It's quite ironic that Square Enix would choose to copyright claim out own recorded gameplay **SIX** separate times, but here we are. The algorithm doesn't push videos that aren't monetized, so we had to adjust. Sadly what that means is our strong start to the initial upload is permanently erased. Any sharing, liking, or commenting would be MUCH appreciated to rebuild that initial momentum

@willallclasses8585

2 жыл бұрын

I did a double take on the repost, thought maybe you didn’t like something about the first vid but to get claimed? Wtf?

@MonkeyspankO

2 жыл бұрын

yeah, it went down while I was watching it.

@tazmanceltic

2 жыл бұрын

I was all in when this came out , but dam just running forward and forward and forewarrrdddd 😭 killed my happiness although the battle system had it's moments.

@Shatterglass23

2 жыл бұрын

Nope. ITS 🗑Not Final Fantasy 15 trash but CLOSE ENOUGH 🚮

@UnjustifiedRecs

2 жыл бұрын

I don't think Ironic means what you think it means...

This trilogy is quite special to me. It served as a "escape" from a dark reality I was living at the time. Yes, I can recognize its shortcomings, but man, I just loved it.

@alexandrameier5038

2 жыл бұрын

I feel you. I wasn‘t going through anything when I first played it, but the characters and the story resonated so much with me that I repeatedly came back to it when I was feeling down. I just love playing it again and again, it‘s like an old favorite movie that I can watch over and over again!

@grimmmetals5290

Жыл бұрын

Same. I had always been a big Final Fantasy fan but adult life kind of got real after Final Fantasy 8. The next Final Fantasy game I eventually picked up was FF13, I had a lot of time on my hands. I played it, I read through all of the data logs as a they appeared, I really immersed myself into the game world. I did the same for the second, and the third. It was the darkest time in my life and these three games will always have a special place in my heart. I think most people have a negative response to these games because they don't feel like they have the time to just sit back, read the lore as it appears, stop and look around at the game world, and enjoy everything.

@hurkadurk6732

Жыл бұрын

That completely resonates with how I personally feel about this trilogy. Far from perfect, but special to me because of how they helped during dark times.

@SadGirlXandra

Жыл бұрын

God, idk why I want to cry but me too! I discovered this game at a very dark time in my life and it really helped me. But I still to this day love it! I cried and laughed with this game and the story is still one of my favorites of all time!

@Deviljho5

Жыл бұрын

Same here man! I was deploying left and right when this was released! Barely had time to mentally relax! I enjoyed the soundtrack!

Such a godly soundtrack. I also recently played this during the pandemic. I didn’t care for it much when it released but during lock down I was able to appreciate this game. I remember one of the main criticisms being that it wasn’t open world. In an era with nothing but open world games. It’s linearity through the beginning hours was much appreciated by me and a breath of fresh air.

@thomasharvey1151

2 жыл бұрын

The opening of the game and the story of the battles through the Hanging Edge, always kind of gets me. Was a great opening to the game. All these people, normal people, families, defending themselves and fighting for their right to exist. Was exciting and sad at the same time.

@ecksluss

2 жыл бұрын

I've been biding my time for when the oversaturation of open world that are extremely shallow and cookie cutter drive people to seek out more linear experiences and this game is a GREAT linear experience. Love the entire trilogy.

@santosduran9183

2 жыл бұрын

@@ecksluss yeah absolutely. This game is amazing. Although it did open up a bit towards the end it was nothing on the scale of open world games, which I appreciate. I haven’t played Lightning returns. I heard mixed things about that. Maybe it’s time to play it though considering that people were mostly wrong about 13 as well.

@aeroga2383

2 жыл бұрын

I played this game in 2018 when I was absolutely sick of open world games. That probably explains why I liked it so much

@danhalo1405

2 жыл бұрын

The criticism of this game was absolutely never that FF13 is not open world. Final Fantasy fans complained that FF13 was way way to linear compared to previous Final Fantasy which absolutely is not the same as people complained that FF13 is not open world. You obviously have to view criticism in the right context Final Fantasy fans obviously mainly compared this game with previous Final Fantasy games and other similar JRPGs and those games never had open worlds older Final Fantays games never were less linear because they had open worlds. Older Final Fantasy games were less linear because they had overworld maps to explore, they were less linear because they had towns to explore and people to talk to and they were less linear because those older JRPGs had a lot of optional content, sidequests and fun optional minigames and the absents of all of those things were the reasons why FF13 was criticised for its insane linearity.

Agree 100% on the linearity. Playing this a couple years back just having a path to follow was refreshing. I looooove me some open worlds but taking a break and just following the path as it moves through the story was so.. pleasant.

@tracysweatt5401

2 жыл бұрын

The linear path up to Gran Pulse was really great to get into the story and helping you to get into the story vs being all over the place with an open world from the get go.

@plustico2846

2 жыл бұрын

I agree. I liked that, but I just wish there was some more diversity in gameplay on that path, not just battling and I wish there was less battling.

@moodie316

2 жыл бұрын

I agree...especially as I get older and have a job/family, I appreciate more linear games that progress nicely through the story and the fun. Its great for gamers who can only play for an hour or two everyday.

@lukedelameter7961

Жыл бұрын

Plus, there’s an argument to be made for having a tighter, more curated delivery of content. Instead of wandering everywhere hoping you’re headed the right direction and depleting your resources hopelessly, you have a clearly defined and structured goal.

@orangeslash1667

Жыл бұрын

@@plustico2846 The problem with 13 is that the game was directed by the same guy who did FF 10-2 which also had mixed reception. Why was he chosen, because Square's most talented directors Tetsuya Nomura and Hiroyuki Ito was busy with other projects mostly handheld.

This game has one of the best soundtracks I've heard in gaming....graphics were amazing for its time, the gameplay wasn't bad it was different from what i had played at the time..very unique game. It really wasn't that bad tbh. It's not one of the greatest but it's good. The story was complex tho not easily graspable but it's still there to follow maybe not the best...art style is dope

@thomasharvey1151

2 жыл бұрын

The soundtrack is a great and memorable one, very unique. Always especially enjoyed The music for Gapra Whitewood, Archylte Steppe and the track called Will to Fight. I actually kind of miss this game. I’d be down for a Remaster/Re release on PS4 or 5.

