Final Fantasy XIII for PS3 is a game of role that fits in the Fabula Nova Crystallize project. Once again, the PS3 a bit shaky saw its sales rise significantly in Japan thanks to a real episode of popular fervor. An exciting cultural but also "maintained" without his knowledge by Square Enix which has continued to push opus thirteenth meeting the expectations of many fans traumatized by Final Fantasy XII. Since the first image unveiled in 2006 through the demo pay with Blu-ray of Advent Children and countless sets of images regularly released by the publisher, few people today are still unaware of what might look like Final Fantasy XIII. Also difficult to escape the controversy that has swelled as soon as the first test releases distributed to editors Nipponese leaking flooded forums archipelago. His overpowering start, and the enthusiasm generated online by fans around the world we reinforce one point: the popularity of the series.
Introductory sequence ultra worked, dubbing convincing firework Hollywood, the beginning of Final Fantasy XIII scotch and hits like a kick in the face. A train that spins at full speed, a futuristic city with neon green, a group of resistance against oppression, it all feels the nod to Final Fantasy VII. It’s just the way Square Enix to take us by the hand to reassure us. The game will follow, despite its many inspirations, is iconoclastic. Her pregnancy, as long suspected that defies even Final Fantasy XII, its predecessor with its development, however, ended with forceps. An umbrella term used for the summary execution of people suspected of having been in contact with just one element of Pulse. But the creatures most important of these two worlds are mystical beings and mechanical: the fal’Cie. Kinds of deities, these entities have a strange power. They may indeed come into contact with humans and make the Co.. Once marked with the seal of fal’Cie, an IE is given a goal that he alone can accomplish in a limited time.
However, if being changed in the Co. was able to meet his destiny, he is immediately crystallized and remains in that form forever. A plight in both cases that makes the people cursed Co.. This is logically what will happen to the group of heroes of Final Fantasy XIII, each member will be tattooed with the marks of tragedy. An obvious problem calling another, it is a fal’Cie Pulse has managed to put them under his control. Thus, it becomes imperative for the government of Cocoon to kill six people contaminated by a residue of their hell. Here begins a frantic chase that will serve over red during the two-thirds of the game.
Walkthrough:
Just like the classic science fiction, the script of Final Fantasy XIII is interspersed with many "surprises" and other hits theaters rather nice that make the exercise of the introduction of the test rather risky. Let us therefore start a rehashed every preview but has the merit of not spoil the fun of anybody. The story is set in a futuristic world where humanity lives in a huge refugee ship floating Cocoon. By dint of living confined to them, humans have become extremely xenophobic, and regularly, the government is to "purge" to get rid of the inhabitants of Cocoon suspected impurity. The theocratic government run by the Sanctum is also hunting for the Company, elected officials who were chosen by a form of mystical life and mysterious, the Fal’cie Pulse, the world’s surface. For simplicity, therefore, our heroine lightning is an IE chosen by the Fal’cie Pulse. And you’d better take this as part of the XIII Final Fantasy universe has a very rich in new words that you’ll need to quickly assimilate history to understand a little of what falls on you from every cutscene. And since they are numerous, as many begin immediately to take notes.
Each of the seven characters has a reason for being in this war, combining fanatical ideology, purges, religion and cosmogonic evil entities. Small round submission. The beautiful and cold Lightning has one goal: to save his sister Serah. Between Naruto and Seiyar, Snow Villiers is one of those characters’ Nekketsu "which only the Japanese have the secret: he does a little to his head, courageous, emotional, feisty and naive," but basically it has a heart as big as this. " Snow seeks to save even Serah is his own girlfriend. In fact, we know there will be no love affair between him and Lightning, the better. They embody the class, a concept totally alien character after. Unlikely cross between Eddie Murphy and Jar Jar Binks, sazh hides the pain of missing her kid behind her awkward laugh.
