I have nothing to yank about on it's gameplay , but the storyline standards of the Final Fantasy series is detoriating.
Final Fantasy XIII have taken a step forward in it's gameplay system. To be honest , it's actually kinda fun , mixing up various move-sets and changing between "Battle-Styles" , or rather , the Paradrigms to suit the scenario in question.
Final Fantasy fans would find that they have less time to dilly dally around choosing what they should use for their next move if they want to survive even against non-Boss goons and monsters.
The game has become more action-oriented , whilst retaining most of it's RPG fundamentals and structure and may prove a serious challenge to some Final Fantasy fans who are used to... say... training on some random dragons in a cave so they can take on the next storyline mission with ease as there isn't a level system , but a skill upgrade system which only expands in it's selection as the story progresses.
As for the music... Yes , the music. A very... prominent sector in the Final Fantasy series , for it have boasted years worth of excellence in gaming music and my stand is... It did not let the fans down.
While some have complained that the music is too... "orchestratic" for it's battle scenes , I would retort that - this is what makes Final Fantasy a significant and overwhelming difference compared to most other games.
Who needs some crazy-never-stopping loop of some sub-standard rock which would cause massive headache over time when you can listen to some beautiful music whilst fighitng off enemies that is giving you a serious headache?
Moving away from the praises , the one very serious and disturbing problem about this franchise is the storyline and the freedom it offers.
Firstly , I'd talk about the lack of a Free Roaming structure to the game.
Final Fantasy has long been about the almighty World Map. Where you walk around , stumble into a group of monsters , bash them up and move on.
But this game keeps moving straight , not leaving a chance of rest nor for a chance for perhaps a bonus event or two.
It's just one story event to the next , without rest , without a cut-point in between.
Whilst removing the problem of "where should I go next" , it had added the problem of "...We'r still moving?"
Come'on , where's the fun without the exploration? Where's the typical day at the beach? Where's the part where you check in some spooky old Cave with Crystal Shards hidden at the bottom of the cove?
Moving on to the storyline , there is perhaps one problem. The characters simply aren't likeable enough.
Whilst the previous Final Fantasy games have their backgrounds explained to the finest details and right to the very grain , Final Fantasy XIII simply lacks that feature.
Sure , they've realised materials which features the past of Lightning and the rest of the group , but not everyone would read them and it isn't enough.
The story is about moral conflict , self-doubts and despair , but the story itself is without support. The players can't feel for the characters if they can't manage to bring the scene to an emotional level , we can't even feel the despair that the heroes feel , the grim weight that bears in their hearts and the doubts that shadows their minds.
The entire game itself feels like a fairly rushed summary of a plotline that could be something so much more , something which everyone would bring themselves to like , not a sub-standard plotline with mixed reactions here and there.
To lump it together , the gameplay is actually enjoyable once you get used to it , the music is...well , music to one's ears and most importantly , it's a refreshing change to the Final Fantasy series - with a cliche , the storyline is disappointing compared to that of previous series.
So fans of the Final Fantasy series , particularly if your a fan of the older installments , think twice before purchasing the game if your just into the storyline that a game has to offer.