Final Fantasy XIII: Platinum Hits

All the people complaining about the linearity of the game need to stop. They have no idea just how much design and production really costs, and if Square tried to satisfy everyone, not only would we never actually see another FF game again (they would never leave production), but Square would go bankrupt trying to satisfy everyone. I'm a designer with designer friends and friends who make video games for a living and they all say the same thing; quit complaining and enjoy. You can't have your cake and eat it too. Now, that being said, the plot is classic Final Fantasy, the graphics are beautiful and the controls are old school FF with a new school twist. Trust me, play the early games for Nintendo and you'll see what I mean. Honestly, I love the twist. I wish the battles gave you money, but you can't win them all. I'm only a few hours into it, and while the plot is so slow to get moving, I can't help but stare at the other two discs in the case and smile. That is the beauty of the FF series, they take their time with the plot and character development. They build up the plot, you start off doing one thing and wind up doing something completely different. It's a beautiful style that's been working quite nicely for Square all these years. I can't really say much about the absense of the world map, mostly because I'm patient enough to wait for it to happen (Remember FF7? Took 7 hours of game play before we reached the world map, didn't it?). And just from reading the booklet that came with the game I can tell you that there are side quests (honestly, am I the only one that reads the manuals? I can't be). All in all, it's a pretty amazing game all things considered, we have stellar graphics, Yoshitaka Amano graphics no less, gorgeous music, an interesting cast, and a nice conflict. All we need are a guy named Cid and some moogles and we'll be in business. But like I said, I'm patient, and I have faith that their coming. This game is nothing short of a feat of engineering, and an excellent story at that. Do I wish some things had a little more meat to it? Yes. But I also respect Square's bottom line, and I can appreciate the shear amount of work that goes into creating something like this. So go ahead, get the game. It's a beautiful story with lovely characters, just be a little patient and you'll be more than satisfied.

I'll make my review concise as possible. Yes, the game is linear in scope. And yes, the game is very Japanese in nature. But linearity is by no means a bad thing, and with Final Fantasy XIII it helps unveil the story Square Enix tells in a very cinematic and enjoyable fashion. The story definitely won't be for everyone, as it has been said in many interviews already posted to date. Yes, it can be very melodramatic at points. Melodrama personally puts me off as well; but that melodrama is far from grating enough to write off a game of this grand of a scope. I've seen both games in action across both consoles. I'd like to dispel the belief that the 360 version is 'vastly' inferior to it's Playstation predecessor. They're both of equally gorgeous to play firsthand. The Playstation version is indefinitely clearer in resolution, but in action such a difference could never be fathomed if not set side by side (in which case some might not even 'tell' the difference side by side). The granduosity experienced throughout the game's gorgeous environments and extremely detailed character models are a must to experience across either platform. The gameplay has been my favorite across the Final Fantasy genre to date (I've played everything in the series exluding III, and XI). For me, it feels like Chrono Cross/Xenosaga meets traditional fantasy combat (and those games pose as my favorite when it comes to turn based battle systems). It's fast paced, you can link combos in a fun and equally fun to 'look' at fashion. The battle system is also strategic enough to appease long time fans of the series, as for when Optimas (Paradigm shifts) are unveiled a whole new slew of options are introduced. This is also where the linearity helps the game in scope. The battle system opens up at the same pace of the story, introducing core mechanics at a pace that 'anyone' can understand them. For some it may seem cumbersome, but as a whole, Square's method of unveiling the combat works well. Overall the game is indeed is fun, and almost a must-buy for any JRPG/Final Fantasy fans out there. Yes, the game can be linear, and yes the game opens up semi-sluggishly; but you're enjoying your time while traveling down that 'linear' path, being immersed into a game at a pace that's appropriate for what Square Enix has created. Sidenote - Vanille and Snow are equally obnoxious in the Japanese versions. But both characters grow on you. And if they don't...well. Mute your television whenever either opens their mouth. In all seriousness, experiencing the game's story alongside these characters, even if you dislike them in the beginning, makes the game all the more engrossing. Hopefully everyone who purchases the game has as much of a good time as I did/am.

Este es uno de los mejores juegos del genero de rol creado por Square Enix. Una agradable mezcla de elementos clásicos e innovadores. con excelentes gráficos y estupenda música. Solo un detalle: En el titulo menciona que es "Standard Edition" pero mi copia resulto ser "Platinum Hits" Esto no tiene importancia para mí que solo pretendo disfrutar del juego, pero las personas que coleccionan Juegos podrían molestarse al no recibir una "Primera Edición"

Favorite Final Fantasy game. Love the characters, story, and progression. Pros: Really good battle system, a mix of old Final Fantasy and new style ATB. Perfectly varied bestiary. Epic boss fights Fantastic summons Astounding graphics Extremely difficult hidden bosses First main number FF that wasn't "I must save my girlfriend/loved one/crush". Cons: A bit linear, though I didn't entirely mind it Really tough to get the Lightning gamerpic. Not really too much of a con but I was never able to do it Would have preferred the JP ending theme rather than Leona Lewis' "My Hands". 3 discs, though the 360 sadly isn't capable of bluray The amount of unnecessary hate it gets

Magnifica entrega de la franquicia, excelente jugabilidad y gran juego, lo remiendo, los gráficos son excelentes, la entrega llego en el tiempo prometido sin ningún problema.

Ar first the gameplay took a bit to get used to then master but overall i don't understand the hate of this game. I grew to love each of these characters and watch them grow through their struggles. The story of changing one's destiny hits hard with me. Also Lightning is a good character. One negative is they kind of rely on you to read the book "Final Fantasy XIII episode Zero: the Promise" to understand where they came from and why they are the way they are at the begining of the game. Also the book is pretty good.

Damaged product and not original release copy as shown.