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Final Fantasy XIII

EMAIL PRINT xbox360

7.6 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 24 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 65 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Square Enix

Developer: Square Enix

Genre(s): Role-Playing Game

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Release Date: March 9, 2010

Summary

In Final Fantasy XIII, you will embark on a journey through the cityworld of Cocoon and the outerworld of Pulse. Along the way, you will encounter diverse allies who will fight alongside you. Execute powerful attacks with weapons and magic, and summon the enigmatic Eidolons with an evolved Active Time Battle system. Experience seamless transitions between real time gameplay and in-game cinematics. Do you have the courage to face your destiny?

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Also On The Web: Metacritic Feature: How Does XIII Compare? Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Games Radar (in-house)

The streamlined, focused structure eliminates potential tedium without dumbing anything down, and the battle system strikes an elegant balance between strategy and fast-paced action. Stunningly beautiful graphics and a pervasively meticulous level of polish throughout only add to the experience.

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Game Informer

Final Fantasy XIII is an excellent game regardless of what system you're playing on. However, the Xbox 360 version's graphics are a few steps behind, with noticeable compression in the cutscenes and less impressive lighting.

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Vandal Online

We can't assure it is a turning point in the series, but it manages to make fights fun and it's no doubt an outstanding game.

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1UP

Like Mass Effect 2, FFXIII seems to be an attempt to answer the question of how to create an RPG for the modern, console-owning masses. Square Enix's solution is certainly different than BioWare's, but it's arguably just as effective in its own way.

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SpazioGames

If you expected a traditional JRPG, Final Fantasy XIII will be very disappointing for you. But that's not what Square Enix wanted it to be: this thirteenth chapter is a completely new point of view for the saga, which was in terrible need of a new direction. The plot is intense and built on an enjoyable smaller scope, the battle system is deep and satisfying, and technically (albeit a couple of unexpected flaws) the game delivers. So that's it, a NEW Final Fantasy: if that's what you were waiting for, big time.

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MS Xbox World

A classic game and well worthy of the Final Fantasy moniker.

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Official Xbox Magazine

While the game's first 10 hours still give me pause, the 60 magnificent hours after those initial steps onto Cocoon make up for the tunnel-vision tutorial. [Apr 2010, p.68]

Gameplayer Sweden

An epic adventure that shakes things up quite a bit yet still manages to retain the elements that've made the series great.

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Gamers.at

Final Fantasy XIII goes back to the J-RPG-roots of the franchise while stripping away that which made its predecessor appealing to fans of western RPG. For Fans of the linear J-RPG genre, FF XIII is a great game; fans of western freedom had better stay away from it.

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Cheat Code Central

Final Fantasy XIII is an amazing game. With an engrossing story and a thrilling new battle system, this is one title you can't afford to miss as an RPG fan. However, though it succeeds on the most important fronts, there are some notable areas where the game could have been better. The linear level design is a fairly large stumbling block, and if you are used to open-world games, it can make the entire experience feel a little claustrophobic.

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IGN

Hardcore Final Fantasy fans might be disappointed by the game's abandonment of franchise traditions like open worlds, town exploration and complex mini-games. The game is still worth buying, but it doesn't quite feel as complete as its well-loved predecessors.

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XGN

Final Fantasy XIII is probably the RPG of the year and therefore a must have for any RPG-lover. The game is very strong, has beautiful graphics and good voice-acting. Unfortunately after completing this adventure we again have to wait a couple of years for a new part.

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Everyeye.it

An unexpected Final Fantasy. The 13th chapter has a great story and some of the most incisive characters of the whole series, and even the battle system works very well, being deep and complex (even if you control only a single character). But on the other side the overwhelming linearity of the plot, the absence of cities to explore and the small amount of side quest will disappoint fans' expectations.

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GameSpot

The most beautiful Final Fantasy game yet is an imperfect but still impressive saga that will touch your heart.

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3DJuegos

Square Enix expands the Final Fantasy series with a title full of new mechanics and important design decisions, all of them oriented to tell to fans a great and exciting story. The progress in the game is extremely linear, the cinematics are numerous, but the battle system is simply awesome and the big tool of the J-RPGs to claim its big values again. Thirteen is a good number for the Final Fantasy series, but we feel that it could been even better.

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Xbox360Achievements

Final Fantasy XIII at times doesn’t feel like a Final Fantasy game; what with its traditional mechanics streamlined down to next to nothing and not much outside the main scope of the game to get on with. If you can put that aside though and sit through a painfully slow beginning, then Final Fantasy XIII is as rewarding as any JRPG on the console.

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Gameplanet

A good starting point for newcomers to the franchise - and indeed the genre; however fans and veterans may see it as an RPG in a strait jacket.

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IGN UK

Ultimately the lack of anything substantial to do beyond fleeing and fighting soon brings the game crashing back to earth, and even when the walls are lifted Final Fantasy XIII’s world can seem strangely lifeless.

