So I spent the better part of the weekend playing Final Fantasy 13. I have to wonder why everyone is hates that game so much. Really I have to wonder why people hate it so much. I understand that it is linear. However, I do not see Halo or Black Ops letting you explore the world. You know all these games that get best seller status despite just being glorified online games. Final Fantasy 13 is what a lot of games are not, a solid game.

So lets take a look at the easiest target. The fact that the game is kind of linear. Most everyone gives me some BS about being dragged around by the nose for 80% of the game. Well lets look at the game. Let me think back to... well every other final fantasy out there. When you really think about it. Most Final Fantasy games only feature and follow one character, the main character. However, in this game each character has a part of the main story. For instance there are the circumstances with Snow and Lightning. Both are related to Serah in some aspect. Both had very different and profound experience during the time they spent before the game actually occurred. Then there is Sazh's role in the game. He is one of those extra characters. However, his personality forced him to take a different route. This is a key point. In the past in Final Fantasy games. The other characters would just voice their opinion then mindlessly puppet on. Sazh did not, he said he did not agree and went off with Vanielle. This is a big difference. Now we have another side of the story that has to be explored. Plus there is that whole thing with his son. Yet another arc and idea that have to be explored. At the end of the day though, the linear story had to happen. Otherwise people would have just been lost and confused. Let us not forget the fact that everyone was a fugitive. It is not like that did not play into the decision to make the game the same way.

Next the battle system. I remember all the fun I had with real time battle back in the FFVII, FFVIII, and FFIX days. After a while doing all of that stuff just became cumbersome. In the beginning it is great. There are only a couple of spells. However, towards the end yeah that is kind of annoying. I have to open anywhere between one and three menus and select the option. All the while I am getting pummelled. The whole Paradigm system is really a good idea. First off it helps to clear up the interface. I am only allowed certain skills. So I have to sift through less when fighting. Second, it forces me to consider job roles when fighting. Again another good thing. I actually have to use my brain when I play, god forbid. My only real problem with this game is the fact that I have to rely on the AI for the other characters. Which means that they do not use the most efficient uses of their powers. However, at the same time... it is not inefficient either. I generally choose auto 80% of the time because it is the best choice at the time.

When I get down to it, my only real problem is the level limit. I do not really understand why this was put into place. However, I can live with it. I am forced to move along, I have no problem with that. I also have a hard time looking for places to grind. Again, not the end of the world. I have found that grinding does very little to help in the beginning. As most bad guys have around 50 levels on me. Another plot device I guess. So that is my only real complaint.

At the end of the day, Final Fantasy 13 is a good game. Yes it does feel a little half finished. However, people wanted a game. Instead of wanting to wait the extra three or so years that would have been needed to make this more RPG like and add that open world everyone gets off on. Square listened to your whining and pushed out a half complete game. Hell everyone loves Final Fantasy 13-2. Yet it uses a lot of the same systems that the first game used. The only thing the new one really adds are towns. It is almost like Square finished developing the game engine in 13-2. Odd I mean the game came out a little over a year and a half later. I wonder if 13 could have been awesome if annoying fans did not have to have 13 now?