Opinions will vary, but Final Fantasy XIII-2 can be good fun!
Square-Enix haven't exactly been banging out a lot of high-quality RPG's lately, and that's okay. Given the standard of other games on the market these days the industry has become relatively difficult to please, and so long as Square-Enix can keep some of their fans happy they're probably still doing quite well for themselves.
As can be expected, Final Fantasy XIII-2 showcases some of the Xbox 360/Playstation 3's finer graphical capabilities and - whilst the art direction and visual theme of the game might not be to everyone's taste - it certainly is one of the better looking games out there. No matter how supreme or high-action a scene might be, the frame rate always stays at a steady high, and the sparkles and explosions are both suitably flashy and also nicely done. It'll come as no surprise that the characters - dressed in typically eccentric Square Enix attire - have high-definition models that look and behave superbly, even down to the creepy blonde facial fuzz that Snow has been donning since Final Fantasy XIII.
At first the game may come across as a sweet, unassuming girlie game for the faint of heart - much like the first Final Fantasy sequel, Final Fantasy X-2 - but like it's predecessor, Final Fantasy XIII-2 can throw some tricky battle sequences and tough leveling-up your way. It's not the most innovative battle system in the series, and feels like a step back from 2006's more polished Final Fantasy XII in terms of gameplay. That being said, there are some appropriately difficult bosses, and the DLC that has since become available provides a couple of genuine challenges even for the most hardcore of gamer.
Like in previous entries in the series, Final Fantasy XIII-2 offers solid voice acting from it's impressive cast, though it's a shame the script they were given is so sub-par. The story itself is - well, it's not terrible although it certainly won't be winning any awards, but the writing of the script is one of the game's downfalls. The characters often make vague statements, or keep repeating paraphrased versions of conversations they've had only minutes earlier, which feels like a wasted effort and also a waste of time. Rather than listen to meaningless rambles about "paradoxes" and "changing the timeline" I would have liked some clearer direction as to what the narrative was trying to tell me - perhaps even give me a solid look at what happened in the gap between Final Fantasy XIII and XIII-2, a piece of ground that I felt was only briefly covered in the finished story.
For me - though I'm certain for others out there, this will not be the case - the biggest downfall to the game is it's awful soundtrack. The J-Pop anthems that beat out as you trek across beautiful tundra in search of that elusive item that you need are just distracting and feel out of place. There was once a time when Final Fantasy games were known for their tremendous offerings of high-quality and well-crafted soundtracks. I'm afraid that's not the case with this game.
For the die-hard RPG gamers, or more importantly the loyal Square(Enix)-Can-Do-No-Wrong fans, this is just the game. For anyone looking for a deep, enriching, involving storyline and an immersive soundtrack, look elsewhere. In saying that, I bought this game on a whim and was pleasantly surprised to find that I am quite addicted to it despite it's flaws - if you give it a go, you might just find yourself doing the exact same thing.