@julianzuloaga

2 жыл бұрын

True! I think the game had many good things, the soundtrack among them, but I remember when it came out and the fanbase was very dissapointed with the story-characters-boss aspects. I think it's a good game but a not so good Final Fantasy, that was the problem.

@Walamonga1313

2 жыл бұрын

XIII has the best FF combat. And it's not even one of my top 3 fav FFs. But I do know XIII has fantastic gameplay (and soundtrack).

@kenno99999

2 жыл бұрын

On 360 it was awful. I found the story, soundtrack, characters and graphics all subpar. I think there were 3 tracks I listened to on the ost which were great. Honestly this game was the beginning of the full on downfall of ff for me. 15 doesn't even feel like ff anymore. Good game on its own but a terrible ff

@JMO04091

2 жыл бұрын

FF9 definitely, DEFINITETY the BEST FF in the franchise.

I absolutely LOVED the combat system for FF13. It was a blast and I really enjoyed how tense boss battles got, had me shifting paradigms like a wild man! Best graphics of the time by far. It had it’s problems but I liked it.

Ive always gotten the impression that people who criticize the gameplay for being "autopilot" probably never got past the first few hours let alone beat the game

@SaberToothPortilla

2 жыл бұрын

Probably. I mean, the game never gets *too* hard or anything, but when you haven't gotten to have a full party yet, paradigm management, which is the *real* way you interact with the combat, isn't nearly as important. The game won't punish you for not paying attention. That said, to be fair, it's rough for well past the first few hours, probably the first 5 or 6 at least, but I don't know anyone who finished the game who thinks it's *that* bad. Certainly no worse than like a 5/10.

@Player-jh4ko

2 жыл бұрын

Lamo for this game to even be considered "good" it takes 20 hours. And even then the game falls flat. I also literally just beat this game and 90% of the time I've used auto attacks.

@Yuri-xx2gi

2 жыл бұрын

If a game needs 10+hrs to get "good", then it's a bad game

13 was the very first FF game I ever beat(12 was waaaaay too complicated for my 11 year old brain) but playing 13 when I was 14 years old was incredible. I love FF13 and I’ll always defend it. 13-2 was even better. I do hope to play lightning returns one day.

@statesminds

2 жыл бұрын

Xiii-2 and lightning returns even better! Also hope you revisit XII the zodiac age. It's such an underrated FF as well imo

@LiohJuney

2 жыл бұрын

I believe 13 and Lightning Returns are still on Game Pass if you have it.

@apathy2454

2 жыл бұрын

All 3 soundtracks are AMAZING

Playing FFXIII in 2023 is a breath of fresh air. I didn't realize how much I missed turn-based battles, linearity and lots and lots of brilliantly directed cutscenes in a big budget RPG. I hope Square remasters this game for the PS5.

I think it's great that lighting is emotional because me being an actual soldier I've seen emotions run high. I've seen people dislike or even hate another person but come together for a cause just to fall out again. I've seen people not believe in the mission and then be all about it. It makes her human and I can relate to her mood swings. A lot happens in combat.

@johnnyshins511

2 жыл бұрын

The human side of the characters is what makes me not understand a lot of peoples criticisms with them. Like Lightning is a closed off soldier who had to grow up quick to make a living when her parents died. Then Hope, the most misunderstood character in the entire thing. He's just a child who grew up in a regular peaceful city. He's 14 years old and has been turned into what he was told was basically the devil, while having witnessed his mother die in front of him, of course he's emotional.

13 was my first ff game and i adore it. Discovering new lore bits and finally understanding ones given at the beginning of the game was so entertaining to me, the gameplay was easy enough for me to pick up but tough to master which kept me on my toes during harder fights but it was FUN. The game was fun. The soundtrack was stellar, some songs will still get stuck in my head to this day. You could get emotionally invested in the characters (most of the time) and it was a breath of fresh air compared to whatever else I was playing at 13 years old. I wish I could experience it again for the first time because it really was something

@felixramirez4402

3 ай бұрын

and one of the worst one to start out with i feel bad for ya

Since square took down the last video I'll just repost my comment here. FF 13 is far from my favorite Final Fantasy in terms of Story and Characters, but thematically I believe it is among the strongest entries. I appreciate the existential nihilism in this entry that runs contrary to the bulk of the series. Having the cast be comprised of unwilling agents of uncaring gods pushing forward to a goal that is unknown to them at the start is very novel when compared to the purposeful death march of FFX or the dutiful quest to save the planet and face the past in FF7

@Scantronacon

2 жыл бұрын

Is so good. Like the story, world, music just damn. Vanille best girl!!

@The_Death_Owl

2 жыл бұрын

@@Scantronacon Normally I hate kid characters in JRPGs but Vanille wasn't annoying for a second

@bloodwindpvp4364

2 жыл бұрын

its shit you havent played any great rpg or you got a very wierd taste. watch a movie to save you time lol

@goticogordo

2 жыл бұрын

i can tell you are 15 years old lmao for THIS game to be your favorite FF game? holy shit

@The_Death_Owl

2 жыл бұрын

@@goticogordo I never said this is my favorite FF, I just said that it was thematically unique. You seem awfully quick to insult people when you can't even read the first sentence of a paragraph correctly.

Fun fact: Sazh is actually the best character in the game for the Blitz ability...but only if the enemy is close to him cause he shoots quite a few bullets with the move it does a lot of damage.

Honestly, XIII will always be my favorite FF game. That may be mainly due to nostalgia, watching my dad play it, before picking it up myself. But there's something about the world, characters, music, even simple animations like walking and paradigm shifting, that make me feel right at home.

@LordVex47

4 ай бұрын

How old were you when it came out? If between 7-15, might be nostalgia factor

@moner5634

4 ай бұрын

@@LordVex47 Oh don't worry, it is absolutely 100% nostalgia lmao. Although nostalgia aside, I still think it's a better game than a lot of people make it out to be.

What a great video, I'm so excited to see what you have to say about FFXIII-2. That game is insane, and even handles time travel really well! I also love the experimental soundtrack, you can really tell the musicians had a lot of fun writing the music for that game.

Anybody willing to give this game a fair shake even knowing the backlash FF fans will give them is worth a like and a sub from me. Its a fairly solid game that to many people was irredeemably ruined by a few elements that just weren't in vogue at the time. As you mentioned in the video 2009 was pretty much right after the "Open World Everything" era came into full effect so the game being linear was considered "objectively bad". Its also worth noting Dark Souls hadn't come out so it wasn't cool to drop a lot of terms and expect the player to either read up on them or just puzzle them out on their own.

