On the eve of Final Fantasy XIII-2's release, many gamers are wondering--given Square-Enix's track record for producing sequels that fall short of fans' expectations--why they should shell out another 60 USD for a sequel to a game widely considered inferior to its predecessors.  I, for one, am excited to delve into the world of Pulse and Cocoon once more.  So excited that, over the past month, I've been replaying Final Fantasy XIII, compiling a short list as to why it's worth its own anthology, no matter what people have said about it. 

 Complaint #1: The Game's Story Was Flat.

             Any great story can withstand the test of time, and the story of Final Fantasy XIII is no different.  In fact, the game boasted an enveloping and culturally relevant story line.  Governments persecute and exile their own; fear of the Other and the Unknown is palpable; and Gods are seen to determine (quite literally, in this fantastical world) the fate of the people, who either question or blindly accept their destiny.  I don't want to name any specifics, but this should remind you of a few periods from your history book, and even more of recent events over the last fifteen years.  No matter what part of the world you reside in, if this game made it to your local gaming store, the story should strike home in one way or another. 

Complaint #2: The Characters were Exaggerated, Merely Caricatures of Real People.

             Sure, Hope was annoying.  But what prepubescent, after watched his mother fall to her death, wouldn't be?  And yeah, Snow was kind of intense--almost to the point of ignorance.  Sazh was a bit of a defeatist, but not everyone can stand with their head high when faced with a  seemingly insurmountable situation.  And, I'll even agree that Vanille seemed in line with your average, like...totally ditsy airhead.  But, all the characters do change: Hope quits his incessant whining, Snow admits his flaw, Sazh mans up, and Vanille's facade is shattered with the realization of the truth.  And gamers experienced something that fans have yet to see from any previous title: a full cast of developed and well rounded characters. 

I know, you want to punch him in the face, don't you?

Complaint #3:  The World of Fabula Nova Crystalis was too linear. 

              There's no denying that it takes many, many hours of game play to reach a point when you can explore the world freely.  Historically, open world exploration in other Final Fantasy titles has been granted to players about halfway or 3/4's of the way through the main story line. But with a game that clocks in at over 100 hours for full completion, it should be expected that it is going to take a bit longer to get to that point.  Fans want their Final Fantasy games to be bigger, but complain when they are given what they ask for.  Maybe it would have helped if Square-Enix didn't include the little orange marker on the mini-map?  I don't know--I still felt like there was a potential surprise around every turn the second time I played through.

Complaint #4:  The Battle System Was Boring. 

              Fans of the Final Fantasy Franchise are used to three--and sometimes four--player parties.  You select what each player does, and he/she does it.  But XIII's battle system was different.  XIII's AI was smart, and was everything you wished the Gambit system from Final Fantasy XII was.  The focus turned from selecting what each party member did to what each party member would do based on the current jobs active in the battle.  You could probably play through the whole game with one safe job combination, but what fun is that?  In XIII the battles were faster paced, with the avatars moving freely around the battle field, and players were forced to watch the enemy and all players to register what they did and adjusting accordingly.  Not to mention the two-player parties were a welcomed change from the norm, forcing players to severely change their usual combat tactics.  This is a win in my book. 

Sweeeet.

Complaint #5:  The Crystarium Leveling System was Stifling. 

              Yes, the Crystarium system prevented you from leveling until you got to a certain point in the game, but how is this different than not getting a certain Materia until a specific part of the story line in VII, or not having the required cards to cast a certain spell in VIII?  And yes, some characters were better at certain jobs than others, but that's no different than a Galka having a small MP pool in XI. If anything, it helped make this monster of a game manageable.  The weapon and accessory upgrade system was overwhelming by itself; imagine having the whole Crystarium open to you from the get-go.  You'd be hard pressed to make a decision, and eve harder pressed to make one that was helpful to your progress through the game. 

             Whether or not you loved, hated, or simply tolerated Final Fantasy XIII, revisit it once more.  Square-Enix has made a considerable investment in the world of Fabula Nova Crystalis, and gamers can expect at least three more titles from this specific franchise.  So, instead of saying goodbye to Final Fantasy until XV is released, enter Gran Pulse (and Cocoon) once more and give Square-Enix the chance to surprise you the way they have in past titles.