Final Fantasy XIII - review

THE THIRTEENTH instalment in the world-famous Japanese role-playing game series has finally hit western shores, to the excitement of fans everywhere.

It's been a long road, with years of development and hype reaching an end. Was it worth the wait?

Final Fantasy XII was a polarising game, with some loving the changes it brought to the standard JRPG formula, and others lamenting the loss of the traditions they knew and loved.

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FFXIII is interesting, in that it tries to please both camps. The game reverts back to many old JPRG tropes and gameplay elements, whilst at the same time blazing a new trail with many new innovations not before seen in the genre.

The result is a game that is always interesting, if not always magnificent fun.

The key aspect of any decent RPG is the story, and FFXIII's is suitably epic and long-winded. Following a group of strangers branded enemies of the state, the plot follows them as they learn of their true destiny and their struggle to save the world, as well as themselves.

It is involving enough, though it gains few points for originality. Neither is the story aided by the fact that some of the main characters are just flat out unlikeable. Although most of them grow on you over the course of the story as they grow and mature, it is a long and patient road.

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Indeed, so rigidly does the game tell its story, that over the first 20 or so hours of the game, players can do little but run in a straight line, battling whatever lies in their way, and waiting for the next cut-scene.

Even choosing which characters are in your party does not become an available option for hours. However, once the game finally opens up, letting you explore and customize to your heart's content, the feeling of freedom is immense. This was probably a conscious design choice, but the fact it takes so long to get there will put many off.

The best thing about FFXIII is the new battle system. A hybrid of sorts between older Final Fantasy games and the revolutionary FFXII, battles are a blast to play.

Although they start off simple, after a few hours the "paradigm shift" system unlocks, and suddenly a world of depth is available to the player.

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Players only control one member of a party of three directly, but can assign "paradigms" to the party, which determine the class of each character. Characters can become melee-fighting Commandos, magic-using Ravagers, and healing Medics, among other things.

Although early on in the game this seems unnecessary, as battles get harder, constant switching of classes becomes vital to survival. Enemies have a "stagger" gauge, which is filled up as they get attacked, and balancing the need to fill this with the need to stay alive can be exciting and tense.

Knowing what commands to use when, and when to switch paradigms for a quick heal or protect spell, can make all the difference in a battle. Although some old-hands may be put off at the difference from older Final Fantasy titles, FFXIII's battle system is fantastically accomplished, and becomes more fun the further one gets into the game.

Another divergence from traditional RPGs is that your characters no longer gain specific levels. Instead, successful battles result in points, which can be spent on the "crystarium". This has similarities to the sphere grid from FFX, although it is more restrictive on customisation.

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After picking their character and the class they want to enhance, players are taken to an interlocked grid of gems and crystals. Points can be spent to move along this grid, and each gem that is reached enhances the character in some way, such as giving them a new ability or increasing their health.

It's an interesting system, and "levelling up" manually makes it feel a bit more rewarding. Eventually, every character will be able to learn all six classes, but for a long while, there are restrictions on who can learn what. It is another example of the game taking a very long time to completely open up.

It is worth noting that the game is strikingly beautiful, with some of the best graphics of this generation of games. Final Fantasy has always been known for its amazing graphics, and XIII is no exception.

So, like its predecessor, Final Fantasy XIII is likely to be polarizing. Those who get bored with the story, and the extremely long slog whilst the game slowly unlocks more features for the player to utilise, will likely dismiss it.

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But those who persevere and learn the depths of the great battle system will find a fantastic looking adventure to enjoy. This is definitely not a game for everyone, but if you are a fan and have the time to invest, Final Fantasy XIII will provide many hours of entertainment.

7/10

Review sponsored by Game - www.game.co.uk

Final Fantasy XIII

Age restriction: 16+

XBox360/PS3 - 39.99 (www.game.co.uk)