There are a great many people rather excited for the next episode in the drawn out Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy subseries. I am, as I’ve pointed out numerous times in the past not one of them. If you’re one of the many straddling the fence about it, here’s a collection of the critical consensus for Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII that could just sway your opinion.
There are just three reviews available as of writing, though that list will get longer soon; the embargo, as far as I’m aware, ends at 4pm today, South African time. Some are beyond embargo though. Here’s what they have to say.
First off, we have IGN, and according to their appraisal the game is well above average.
IGN – 7.0/10: Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII is a strange end to Square’s trilogy. Its fresh combat system is a great success, and the well-designed world provides more than enough reason to play through the end of Lightning’s journey. At the same time, the incredibly inconsistent tone and underwhelming plot caused any story-based satisfaction to completely elude me. Lightning Returns is a good game, but one that forgets that a big part of what make the Final Fantasy games so memorable is how they created characters we could care about.
The Koalition seems to think it’s actually rather good.
The Koalition – 82/100: Even though there’s so much I love about the XIII series in-particular, part of me is glad to see the end; because as we move towards a completely new adventure in Final Fantasy XV, gamers will begin to ease off from claiming the Final Fantasy series has lost its appeal just because they didn’t enjoy XIII. In the end, Lightning has done her job as our savior and she has in affect ushered on the next wave of the Final Fantasy phenomenon.
And Metro believe it’s middling stuff.
Metro – 5.0/10: Compounded by the nonsensical script and one-dimensional characters it’s as if the game is specifically designed to feel as shallow and disconnected as possible. Lightning Returns might be an enjoyable enough folly for fans, but there’s very little here for anyone else. And it certainly offers no compelling glimpse of the franchise’s future, just a long list of things it should avoid doing again.
I’m actually glad the scores aren’t unanimously high. That would have forced me to play the game, and I’d probably end up repeatedly smashing my head in to a wall just hearing Vanille again. Thanks, Metro. You’ve just saved my life.
Last Updated: February 11, 2014
Umar Reborn
February 11, 2014 at 13:09
It saddens me to see a ff title get such a low score 🙁
Not since Mystic Quest …. Sigh
RinceThis2014
February 11, 2014 at 13:11
Were you expecting this to have a high score? *RUNS
Umar Reborn
February 11, 2014 at 13:13
Not 5 bro…that’s heartsore
RinceThis2014
February 11, 2014 at 13:16
*MAN HUG.
SheHulkNigri
February 11, 2014 at 13:16
I am actually with you on this one. Ye Gods! The thing is called Final Fantasy. And we are on like what now, the 19th, 20th game of the series? Not so Final then is it? 🙂
Captain GUZ
February 11, 2014 at 13:26
My favorites in the series so far have been 7,10 and 8 in that order. didnt play any of the versions before 7 and after x-2 it just went downhill for me
Umar Reborn
February 11, 2014 at 13:32
Yeah, I didn’t even enjoy 12, but even that game was far better than the 13 saga
Brady miaau
February 11, 2014 at 13:09
Got the demo last week from Xbox live.
Not played it yet. Priority low.
not sure if I want to play. Anyone actually played it?
Umar Reborn
February 11, 2014 at 13:10
Yup, battle is freaking fun and the schemata system is awesome.
Brady miaau
February 11, 2014 at 13:35
Ok, so worth a quick shufti, then decide if I will buy it
Seems like an Action RPG from the description
Umar Reborn
February 11, 2014 at 13:36
Hmm, kind of, it’s semi-real time, but still has an ATB so you can’t attack continuously
Acornbread
February 11, 2014 at 14:02
Mechanically sound and graphically flashy but narratively nauseating. I wanted to like it (was a huge fan back in the day) but I just couldn’t stomach it. 🙁 It’s MUCH better than XIII at least.
Brady miaau
February 11, 2014 at 14:15
yeast is better than XIII
RinceThis2014
February 11, 2014 at 13:14
I am honestly surprised. I thought this was going to get 10s across the board, create a movement of dedicated SE fans that would lead the world to a utopian, pink-haired depressive era!
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 11, 2014 at 13:15
Sigh, if only, sigh, that were, sigh, true. Sigh
RinceThis2014
February 11, 2014 at 13:16
HAHAHA! I am actually trying to put that damn picture up but Disqus isn’t playing fair!
