Thanks to Square Enix we’ve all had the chance to play a whopping 1.7GB demo of the soon-to-be-released Final Fantasy XIII-2. Having completed that; anyone who is still unwilling to give the game a chance is simply too hard to please.
Now I was a fan of Final Fantasy XIII, but just going through a brief checklist of what others had complained about in that game that Square Enix has fixed this time around; there’s far less of a sense of linearity. There are now people to talk to even deep within the dungeons (which now have branching paths). Side quests are littered about the place and worth investigating to break up the main game. There’s puzzles and investigation interspersed with the combat and story sequences.
The game also feels strongly reminiscent of the earlier Final Fantasy games thanks to random battles making their first comeback since Final Fantasy X-2. To stop those from becoming frustrating, it’s easy to avoid said battles but you’re not going to want to; the battle system is even more dynamic and exciting that the previous game.
The pace of paradigm system, which has returned largely intact from Final Fantasy XIII, is a bit snappier this time around. There’s also greater variety, thanks to the monsters. There’s only two human characters in FFXIII-2; Serah and Noel, but defeating monsters in battle can unlock them in your own team. Each monster plays a role within the paradigm, so some are Commandos, others are Ravagers or even Medics, and as you change paradigms the monster that fights at your side (one at a time), will also change to suit the new strategy.
You use items to level these monsters up, and each monster also has a unique “super” ability, which activates when a bar that fills slowly during battle fills to full. As a result of this constant monster switching and the sheer variety you accumulate, the game has a wonderful dynamic feel in the combat, and plenty of menu work for the stat-cruncher to play with to maximise the effectiveness of their teams.
The demo even presented you with branching paths to tackle the main objective; taking down a massive giant nasty thing. You can descend into a labyrinth to try and activate a crystal that will weaken him, or you can go in all guns blazing. Slight as it might be compared to, say, Skyrim, the loosening of control over pacing and the experience in Final Fantasy XIII-2 means that Square Enix has a far more traditional JRPG on their hands this time; less focused than FFXIII perhaps, but one that fans of the series really ought to lap up this time.
Obviously a hour-and-a-half of demo isn’t going to be enough to get a feel for the story of what will likely be a 50+ hour RPG, but the game does maintain the superb visuals of the predecessor. That said, I must register a slight disappointment in the soundtrack; there is no way this new battle music is a patch on FFXIII’s, and the other tracks in the demo don’t have quite the same memorable themes in it.
That’s a minor complaint though. XIII-2’s music is still more than adequate. I was a bit worried going in to the demo that Square Enix was making too many concessions to the complainers in FFXIII-2. They haven’t. This is a very confident, very proud game, and hopefully the fans can go into this one with an open mind this time.
What did everyone else think of this superb demo?
Thank you, Square Enix, for such a brilliant demo. I cannot wait for the full game now!
Thank you, Square Enix, for such a brilliant demo. I cannot wait for the full game now!
didn't like the demo and the story looks like total garbage. The towns are like mini dungeons with a bunch of useless NPC's and you can't even enter the buildings. Kupo is annoying as fuck and the maps are more like a maze with a bunch of dead ends. They put back the super annoying random encounters and let's not even talk about that the only playable characters are Noel and Serah!
I bought the first game and didn't like it. Played the demo for this one and it's now confirmed that I'm not gonna buy this garbage, looks even worse than the first one. At least they put up FF Origins on the PSN, never played the second one.
The funny thing is that before playing the demo I was actually thinking about giving this game a try but fuck that. lol
didn't like the demo and the story looks like total garbage. The towns are like mini dungeons with a bunch of useless NPC's and you can't even enter the buildings. Kupo is annoying as fuck and the maps are more like a maze with a bunch of dead ends. They put back the super annoying random encounters and let's not even talk about that the only playable characters are Noel and Serah!
