Final Fantasy XIII

[Harrison]

In reading the reviews there is a lot of criticism about the game structure.

You mentioned not being able to gain experience of do much with your characters. This will last for the first 20+ hours of the game. It isn't until much later that the game unlocks everything and actually lets you play it fully with full battle control and character experience, levelling and customisation.

However the reviews I've read said it is well worth getting through the first part as once you get to the fully unlocked system the combat is the best seen in any FF game to date and is something very special.

[Demon Cleaner]

You mentioned not being able to gain experience of do much with your characters. This will last for the first 20+ hours of the game. It isn't until much later that the game unlocks everything and actually lets you play it fully with full battle control and character experience, levelling and customisation.

Omg, that long

[Sharingan]

Yes, it takes a while before everything is unlocked, but you do get to start earning experience much earlier than the 20 hour mark

I found the game a tad easy in the beginning, but later on you'll be getting into some tough fights (even against regular enemies) that require quite a bit of planning and strategy.

So far, I really like this latest installment, the only thing I found a bit disappointing is the linear nature of the game.

[Demon Cleaner]

After 3-4 hours of playing, I got now the Paradigms, and I'm also already getting crystarium points to use to level up, so it already works now.

It's really a bit linear, but it's not that it would bother me that much, as I also like following the story with not too many or too long interruptions.

[Harrison]

I agree about linear RPGs. Unlike other genres, RPGs still work well when quite linear, as they are all about the story telling and chapters of an epic adventure unfolding as you explore. I've never been disappointed in an RPG just because is is linear as it can often work to its advantage. There is nothing worse than being in a completely non-linear game world and having no clue what to do next.

[Demon Cleaner]

2-3 hours later now into the game and I already have 2 eidolons (similar to all FF's Esper, GF or Summons), and I also have the possibility to upgrade my weapons with experience points.

[Harrison]

Maybe in the reviews they were spending more time at the beginning of the game exploring and doing everything possible, so it took them longer to reach this point.

How many hours have you played before these things started to be unlocked?