User Score
6.9 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 302 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 68 out of 302

Review this game

  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
  3. Characters remaining: 5000 out of 5000

  1. Jan 31, 2012
    10
    So if you stopped being a FF fan, respect the thousands who currently enjoy the series, and go play and watch another game. If you think that the series has "died" why are you here commenting about it? Final Fantasy have their real fans and not needs those who once were, but today only know to criticize. You are a zero to the left! Very hard to find a true fan of the Final Fantasy series. What there are people who are/was fans of one or another episode, and all they know to do nowdays is follow the series news just to criticize and say that "it was the good on my time, now it is garbage". So pay no attention to haters, realize that each FF has something new and different to offer and has no obligation to please fans of previous episodes. Expand
  2. Jan 31, 2012
    10
    Without a doubt this is worthy of a main FF game number. If it had different characters they could have named it FF 15. Do yourself a favor and buy this game, play it, and judge for yourself. I loved XIII very much, however many griped about the linear story line...well part 2 is far from linear. I am glad that SE listened to their fans and made adjustments. Enjoy it and happy playing.
  3. Feb 4, 2012
    7
    FInal Fantasy used to be the pinnacle of 'next generation' videogame during the PS 1 era.....but something along the way was lost...Square Soft seemed to lose their connection with their own customers. I remember back in the PS1 days, Square was the best game developer there is...Every game that they made were gold, even outside FF! Yes, FF 13 part 1 and 2 looks amazing, but it feels 'awkward'. They're not immersive...You don't get sucked into the worlds as you used to. There's too much cut scenes. Better yet, learn from the best JRPG of last year, XENOBLADE Chronicles. For now, FF feels like a shadow of its former self Expand
  4. Jan 31, 2012
    10
    Wow, this game is truly incredible. After reading so many contrasting things it was hard to know what to expect but all I can say is that this game just has that "FF charm" to it. From the rich battle mechanics (just flip off auto-battle, folks. they DO give you that option), to the underrated emotional subtlety (granted, you won't find it until near the end, but its there) this title is finally a step back in the right direction for square. If you're unsure about this title just do yourself a favor and make up your OWN mind instead of letting all the little the numbers taint it: just take the plunge and enjoy! Expand
  5. Jan 31, 2012
    10
    What's wrong with a game has a direct sequence (even if it is more a) if it is a wonderful game? What's wrong with the story complete trilogy format, or quatrolgogia or quintologia? A wonderful game can not escape the conclusion to his story ends it in an upcoming episode? Why require a "middle chapter" finish the story of the game?
  6. Jan 31, 2012
    10
    Funny that almost all animes use and abuse of the To Be Continued, FF seems already prohibited from using it. There are chapters and more chapters of Dragon Ball Z for example, that are pure **** surpassing even the novels of Globo and Televisa.
  7. Jan 31, 2012
    10
    While vain haters saying that the series died on 8, at 9, 10, 6 ... in the game celebrates 25 years with much success, having sold until the thirteenth time about 7 million copies, and XIII-2, they lost some public in Japan, making this much success in the U.S., and pre-sales with 150 000 units more than its predecessor.
  8. Jan 31, 2012
    9
    This game is a masterpiece like the classic Final Fantasys. The gameplay, the music, the characters, the ambience, the graphics, etc Everything is awesome. If you like good games. If you like FFXIII. If you like Final Fantasy saga. Buy It! Buy it right now. It's a masterpiece.
  9. Jan 31, 2012
    10
    Where are the masters of these fans of "to be continue" to criticize the decision of Square Enix? They criticize everything the company does, how DLCs. Every game company today make five hundred DLCs and nobody says anything, and when the Square do ...
  10. Jan 31, 2012
    10
    Everyone has the right not to like Final Fantasy CURRENT. But when you call it "garbage" and said the series "Died," the millions of fans today, feel the least offended. Ai comes respect.
  11. Jan 31, 2012
    10
    People just need to understand that things change, and as part of the public old leaves, comes a new audience (this includes even lower sales in Japan and higher in the West). Things are new Resident Evil ... went through it, leaving aside the terror and taking action. Final Fantasy follows changing, losing and gaining fans with each new episode, and it is not like those who no longer accept this fact, and at least respect the tastes of others, and as we said, not rate it "junk" as seen by both there. Expand
  12. Jan 31, 2012
    10
    Final Fantasy fans have their real needs and not those that have been, but today only know how to criticize. You are a leading zero to Square Enix! Sorry, but this is the truth. Recalling that the Square already registered the name Final Fantasy XIII-3.
  13. Jan 31, 2012
    10
    The CEO Square Enix Yoichi Wada and the CEO of Bic Camera, Hiroyuki Miyajima continued with speeches short. Wada noted that XIII -2 has been enhanced to overcome the XIII in all aspects. Miyajima said the pre-sales for the game were strong in your store, and expressed hope that they sell more copies than anywhere in Japan.
  14. Jan 31, 2012
    9
    A huge step up from Final Fantasy XIII with more attention to exploration, minigames, and some improvements to combat. The story can get a bit confusing at times so I knocked off a point for clarity, though overall it's a decent improvement. I always dislike people who give games a 0 in ratings, that means it is UNPLAYABLE, such as too many bugs and crashes. If you want to try that type of game look at Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim at launch or Fallout 3: New Vegas. Expand
  15. Jan 31, 2012
    10
    Yep.. It's the real deal this time around! ~Game is VERY good and "feels" like a final fantasy game through and through. ~Combat is extremely fluid, fast, and fun! ~Collecting the enemies you fight to aid subsequent encounters is nothing short of epic! ~Within the first hour of the game your riding Chocobos for crying out lout! Awesome. ~By only having 2 main characters the story this time around is ALOT more focused albeit a little less dire but still an overall good story that I'm very much enjoying! ~ Time travel mechanic is done in a very accessible way and fun to do instead of being a huge pain in the kiester. Did you like FFX?? BUT THIS GAME! Did you like FF13?? BUY THIS GAME! Did you like FF9?? BUY THIS GAME! Expand
  16. Jan 31, 2012
    10
    What can I say about this wonderfull game? better than the original in almost every single way...better than the original in almost every single way, I wanna XIII-3 now!!!!!!!!!!!
  17. Jan 31, 2012
    10
    As we have reported in recent weeks, the newest RPG from Square Enix, Final Fantasy XIII-2 continues to surprise in pre-sales in the U.S.. Unlike Japan, where sales were not as good as its predecessor, the American territory, the game has surpassed more than 100 000 units Final Fantasy XIII on the same date, and that only the PS3 version, adding about 354 000 copies sold . In the Xbox 360 version, the game enters the top 10 with 115,000 units. Expand
  18. Jan 31, 2012
    10
    Joguei a versao japonesa e posso dizer que foi o melhor jogo da minha vida! Claro que a historia nao se conclui, mas nao vejo mal algum em termos FFXIII-3. Estou ancioso ja para saber o que ocorre em seguida.
