Now we all know that leading up to the English release there was a lot of talk about how the game had gone in a completely different direction in comparison to previous installments. I for one was a bit concerned that the developers had taken out everything that I loved in a final fantasy; the world. For me one of the biggest elements I enjoy in a Final Fantasy game is an explorable, diverse world.
When I finally got my hands on the game, I was anxious to find out which direction the developers had decided to take. Initially, I was awestruck by the cosmetic aspects of the game; the sound and visuals. The soundtrack and voice acting for XIII exactly what I was hoping for, and overall I had very few complaints. Similarly, this was one of the most visually beautiful games I had ever played. The consistent futuristic style and attention to detail here got me excited to explore the wonderful world around me.
This is where things got a little bit disappointing. Whilst I had this beautiful world all around me, I more often than not found myself constricted to the path I had been set upon, and only that. I was also quite disappointed in the fact that treasure chests were so easy to find. I'm very much doubting that I missed any at all by accident.
On the other hand, I was enthralled with the story and the battle system. I just lost myself in them completely. I don't think I've ever had as much fun battling in a Final Fantasy game. The new system was fast paced, logical, exciting, and overall quite refined. The story, too, just drew me in. The character development and building of relationships between the party members in XIII was unparalleled by any of the other titles.
Eventually, I arrived at Gran Pulse. It was here that all of the dev team's decisions so far made a bit more sense. I could understand now why there was so little deviation from the set path up until now; it wasn't necessary. There was absolutely no need for it at all, considering what had happened in the story so far. It was quite clear that the characters would never be going back to the places they visited on cocoon, and they didn't have a reason to. So I asked myself, why then would it be necessary to dwell on the exploration of these places.
In the end, it was clear that the first half the game was primarily used for two things; to introduce the player to the battle system, constantly putting them in new situations and offering them a challenge; and to propel the story. XIII relies heavily on its story and the devs have done a great job combing the story with a constantly moving game.
Overall, as I said, whilst I found myself a little disappointed in the lack of exploration and the generally linear nature of the game during the first half, I was constantly enthralled by the battle system and the story. When the game opened up to me in the second half, I had no problems at all. This was another thoroughly satisfying Final Fantasy experience.
But yeah, discuss what your outlook on XIII was. Do you think the gameplay overhaul was successful? Did you perhaps prefer XIII's linear nature to the other titles, such as the open worlded XII?
When I finally got my hands on the game, I was anxious to find out which direction the developers had decided to take. Initially, I was awestruck by the cosmetic aspects of the game; the sound and visuals. The soundtrack and voice acting for XIII exactly what I was hoping for, and overall I had very few complaints. Similarly, this was one of the most visually beautiful games I had ever played. The consistent futuristic style and attention to detail here got me excited to explore the wonderful world around me.
This is where things got a little bit disappointing. Whilst I had this beautiful world all around me, I more often than not found myself constricted to the path I had been set upon, and only that. I was also quite disappointed in the fact that treasure chests were so easy to find. I'm very much doubting that I missed any at all by accident.
On the other hand, I was enthralled with the story and the battle system. I just lost myself in them completely. I don't think I've ever had as much fun battling in a Final Fantasy game. The new system was fast paced, logical, exciting, and overall quite refined. The story, too, just drew me in. The character development and building of relationships between the party members in XIII was unparalleled by any of the other titles.
Eventually, I arrived at Gran Pulse. It was here that all of the dev team's decisions so far made a bit more sense. I could understand now why there was so little deviation from the set path up until now; it wasn't necessary. There was absolutely no need for it at all, considering what had happened in the story so far. It was quite clear that the characters would never be going back to the places they visited on cocoon, and they didn't have a reason to. So I asked myself, why then would it be necessary to dwell on the exploration of these places.
In the end, it was clear that the first half the game was primarily used for two things; to introduce the player to the battle system, constantly putting them in new situations and offering them a challenge; and to propel the story. XIII relies heavily on its story and the devs have done a great job combing the story with a constantly moving game.
Overall, as I said, whilst I found myself a little disappointed in the lack of exploration and the generally linear nature of the game during the first half, I was constantly enthralled by the battle system and the story. When the game opened up to me in the second half, I had no problems at all. This was another thoroughly satisfying Final Fantasy experience.
But yeah, discuss what your outlook on XIII was. Do you think the gameplay overhaul was successful? Did you perhaps prefer XIII's linear nature to the other titles, such as the open worlded XII?
