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og:image:, Lighting Returns, Final Fantasy XIII, Combat

Final Fantasy XIII has long been considered the black sheep of modern Final Fantasy titles. It promised so much and delivered what was essentially a linear RPG with a slew of annoying characters, and one of the most convoluted plots in the series' recent history. It is a game that I pushed through, making it well into the 11th chapter (of which there is a total of 13), only to quit when I was faced with potential hours of grinding in order to progress. The sad thing is that underneath the drab linearity that plagued both the world and its leveling system, there was a good game. The combat system was a fresh spin on turn based systems of the previous games and the universe was interesting, to say the least.

Whether it’s Materia in VII, the draw system of VIII, or even the return to stylized character models in IX, the series has always been a hotbed of experimentation. If you also take into account the ridiculous level of polish each game has, it is no wonder that the series always rises above the faults to maintain its status as the premiere RPG franchise. With Final Fantasy XIII-2, Square-Enix has already made significant progress in their quest to maximize their return on investment while appeasing fans who were turned off by the original game. 

With Lightning Returns, Square-Enix is not only bringing the story that started in XIII to a close, but also making major changes to the structure and combat system. The world has mostly shed its linearity (hopefully) and the context of the story seem to be governed by the clock. Unlike any entry that came before it, Square is taking some risks with the way they tell the story. Like Majora's Mask or Dead Rising, Lightning Returns contains a lot of content that is accessible only at certain times of day.  Does this mean that certain quests can be missed entirely? Will the player have only a certain amount of time to complete the game? It's a risky idea and one that may or may not work to the game's advantage. 

Major advancements have also been made to the combat systems as well. Lightning is now far more maneuverable both inside and outside of combat and a whole new layer of character customization has been implemented. Combat looks and feels much faster, clearly establishing this game as an action-RPG, a genre that the series has only dabbled in throughout its long history. It doesn't hurt that most supporting characters have been stripped from the combat systems, leaving Lightning as the sole character for which players need to concern themselves with. This is a welcome change considering how little I cared about the supporting cast in XIII. But perhaps most notably, the combat system has been fused with a deep character-class customization system. Players will be able to customize the look of each individual job class and switch between them on the fly in combat much like they did in Final Fantasy X-2.

All in all, Lightning Returns looks like it is shaping up to be the high point of the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy. XIII is far from being my favorite Final Fantasy but perhaps this 3-game arc will be enough to leave a better impression in the long run. Lightning Returns looks to be an example of what developers can accomplish when listening to fan feedback while remaining committed to the vision they had for a project. Let's hope it turns out well. We'll find out when the game ships on February 11, 2014. 

Comments

  • Avatar
    UltimaLegend14
    10 years, 3 months ago

    I pray with you Nick

  • Avatar
    wing2k12
    10 years, 3 months ago

    The FF13 series is probably my most shameful gaming secret, cuz I don't like this series as a whole, but I have played both FF13-1 and FF13-2. To add to that, I played them both on the PS3 and have collected ALL THE TROPHIES for both games.

    In all likeliness, I'm going to play FF13-3 and I'm going to get all the trophies for that game too. I am hoping that the game will restore at least some of my faith in Square and FF.

  • theottomatic91 Avatar
    theottomatic91
    10 years, 3 months ago

    I'm in the minority that did like the original to a certain degree but I will admit it's easily the weakest of the series (at least from those which I played). Honestly even though I wasn't 100% happy with the game I did enjoy it's uniqueness (just like all the other titles in the series) but ultimately I wished they would have ended with the first entry and moved onto other projects and should they ever do another ff title learn from the mistakes they made with 13.

  • Avatar
    Sid Bramons
    10 years, 3 months ago

    Maybe I'm stuck in my ways, but there are some things that make a Final Fantasy game a "Final Fantasy" game, chief among them that the series uses a turn-based system. I know turn-based RPGs are going the way of the dinosaur as consumers demand more action from their titles, but that base system is what drives people to Final Fantasy. I appreciated it when they dabbled in the MMO-esque, semi-action system in 12, but after 13's debacle and 14's disastrous release (seriously, who ever remembers 14's a game?), it seems like Final Fantasy as a series has gone off the rails. I appreciate them always striving to find new things to do, but there is a tipping point and I think they've found it. If they don't get their shit straight and soon and realize the path on isn't what drew fans to them in the first place, pretty soon we really will have a final Final Fantasy.

  • Avatar
    Atomicpanda
    10 years, 3 months ago

    I for one haven't really been invested in Final Fantasy 13..I completed FF13 and only half of 13-2.
    And I agree that a turn based system is what drew me to the series along with the great stories and feeling of progress and customization. If anything I felt FF13's installments were a step back for the franchise.
    For anyone who loves the Final Fantasy of old, please look to Bravely Default for 3DS for your answer..its got job class system, turn based system, great story line, dual audio and great looking visuals.