  19. Feb 4, 2012
    9
    While Final Fantasy 13-2 will still not be everyone's cup of tea it is far superior to its predecessor. Final Fantasy 13-2 mostly sticks to the same battle system utilised by its predecessor, however it is different enough to make it feel a lot more fun. Combat is much faster and more fluid on the whole, the paradigm shifts have no slow down as exhibited in 13 and the game in general is more about enduring the battle than a dungeon (Same as in 13 in this way). Speaking of endurance in battle 13-2 brings in the 'wound' system which makes enduring battles harder as some enemies caan wound you and make your maximum lifebar lower and lower, therefore making just healing injuries slightly more obselete. Now the next new thing in the combat system is rather hit and miss with its implementation, 'Cinematic Actions' or QTE are used at various points in battle. While the mention of QTE within a JRPG may sound ludicrous I personally found it to further expand on the fast system and add a nice layer of depth to the battle system, rather than just using auto-battle or using the paradigm shift most of the time. The gameplay is enjoyable and really thought through by Square Enix this time around most will enjoy it albeit those who thoroughly disliked the initial system in 13. Another important point to take into consideration which is new to the final fantasy series is the addition of monsters which round up the count of your party members to three. During your travels through the game you will encounter various monsters, some of which turn into a crystal and join your party during the duration of the game. There are a few main types of monsters each with their own unique job assigned (which cannot be changed through paradigm shift) for example you may put a Behemoth on your party who fulfils the commando role. Before battle however you must set your paradigms, which includes setting a specific monster to each, so that when you activate a battle during a paradigm shift the type of monster can be changed. An example of this is say you have a team of Serah (RAV), Noel (Rav) and Zwerg Scanaroid(RAV) but you want 2 Medics and a commando you could paradigm shift so the monster appropriate to this condition is within that paradigm Serah (MED) Noel (COM) Cait Sith (MED). Again within battle the monsters have a Limit Break like technique called a 'Feral Link' which can be used during battle to use a special attack which is unique to each monster, However the feral link bar must first be filled. Finally we move onto the actual equipment and levelling up system. This time around we ditch the previous crystarium system in which everything was on a set stemmed path and take up the new crystarium system, which using crystogen points received for winning battles allow for upgrades of each job seperately until you reach a bonus. Once a bonus is reached the player decides what to do with the bonus, common options include; Upgrade job bonuses (Get more HP etc... for each step taken on crystarium scale), Unlock a new job which was previously locked to the character, increase ATB gauges. This system feels much more comfortable and a lot less confused than the levelling up system that was included in the predecessor. To level up monsters the system is essentially the same except your limited to levelling up their specified job and instead of using crystogen points to level up they use special items. Next up is equipment which is mostly the same except for the fact that A) Weapons no longer have to be upgraded) and B) Accessories take up a set amount of AP for each character which can be raised by choosing this as a bonus within the levelling up system. Now away from all this technical stuff is the need to say that the linear paths seen within 13 are mostly gone and the open areas within the game definately allow for exploration to find new items or to find fragments and artifacts (More on this later). The enviroments are diverse in general although the first few are all pretty dull in the sense that they are ruins, although this is intentional as they are mostly the same location in different time zones (More on this later). NPC's are also back and really give a feeling of life in the game, they also offer up side missions which are really useful to carry out. There is also a feature commonly seen in MMO of a tab at the bottom left of the screen which has all the text of what the NPC's are currently communicating. Then there is a new system called the 'Live trigger' system which allows you to talk to NPC's in a new branching conversation and decisions way (As seen in Mass Effect). There are also new systems like the Historia Crux which allows travel to various locations within the game provided you have the key to going to these locations in the form of an artifact which can be found. Would write more but got no characters left. Gameplay: 9 Graphics:8.5 Presentation:9 Lasting Appeal:9 Story: 7.5 Expand
  20. Feb 4, 2012
    10
    I love this game. With the beautifully flowing graphics to the iridescent cut scenes that seem magical. The story line is involved as much as it should be for such a game. The music is more varied than its predecessor and amusing in some instances (Chocobo riding is suitably silly). I am happy with the characters and can see that the developers were mindful of creatures such as Moogle becoming overwhelming. I enjoy the new battle style that employs Monsters and the Live and Cinematic action is a real treat. For the haters that give this game a zero, I question why they purchased it (if at all). If you didn't like FF13 then why play FF13-2? Your negative comments are not helpful in the slightest. Your opinions are trite to the point of being amusing. Please feel free to not buy any more installments of this game. At least we won't have to sift through your boorish reviews with zeros attached. I, however, will continue to support this franchise till the end of time.... around 700AF. Expand
  21. Feb 1, 2012
    10
    There's no surprise that this game has a low user score, this will be mainly due to butt hurt fanboys who are still holding out for their precious FFVII remake (lol), the people that will think they can review this game based on what they played in a demo, and also the people who just have a blind hatred for anything FF because they're too busy circle jerking all over their screens while they play COD. Personally I've had the game for a few days and enjoy it immensely, if you have a brain and can actually make decisions for yourself then do yourself a favor and just play the game before you decide to judge it. Expand
  22. Feb 3, 2012
    10
    Complex game with a simplistic aproach... Downright fun, reminds me of a blend of ffx ff9 and ff7 which aöso happens to be my favorite games of all time, i liked ffxiii but i LOVE this game, it's FUN and you can go where your mood is whether it's casino or side-quests or chocobo training or main story and so forth...
  23. Feb 1, 2012
    10
    this game is amazing. i **** hate ign prick **** they are way to critical. wtf happened to appreciating good rpg games? now everything has to be a certain way!? BS this game gets a 10.
  24. Feb 1, 2012
    10
    I am enjoying this game thoroughly, and would recommend it to any fan of RPGs looking for a new game to play. The combat system is the same but improved with new options to keep you occupied, the new Chrono Trigger-esque style of play is awesome, in my opinion, and while the early game has a lot of cutscenes, it doesn't amount to nearly what had to be endured in FFXIII. I think a lot of negative reveiws I've seen so far are "I played 30 minutes" or " I didn't play this at all, but Final Fantasy is long dead since 9!!!!!" and those aren't fair reviews or comparisons. If you don't want to pay to rent it, then download the free demo and try it out! I enjoy the combat system, which is, to me, an updated version of the Star Ocean battle system, as your allies will fight for you. I would hardly say that it is auto-pilot -- without user interaction and thought even simple encounters would end in a Game Over. I also enjoy the new grid sphere-esque system, and encounter system. I will say that the music can grind the gears and can't be turned off without muting everything! This is kind of crappy, but overall a minor complaint. Do yourself a favor, play the demo! Expand
  25. Feb 2, 2012
    8
    I liked Final Fantasy XIII unlike most people. Regardless i saw the issues that ruined it as a final fantasy game for most people. This game, however, certainly fixes most of those issues, such as the lack of mini games, side quests, and exploration. While, the areas you can explore aren't all that huge, the whole different era mechanic makes exploration fun with all the different side quests and what not. Combat is also a lot more exciting with the mog clock and the cinematic action which takes quick time events a step up and lot more fun. There's also a few more RPG factors with the live triggers which allow you to choose what you say. The characters, however, are still a little boring with little relatability or true motivation. Despite that the game is still fun to play with an interesting world with fun game mechanics. Expand
  26. Feb 7, 2012
    10
    Fantastic entry to the Final Fantasy series. Gameplay = Combat retains it's faced paced action from the original and adding a few extra tweaks to make it interesting. The new puzzles may be a little brick in the road, but at least it takes the ease away. Environment = Beautiful once again throughout the game, less linearity, more opportunities to explore and amazing art designs. Replay Value = Tons of replay value for those interested in seeing there favourite characters back in action once again or even fighting against one of the more interesting villains, Caius. Voice work = The cast is amazing and does an excellent job to keep things entertaining. Liam O'brien does a great job as Caius. Overall this game deserves a little more credit, those that are"True" fans of Final Fantasy will love this, no doubt. Those new to the series are even welcome to it a whirl and it may even "capture" the old fans once again. 9.5/10 Expand
  27. Feb 1, 2012
    10
    This game improves on virtually every single aspect from it's predecessor. How it's getting lower reviews, I can't figure out but if you read almost every outlets review you will realize this game is good, not just good, but much better than FFXIII. In fact, I believe this game is how FFXIII should have been in the first place.
  28. Feb 1, 2012
    10
    awesomeawesomeawesomeawesomeawesomeawesomeawesomeawesomeawesomeawesomeawesomeawesomeawesomeawesomeawesomeawesomeawesomeawesomeawesomeawesomeawesomeawesomeawesomeawesomeawesome
  29. Feb 6, 2012
    10
    It's better than FFXIII that's a huge plus and it adds more variety of game like Chocobo Racing, Solving Puzzles, there's much more fun in this game than in previous one, so if your'e a fan of Final Fantasy you sure will love it.