Hammersteyn
February 11, 2014 at 13:21
Maybe it’s sick of you spamming the same picture over and over 😛
RinceandLeSIGH
February 11, 2014 at 13:22
You shut your whore mouth! I mean, LE SIGH?
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 11, 2014 at 13:23
LE mumblemumblemumblemumblemumble
Hammersteyn
February 11, 2014 at 13:28
LOL
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 11, 2014 at 13:23
lol
Umar Reborn
February 11, 2014 at 13:16
All I can say is. On to 15, so glad this saga is done. I just want to put it behind me now
Hammersteyn
February 11, 2014 at 13:21
Same here.
RinceandLeSIGH
February 11, 2014 at 13:18
I hope this is the last of Le Sigh. So need a new protag now.
Hammersteyn
February 11, 2014 at 13:20
So this is Lightnings final fantasy?
RinceandLeSIGH
February 11, 2014 at 13:21
I think so. If it was MY Final Fantasy of Lightening it would end with her in a psych ward.
FoxOneZA
February 11, 2014 at 13:48
And here I thought you was an escapee from Fort Napier *whistles* 😛
RinceandLeSIGH
February 11, 2014 at 13:53
Oi! How do you know I’m not!?
FoxOneZA
February 11, 2014 at 14:17
Good point o.O
ToshZA
February 11, 2014 at 14:05
She has pretty eyes.
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 11, 2014 at 13:21
Want to bet the next one will be even more emo & known as Le Cut?
RinceandLeSIGH
February 11, 2014 at 13:33
You mean? Yeah, Disqus you suck today.
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 11, 2014 at 13:37
Did you mean to post an image? Or are you just generally asking if I’m mean, because, yes 😛
RinceandLeSIGH
February 11, 2014 at 13:39
Both 😛
RinceandLeSIGH
February 11, 2014 at 16:24
Finally 😉
ElimiNathan
February 11, 2014 at 13:27
What is FF ?
VampyricSquirrel Monk
February 11, 2014 at 13:38
Something that has never actually been FINAL.
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 11, 2014 at 13:38
Or that fantastic *run*
ElimiNathan
February 11, 2014 at 13:38
Is it bad that I’ve never even played a FF game ? I bought FF 7 the other day on Steam sale and played for 5 minutes
VampyricSquirrel Monk
February 11, 2014 at 13:44
I’ve never played one either, so don’t feel bad about it.
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 11, 2014 at 13:46
I finished 8 just over a week ago. It was okay, but wouldn’t say it’s a must-play.
Mossel
February 11, 2014 at 13:54
The closest I came to playing FF was when I got a demo of FF7 on one of those NAG Magezine discs. It also lagged on my then TNT2. So I never played it.
ElimiNathan
February 11, 2014 at 13:57
Used to love buying NAG mag for the Demoes and extra software on the CD’s. Haven’t bought one in years
Mossel
February 11, 2014 at 14:01
Yeah same here. Kids today wont know what it must be like to buy a magazine with random software on. If you had the latest Winamp you were pretty much badass.
Captain GUZ
February 11, 2014 at 14:07
DJ lama FTW, and if you could make a custom skin you were really to cool for school
ToshZA
February 11, 2014 at 14:04
I don’t think its bad – they’re JRPG’s, a genre that’s not for everyone.
I did however buy a PS2 just for the FF series, so meh.
Acornbread
February 11, 2014 at 18:01
Does anyone have any inside info about a possible Steam release of FFIX?
Ottokie
February 11, 2014 at 21:14
It will most probably be ported to Steam just like FF 7 and 8, just give it about a year and we will probably see FF9 on steam… i really really enjoyed FF9 a lot, it was something different but yet still kept the Final Fantasy spirit and feel.
Acornbread
February 12, 2014 at 08:56
Hope so, missed that one.
Ottokie
February 11, 2014 at 21:17
Metro gave it a good score for 5/10, I really just want to see this crappy Final Fantasy title pass so we can look to the future. I genuinely miss that true Final Fantasy feel to the game industry…I would go so far as to say I stopped playing console just because of the bad title that is Final Fantasy 13 and all adaptations.
Ryumoau
February 12, 2014 at 01:28
This game seems like it would be best as a rental, judging from reviews and the demo i played. i liked the combay system but the story was meh. Also not a fan at all of the time limit.