FFXIII is not a traditional FF game, and not for everyone. Read on to see if it is right for you!
I've noticed that there are 3 distinct groups of people who dislike or hate this game: (1) people who don't like RPG's or JRPG's, and think the whole concept is dumb or boring, (2) people who like open-ended RPG's such as Oblivion and think the game is too linear and automated, and (3) hardcore FF fans who have played every FF game in existence (and consider themselves the only "real" fans of the series) and hate on the game for breaking away from traditions.
I am not a member of any of those groups, and I have a feeling that most people who don't fit into one of those groups will really enjoy FFXIII and see all the good points. So I would like to first of all address some common complaints I have seen in other reviews, and then break down my opinions into areas of gameplay, story, graphics, etc.
So first of all, the complaints:
The game is so boring and automated, it's just run-down-the-hallway-fighting-battles-until-you-watch-a-5-minute-cutscene-then-fight-a-boss. And the battles are so boring, you just press the A button every 5 seconds.
My response to this is that yes, most of the game that I have played so far has been narrow hallways broken up by cutscenes and climaxed by difficult boss fights. I don't disagree with that. But I do disagree that it's boring, probably because I enjoy the pacing and the cutscenes and the predictable formula for areas. And also, I think it's hypocritical of people to hate on the game for having that formula; I can think of so many games that follow a similar formula (the God of War series and the Legend of Zelda series are a few examples) which are idolized and given near-perfect scores.
The second part of the complaint is that the battles are boring, and I wonder if people who say that have only played the first 5 hours or so, because they certainly are at first. But the game develops the battle system so much during and after the 10-hour tutorial-ish section that just pressing the A button (initiating auto-battle) is no longer a viable way of battling. I think that these people haven't really evaluated the battle system fully. And honestly, God of War has how many attack buttons that you mash to do combos?
Okay. I'm very sorry I compared Final Fantasy XIII to God of War (which admittedly I do not own, I have just played before and played games like it). I have said before that they are completely different games and should not be compared. But I figured that God of War is really popular and it has similar elements to those which are criticized in FFXIII, although God of War III got a 9/10 on Gamespot and two 10/10's in Game Informer.
So. Now that I've addressed some complaints, and this review is getting really wordy, I'm finally going to break down my own opinions for the game (thank God)!
Gameplay: A more streamlined, less tedious Final Fantasy system trades the traditional vast areas and exploration for narrow hallways and linear environments. This will annoy some but not those like me who get more annoyed at huge areas and running around aimlessly trying to figure out what to do next. The skill and battle systems trade large customization and intricate command-based battles for more restrictive character roles and strategic command groups. Only having control of one character and having two AI's sounds annoying, but they adapt very well and take enemy weaknesses into account when you reveal the intel on them. And you won't want control of another character because the combat is VERY fast-paced, and you'll find yourself extremely happy that you don't always have to manually select commands; you can quickly initiate the "repeat" action which will repeat your command queue that just was executed. All in all, the combat is more action-oriented and less turn-based. Some people like it, some people don't. I love it.
Graphics: Apparently the PS3 has better graphics than the 360, but I can't really tell because I play on a 27-inch non-HD TV. I think the graphics are the best I've seen in any game ever. Period. Beautiful in-game graphics, and STUNNING CG cutscenes. Absolutely stunning.
Sound: A breathtaking soundtrack that starts with the anticipation of the intro and the beautiful piano line at the main menu. I have yet to hear "My Hands" by Leona Lewis which apparently is the "theme song" for the game, but I think it will fit great. And the chocobo music is in here! Oh my gosh! Haha.
Story: A lot of people are hating the story…I don't really understand the comparisons because I have only played FFVII and FFVIII, but I LOVE the story. I watch the show Lost religiously, and love its story because there is no single main character, everyone is important and connected, and important character interactions are shown with flashbacks and such. FFXIII has almost the same format to its story, which makes me LOVE it. I understand why others don't like it; not everyone likes Lost either.
OVERALL: It's hard to pin a number to this game. I gave it a 9.5/10 because I think it's one of the greatest games I've played. I, personally, am in love with this game. But it's not for everyone. And if you play it, you have to realize what it is so you aren't disappointing. It is a Final Fantasy for those who love the stories and characters of Final Fantasy but get tired of the super-tedious JRPG staple elements. If you love the classic FF formula (and probably didn't like VII, VIII, or X) you probably won't like this one either.
Again, I am trying to give an unbiased view of the game and instead of saying "buy it" or "don't buy it" I am trying to explain the reasons either way. I hope this review has been helpful, and I would LOVE any and all comments/messages regarding this (please! I want feedback, positive and negative).
Thanks for your time! Sorry it was so long :P