  30. Feb 1, 2012
    9
    This game is so much better than 13. It captures what made Final Fantasy great in the first place. People who say the battle system is weak are fools. All you did in games like FF7 was click attack and choose target, with the occasional spell and healing item. It's the same sort of thing. It has a great (different) soundtrack, excellent characters(better than 13 in every way). The story picks up where 13 left off, and continues it with grace and charm, unexpected in FF sequels. If you are actually a fan of Final Fantasy (not the kids on here who say everything after 8 was bad) then pick it up. It's definitely worth the money. Expand
  31. Feb 1, 2012
    8
    Don't listen to the people who haven't played the game or given it a zero, it actually runs, its a fine game and some interesting concepts. If they complete the story via dlc or expansion that would bump it up to a 9 for me.
  32. Feb 2, 2012
    9
    This game fixed literally everything from the previous installment as well as implement a somewhat coherent story with time travel. The only thing that really hinders me from loving it is the wide open ending.
  33. Feb 2, 2012
    9
    I have played all the final fantasy games and FF13-2 is definitely just as great as all the games before it. I have played 3 hours into it and I can't find a flaw yet. The combat is excellent and is fast paced just like 13 and u have to actually think on the harder battles. FF7 is so old school now and outdated I don't why people like it so much I thought it was average and nothing special I don't no why people bother comparing to any final fantasy games. If u want a good final fantasy game that has good replay value and a great follow up story get FF13-2, if u want a be a hater and live in the past and complain about **** instead of being a final fantasy fan ignore this game. Expand
  34. Feb 9, 2012
    10
    First of all, I didn't like 13 that much. It took me half a year to finish because it was so boring to play. Mind you, I speak what I experienced. What's up with all these 10s and 0s with troll reviews anyway. There are so many fan boys and haters swarming metacritic to rate this game -_- That aside: It's actually a good, fresh experience to play. Just because it's not the ff people grew up with, doesn't mean it's bad. So many people butthurt. Anyway, I've finished the game. Graphics are still good. Music is beautiful. Eclipse(Aggressive), Wish, and Noel's theme became my favs. The latter half of the game touched me. The characters suddenly developed as well. Although many say the story is nonsense, I clearly know what's going on and why it's going on though I was confused at first. The main villain did well on his part; he's actually memorable compared to other villains. The side characters and the goddess also served to bolster the plot. It all became clear at the end. And this story reminds me of a film noir with melodrama. This installment got me hooked on the final fantasy series again. I would give this game a 9/10, but there are so many troll 0 reviews that ruin the image of it. I recommend this game to others wanting a good rpg. It's a fresh experience that broke some rules. SE is quite bold to do so well and risking the series with the story of 13-2, although some aspects were tried in the past. 10/10. More people should experience this. Expand
  35. Jan 31, 2012
    7
    well, i havent played 13-2 yet, and ive only played 13, but this is what i think, lol, the weaknesses in 13 came mostly from the fact that square didnt stay ps3 exclusive, they could have had a game that was twice as big on a single disc, a game like FF needs playstation hardware, plus it would benefit the Playstation cuz exclusive games keep people buying and supporting systems. As far as XIII-2 my fear is that they still have limited space, so they are just going to try to cram in the things that people compained about without having the feedom to really put there heart into anything. i respect square and think they are doping the best they can, i just think that they should just do what they really want to do in creating a game, just keep it Ps3 exclusive, unless xbox doesnt mind releasing the game on at least 6 discs, lol, but i dont think thats good for munny. if they do this they will make it easier to execute what they want. and remember its their hardcore playstation fanbase that made them so successful, who cares about expanding to xbox, not if its gonna hold back making good games. i will admit though, i think in 13 they did the best thing by at least having great characters and story. btw ff7 rules all other ff, just wanted to throw that out there. Expand
  36. Feb 2, 2012
    10
    The Game Sucks but I'm a SweatShopBot payed by Squenix so I ma rate it a glowing 10er ;) enjoy the Finalfantasy so much better than 7, for real exploration true colour hair so pink, most Toriyama wish I also have. Together we can difference these Fans don't know the true Final Fantsies in my heart will never forget. So much fun. After hanging around with Cloud Strife helping the village Chocobo this music never left me with XIII-2 I overly satisfied. Can anyone blame so good game? :P Expand
  37. Feb 2, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Time travel? Chocobos? Moogles? Chocobo races? Amazing interactive combat system? Interactive cutscenes? Dialogue options? Excellent graphics? A fun story? Do you like these things? Then you'll like Final Fantasy XIII-2. They throw in everything you love about the Final Fantasy games and have made it sharper, cleaner, and better. Want to tame monsters and make them a part of your party? Do it! This game is amazing and well worth anyone's time! Even if you've never played a Final Fantasy game before. It even gives you a recap if you don't want to play FFXIII first. You might miss out on some story, but it gives you enough to let you get what's going on! Expand
  38. Feb 3, 2012
    8
    ****Remember folks: If you truly are as hardcore FF fans as you say you are, there's no point in whining about the auto-battle system; it's optional! You can still manually choose ALL the abilities you want to use.**** FFXIII-2 does wonders to the series after the small disappointment that XIII was. Don't get me wrong, XIII was a good game and for the first 30 hours of the game I ate it up like strawberry ice cream on a hot summer day. However after that it got a bit repetitive and in the end when I finished the game it didn't invoke much feeling. However XIII-2 is a different beast. The linearity is gone, the battle system has been made even more fluid and it even offers you to change the default position of the cursor so it's faster to handle battles manually. The music in the game is not the best Final Fantasy has to offer, but you can still expect to hear some tunes that will get you excited or emotional. Writing is cheesy as is usual in Japanese entertainment and Final Fantasy in particular, and this is made even worse by the English voice actors who just quite can't deliver (I can't imagine how annoying it must be to record all these cheesy lines). This wasn't a big problem when the series was text based, but with voices it's a different story. I would prefer to have Japanese voice with English subtitles but since they lip-sync it it becomes difficult. If you want to play the game with Japanese voice and English subtitles you can buy this version in Play-Asia. The small additions, like the "cinematic action", real time CGI, monster gathering and leveling and minigames like the paradoxes and side quests really make this game shine. Expand
  39. Feb 5, 2012
    10
    I was a little worried when this game was announced, i was mad because this was coming out before Versus xiii, however i was extremely pleased when started playing , everything XIII was, XIII-2 did it better. After getting a bit of course with the first one i can say with confidence SE is on track, hoping versus will be even better
  40. Feb 4, 2012
    10
    The new FF is simply great ! Ok,the story is stretched and functional satisfying but the game also improved in many ways.
  41. Feb 5, 2012
    10
    This game is definitely the best game in the series. You will see new features, an updated combat system, and a new story, which follows on from the previous game. The whole game lasts more than 40 hours, including all side-quests. This is definitely a must buy for Final Fantasy fans.
  42. Feb 4, 2012
    10
    This game might not be a masterpiece for some people, but it will never be a game that get a zero. I admit, the music in this game is less amazing compare to the original and it is obvious the budget of the making this game is much lower compare to the original, but the game is still great. I enjoy this game very much and i actually enjoy this much more than the original. It's worth your money, definitely. Expand
  43. Feb 2, 2012
    8
    I picked up the collector's edition for 79.99. So far I am 10 hours in, and I currently am quite pleased. A few things about the game imo. 1) The story is simple with a set goal, so simple that at times it may appear to be a bad story. I just reached a stage in the game though where it appears to be picking up, I just got through a shocker moment that adds to the story value, at least imo. 2) The battle/game play is much better. No more is the fail game over when the party dies, but this comes at a price. The bosses are now a true pain in the ass with the new wound feature of the game. I just got done with a fight where literally my characters max HP got reduced for 1400 hp max hp, to 400 max hp. 3) The game is extremely open now, you can pretty much do whatever you want in any order you want, the towns are big, there are no stores to buy stuff at, but the merchant lady who sells you the stuff is pretty hilarious if you listen to the things she says. 4) Noel is an interesting character, I like him, but I really prefer Serah, I like her as a character in this game. The monster system is totally awesome lol, I love it lol. Nothing like summoning your Behemoth out to run over a guy in mere seconds. 5) The Crystarium system is awesome now, way better than FF13, you are aloud to build your characters however you wish from an early stage on, you start off with 3 basic roles, but you can unlock all 6 probably within 5 hours or so if you wish. 6) There is maybe an hour or so of tutorials, then you are free to go nuts. Overall if I was rating it right now I would give it around an 8.0/10, it is good, not the best FF I have ever played, but entertaining and that is all I can hope for these days with the state of RPG's. More info to come the farther I move in the game :P Expand
  44. Feb 4, 2012
    10
    It's a great game, better than FFXIII.
