It's Official - Famitsu's review for FFXIII is a 39/40, scan inside!

Update:

It's official. FFXIII's leaked scores is real!

http://kotaku.com/5422026/famitsu-final-fantasy-xiii-misses-perfect-score-%5Bstory-spoiler%5D

This year, Japanese magazine Famitsu has awarded a perfect 40/40 score to three games: Dragon Quest IX, Bayonetta and New Super Mario Bros. Years-in-the-making and eagerly-anticipated FFXIII did not.

NOTE: I didn't post the rest of Kotaku's article because it may contain slight spoilers. It's not big deal but it may be upsetting to some.

Basically, one of the reviewers thought the game was too linear and offered nothing new. I guess because every FF game did something innovative but this one doesn't. Basically, I guess it plays it safe a bit. That's why.

Also, here's a better translation of the editor who gave it a 9:

"There's a few niggling issues like battle damage being difficult to see, and the screen being cluttered, but the amount of enjoyment this game offers more than makes up for it. You'll be drawn into the world with visual, aural, and story aspects. I have a bit of resistance calling this an "RPG-like RPG" however."

He also said:

"Given the quality all around, it's a bit of a shame that the story is a straight path until the midgame," editor Yamamoto Penki (the guy who gave it 9/10) wrote. "I'm also concerned about the lack of [gameplay] gimmicks before the midpoint." (Yamamoto's issue with the lack of story freedom was echoed by another reviewer, too.)

Here is the past Famitsu scores for FF games:

Final Fantasy I - 35
Final Fantasy II - 35
Final Fantasy III - 36
Final Fantasy Ⅳ - 36
Final Fantasy V - 34
Final Fantasy VI - 37
Final Fantasy VII - 38
Final Fantasy VIII - 37
Final Fantasy IX - 38
Final Fantasy X - 39
Final Fantasy XI - 38
Final Fantasy XII- 40
Final Fantasy XIII - 39

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IF it's real, here's how I see it:

I think FFXIII not getting a perfect score is a little troublesome. Why? Because FFXII received a perfect 40/40. That means, according to Famitsu, FFXII is the better Final Fantasy game even though FFXIII might be visually superior.

It's still a great score though. But slightly dissappointing because Square-Enix took so long to develop FFXIII and it may not be the best Final Fantasy game like we were all hoping to be.

That's just my opinion on it. I still want to play it though but you know fanboys and FF haters will talk about this.

UPDATE:

I was concerned that FFXIII will be more linear this time around. I'm sure it's still a great game but I think Square-Enix focused more on making a movie rather than a true RPG experience.

I can understand why some won't get into this type of gameplay **** I personally don't like it, like FFX which felt way too linear. It was still a good game but I prefer more freedom and less CG movies in telling the story. Western RPGs are good at doing this where it gives you tremendous freedom and immersion into the world. However, WRPG characters feel distant, mostly because they don't talk or interact with the in-game characters, like the way JRPGs do.

Although FFXIII's strength can be in the characters and story, I don't think Square-Enix found a balance between RPG gameplay and a CG movie. That's why I felt FFXII was the pinnacle of the Final Fantasy series because everything about it was incredibly designed with non-linear gameplay, tremendous freedom, and a amazingly designed world. FFXIII is just another interactive movie. A good one, but NOT a true RPG experience, IMO.

Here's a better translation of what the editor's said:

Reviewer 1 - 10/10
Beautiful graphics and superb story. These aspects can be enjoyed without feeling as though they're being forced upon you. Combined with this, the extreme sense of satisfaction from the gameplay, is a direct result of a system that's evolved and reached perfection.
With no vice to really speak of, at this time, this game stands at the RPG forefront of a superb combination of story and gameplay who's value can undoubtedly be experienced by all.

Reviewer 2 - 9/10
There's a few niggling issues like battle damage being difficult to see, and the screen being cluttered, but the amount of enjoyment this game offers more than makes up for it. You'll be drawn into the world with visual, aural, and story aspects.I have a bit of resistance calling this an "RPG-like RPG" however.

