Final Fantasy XIII series - Discussion Topic - Final Fantasy XIII trilogy is hugely successful for Square Enix

[Sora96 17,256]

IGN's executive editor of news "would be totally down" for a remastered collection of the Final Fantasy XIII series on PlayStation 4. The demand keeps coming in for Square Enix, let's hope they already have a studio (maybe Virtuos) hard at work at it.

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

Well, a lot of games from the PS3 are moving to the PS4 as ports, so hey, why not make the XIII series make the same jump, ya know?  I'm sure plenty of people would buy it!  But as for myself, since I already have XIII and XIII-2 for my PS3, I'll just get Lightning Returns for my PS3 as well, ya know?

[Green Sparrow 795]

I wouldn't get it, but I'd be interested to see how well it would do in sales.The opinion on the XIII series seems to be divided. Yes, the original Final Fantasy XIII sold a lot, but that was before the overblown hallway criticism came in. The attachment rate can better be seen in the sale of the sequels.

 

Personally, I enjoyed XIII well enough. Even though I like Noel and the stories of the sequels, I do feel they were very unneeded.

[Sora96 17,256]

I wouldn't get it, but I'd be interested to see how well it would do in sales.The opinion on the XIII series seems to be divided. Yes, the original Final Fantasy XIII sold a lot, but that was before the overblown hallway criticism came in. The attachment rate can better be seen in the sale of the sequels.

 

Personally, I enjoyed XIII well enough. Even though I like Noel and the stories of the sequels, I do feel they were very unneeded.

 

PC port is the third best selling FF game on Steam, barely behind VIII.

 

If it wasn't for the sequels, FF fans wouldn't have anything to play for the rest of the generation.

[Headphone Jack 1,147]

i'm sure Sqaure Enix had their finger on the button labeled "FFXIII Saga on Next Gen" and was just waiting for IGN to give them the go ahead

[Sora96 17,256]

i'm sure Sqaure Enix had their finger on the button labeled "FFXIII Saga on Next Gen" and was just waiting for IGN to give them the go ahead

 

Probably already working on it.

[Nero Kunivas 3,046]

Dude, I'd like, be totally down for that too, bruh.

 

Perhaps people will also be willing to look at the FFXIII Trilogy in a new light, even some of the more passionate haters of the series.

 

That and it'll be convenient, maybe have it look prettier than it already does and just be a great addition for the PS4 Library!

[cabbage5k2 8]

Fix the eidolon fights in the first game (seriously, such utter rubbish ruining an otherwise actually good game), then I'm game.  Never played the other two, so this would be a good introduction for me .

[Sora96 17,256]

Fix the eidolon fights in the first game (seriously, such utter rubbish ruining an otherwise actually good game), then I'm game.  Never played the other two, so this would be a good introduction for me .

 

Go play them! They're soooo good!

[Sora96 17,256]

Square Portal's amazing piece on Lightning aka Claire Farron is well worth reading, more than once here.

[Dave 5,715]

So, according to this article, if you didn't like Lightning, it's because you're sexist and have outdated ideas of gender roles, but if you have a problem with FFXV's all bro main cast, then you're worrying too much about sexism and shouldn't try to trample "art" so much.

 

Also, I disagree with the article's main assertion that Lightning is somehow a defining character for female roles in video game. God knows there were good characters long before 2010, especially in Final Fantasy, where I would argue that Ashe in FFXII is a far better example of having complicated emotions while still struggling to put up a front of strength and isolation. While the author tries to carry the standard that Lightning is complex because of her stoic demeanour vs protective tendencies, I think it's telling how the analysis goes no further than that. The writer seems to try their best to avoid actually bringing up any examples of how "...[other] companies are still struggling and scared to use characters that might not appeal to a larger audience." 

[Dio Brando 5,810]

So, according to this article, if you didn't like Lightning, it's because you're sexist and have outdated ideas of gender roles, but if you have a problem with FFXV's all bro main cast, then you're worrying too much about sexism and shouldn't try to trample "art" so much.