  45. Feb 9, 2012
    8
    The ending to Final Fantasy XIII contained a contradiction; it broke the rules. But it rang true to the game's overarching theme of the infinite strength of the human spirit, with characters that declared they would contradict all the rules -- a touching note to end on. Final Fantasy XIII-2 then desperately jumps through fanatical loops in trying to dismantle the respectable conclusion of another game, and to a point of near hilarity. Savvy followers may even have questions of smaller magnitude, such as why everyone is suddenly capable of using magic. Well they just can, says the game's datalog. Why didn't Square just make Lightning a pop singer and call it a day? But it's naïve to say it all ends there, and unfair to claim that Final Fantasy XIII-2 isn't for the fans. It's not even half complete when the credits roll, and a plethora of content still waits untapped. It's a monster collector's favorite hunting spot, a trailblazer's backpack of spoils, and a completionist's paradise. Cameos and salutes to older games abound, challenges to truly test those thirsty for battle await, and powerful skills and items lie in hiding - this is a gamer's game, and it's damn well appreciated. Expand
  46. Feb 1, 2012
    7
    Much like only a biased hater would give Final Fantasy XIII-2 a 0 rating, only a fanboy would give it a perfect 10. Let's be honest, it is not a bad game and you can definitely enjoy it - if you let yourself - but it's certainly not the highlight of the Final Fantasy franchise. Most issues with the first game have been fixed in some way or another and even though, if you look for them, you will find a few new problems, there's nothing game-breaking. I could go through a list but really, all you need to remember is that you cannot trust reviews and that the only way to truly know if a game was worth your time is to play it yourself. If you have enjoyed previous installations to the Final Fantasy series, you don't owe it to yourself, but you should definitely give yourself the opportunity to find out if you can't enjoy this one too. Expand
  47. Feb 6, 2012
    10
    No matter you like it or not.You still can't miss it.This game worth to spend time playing.surely ,you could enjoy the view ,the music,the drama ,the new battle system.However the system is not smooth enough.but it still a classical game.
  48. Feb 9, 2012
    10
    One of the best final fantasy games I have played, great story which builds a connection between you and the characters, fixed just about every issue that Final Fantasy XIII had and it did it without hurting any other part of the game as well. Good combat that scaled with the game, great soundtrack with many lyrical tracks that fit the environment. The antagonist is one of the best in any video game period. Hope square makes XIII-3. Expand
  49. Feb 9, 2012
    10
    This game is as open as any RPG fan could've hoped for it to be. With plenty of backtracking options, epic tasks, enemies, and weapons to go and hunt down, it does everything I look for in a game of this kind, right. You'd really be doing yourself a disservice if you own either console this game is on, and don't give it a shot. It's beautiful, its gameplay is remarkably satisfying, it's accessible to those who don't care to put forth as much effort—and sure as hell packs some content in there for those who do. For those criticizing the demo, yeah I think it was a pretty out–of–context cutout of the story to have used as a demo. But really, are there any scenes you can extract from a spoiler–sensitive RPG that would work as a demo? I think it's about time gamers let go of the notion that the only job game developers have is to satisfy their expectations. I'd imagine that most diehard gamers consider games works of art. If that's case, then try and imagine art critics criticizing the greats for each successive piece, rather than stepping back and appreciating the creator for his / her credibility and believing in the excellence they know they're capable of producing. The story of XIII-2 is in many ways more artistic and thoughtful than that of its predecessor. It toys with the idea of consequence, and jabs at the fail proof missive that games historically run by. That is, that the protagonist is right in every way, and none of the sacrifices he / she made are worth reconsidering. Give Square a break. Do yourself a favor. Get this game. It's definitely my favorite of this *and* last year. Expand
  50. Feb 9, 2012
    10
    Great game. Don't listen to people that are hating the game only because of the name. The game gives you several options and brings back several elements from the classic FF games. Most fun I have had with FF since X.
  51. Feb 1, 2012
    7
    All of these idiots posting 0's for this game, and most other games these days, are really starting to get on my nerves. A 0 is supposed to represent a game that is utterly unplayable due to mechanics or bugs. Stop reviewing games when you've only played less than 20 minutes of it, and keep your fanboydem to yourself. As for FFXIII-2, it's a decent game. It's definitely not the highlight of the series, and there are some questionable story choices that Square-Enix made, but it's overall a satisfying game. The good: the presentation is fantastic: clean menus, fantastic art-design, even though the graphics themselves are a bit dated, and decent music. The battles are fast and fun, and the whole collecting monsters mechanic is kind of cool (although I would have personally rather seen a full cast of characters). The game is no longer a straight corridor from cutscene to boss to cutscene, offering many diverging paths, distractions, and even small choices, and the game allows you to go back and redo areas. The not so good: the story. It makes very little sense, and I found myself wondering why all of this was happening. There is good emotion at the end, but it's a shame that the rest was bland. Hopefully the ending will be cleaned up in future DLC. The characters were not as good as others in the series: there are only two of them, and they don't really click well. And where is Lightning? She was such a fantastic character, it's almost an insult to give her such a backseat role. Expand
  52. Feb 9, 2012
    9
    Lightning and the gang is back for another installment of Final Fantasy. The gameplay is very similar to 13 so if you really enjoyed the paradigm shifting you'll feel at home. They added a monster as your third member in your party and you can catch and alter your team with whatever monsters you want in your paradigm set. I actually really liked the time travel story line that this game has, most of the time time travel is really out there but this game manged to be interesting and i understood the storyline by the time the game was over. Overall i had a blast playing this game, some might be disappointed by the odd story but if you want a fun ride, you should pick this up Expand
  53. Mar 11, 2012
    10
    I'm giving this a 10? Why? Because it works. The story was good, the characters were enjoyable and the gameplay was fun. It wasn't perfect and you can tell that this game was rushed, being a sequel and all, but still for a Final Fantasy sequel, it works. Highly enjoyable and highly recommended. Although I do feel cheated about having to buy DLCs just so I could see the complete ending.
