So after starting FF13 when it first came out, putting it down, and then deciding to pick it up again recently with the intent to finally put it to rest. My first impressions of 13 was more being "amused" at the game rather than negative. I heard about all the complaints prior to playing the game so I kinda knew what to expect. I put down the game after laughing at it for a whole bunch, but decided to return to it years later during this Xmas holidays.
I was probably around chapter 5 or 6 starting out again, and I just put down the game again sitting at the end of chapter 11. It took me about 20 to 25 hours to get to the beginning of chapter 10, and it took me another 15 to get to the end of chapter 11. Currently sitting at a total of 35 to 40 hours and I'm still nowhere near the end of the game. I'm only two chapters away from the end, but I'm guessing I have another 10 to 15 hours to go as the rise in difficulty and grind has grown significantly. It goes from a "casual" game that's ironically meant for the masses specially given the content and aesthetic of the game, to a brutally punishing late game that's clearly designed for the hardcore audience. If you planned your characters and item upgrades improperly prior to chapter 11, then you're basically stuck. I've been reading forum posts about how characters are generally supposed to be late game, and I didn't set up my party the way it's been generally suggested. It's frustrating to know this, since the beginning of the game; arguably the entire game is said to be a giant tutorial, gives no indication or clues as to how you set up your party. In fact, the game even gives features and options which might even misguide you down the wrong path of how to set up your characters and items. It's mind boggling to know that this was intentionally done.
The story and script are terrible as well. Almost every scene presents a tear jerker type of moment, but fails to tie the viewer and the characters in any sort of relatable relationship. In fact, you are more annoyed and frustrated at how all the characters interact with each other so you never buy into their plight. The game's narrative throws in-game specific terms left and right, and you're completely lost with the planet. In fact, the text summaries that scroll during the loading screens when you load your saved games, provide more story context than the hours and hours/minutes and minutes of expensive cinematics that book end scenes and levels.
I'm clearly frustrated with the game now moreso than ironically amused. I'm not sure if I can pick it up again, but I'm curious as to what's changed/improved/worse in FF13-2. I'm willing to brave the first few hours of it already, but I'm cautious about whether I should even bother trying to finish the first 13 game. But given the fact that I'm not invested with the story at all, maybe it's for the best that I just give the 2nd game a go.
Regardless of everything I've said, FF13 is an incredible technical achievement. It's also incredible that such a huge machine, with obvious intentional design has gone into the game. Yet it's gone into a direction no longer truly appeals to the masses, and clearly alienates and has shattered how Final Fantasy fans consistently feel about the franchise. I hope Final Fantasy finds it's roots again, but given the fact that FF14 Realm Reborn is an MMO; and the genre's tendencies to head towards a grindy design ideology, I'm doubtfully cautious as whether the game can recapture what people loved about the IP so much when it was at the peak of it's golden days.