The context in effect requires the characters to confront who they really are and what they believe, cannot in anyway take hope as vanishing point. So they focus on themselves and the game works in agreement with this approach. He centers the foremost about the characters and their relationship with each other. A constant turnover is taking place during the first third of the adventure, the groups are modified in order to develop the character of each protagonist and create new interactivity. An interesting idea that allows the player to focus gradually to various heroes, discovering cracks in each of them.
Conversely from a Final Fantasy XII, which seemed to throw players into the midst of conflict disproportionately, Final Fantasy XIII is it time to put the player in an adventure focused on humans. Under these conditions of intimacy, better than the cast or at least bearable, if not exceptional. On this point, Final Fantasy XIII appears quite convincing, even if characters like Hope or Vanilla push the Japanese archetype of the emotional depression and dippy kawai in unimagined heights. At least during the early hours in their company. Evolving slowly until the discovery of an aspect of their personality often surprising, they tend to return a new stereotype once this "revelation came. What makes this team a fun group to follow, but hard to break away from constraints related to gender, although the intelligent construction of a real relationship brings more narrative.
During this journey, Lightning will meet a number of players who are all at one time or another, find themselves bound by the brand of IE. Among them, we may cite the Snow Brice de Nice corner, who married the sister of Lightning before it becomes an IE condemned to be hunted by the government. Sahz and afro inimitable has a dark secret, namely a son like Arnold without Willy, disappeared after a mysterious attack. Hope the boy band, wants to avenge his mother killed in an exchange muscled between government and rebels led by Snow. Finally, Vanilla ingenue who follows everyone without too much that one knows why, although we learn later that she knows much more than it leaves appear. These five heroes will therefore find themselves bound by fate because a few hours of play, they will all be selected as IE by Fal’cie that emerged in their neighborhood. Here they are then subjected to a curse as the ICE, they must complete a mission they must discover themselves to achieve immortality. But otherwise, they will scrap of humanity, just like the Tyrant from Resident Evil. Hunted by the government, victims of a sword of Damocles, our heroes go through so many levels to achieve Cocoon to discover and fulfill their mission.
And to be a bit more fun again, he keeps a baby chocobo stashed in his afro. The young Hope Estheim wants to avenge his mother that Snow failed to save in the first ten minutes of the game all is one that grows the most during the adventure, crossing his caregiver Oedipus. Fang, it’s hard. She already knows his camp. Armed with her spear, she used military force to Sanctum of Cocoon. A strong personality and mysterious. As for vanilla, it hides a dark secret, which does not prevent him from being the narrator of the story, cheerful as can be any idol Japanese kawai hair bleached. Blending personal distress and about mystical reflections shônen and tragedy Nordic Final Fantasy XIII often has trouble finding his place. Based on anecdotal basis, despite the extremely rapid pace due to the concept of leak before the game Square Enix just really become epic, to agree to leave some time for his characters aside to take off. It is easily expected Chapter 6 and especially the end of chapter 7 (about fifteen hours) that events are accelerating. If the act of observing the various heroes in their doubts and wanderings remains pleasant, thanks to well-written dialogue, the game still runs well rounded and acceleration is about breathing.
And even if the narration is a bit chaotic and choppy, multiplying the ellipses. The staging is decidedly more convincing than in many recent productions and it is very rare in the adventure of having to undergo plans completely fixed. Work on facial expressions, even a little stiff, also plays a lot in the immersion and makes these scenes many scripted moments of the game enjoyable to follow. Supported a more visually and in terms of intensity. Thanks to its "literary" solid and surprisingly pessimistic, Final Fantasy XIII easily hook the player, who will take pleasure in a frame of interest, despite its irregularity and concessions under a public places, however, if construction the game does not put a stop to dry immersion.