 

Also, I disagree with the article's main assertion that Lightning is somehow a defining character for female roles in video game. God knows there were good characters long before 2010, especially in Final Fantasy, where I would argue that Ashe in FFXII is a far better example of having complicated emotions while still struggling to put up a front of strength and isolation. While the author tries to carry the standard that Lightning is complex because of her stoic demeanour vs protective tendencies, I think it's telling how the analysis goes no further than that. The writer seems to try their best to avoid actually bringing up any examples of how "...[other] companies are still struggling and scared to use characters that might not appeal to a larger audience." 

THIS ^

 

You sir are my hero

 

Let's also not forget Celes from FF6,Tifa from FF7,Yuna from FFX.........heck I can pull out so many other examples of females that are much better representations than Lightning

Edited November 20, 2015 by Smash Mega Koopa

[HeyMouseSayCheese 1,133]

weird how this square enix fan site has nothing but wonderful things to say about a final fantasy character

[Sora96 17,256]

So, according to this article, if you didn't like Lightning, it's because you're sexist and have outdated ideas of gender roles, but if you have a problem with FFXV's all bro main cast, then you're worrying too much about sexism and shouldn't try to trample "art" so much.

 

Also, I disagree with the article's main assertion that Lightning is somehow a defining character for female roles in video game. God knows there were good characters long before 2010, especially in Final Fantasy, where I would argue that Ashe in FFXII is a far better example of having complicated emotions while still struggling to put up a front of strength and isolation. While the author tries to carry the standard that Lightning is complex because of her stoic demeanour vs protective tendencies, I think it's telling how the analysis goes no further than that. The writer seems to try their best to avoid actually bringing up any examples of how "...[other] companies are still struggling and scared to use characters that might not appeal to a larger audience." 

 

 No it's not.

 

If you read the article properly they clearly said Square Enix is known for it's female leads giving many examples such as Lara Croft.

 

Ummm, they did give a clear example. Life is Strange, well known fact literally every other company Dontnod approached with the idea wanted to turn the leads into men. And I'm sure one of them was Capcom.

weird how this square enix fan site has nothing but wonderful things to say about a final fantasy character

 

Everything they said is true!

THIS ^

 

You sir are my hero

 

Let's also not forget Celes from FF6,Tifa from FF7,Yuna from FFX.........heck I can pull out so many other examples of females that are much better representations than Lightning

 

Read the article properly.

 

 

Square Enix has a long history of lead female characters such as our grand example Lightning from Final Fantasy XIII, Aya Brea from Parasite Eve, Lara Croft from Tomb Raider, Zero from Drakengard 3, Agnes from Bravely Default and many others, especially in Final Fantasy games. All of them are unique, dislikable and likable females characters: they follow or break rules of what’s an ideal woman in our society – some of them are very emotional, weak and sympathetic, some of them are complete nuts and mindless killers looking for revenge, some of them are independent adventurers looking for historical treasures.Viewing the current backlog, Square Enix doesn’t have much to prove anymore in terms of gender versatility because Lightning and others are enough to justify Square Enix’s needs to also push new kinds of male characters forward and even create a male-only cast.

 

 

Before the release of Life Is Strange, Dontnod Entertainment revealed that Square Enix was the only one who didn’t want to change the female protagonists in order to make the game appeal to the wider audience – addressing the sexism issue the industry is currently dealing with. Most importantly, it revealed another serious problem: the corporations’ intentions to limit the artists’ creative freedom and possibly killing what would make games considered as an serious art form. It’s not just an issue with companies, but also gamers: the same way Final Fantasy XV’s current male-only cast is under discussion. Now some people are asking for female characters and being negative about the game just because it lacks characters they would want to be there. It’s almost the same problem as with Lightning’s personality – she isn’t the person some people would like her to be. This means the fans would be forcing the creators to add unnecessary characters or push the existing one to another direction to please the customers, and when that happens the games become products – not works of art. Are we ready to sacrifice that?

 

 

A Mysterious Thunder Lady And Finnish Men: Since the release, Lightning has been a controversial subject amongst the fans, which makes her a good example of a character pushing the boundaries. At first glance, she may appear as a cold hearted individual who doesn’t really have a personality due to her calm and introvert behavior. In addition, she isn’t able to talk about her feelings as openly as others. However, as the story progresses the player learns about her personality and vulnerabilities. One of the reasons behind her coldness is the great need to protect the people surrounding her, but she is too scared she won’t able to do it. This is why she tries to avoid building relationships with people other than her sister Serah, whom she loses in the beginning of Final Fantasy XIII. When Lightning realizes her friends can take care of themselves and she doesn’t need to worry anymore, she is able to become more open and show her humanity.

