Final Fantasy has always thrived on captivating storylines and thankfully Final Fantasy 13 is no exception. There are enough thrills, spills, plot twists and intense dramatic moments here to fill several movies and aside from a few blips the narrative grabs you by the throat and refuses to let go for the entire duration of the adventure.
Read the rest of our Final Fantasy 13 review
Final Fantasy 13 review: Overall verdict
Final Fantasy 13 review: Battle System Mechanics
Final Fantasy 13 review: The Key Characters
The action takes place in the futuristic city of Cocoon, founded some 1,300 prior to the events of the game by a seemingly benevolent protector known only as Orphan. Cocoon is a paradise for humanity which floats majestically above the forbidden region known as Pulse and is overseen by its own government, called Sanctum.
Citizens of Cocoon treat the wild and untamed lands of Pulse with suspicion and fear, although most of them have never been down to the surface. Anyone who has crossed over to Pulse or had any dealings with Pulsian natives is considered to be tainted and must be purged immediately.
It’s this unreasonable fear that triggers the cataclysmic events which mark the opening of Final Fantasy 13. Shackled aboard a prison train, our main protagonist Lightning manages to overpower the guards and free her fellow captives – all of whom are earmarked for extermination thanks to the belief that they have been stained by Pulsian influence. Their crime is to have been found in close proximity to a dormant fal’Cie – a mechanised being of inconceivable power which is branded highly dangerous by the leaders of Cocoon.
Final Fantasy 13 review: Overall verdict
Final Fantasy 13 creates a subtle, but immediate emotional connection. We’re left with a real hunger for battle, and a thirst to right a few wrongs along the way, something few video game narratives effectively pull off.
Final Fantasy 13 kicks off as Lightning – with the assistance of fellow captive and unwilling ally Sazh – heads for the site of the Pulse fal’Cie, which has been airlifted to a deserted location for its final destruction. Her aim is to free her sister Serah from the curse which has turned her into the fal’Cie’s unwilling slave, and here’s where it gets a bit tricky.
Humans selected by these god-like beings are dubbed l’Cie and must fulfil their “focus” in order to avoid being transformed into hideous, mutated ghouls. By now you’ll have realised Final Fantasy 13 has its own, rather impenetrable lexicon. Stick with it, and you’ll soon have it licked, but prepare for a learning curve steeper than the Matterhorn in the meantime.
However, successfully achieving the fal’Cie’s aim doesn’t offer a much better reward – triumphant I’Cie turn into solid crystal, but legend has it that they attain eternal life as well.
Final Fantasy 13 review: The Key Characters
The curse does have other benefits, too; I’Cie gain access to powerful beasts known as Eidolons which can be summoned during a combat situation and are so powerful they can dramatically alter the flow of any battle.
As Final Fantasy 13 unfolds, there are more twists than a slinky on a spiral staircase, but it’s a riveting rollercoaster throughout. From Lightning convincing Sazh to infiltrate the fal’Cie’s resting place, to the inclusion of Resistance group Team NORA – led by the impossibly buff Snow Villiers, Final Fantasy 13 is packed with characters, each fully rounded and worthy of a starring role in their own right.
Eventually, Final Fantasy 13’s separate plot threads begin to intersect, and trigger an epic event which sees our group of heroes labelled enemies of humanity. Treated as outcasts and consigned to the surface of Pulse, they discover that all is not what it seems in Cocoon; they are all branded I’Cie and their ultimate focus seems to be the downfall of their former masters.
It’s safe to say you’ll enjoy Final Fantasy 13’s plot, and by ‘enjoy’ we obviously mean you’ll be flummoxed and disorientated at times. But then, that’s the point. It’s a riot, a roaring adventure, and a real demonstration of console games as an art form as well as a pastime. Wallow in it, in-game narratives this rich are a rare treasure.
Read the rest of our Final Fantasy 13 review
Final Fantasy 13 review: Overall verdict
Final Fantasy 13 review: Battle System Mechanics
Final Fantasy 13 review: The Key Characters
