Final Fantasy XIII 1/2 question

[CaptJimboJones]

So I downloaded the Final Fantasy XIII-2 demo on XBLA and the same seems kind of intriguing. The only FF I've played before was Crisis Core on the PSP but I quite enjoyed it.

So my question is, do I need to play XIII before playing this one? Is the first game any good? I know these games require a heavy time investment so I'm leery to just jump into the first one if it's not any good.

 

[Angel4576]

It's not essential to play XIII as there will no doubt be lots of exposition. That being said you'd obviously have more and better context if you played XIII. XIII is a decent game. Critics complained that it wasn't as open-world as previous FF games, but it does open up about 3/4 of the way in. Takes something like 60 hours to complete.

 

[DigificWriter]

It's not essential to play XIII as there will no doubt be lots of exposition. That being said you'd obviously have more and better context if you played XIII. XIII is a decent game. Critics complained that it wasn't as open-world as previous FF games, but it does open up about 3/4 of the way in. Takes something like 60 hours to complete.

As far as I know, none of the direct sequels that Square/Enix has made thus far make any effort whatsoever to 'catch up new players', and I wouldn't expect that to change in XIII-2, so I'm not sure where you got this idea that 'there will no doubt be lots of exposition' for XIII included in XIII-2.

To the OP: XIII-2's plot is going to build directly off of the way XIII ended, and one of its two primary protagonists plays a key supporting role in XIII, so I would HIGHLY recommend playing it (XIII) prior to playing XIII-2, or else you are going to be confused about who certain characters are and how and why things are the way they are when XIII-2's plot starts.

 

[CaptJimboJones]

Makes sense then. I know these games are highly story driven so I'll probably check out the first before jumping into the second.

 

[Lumi]

Yep, I definitely agree that the first should be played before the second. I imagine it's going to be very confusing if you don't. Then again, could be wrong.

I actually hated XIII, but XIII-2 seems more appealing to me. I'm downloading it now and can't wait to see what it's like.

 

[Hound of UIster]

So I downloaded the Final Fantasy XIII-2 demo on XBLA and the same seems kind of intriguing. The only FF I've played before was Crisis Core on the PSP but I quite enjoyed it.

So my question is, do I need to play XIII before playing this one? Is the first game any good? I know these games require a heavy time investment so I'm leery to just jump into the first one if it's not any good.

I can tell you that the second one is even worse than the first one especially the ending.

 

[Angel4576]

As far as I know, none of the direct sequels that Square/Enix has made thus far make any effort whatsoever to 'catch up new players', and I wouldn't expect that to change in XIII-2, so I'm not sure where you got this idea that 'there will no doubt be lots of exposition' for XIII included in XIII-2.

Link

Those who for some reason didn't play the game will be able to view a Beginner's Primer which chronicles each chapter of FFXIII in narrated text form.

 

[DigificWriter]

^,Hmm. I'd still play the first game if I were the OP just because I'm somewhat of a completist.

 

[Angel4576]

^^ So would I personally.

 

[Mr Silver]

I gave up on Final Fantasy after X...

It is still one of my favourite series of games, but the quality has rapidly diminished in the last few years. I'm still waiting on the much rumored VII remake!

 

[Angel4576]

^^ So did Square.......



I jest, XIII is pretty good, although it's less open-world that the FF games of old, particularly VI-X.

XII didn't do it for me, and XI was an online version that was really only FF in name only.

 

[Mr Light]

12 is my favorite FF game. I did not like 13 though. I didn't care about the story, I didn't like the combat system, and I REALLY didn't like walking in a straight line the entire damn game

 

[Mr Silver]

I already have a wish list for a Final Fantasy VII remake!

- Nobuo Uematsu MUST return as composer, just using his compositions isn't enough!
- Additional side quests and even some previous side quests modified or removed completely.
- Vincent and Yuffie are no longer secret characters.
- New limit breaks for every character.
- Weapon and equipment animations that display what each character is using (including the glowing materia orbs equipped to the items) are present during all cutscenes including FMV's.
- Battle system is re-designed, but keeping the original in mind (I'm thinking something similar to the systems in X and XIII)
- More secret boss battles.
- The real Nibelheim sequence with Zack is playable during Cloud's memory awakening experience in the lifestream.
- Ultima Weapon uses the Ultima Weapon sword like it does in FFVIII.
- Vincent's Death Penalty glitch is taken out.
- More FMV sequences and multiple flashback sequences like Lost Odyssey.
- Levelling up is much harder (it was easy to get to around level 50 whilst still on the first disc)
- You can use white Chocobos.
- You can control Sephiroth (and he has limit breaks) during the fake Nibelheim flashback.
- The weapon creatures are considerably harder to defeat and there are more of them.

Anyone got anymore, I've got hundreds but I'll save them for later posts!

 

[Hound of UIster]

12 is my favorite FF game. I did not like 13 though. I didn't care about the story, I didn't like the combat system, and I REALLY didn't like walking in a straight line the entire damn game

This pretty much killed the sequel. The sales for 2 in Japan were I think lower than Tales of Xillia.

3 will probably flop. Given the failure of their MMORPG, I think FF is pretty much dead as the preeminent jrpg.

 

[FordSVT]

SquareEnix has run so far off the road with this franchise they should crash the car and turn the engine off, permanently.

They actually have the gall to be re-launching Final Fantasy Online as a paid sub MMORPG. It's a piece of shit, it might as well still be in beta, and they want people to pay $10 a month to pay their continued development costs.

If and when they make FF14, they need to take a long, hard look at what made the NES and SNES and PSX games so fun and run with that.