A Hong Kong gaming magazine has the knives out for Final Fantasy XIII, giving the title 4 out of 10 and calling it the "biggest swindle in gaming history". Ouch.
We don't know the mag, or reviewer, but we do know one thing - he doesn't like Final Fantasy XIII. "The game is complete linearity until the open areas near the end," he says adding, "it's little more than riding an amusement park ride."
Final Fantasy XIII
Official trailer
3:17A stunning trailer, with in-game footage
Final Fantasy XIII
Official trailer
3:17A stunning trailer, with in-game footage
Age Restricted Content Please enter your date of birth below in order to verify your age before watching this video
You must be at least 0 years of age.
Play Again? Missed something? Just watch it again..
Watch More Videos Browse related videos and see what's new & popular
Share This Video Email this video, or embed it into your own web page
"I had heard the opinion that "It's amazing once you get to Chapter 11," but why should you spend 20 or 30 hours on a game to get to the only enjoyable part? Just how do they intend to make me play this? Do they think I'm some kind of masochist?"
"A button mashing puzzle game with no real strategy or RPG elements and a plethora of annoying features, game as a whole is little more than a digital novel of sorts."
"For such a game to approach 2 million copies sold must be due solely to the strength of the Final Fantasy brand"
Reading it on ps3 kombo he says he played it for 8 hours. Wow. You'll really get into a Final Fantasy in just 8 hours. Nothing usually happens in the first few hours because it's trying to build up a plot. I thought reviewers were supposed to complete a game before reviewing it? It's a bit like watching the first 10 minutes of a film and just reviewing that. Well I suppose it is one way of getting attention for your magazine...
Fair enough you don't like the game but 4/10 no way Jose, I call b******s. I get the feeling this reviewer hasn't remained objective and probably isn't writing for a games magazine.
I read this story earlier in the evening on one of the Amazon forums and ended up with a link to Destructoid. What does cause me some concern is that there was at least one poster on the Destructoid website who confirmed the reviewers comments about a very linear experience interspersed with pretty cut-scenes "every 15 minutes", etc. for at least the first 11 chapters or so with no backtracking whatsoever. Apparently the game opens up dramatically during the last three chapters and allows for some backtracking then. The poster wouldn't quite go as far as to condemn "FF XII" as harshly as the reviewer, yet he/she did state that the game was a bit of a disappointment for him/her. Apparently he/she was able to play the game early because he/she imported a copy of it.
To be frank this news - although still early days - causes me to waver, and since I've already been eying "Magna Carta 2" and "Tales of Vesperia" for many months either of those may end up in my game collection instead of "FF XIII". "FF XIII" looks gorgeous, no doubt about it, yet JRPGs have hardly set the world on fire the past many years in regards to innovation; could this be the death knell for the SP version of FF games? I'll wait for more reviews from the likes of CVG and others before voting with my wallet.
Err... All FF games are pretty damned linear. Don't know why that would be a surprise. Side quests aside, the story is just 'go to a place, do some stuff, go to another place.'
Being from Hong Kong (TRUE) I have to say most reveiwers are pretty harsh one single dislike of a game, and this is likely coming from GameWave, a horrible gaming magazine.
The problem is that it seems like nobody can say a bad word against FF games ... Seriously don;t understand why some of the games are so popular.
Personally the only one I ever liked was FFXI , and thats cos its an MMO ...
FF VII is the most overrated POS in the history of videogaming IMHO. I was interested in getting this at one point, but I have seen various people on other forums point out exactly the same issue with the game.
All RPG's are linear to a point, most games are as well when you think about it. However from what I have seen this game is pretty much 'on rails', it may as well be just FMV (ala FF VII).
Also I personally hate RPG's that have fixed enemies rather than random encounters.
Really wish Sega would make an updated old fashioned Phantasy Star game. The MS and MD games are easily the best JRPG's you will ever play.
By the sounds of it it's a lot like FFX. You only got the airship (and thereby freedom) right before the last battle. I liked FFX, it's my second-favorite FF after VII, so I'll probably enjoy this as well. FF has always been about story for me and FFXIII will keep me going on that alone.
I've heard alot of people saying the same thing about FF XIII. Apparently its even more linear than FFX. What turned me off is the fact that you have hardly no choice in how the characters level up. People say its like the sphere grid from FF X but without the option to deviate from your characters path.
There's a preview on Eurogamer and they also mention how unambitious and linear the first half of the game is.
After the breath of fresh air that was FF XII, it disappointing to see that Square seemed to of reverted back to the gameplay style of FF X.
This game has been in development so long, and has such an air of anticipation about it, that anything less than an experience that defines RPG's (or rather JRPG's) this generation is going to be a disappointment.
Linearity isn't always an issue with these games (although personally I feel role playing should really be about freedom without a world), if the story is engaging enough to drive the experience. If however it turns out that the game is just rehashed mechanics and ideas with a pretty make over, then it probably deserves to get torn a new one by critics.
As for this article, well to be fair it's one man's opinion, and that is what reviews are all about. I usually read 3 or 4 different reviews on games before making my mind up, so as to ensure I am making as informed a decision as possible.
