X-2 vs. XIII-2

There has been one thing I just couldn't get over after first playing and beating XIII-2 several months ago. It was brought back to my attention by my finishing the XIII Trilogy and then I decided to make a thread on this because of the X-2 Rocks topic.

That thing on my mind is how alike these two games are. First, notice how radically different the two games are from their previous installments. X and XIIi were incredibly serious games, melodramatic one might even say. They were also extremely linear in order to keep you completely engrossed in the narrative. Then here comes X-2 and XIII-2, both of which throw linearity out the window and more or less let you go anywhere you want. X-2 opens up faster than XIiI-2 but XIII-2 is still infinitely more expansive than XIII. Second, there was the tone of both of these games. As I said, X was very dark and depressing and XIII had barely any levity or comedic relief at all. Then comes X-2 which is a portrait in absurdity and makes no apologies for it. If anything, just like how XIII was even more super-serious than X, XIII-2 is even more super-ridiculous than X-2. You really do get a sense of whiplash going from X to X-2 or XIII to XIII-2.

Of course the exact details of X-2 and XIII-2 are worlds apart. I just think both games were designed with the same essential philosophy in mind.

And so we come to the topic. Which game do you think did its philosophy better? Which game do you like more and why?

I favor X-2 simply because the ending wasn't cut out to be resold as DLC later on. In fact, the game had no DLC at all. Even though the story confused the hell out of me, at least it felt complete. Plus, it has one of my favorite battle systems in the main line series.

FFX-2 has as good gameplay as FFXII-2, but also has an actually coherent and believable story. The fact that it also isn't extreme sequel-bait also helps. X-2 without a doubt.

I prefer FFXIII-2. I find the story and the characters very interesting. FFX-2's story never really gets me, except for the ending and my favorite characters died/disappeared at the end of FFX so I was not as interested.

FF X-2 ! Just adore the job class system and the fun, outgoing spirit the game has. Though the Pokemon collecting battle system that XIII-2 was pretty fun as well. :jess:

In regards to gamplay, X-2, no question. But, overall, I preferred XIII-2. Although I disagree that it was as silly as X-2. X-2 started silly and got more serious towards the end. XIII-2 just has moments of levity. There's actually quite a lot of dark, serious stuff in there. Coping with the loss of a loved one, the horror of a society gone wrong, loneliness, the illusion of choice... Sure, there were a fair few light moments scattered in there, but the overall tone was pretty bleak.

I haven't played enough of XIII-2 to give an proper opinion on this, but X-2 is one of my top 10 FFs, while XIII-2 retains XIII's Crystarium and Paradigm systems which, while fixed a bit in this installment, are definitely not among my favorites.

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Originally Posted by Mr. Carnelian

In regards to gamplay, X-2, no question. But, overall, I preferred XIII-2. Although I disagree that it was as silly as X-2. X-2 started silly and got more serious towards the end. XIII-2 just has moments of levity. There's actually quite a lot of dark, serious stuff in there. Coping with the loss of a loved one, the horror of a society gone wrong, loneliness, the illusion of choice... Sure, there were a fair few light moments scattered in there, but the overall tone was pretty bleak.

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Well no doubt it has several very depressing moments, and now you bring it up coping with the loss of a loved one is another parallel between X-2 and XIII-2, but I think we need look no farther than the "FINAL FANTASY XIII-2: THE STORY SO FAR....!"' to see that the developers were having some fun. If you recall, the story so far segments when you loaded up the game was a mishmash of random clips that had nothing to do with whatever was most relevant to the story and only confused you more, all set to the tune of some lovely soap opera music. I found that absolutely delightful.

Yes, a lot of the silliness is in sidequests or optional dialogue but never forget that screaming at Hope was the right choice to defeating Adam as opposed to something logical like "defeat the original."

I'm gonna have to go with XIII-2 on this one.

X-2 Pros - You had a lot of choices on how you did things. You could explore every area and get different outcomes due to certain things. The job system, battle system, and accessories made this game the best. I've beat X-2 over 10 times.

X-2 Cons - The story is based around three women and I can't get over the fact how cheesey it is. It was made for girls. Another thing is in order to get everything in the game you have to play it three or four times.

XIII-2 Pros - Nothing is missable. If you count the monsters you got over 100 playable characters. You can equip up to four accessories at a time. The game is super easy to play. The story line is also my favorite in all the series.

XIII-2 Cons - It takes too long to do everything. As a matter of fact to do all side quests you have to do everything besides open all chests. The DLC weapons are not all that great and even the DLC characters are for end game (bar lightning (COM) and Sazh (Syn).

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Originally Posted by sora_lion_heart

It was made for girls.

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Pretty sure the intention behind an all-girl team was a liiiiiittle bit different :p

http://image-cdn.gamnesia.com/15656/img_4505.jpeg

So what if it's "made for girls"? :p

Just like FF15 is being made for boys, right?

