I think one of the problems I've had with the upgrade system besides the counter-intuitive gil/loot system needed to level weapons; is that everything needs one of the transformations items to make it move to the next stage. These items themselves are rare to acquire in the game's story and horribly expensive in shops. It would have been nice if the transformation items were exclusive to the weapons (at least I would feel its justified) or to a few obviously overpowered accessories. Let everything else just level up naturally and evolve when it reaches its next step.

I also agree the equipment/stat system is terribly oversimplified and really restricts the player in making useful party setups with equips (something I feel it borrows from X-2 and Crisis Core). I sorta noticed this when dealing with Hope cause the only way to keep him alive in longer battles requires timing buffs and heals. There is very little means of protecting him from heavy hitters with equipment. All you can do is level up HP accessories and overload him with it but those slots should be better used for raising his magic. I'm not asking for him to have "armor of invincibility" or anything but at least some equips that can better help him counter tougher enemies. Some of these items do exist but then you run into having to deal with the upgrade system cause most of them are terrible when first acquired.

I feel XIII should have handled accessories like they are in Dissidia. Instead of just a handful of slots, give me ten by the endgame so I can make some more meaningful choices. You removed armor from the game, the least you can do is give me more accessories to play with to help me twink my party members.


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Anyway, I reached Oerba today... not what I was expecting. (SPOILER)The wasteland part doesn't surprise me but how high tech it was does. Makes me seriously question Vanille and Fang's clothing choices.

The tower proceeding that place was tedious but at least I got a few decent items, the boss was a joke as well. I had a harder time dealing with the Centaur monster in the tower than the boss. I also question why the tower was really there, the game doesn't bother explaining its purpose and it has no past history anyone can remember... Kinda felt like a waste of time to me.

(SPOILER)I actually made it all the way to the final boss of the chapter and now I have one minor spoiler question to ask those who have finished the game. Can Orphan only be taken out by a l'Cie and all other human efforts are a waste? Cause Dysley's whole speech in Oerba does not make any sense. If Cocoon is doomed due to the battle between the the Calvary and Sanctum and the Calvary are going to be manipulated by Orphan, why is Dysley telling your party all this? They achieved their goal of destroying Cocoon, why are they telling the party knowing fully well that they have the means of ruining the whole plan as l'Cie? Please for the love of god tell me that this is part of some nefarious plan you can't tell me cause it will ruin Chapter 12 and 13 cause if it is this straightforward then XIII has truly won the award for being the worst written entry in the series.

I don't need details, I just want to know that what (SPOILER)Dysley says is a trap and their is unknown circumstantial evidence that makes it so the party has to be involved. Just a simple conformation is all I need cause I just about decided to stop playing this game last night cause of this revelation. I'm beginning to feel XIII would have been better off if it ended in Chapter 9.