Final Fantasy XIII-2
Completed: 12/29/22 Playtime: 24h34m
I...I don't even know where to start here. I loved Final Fantasy XIII. I think it would have been a massive hit if it was marketed as anything other than a Final Fantasy game. The combat was just that good! The plot...blows chunks.
So it's to XIII-2's benefit that it basically retcons the ending and tries to do its own thing. Time travel? Sure. New sidekick? Why not. Music with a heavy emphasis on vocal tracks? Fuck yeah.
XIII-2 is a lot of fun. I'm a big fan of games that just try anything and everything, particularly if they eschew series long staples to create something new, and in this regard XIII-2 is a hit. The monster capturing mechanic is a lot of fun. The initial level structure of hopping between timelines works well. And the music...the music...the MUSIC!!!
XIII-2's biggest problem is it feels underbaked. This was clearly a smaller team carrying the torch, and it primarily shows up in the lack of combat depth. I never really needed any other strategy than RAV/RAV/COM and then COM/COM/COM for 95% of the fights. The sidequests are also lackluster slogs, and the initially interesting gameplay loop of traveling across different eras in the same locales to solve problems Chrono Trigger style is dropped halfway through for a more railroaded affair.
Still, XIII-2 is a great time. I'll take Hope's glowup and Crazy Chocobo any day. Bring on Lightning Returns.
