FINAL FANTASY XIII-2

58%
Game Brain Score Based on 3,246 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
FINAL FANTASY XIII-2 Game Cover
Final Fantasy XIII-2 comes with its fair share of problems, but it is an excellent game that represents a tentative step into modernity for its genre
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In Final Fantasy XIII-2, players continue the journey of Lightning and new protagonist Serah, exploring time periods to prevent a global catastrophe. Featuring an evolved battle system with monsters to capture and customize, this RPG offers diverse character development and challenging missions. With improved interface and additional quests, this sequel offers enhanced gameplay while maintaining the rich storytelling of the series.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

58%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,246 reviews
story504 positive mentions
optimization169 negative mentions
  • Improved gameplay mechanics and combat system compared to the first game.
  • Engaging story with interesting time travel elements and character development.
  • Beautiful graphics and an outstanding soundtrack.
  • Terrible PC port with frequent crashes and performance issues.
  • Requires multiple community patches to be playable, which is unacceptable for a commercial release.
  • Confusing story that can be hard to follow, especially for newcomers to the series.
  • story2,022 mentions

    The story of "Final Fantasy XIII-2" is a mixed bag, with many players finding it convoluted and filled with plot holes, particularly due to its time travel mechanics. While some appreciate the emotional depth and character development, others criticize the narrative for being disjointed and overly reliant on side quests that often feel like filler. Overall, the game is seen as an improvement over its predecessor in terms of gameplay, but the story remains a contentious point among fans, with opinions ranging from engaging to frustratingly confusing.

    • “The story is easy to follow, the characters are lovable, the combat is fun, the environments are beautiful, and the soundtrack is amazing.”
    • “The story is absolutely breathtaking and gameplay is incredibly fun, been playing the XIII trilogy for so many years by now and it's absolutely a game that went deep into my heart <3.”
    • “The story overall is good although it retcons the ending of the first game, it will make sense though.”
    • “The quest design is super confusing at times.”
    • “How hard is it not to make a ridiculous, contradicting story full of plot holes?”
    • “The story is a mess of time traveling shenanigans that allowed the developer to be lazy by reusing assets, enemies, maps etc. by changing colors, time of days, closing off and opening up arbitrary parts of the map and say, oh it's new!”
  • gameplay660 mentions

    The gameplay of Final Fantasy XIII-2 has been widely praised for its significant improvements over its predecessor, featuring a more engaging combat system, the introduction of a monster-catching mechanic, and a less linear exploration experience. Players appreciate the faster-paced battles, the ability to customize party dynamics, and the overall refinement of mechanics, although some express frustration with random encounters and occasional performance issues. While the story may be convoluted, the gameplay is generally seen as addictive and enjoyable, making it a standout title in the series.

    • “Absolutely masterpiece, story is breathtaking and gameplay is incredibly fun. I've been playing the XIII trilogy for so many years by now, and it's absolutely a game that went deep into my heart <3.”
    • “The combat is faster, paradox shifting isn't at a snail's pace, and you aren't introduced to mechanics every 20 hours because the game actually respects that you will understand the mechanics quickly.”
    • “With its enhanced gameplay mechanics, deepened narrative, and rich world-building, it stands as a standout title in the Final Fantasy series.”
    • “I'm currently stuck on chapter 3 because of a glitch that doesn't show any gameplay tutorial for me, so a new move couldn't be learned and now I'm forever stuck on Sunleth Waterscape.”
    • “The gameplay outside of combat is very tedious and rife with backtracking and reused levels.”
    • “The gameplay is improved and so is the rest of the game (more music, more zones, nonlinear gameplay and exploration ...).”
  • music595 mentions

    The music in "Final Fantasy XIII-2" is widely praised, with many reviewers highlighting its diversity and emotional impact, often considering it one of the best soundtracks in the series. While some tracks are celebrated as "bangers," others are noted for being eclectic or mismatched with the game's tone, leading to mixed opinions on specific songs. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the gameplay experience, despite some complaints about volume levels and the inability to adjust music settings.

    • “The soundtrack, once again composed by Masashi Hamauzu, is a highlight, with a score that enhances the game's atmosphere and complements the emotional highs and lows of the narrative.”
    • “Final Fantasy XIII-2 has one of the best soundtracks of the series, with banger after banger.”
    • “The music is outstanding, with a mix of full vocal as well as different styles.”
    • “The music in this game is absolutely awful.”
    • “The music ranges from passable to appalling (crazy chocobo is a song that never should have existed).”
    • “The only way to adjust music volume is to use a mod to change music files directly.”
  • optimization411 mentions

    The optimization of the game has been widely criticized, with many users reporting severe performance issues such as stuttering, frame rate drops, and frequent crashes, regardless of their hardware specifications. While some players have managed to improve performance through mods and tweaks, the general consensus is that the port is poorly optimized and requires significant effort to run smoothly. Overall, the game's technical shortcomings detract from the experience, making it difficult to recommend without reservations.