@melancholyman369

2 жыл бұрын

The ideas were so good they ripped out the combat system and put it in FF7 remake and almost no-one noticed🤣

@diego1345

2 жыл бұрын

It had nothing to do with gaming industry trends. I didn't care about open world games and still found XIII's hallway galore to be one of the worst gaming experiences of my life. I'd spent a lot of my teenage money to buy the collectors edition too, so I was trying so hard to enjoy that crap and trying to fool myself into it, but couldn't finish it at the time. The game is just that bad.

@melancholyman369

2 жыл бұрын

@@diego1345 it's bad alright, they got too creative and scraped a lot of assets. That's why things were so linear, they had to cobble together maps because they were going over budget and running out of time.

@neoperol

2 жыл бұрын

@@melancholyman369 The same team that made FFXIII made FF7 remake. But Square-Enix as a company is not he same company that launched FFXIII, for me it was the last great Final Fantasy talking in a production quality stand point that even 10 years later looks like a current game.

@bloodwindpvp4364

2 жыл бұрын

its not a game and even less rpg or final fantasy

Favorite battle system in any jrpg I have played. Love this game, soundtrack, and vivid graphics. I think of it often and can't believe its been xiii years.

@Scantronacon

2 жыл бұрын

13 years is so ironic isn't it, but I've seen many videos on it lately. Somebody is getting their flowers finally😅

@buddah1978egypt

2 жыл бұрын

Man it's so satisfying when it clicks. Even the duo with sazh and vanilla was insanely OP when you got it right 😁

@One.Zero.One101

Жыл бұрын

I love losing to a boss a couple of times and then setting up my paradigms and finally beat him. It feels so gratifying. I try to use my own strategies and not look up tutorials unless I'm really really stuck. I try to fight him about 10 times and if I really can't beat him then that's when I go to KZread.

@Scantronacon

Жыл бұрын

@@One.Zero.One101 bro it's like the main reason I effin love this trilogy. Getting those 5 stars after a battle makes you feel like a badass 😎

@crbald1

Жыл бұрын

This combat system is my absolute favorite too!!

Final Fantasy 13 is my absolute favourite Final Fantasy, and my favourite overall game. I never really understood a lot of the complaints and criticisms that people had. 4 year old me was able to understand the lore and terminologies of the game. I loved all the characters, and I personally think that the paradigm shift system is the perfect medium between turn based like FF10 and before and slasher like FF15. I also never understood the linearity complaint when FF10 (a fan favourite) is also very linear.

I had such high hopes for ff13, and it didnt deliver initially, and i didnt even finish it. About a year later, i restarted it with an open mind, and i really enjoyed it. The story was actually really indepth and engaging, once i got over my own expectations that i had for the game. I ended up playing through it 3 times total.

@jeffrey7737

2 жыл бұрын

So 3 times 100 hours ?

@buddah1978egypt

2 жыл бұрын

@@jeffrey7737 I did the same. Loved it

@Azriel884

2 жыл бұрын

@@jeffrey7737 what can i say? I played a lot of video games back then.

@jeffrey7737

2 жыл бұрын

@@Azriel884 so no 13-2? 13-3?

@Azriel884

2 жыл бұрын

@@jeffrey7737 13-2 yes, 13-3, no. I was ff13 burnt out lol

The thing is, this game is always taken on face value. Learning the lore, you get to experience how beautifully written this game is. Expositions are out of the question but this game is more like a novel.

@KyngD469

Жыл бұрын

Exactly

@debrucey

Жыл бұрын

If you have to learn the lore separately to be able to appreciate it, then it isn't beautifully written. The lore and overall narrative is interesting, but the actual storytelling is piss poor.

13's combat is one of the most difficult to understand and master in the entire series. Understanding roles on halting enemy movement, dealing main DPS, boosting damage percentages, slowing the stagger gauge while mixing healing, debuffs having massive impact on encounters, buffs and healing at correct intervals and tanking to keep tempo on harder encounters is nuts. The amount of depth in this "Auto-Battle Simulator" is absolutely insane and it baffles me that anyone in their right minds who have actually completed this game don't have respect for this games battle system.

@nickando1734

2 жыл бұрын

ff13 had some difficult ass boss fights that i died to multiple times. it wasn't until i began learning how beautifully the paradigm shifts can be timed and blended and fine tuning the roles of the rest of the party that i became successful. it's far from an auto battle and i hate that people think of it that way! there's definitely a lot of depth to it and it's fantastic once you get good at it

@alexmaganda5827

2 жыл бұрын

ff13 is easy af lol

@nickando1734

2 жыл бұрын

@@alexmaganda5827 i'm glad you feel that way now that i know it i can say the same

@alexmaganda5827

2 жыл бұрын

@@nickando1734 i mean i like ff13 but calling it hard or difficult is just not true wich is a good thing since it makes it easy to get into😅

@migss9581

2 жыл бұрын

hate not being able to move your party as they all stand on you and get wiped. seems a daft choice.

I'm replaying this for the first time in 5 years and it's like playing it brand new. 18 hours into it and it's so much fucking fun. Will watch this after I complete the story. Thanks for posting.

I played ff13 for my first time earlier this year after not being interested in it for its lifetime. I was glad I did. I loved the paradigm system. I also thought everything came together beautifully by the end. And I do believe, as you stated, that ff13 deserves more respect. Looking forward to playing the next two on my Steam Deck when it finally comes in and if they work on there by then. Solid video.

Vanille is my favorite character in FF13. Lightning is good in FF13-3. But the narration of Vanille gives me chill everytime. I think the voice acting of Vanille in Japanese is great.

Great video. I started FF15 a few weeks ago after being turned off at release. I am about to finish the game and really enjoyed it. Updates and a new perspective really change how you view a game.

Retro rebound bring me great joy. Thanks for the positive nostalgia trips, Matty!

@retrorebound8887

2 жыл бұрын

My pleasure!

Looking forward to this! I have played around 2 hours of 13 thanks to game pass and I loved the music, everything else didn't grab me enough to keep going (so far) maybe a little knowledge will help me dive back in!