Yeah, that's a rant I didn't wanna go on. Going on a tangent about misogyny and the patriarchy in a lighthearted game forum didn't really feel appropriate :monster:

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Originally Posted by Fynn

Yeah, that's a rant I didn't wanna go on. Going on a tangent about misogyny and the patriarchy in a lighthearted game forum didn't really feel appropriate :monster:

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I often find myself in the same situation when talking about X-2. I mean, it's a fun game, but really... I can only imagine that women had no say at any point in the process. Otherwise, surely they would have gone "Hang on a moment. Are you REALLY going to do that? REALLY?" at some points.

X-2 is pretty good.

XIII-2 is pretty good.

But X-2 INT/HD is amazing.

The storylines for both were fairly equally ludicrous. I probably prefer XIII-2's story slightly better because it had time travel, even if the time travel didn't make a ton of sense and didn't seem to matter in the end.

As for characters, X-2 had Yuna and Rikku who for some reason were much more annoying versions of their X characters, whom I liked. However, it did have Paine, who was pretty cool. XIII-2 had Serah who was more annoying than anyone in X-2 but it also had Noel who I thought was a very good character (great character even). So XIII-2 wins by an edge here.

Gameplay, X-2 wins hands down. It has the best ATB of the entire FF series. Chaining attacks and having job changes mid-battle were great additions. Put a version of this in FFXIII and it's a much better game. Unfortunately, the XIII series evolved the ATB in all the wrong directions. XIII-2 did a great job fixing some of the most glaring problems from XIII that never should have been there in the first place (game over when leader dies? Come on, SE) but it was still that inferior paradigm system with the uninspiring crystarium.

Overall I give the edge to X-2 even though XIII-2 is slightly better in the non-gameplay elements. X-2 was just overall more fun.

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Originally Posted by Mr. Carnelian

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Originally Posted by Fynn

Yeah, that's a rant I didn't wanna go on. Going on a tangent about misogyny and the patriarchy in a lighthearted game forum didn't really feel appropriate :monster:

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I often find myself in the same situation when talking about X-2. I mean, it's a fun game, but really... I can only imagine that women had no say at any point in the process. Otherwise, surely they would have gone "Hang on a moment. Are you REALLY going to do that? REALLY?" at some points.

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I didn't really mean the game at that point. Sure, there's fanservice, but at least the girls DO a lot of their volition and there is some girl power notions involved, however problematic. Most of all, it's just brainless fun. I'm much more bothere by the notion "it's made for girls so it's bad", but yeah, I don't wanna go there now and ruin everything, point fingers, yadda-yadda :p

I just said that cause as a guy I like to get into the role of the characters.

What's that got to do with it?

I'll like to go more into dept about why I said what I said.

I love both games. I've played them numerous times and had lots of fun doing so. When I say it's a "girls game" I mean there are no men roles in it. Yeah you got monster collections in the updated PS3 and PS4 versions. Really though Yuna, Rikku and Paine are the main characters. To me it's a girls game but I still played it cause I love final fantasy. I even got three iron dukes in the original which is pretty hard. I've had many playthroughs and I love the battle system. To me though it does lean more towards female community. I don't see how people don't understand that,

To me Final Fantasy XIII-2 is a well balanced game for all audiences. I've spent many playthroughs on it and ended up with everything. The topic is which do I like better. I actually like Final Fantasy XIII-2 more. I don't mean to offend anyone.

Yeah but does that impede your ability to get into the role?

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Originally Posted by Mirage

Yeah but does that impede your ability to get into the role?

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Yeah I couldn't relate with the cast of X-2 as much.

Isn't that just because those particular characters weren't super great in that game?

I would say Yuna is a much better character in X-2 than X.

I would actually be inclined to agree. For the most part. Rikku is more worse than yuna is more better, though :p.

I can sadly agree with that. They totally stole half her IQ Points in order to make their Powerpuff Girls dynamic work better.

X Rikku might have been the typical hyper/happy girl but she was actually pretty smart and together. Tidus was a bigger example oft the hyper/idiot type. Who are weak to Serious/Stoic Types in my Animemon.

Yeah, Rikku wasn't really very hyperactive in X (believe me, I know a lot about this), but she changed completely in the sequel. She was energetic, possibly because she was young, extroverted and smart, but that's really it for the first game. She's actually pretty reasonable and collected for the most part, except when she fears for her cousin's life.

I hate to bring this up but if there's one area XIII-2 tapdances all over X-2 it's music. X-2 has several really amazing songs but they are adrift in a sea of mediocrity.

FF13-2 had some of the best music, even if it was a lot of recycling from the first game. The first game did however also have good music.

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Originally Posted by Forsaken Lover

I would say Yuna is a much better character in X-2 than X.

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I actually agree with this as well!

Can't agree on the music, though. XIII-2 has a couple amazing tracks, but overall I feel Mizuta and, uh, that other... guy, just kind of held back Hamauzu. I still think XIII has the best soundtrack of the trilogy.

Yeah XIII-2 used a lot of the best music from XIII but it also had several amazing tracks of its own.

I also appreciate the fact it had multiple battle themes and pretty much all of them are better than X-2's one and only.

(SPOILER)



And that's only a sample of XIII-2's fantabulous music.

FFX-2's standard battle music is very uninspiring, I have to admit. Random encounters become dull, frankly.

>>> Both games are a joke but X-2 was a funnier joke *votes X-2*..:luca: