30 best Final Fantasy games

Best Final Fantasy Games #25 – Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII

Despite some god-awful voice lines such as “destiny is destiny,” Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII does something once thought unimaginable; salvage the idea of a Lightning-based trilogy of games and provide some interesting plot and gameplay mechanics.

500 years after the events of the first game in the trilogy, players control Lightning 13 days before the end of the world. While you travel from town to town to complete quests and strive closer to the game’s end with a cast of familiar and new characters, a time-based plot system sees the game advance a day closer to doom for every real-life hour.

With measures to extend the amount of time remaining and an interesting combat system that mixes active-time battle and elements similar to the dressphere system, Lightning Returns does a great job of humanizing Lightning and building upon the confusing foundations the trilogy is based on.

I will die on the hill that antagonizes anybody who can defend Final Fantasy XIII, but Lightning Returns did its due diligence in mixing up gameplay feels and upending series expectations.