  54. Feb 7, 2012
    7
    Where FFX-2 closed the open ending of FFX, and took you at least 40 hours to finish, FFXIII-2 took an ending that was slightly open just to tell half a story and leave you completely in the dark and frustrated when reading "to be continued..." right before the credits roll, and it took me about 15 hours to finish. So far it's pretty FF-unworthy. I didn't get lost in the game as I usually did with final fantasy installments, like 7, 8 or 10, even though I felt like I was going to when I first put the disc in my ps 3. But soon it started to feel like a mixture of Kingdom Hearts and earlier (ps 1) Final Fantasies.,(partially because for the first time they did something Kingdom Heartsy to it. A movie at the start, then the whole game only cutscenes, and a movie at the end.) Other than that, the good looking, but very tiny worlds you'd run around in, the way it's overly based on side-questing, with a very short main storyline, the storyline itself being extremely thin, almost like it's been thought up by one guy whilst being drunk and instead of filling in the blanks and making a coherent story simply left it like that and turned it into a game, making it feel more like episode 1 of FFXIII the season than a complete game. However, I'm not completely without sympathy for this game. Sure, it has some definite flaws, not to mention the ending which was horrible beyond belief.... But still, I had fun playing, despite all the minuses (at least up till the final sequence), a lot more than I had with FF XIII. I didn't really care about the storyline being kinda lame, and the way they just pointlessly added FF XIII characters into part 2 just to have them in the game... It's only now that I finished it that I'm bummed out about it. So if you don't mind an anti-climax, you'll have fun with this while it lasts Expand
  55. Feb 9, 2012
    9
    Final Fantasy XIII-2 brings new things to the series. First, the Cinematic Action : there are actually not that many of them, and then they don’t really impact the general gameplay, taken back from the first Final Fantasy XIII. Neither too slow nor too fast, they fit pleasantly in boss battles. Now let’s talk about THE new thing of this sequel : the Live Trigger. System by which the game asks your opinion (quite often), it makes your adventure even more immersive and the key events even more thrilling. At some point, you fight a boss that is invincible unless you pick the right choice. Last but not least, your choice will make it possible or not for alternative endings (called Paradox endings) to appear throughout your progression. The Live Trigger is in my honest opinion biggest change in FFXIII-2 and the most awesome add in the series for a while. Let’s get it straight : SquareEnix heard the concerns loud and clear. It’s easier to see than to say, but you now have a central menu from where you can jump in various locations at different times. From one world/time, you can unlock one or more other locations/eras by opening gates. The point is that you’re not just completing one level and going to the others : you’ll have to get back to places you’ve already been to in order to solution your present situation. The world is so open that you can even land in hostile environments full of monsters way above your level, it makes the progression particularly intense, because when you unlock a new gate, you can never know what lies ahead. Unfortunately, the game still shows some inclination towards telling you what to do and where to go, which spoils this reborn exploration a bit. Similarly, it’s too bad the alternative futures appear as part of the main story, rather than created by the player’s search. But at one moment, the game suddenly throws in the open with somewhat little indications. While this pure exploration is quite welcome, there’s a big chance you’ll get stuck for a while… The numerous side-quests, well-thought puzzles, addicting mini-games and multiple secrets hidden here and there definitely make up for it. Those quests, whether they’re part of the main story or not, are varied. Another major new thing of this sequel is the feral link system. Sometimes when you defeat a monster you can get a cristal that allows to add the aforementioned monster to your party. You have a wide range : all the creatures featured in FFXIII + some unique to FFXIII-2. There will definitely be some some of your liking and, honestly, how’s never dreamed of fightning alongside a Gold Chocobo, a Tomberry or an army of Cactuars? This system also allows you to strengthen your beasts by “merging” two of them : this way you can transfer the skills and stats of one to another you like best. However good this system may be, it definitely can’t make up for the lack of playable characters. Excepted the short secquence with Lightning at the beginning of the game, you only have Noel & Serah to choose from. The monsters are cool, but they can NEVER replace the charisma of a character, might he be new or existing (and by the way thanks to SquareEnix to focus the PR talk on Lightning whereas she hardly appear in the game!). Graphically speaking, it far surpasses everything I’ve seen so far : Backgrounds and characters reach a degree of realism never seen before, weather and lights effects are unrivaled. Academia (pictured above) is the most magnificent scenery I’ve ever seen : it just looks like Star Wars! My eyes are filled with pleasure at every second, even though the frame-rate drops quite some times. The original score is beautiful as well depsite some missed cues: beautiful melodies and dark themes co-exist with atrocities like the Hard Metal Chocobo (!). I must stress that the end of the game fully benefits from it : the music reinforces the action and the emotional side on the events. Unfortunetaly, nothing is perfect, and the ending scene of Final Fantasy XIII-2 is far from that. I won’t spoil you of course, but the ending leaves nothing but a bitter taste. From the information a could gather, none of the Paradox endings comes to alluviate that. SquareEnix will have to give some explanations, because they would have once more betrayed the fans for economic purposes. Secondly and apart from the fact you play the whole game with only two characters and a mob, we can lament the somewhat low difficult level (even in normal mode) during most of the adventure despite some tight corners like in the very end. However, this is compensated by the impressive boss battles. Expand
  56. Feb 11, 2012
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A short Breakdown of the game (Some Spoilers, i guess): Gameplay: If you've played FF XIII you may be instantly familiar with the battle mechanics, since they are almost identical with those of its predecessor. New additions are a slightly less linear Crystarium (youre able to level up the roles as you see fit almost from the start), some QTEs during major Battles (almost there a quite few of those) and the need to carefully chose your 3. partymember from a wide variety of monster you can capture (since not all abilities you may know from XIII are avaible for your two mainchars Noel / Serah). Therefore, if you were not fan of FF XIII battle mechanics you may want to consider this before buying. My opinion in general on Combat: its still flashy and fun, however lacks a higher degree of tactics (reading: being too eays) especially in the later party of the game, since most battles boild down to buff /debuff enemy--> attack and heal your team up as needed. As for the exploration: Most areas of the world are less linear, however are heavily recylced during your time travels (Almost all areas are exactly the same in their respective, different time periods besides the occasional colour palette swap from green to blue etc.). Some towns where added, altough youre still restricted to one (this time pretty talkative) shop. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Music: Nothing special to say about this one. The soundtracks consists mainly of J-pop with the occasional Final fantasy Main theme which is ever so present, since this tradition was started with "eyes on me" in FF VIII (alltough FF XIII-2's main title may not feel as out of place as Leona Lewis entry in FF XIII, it still has no real connection to the plot at all). Even two heavy Metal tracks made it into the game, which can be heard while riding a particular Chocobo or fighting a certain boss. Although there a some tracks, especially nearing the end, which perfectly fit their respective scenes however most of the soundtrack does very little fuel to the atmosphere and occasionaly feels pretty off. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Story If a good Story makes or breaks a game for you, you may want to skip on this one. The main plot lacks a clear goal for the most part, besides jumping from time gate to time gate untill you EVENTUALLY reach Valhalla. The new Antagonist Caius however is, like most side characters, pretty interesting and much more threatening because of his longer screentime as his "predecessor" Barthandelus from FF XIII. Sadly, the same can not be said about Serah and Noel, which for the most part are as single minded and shallow as for example Snow from FF XIII and often do not contribute much to the somewhat lacking plot overall, besides repeating their ambitions and things which were stated 20 secs before over and over again. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- One more thing you might consider before buying this game: If you are not a fan of story related DLC, which is essential to the main plot, do NOT buy this game. FF XIII-2 showcases more than one way how DLC should NOT be implemented into a game. Certain Areas like a Colliseum HAVE to be visited during your main Quest, however unlike in FF X you cannot fight a single monster there, without investing some real money for DLC (I wouldnt mind this as much, if there was a real optional Boss like Yiazmat or Ozma. To be honest, theres no true reason for maxing your characters/monsters besides bragging rights, like in earlier entries). Theres even a greyed out spot on your Timeline map, indicating this missing content. (Even one of the games in the somewhat empty casino, is described as "Soon avaible as DLC" when asked about the rules). Far worse however is the announced continuation of the MAIN story line (which simply ends with a "to be continued"). Whereas in Dragon Age 2 or Mass effect story DLC added some sidestories, you are now forced to buy the "real" ending as soon at is avaiable. (Sadly the current "ending" suffers from a very bad case of cliffhanger, which at last makes me NOT want to buy future content). ------------------------------------------------------------------------- To conclude this review: If youre desperate for a new JRPG (which sadly is still pretty rare this gen, if your not from japan that is ^^) you may want to give this one a shot. Just dont expect too much from it, since the short production span clearly shows. Expand
