A new fantasy
Final Fantasy games are known for reinvention, and XIII
features a fresh set of game play mechanics, as well as an
engaging new story and a vast, beautiful universe. The title
follows the intertwining fates of its playable cast of
characters, who find themselves caught up in an age-old battle
between two worlds - Cocoon, a futuristic floating utopia, and
the feared underworld of Pulse that dwells beneath it.
The game revolves around the story of the fal'Cie,
supernatural beings with godlike powers created from crystals.
They threaten to disrupt the peace of Cocoon by cursing its
human inhabitants and turning them into magic-wielding
servants. That's the basis for what turns out to be an epic 60
hour quest that unfolds via well-scripted dialogue, delivered
by an international cast of voice talent that brings the
characters to life.
Beautiful world
Announced in 2006, Final Fantasy XIII is the first core
entry in the series to be released for the current generation
of consoles, and its stunning production values help to ensure
it was worth the wait. The game is filmic in its presentation,
regularly interspersing battles with gloriously vivid cut
scenes, and even the menu design is sleek.
The gorgeous fantasy worlds you explore, with their lavishly detailed 3D environments, will leave you awe.
The gorgeous fantasy worlds you explore, with their lavishly
detailed 3D environments, will also leave you awe. If you've
recently played an open-world RPG like Fallout 3 you'll find
the opening half of the title a little linear as you're guided
through the levels, but this structure enables players to get
to grips with the game mechanics and makes it all the more
liberating when you're finally set loose in the stunning
wilderness of Pulse.
Final Fantasy XIII's efforts to attract a new audience to
the franchise see some game play elements stripped down to
basics. This is most apparent in the streamlined combat, which
centres on the use of the Active Time Battle system. It
features a self regenerating bar that's divided into segments;
players issue commands to their fighting character, with each
instruction taking up a number of the bar's segments. Once the
bar is fully charged, chosen moves are executed in real time in
the order you queued them.
Back to basics
An Auto-Battle command option can be turned on to help
players queue up a list of moves and suggest targets, and this
semi-automated combat system helps make the game even more
accessible for less experienced RPG players.
Final Fantasy XIII features an epic
story, titanic battles and literally oozes quality from its
pores.
While you only directly control one character during fights,
the new Paradigm system lets you assign specific combat roles
to party members. By switching between them players can guide
the tactical flow of battles, rather than each character's
specific actions on a turn-by-turn basis, ensuring that battles
retain a strategy element as you wield elemental attacks, magic
spells, items and summons moves.
Speed is of the essence
Not having to micromanage turn-based combat also makes the
battles more frenetic. Speed is of the essence as you're rated
on how fast you dispatch opponents and are awarded accordingly
with items and experience points. Like the rest of the game,
the battles are a sight to behold when they're in full
flow.
So some traditional RPG elements have been diluted, but this
shouldn't worry Final Fantasy fans. While its stripped down
formula makes it easier to grasp than previous games in the
series, it's still suitably complex and does reward players who
favour a tactical approach. Final Fantasy XIII features an epic
story, titanic battles and literally oozes quality from its
pores, bringing the series kicking and screaming into the
current console generation.
GAME's Verdict
- Unrivalled production values.
- Fast-paced battles with accessible mechanics.
- Epic 60 hour-plus quest.
- Some players will find the first half too linear.
- Combat a little streamlined for RPG purists.
- Metal Gear Solid 4 length cut scenes might not be to everyone's taste.
Review by: Tom 'fal'Cie' Ivan
Version Tested: PS3
Review Published: 10.03.10