantasy title. It's not without a distraction, however: I do appreciate the Missions in the end-game, much like XII's Hunts. It's arguably the meat of the game, the proof that you've mastered the battle system, and by extention, the title itself. Seriously, the game has some absolute monstrosities that try your patience with millions of HP (that's right - 1,000,000+ hit points), but it seems many are quick to judge the game before they even try it, to the point that some reviewers didn't even complete the game proper due to the drastic approach the title takes.
Let's focus on the battle system for a bit. XIII features an expansion of X-2's fast-paced Active Time Battle (ATB) system. It's still menu-driven like the previous twelve titles, but the hybrid of real-time and turn-based combat is shrinking, though if you don't like Final Fantasy's input by this point, this prolly won't change your mind. It still wouldn't prevent me from recommending it to those who are Final Fantasy fans, which should try out the title regardless. Don't wuss out due to bad talk online - man up and play the game yourself.
I say this knowing full-well I'll prolly never play XI and XIV, but I have my reasons.
/rant: initiated/
This goes especially if XIV asks for a monthly subscription like its spiritual predecessor - no thanks, I like to play for my games up front. Call me old-fashioned like that, but I miss the days when games were released to you, you know, in a COMPLETE form, not this bullocks of releasing a buggy game to consumers then lazily releasing a patch with speed in accordance to the bitchiness of consumers. Isn't that what the debugging process is for? You couldn't get away with this a decade ago - we'd simply not buy the game in hopes that, to quote Yahtzee, they'd be trampled by the company Brontosaurus. I understand the concept of downloadable content (DLC), but only when it's logically justified. Paying for DLC that unlocks content on the disk?? That's sheer extortion, you lazy gits! DLC should be expansions worth including that couldn't be before, not another way to wring money from us! I was stupid/insane enough to buy each DLC for Crystal Chronicles: My Life As A King and My Life As A Darklord simply because that would unlock all the content, regardless of how superfluous it was. I supported WiiWare and Squeenix for keeping up with the Crystal Chronicle series, but it seems nobody else is. But that's a discussion for another time...
/rant: terminated/
I also don't care too much for MMORPGs, being the mindless button-mashing time-sinks that they are. I just never found them worth my time. Played XI waaay back in '05-ish, didn't like the idea of a community-driven Final Fantasy. I still prefer single-player games to multiplayer simply for my enjoyment. Yes, fun can be amplified with friends, but only with the right games. Crystal Chronicles and Tactics Advance are the only two exceptions to this rule in Final Fantasy for me. I'm not against the idea of an MMO, I just wish there was more substance to it for a single player like myself. I'd dabble into the multiplayer scene simply because that's how an MMO ticks, but it's also a Final Fantasy - I should have the option of venturing on this epic quest by my lonesome to prove my stalwart manliness and courageousness. Or at least that feeling you get before you realize you're in way over your head, but I digress... Another time...!
The system, called Command Synergy Battle (CSB) in-game, still uses the Active Time Battle meter seen since V and does away with MP. Instead, actions are worth anywhere from 1-5 points on the ATB meter, with more powerful attacks costing more. HP is also restored after contfrontations, ridding the need for curing after a battle and leaving health-restoring items like Potions to strictly in-battle useage. A big difference that the CSB embraces is that it allows you to control only the lead party member, focusing on the party at large rather than individuals. Luckily, the AI for your party members is pretty outstanding for the most part. The growth system focuses on the Crystarium Grid (think HD Sphere Grid from X), which uses Crystogen Points (CP) gained in fixed amounts from foes. Experience is utilized solely for equipment and accessory upgrades, which seems convoluted at first glance that most won't bother with the system until they either mess with it or look up how it operates. I got through the entire game without messing with my items and only "optimizing" characters depending on my situation.
Each character's actions is ruled by what Role each assumes, called Paradigms. There are six Roles that each character will eventually be allowed to assume, though they specialize in the three initially matched to their personality. These are Commando (Attacker), Ravager (Blaster), Sentinel (Defender), Synergist (Enhancer), Saboteur (Jammer), and Medic (Healer). Commandos are main damage-dealers, Ravagers specialize in magic-damage that builds up the Chain Gauge (more on that below), Sentinels divert all attacks towards them while they use their high defense and HP to survive, Synergists buff your party up, Saboteurs debuff enemies, and Medics keep the party in fighting shape. Paradigms are pre-set combinations (up to six) of these roles that can be switched on the fly during any battle, again like X-2's ATB.