  57. Feb 11, 2012
    9
    This game is great. It's open world and various side quests expand greatly from XIII. Plus the new monster system keeps you coming back to find the rarest allies and level them up to max. The new crystirium may be linear, but it adds consequences to what you level up by introducing 2-sized nodes. The time traveling is great and it even allows you to replay various time zones in case you missed anything. Overall, it's great! It tops XIII in all ways and is completely fun. Whereas in other FF's, the battle can get boring, in XIII-2, it doesn't, simply because of all the different monsters you can capture and new abilities you can try. Before this, I thought Square Enix was beginning to fail, but i believe XIII-2 is a new beginning for them. This game truly deserves better reviews then it has been receiving. The only thing I wished they changed was the sappiness. In almost all cut scenes the one character is always sad and the other has to cheer him up. They always have to say something cheesy to make the other feel better and it gets really old in every cut scene. Other then that, start searching through your couches for money and go buy this game. Expand
  58. Feb 13, 2012
    10
    I cant beleive all the hate this has been receiving... I played FF13 (1st one) and got a platinum trophy on it... was it any good? well after i managed to survive the first 20 or so hours... it was decent... still VERY short of any expectation of a Final Fantasy game... 1 mini game... thats it... This one now... Sequel that promised to fix all that was wrong... No more linear maps... Towns... NPC with thousands of incidental dialogues... A few Dozens of minigames.... A casino (somewhat empty)... Chocobo Races... Monster Collection "DQ Style"... ChronoTrigger time traveling... It is still by no mean perfect (FF13-versus will be) hehe... But it is as close as they were able to do in the last 6 to 10 years! Compared to the 1st FF13, the story is much more comprehensible... the first was a mess... this one has nice values... and only a few major inconsistencies (for a game that deal with time traveling thats something) I am not a huge fan of quicktime events... but it did give some kind of interactivity with lenghty awesome cutscene... video quality was awesome as always... Music at the begining was horrendous and didnt fit the game mood and setting at all... but overall its a very decent job... especially for intense EPIC over the top moments... Overall this game deserve anywhere between 8.4 and 9.2... And I am giving a 10 to try and balance things up a bit cause it absolutely deserve more than a 7... Expand
  59. Mar 7, 2012
    9
    I read a lot of complaints about every aspect of this game: music, combat, story, length. Then I realized those complaints came from people who never played it. Impossible as it may seem I think that this game is one of the best final fantasies in a long long time. Why, you may ask? To put it simply, here's why: - loved the characters: they have a troubled past but don't spend the screen time looking sad staring at the distance - music: people didn't like mostly because they heard "crazy chocobo" out of context, just that song - the monster collection: it is deep, funny and can shift the balance in battle - battle itself: challenging, fast-paced, spamming the X-button will lead to nowhere, really - story: it is simple to follow, more focused about the dynamic between characters then the overly abused: young boy that looks like a girl will save the world with the power of friendship. Then we have the ending, I'm not going to spoil it but I can understand why people would complain about it, on the other hand I think it is perfectly done as it is. In the end, I recommend this game to everyone who loved the previous one, and to all the people who somehow feel like they have been "betrayed" by Square: they will find an epic tale through time with likable characters. Stop complaining about non-issues, focus on what the game has to offer instead of features that are absent from previous games. Expand
  60. Feb 17, 2012
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Final Fantasy XIII had a lot of problems, and Square Enix have certainly made an attempt to fix that in this sequel. The corridor-shooter style level design from the first game is gone. You're now given a menu of levels to explore and unlock, each a different time and place in the future of XIII's world. This makes exploration and progress similar to the Kingdom Hearts games, allowing you to explore different areas at your own pace, without constantly forcing you to follow the plot. The battle system is pretty much the same as XIII, however enemy encounters luckily don't last 5 minutes each time anymore, and the monster taming mechanic adds to the formula somewhat, though it really lacks the depth of other RPGs that use a similar feature. The storyline and characters are a significant improvement over XIII-2's predecessor. Our two main characters Serah and Noel manage to be surprisingly enjoyable characters; Serah manages to avoid being bland or annoying, though her characterization is mostly limited and safe. Noel has quite an interesting and intense backstory; coming from a future where he is the last human alive. Meanwhile the ridiculously outfitted villain this time, Caius is right up there as one of the most compelling bad guys in the series, with a motivation that doesn't just boil down to killing everyone for the hell of it. The cast is small, but you manage to connect with them on this journey. The plot isn't anything great, but it's tolerable due to the character goals being made very clear to you throughout. The game comes to an end with a cliffhanger, likely to be resolved with downloadable chapters in future. Some people are going to feel cheated by the "To Be Continued" card, but the climax itself is a bold and shocking scene that is deserving of praise for subverting the series' often formulaic storytelling and trying to do something no previous entry in the series had dared to do. On the visual side, the game holds all the marks of SE's excellent production values, with beautiful landscapes, and detailed characters. The soundtrack isn't really up to the series' standards, but a lot of it works with it's use in-game (the Devil May Cry style metal however always seems to be played at the most unfitting of moments). While replacing XIII's A-to-B style of level design, the sequel offers wide open areas, with numerous interconnecting paths, giving us a world we can actually explore. What comes as a disappointment however is that these areas are reused often as separate eras in your journey through time. One particular area, the Yaschas Massif, is used as 4 separate levels, each one making minimal changes to layout and content. It's the sign of a rushed game, resulting in a world not as expansive as would be hoped for. In it's current state, Final Fantasy XIII-2 is half-finished, awaiting DLC to expand on it's content. but what it does offer us makes up immensely for the prequel; this is an RPG that's fun. It has a fast-paced battle, as well as a large array of environments to explore, with plenty of treasures to find, and a casino with Gold Saucer-esque minigames to distract you. It feels like an apology for all of Final Fantasy XIII's faults; if a rushed one at that. The game is only really a "good" RPG, that doesn't provide you with the standards that made the Final Fantasy series one of the biggest names in gaming. It's a fun adventure while it lasts, but it will need to add some impressive new stuff if it wants to become truly worth the price of admission. Expand
  61. Feb 26, 2012
    7
    I hear people saying this game is so much better than the original 13. But, is it? It makes something different, that's for sure and "improves" on what people criticized in the past. But, if this game is good is because it picked up on what a PHENOMENAL game stopped. XIII-2 is good, fact. But, for me, XIII was way better. It had a more cohesive story, epic, compelling. We actually understood what was going on. With XIII-2 we have Serah (who is very vanilla) and Noel (who is a better character) and a confusing story that appears not to be going anywhere. I enjoyed XIII-2. But it only made me miss XIII and who good it actually was back in the day. Expand
  62. Feb 17, 2012
    9
    8.5 would be my score if it was available here, it isn't so I generously bumped it up amidst the underwhelming scores given somewhat harshly on this site. I honestly don't have much to say in the way of negative things to attribute to this sequel. Perhaps the story isn't quite as captivating as XIII's was and there is frequent slow down in visiting new areas, but the combat system, soundtrack, voice acting, and the sheer amount of fun to be had here make this another top JRPG from Square Enix. It's simple if you didn't like XIII then don't buy this. If you liked, or even loved, XIII then you will very much enjoy this despite the fact that it is a little shorter in overall length. Expand
  63. Mar 5, 2012
    9
    I think it's a great game. Genius how SE lets you shape how long the story will be by making things optional for you to do. You also can shoot for multiple endings. Battles are fun but rarely hard, but it say normal mode on the battle results so I'll leave that alone until I play hard mode. You talk to lots of people plus the soundtrack and graphics are nice in my humble opinion. The story is off from time to time, but the seriousness of the characters as well as what's at stake makes it better. Points off for the ending, though. Overall I was very entertained. Expand
  64. Feb 26, 2012
    9