    • “I did this before my first playthrough and experienced zero performance issues.”
    • “But other than that, I ran FF13-2 at 4K 60 FPS with zero performance issues.”
    • “The game is fun and runs smoothly on my system.”
    • “The game is poorly optimized for PC and will crash repeatedly, particularly upon saving.”
    • “I can't recommend this version of the game due to very poor optimization.”
    • “This is probably one of the worst ports ever made to PC; it's just incredible how badly optimized this game is.”
  • graphics401 mentions

    The graphics of "Final Fantasy XIII-2" are generally praised for their beauty and detail, especially considering the game's age, with many noting that they hold up well against contemporary titles. However, the PC port suffers from significant optimization issues, leading to frequent crashes, frame rate drops, and limited graphical settings, which detracts from the overall experience. While the visuals are stunning, players often recommend using community fixes to enhance performance and stability.

    • “Final Fantasy XIII-2 has a fantastic cast, an incredible soundtrack, and stunning visuals.”
    • “The graphics are breathtakingly beautiful, and personally, I preferred the style here to the more realistic look of FF15.”
    • “The graphics are wonderful, the soundtrack is excellent, and the storyline seems interesting and engaging--all things I've loved about FF games since I was a kid.”
    • “In this case it crashes ever so often, is badly optimized, has graphical glitches and needs fixes to even get to that state.”
    • “The graphics took a hit; the game looks like it is being played in a field of wheat, the sharpness just isn't there.”
    • “The port for the PC is very bad, no graphical options, just 2 resolutions, no sound options, capped at 30 fps, etc. so, I played the game with 15 fps till the end.”
  • grinding157 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players noting that while it is less tedious than in its predecessor, it still requires significant effort for character and monster development. Some appreciate the more rewarding leveling system and the variety of side quests, while others find the backtracking and item farming tedious and time-consuming. Overall, the game offers a balance of grinding that can be enjoyable for some, but may feel excessive and frustrating for others, particularly in post-game content.

    • “I spent more time playing this game, but it felt like less of a drag, and there was no grinding.”
    • “No grinding for tiny (but necessary) upgrades.”
    • “100%ing the game requires a lot of tedious side-quests which should have been cut entirely.”
    • “The actual story is relatively simple and more of a vessel for the interesting themes and during the latter half the game becomes extremely tedious as in without a guide this game would be over 75 hours long levels of tedious.”
    • “The concept itself is quite interesting but I find it too tedious and no kind of quick-jump between places on the maps you already visited makes you run around a lot and just hope you find some missing clue, while also being constantly interrupted by battles you cannot avoid.”
  • stability127 mentions

    The stability of the PC port of this game is widely criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and various bugs that render it nearly unplayable without extensive troubleshooting and community patches. While some players have managed to improve performance through mods and fixes, many still experience significant issues, leading to a consensus that the game is poorly optimized and frustrating to play in its current state. Overall, the Steam version is particularly noted for its instability, making it difficult to recommend without caveats.

    • “Don't know what everybody's crying about, I'm not crashing, I've had no glitches, it's all here and intact.”
    • “Then I did some research and installed two patches to fix the game and now it runs great.”
    • “I see a lot of complaints about the game running horrible, it runs great for me, I have the shadows running second from highest setting and I'm getting great frame rate.”
    • “The game is completely unplayable despite patches and all troubleshooting recommendations.”
    • “This port runs like shit in 2021 and yes I've looked at the 'mega troubleshooting' discussion.”
    • “The game crashes all the time, and when I googled it, turns out it's been buggy as hell for years.”
  • emotional43 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its compelling narrative, which explores themes of fate, memory, and personal relationships, particularly through the interactions of its protagonists and antagonist. The soundtrack significantly enhances the emotional experience, with many players noting its ability to evoke strong feelings during key moments. While some critiques mention disjointed storytelling and character development, the overall consensus is that the game delivers touching and impactful emotional scenes, especially for those familiar with the original title.

    • “The plot delves into themes of fate, memory, and destiny, presenting a narrative that is both intricate and emotionally charged.”
    • “The game's focus on personal stories and relationships enhances the overall emotional impact.”
    • “The presence of a clear antagonist throughout the story helps give the story clearer stakes and a persistent emotional throughline.”
    • “The story is boring and filled with a lot of unexplained elements that just seem to be accepted without any context.”
    • “I felt no emotional connection to the characters; their struggles felt superficial and unengaging.”
    • “The attempts at emotional depth fell flat, leaving me feeling indifferent rather than moved.”
  • humor41 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as both charmingly terrible and intentionally funny, with many players enjoying the unintentional comedic moments and quirky dialogue reminiscent of early 2000s anime dubs. While some aspects, like juvenile characters and absurd scenarios, contribute to the humor, the game's technical flaws and bizarre design choices also add to its comedic value. Overall, players find a mix of hilarious dialogue, amusing side quests, and laughable glitches that create a uniquely entertaining experience.