I bought the first game and didn't like it. Played the demo for this one and it's now confirmed that I'm not gonna buy this garbage, looks even worse than the first one. At least they put up FF Origins on the PSN, never played the second one.
The funny thing is that before playing the demo I was actually thinking about giving this game a try but fuck that. lol
Well, you can't judge a 50 hour game's story on a one hour demo. That's not fair to the game, or to yourself; you might actually enjoy it if you went in with an open mind.
You must be new to Final Fantasy. It's called a "Moogle" not a "Kupo".
Not sure where these dead ends were. I didn't encounter any. The one possible "dead end" I encountered turned out to be the location of a side quest.
How are the random encounters annoying? You have plenty of time to run away from them if you don't want to fight them.
Why does an RPG need lots of playable characters? Noel and Serah have a whole lot of potential roles, anyway. They're a bunch of characters rolled into one.
So far, in terms of the reactions to the demo, when people "don't like it" all I see is a lot of knee-jerking by people that didn't want to like it. People are able to trick themselves into believing anything when they try hard enough; mind over matter and all that.
Well, you can't judge a 50 hour game's story on a one hour demo. That's not fair to the game, or to yourself; you might actually enjoy it if you went in with an open mind.
You must be new to Final Fantasy. It's called a "Moogle" not a "Kupo".
Not sure where these dead ends were. I didn't encounter any. The one possible "dead end" I encountered turned out to be the location of a side quest.
How are the random encounters annoying? You have plenty of time to run away from them if you don't want to fight them.
Why does an RPG need lots of playable characters? Noel and Serah have a whole lot of potential roles, anyway. They're a bunch of characters rolled into one.
So far, in terms of the reactions to the demo, when people "don't like it" all I see is a lot of knee-jerking by people that didn't want to like it. People are able to trick themselves into believing anything when they try hard enough; mind over matter and all that.
I don't know if I have room on my PS3 for the demo. I'm sure it is just spiffy, but I haven't played the original FFXIII yet.
I don't know if I have room on my PS3 for the demo. I'm sure it is just spiffy, but I haven't played the original FFXIII yet.
You'll want to play the original before this game – I suspect the plot won't make a lot of sense without the back knowledge this time around.
Luckily, it's worth the effort. 🙂 I personally believe FFXIII is a very different – but very good – RPG.
You'll want to play the original before this game – I suspect the plot won't make a lot of sense without the back knowledge this time around.
Luckily, it's worth the effort. 🙂 I personally believe FFXIII is a very different – but very good – RPG.
great article liked the demo too much more things to do within the menu, id say the in battle music does get a bit catchy but by far the best soundtrack is that of X thanks to playing the demo i think i will get this
great article liked the demo too much more things to do within the menu, id say the in battle music does get a bit catchy but by far the best soundtrack is that of X thanks to playing the demo i think i will get this
Hi CheekyMunky,
Thanks for stopping by to say hi!
Glad to hear someone else enjoyed the demo! I look forward to this game restoring some faith in the Final Fantasy franchise.
Hi CheekyMunky,
Thanks for stopping by to say hi!
Glad to hear someone else enjoyed the demo! I look forward to this game restoring some faith in the Final Fantasy franchise.
This FUCKING GAME SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This FUCKING GAME SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I played XIII and enjoyed it. I was disappointed with the lack of New Game Plus. Also, leveling up was too slow. I had to kill the same enemies over-and-over since most monsters lacked enough exp to make it worth my time.
I liked the battle system, but I'd prefer a true turn based system. I don't like the compromise that many Japanese firms make to appease western audiences. (Or, if SE would go the route of Mass Effect.) Enchanted Arms battle system (and Lost Odyssey) was fun.
I played XIII and enjoyed it. I was disappointed with the lack of New Game Plus. Also, leveling up was too slow. I had to kill the same enemies over-and-over since most monsters lacked enough exp to make it worth my time.