    I played this game from beginning to end and I can positively say It was truly a fun game. I also played ff 13. I found 13 to be pretty underwhelming. The only thing I appreciated where the graphics and the music. But there was just no substance; the story and characters seemed to be developing, but by the end left me cold. 13-2 on the other hand, has layers of substance. From the story to the sidequests to the multiple locations I felt more than satisfied with the gameplay. My favorite part was the strong emphasis on treasure hunting  I love a game that encourages you to unlock all of its secrets. It drives you to keep playing. The only reason I gave this game a 9 and not a 10 (and may be a deal breaker for some) is the game will be completed with downloadable content. I wish the story was more conclusive at the end, and I can't honestly say I have confidence that Squeenix will take me off this ledge and give the story the resolution it deserves.  With that said, there is plenty to enjoy here. The music was moving at times and other times cracked me up (the chocobo song anyone?). So for sensuality (and laughs) the musical score wins.  I believe the reason why everyone is calling the story convoluted was perhaps they were thrown off by the several paradox endings? Once one realizes that these endings are merely alternate scenarios there is not much to be confused about. And if there are any lingering questions you can always check the datalog.  I am very proud of this purchase. I'm just disappointed that I have to wait (and pay for) a story resolution.  This will understandably anger fans and keep people from wanting to purchase the game. I suggest for those that consider this fact to be a deal breaker to wait for the game to go on sale with all of the dlc. It's a great game that deserves more respect than it's receiving.  Expand
  65. Mar 10, 2012
    9
    Plat FF13-2 already and spent more than 120hrs into the game and here's my view Pro(s): - Love the freedom of shaping your character growth and monster customization - Personally love the battle system and game speed - Appreciate the option of harder version of boss fight - like the costume change feature Con(s): - I wish character given the option to reset growth development rather than had to play the game from zero all over again - would be great if world map return to ff series - Sadly, SAB, SEN and SYN not so useful in this installment ~ Dig the story telling especially during Noel and Serah dream scene, love the final boss marathon (wish had hard version of it)..had no issue with the ending (for me that is) Expand
  66. Mar 11, 2012
    10
    I absolutely loved this sequel, and I really want Final Fantasy XIII-3. I can not stop listening to the wonderful soundtrack. The game has been improved in several respects, and I was glad for the square-enix listen to the fans,
  67. Jun 14, 2012
    7
    I was sceptic about this game at the beginning, but it's a good one. I like the idea of time travel and the separation of the game in old-style "level" and the story is nice. The gameplay is the same of FF13 but with only 2 character and a bunch of monsters to party with. Unfortunatly some secret objective are really hard to find and you probably need a guide to reach the 100% completation of this game. Expand
  68. Jun 18, 2012
    10
    I cannot understand why this game was not significantly more popular than it was. It is in fact my favourite entry in the series. Now I don't want my review to be elitist or offensive, so i will merely outline what I loved about it, and not why you should. The music was fantastic. a brilliant mix of classic FF and new style, the story, particulary the relationship between Caius and Noel, and just Caius in general, was great. (A highlight being a memorable interplay between the two in the endgame). The combat, for me, was a great change from the slower turn based mechanics in previous titles in 13, and it stayed that way for 13-2. Yeah, so the dlc thing is sort of annoying, but I always judge value by using a Dollar to hour ratio, and the poker in Sazh's dlc kept me going for hours and hours. I can honestly say there is nothing I do not love about this game. Expand
  69. Sep 8, 2012
    9
    Improves the gameplay of the previous one, but the story is a little worse. The new character Noel is a nice addition to the cast, and the same can be said about Caius and Yeul. The art direction changed a bit, and is a lot more anime-ish and colorful. The OST is very good, too. Anyway, the game shines in it's gameplay. There's more freedom now, for those who didn't like the linearity of the original title. It's a great experience overall, even without Lightning. Expand
  70. Aug 24, 2012
    10
    FFXIII was great game. I enjoyed it a lot although it was a bit linear for the most part but the story and battle system were fantastic. FFXIII-2 improves on it's predecessor in almost every way. There is no linearity in site which was the main problem people had with XIII. The game introduces cinematic actions in battle, they are simply quick time events that help you do greater damage to your enemies, it's a nice touch but not necessary. The combat is the same as XIII but it's better. You can now switch to which party member you want to control in battle however you only have two. The third party member space is reserved for your monster or monsters which you can obtain through battles or throughout the world. Monster collecting and upgrading those monsters are fun and addicting. Conversation choices appear throughout the game and it's a good addition. The story lasts about 25-35 hours depending on how you play but there are also side quests to complete and a casino to visit. I like the story but it's not as good as XIII's. Also there is no closure at the end of the story which I have mixed feelings about. Overall FFXIII-2 is a fantastic game and I recommend it to true Final Fantasy and JRPG fans. Expand
  71. Aug 3, 2012
    10
    This game exceeds is predecessor in every way. The battle system is largely the same but it did not need much changing in the first place. Combat has also been brought to life through cinematic action sequences, much like reaction commands from Kingdom Hearts. Every trace of linearity is practically gone and the soundtrack is even an upgrade. The story does not quite have as much focus as Final Fantasy XIII, but it is a heart-felt tale nonetheless. Even for those who might not see the narrative as incredibly interesting, they will find the villain Caius note-worthy. The game has plenty of post story content for the player to immerse him/herself in so they can squeeze every last bit out of this game. I would recomend this game to any of my friends Expand
  72. Mar 3, 2012
    9
    Final fantasy it's back, maybe it's not like the old Final fantasy, but it's very better than FFXIII and FFXII, and Caius it's e real bad-ass!!, not bad, not bad att all!
  73. Apr 3, 2012
    7
    Many people hated Final Fantasy XIII, mostly because it was too linear, and there wasn't much to do outside the main story. No town, no NPC to talk to, pretty much nothing at all. I didn't hate that game, but I didn't like it too much either. The game looked really great, the battle system was dynamic and pretty fun, and the story was ok, but I gotta say I didn't feel like playing around much after finishing the game. Now, SquareEnix released a direct sequel to FFXIII. They wanted to fix the problems that players reported about the first episode, and I guess they did. You now have NPCs to talk to, quests to complete and dozens of things to do. The new game isn't as linear, mostly thanks to the "Time Travel" feature which offers interesting possibilities. The scenario revolves around that system too, requiring you to go back and forth in time in order to solve paradoxes and ultimately save the future, although some things in the story didn't really make sense to me. They kept the same battle system, hardly changing anything, except the fact that you may now recruit monsters after defeating them. Those monsters take the place of the 3rd party member and can evolve on their own Crystarium if you give them the right items. Apart from that, the battle system is pretty similar, with the same Active Time Battle gauge, the same jobs (roles - Commando, Ravager, etc), the same strategies (Paradigm Shift), etc. Why change a winning team, anyway? The battles were pretty fun in the first game, and here too. The graphics also look as good as before, there's not much to say about them. The environments are however a bit limited : You will be visiting the same zones in different time periods, but ultimately they're the same zones. I also found that the soundtrack wasn't great. The music in some areas (with lyrics) kinda reminded me of NieR, but they were not nearly as good (NieR's soundtrack is exceptionally good though). I gotta say that the "Crazy Chocobo" song is really funny and surprising. I'll conclude by saying that this second Final Fantasy XIII is a much better game than its predecessor. It's a pretty fun and interesting game. However, the "To Be Continued..." ending somehow feels like a "rip-off" (I hate DLCs), as Square Enix sold us an obviously unfinished game. Expand
  74. Mar 19, 2012
    9
    Let me begin by admitting I am a big fan of all Final Fantasy games. That being said, I would have given this a 10 were it not for Square Enix giving in to the inevitable - DLC. Now, I will say that I do not mind some DLC - the weapons and extra battles are just fine - but from what I understand they will be adding actual game content as well (they already have, actually, with the "Sazh: Heads or Tails?" pack). That does not sit well with me. If I am buying the game on launch day for $60, you had better give me 100% of the game. Don't shark me another $10 or $20 for actual content that should have been there in the first place. Since that is out of the way, I would like to praise what this game does very well - everything else. The graphics are gorgeous, that battle system is very well done, and the recruiting and monster-building that you are tasked with to flesh out a well rounded party is a really cool feature. Serendipity is fine to kill some time and have fun with your Chocobos (although that damn slot machine is rigged, in my opinion) - and there are plenty of high-level enemies for you to track down and face off with once you have beaten the main story line. I will recommend to everyone reading this: Buy the guide!!! There are so many well hidden items and side quests that you would probably never find them without some sort of guide to help you through. Some may scoff at the idea, but I have found that buying the guide to go with the game has become part of the experience for me. Expand
  75. Mar 21, 2012
    9
    This game is great. I you loved XIII, you'll love this game even more. XIII was a masterpiece that had a few flaws here and there. The second addition to the XIII universe remedy this problem greatly. Although the main story is pretty short and leaves you unsatisfied, you can fill the emptiness with dozen of DLC content that has been coming out for the game, which adds to the experience and fun of this stylish game. Expand
  76. Apr 2, 2012
    8
    Good game and good continuation of his predecessor. It repairs in the defects of the previous one but without being a perfect game. It neglects some elements.