I have already got this on pre-order on the strengh of the Demo I got from the advent children Blu-ray. I know its about going from point A to point B, always has been. The only thing that does worry me is that I heard that there are no towns to visit in the game at all!
The guy's entitled to his opinion. I don't like the FF games either, I always find them very predictable.
I understand spending some time to establish a setting and the plot, but if nothing interesting has happened in 8 hours of play time then there's something definitely up.
Having played a import copy of the game i have to agree with what was written in the magazine to some degree, this is not a FF game in my eyes, it's only Final fantasy by name, as mentiond it's VERY VERY linear, yes previous FF games had linear aspects to it but they had Towns to visit secrets to find, exploration other things to do.. FF XIII has none of this even when it does open up some what it doesn't get any much better.
As someone who has played and owns every FF game bar one, this IMO is the worst, even more so then when they released FF X-2.. ( the only FF game i didn't get) everything that made the FF series what it was seems to have been taken away, I think Square-Enix need to stop and take a look at what they have done because to me it's not great at all.
still awaiting the ps3 remake of ff7 - probably never will happen
There was a time when I would've agreed with you but, to be honest, if they did do a remake, it would most likely be a big let down. FF VII, for me, was so good because it was all about story and gameplay, pure and simple. If they tried to redo it now they would just 'Hollywood' it up, ie. concentrate on graphics and making the battles ridiculously over the top, This is my main concern for XIII really.
I bet a lot of FF fans out there are thinking that the improvement in graphics over the years is the worst thing that has happened to this great series, it's caused Square to forget their roots, so to speak,
Wasn't particularly looking forward to this as it was (pretty generic art style/design), just waiting for reviews etc., but after seeing the video review on gametrailers.com it pretty much turned me off completely. Confirmed what others have said, no mini games, no distractions, no world map until very near the end.
It looks/sounds pretty much exactly the same as FFX - i.e. completely linear with no freedom at all. Couldn't stand FFX - get in a few fights, reappear in another town, get in a few fights, reappear in another town etc. etc. To me that's not an RPG, just a series of battles wedged into a story.
sounds like somebody who loves turn based games as much as me reviewed it.... while i hate turn based games i can apreciatte there is alot of people who do like them and final fantasy seems to be the grail of them all so i wouldnt get all wound up about this guys review, he probably likes turn based games as much as i do, the wrong guy reviewed it, thats all i think.... although had i reviewed it i wouldnt have been as generous with the mark lol, doesnt matter how good a turn based game is ill always hate them....
Ooooh, well as someone who has played and despised after FF 7, I can't say I'm suprised. I was kinda hoping this one who be a better- but again, like Mark says, I haven't played it yet- so maybe this guy's wrong. Maybe.
A part of me died when I saw Advent Children though. Terrible, terrible film.
This game has been in development so long, and has such an air of anticipation about it, that anything less than an experience that defines RPG's (or rather JRPG's) this generation is going to be a disappointment.
Linearity isn't always an issue with these games (although personally I feel role playing should really be about freedom without a world), if the story is engaging enough to drive the experience. If however it turns out that the game is just rehashed mechanics and ideas with a pretty make over, then it probably deserves to get torn a new one by critics.
As for this article, well to be fair it's one man's opinion, and that is what reviews are all about. I usually read 3 or 4 different reviews on games before making my mind up, so as to ensure I am making as informed a decision as possible.
This.
@Terranova1: Your comment just made up my mind. I will not be buying "FF XIII" upon release. If I should end up purchasing it some day, it will be well after release and/or a significant price cut. Thanks for the valuable input!
Ooooh, well as someone who has played and despised after FF 7, I can't say I'm suprised. I was kinda hoping this one who be a better- but again, like Mark says, I haven't played it yet- so maybe this guy's wrong. Maybe.
A part of me died when I saw Advent Children though. Terrible, terrible film.
Astonishing quality of graphical art, but a "story" with about as much punch as a dead and decaying gnu. I do not regret buying the movie since it was an okay price for a very pretty bit of entertainment, though for anyone who isn't familiar with "FF 7" they are bound to miss a lot of the references.
FF VII is the most overrated POS in the history of videogaming IMHO. I was interested in getting this at one point, but I have seen various people on other forums point out exactly the same issue with the game.
@originalbadboy So you didn't buy it? If so your "opinion" is hardly honest or an opinion. You have to extensively play such a game to make such a statement and just as importantly play it in it's generation. As for overrated, have you played a series called "Call Of Duty"?
Final Fantasy has always been a bit of a Marmite type game... there's no middle ground, it's LOVE or HATE.
I hated FF10 as it seemed that they'd looked at the DVD storage medium as a chance to change the series in a dramatic fashion... and totally screwed it up in the process with a crappy storyline, totally linear gameplay and a main character you wanted to see get killed.
Here's a very lengthy, yet quite humorous and witty, preview of "FF XIII". I'm definitely postponing any plan of buying this game anytime soon. To those who take the plunge anyway, may you enjoy it as much as you hoped you would if not more so.
Copyright 2006 - 2009 Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath, UK BA1 2BW England and Wales company registration number 2008885
Nothing usually happens in the first few hours because it's trying to build up a plot. I thought reviewers were supposed to complete a game before reviewing it? It's a bit like watching the first 10 minutes of a film and just reviewing that.
