Final Fantasy XIII (Xbox 360, PS3)
You love video games. But video games, at least right away, don’t always love you back. They’ll bore you with remedial tutorials and dinky pistols, only dazzling hours later when the plot and levels start adding up. Don’t have the cash or clock to spare on a late-bloomer? Looking for a quality quick fix? NBN’s here to assess the Fun:Time ratio of a video game’s First Five Hours.
From the opening sequence, the developers at Square Enix have created a captivating joyride filled with action, beautiful cut scenes, compelling graphics and a pinch of humor. Released on March 9, Final Fantasy XIII is the latest, long-anticipated installment in a series that consistently sets the bar for Japanese role-playing games.
Gamers are thrown into the fray between the utopian Cocoon and underworld Gran Pulse. Our heroes group up after a series of unfortunate events that lead them before the Fal’Cie, a creature from Pulse that curses humans and turns them into magic-wielding servants known as l’Cie. If they fulfill their unspoken “focus,” they are turned into crystal forever. If they fail, they become monsters. Within the first five hours, this plot gradually unravels in a linear but confusing manner. The heroes are unaware of what their true “focus” is but continue traveling as if they knew where to go.
It is clear from the introduction that, like most RPGs, Final Fantasy XIII is driven by its profound storyline. Spanning three Xbox 360 discs or one 50GB PS3 Blu-ray disc, Final Fantasy XIII is the first game of the series to debut the Microsoft console. The 360 handles the game well, with only a few frame rate stutters in the game’s more populated areas.
Technical snafus aside, what resonates most is the group of characters. Each has a love ‘em or hate ‘em personality. I was partial to two in particular, the female soldier Lightning and wrong-place-wrong-time gunman Sazh. As one of Final Fantasy’s first dominant protagonistas, Lightning is reminiscent of Final Fantasy VII fan-favorite Cloud, except she’s reveals her softer side early on in the game. Sazh (alongside his baby chocobo) adds comic relief while pushing forward to save his son, Dajh. Overtly childish party members Hope and Vanille, on the other hand, are unfortunately critical to the plot and borderline annoying.
For inexperienced players, the game begins with tutorials at various parts, describing the simplified battle system, weapon upgrades and how to use Eidolons, mystical companions that aid your leader in battle. I had only unlocked one of the character’s Ediolons by the end of my five hours, and I was excited to see more. The bread and butter of the fighting system is a user friendly auto-battle option. While helpful for new gamers, brawls become at time more button-mashing than swift decision making.
But, as with other Final Fantasy games, it is never that easy. Gamers must adapt to certain situations by switching the group’s Paradigms, roles that each character has in a battle, such as Medic or Commando. This aspect becomes frustrating as the game progresses, forcing the player to think quickly as the enemies become stronger. With practice and character improvement, however, the game becomes fun and compelling, despite the frustration.
Gamers are limited to controlling one character. This can be burdensome, especially when other characters do not react as quickly as your leader. If your leader dies, it is game over. I couldn’t switch party members or choose my leader during the first five hours, a frustrating decision on Square Enix’s part. Alternatively, the limitation forces the gamer to know the leader’s strengths and weaknesses and expedites what would otherwise be a time-consuming chore.
The beauty of Final Fantasy games comes not only from their but also their music. Composer Masashi Hamauzu continues in the vein of previous series composer Nobuo Uematsu’s orchestral style. The music drives each scene, setting the tone. Whether it is an intense boss battle or emotional confrontation, the music never fails to strike a chord in the audience’s heart.
Beneath the stunning graphics lies a gripping plot. Unlike other Final Fantasy games, the graphics compel the audience to experience the game as if they were watching a movie. The opening sequence tosses the audience in the action as Lightning dismantles PSICOM soldiers on a train toward Cocoon. Awesome moments like that kept me interested in trying to wade through all the story jargon.
The ambient noise, however, may be the most underrated aspect of each scene, as it jolts the gamer and immerses him or her into an unknown world. It accentuates the most compelling moments in the game, such as when the crew finds a crystallized Sarah within an ice chamber. Snow, heartbroken and in disbelief, begins to chip through the ice in hopes to save her. The emotional tension during this scene compels the audience to feel for Snow and Lightning, establishing a lasting emotional connection between gamer and game.
In the interest of full disclosure, I have completed the game. It only gets better with time. Though the first five hours of gameplay seem overwhelming, the linear game world and comprehensive tutorials make it easy for first timers to get their feet wet. If you have the time, invest it. If you don’t, the sheer splendor and detail of Final Fantasy XIII still make for an unparalleled first five hours.
