Today we witness the unveiling of one of the most widely anticipated titles of the last few years; Final Fantasy XIII. This title was really first teased at way long ago in 2006, so the long journey to release has been staggering. However, that wait is finally over and we can all sit down to surely what’s going to be the videogame release of the year.
Released in December over in Japan, Final Fantasy XIII has actually amassed just a little controversy since its unveling, and the evaluations obtained for the game haven’t quite been the full aces developers Square Enix have been hoping for. The main reason for this being that Final Fantasy XIII has somewhat considerably revised the fundamental gameplay related to the series, and indeed the RPG style on the whole. Gone are NPCs, interactive towns and an immediately open world.
Instead, Final Fantasy XIII is a lot more linear and story driven. Users comply with quite a strictly set route for the first 25 hours or so of gaming. Subsequent to this, the gameplay opens up and gamers are free to follow their very own decisions a little bit more. This has been a significant gripe amongst some, yet others welcome the more focussed and cinematic approach. It really does depend on your inclination.
One element which has been vastly applauded is the fighting system, which comprises an impressive mesh of X and XII. Users are actually encouraged to ‘stack’ actions, and the more you’ll be able to stack increases as you level up. Moreover, in Final Fantasy XIII there are various different roles your heroes can play, such as healer and tank, and players are able to shift these roles during combat.
It’s a forgone conclusion that the visuals in this title are breathtaking. Presentation has always been Square Enix’s crux, and the franchise has always offered high range visuals. Being the first of the franchise to hit the next gen consoles, Final Fantasy XIII is, for sure, the best looking videogame ever. The cut scenes are so detailed and stunning you may want to stare at them for hours, and the in-game visuals are good enough to rival the FMVs of lesser games.
Throw in an undoubtedly grand storyline, and you have the biggest title of the year. It may be a bit different to what you are used to, yet overall Final Fantasy XIII is just what everyone’s been ready for. Masterful combat, achingly gorgeous graphics and a guartenteed 60+ hours of gameplay mean Final Fantasy has returned with a vengeance. Let the adventure commence.