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AceGamez

While Final Fantasy XIII is ultimately an enjoyable experience, the change in pace will throw off fans of turn-based battles or those who enjoyed the immediate grandeur of the twelfth instalment.

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Console Monster

Final Fantasy seems to have fallen in a rut, but if you can put up with the linearity for long enough, there is an interesting story and game at its heart. That said, even hard-core Final Fantasy fans are going to struggle to find an A++ RPG here.

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Total Video Games

By eliminating many of the factors that we've come to expect Square-Enix has delivered a Final Fantasy XIII that is different, but also desperately attempts to cling on to some elements of the past purely to maintain conventions. Unfortunately, the biggest criticism is the fact that you're left with a feeling of playing for the sake of it, rather than savoring it.

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Gamereactor Sweden

High production values and charming characters make Final Fantasy XIII a good game. But an all too linear structure and a boring story keep it from being brilliant.

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VideoGamer

You have to hand it to Square Enix for trying to move things forward - better that than yet another rehash of the tried and tested Final Fantasy formula (the less said about Infinite Undiscovery the better). But it does so along a path so narrow and straight that you long for the days of old.

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TeamXbox

Final Fantasy XIII shoves a handful of protagonists in your face that look like they were designed at a cosplay convention and asks you to care about them simply because they’re wearing a beanie, have a cool nickname or speak with a mysterious Australian accent.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 7.6 (out of 10) based on 65 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

James K gave it a9:
A truly excellent title with the feel of Final Fantasy 10 in terms of camera or graphics, with the classic sensibilities from Final Fantasy 7, 8, and 10 that is most obvious in the characters or environments that I found to be immensely entertaining and likable. Each character has a complex background story to them as well which pushes the epic, lore-rich story further along. The only problems are the quite often insanely hard battles, mostly the boss battles, but this finally makes strategy an important option by finally forcing you to use Elemental Resistance accessories you'd never use in other RPG's; even buffs such as Protect or Shell which you'd never use in some Final Fantasy games. Another problem is the slow starting point to the game, where the game follows a linear path for the first 15 hours or so, but it slowly opens up and gets better as you gain more abilities at your disposal and the beautiful world opens up to you. It is understandable for some to not like this game, but many Final Fantasy fans and veterans such as me will love this game! For newcomers, a lore rich world and intense combat system awaits!

Daniel K gave it a10:
This game is amazing.... I bought the 360 version because I use my 360 far more and yes there are a few minor blemishes graphically, but overall it's a technical marvel. Besides I like having a smoother framerate and to think they accomplished this on 360 in less than half the time of the dev time of the PS3 is more than impressive. I was a little iffy on the battle system at first but once you get a couple hours in, the options really open up. I cannot stress enough that the game is amazing and owners of either system should go pick it up; I may still buy the PS3 version just to have both since I'm such an FF nut (I have every single main series Final Fantasy).

David S gave it an8:
Overall I'd say thusfar it's a fairly decent game. The graphics are beautiful and the battle system is well laid out. Character Development isn't too shabby but the storyline hasn't fully sucked me in not quite yet. Hopefully it'll improve over time, but for now it seems a bit linear and a bit predictable at times. Overall I'd still say not a bad installment to the series.

Holden O gave it a6:
Main faults as i see em: No control over party (if your leader dies... so does party? wtf) - I dont like this at all. feels like more of a 1 player game with pets then a RPG to me. No towns? (cant talk to random people) - I miss being able to explore towns and talk to random people... tho if you walk up to people they do talk... just have to listen Auto-attack - This feature to me is both good and bad. Its good in the context of this system because you are rewarded for combos/chains on 1 enemy. However i think that the game looses its strategy due this and i find myself just pressing A during a battle to gain the best chains. - If i try to manage my attacks manually i enjoy it more but feel really rushed. Also i get 4 stars instead of 5 and if i use auto-attack its always 5 stars... this just encourages me to be lazy. Summons + Transformers = FAIL Things I like: Shops at save points Chrono Trigger like active battle system Story Graphics Edit: I hate the battle system.

Allen C gave it a9:
This game needs to be enjoyed for what it is, not despised for what it isn't. On its own merits, I found this game to be incredibly enjoyable. The story was good and surprisingly character-driven when you think about it. The battle system, as has been noted, is great. The battles are the best of any FF game yet. I'm not going to complain about the lack of exploration in this game because that isn't what the game is about. The first five hours or so really stink. I felt that I was being treated like a bit of an idiot. The end makes up for that. Great game... though all-in-all not as compelling as X or XII.

Max S gave it a10:
I have no idea why this game has been given a 3.6 so far. There are obviously some trolls voting, because although I could understand a rating in the low B range, there is no way this game is in any way deserving of a fail. Even for the graphics alone, the game would be worth playing, but when you factor in the enjoyable story and gameplay, I have to give this game a score it rightly deserves. Eat it, haters.

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