In terms of building the game, Final Fantasy XIII quickly shows the commitment by the development team: minimalism. No city, no NPC to examine or even shopping, here the interaction with the world of Cocoon is reduced to a minimum. Extremely linear, the various places visited will be mostly hostile, full of aggressive enemies. To each of them, one or more savepoints in which you can also buy weapons, accessories, or improve your weapons. No villages or labyrinths, here the course of the first ten chapters of the game boil down to a large corridor interspersed with cutscenes. From the 3rd chapter, the player finally discovered its first branch, and a little later levels will gain in breadth and consistency, but the situation will not change, it will always move in a closed environment, with freedom of movement particularly limited. Some might argue that this is to remove unnecessary steps from shopping or exploring different cities, but the total absence of interactions with a rich and searched can be frustrating. On the other hand, we may regret all those elements that were part of the charm of the so-called RPG in Japanese, since they also allowed to explore whether or not optional passages of history but also discover hidden treasures. Here, nothing hidden. Safes most "inaccessible" are little more than a ledge that you suddenly discover the right stick to move the camera slightly. No, this is truly the reign of the visual and performing great, a choice that all will dislike.
Caught between two fires, they will be hated by everyone. On the one hand, Cocoon, the city gigantic flying and other Pulse, less than nothing. Since the time the two worlds do not even know. For strength, this ignorance has changed in defiance as the former have decided to serve the latter, without further ado. And in the midst of this shambles, they find themselves facing a "fal’Cie" a God biomechanics Ultra-Baroque. This squadron supreme omnipotence leads the world by its own rules, mysterious, arbitrary and cruel. Paradise, a democracy? My eye! Very soon, a "fal’Cie" will be chosen to become the "Co.", giving them a brand and a sacred goal. These powers have speedy conviction. Basically, people bear the mark of the "Co" will have to turn into crystal if it is hell, the real, worse than a mall December 24. Our poor hero of betrayal and disillusionment, and this confused history, they will be losers. Fortunately, the path is easy to find.
Following in the footsteps of Final Fantasy X, and even more the episode X-2 Final Fantasy XIII focuses on the principal, ie go from point A to point B by taking advantage of available sublime scenery for the occasion. Thus, already divided into chapters, the title is composed of actual levels, with a well-established pattern: a small area of growth, a boss and as a cinematic rewards. This revival arch drastically reduced the notion of leveling and annihilates all quests possible. Certainly the arrival on Gran Pulse, simulated open world is changing that in a chapter, but it occurs at 2 / 3 of the game still boils down to an obligation to move forward, always forward. The players of Final Fantasy will also share into two camps: those who use and abuse of incantations and others. FF XIII is no exception to this rule gamer. Odin, Shiva, Bahamut and some new, emerging logo "IE" of each character. They are beautiful on top of their form. It is the norm since FFV II. Each casting accompany his master in battle until a gauge, one more, evaporates. The alternative is to switch to gestalt mode "(" Driving Mode "in Japan). Like a Transformers, your companion will be transformed into divine vehicle or mount. Odin will become the frame of Lightning, Shiva will be turbines roar of his motorcycle while Alexander will become a fortress up to fight for Hope (the little brat, a robot? Not deserved at all!). The incantations are impressive and outrageous, but really less efficient than a battle well prepared and balanced.
Each component, the saga has reinvented itself by offering each time an innovative and exciting. Here you will be surprised however to find a principle fairly based on FF XII and FF XI, namely a semi-automatic orders in real time. At the controls of a character on a team of three, the player will both decide on the actions of his character, but also the role (in French in the text) that will take each character of the team. The player to pre-program these formations in order to react to any situation. Called Optima, these pre-programmed training can zap an attitude to another in an instant, the AI of your companions immediately adapts to your desires. In early action, we advocate the use of Tri-Optima Disaster composed of 3 Magi, or the Optima assault, consisting of 2 attackers and 1 jammer (specialist magic weakening as "slow"). This will make it easier to pierce the defenses of the enemy, Persona-style, to fill his gauge Break, break his guard into a thousand pieces, and maximize the damage, a tactic capital to face the toughest monsters. If the battle drags on, and that HP are missing, the player will then Will to win, a rather conservative Optima consists of a striker, a tank will attract the enemy attacks, and a trainer. In cases of sudden stress of a boss, you can then switch to Wind Blanc, an Optima consists of a trainer and two enhancers (specializing in magic protection). Of course, only your character is under your control, the others being directed by the console, but generally, it poses no real problems. The purpose of this system is to the director of player combat. From this point of view, rather successful.