Reviewer 3 - 10/10
Extravagant and dense (referring to the amount of content?). A lot of points to keep your eyes open for and is very movie-like. Very beautiful movies are included in a story full of events, to the point where it's difficult to determine where to put the controller down at the beginning. With the amount of character growth, gathering and crafting available in the game, there's enough enjoyable content for you to last for a while with just this one game.

Reviewer 4 - 10/10
Including the beauty of the visual side of things, the total quality is very high. The script is strictly dandy and irritating (whatever the hell that means). Character typecasting is unavoidable and while there should be "your own (character's own?) story", this does not exist. However, the sense of satisfaction gained from playing the game is extremely good, and is something I've never experienced before.

Or perhaps their standards have changed since FXII came out? You never know. I could care less about a Famitsu score though. I'm so excited for this game, and when I'm playing it I'll have no time to be disappointed. I'll be too absorbed in the game to care at that point. I'll hold off on judgement once I feel I'm done with the game.

I'm not a numbers guy. Did the text of the reviews themselves leak? What did they say?

sounds fake to me also perfect scores are just handed out these days ex: gta4 nowhere near perfect

the short summarys sound unprofessional so if its real I guess that says something about famitsu

Eh, I don't know how much weight a Famitsu review has these days. They gave FF12 a perfect score, but that game has divided the community. In my personal experience with the game, it's got problems that can't be overlooked.

Assuming the Famitsu review is real, it may not tell the whole story, which is why we need something more in-depth. Ultimately, we need this game in our hands to see if the hype is justified.

Square-Enix.

Eh, I don't know how much weight a Famitsu review has these days. They gave FF12 a perfect score, but that game has divided the community. In my personal experience with the game, it's got problems that can't be overlooked.

Assuming the Famitsu review is real, it may not tell the whole story, which is why we need something more in-depth. Ultimately, we need this game in our hands to see if the hype is justified.

King9999

Any radical game divides the community (many of whom long for nothing more ambitious than FF7 in HD).

FF12 changed things for the better (the combat system, the gambit system, the dropping of random encounters). Its also cool that it was such a huge game (I clocked in 140 hours and beat it without seeing everything). Also, I really loved the byzantine plot (which echoed those of Matsuno's previous games).

[QUOTE="King9999"]

Eh, I don't know how much weight a Famitsu review has these days. They gave FF12 a perfect score, but that game has divided the community. In my personal experience with the game, it's got problems that can't be overlooked.

Assuming the Famitsu review is real, it may not tell the whole story, which is why we need something more in-depth. Ultimately, we need this game in our hands to see if the hype is justified.

CarnageHeart

Any radical game divides the community (many of whom long for nothing more ambitious than FF7 in HD).

FF12 improved things for the better (the combat system, the gambit system, the dropping of random encounters). Its also cool that itwas such a huge game (I clocked in 140 hours and beat it without seeing everything). Also, I really loved the byzantine plot (which echoed that of Matsuno previous games).

Well first off I think that's an awesome score. I'm expecting great things from FFXIII and it looks like Square-Enix will not disappoint

Secondly I certainly don't think that because this game didn't get a perfect review means that FFXII is a better game because it did get a perfect review. That was on the PS2 and this is on the PS3/360 so the standards and expectations have changed.

That is some really bad English grammar right there. I really liked 12, but it took me a long time to finish, mostly because I found the story so uninteresting, Balthier's hotness notwithstanding.BladesOfAthena

I don't think games should ever get a perfect score. Being below 100% keeps it real to me. I hoping the scores are real because then the game would be damn near perfect....but it's plausible that it is a fake. Oh well, I'll be importing it no matter what the score :P.

I don't think games should ever get a perfect score. Being below 100% keeps it real to me. I hoping the scores are real because then the game would be damn near perfect....but it's plausible that it is a fake. Oh well, I'll be importing it no matter what the score :P.