Great video. The linearity of the game I thought made sense because the whole point of the game was that they had no control of their fates. And when they showed they did, you got to Gran Pulse and you got the openness. It’s still one of my favorite Final Fantasy games, and it holds up well enough that I come back to it every now and again.

Yo, MASSIVE respect to you Matty for giving this game the justice it deserves. Super underrated gem. And you're right, it's the sort of game you have to stick with to "get." But once you do, oh man is it good. Great video!

@thomasharvey1151

2 жыл бұрын

Definitely was a game where, when it all comes together, it comes together. I’d love to play this on PS4 Pro or 5. I’m hoping it’ll get a Remaster.

@lourensels262

2 жыл бұрын

Same here, Ff13 is the only reason I still own a ps3

Fun fact the 360 version was intentionally developed to output at a lower resolution than the ps3 version. 360: 1024×576 PS3: 1280x720 (PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong) from my understanding they didn't want a jrpg performing better on a Console that was created by a western company at the time.

@Somefool669

Ай бұрын

I heard it was to get the whole frame buffer into the gpu's edram

I found your OG channel at the beginning of the Fallout 4 hype train and I’m so glad I did. You have been one of my favorite content creators on the platform ever since then! Your consistency never ceases to impress me. Keep up the good work man, I appreciate you and your videos!

I remember when it first released I was in awe of its beauty. My dad wasn't a fan and even I became critical. Till recently, I bought the game and now I'm about 20 hours in. I personally love this game, and actually really enjoy the combat.

You make a great argument for checking it out and giving the game a shot on its own terms. Well done! I'll definitely give it a look after I finish FFXII Zodiac Age. I mean, it's next in the series and it's on Game Pass, so what have I got to lose?

@retrorebound8887

2 жыл бұрын

Your time and sanity, perhaps.

@urbansamurai261

2 жыл бұрын

@@retrorebound8887 😂😂😂😂

@DaltonGoesSlow

2 жыл бұрын

Bout fiddy hours

@Modnar621

2 жыл бұрын

Try it out! It's a pretty fun game with a great story. And if you find yourself confused by what's going on as you progress in the game, within the menus you will find texts that explain all the terminology they use and what's going on in the story. It really helps since they don't do too much to explain exactly what's going on.

X was also just hallways for most of the game disguised as real areas, but since the characters were on a pilgrimage instead of on the run you spent more time in those linear areas, plus some looped pathways, optional rooms, puzzles, and the ability to revisit it all, and most were fooled. Here nothing could justify revisiting areas, doing sidequests, or walking into random houses, as the characters are constantly hunted, plus high concept lore being introduced way quicker causing people to check out of the story, and a wrong impression was made that X was way more open. Plus people didn't like the new battle system. Fun fact: they apparently had to remove many completed areas just so the linear part of the story was shorter, which is already more than half of the game. This is why XIII-2 and LR were necessary; so those unused assets wouldn't go to waste. Of course, those games have many new assets, but that was the reason for XIII-2. They also addressed the linearity criticism there, just like in X-2 compared to X.

@jamesgravil9162

2 жыл бұрын

Most Final Fantasies are linear, some are just better at hiding it. The Pokémon games are linear as hell (despite some backtracking towards the end), and that's never been seen as a bad thing.

@DrGamersEmporium

2 жыл бұрын

this video just solidifies matty has bad taste lol. still love his videos though :~)

@bench2346

2 жыл бұрын

​@@jamesgravil9162 I def agree w this. I think too often fans look at titles like 7, 8, and 9 and attribute an "open world-ness" quality that comes from having a traversable world map. And I would agree that, to an extent, those design elements can make it feel like you are more in control of your character's journey and promotes more exploration. But it is also true that those maps were never truly open, and you're usually relegated to small locales early on. Usually, those games required some type of vehicle upgrade to progress. Your access to the world map was directly related to where you were in the story with few exceptions. It was just presented in a different way and I'm not sure that should invalidate 13's linear quality (though I still think the constant tutorials through the first 50% of the game was a problem). Even when you reach the more open continent below in 13, the time you already put into the game correlates pretty well to when the world map becomes far more accessible in other FF titles too.

Hey man could you do a video on lost odyssey at some point? It’s possibly my all time favourite JRPG but It’s not really well known so I was glad to hear you mention it in this video!

Glad you did this one. I’ve been wanting to try this game again. I remember enjoying the first half of the game but losing interest once all of the characters got together and I didn’t know what the hell was going on anymore.

This was the first FF that I fully platinummed and over the years it’s become the series entry I think about most often. That could be because 13 years later, people are still actively debating whether or not the game is good, or it could be that this is my favorite FF game so far-I still haven’t played the sequels. The game is beautiful. It has an iconic soundtrack. These are points most people agree on. The characters being written as over-the-top archetypes is somewhat debatable, but if you just choose to accept them at face value, like certain anime characters for example, they can be charming. Yes, I do find Snow charming. Hope is actually, at this point, my favorite character in the franchise. The linear nature of the game is less debatable. When you get to Gran Pulse it does open up, but I think some people are burnt out before reaching that point. It’s unfortunate. The hate for the battle system, I don’t really get. People say it removes strategy, but I know that is patently untrue. I distinctly remember battles wherein I had to switch paradigms on the fly when a certain enemy attack animation would start to avoid death. Additionally, the gambit system in FFXII can literally be left on autopilot to grind levels and that game received overwhelmingly positive reactions. Lastly, and the complaint leveled against this game that I find most irritating: the impenetrable story. It just isn’t true. I first played the game 7 years ago with no knowledge of the story or the universe it took place in and I understood what was going on just fine. Not only did I not have trouble defining new terms with context clues from the dialog, but there’s also a damn datalog that you could just read if you were truly lost. I really don’t understand what people are on who claim the story made no sense. It’s an assertion that smacks of pure laziness. Like, everyone wants groundbreaking gameplay and new, compelling narratives, but also wish to be spoon-fed all the story beats. You can’t have it all people. I personally appreciate rich and complex world-building, so I ate this up. I like this game and I appreciate this revisit.

@hiibejebiibii3832

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for writing down my exact thoughts more succinctly than I ever could. Especially about the story and people's blatantly unfair criticisms of it. I was in elementary school when I first played this game, and I understood the story just fine. Never even needed the datalog.

@grammaton6leric

Жыл бұрын

@@hiibejebiibii3832 I'm a little late, but thanks for getting through my rant. Glad I'm not alone in my feelings about this game. I will always defend it.

