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Final Fantasy XIII-2: Different Verse or Same as the First?
With only a month and a half separating the debut of Final Fantasy XIII-2 in Japan from its release in the West, expectant fans are already gearing up for their return to Gran Pulse. With its drastically different plot and myriad of gameplay changes, has XIII-2 risen above the problems of its predecessor or is it simply a retread of what came before?
Time Travel, Parallel Universes, and Paradoxes, Oh My!
To anyone who likes time travel or parallel universe adventures, the story of Final Fantasy XIII-2 is a real treat. Yet those who found XIII incomprehensible may find XIII-2 just as confusing, albeit for different reasons. The “proper-noun-itis” of XIII is largely gone and has been replaced with interesting yet counterintuitive concepts like “Not only does changing the past change the future, but changing the future changes the past,” which are bound to intrigue some players and alienate others.
A Melding of JRPGs and Western RPGs
The way the story is told has also undergone changes with the addition of conversation trees.Yet while they add a little bit of flavor and apparent choice to the game, they generally have little effect on the overall narrative. Still, it’s nice to be able to direct the conversation to what interests you instead of simply wading through a sea of dialogue, hoping the tide takes you in the direction of what you find important.
Gotta’ Catch Em’ All
At any given time, you can have no more than two playable characters in your party in Final Fantasy XIII-2, with the third slot being filled by a captured monster. And because these monsters can’t paradigm shift, you will need to capture a variety of monsters to be prepared for every situation. Although it might appear to be a monotonous task at first glance, monster catching is rather quick and easy. Randomly after defeating a monster, it will turn into a crystal which allows you to summon that monster as your third party member. Both special accessories and winning battles with a five-star rating dramatically raise your chances of capturing a monster.
In any fully-voiced,modern RPG, there are scores of in-game cutscenes where the characters do nothing but stand around talking. Final Fantasy XIII-2 manages to turn them into an act of hilarity. Background characters collide awkwardly with speaking characters mid-scene due to pathing errors. And since the characters just stare blankly ahead instead of making eye contact, any difference in elevation results in one speaker talking to the other’s chest. It’s hard to take the fate of the world seriously when Noel is face deep in Serah’s cleavage.
Everything You Asked For
Never before has a game been so shaped by fan feedback. The linear experience of Final Fantasy XIII has been replaced by an episodic, non-linear progression where you can visit any world at any time—as long as it’s been unlocked—and even replay the story if certain conditions are met. Side quests and optional worlds abound and each world you visit has at least one town brimming with NPCs ready to chat. Thanks to the retooled Crystarium, you are now able to truly customize your characters from the start, as all jobs share the same board and unique bonuses are offered after each layer is filled. Lastly, the difficulty has been ramped up greatly due to the mini-boss monsters occasionally popping up in the game’s random encounters and the addition of blood damage, which lowers your maximum HP for the remainder of the battle.
Did anyone, anywhere ever ask for quick time events in a Final Fantasy? While they are not broken, they are unnecessary and distract from the amazing visuals taking place on screen.
At Its Core, Final Fantasy XIII-2 Is Still Final Fantasy XIII
Beyond the plot, little changes, and new additions, Final Fantasy XIII-2 is still, at its core, Final Fantasy XIII. The battle system is nearly identical, with all of the paradigms, attacks, and spells returning for another tour of duty. Out of battle, the game utilizes the same slippery animations,and many locations from XIII are revisited—though with the maps greatly altered. If the way XIII looked and played turned you off to that game, you will find little in XIII-2 to change your mind. However, if you felt the basic gameplay system was fine save for a little tweaking, XIII-2 may be the Final Fantasy XIII you were hoping for all along.
