Very good! extremely pleased especially for the affordable price! despite what reviews have given it-definite must have.
I was excited when I got my copy of FF13 when it came out but after playing it I was quite disappointed because it just didnt have the FF feel to it, where was the charm? the humor? the sense of exploration?? but after picking this game up I would have to say it is the best RPG I have played since high school (about 6 years ago) I am completely satisfied and this game has quenched me of my thirst for an awesome RPG for a VERY long time. Being a fan of any old school RPG since the first Zelda for the NES and my first JRPG FF4 for the SNES and playing all of the FF after that, this game is my total favorite at the moment.
Yes I was shocked at how awkward the opening dialogue cut scenes were but after 2-3 hours everything made sense to me and they did'nt even affect me at all. I started to love the voicing and realized that back in the old days we were not even blessed with voice acting until FF10. So if you can trust me on this and just give it a shot. It would be well worth your while.
Just everything else about this game is so good to pass up! the characters are so charming and the gameplay is so flashy, in a way it is expected exactly how you would anticipate it to be and yet all the new un-tested battle elements in any other RPG until this one makes it seem so fresh at the same time. Think of it as old school turn based mashed with a lightly tactics based strategy RPG with really flashy visuals. Nothing feels better than spending a few seconds to plan out your attacks first hand and hit that execute button and watch your party unleash a flurry of attacks at the enemy! looks very fast paced and visually appealing and feels extremely satisfying seeing your enemies get beat down though a series of stacked magic and chained combos!
The story is..yes-save the world type but the thing that separates it from the rest is the relationships between the characters and the events they go through, which is really what I think is lacking these days, all flash and no substance. The substance is there in this game and just makes you want more. party members leave and you want them back, they come back when you least expect it and makes everything really interesting. It is also nice to have proper summoning back in a RPG as well. optionals are difficult but the way you play it is up to you, there is always an easy route but if you want more it is there for you through optionals and missables. Wanna explore the world? its all there, miss flying around in an air ship? its there.
Especially being a fan of the Luminous arc series on the DS the references and Cameos are a treat to see and interact with. If you were a fan of Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, the composer worked on this game's OST. If your a fan of the Tales series-They worked on this game, if your a fan of the art work from the Eureka 7 anime-They worked on this game. What are you waiting for? Find yourself a copy NOW!! while it still in stock in some stores! Don't take my word for it, try it out yourself! search up some videos and pics on the net! it really is epic and underappreciated :D
I give it 9.5/10 because ATLUS didn't localize it and the voice was a minor turn off, but if it weren't for Ignition, we might not have even had this game shipped to North America so I forgive them for even gracing our shelves with it in the first place!