I’ve always liked the battle system and respected how difficult it was (played the PS3 version if that makes a difference), specifically three or four story bosses (final boss included).

I loved this game when it came out buddy got downplayed so much I figured I'd just didn't know anything about FF or JRPGs. Many years and all of the mainline Final Fantasys later I'm replaying on my rog Ally and I'm blown away by how much it still holds up. This game is a CLASSIC.

I want to put out there too. Vanilles voice actress spoke on the actual voice acting sessions and how she was forced to say lines like the japanese vanille. She wasn't allowed much creative freedom if any

I quite enjoyed FFXIII, though I haven’t gotten around to XIII-2 or Lightning Returns yet. I’d like to play several FF games this year though, so hopefully I can knock those out!

@soultaker0469

2 жыл бұрын

You should definitely play XIII-2 is really really well done 👏🏼 you are missing out! LETS GO!!!

@Modnar621

2 жыл бұрын

XIII-2 is really fun and feels way more polished that XIII as far as the gameplay goes; the story was good too. Lightning Returns has really fun gameplay and the maps are exciting to explore, but the story was not the greatest.

@kamii_999

2 жыл бұрын

You definitely need to play the other 2 games they are all masterpieces.

This was technically the first ff game I owned. I fell in love with lightning but still annoyed I kept getting killed by the final boss

@snuggie1849

2 жыл бұрын

Did you ever beat it? Also use poison ailment and equip death resistance gear

@101bfs

2 жыл бұрын

@@snuggie1849 nah still need to go back to it will need to remember this.

Massive shout out to you Matty for your rebound on this. Was never a massive final fantasy fan but jumped into this game back in the day and it sucked me in to the genre for the first time. Absolutely loved it as you say it’s certain a game you have to give time as the story builds. Artistically looks amazing and appreciate how long term fans would see flaws but ultimately fell in love with the sound track visuals and creative story telling. This was the first games I put over 200hours into. Your video has inspired me to try out part 2 again as I burnt out post playing this and didn’t give part 2 or lightning returns a go still have returns in original ps3 wrapping.

Good video!! Great marathon through many final fantasy games. Would you ever try “Skies of Arcadia”?

Once I understood what was going on in the story, this game became one of my favorite Final Fantasy games. It took me three separate attempts to just finish this game though. The first two times I could not understand what was going on in the story and just became bored because of the linear gameplay, so I never finished the game. Then on the third time I discovered that in the menus there were texts that explained what all the terminology they were using means (Like fal'Cie and l'Cie). There were also texts that explained what was happening in each chapter. So I was reading through that as I played and made the game so much more enjoyable. It probably would have been better if they explained these things better. But yeah, overall Final Fantasy XIII was a good game.

@alexmaganda5827

2 жыл бұрын

you honestly learn most of the important stuff through the story the rest is just minor world building tbh

@joeyxl3456

2 жыл бұрын

Good write-up, thanks.

@joeyisabsb1

Жыл бұрын

There are actually books you can read that are actually good to help flesh the world out more, including a prequel book. These books really solidified FF13 as one of the best FF games for me.

This is my favorite Final Fantasy game, it was my first FF I ever beaten and 100% it. Lightning became my favorite ff character

i really like your channel, you have been recommended to me numerous times this month! cheers mate!

I’m literally re-playing this right now 💛 for the first time since it’s release. I’m in Chapter 13 now just grinding missions before I take on Barthandalus and Orphan ofc! I love this game and it’s soooo beautiful for its age. (Apart from the hands! Dear Goddess the ugly hands!) I’ve enjoyed it so much and am going to take on XIII-2 and Lightning Returns, neither of which I’ve ever played before. This is still my favourite combat system from all FF games (from VII onwards - I love the OG battle systems of I - VI) My tip for first timers on this game is every time you see a “!” In the menu, go and read it! That way the lore unfolds gradually and you start to memorise all the terms and the story comes together so well. (You’re so right about Vanille’s arc, though I worked out the plot twist for her around chapter 3, the reveal was still really amazing!) I’m on PS nowadays (ironically this game RROD’d my OG 360) so only one disc so I’d forgotten the whole multi disc thing! (Though I remember the four discs of Lost odyssey cause you got an achievement each time you finished a disc).

Favorite final fantasy ever. That opening piano track still gives me chills.

@felixramirez4402

3 ай бұрын

L take

The history of the FF fan base reactions to the games has basically seemed like this to me… Fans: FF7-This is awesome, epic. It’s so realistic. It’s almost like a love story. I wish I had more control over my character class and growth though. FF8-Wth is this? That’s not Cloud. It looks too realistic. It’s too futuristic this isn’t FF. Wth I have to decide how the character grows? What is this, a love story? And where the hell is Cloud?! FF9- These characters look to unrealistic. This is too old timey. Why are my characters stuck in character classes? Well I’m not using that guy. And where the hell is Cloud? FFX-This is awesome. I like how characters have roles but I wish I could decide from the start how they develop. This game is a little too linear though. I wish I could see monsters on the field and fight in real time. It would be cool if battle flowed continuously and wasn’t turn based combat. FFXII-Wth this sucks why do I have complete control over my characters roles what am I supposed to do? What class should each character be? What are gambits why can’t I just control all of my characters at once in real time. How am I supposed to be able to control all my characters and fight in real time? There’s too many characters to control at once. Can I make the game switch to turn based combat? The combat is too slow. This game is too open theres too much exploring. FFXIII- Wth this game is too linear. Why can’t I decide the roles for my characters. I wish I had more choice on how they develop. The combat is too fast. Why are all my characters fighting on their own, why can’t I control them all? When do I get to explore? Hey she looks like a female Cloud, that’s just too weird. I want an FF7 remake where nothing is changed. FFXII Remaster-Wth they gave the characters classes? I wish I could fully choose how they develop.. FF7 Remake-Cloud!! I can’t wait to see him cross dress and see how he looks as a woman. I hope they changed it and Aeris lives. There’s just no pleasing them. Unless Cloud is in it.

@Ock_mantis

2 жыл бұрын

Tbh, you're not wrong lol. I'm the fan lookin at them like...wtf wrong wit these people lol.

@seraphstray1552

2 жыл бұрын

100% this. Favorite series, but I dont talk to anyone about it aside from my best friend because most of the "fans" simply dont know what they want.