I liked the battle system, but I'd prefer a true turn based system. I don't like the compromise that many Japanese firms make to appease western audiences. (Or, if SE would go the route of Mass Effect.) Enchanted Arms battle system (and Lost Odyssey) was fun.
Hi Timothy,
Thanks for your input – great read, and I agree with a lot of what you've said. I, too, was a big fan of Enchanted Arms' battle system, and I think it's a pity that there aren't more turn based games around these days (that said, have you checked out the Atelier series? They're good, and turn based).
I agree with your criticisms of XIII. It can be a grind at the end, and the lack of a New Game Plus was a little backwards by modern JRPG standards. Still, a worthwhile game, and XIII-2 is a nice revisit to the world, judging from the demo.
Hi Timothy,
Thanks for your input – great read, and I agree with a lot of what you've said. I, too, was a big fan of Enchanted Arms' battle system, and I think it's a pity that there aren't more turn based games around these days (that said, have you checked out the Atelier series? They're good, and turn based).
I agree with your criticisms of XIII. It can be a grind at the end, and the lack of a New Game Plus was a little backwards by modern JRPG standards. Still, a worthwhile game, and XIII-2 is a nice revisit to the world, judging from the demo.
When I Played this demo, it make sick ( literally) the camera focus, the batle perspective, the quick angle changes during the batle, the ugly colors( including the drepresing rain in the demo), the only thing that maybe it's good, is the game script( i got hope)
I still need to grab the demo. I'm someone who was quite fond of XIII. It is not in the upper half of my favorite FF games, but it was still better than a lot of titles out there imo. This looks fun, but I am aware there has been a lot of negativity about the demo so far. I'm going to try and keep an open mind though and see what I think of it over the weekend.
Many Japanese gamers don't like it, it has so far scored two 80s on metacritic, and it's the continuation of a mediocre game with a mediocre story. No, it hasn't fixed everything. This game is the result of several wrong decisions made by a declining company. It's kind of sad for gamers like me who are fans of the Final Fantasy series since the Super Nintendo days, to watch it transform into a shallow hybrid of J-Pop aesthetics and non-existent gameplay. When you say that this game is good you insult old games of the series, like final fantasy vii (great story, pacing, music, atmosphere, and a battle system that needs an entire book to be extensively analyzed), and modern RPGS like Skyrim or Xenoblade Chronicles, which are perfect examples of how a game should be made. Don't defend a game just because it's called Final Fantasy, you are only making things worse for the franchise by supporting mediocrity.
A score of 80 does not mean they don't like it. It's actually a pretty decent, even good, score.
'How a game should be made' is only about personal opinion. I for one enjoy Skyrim, and I'm looking forward to FF13-2, because I am pleased with the demo.
I don't expect the storyline to amaze me at all, but I never played Final Fantasy for the story, there is Persona for that. As long as they give me freedom, bells and whistles and colorful explosions with some stats to sink my teeth into, I'll be a happy gamer!
fix? i never played the first xiii but ive played the demo for this and i got to say this could be the worst game ive ever played (and ive played DNF!) maybe its because they took out RTS in it either way i hate it go back to ff VII or FF X then ill buy but this isnt even a RPG!
13 sucked and 13 2 still sucks cause it has the same story as 13…WHICH SUCKED!!! The game itself wasn't bad, i loved the shifts, i loved the updated graphics, i even loved the linarity intell you got half way in. What i didn't like was ending the game and going "huh thats it" I don't even know what the hell happened. I was not emotionaly tied to any character and what do they do? Make and 2 of the game that all gamers said was shit. Thanks squar enix if i wasn't done with your shit before i sure the hell am now. I'll go back and play your old games which turn out to be your glory days.
I think he proved his point. Guys like you looking for cheap thrills kill the franchise. How do you play a FF game for anything other then the story? Are you a gamer MR. Hipster?