Now the heart of the CSB: the Chain Gauge. Each combatant has a gauge reading 100% with a hidden percentage at the gauge's max. While Ravagers excell at filling the gauge up quickly, it empties just as quickly, requiring Commandos to keep the gauge from depleting quicker than you can build it at the cost of slowly building the meter. When the Chain Gauge hits the second percentage (say, 150.0%), the opponent becomes Staggered, which makes them susceptible to interrupted attacks and being Launched into the air which makes them vulnerable to further attack and constant air-time. It's possible to juggle an enemy in the air indefinitely, raising chain gauge climbs towards the max Chain percentage of 999.9%, at which case you start dealing massive amounts of damage.
This meter is the entire core of the battle system, since even normal enemies carry dozens, if not hundreds of thousands of HP, and Staggering enemies is quite often the key to dispatching enemies quickly and efficiently. In fact, every battle is ranked on a five-star system, with a target time. The quicker the battle, the better the score. It's this juggling of all-out asault and chain-building that XIII shows one of the most engaging and fast-paced battle systems of the entire series, let alone RPGs in general.
The battles are so fast-paced that they grant you an Auto-Battle option that generates attacks based on your situation, proving that considerable care was taken into the AI. The focus, again, is more on the party at large than micromanaging abilities, with Paradigm Shifts being the key to victory. To me, it becomes a sort of puzzle game - the first time you encounter an enemy, you Libra (Scan) a foe to discover their weaknesses, select the correct Paradigms to attack the situation, and juggle your current Paradigms to see if you possess the correct roles for the situation. If not, don't fret: battles can be paused and with a simple selection of Retry, the game sets you outside the fight to rearrange your Paradigms, equipment, or even level up further on the Crystarium to gain the edge. This encourages experimentation instead of an all-out Game Over and resuming from a prior Save point, though they obviously still exist. The battles are so fast-paced that the wrong combination of Paradigms can spell defeat within seconds; alternatively, the correct Paradigms can result in a Battle Result screen in half a minute.
The addition of the Auto-Battle option becomes an invaluable one, though one can argue it takes the majority of the control out of the player's hands in favor of the spectacle. Allow me to fangasm at the glory that is Final Fantasy XIII. The production values of XIII is beyond what most gamers can hope for. After all, this is a Squeenix game, the kings of full-motion video sequences. These are probably the best cutscenes this side of Metal Gear that I've ever seen. The graphics are outstanding and the soundtrack ranks as one of the best ones this generation. Here's the introductory cutscene to demonstrate: http://g4tv.com/videos/44647/Final-Fantasy-XIII-First-15/?quality=hd
Last but definitely not least - the music is also a worthy addition to Final Fantasy's lofty standards. The lack of Uematsu is not an issue, as the title has enough J-Pop, epic orchestrations, character motifs and my favorite battle theme in the series. Bought the imported soundtrack for Squeenix's deal of $40. Give it a listen here: http://www.youtube.com/user/SilvaGunner#grid/user/4E4FCFF11A7B3993 Good stuff, I say.
All in all, it's not a BAD game, and it's certainly not the worst experience you can imagine. While it may not be the best Final Fantasy in my eyes, it's definitely not on the bottom of my list, especially when ranking the main series. It's a refreshing experience of light and sound, of twitch gameplay and quick planning, of trial and error gameplay, and generally a more accessible game for it, being a western-inspired JRPG take of a streamlined role-playing game.
In short, if you're a Final Fantasy fan go play it. And only liking VII doesn't count, you close-minded fanboys. If you're a fan of a series, you don't just like a single installment of a series. It implies you've played more and found merits in other titles, regardless of how much you liked or hated them. If you're new to the series, this is as good a place to start, but you should keep in mind this is very different from the previous installments. This is Final Fantasy in name and spirit, but you'll have to look deep to see the connections. You can do much worse in choosing an RPG for your PS3.
Also, I have nothing against the 360, except that they cut major corners. If you're a fan of Final Fantasy, you may have gotten a PS3 for this title like I did, but if you have no other choice, then go ahead and buy it. But by all means, if you DO have a choice get the PS3 version. It's a single disk and has the game as was originally intended.
And yes, I do love Vanille, aka FFXIII's Kooky Spice, though Sazh is the best character.