@EmilyRose900

2 жыл бұрын

Ff6 pixel perfect remaster has a problem with this statement.

@thomasharvey1151

2 жыл бұрын

@@EmilyRose900 I’ve yet to play those but they look like they’re great. Especially FF6.

@thomasharvey1151

2 жыл бұрын

@@Ock_mantis Me too sometimes lol. I’ve been an avid and hooked player of FF since 1992. I enjoy them all in their own unique way but I do understand some of the complaints with certain ones. To me though, that’s what makes FF so great. Each one is a different take and unique from the previous one. Each one tries to do something new.

Have a lot of nostalgia for this one despite it's hiccups. I remember I was at a camp my middle school went to just before the holiday break and was talking with all my friends on the last day about how excited we were and how insane the game looked. I had been saving up allowance for weeks before, but when I came back the game was waiting on my PS3 as a gift from my grandparents. Spent the entire break playing it and loved every minute of it, completely oblivious to any faults it has in retrospect. Great video Matt. Thanks for reminiscing!

In terms of story, if people actual READ the datalogs or played the game its a very self-explanatory story. For characters I feel like people didn't play the game enough to get used to the characters. Cause in a lot of FF games you have characters that have previous relationships while in 13 none of them have ever met except lightning and snow. so for them to clash over things absolutely makes sense. And if im honest, one of my favorite character arcs occurs in this game which is Sazh/vanilles arc. both of those arcs are so well done within cutscenes such as the cutscenes before the brynhildir fight. In terms of gameplay, I absolutely love the paradigm system as instead of in older FF games where you have time to think about what you want to do, in 13 you have to think ahead before the fight and think on the fly. And the whole linearity complaint is dumb, people keep saying they wanted to explore the towns. But the reality is that wouldn't make sense with the story seeing as your wanted criminals on the run that would be reported immediately. All in all, it is my favorite final fantasy and remains that as i play some of the game i hadn't when i first played 13.

I really liked FF13. It's linear and I love that. Great but confusing story and the battle system was splendid! I just beat FF15 and that open world was sometimes boring and time consuming. I mean sitting in a car for 9 minutes?!?

I have always, ALWAYS loved the XIII series. All three games have something to offer. Thanks for the vid.

I loved how the status screen for each character was animated, oh and Snows theme is so good !

Man........ at the beginning of your video with FF13 Theme song playing brought tears to my eyes.... The Visuals & Soundtrack of this game is on another Lv. I truly love this game. I'm gonna have to pullout my old PS3 just to replay these games. Really, Really wish SONY would add these FF13 games to the new PS+ Extra game catalog.

I really enjoyed 13 when it released. I think most of the complaints are valid, but regardless, they delivered a fantastic game with a couple flaws that...if you're really engaged in the story, I think are easy to overlook. it also includes an amazing battle system that I think rookies to it will dislike, but once you really know how to play it, it's one of the best battle systems in the series because of its focus on speed and efficiency. The presentation is astounding and still looks wonderful so many years later. 13-2 really botches a lot of the foundation from the first with a nonsensical story that goes WAY too hard into Anime Craziness, but the soundtrack, battle system, time travel, and Pokemon/Monster Catching system are excellent! Lightning Returns is one of my favorite JRPGs ever. Incredible battle system, a more refined story that cuts the fat (but loses some purpose), and they traded the Time-Travel to an easily digestible-but-similar focus on cause and effect between the different areas. All in all, I think the FF13 hate comes from two places: 1. People who haven't played it, or only put a few hours into the original (that's fair, but it still doesn't grant a holistic impression of the game) 2. In a slew of "Everything is open-world" games, FF13 demands you to slow down and let the game set the tone for a 3-game storyarc, and gamers didn't take to that. Doesn't make it a bad game though. Great video!

I was never much of a fan of XIII. However, something i really like about XIII, which is also the reason that i LOVE X, is the very dreamy, sad / melancholy feel of it. I really hope Final Fantasy as a series will return to this, as its core. X did strike a way better balance though, in my opinion. XIII feels bit melodramatic and one dimensional to me, sadly.

As someone running this game for the first time 15 years later. I see the issues people have. But it’s been a really great experience overall for me. Glad Matty pmo. 🤘🏽

I bought this when I was younger and remember being stuck on Fang’s summon boss fight and just moving on to other games . I recently downloaded the rest of the series so maybe I’ll finally get my vengeance.

I appreciated the corridoriness of this game after playing so many huge open world games. Music is awesome. Paradigm system is awesome. Characters are great. Story? I have no idea but the journey was fun.

@Walamonga1313

2 жыл бұрын

THIS. I get so exhausted by other JRPGs and western games that have big or open worlds. I've always been an action gamer at heart and so I love concise and well designed, but small levels to go through. If you give me huge plains and forests, sure I'll explore for some time but sooner or later I'll get bored. I much prefer to keep good pacing over the "freedom to explore" (I don't really enjoy exploring in games tbh, feels like wasting my time)

I recently beated the whole FFXIII trilogy on GamePass and I think it deserves much more love than it gets. The first game, FFXIII, was not as good as it's predecesors, but the trilogy gets better with each game. FFXIII-2 really got me interested with the story, and the music is great. Lightning Returns, the last part, is actually a pretty good game in my opinion. I very much enjoyed it, it's open world with a very cool atmosphere, lot's of sidequests, and my favourite: Riding over the chocobo through the wildlands, it's simply great. The combat system is pretty good and the story is probably the best of the three games. At the end of Lightning Returns, I ended up doing over 120 sidequests, and beating the final boss on the first playthrough (which I think is not very common). Also, the ending is very satisfying, I would say it was a nice ending for the trillogy. If you are a real fan of the saga, I think it's very much worth it playing the whole trillogy. P.D: Sorry for my terrible english lol

@SpaceCat1111

2 жыл бұрын

Your English is better than most native speakers, actually... Also, I agree with what you said 100%.

