Final Fantasy XIII-2 review

 The Final Fantasy franchise has been for decades at the top of the RPG genre and knew every PlayStation console eyes particularly high throw. Final Fantasy XIII was the first title for the current generation of consoles was pretty disappointing by many fans as described. The game was anything but bad, but lacked the freedom and many other game elements that the Final Fantasy series so strong. Square Enix has made ​​an attempt to listen carefully to her fans. A second part of Final Fantasy XIII is the result.


Final Fantasy XIII was as said a great title, but missed a lot of real Final Fantasy elements. One of the biggest issue was it's linear gameplay: Only in one of the last chapters you got more freedom and the possibility of side quests to do. The story was told from different perspectives and all the characters had their own motives. This resulted in a great adventure with a fairly complex plot. For those who have not played Final Fantasy XIII: no worries, Final Fantasy XIII-2 provides a comprehensive overview of the events in Final Fantasy XIII. Yet I also try a bit of Final Fantasy XIII to give.

The bulk of the story took off in Cocoon, a floating continent where people are safe for all samples, the Fal'Cie. Not all Fal'Cie are evil, because they also provide everything the people need. Cocoon did not turn out to be as secure as human thought and it was up to you to save the continent. Lightning, Sazh, Serah, Snow, Fang, Vanilla and Hope were cursed by a divine Fal'Cie and manage to save Cocoon. Actually, none of this group be alive, but by a special event most still remain alive. Final Fantasy XIII had a happy ending but not without consequences.


Final Fantasy XIII-2 takes place three years after the events of the original, and the world at that time boldly changed. According to many Lightning has sacrificed himself for the rescue of Cocoon or she is deceased. Serah Farron, her sister, remembers, however, something very different and is confident that Lightning is still alive. Lightning stuck in another dimension and sends Noel Kreiss, a boy from the future to Serah with the task to her to come. Noel knows Serah to persuade you to actually travel to and in-depth story about conflicts between different timelines and saving mankind begins.

The dimension in which lighting is located can only be achieved by different time conflicts. Every conflict produces a fragment of a crystal and thereby opened another gate to another dimension, year, or a combination thereof. On the road you will encounter many familiar characters and they will offer help, if they need someone here who can travel through time. Serah and Noel have this capability and through the Historia Crux you in an orderly manner by the time maneuvering.


The main story of Final Fantasy XIII-2 is much shorter than the original and can be completed within approximately 25 hours. If you are someone who immediately after the credits the game back in the cupboard explains, you are so quickly ready. Al I do not think you will do, because the universe of Final Fantasy XIII-2 continues to motivate you to explore the world better. There are new dimensions and timelines to discover, with some other end scenario. These are unlockable through a different gate opening or the time to reverse a level playing again and to make other choices. There are 160 fragments to obtain, and different weapons, accessories and the taming of all samples. The latter mainly offers a serious challenge. There are also several mini-games of the party, but here I will tell later.

Typical Final Fantasy elements are back again, and a large example of this is the presence of a Moogle Kupo. This not only flies around you, but actually a feature in the game. Some objects that do not belong in the current dimension are barely visible, inaccessible, or a combination thereof. The old familiar Moogle has the option to the current timeline to post or inaccessible places to explore. Addictive mini-games have also made their return. There is a casino with chocobo chocobo races where you can leave your own development. There are also slot machines, quizzes, puzzles and riddles.


To get back to the Moogle Kupo. Enemies are not physically present at the map, but by walking around it will appear. Moogle gives you time to respond and when you're fast enough you can begin the fight with an advantage. If you react too late then the "retry" option locked. The fighting is done with a system that we already know from the original Final Fantasy XIII, the Paradigm system. A paradigm to put together, put you up to six different combinations of fighting styles fixed. The basis of the system is virtually the same, but there are some drastic improvements.

Do you still fight with three characters: Noel, Serah and a tamed monster. Noel and Serah may take six known roles to attack, defend or to recover. The third person is a monster but a role can take on. The fights have become faster and it's a challenge getting the right combination of roles in your paradigm to have. Once you have the right combination, you will constantly have to analyze the situation and must quickly switch between six different paradigms. There is also something completely new in the combat system and that is the "Feral Link" with your sample. This is is a meter who are in the course of the battle fills. Once it is full, you can sample a special attack. This provides a fairly strong action on which you run as fast as possible the right buttons together to enter.


Serah samples may crystallize if you beat in a specific way. If you this once in your possession, you can add it to your team. This does not stop there, because you can merge samples together. By merging samples can take over each other's properties, which can yield interesting combinations. The leveling of samples goes through the same system as that of Noel and Serah, the Crystarium. The only difference is that take up different items are used in place of "Crystarium Points". The items used will also affect the development of your sample. One item will give extra HP, the other a little more force. For us this is a nice addition to the combat system, which is a little variation entails. It is also very fat to see a Cactuar Chocobo or to your side.

The Crystarium also has a makeover and this is a change that Square Enix could better leave. The level-up system is in fact very much simplified. You do not have more choices to make for whatever skills you want to learn first in a role. If "Medic" you do instance image now no longer a choice to make to get "HP 10%" or "Cure" to learn. You now just one of six roles to select to level. After gaining some levels you will Crystarium expanded and you get the choice of a bonus to a specific role to give your ATB gauge to raise or more accessories to wear.


The graphics and sound are - as we expect from Square Enix - perfectly executed. It surprised me is that I at times had a small frame drop. Not something I'm bothered me, but it was clearly visible. In the 60 hours of gameplay, I also still occasionally pass by. All levels are worked out in detail and there is frequently an epic tune along. All the music during fights unfortunately not compare to Final Fantasy XIII. The CGI is again a finger-licking good and so you would be able to place in a movie. Final Fantasy XIII-2 is a pretty picture, but the animations are a different story. During an ingame cut-scene is nothing to criticize, but if there is no question of a cut-scene animations are at a huge wooden dialogue.

After the original Final Fantasy XIII-2 is definitely a step back to the old Final Fantasy feeling from the 90s, and that is certainly a good thing. Do not get me wrong, Square Enix is ​​not there yet, but it is a beautiful result output. There are some typical Final Fantasy elements are present, combined with some modern elements such as Quick Time Events. The graphics, sound and level design are a relief and you can find a lot of hours in stabbing the whole game to play. If that's not enough, then there is also a lot of DLC to come.

For

- Improved combat system.
- Explore and discover.
- Mini Games.
- Variation.

Against

- Less CGI.
- Crystarium.


Graphics:18/20
Sound: 17/20
Gameplay:54/60