Final Fantasy XIII

Playing a Final Fantasy game is like visiting a foreign country. Each one has plenty of differences and sometimes you’re hopelessly lost, but no matter what, you can take comfort in the fact that there will always be airships, always be chocobos, and always, always gravity-defying hair.

This latest installment to the series gathers a rag-tag group of freedom fighters in the dual worlds of Pulse and Cocoon, one featuring primal monsters and wild terrain, the other a gleaming techno-paradise, and both dripping with SFX and console-melting detail. It really is impressive just to look around at the sheer volume of attention paid to each and every environment as you explore new ground.

Part of the problem, however, is just how linear that new ground is. Halfway through the game you’re essentially following a single story path, with none of the expected mini-games and subquests that have been a hallmark of the series. Without them, the environment feels limited and somewhat lifeless.

Combat has been tweaked to make menu-based actions as seamless as possible, and they play out almost in real time for a more visceral feel. Plenty of the Big Bad fights actually force some real strategy and tactics from players, and the levelling system that lets characters improve their powers quickly is much simpler than the visuals would have you believe.

The game is not without a few hiccups in its melodramatic story. Superfluous voice acting, and the way certain cinematic events can drag out for an age can grate, but this is nevertheless a worthy addition to the series and well worth the week of game time you’ll be investing in it.