@julianzuloaga

2 жыл бұрын

@@SpaceCat1111 thanks! 😄

Love the vid Matty. Tho i never finished ff8 after an hour deep back in 2002. Problem was i started with ff9 so i was too spoiled for the stiff beginning of 8 and also the world wasnt mine either. FF10 blew me away on the other hand, right from the start. However here i can "relive" a game I've never attempted to finish, tho i respect it. Thanks for that!!! Peace

Man it's nice to see someone give a positive response to this game, Ffxiii was one of the games where I became hooked on the atmosphere, music, story and the world but I couldn't for the life of me beat the end of disc 1 boss Bartandulus (forgive the spelling) and I gave up there. Restarted the whole game and power leveled like crazy just to whoop him. Then when I finally hit disc 2 it was like a real 'OK, if that was that hard, the hell am I gonna get into now and boy... I spent a while on gran pulse let me tell you haha I wanted to make sure I was strong enough to complete it and I finally did.

I'm cool with linearity. I'm less cool with having literally nothing to do in an RPG for 20+ hours other than walk forward, fight, and watch cutscenes. That's the real problem with FFXIII. XIII-2, on the other hand, is fantastic. Not only is it the game that XIII should have been, but I suspect it's closer to the game that XIII *would* have been had its development cycle not been so problematic.

@Walamonga1313

2 жыл бұрын

XIII is such a fresh experience because it doesn't have the million sidequests and npcs that every other RPG does. It's just straight to the point story and battles, it keeps the pacing up (which is rare in JRPGs) and it made me beat the game without putting it down. Usually JRPGs have the same issues as open world western games, they just get tedious to me because of all the things to do which throw pacing out the window and make you explore (which is something I don't particularly enjoy in games). Funnily enough, so many people who like XIII don't like the sequel and viceversa. I rarely see someone who likes em both. Personally I can't stand XIII-2 because it has literally everything I just explained I don't like (plus the lack of characters and weird progression, that chrono menu thing)

Final fantasy 9 is the best overall in the series. That was the vlast time the series gave the classic formula a modern adaptation. Fortunately dragon quest 8 and 11 have stayed the path

@sinthetic4878

2 жыл бұрын

I'd say FFVIII is a much better game, but to each their own. 😊

@XiongGou

2 жыл бұрын

@@sinthetic4878 I would love FFVIII so much more if not for the draw system... 😖

@jeffrey7737

2 жыл бұрын

Exactly after playing 9 you look at 7 and 8 different it's like playing FF6 after 7 you will bring down your score

FF XIII intrigued me so much. I went to a friends house who was playing it and they basically said this sucks, you can’t shoot anyone, this is for weirdos. I kept thinking what happens next? Who are these characters? The world was so interesting but I was worried about being labeled a weirdo at school so I never touched it.

Started playing this a week ago and have been enjoying it very much so far. It's different but a good different, and I am taking my time to enjoy the story and get to know the characters. Will update this comment after finishing it!

This game was my first experience in the series and it was the first time I learned to appreciate a great story. It enspired me to write and it was like a sanctuary for me in some harsh times Ff13 is in my opinion one of the best games I have ever played and I have played more then 800 games

@kamii_999

2 жыл бұрын

Finally someone with taste

@callumgray3810

2 жыл бұрын

This is too true! It was my first game in the series and I absolutely love it, just recen played it again for the first time since I was 10, been waiting 13 years to play again and got to beat this and 13-2 currently on lighting returns, seriously some of the best games I have ever played

This game took a few tries for me to get into but I really liked it once did

Thanks for puttin this kind of videos out there

I regularly listen to the soundtrack while studying or working. Simply beautiful.

No disagreement here, FFXIII is one of my all-time favourite from the series, and I love Lightning. You're spot on about how people don't put in the effort to understand this rich world they've built. For me, it's a close second to FFXV.

Odd man out here, but I love FF13. People say the game has no strategy because of auto-battle, but that’s just wrong. The strategy is just different from what they were looking for. A lot of the games strategy comes BEFORE the battle, in who you use in your party, how you level them, how you equip them, and most importantly, how you arrange your paradigms totally changes the gameplay from one player to another. In battle, the “flow” of the battle is a lot more like Dark Souls than Final Fantasy. Hear me out. The battles are a lot more about knowing WHEN to do what, not what to do. You aren’t worrying about if you should be using this ability or that one, you are worrying about how staggered they are? Do you need to be applying pressure? Are buffs and debuffs falling off? Do you need to heal? Is a big attack coming? It’s about learning the fight itself.

@Walamonga1313

2 жыл бұрын

This is exactly why XIII has my fav combat system. It's about being engaged in the battle and ready to do whatever it is you need. It's about reaction time and knowing the mechanics. For ecample Vercingetorix, one of the superbosses, can absolutely annihilate you if you don't go triple sentinel. But at the same time has tons of HP so you've to constantly attack. So you need to deal max dps while also being ready to use triple sentinel to not get wiped. And debuffs/buffs are super useful in the game too so you're best including them as well. The game is by far the most involved, engaging and satisfying in the series but people who autobattle and don't fight everything will never understand how good it feels to master the combat

I did like this game, in fact I got the platinum for that on my PS3, but I cannot deny the fact that I didn't particularly understand the story, it was very confusing to me. I'll replay it and try to get more glances out of it, but for the moment that's where it stands.

Where did you get your backdrop sheet. That thing is dope.

Final Fantasy Xiii is the most underrated title. I didn't find it ti be any more linear than final fantasy x. Both games take you straight from point A to point B in service of the story. The gameplay and graphics hold up amazingly well considering the game is almost 15 years old. It's time to accept this game has always been amazing.

@retrorebound8887

2 жыл бұрын

Oh man... people will NOT like the FFX comparison, but I'm about it hahaha

@GRAG3R

2 жыл бұрын

@@retrorebound8887 It's markedly untrue though. Not yours but Mark's. FFX had many pace breakers, like towns (Luca, Besaid, Mushroom Rock Road, Guadosalam), Blitzball, and wasn't just battles 24/7. And even when there were battles, X has some of the fastest combat in the series.

I actually like F13 series. Lunar Silver Star Story Complete for PS1 is another great jrpg to check out.

@thomasharvey1151

2 жыл бұрын

Lunar 1 and 2 Complete are legendary. They are sadly long forgotten it seems. Will always hold a special place in my gaming heart though.

@joeyisabsb1

Жыл бұрын

I still own Lunar 1 and 2 for the ps1 🤣 also, ff13 is amazing once you fully understand the story and have some knowledge of what the prequel book was about imo. They really did try to make this become the second biggest ff story ever told (first being ff14 since that one spans over 10 yrs).

