Final Fantasy XIII-2
A time-traveling sequel to Final Fantasy XIII.
Final Fantasy XIII-2, a role-playing game from Square Enix, hit the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in Japan in 2011 and arrived in North America and PAL regions the following year, with a Windows port appearing in 2014. As a direct follow-up to 2009’s Final Fantasy XIII, it belongs to the Fabula Nova Crystallis series. The game keeps the fast-paced combat and customizable Paradigm system from its predecessor, which lets players control character abilities, but adds a new feature: capturing monsters to use in battle. The story revolves heavily around time travel, letting players jump between different eras at the same location or visit multiple places at once. Lightning, the hero of the original game, has vanished into an unknown realm. Her sister, Serah Farron, teams up with Noel Kreiss to journey through time in search of her.
Development kicked off in early 2010 and wrapped up about a year and a half later, with the game revealed at the Square Enix 1st Production Department Premier in January 2011. Many key designers from the previous game stayed on, and developer tri-Ace was brought in to assist with design, art, and programming. The team aimed to surpass Final Fantasy XIII in every way while giving the story a darker, more mysterious tone. The battle system builds on the Paradigm Shift mechanics of XIII, and the overall design is less linear than its predecessor.
The game was critically acclaimed in Japan and received generally positive reviews from Western critics. Reviewers praised its gameplay, reduced linearity, and graphics, but found the story weak and confusing. It was the fifth best-selling game in Japan in 2011 and had sold 3.1 million copies worldwide by January 2013. A sequel, Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, followed in 2013 in Japan and 2014 globally. In November 2018, the game was added to Xbox One backward compatibility alongside its predecessor and sequel, and it was enhanced for Xbox One X to display in 4K Ultra HD. Support for FPS Boost on Xbox Series X/S arrived in November 2021, allowing it to run at 60 frames per second.
**Gameplay**
*General navigation*
Final Fantasy XIII-2 is a role-playing game that continues the story of Final Fantasy XIII. Players control their on-screen character from a third-person perspective, interacting with people, objects, and enemies. The camera can be rotated 360 degrees around the character. The
- Release year
- 2011 (Japan), 2012 (North America and PAL regions)
- Platforms
- PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows (2014)
- Developer
- Square Enix (with tri-Ace)
- Publisher
- Square Enix
- Genre
- Role-playing video game
- Sales
- 3.1 million copies worldwide by January 2013
Lore & Background
Final Fantasy XIII-2 was unveiled at the Square Enix 1st Production Department Premier in January 2011, with development beginning in early 2010 and lasting about one and a half years. Many key designers from the previous game remained in their roles, and developer tri-Ace was hired to assist with design, art, and programming. The team aimed to exceed Final Fantasy XIII in every aspect while making the story's tone more dark and mysterious. The game builds upon the Paradigm Shift battle system and includes a less linear overall design.
The plot follows Lightning's younger sister Serah Farron and Noel Kreiss as they journey through time to find Lightning, who has disappeared into an unknown world. The game features heavy time travel, allowing players to jump between different times at the same location or different places at the same time. The game world is divided into multiple regions and time periods, connected by the Historia Crux, which the player can access at will. New regions are unlocked via plot points or optional special items.
Combat uses the Command Synergy Battle system, similar to the previous game, with an Active Time Battle (ATB) bar. Monsters can be captured from battles and used as party members, with around 150 different monster types available. The Crystarium leveling system returns in an altered form. The game also features the Live Trigger system for dialogue choices and temporal rift puzzles.
Reader's Guide
Final Fantasy XIII-2 received critical acclaim in Japan and generally positive reviews from Western journalists, praised for its gameplay, lack of linearity, and graphics, though its story was criticized as weak and confusing. It was the fifth-best-selling game of 2011 in Japan and sold 3.1 million copies worldwide by January 2013. A sequel, Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, was released in 2013 in Japan and 2014 worldwide. The game was added to Xbox One backward compatibility along with its predecessor and sequel in November 2018, and is Xbox One X Enhanced, allowing 4K Ultra HD display. In November 2021, support for FPS Boost on Xbox Series X/S was added, enabling 60 frames per second. The game's significance lies in its departure from the linearity of its predecessor, its innovative time travel mechanics, and its monster capture system, which expanded the series' gameplay possibilities.
Did You Know?
- The game was developed with assistance from tri-Ace.
- It features around 150 different monster types that can be captured and used in battle.
- The game was added to Xbox One backward compatibility in November 2018.
- FPS Boost support for Xbox Series X/S was added in November 2021, allowing 60 frames per second.
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