hikaruchan

User Score
9.9

Presentation - 10
Gameplay - 9.5
Value - 10

Final Fantasy since in inception in 1987 hs grone to be one of the most successful JRPG series of all time I had played alot of JRPG's before I played Final Fantasy but I did not Play a Final Fantasy game before Final Fantasy X which is my all time favorite Final Fantasy game since then I have now played all the Final Fantasy games and Final Fantasy has become not only my favorite JRPG series but my favorite game series of all time.

This Review is based on the Japanese Version of Final Fantasy XIII

Story

Final Fantasy XIII as a a awesome story although not as complex as some Final Fantasy games before it the story will keep you rivited to your seat the hale way through with some cool twists.

Setting 

The World of Final Fantasy XIII is a mix of Cyberpunk and the natural world with a dash of Steampunk. 

Characters

the cast of Characters are are very awesome and have alot of Anime influenced in there designs.    

ライトニング (Lightning)

Lightning is a Cool and Sexy character with long Hot Pink Hair she like some Anime characters with Hot Pink hair it serves to showcase her feminine side and not the princess Archetype that Pink hair is generally connected with in Anime she stands 171cm tall she wields a Transformable Gun Sword Called ブレイズエッジ, Blaze Edge (Blazefire Saber in the English Version ) it can Transform from sword to Gun form but it can shoot bullets from a distance unlike Squalls Gunblade her Eidolon is Odin who Transforms into a Horse that Lightning can ride, Her Seiyu in the Japanese Version is, 坂本真綾, Sakamoto Maaya Kanzaki who was the seiyu of Kanzaki Hitomi, The Vision of Escaflowne and many other Anime her English voice is Ali Hillis. 

スノウ・ヴィリアース Snow Villiers

Snow is the main male protagonist he has light Blond hair  stands at 200cm tall he fights with his fists in combat is Eidolon is the Shiva Sisters that combine to transform into a MotorCycle for Snow to ride, Snows seiyu is 小野 大輔, Ono Daisuke from Anime fame is English Voice is Troy Backer a Engish Anime dub voice actor.

ヲルバ＝ダイア・ヴァニラ, Oruba-Daia Vanira (Oerba Dia Vanille)

Vanira (Vanille) is a upbeat Red head girl her Eidolon is Hecatoncheir that can transform into a bipedal mecha her seiyu is 福井 裕佳梨, Fukui Yukari of Anime fame and her English Voice is Georgia van Cuylenburg.

サッズ・カッツロイ, Sazzu Kattsuroi ( Sazh Katzroy)

Sazh is a awesome charector who has a Baby Chocobo as a pet he wields dual pistols, he reminds me of Barret his Eidolon is Brynhilder that Transforms into a Prototype Racing Car his seiyu is 江原 正士, Ehara Masashi English Voice Reno Wilson.

ホープ・エストハイム, Hōpu Esutohaimu (Hope Estheim)

Hope is a Kid that gets court up in fight His Eidolon is Alexander that Transforms into a Fortress his Seiyu is Yuki Kaji English Voice Vincent Martella 

ヲルバ＝ユン・ファング, Oruba-Yun Fangu ( Oerba Yun Fang)

Fang is a Wild and Sexy yong Woman who is shares the same path as vanira She wilds a spear her Eidolon is Bahamut that Transforms into a Airship her Seiyu is Andou Mabuki English Voice Rachel Robinson.

GamePlay     

The Battle System in Final Fantasy XIII is simpley the best ATB System in Final Fantasy history you can change your Charecter Jobs on the fly with a qick change system called Opima Change (ParadigmShift) to shift between Attacker, Blaster, Defender, Enhancer, Jammer, and Healer ( English Version Commando, Ravager, Sentinel, Synergist, Saboteur and Medic) The Level up system in the game is like  is like te Sphere Grid of Final Fantast X.

Voice Acting

Just Awesome the Japanese Voices suite each Character perfectly (from what I have seen The English voices a very good also)   

Graphics

Final Fantasy XIII just simplely has the best use of Lighing, Character models in any Game and the areas of the world you venture through are breathtackingly beautiful and the CG Cutsenes which are Native 1080P on the PS3 are Just simply some of best in gaming.

Music

浜渦正志, Hamauzu Masashi the co-composer of the music in Final Fantasy X takes over from 植松伸夫, Uematsu Nobuo and has put together a fantasic score there is also some cool Techno Music, The Theme song 君がいるから, Kimi ga Iru kara (Because You're Here) is is very beatiful and so is the other theme Eternal Love sang by 菅原紗由理, Sugawara Sayuri.

Conclusion

If you are a Hardcore Final Fantasy fan you will love the fast past battle system with the awesome Opima Change job system with the on the fly switching, if you are not a hardcore Final Fantasy fan but love JRPGs Final Fantasy XIII is one JRPG that you can not miss.