If the leader dies, it’s Game Over assured. It’s the craziest selection of Final Fantasy XIII, one more that may well cause a serious controversy in the forums. Resurrecting the other, no problem. But if the leader bites the dust, it’s over. And for a real-time game, a bad decision early in the battle quickly turns spanking pants down. Worse still, the enemies encountered by some chance you swing a blow coming straight after 15 minutes of struggle. Unable to understand the logic of this decision, if not make the game harder or frustrating at times. The option allows to resume continues to the beginning of combat, as in the first Street Fighter came when we got ousted. Fortunately, there is the bar "break", a gauge that indicates the maximum that can collect the enemy. Once completed, it explodes and gives you the vista for a short period of time, then we go attacking mode and returns you to hell. Generally, only work well combined with a Attacker and a Buster arrived at this result.
Unfortunately, Final Fantasy XIII does not offer much edutainment numerically; kinematics in which one spectator is, places where no one moved forward, no puzzles to solve or even secret coffers to discover the game is sorely lacking coating. On the technical side, the game is, again, a victim of its priorities. The graphics are superb, beginning with the characters which can be surprising to see the plastic instead of forward. That said, there is no risk of losing the thread, and looks like Vanilla at the end of Chapter 4 "This road is quite easy to follow. A confession? We could blame the events that they are a little task especially in view graphics as sublime. Hard to believe that in 2009 a studio for the tempering of FFXIII will not be able to create contextual animations. Faced with a wall or the edge of an abyss, the short hero on the spot where the smaller set B series now offers an appropriate animation. The music, somewhat reminiscent menus play sports 90s at times, will also allow us to provide electro-pop singer with Japan, which introduces a friendly atmosphere, but not epic for a penny. We’re among friends, to cross a pretty level without taking the head between two fighting pêchus and cool. And therein lies the problem, it is "quiet" but lacks a little epic.
Over 80% of the game, Final Fantasy XIII proposes a linear adventure, the sense of the term. It is straight ahead down a hallway and never during the first 10 chapters, we are left free to go right, left, back on our feet. Not a single fork, not even detours, not even turning back. Just a road paved with yellow bricks. Another similarity with Final Fantasy X, who laughed wildly from this situation to balance his story with panache. The "scripting" Overall, it’s a little trend (Uncharted 2, Call of Duty, etc..) Brother enemy of the game "sandbox" in the GTA. But FF X permitted himself pauses in the march unalterable, moments of breath, Final Fantasy XIII is going to dissolve if specific elements RPG: towns, villages, RIP. missing.
They ran. The heroes here are by and for adventure and for thirty hours, they speak almost between them. As in autarky, we have a group of heroes who saw his quest for his mouth. Of all the kicks into the anthill Final Fantasy is probably the one who is most frustrating. Usually, in a Japanese RPG, the smallest cat stuck in a tree, the smallest car keys lost open a slew of mini-quests more or less interesting. Not in Final Fantasy XIII. We will advance from one phase of a combat scenario, a flashback, then walking off again. Inexorably. Let’s be clear, this is not unpleasant: FF XIII style. Many RPG are the same, with varying degrees of success. FF XIII maintains a report frustration / fun very closely, believing at any moment that the game will be free of the chains that hinder. And in the meantime, he entertains with a combat system perfectly pinned. Without revealing a great secret, the call for air, this "out of Midgard, it finally arrived late, after thirty hours.
Once in Pulse, the title takes a completely different turn, one of excess. In a huge level, titanic, we propose to perform different tasks (monsters individuals to find and kill) you are given by former IE fallen. Final Corridor turns into Monster Fantasy, beautiful, taking difficult and overwhelming. The opposite of what you have presented so far. In a play area of several square kilometers, the player must proceed cautiously and "test", weak and strong monsters are strolling mixed with each other without real distinction. A whole new experience Darwinian observation for survival, exciting, then goes off. The dead are many, exploration at its peak, and adventure with a capital A is then revealed to the player who has not abandoned en route. Because yes, it is difficult to understand how two such different games can coexist. How the players who were expecting the second part could have the patience to go through the first with everything she has non-game? The fights are connected between two straight lines accompanied by the jazzy music, leaving no time to guess what awaits the bravest.