Actually, if you study the story of FFXIII closely, and remember that it's a Japanese game, you'll realise that it's a story that's filled with nuance and complexity. It addresses a lot of the tension within Japanese society regarding the Japanese youth of today vs. the traditional way that youth are expected to behave. It's a major social concern in Japan right now.
Within that context is some very interesting character development.
If you're going to criticise a game's plot, you should look beyond the surface impression, and you certainly shouldn't assume that as a westerner a game produced in Japan will have a story that's relevant to your sensibilities.
Hi Remi,
Thanks for dropping by and saying hi! I hadn't heard that Tri-Ace staff were involved in this game, but you're right, it would make a lot more sense.
Tri-Ace is a brilliant little developer. I'm surprised Square Enix hasn't bought it up yet. Perhaps they should consider giving XV to them, too.
it hasn't fixed the awful combat system
The demo restored my faith in Final Fantasy, and Square-Enix to an extent after their abysmal FF14 and Front Mission on ps3.
I've heard that a lot of Tri-Ace staff worked on 13-2, that would explain the new dynamism found in the battles!
That said, I'm hyped and I already preordered my copy! Too bad you can't save in the dmeo, I would have loved to grind those battles silly to get a feel of how characters get stronger in that game…
The Random battles already throw a huge damper into my interest for this one. Those always get on my nerves, even if you can run from them easily. I also hope the combat is improved. In the original game, it was too reptitive and lacked thought – seriously, the same few tactics worked for most of the battles. I've never missed Final Fantasy X's battle system more than when I played FFXIII.
"13 sucked and 13 2 still sucks cause it has the same story as 13…WHICH SUCKED!!!"
How eloquently put.=P Seriously, dude, it's a sequel, not a remake. It's not gonna have the same story all over again. It might be better, it might be worse, it may even be just as good, except different. It will be a different story, though. If what you said is what you're basing your decision on, you could be greatly missing out.
Dude, Final Fantasy Rarely has good stories, and personally I found FFXIII's story to be the best the series has had, for better or for worse. There's a lot more to games, even RPGs, than just it's story. I honestly play Final Fantasy for their intricate combat systems, amazing graphics, and exploration, rather than their stories – If I want a good story, I'll just read a book, not play a video game – and I'm not surprised to hear their are others that do the same.
Yeah, I wasn't sure about it when I first heard about it, but the way the random battles are done in FFXIII-2 really does make them optional. Monsters warp to around your location, and if you don't want to fight them, keep walking. The game gives you a good few seconds to decide whether you want to fight, or ignore them.
It's a very seamless process – the best way to handle random battles that I've seen so far.
FFXIII was a great game. The only reason people ripped it apart is because it had Final Fantasy in the title.
It's not fixed, not from the sounds of it. I want somthing like FF 7, 8, 9 and 10. Not this shit, what's with the combat system? What idiot made them think we want actiony combat? We want it to be turn based FFS. Get rid of that idiot director.
I just read Kagari's review of it on rpgsite and it sounds like while they've fixed somethings, they've also added problems. The execution of these added ideas seem to be average at best.
this game is turn based retard.
As someone who enjoyed the first game, I really enjoyed the demo. Bit sad to see a lack of party members, with a larger emphasis on monster allies. I liked the additions to the paradigms and the new crystarium.
I find the new system for per-emptive strikes great, especially having to engage the enemy rather than just sneaking up on them.
If only I had the time and money…
How DARE I say that this game is good! How DARE I think differently than you! I should burn in hell for such a crime as this…
How DARE I say that this game is good! How DARE I think differently than you! I should burn in hell for such a crime as this…
Finally got some time over the weekend to play this demo and I thought it was a lot of fun – definitely a title I was excited to play (as I enjoyed XIII) and this did nothing to diminish it. My son logged some time on the demo too, and seemed to enjoy it, so while it may not be a release-day grab for me, I suspect it's one that I'll wind up with during the first quarter of the year.
Also? Nice to see this article has sparked a ton of conversation too!
Finally got some time over the weekend to play this demo and I thought it was a lot of fun – definitely a title I was excited to play (as I enjoyed XIII) and this did nothing to diminish it. My son logged some time on the demo too, and seemed to enjoy it, so while it may not be a release-day grab for me, I suspect it's one that I'll wind up with during the first quarter of the year.
Also? Nice to see this article has sparked a ton of conversation too!
Exactly. I'm so sick of the rose-colored glasses people have when looking back on past Final Fantasy games. Don't get me wrong, I think RPG's of the past were much more engrossing than they are now, but there is also a LOT of nostalgia attached to these older games as they were the first ones a lot of us played and the games that got us hooked on the genre.
People are now just becoming focused on expecting the series to remain the same as it was when they first started enjoying it. Great, good for you, but just because YOU don't like the way the series has been going doesn't mean that others don't as well.
Exactly. I'm so sick of the rose-colored glasses people have when looking back on past Final Fantasy games. Don't get me wrong, I think RPG's of the past were much more engrossing than they are now, but there is also a LOT of nostalgia attached to these older games as they were the first ones a lot of us played and the games that got us hooked on the genre.
People are now just becoming focused on expecting the series to remain the same as it was when they first started enjoying it. Great, good for you, but just because YOU don't like the way the series has been going doesn't mean that others don't as well.
Well said, Jaso! Square Enix is in a tough place with Final Fantasy – one group of fans demand they innovate, the other demand they remain traditional. Whichever group doesn't get what they want become very vocal, so the game ends up getting a bad reputation.
Well said, Jaso! Square Enix is in a tough place with Final Fantasy – one group of fans demand they innovate, the other demand they remain traditional. Whichever group doesn't get what they want become very vocal, so the game ends up getting a bad reputation.
I'm so sick of people talking up FFVII like it was the epitome of RPG's and should be the baseline for all future RPG's. The game was good, but not phenomenal: the hero was a typical angsty teen/young adult, the villian and hero were linked some how as often happens, there was the "token black guy" from the streets, and a shy female who softens the heart of the main character; not to mention the combat system was easily abused thanks to materia. What made FFVII a blockbuster is that it was the first of the series to hit the Playstation which brought games from 2D to 3D. Don't get me wrong, the game was good, but it wasn't without its own faults and can thank a lot of its following and popularity to great timing.
I'm so sick of people talking up FFVII like it was the epitome of RPG's and should be the baseline for all future RPG's. The game was good, but not phenomenal: the hero was a typical angsty teen/young adult, the villian and hero were linked some how as often happens, there was the "token black guy" from the streets, and a shy female who softens the heart of the main character; not to mention the combat system was easily abused thanks to materia. What made FFVII a blockbuster is that it was the first of the series to hit the Playstation which brought games from 2D to 3D. Don't get me wrong, the game was good, but it wasn't without its own faults and can thank a lot of its following and popularity to great timing.
Personally, as a fan of the FF series and Square Enix in general, I sincerely enjoyed FFXIII despite its linearity. I purchased it with the intent to enjoy the game for what is was, and that was exactly what I did. I did the same with XIII-2, and I was surprised to say that I enjoyed it even more – so many throwbacks to the last game, and many improvements as well. I can't understand why people would want to rant about these installments when there would be so much more time better spent playing them.
Also, moving away from the game itself, has anyone noticed the panty shot in the third screen cap?
Hi Scraggles, thanks for dropping by and taking the time to comment!
I don't understand why people dislike XIII (or XIII-2) based on that linerarity. All Final Fantasy games are linear. It's just that the games previous to XIII hid that linearity behind "down time" – the towns of Final Fantasy games achieve very little than being a place to rest and direct you to the next dungeon. Square Enix removed that in XIII, and so for me at least, XIII is one of the most pure games to Square Enix's vision.
I published this article before Serah got the bikini DLC. That's way better than her costume in the third screencap 😛