Final Fantasy In Focus
This millennium hasn't exactly started well for the Final Fantasy franchise. It kicked off with Final Fantasy IX which, in truth, struggled to match the quality seen in VII and VIII. Other forgettable additions included FF XII and the pointless X-2, which failed to deliver what the hardcore has become accustomed to. The saving grace for the series over the past ten years came in Final Fantasy X which oozed quality from every orifice and in turn took the series back to its original and successful roots. Another side plus to come from the period in time is the spreading of the series to hand-held (ignoring the awful Crisis Core effort). This move introduced the series to the casual market and effectively gave the franchise a rebirth by introducing original story lines for the benefit of the newly attracted audience.
This influence has clearly inspired Final Fantasy XIII, well at least the first few hours of play anyway. Each classic element is gradually introduced with tutorials, meaning that this latest instalment is accessible to all. So with this basic element covered, the only question left is, can the series redeem itself in its very first HD venture? Well we are happy to report that the answer is an unequivocal yes and this is proved in part from the very moment you lay your eyes upon the opening cut-scene.
The dramatic and epic start to this title is enough to grip you from the very beginning. XIII revolves around two worlds, Cocoon and Pulse. Cocoon was constructed by a group of fal'Cie and a lush paradise where humanity flourished with thanks to the creations of life forms and machines was born. The blissful setting hovers above the grim surface that is Pulse, an environment created by an orphan of the Cocoon fal'Cie. The War of Transgressions broke between the two fal'Cie, with Cocoon reigning victorious. The trouble came when a degree of paranoia set in amongst the elite of Cocoon and anyone thought to have been in contact with anything from Pulse was immediately placed into quarantine and exiled. The Sanctum are behind a purge on civilians which is enforced by PSICOM, Cocoon's strongest military branch.
It is at this point in the story that we become acquainted with Lightning, who wants to infiltrate Pulse and get to the fal'Cie who turned her sister Serah into a l'Cie (individuals chosen by fal'Cie to fulfil a certain prophecy, known as a Focus). All l'cies have a Focus, although the cursed ones don't know what it is they have to do. The only clues they have are random visions. If they pass, they get to live eternally in the form of a crystal. If they fail they get turned into Cie'th, hideous monsters of the Pulse world - not much of a choice really! Serah also happens to be the fiancée of Snow, leader of NORA - the resistance group set up to combat the purge. From here, our goal to fulfil prophecies and save Cocoon unfolds.
Final Fantasy purists will be forgiven for thinking that the series has strayed from its roots when playing through the opening hours of XIII. Initially the game takes a more action-based style, with you needing to control the selected character involved within the segment of the current storyline. There is a map which emphasises this too and it is displayed in the top right hand corner of the screen. On it you have the direction in which you need to travel, your desired destination and enemy locations. Each element of the RPG genre slowly creeps in however and you are guided through every aspect of it but the tutorials can be skipped for players who are more familiar with the system. Progressing through each level is initially very linear, with a path set out directly for you and very little options in terms of where you can go within your environment. Action elements resurface in places when you may need to approach objects and press a button, displayed in the form of an on-screen prompt.
Fighting remains traditional to an extent, with you performing turn-based actions. However one thing you will notice is that you only fully control one member of your team to begin with. The rest are AI controlled with attacking being a clear favourite option, but they do sometimes weigh in with Potion powers. Combat is set out in segments and each action you pick takes up one of them. As you develop your character you build up more and more segments, meaning you can perform strings of commands once your ATB (Auto Battle) gauge fills up. You do have the option of carrying out one action at a time by selecting Actions, though. The delivering of potions is different to previous adventures, as one Potion heals your entire party. Using the option doesn't detract from your ATB gauge level either, meaning they can be used as an (effectively) free move.