 

Her personality isn’t exactly that rare amongst people in real life. Many humans tend to seem cold and uninterested about others because they are scared of getting rejected by them. To avoid failures and disappointments, these people usually push others away, even unintentionally, and build a wall around them to protect themselves  – making them less approachable. That kind of characters are rarely represented in games where main protagonists tend to be more outgoing and confident. After going through these facts, it’s easier to understand why many people may love or dislike Lightning and it makes her quite groundbreaking as a female character, while many of them are idealized as more emotional, weaker, sympathetic and open individuals. Would her personality be more acceptable as a man?

Edited November 20, 2015 by Flaming Lea

[HeyMouseSayCheese 1,133]

Everything they said is true!

 

It's just kind of a shitty analysis. There's no mention of anything that might be wrong with Lightning as a character, she's just perfect in every way. And if she's flawed, that just makes her even more perfect. And somehow that makes Square Enix the best game company for some reason.

[Sora96 17,256]

It's just kind of a shitty analysis. There's no mention of anything that might be wrong with Lightning as a character, she's just perfect in every way. And if she's flawed, that just makes her even more perfect. And somehow that makes Square Enix the best game company for some reason.

 

 

Her personality isn’t exactly that rare amongst people in real life. Many humans tend to seem cold and uninterested about others because they are scared of getting rejected by them. To avoid failures and disappointments, these people usually push others away, even unintentionally, and build a wall around them to protect themselves  – making them less approachable. That kind of characters are rarely represented in games where main protagonists tend to be more outgoing and confident. After going through these facts, it’s easier to understand why many people may love or dislike Lightning and it makes her quite groundbreaking as a female character, while many of them are idealized as more emotional, weaker, sympathetic and open individuals.

 

In this quote alone you can see their points of comparing Lightning's personality to an every-day person in real life. They also openly admit it's easier to understand why people may love or dislike her based on those facts.

[Dave 5,715]

 No it's not.

 

If you read the article properly they clearly said Square Enix is known for it's female leads giving many examples such as Lara Croft.

 

Ummm, they did give a clear example. Life is Strange, well known fact literally every other company Dontnod approached with the idea wanted to turn the leads into men. And I'm sure one of them was Capcom.

 

 

I was referring primarily to the wrap up line, in which the writer asserts: "...Lightning continues to be an iconic female character in games and has yet to meet her match. ...She continues setting a standard for other female and male characters – not to be like her, but who they are." It gives the impression that Lightning has somehow set a bar for other characters to meet, which I don't believe to be the case.

 

Also, one example does not create an ironclad argument for Square being in the forefront of recognizing gender in video games. Bioware is a good counter example of giving players flexibility of gender while also delivering a good story.

[Sora96 17,256]

I was referring primarily to the wrap up line, in which the writer asserts: "...Lightning continues to be an iconic female character in games and has yet to meet her match. ...She continues setting a standard for other female and male characters – not to be like her, but who they are." It gives the impression that Lightning has somehow set a bar for other characters to meet, which I don't believe to be the case.

 

Also, one example does not create an ironclad argument for Square being in the forefront of recognizing gender in video games. Bioware is a good counter example of giving players flexibility of gender while also delivering a good story.

 

Yes, and their point is very valid. Well you dislike her so I'm not surprised.

 

They never say every company is bad with it, just that there is a lot. It's a well known fact there's plenty of sexism in the industry.

Edited November 20, 2015 by Sora96

[HeyMouseSayCheese 1,133]

In this quote alone you can see their points of comparing Lightning's personality to an every-day person in real life. They also openly admit it's easier to understand why people may love or dislike her based on those facts.

 

Yeah, and somehow that makes her the best video game character ever written. The article comes off as them just jerking off about Lightning; there's no mention of her negative qualities that are actually negative, or any actual mention of fan reception or industry reception at all, the article just posits that Lighting is great, Square is great, everything is great, great great and we love it!

 

(Also worth noting, she is not "ground breaking". Juhani from KotOR was an excellently written cold, harsh female character with a softer side way back on 2004.)