Bass7

[QUOTE="Bass7"]

I don't think games should ever get a perfect score. Being below 100% keeps it real to me. I hoping the scores are real because then the game would be damn near perfect....but it's plausible that it is a fake. Oh well, I'll be importing it no matter what the score :P.

Greyfeld

saying your dissapointed with 39/40 is basically saying your dissapointed with a 9/10. this game is gunna be amazing and im super excited for it. i didnt care much for 12 simply because it gave me far to many options, im more of a linear man myself (yea u can say im weird) so from what im hearing FF13 sounds like its gunna be perfect for me :)

Not much of a Famitsu guy. I'll wait for the english written reviews by those outside of Japan.

Doesn't Famitsu have 4 different reviewers? So, 39/40 means, 3 10s, 1 9?

uh wtf how do you come up with a 9/10 from the way i see those numbers it got 7/10 6/9 7/10 7/10 that page just confuses the hell out of me-DirtySanchez-

Clearly. It looks like you've mixed up two different reviews.

[QUOTE="-DirtySanchez-"]uh wtf how do you come up with a 9/10 from the way i see those numbers it got 7/10 6/9 7/10 7/10 that page just confuses the hell out of meDire_Weasel

Clearly. It looks like you've mixed up two different reviews.

Can I pick up on saying that you're worried that it's worse than Final Fantasy XII

but, in Famitsu's opinion, Final Fantasy XII is the only Final Fantasy to recieve 40 and therfore it may be worse than Final Fantasy XII but it is equally as good as Final Fantasy X and better than Final FantasiesI - IX and XI

This pretty much means you've nothing to worry about because it's just as good as X and better than VII

In defense of metascores, I'd like to highlight the fact that FFIX has the highest Metascore of the Final Fantasy games, which sounds about right to me.OrwellJames

'sactly, it's all about personal opinion, I'm sure that XIII will be amazing but my favourite is VI, always has been, always will be

Here's a better translation of what the editor's said:

Reviewer 1 - 10/10
Beautiful graphics and superb story. These aspects can be enjoyed without feeling as though they're being forced upon you. Combined with this, the extreme sense of satisfaction from the gameplay, is a direct result of a system that's evolved and reached perfection.
With no vice to really speak of, at this time, this game stands at the RPG forefront of a superb combination of story and gameplay who's value can undoubtedly be experienced by all.

Reviewer 2 - 9/10
There's a few niggling issues like battle damage being difficult to see, and the screen being cluttered, but the amount of enjoyment this game offers more than makes up for it. You'll be drawn into the world with visual, aural, and story aspects.I have a bit of resistance calling this an "RPG-like RPG" however.

Reviewer 3 - 10/10
Extravagant and dense (referring to the amount of content?). A lot of points to keep your eyes open for and is very movie-like. Very beautiful movies are included in a story full of events, to the point where it's difficult to determine where to put the controller down at the beginning. With the amount of character growth, gathering and crafting available in the game, there's enough enjoyable content for you to last for a while with just this one game.

Reviewer 4 - 10/10
Including the beauty of the visual side of things, the total quality is very high. The script is strictly dandy and irritating (whatever the hell that means). Character typecasting is unavoidable and while there should be "your own (character's own?) story", this does not exist. However, the sense of satisfaction gained from playing the game is extremely good, and is something I've never experienced before.

ASK_Story

Thanks for posting the translation. I'm a little concerned about the battle damage being hard to see (I'm assuming that means that that the screen gets too busy) but hopefully the problem isn't too bad.

Eh, I don't know how much weight a Famitsu review has these days. They gave FF12 a perfect score, but that game has divided the community. In my personal experience with the game, it's got problems that can't be overlooked.

Assuming the Famitsu review is real, it may not tell the whole story, which is why we need something more in-depth. Ultimately, we need this game in our hands to see if the hype is justified.

King9999