Why I Can Not Put Down Final Fantasy XIII

I remember when I was four years old the effect that seeing Star Wars had on my life. I am now thirty years old and I have been blown away once again, but this time the feeling of completely amazing, dazzling sense of wondrous proportions is in the form of the new release of Square Enix's Final Fantasy XIII. I have put in over thirty hours of playtime since the game was released last Tuesday. I am totally hooked. I can not put down the PS3 controller. Never has a video game connected with me on this level.

Graphics & Story

To call the games graphics gorgeous would be an understatement. Words can not describe how beautiful this game actually is. It is a true gift for any person owning a High Definition Television. This game could also teach the future generation of video game developers what a "perfect" game looks like. It is not just the graphics that make this a must buy for anyone owning a XBOX360 or PS3, though the PS3 version is somewhat brighter. FFXIII's story is stellar, epic, emotional, and at times the gut-wrenching drama your party members endure make this adventure as addictive as a story line on The Young and The Restless. To avoid plot spoilers I will not divulge any information in this review. I will say, though, that story involves two worlds at war and the effects it has on your party members. Even with the intensity of the drama and the war it ensues, the game never is violent and is suitable for anyone over the age of 12.

Game Play & Difficulty

If you read the message boards at g4tv.com, many long time followers of the Final Fantasy series are in a uproar that game is extremely linear, there is no towns to visit, and that the game basically holds your hand the first twenty-twenty five hours of game play. First off, none of these factors bothered me one bit. I only included that information in this review to honor long time fans of the series. I will admit I am now a new fanatic of the series.

Yes, I will also admit that at times I struggled and had to use The Official Strategy Guide by Piggyback Entertainment to get me through some of the tougher battles. What I did love about this game is the fact that after every battle my team was back at full health. Also, it was never "game over" because I failed to make a jump. The characters you control stand on circles and the game jumps for you. I loved that!!

The active real time battle system was fun for me. After every battle you are rewarded Crystogen points which you can use at the Crystarium to upgrade each characters developmental roles, powers, and so forth. This was rewarding to teach the characters new powers. In battles, you constantly are switching Paradigm's to survive each moment of battle. You can also prepare for battle by Customizing and Generating new Paradigms.

Overall

Final Fantasy XIII is a commitment of gaming. The total play time is rumored to run over 100 hours. At deadline, I was on hour thirty and there is no way I am stopping until I reach the finish line. This game has changed the way I look at video games. Yes, there may be and probably will be better video games out there but it has been one fulfilling experience for this gamer.