[Sora96 17,256]

Yeah, and somehow that makes her the best video game character ever written. The article comes off as them just jerking off about Lightning; there's no mention of her negative qualities that are actually negative, or any actual mention of fan reception or industry reception at all, the article just posits that Lighting is great, Square is great, everything is great, great great and we love it!

 

(Also worth noting, she is not "ground breaking". Juhani from KotOR was an excellently written cold, harsh female character with a softer side way back on 2004.)

 

 They detailed her in depth even admitting those reasons are why people don't like her.

 

More groundbreaking than her.

Edited November 20, 2015 by Flaming Lea

[Nero Kunivas 3,046]

Yes, and their point is very valid. Well you dislike her so I'm not surprised.

 

They never say every company is bad with it, just that there is a lot. It's a well known fact there's plenty of sexism in the industry.

I like Lightning yet I agree with him.

 

Lightning is not a stellar and all-covering example of Female Video Game Characters, certainly not a bar-setter. I admire her character, sure, but I won't be singing her praises and completely dismiss her negatives, let alone make such a bold claim as calling her a bar-setter. Characters like Yuna, Celes, Tifa from other FF Games or Samus from the Metroid Prime Series or even Bayonetta from the Bayonetta series are far better Female Video Game Characters and excel in their representation. (Bayonetta being quite a lot of things other than sexual.)

[mag77 405]

So, according to this article, if you didn't like Lightning, it's because you're sexist and have outdated ideas of gender roles, but if you have a problem with FFXV's all bro main cast, then you're worrying too much about sexism and shouldn't try to trample "art" so much. Also, I disagree with the article's main assertion that Lightning is somehow a defining character for female roles in video game. God knows there were good characters long before 2010, especially in Final Fantasy, where I would argue that Ashe in FFXII is a far better example of having complicated emotions while still struggling to put up a front of strength and isolation. While the author tries to carry the standard that Lightning is complex because of her stoic demeanour vs protective tendencies, I think it's telling how the analysis goes no further than that. The writer seems to try their best to avoid actually bringing up any examples of how "...[other] companies are still struggling and scared to use characters that might not appeal to a larger audience."

Can I just give you an internet hug or something, cause I agree with everything you said here! Also, I despise Lighting with a passion, but how can I be sexist when I myself am a girl? Hm, some people are just nuts.

THIS ^ You sir are my hero Let's also not forget Celes from FF6,Tifa from FF7,Yuna from FFX.........heck I can pull out so many other examples of females that are much better representations than Lightning

Agreed! And you can add Rydia (FF4), Krile and Faris (FF5), Terra and Relm (FF6), and Garnet and Eiko (FF9) to your list too.

[Saber Lily 1,543]

I like Lightning but she isn't groundbreaking.

 

She's an interesting character who could be better, but still is a great character if you take into account her entire story.

 

The main problem with FFXIII's cast is that all of these great characters, while in good stories, are bogged down by 13's linear bullshit, FFXIII-2's insane travel and story, and even as good as LR:FFXIII id, it can't save everything.

 

I'm not going to read it, I'm just saying my view here. As one o the biggest Ligthing fan boys on the site, I feel articles like this only serve to grow animosity towards Lightning, which is already great in state.

[Dio Brando 5,810]

I was referring primarily to the wrap up line, in which the writer asserts: "...Lightning continues to be an iconic female character in games and has yet to meet her match. ...She continues setting a standard for other female and male characters – not to be like her, but who they are." It gives the impression that Lightning has somehow set a bar for other characters to meet, which I don't believe to be the case.

 

Also, one example does not create an ironclad argument for Square being in the forefront of recognizing gender in video games. Bioware is a good counter example of giving players flexibility of gender while also delivering a good story.

Atlus,Nintendo(especially with Metroid and Fire Emblem),Platinum Games........etc already made a plethora of amazing female characters that just trumps Lightning in every possible way

 

Yes I know this is a square related site being about Kingdom Hearts but the Square-bias here is just absurd

[Anti-SOLDIER 68]

Just appreciate the article for what it is, okay? The points that are mentioned aren't wrong. Lightning is definitely a unique character that makes her different from other video game characters. Though she does come off as harsh and distant at first, she begins to open up and let people in. The fact that she made character progression and got through her inner struggles is good and rewarding enough. I love Lightning for who she is and her characterization really got to me. She is one of my favorite Final Fantasy characters along with Cloud.