Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII

Final Fantasy remains trapped in limbo, then, but at least it now has all the right moves to fight its way out.

Like the outfits its drab protagonist wields like weapons, Lightning Returns is all style and very little meaningful substance. Combat works well, but the world is altogether forgettable.

Perhaps if I was previously enamored with the worlds of Final Fantasy, Nova Chrysalia would have intrigued me more. While I'll never know what my perspective would have been, I do know that, as a newcomer to Final Fantasy, Lightning Returns didn't feel unwelcoming. From combat to characters, the game did a lot to make sure I knew where I was, what I was doing, and why I was doing it. The problem isn't that it's a poor choice for newcomers; the problem is that it's a poor game.