Top 10 Games of the Seventh Generation Consoles - #8: Final Fantasy XIII

Final Fantasy XIII does not use the exact combat system of its predecessors, but that’s kind of a pattern the series has followed all along – trying new spins on an old classic. FFXIII utilizes a variant of the ATB battle system introduced way back in Final Fantasy IV, and puts you in control of three characters at a time, requiring you to rotate through your lineup of roles (known as paradigm shifts) in order to fight foes. While it is true that the game does not require you to be particularly involved with selecting specific attacks seeing as auto-battle will generally select the most useful magic or physical attack, FFXIII’s fast-paced combat will ask that you remain attentive and ready to switch party roles at a moment’s notice. As a result, the combat is less chaotic and frenetic and more fluid and methodical.

The only real gripe that I have with Final Fantasy XIII is that the side quests are all centered around the concept of tracking down increasingly stronger creatures and slaying them in order to unlock Xbox 360 achievements/PS3 trophies. While you can technically continue grinding during the game’s later hours in order to fully level up your party members and expand their crystarium, the roles you’ve assigned them up to that point should complement each other impeccably – each character basically starts off on two primary roles (in the case of Snow, these are Sentinel and Ravager), and then a third is recommended to both further specialize your party members as well as cover potential gaps in your strategies. Unlike many a JRPG, it offers opportunities for grinding for experience points without actually requiring it.

For my first foray into the core Final Fantasy games, FFXIII was a strong start. It’s not perfect and I have since discovered elements of other Final Fantasy titles that I prefer over some of what FFXIII has to offer. But nearly everything that FFXIII brings to the table is handled very well. During the forty plus hours it takes to complete the main game, there is ample time to develop each of the six main characters as well as explore the lore of the Fabula Nova Crystallis universe without the terminology going completely over your head. I loved Lightning and Sazh, I came to appreciate Snow, Fang, and Hope and everything they offered to the party. But in a most unexpected turn of events, Vanille, the bubbly girl who I expected might get annoying rather quickly, proved to be the most deep and engaging of the bunch.

Top 5 Final Fantasy Battle Themes

For this month's top five list, I decided to focus on the Final Fantasy series and the accompanying soundtracks that are so widely respected. While everyone has their own favorite tracks from each game, one of the defining constants through all the years has been the battle theme. Each game is host to a distinctly different spin on the battle theme, generally as a reflection of the story and setting of that numbered entry into the series. The following is a list of my five favorite battle themes from the core Final Fantasy games. Spinoffs such as Crystal Chronicles and sequels like XIII-2 and FFIV: The After Years will not be considered for this list, nor will boss battle themes or variants of the primary battle theme. Each of these entries is limited to the main battle theme from the respective games.

#5 - Final Fantasy IX: With a classic nineties vibe to it, Final Fantasy IX's battle theme certainly stands out from the rest of the pack. It's something of a nontraditional approach to the battle theme, using heavily synthesized sounds to give it an electronic style. But it's certainly an interesting listen.



#4 - Final Fantasy VI: The battle theme from Final Fantasy VI has a darker tone to it, as if the battle at hand is of a most dire consequence. I really enjoy the way that this tune is coupled with the steampunk-esque world of FFVI, and think it is a strong reminder of the darker territory the series began to explore in FFVI and the games that followed.



#3 - Final Fantasy II: Taking a wildly different approach than that of its predecessor, the battle theme in Final Fantasy II is fast-paced, loud, and reflective of the medieval fantasy roots of the long-running JRPG. It screams action with every note, and despite it being so radically different than the rest, I quite like it.



#2 - Final Fantasy XIII: This song played time and time again during my play through Final Fantasy XIII, and I looked forward to it every time. Final Fantasy XIII's soundtrack is among my favorite video game soundtracks of all time, and while the battle theme does not rank as high for me personally as the likes of "Fighting Fate" or "Born Anew", it's still and awesome track. It's a great fit for the futuristic sci-fi/fantasy hybrid realm that Lightning and friends spend their time exploring.



#1 - Final Fantasy: Above all the rest, the original Final Fantasy battle theme is easily my favorite. Its approach is more simplistic than the rest, but for an NES tune, it's pretty intense. It really captures the atmosphere of the battle, and is an instant classic for me. Plus, it is the formula that practically every other Final Fantasy battle theme followed. It's an oldie-but-a-goodie, for sure.

25 Days of Villains - #9: Barthandelus

“I am Fal'Cie. My name is Barthandelus; voice of the Sanctum, and Lord-Sovereign of the Cocoon Fal'Cie. Your kind feared the darkness, so we gave you light. You begged us for the Purge, and did it not come to pass? Now you spurn our counsel? You must learn your place!"

Disguising himself as a human and assuming the role of Primarch Dysley, Barthandelus is the Fal’Cie who reigns over the people of Cocoon. He manipulates them into believing that Gran Pulse, the expansive realm that exists below the floating world of Cocoon, is a dangerous place. He also incites fear into the people by leading them to believe the L’Cie are dangerous, violent beings. But at the same time, Barthandelus is the one who led Fang, Vanille, Lightning, Sazh, Snow, and Hope to become branded as L’Cie.

Barthandelus’ aims are no quite as simple as a lust for power or greed. He has already cemented himself in a position of power before the game begins. What he wants is to bring back the Maker, the Final Fantasy XIII God, hoping that said Maker would create the world anew, presumably with the Fal’Cie able to act on their own, not requiring the Focuses of L’Cie to see their own aims met.

When Lightning and the rest of the L’Cie first confront Dysley, they believe him to be human. Knowing what must be done, Barthandelus reveals his true form to them, humoring himself with a short fight. But he also realizes that, in order to bring back the Maker, Barthandelus must leave the L’Cie with a desire to destroy Fal’Cie – most notably, the Fal’Cie Orphan.

Even after he steps down from his position as Primarch, Barthandelus continues to manipulate the people, choosing Cid Raines as his successor. He meets the L’Cie during their travels on Gran Pulse, offering them a means of transport back to Cocoon once their trials are completed. Making their way through the streets of Cocoon’s capital Eden, now ringing with the chaos of combat as the worlds of Cocoon and Gran Pulse collide, the L’Cie enter Orphan’s Cradle. Once at the center of Orphan’s Cradle, Barthandelus challenges the L’Cie to one final battle. Upon his defeat, Barthandelus is assimilated into Orphan’s consciousness, along with Eden. Barthandelus is then able to influence Orphan to the same goal of bringing back the Maker.

Ultimately, the Maker never comes, even after Barthandelus, Eden, and Orphan die. But their death does trigger something else – something Barthandelus had longed for, believing it a necessary part of the ritual to call back the Maker. Ragnarok is born of Fang and Vanille’s L’Cie powers, and manipulates the environments around itself to stop Cocoon from falling out of the sky.

Barthandelus exhibits a careful and calculating behavior, having plotted every step of the L’Cie’s journey and the manner in which he will propel them forward. He also has an unwavering patience, having waited a half-millennia for his plans to come full circle. That said, he does appear quite eager to finally see the fruits of his labor in Final Fantasy XIII. His classical appearance as something distinctly demonic, yet at the same time slightly angelic is well-suited to his role as puppeteer and borderline-demigod.

Boss theme:

This is one of my favorite tracks from the Final Fantasy XIII soundtrack. And the Final Fantasy XIII soundtrack in its entirety is one of my favorite video game soundtracks of all time.