  77. Apr 3, 2012
    7
    Even though I am lost in the story throughout the time I played it, I liked it more than XIII. Say what you will but it is hard to give a FF game a bad score since the graphics far surpass most titles out there. I wish it was not a '-2' title, it is good if not better than its predesessor. I like the changes made and the game was worth playing just to see the story through to the end.
  78. May 11, 2012
    8
    Better than XIII in most ways. I like the fact you can explore a lot more, but it has to be done through a cenrtal HUB, which really takes away the feeling of exploration and adventure. The story is lacking, but Caius is a great villian. Combat is pretty much the same as in XIII, but the monster collecting is fun. The soundtrack is... different from the rest in the series, but I liked it.
  79. May 3, 2012
    9
    There is a need to make some things clear. 1. There will not be a FF7 remake and 2. Every Final Fantasy entry shines in its own right. What’s my point? Stop comparing past Final Fantasy games with another. Most likely, your favorite Final Fantasy was the first one you ever played, no matter how game-wrecking its flaws were…so get over it. FF13-2 wasn’t my personal favorite...however, I feel that it's time for old fans and new fans alike to give credit where credit is due. Final Fantasy 13-2 was a game that successfully fixed many of the original 13's flaws in a number of different aspects while making some extra tweaks here and there to enhance our game play experience, so for that, well done SE. In terms of story, yes, it was complicated....yes, oftentimes, players were left with questions hanging above their heads and...yes, sometimes the explanations were horrid. But is it really that important for us as players to have absolute understanding as to why we can tame monsters and use them as part of our party? Do we really have to know the complete understanding of the origins of a casino that we go to for leisure and end-game bonus content? (Nobody seemed to ask the origins of the Gold Saucer when it was introduced....) While some important questions regarding the plot went unanswered, the basic outline of the story was clear, interesting and engaging. Serah must find her sister via time portals and time warping and Noel must go with her to save the world from his past mentor, Caius. Along the way, there are questions, and there are answers, but the story doesn't really deviate from the ultimate goal that is clearly given to us from the start Only having 2 characters never works in favor of a game that used to have such diverse casts like in FF7. However, these 2 characters were far more likeable than any of the cast and crew from the original. They were far less brooding (despite the seriousness of the situation they are in). They are constantly supporting each other and working together. They have a positive, but realistic attitude. They have great past stories that unfold as the game progresses. They are strong, well-developed characters (with far less cheesy lines) and that isn’t something we should ignore. Without a doubt, the biggest beef I had with the game's story was its ending. It's never a good feeling to find yourself engaged in a deep story line, trying to right the wrongs in a variety of different places at a variety of different times...only to learn that your work was all in vain...while I have no clue whether SE will work on a third FF13, the remainder of the story and the two new characters left me genuinely curious as to how the story would end. The battle system in FF13 and FF13-2 seem to have gotten diverse reviews. Some claim that it is fast paced, exciting and flashy, making it one of the better parts of the series. Others have claimed that the auto-battle makes everything far too easy and less enjoyable. Having played both 13 and 13-2, I have to say that auto-battle truly is, very boring. After playing through all of FF13 with the auto-battle button, I decided not to use auto-battle in FF13-2…and I was pleasantly surprised. Tired of auto-battle? Don’t use it…it’s that simple. Not to mention, pet customizing was intriguing and exciting. Catching new monsters and leveling them, customizing them and having them consume other monsters added an engaging aspect to an already positively altered combat/leveling system. Some of the more frustrating aspects of the game however included the puzzles or time anomolies. I will not ask why I must erase numbers from a clock to figure out why someone in one time period appeared in another....but I will note that getting stuck on these puzzles for hours is in no way, a fun experience. There are plenty of ways to make puzzles not as ridiculously difficult while keeping them enjoyable. The game is worthy of criticism in some areas, but some of the criticisms it has been getting is sometimes downright ridiculous. FF13-2 has brought back my faith in SE because it is a good game, not simply because it’s a ‘small step in the right direction.’ The makers have clearly tried a variety of different things and as far as I can tell, most of them are welcome additions. Is FF13-2 the next FF7? No. But that’s because it’s not meant to be. Let FF7 be FF7 and let FF13-2 shine as FF13-2. Expand
  80. Jul 20, 2012
    9
    XIII is just a very good game, XIII-2 is an awesome game. Nice graphics and songs as ever, but with the addition of a amazing story and a more opened gameplay. I'm not giving a 10 score just because of the DLCs required to understand the plot.
  81. Aug 7, 2012
    8
    Very different to FF XIII, instead of being an exclusively story centered game, this one is a player centered game allowing you to roam around, solve puzzles, play minigames and pick monsters as your battle allies. The story is centered around two new and very well developed characters, Noel and the antagonist Caius in addition to Serah whereas Lighting only makes some brief appearances. While the world is a lot smaller than that of XIII it still manages to give about a max of 70 hours of gameplay. The 2 points it loses are because of the low challenge, the graphics not improving and the occasional poorly written dialogue. Expand
  82. Aug 8, 2012
    10
    Look I KNOW this is not your typical FF game but that doesn't mean it is bad or that it abandoned its roots and all that BS, ALL the bad reviews for this game be it users or critics center around just one point: that it is not your typical FF game and by that most of the people mean FF 7 and FF 10, I am a gamer for more than 15 years and you know what: this game is AWESOME and then some and the only thing that will bug you a bit is the weird ending (sad) but it has a sequel. I am a guy who respects other people's opinions but with all due respect to the negative review guys; if gaming did not develop past its "roots" then you will be bored and your negative reviews will be about how repetitive the game is. TO SUMMARISE: this is a great game with great graphics, story, gameplay and above all else deep and engaging characters that you are going to love if you can see past auron, tidus, yuna, cloud and tifa. Expand
  83. Aug 16, 2012
    9
    I'm 12 hours in and still staring at the background scenery,everything about his game is visually and dynamically stunning, I love the strategic combat system, and animal taming.. This is a vast improvement on it's predecessor.. I can see myself platinum-ing this title and enjoying the experience.. Picked it up brand new for $30 (AUS), and Played nothing else since (I bought 6 games this month).. Expand
  84. Aug 27, 2012
    10
    Many people are blinded by the phenomenon about criticizing something via other's criticism. They fail to see the beauty of a game they DIDN'T even played. See, this is one of the best game in today's gaming industry. Who the hell didn't move on from the past games? I wasn't joking. People always don't move on and get nostalgic on their FAVORITE ff game. When another game is introduced, they insult it as if it's a person. Now, a sequel coming. Truly this is the best FF ever made. The game itself evolved around the stupid and low expectations from XIII itself. Because of XIII, XIII-2 didn't make a shine thus is still being criticized. I am a former FF game since I. I didn't complain, because every one of them has their pros and cons. Expand
Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 53 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 48 out of 53
  2. Negative: 0 out of 53
  1. May 4, 2012
    75
    All in all, I enjoyed Final Fantasy XIII-2 – it was a fun RPG game to play, looked spectacular and ate up a significant amount of my free time. It didn't give me everything I wanted out of the experience, but I still had fun.
  2. Mar 15, 2012
    88
    FFXIII-2 earns its score with aplomb, and I'd go so far to call it a sleeper hit. It's a genuinely great-playing game with an imperfect story, though to its credit, it eventually engages and justifies the wait. Its greatest battle now is escaping from the shadow and stigma of its big brother, but you should ignore the anti-hype, take a leap of faith and give it a chance.
  3. Has made some really solid steps forward in combat but needs a more readily digestible plot to entice newcomers. [March 2012, p68]