    • “Extremely fun game with a great, in-depth battle system, tons of side content, a likable cast, and a tone that doesn't take itself too seriously - leading to some hilarious dialogue.”
    • “With alternate paradox endings to unlock, funny dialogue choices to make (Serah gushing about Snow being totally cool in the first chapter is utterly hilarious), throwing your moogle to reach hard-to-get-to treasure, messing up the weather in Archylte Steppe, and having your chocobo flash enemies its butt to make them angry, FFXIII-2 has a truckload of things to keep you busy!”
    • “I found myself literally laughing out loud manically at some points in the story as the characters tried to explain what was happening.”
    • “Now the story feels so tacked on to make money, it's not funny.”
    • “Painfully unfunny Japanese jokes.”
  • character development39 mentions

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with some players praising the evolution of characters like Serah and Noel, while others criticize the lack of depth for returning characters from the previous installment. While some new characters, such as Alyssa, are noted for their interesting arcs, many feel that overall character development is disjointed and insufficient, often overshadowed by gameplay mechanics and visual elements. Despite these criticisms, there are moments of emotional resonance and customization options that allow for some player-driven character growth.

    • “The character development is particularly notable, with Serah and Noel evolving through their trials and interactions, adding depth and complexity to their journey.”
    • “This game has an amazing storyline, and great in-depth character development.”
    • “At least this is my consensus?!... oh, and the pros to this game; excellent character development, storyline, graphics, diverse gameplay, multi-purpose gaming (separate gaming abilities; strategy, action, adventure, etc.), and I've been told it has great replay qualities to continue your character development and alternative realities.”
    • “This isn't helped by how returning characters from FFXIII receive little character development: Lightning is boring and stoic, Snow remains a puppy-dog himbo who doesn't think about the consequences of his actions, while Hope at least gets an offscreen upgrade from grief-saddled teen to successful 20-something academic.”
    • “The world and lore are magnificently developed; however, with poor storytelling and even poorer character development.”
    • “It was fun and I did throw a bunch of hours into the game collecting almost all the fragments and getting the various endings, but the poor story, poor character development, and lame ending are all major turn-offs.”
  • replayability28 mentions

    Overall, the game offers significantly improved replayability compared to its predecessor, with features such as multiple endings, side quests, and collectible elements that encourage exploration and experimentation. While some players noted limitations due to a smaller cast of playable characters, many appreciated the depth added through character stats and alternate outcomes. The game is generally seen as more engaging for those who enjoy replaying to uncover all its content.

    • “The inclusion of these elements provides ample opportunities for players to delve deeper into the game's world and characters, adding value and replayability.”
    • “The replayability is guaranteed, to get extra items, to explore the maps, to accomplish secondary missions, and so on.”
    • “There is also a lot of replay value in this game because of the alternate endings, side quests, and monster taming.”
    • “However, there is no replayability value, unless you love the game.”
    • “Battlesystem is ok in terms of visuals, but I don't like it much personally (because it's button-masher), very low replay value because of story and hidden leveling stats.”
    • “The first one doesn't offer much of a replay value while this has stuff to grind for and has a Pokémon 'gotta catch 'em all' feel when it comes to your 3rd party member.”
  • atmosphere19 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its beautiful visuals and evocative soundtrack, composed by Masashi Hamauzu, which enhances the emotional depth of the narrative. While some players appreciate the dark, desolate settings and the unique time-travel mechanics that create varied atmospheres, others feel that the shift to trance music detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the game successfully immerses players in a rich, atmospheric world that complements its storytelling.

    • “The soundtrack, once again composed by Masashi Hamauzu, is a highlight, with a score that enhances the game's atmosphere and complements the emotional highs and lows of the narrative.”
    • “The level design really has an emphasis on creating the perfect atmosphere for the situation; it's amazing how well they managed to convey each time period of the same location so uniquely.”
    • “There's beautiful orchestral tracks, well-written vocals, and context-appropriate background music that help drive the atmosphere of each and every situation.”
    • “What I loved about the setting was that the game feels pretty dark; the worlds you travel to are desolate, and the whole atmosphere is like that.”
    • “They didn't even know who would be the third party member, so they were like 'f$#k it, we will add Pokémon to this mistake.' Don't get me wrong, the game is an improvement from the last one; it is somewhat less linear than the last, but it has to do with time traveling, and that is the worst offense in making places look new. All the places you go to will look the same but in a different atmosphere because you revisit places in different time zones.”
    • “It just doesn't match the FF XIII-2 atmosphere.”
  • monetization6 mentions

    The monetization of the game has been heavily criticized as a low-effort cash grab by Square Enix, with reviewers expressing disappointment over the poor quality of the PC port, which is plagued by technical issues. Many feel that the game's potential is undermined by this approach, leading to frustration among players who expected more from the trilogy.

    • “This game was a pure cash grab in true Square Enix form.”
    • “In my opinion, this would otherwise be the best game in the trilogy, but Square Enix went the lazy cash grabbing way and made a bad port, filled with crashes, freezes, and framerate drops.”
    • “Because it is just a cash grab for Square Enix and cheaply made, but not rushed.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

69% average critic score

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Play time

10hMedian play time
25hAverage play time
28hMain story
72hCompletionist
3-50hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 38 analyzed playthroughs

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