Firstly, many have complained about the linearity. This is a very valid complaint as the vast majority of the game is nothing more than straight-forward hallways taking you from point A to point B which does detract from the sense of adventure and exploration that one would normally find in your standard RPG. Even later in the game when the world seemingly opens up some, it quickly gets back to the linear pathways in the sub-areas of the over-world map. This fact didn't bother me as much as it did most, simply due to the fact that as I have previously stated RPG's generally are very time consuming, and the linearity helped to alleviate some of the wasted time spent wandering around aimlessly. Another benefit of the linearity is that it quickly pushes the player forward to the battles, and as gorgeous as the graphics are the battle system just may be the star of the show.
The most important thing to mention before delving into the battle system is that random battles are history. Well, kinda. While the enemies are always in full view, many times avoiding them is impossible, but being able to see them allows the player in some cases to approach the enemies undetected giving the player a first-strike advantage in the ensuing battle. I found this refreshing as having to fight multiple random battles while just trying to reach your destination in previous installments infuriating. While the game holds the player's hand for a little too long in introducing the ins-and-outs of the battle system, once full control is given, this system is a blast. It is true that in the beginnings of the game one can seemingly just push X over and over to win battles without much effort, but if you give the game time, the enemies and the strategies required to defeat them will test your skills in managing all that is going on in each confrontation. Unlike previous installments in this series where the player is required to manage each individual in the party by selecting the attack, spell, or item every turn; FFXIII instead turns the player into more of a manager of the overall battle by making the player switch the party members into various combinations of classes, or as the games refers them: paradigms. Once a paradigm combination is selected the party members evoke the attacks and spells on their own. Sound easy? It's not. As the overseer of the battle it is crucial that the statuses of each of the party members as well as what the enemy is doing at all times is carefully monitored, which is especially true in the game's numerous boss battles. Failure to do so will many times result in quick and utter defeat. Now before Final Fantasy purists cry foul, know that the game still allows one to select attacks and spells individually if one prefers, but the player can only do this for the party leader as each battle depends on the leader. If the leader falls, the battle is over. I for one absolutely loved this battle system. In previous FF titles and other RPG's alike, I always found myself overwhelmed and bogged down by searching through the menus trying to figure out the right attack to use or spell to cast. This system automates the process some for the player while still allowing great involvement in the overall outcome of each battle. I can't express enough the sense of accomplishment I felt in finally taking down some of the major bosses after several failed attempts. The one complaint I did find in the battle system is with the summon spells. Summons have always been a staple of the Final Fantasy series, and while they look as great as ever, their use, effectiveness, and impact in the majority of the battles in XIII is small. The one cool nuance of the summons however, is Gestault mode. When this mode is activated the summon changes transformer-style into a mountable vehicle or animal allowing the character to ride it. The player then has access to an array of attacks to employ for a limited amount of time that is determined by the amount of damage dealt to the enemy or enemies prior to activating Gestault mode.
The leveling system in XIII is nothing revolutionary, but I'll mention it briefly. Each party member has what is called a crystarium, in which experience points are pumped into. Each paradigm has its own crystarium , and it is divided into multiple ringed levels with branching pathways that open up the various attack and spell casting abilities available to each character based on the paradigm. In the beginnings of the game, each character only has access to the crystariums of three core paradigms such as attacker, defender, or medic. Later in the game, however, each character has access to all of the available paradigms and their respective crystariums in the game, although it is usually best to pump your XP into the three original paradigms crystariums available to any given character, as they are usually the character's strong suit.
Now what would a Final Fantasy review be without discussing its' graphics? Simply put, the graphics are beautiful, and this isn't just apparent in the games cut-scenes, but throughout. Long gone are the days of FF VIII's blobby character models that feel out of place once the cut scenes begin. XIII's in-game graphics are crisp, bright, and clear; and while this makes the cut-scenes feel a little less special when they occur, who am I to complain about a great looking game from start to finish? So I won't.
While FF games are known for being very pretty, the series is just as well-known for its' ever popular stories and characters. In this aspect, Final Fantasy XIII is hit and miss. The story kept me interested, but it is a far cry from the epicness of VII. It plot is based around god-like beings who control the balance of the world of Gran Pulse, and on many occasions interfere in the every day lives of the people of this world by assigning them specific tasks to complete with the catch being that they must figure out what that task is. If they succeed, they are turned into crystal, and supposedly taken to paradise. If they fail, then they are turned into zombie-like creatures known as Cieth. The playable characters in FFXIII, have all been marked, and thus must figure out and complete their task, or choose to defy it. The story is very Japanese, but it has its' moments. The characters, on the other-hand, range from likable to downright annoying. Although she is pretty much a female version of Cloud from FFVII, the main protagonist of XIII, Lightning, is by far the best character in the game. On the annoying side of the spectrum come Hope and Vanille. Vanille serves as the narrator of the game, so thankfully as the game progresses she becomes less annoying. There's no hope for Hope on the other hand. Fang, Snow, and Sazh fill out the rest of party and are various degrees of mediocre.
All in all I enjoyed my time with Final Fantasy XIII. The graphics are gorgeous, the boss battles epic (some can take 20 minutes or more to take down), and the battle system revolutionary. While the linearity of the game is by far its' weakest aspect, most players will find that the game will still take 90 to 100 hours to complete, and upwards to 150 if you want to fully max out all characters, and collect everything; meaning that there is definitely no lack of game to be had here. This game is far from perfect, but if you are anything like me, and are usually overwhelmed by the vast exploration to be done in RPG's, and find yourself bogged down in menus trying to fight battles or equip characters, I think you will find XIII a refreshing step in a different direction.
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