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If you believe the internet, Final Fantasy XIII is the worst thing to ever happen to a historic RPG series. I do not agree. Final Fantasy XIII is fine.
Final Fantasy XIII and its sequels received backward-compatibility support on Xbox One today. So if you own those games on Xbox 360, you can play them on the modern console. They'll look better than they did before thanks to Xbox One X enhancements. Even XIII's cutscenes will look better, as Microsoft and Square Enix have partnered to improve their video quality.,
So if you have not played Final Fantasy XIII before, this is the best time ever to do so. But you probably do not want to because you've heard that it's awful. Those criticisms are overblown. I like Final Fantasy XIII.
Look, I'm not saying it deserves some scrutiny. The story and characters are weak. The cast is not likable, certainly not anywhere close to Final Fantasy VI or Final Fantasy IX level. And the plot is … well, it's convoluted even by Japanese RPG standards. I played it back when it debuted in 2010, and now I could not give you a story synopsis if my retro gaming collection depended on it. I remember there was something about an evil pope … and people trapped in crystals.
Fighting with style
But you know what I do remember? The fight. Because Final Fantasy XIII has a great battle system. It's like a combination of the classic ATB (active time battle) system used in its SNES and PlayStation entries but with the addition of more strategy. In most Final Fantasy games, you only worry about dealing damage and healing. Final Fantasy XIII also makes it important to have a character in their minds.
The fights also look fantastic. Although the fight is still half-turned based, characters walk around the battlefield and attack each other in a cinematic and exciting show. Final Fantasy XIII still looks good at most modern games. Few JRPGs can boast better visuals.
Final Fantasy XIII also has one of the best battle songs ever. Seriously, these are some of the best strings I've ever heard on a video game track. I get amped up every time I hear.
Some complain that Final Fantasy XIII is too linear. You do not have a traditional world map to explore. For much of the game, you follow a straight line. But there are areas that open up into wider fields and branching paths. Sure, this is still one of the most linear Final Fantasy games. But is not alone. Final Fantasy X worked much the same way, but it never receives nearly as much criticism.
Final Fantasy XIII also has a slow start. The game throws a lot of cutscenes and story sequences at the front of the battle. At first, fighting is simple. It's not until you can unlock the battle system's true depth. These kinds of slow burns are not for everyone. Given how much Final Fantasy XIII 's fight has gone on, I can understand why the game wants to ease you into things.
A victim of hype
I'm not sure why people are so hard on Final Fantasy XIII, but I expect to have something to do with it. Square Enix announced Final Fantasy XIII in 2006, years before its release. And that debut trailer was stunning. It was too stunning. Square Enix has a cheap trick by overlaying a UI on top of a prerendered battle. As good as the actual fights in the Final Fantasy XIII look, they are not as fast as this first video promised.
The series was also getting used to the rigors of modern game development. From 1999 to 2002, a new entry in the franchise cam out every single year. It was a three year wait between XII and XIII.
So when Final Fantasy XIII came out, it was a lot of flak. But now it's been almost a decade since its release, maybe we can look at Final Fantasy XIII with more gentle expectations. No, it is not the next Final Fantasy VII. It's not one of the best entries in the series. Final Fantasy XIII is still a fun and beautiful RPG that does not help you as much.
And before you say anything, sure, an Xbox 360 game can be retro now. Because I say so.
The RetroBeat is a weekly column that looks at gaming's past, diving into classics, new retro titles, or looking at how old favorites – and their design techniques – inspires today's market and experiences. If you have any retro-themed projects or scoops you'd like to send my way, please contact me.
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