Wandering in the fields, chasing wolves as in Final Fantasy XII, after hours of corridors, we finally imagine that it is a myth like the elephant graveyard. The possibility of a plain. It is this terra incognita. They are even several, linked by corridors, canyons (again!) And finally offer the first step to the side allowed. Once there, FF XIII and FF XII are not very far. Immensity greenish bestiary that goes from tiny little monster to the tribe of mammoth and giant Chocobo, we swim in the thrill of the chase schedule. Difficult and frustrating too. Graphic quality, long life, Final Fantasy XIII evacuates all these issues with the back arm. It takes its place for the Avatar video game, we know that 3D is so beautiful she’ll break out the peepers. But this is not a realistic as film. Square Enix manages to create a kind of aesthetic "Anime HD" which will probably be the reference for many years. Even if he gets stuck on the surface of his scriptwriting corridors, everything is treated to the utmost, to ultra baroque weapons, knives or cars. It abounds throughout, is exaggerated and it passes. The sound also quite balanced, with some catchy themes, several songs accompanying mystical when they are not small jingles Jazzy to play the quiet walk.
These exciting fights, interspersed with walks without further challenge than forward, sort of shortcut to a boss that we would inevitably reach what happens, are all that remains of "fun" in the majority of title. Among the players who look to the big show and players who expect a deep play, no doubt that the title will disappoint fans of the RPG classic as it will attract new entrants attracted by the cinematic "seen on TV". Final Fantasy series is the standard of home consoles. Even Dragon Quest boxing now on mobile. FF XIII is the king of a tiny kingdom is the "J-RPG" in high definition. Let us make a simple observation of the damage: FF XIII no real competitor dominates. Tolerance to the previous games is simply because there is nothing better on bikes of this generation. Tales of Vesperia, Lost Odyssey, Last Remnant, Star Ocean 4, Infinite Undiscovery, Blue Dragon, All … such lesser barons are wickedly to fine level of ambition and deep gameplay. The pleasure is to go through the fighting really sensational. And in addition, at a time, a Chocobo is devoured by a monster. A priceless pleasure.
Final Fantasy XIII Codes:
Bronze Trophies:
- Destin derailed : You have begun a quest to confront an unjust fate.
- Vestige dangerous : You’ve survived the Purge to face a greater risk.
- Tragedy of the Co. : You have defied danger and must suffer the consequences.
- Hunted : You are signed between the cracks and flee to survive.
- Determination : You are determined to no longer be the plaything of fate.
- Respite : You escape your pursuers, but the past catches up with you.
- Neither seen nor known : You found a way to infiltrate enemy territory.
- Case of Conscience : You have borne the burden of guilt to the wall.
- In the lion’s den : You’ve decided to take the enemy at its own game
- The awful truth : You have unmasked the real threat to the future of the world.
- Glimmer of hope : You have reached the Lower World to change your destiny.
- Medal Striker : Mastering the role of Striker.
- Medal Pests : Mastering the role of Pests.
- Medal of Defender : Mastering the role of defender.
- Medal Saboteur : Mastering the role of Saboteur.
- Medal Tactician : Mastering the role of tactician.
- Medal Trainer : Mastering the role of Trainer.
Silver Trophy:
- Transcendence : Impose more than 99 999 points of damage in an attack.
- Megalomania : Felling a heavyweight plains of the Lower World.
- Perfectionist : Develop your characters up.
Gold Trophies:
- Fashion Victim : Get every weapon and every accessory. (Needless to possess all at once)
- Observer : Discern the characteristics of 100 different enemies.
- Secret trophy: Unlocking the trophy during game