@Hipnopotamussus

Жыл бұрын

@@joeyisabsb1 hell yeah you got the badass boxset for them. Boys help me get Matty on that Lunar train. The tale of dragon master Matty awaits.

Agreed! I played through this again recently on my Series X and I had a really good time. The music is amazing, and the graphics hold up very well. Also, the datalog really helped me like the story more. All in all, not the best, but not as bad as people claim.

It really comes down to understanding the Fal'Cie, l'Cie, and Cie'th setup I think, and if the player either understands that, or likes or dislikes that. I've been a Final Fantasy fan since the SNES days, and FFVI is my all-time favorite, but I think the art direction and world-building in FFXIII is one of my favorites. The reason is, if you fail at your focus, you're screwed - you get turned into a Cie'th, for all time. And never, not once, do they backtrack on that, expect for one certain part at an important moment in the game which I won't spoil. And I think they only did that to play it safe and not hurt the entire franchise as a result. That's what I loved about this game. And that the Fal'Cies where put in place as servants or some such of gods to do the bidding of humans, and the Fal'Cie, too, want a release from the burden of having to run the ecosystems of Cocoon by reuniting with "the maker," which is never named. I always read the updated datalogs, so the story was never confusing. It's an RPG, so reading shouldn't be a problem, you're just not talking to random NPCs all the time. The linearity didn't bother me, but it was surprising that there was so little to do. It's a little boring around the edges at times, yes, but not overly so. It gets melodramatic at times, but whaddyagonnado? I still had a good time with it.

People who says you can auto-pilot this game, never made it past the first act

XIII is not a bad game. It feels like a next step to what was done in XII. Graphically and musically XIII holds up very well. My regret is that we never got the original vision for Final Fantasy versus XIII. That game looked awesome and was somehow linked to the XIII "trilogy".

@lappiestofdogslapdog

2 жыл бұрын

It was linked to XIII the same way that Type-0 was, in that they share the same mythology.

@DrGamersEmporium

2 жыл бұрын

XII was way ahead of its time in combat, exploration, and worldbuilding. XIII is a huge step back. What are you talking about? What was improved on?

appreciate another great upload!

I literally just finished this game a few days ago for the first time. Been waiting so long to play it. Currently working on the post game content.

This and VIII are the only ones in the whole series that I have gone back to and beat more than once. Glad to see it get (some) of the respect it deserves. Everyone else I personally know that played it hated it entirely.

@Walamonga1313

2 жыл бұрын

VIII is such a great game. I still can't believe people hate it. I can understand disliking XIII (even though I like it) but not VIII. Top 3 FFs for me.

I literally replayed this game at least 10 times for the beautiful graphics, music and battle system. It’s so awesome.

Thank you. This game got me into videogames when I was 5y.o. Everybody hates FFXIII but for me is very special... My classmates used to tease me often and my family started to break at that time, so it's story helped me in many different ways. Now, my boyfriend is playing this piece of art and I'm feeling like a child again

Played it through on the PS3 years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it, the on the rails first section felt thematically appropriate as it was essentially an extended chase sequence. They could have done more with semi open areas at certain junctions as a palette cleanser. I think it was a good design decision as the tonal shift later in the game really hits home, and there were clearly technical constraints involved. Got the trilogy on Steam and haven't played the other two parts, and actually just installed them yesterday so looking forward to a playthrough. It's fine on the PC, but an extremely bare bones console port - all the graphics options are on a launcher.

I would love to see a FFXIII remastered trilogy from SE on current consoles. I understand many fans see FFXIII as a misstep in the series, but they altogether have a great and powerful story, and interesting gameplay mechanics.

@jbcatz5

2 жыл бұрын

Just for completionism considering how much effort is being made to bring the older games to current gen systems. The remasters through steam, the Switch ports, what’s being done with the world of Final Fantasy VII in terms of the Compilation. Stranger of Paradise is a prequel to the first Final Fantasy. Heck, Square kept XIV going longer with updated content and expansions longer than it had it. Yet the XIII trilogy’s most recent release is the Steam ports (and an extra 30GBs just for Japanese voice files is not fun to download when you’ll remove the relevant files from the directory anyway).

I've always loved Final Fantasy XIII. At this point, I've played every single mainline FF (well, minus XI) and XIII is still cemented in my Top 3.

Honestly, I personally liked the linear aspect because I wanted to get to the next cutscenes. It was more like an interactive movie than a game but that's also what made it so good

Didn’t like it all back in the day. Tried it again on series X off the store I’m really enjoying it. I just couldn’t accept it back in the day when I wanted more open worlds and action but today it is indeed a breath of fresh air. I hate the camera. It sucks. But the combat does get really good. It gets really really good and rather intense.

"the game does explain what is going on and gets good about at the halfway point" Then that is where the game should start. I shouldn't have to play half of a game for it to THEN get good. It should start that way. This game takes a millennia to get to combat that isn't a tunnel vision, its leveling system is a visually pleasing tunnel, and the level design for the first half is literally a tunnel. It gets hate because you had to pay 60 bucks to get 30 bucks worth of game that you had spend 30 hours of punishment to get to.

I sent it to a friend who loves ff13 for him to give this video a watch then as soon as I went to watch it it wouldn't work I had a feeling square must have copyrighted something typical of them but anyway loved the video & the channel Matty 👍

@retrorebound8887

2 жыл бұрын

Appreciate you sharing it regardless. Thank you!

I absolutely loved this game. However, opening that datalogue for the first time, while it was stressful, as I need to make sure everything is read, reading them was what helped me understand the world of 13, and it's fascinating lore

Man... I'm gonna have to redownload this game on my series X and give it a try. I played like 30 hours back when it came out and quit when I got to the open world. I was so confused. I'll let you know how it goes!

Slowly you’re becoming one of my favorite youtubers

Thank you for the video

I spent a lot of hours playing this game. I really enjoyed it. I agree with your take on it. It starts a little rough but with time it really shines. I loved how once you unlock more of the tech tree you can find hidden combat moves such as Evade in the Sentinel tech tree for the main character rather than Steelskin. There's a lot of customization available late game. My only gripe would be the game in all its beauty still felt a bit empty and devoid of life. I know the story calls for that in most places but I didn't like that feeling when you visit a certain village about half way and there's no one there.

not being able to move your character during fights is real frustrating when all your group stands on you.