It can be argued that there is a lot riding on the success of this latest Final Fantasy game will help determine the future of Japanese RPG’s in western gaming. This generation has not been good to the genre as Japanese developers have struggled to find their place in an HD world. The days of menu driven combat and endless random battles are numbered in a world where fast faced shooters are king. Despite such obstacles, the core Final Fantasy franchise has always seemed to break through and find its place in the west. This first iteration in the current generation looks to be no different.
FFXIII gives you the control of 6 unlikely heroes, brought together by fate as a war breaks out between the worlds of Pulse and Cocoon. Sounds pretty standard for a Final Fantasy game, but that isn’t necessarily bad. You can be sure that the story will draw you in and tug at your heartstrings. The downside is that the game is more linear then something you would see in a Bioware game. Depending on how you like your RPGs this could be disappointing, but the good news is that you won’t be bogged down by side quests and the story continues to progress.
While a solid adventure can be taken for granted, the combat system may cause some to worry. While combat first appears to be nothing more but a cascade of menu driven options, it still appears to keep you engaged. Rather then manually controlling the actions of your entire party, your focus stays with one character. You must manage the other two be selecting which role they are to fill, such as medic or commando. Changing your party’s roles while managing your main character will keep combat interesting without getting too tedious.
It is about time we see a Final Fantasy game this generation. Re-releases and spin offs have flooded PSN and handhelds for far too long. If you enjoy JRPGs, then this is probably the one to get. If you have a choice between the PS3 and the 360 versions of the game, stick to the PS3. The 360 version is compressed on three DVDs and runs at 576p versus the PS3′s native 720p. Regardless of your console of choice, Final Fantasy XIII is sure to be an adventure that you won’t soon forget.
Check out our Final Fantasy XIII vitals here.
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