Final Fantasy VII versus... Final Fantasy XIII?

[Ayen]

In recent months with the promotion of Lightning Returns I noticed a pandemic growing. People arguing on social network sites between which is a superior game: FFVII or FFXIII. And I just have to ask...

Why?

It could be because I didn't play much of XIII, but apart from Lightning's inspiration being Cloud and both games main cast having a black guy I'm not seeing the parallels between them. How are they in any way similar? In what way would one compare and contrast to decide which is better? Did someone just decide to go, "XIII > VII" one day to cause unrest or is there something I'm missing?

Discuss.

[Jinx]

I mean, I've barely played and XIII myself, so I really can't comment on how good or bad the game is. But most people I've talked to hate the game, so I'm really surprised to see that this is actually a thing.

[Forsaken Lover]

It's because the developers of XIII have been pushing the game to the moon.

Fabula Nova Crystallis & a decade of Final Fa - Video Game News, Videos and File Downloads for PC and Console Games at Shacknews.com

"We've been with Lightning for 10 years. We would love for her to be one of those iconic characters that live on well after the game is done," Kitase said as we wrapped up our interview. "This is the first trilogy of the series. This is the first strong female protagonist we've ever had in Lightning. We would definitely love for it to become one of those legacy titles, like Final Fantasy VII..."

You'll remember that Kitase helped write FFVII. Tragically, it appears his brain has melted since then.

Point is, XIII and Toriyama's waifu are Square's best attempt at something new and fresh and AMAZING. So it's compared to FFVII, which is their most AMAZING title in terms of impact on gaming.

The key failing in this approach is that FFXIII kinda sucks and FFVII was a great game.

[Ayen]

Ah, so that is what they were going for. I had a feeling they were trying to make XIII the next Final Fantasy VII in how much time and effort they sank into the franchise but I wasn't 100% sure that was the case or if I was reading too much into it, or if it was connected to the arguments I've been seeing. That makes sense.

I take issue with any developer or creator in anything setting out to make anything 'iconic'. You can't plan greatness. It's something that just happens from a well crafted story and fleshed out characters. I don't think anyone going into Final Fantasy VII expected that to become the staple of the entire franchise.

Wait a minute, "This is the first strong female protagonist we've ever had in Lightning." Did they forget about Terra?

[Spooniest]

We want more. Just shake it up.

'S what I say.

As to whether 7 or 13 is superior, I can't say either and have to accept that such arguments are a healthy and normal part of literary fandom.

Cuz they are stories after all.

[Sephiroth]

Did they forget about Terra?

Terra was never strong. She was a shy girl seeking love since she was raised by the Empire. She found her meaning of life when the story was over already. Lightning was strong in Episode Zero already and that is the novel when she swore at her mother's grave to be brave an become an adult, become Lightning and care for Serah and that before the first Final Fantasy XIII. Even Yuna and Ashe learn to be strong earlier than Terra. Not that it is her fault, her questions make her story.

About the topic: I love the Fabula Nova Crystallis but the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII is invincible.

[Mirage]

We want more. Just shake it up.

'S what I say.

As to whether 7 or 13 is superior, I can't say either and have to accept that such arguments are a healthy and normal part of literary fandom.

Cuz they are stories after all.

It's not just about the story when you rate games. At least not for me.

[maybee]

Terra was never strong. She was a shy girl seeking love since she was raised by the Empire.

WHat? Just what ?

Terra was epic strong, maybe not physically, but mentally. From birth she was basically ripped apart from her parents and was a tool for the Empire and became Kefka's slave which tore apart her memory. Her being lost and confused, is pretty real, however she stands up and doesn't let what Kefka did to her let her down, she finds love in protecting the orphans that have nothing left, and because of that love she becomes even stronger and helps the group defeat Kefka, and then she's the one the leads the group out of Kefka's final dungeon and doesn't fear death, despite the lost of magic.

She doesn't seek love, she whats to understand it. Huge difference.

On Topic/

Who cares ?

Final Fantasy XIII is either a love it or loathe it game and Final Fantasy VII is decent, but not the best and pairing these two up together as " rivals " per say, is strange.

[Sephiroth]

You didn't read what I wrote and completely ignored the part of the story being already over which is when you are about to go to Kefka. Maybe you also didn't understand that I didn't talk about "over" like it has already ended and is only scenes and credits already but "over" like "you can already see the finish line". Just reading some things but not putting them into relation with all existent details is also the reason why so many Final Fantasys and other stories are misunderstood. That is a fact and just normal but can be avoided by getting all details and setting them into the right relation. It is not done here, not done by many people in Final Fantasy VII and actually it is such a common mistake that it is also done in actual important topics, conversations about humans and the world. Our world, of course. Saying something different is also no good. A story is whatever its owner wants it to be and Terra is like that. It does not make a bad character at all.

She is very weak, it is just like that. And I don't speak about her latent powers, you however do not think that anyway. She was used by the empire and could do nothing against it. And it is not only like she was so weak but that she never could do anything against being weak, she just was totally made like this. She was used since she was a baby and when they wanted they even robbed her her will. And in Final Fantasy having no will and not resisting magical or mind control items or powers or not being able to control your own powers is exactly the opposite of mentally strong. I even implied she gets stronger during the story but she is a very weak girl at the beginning. And just because she asks for the meaning of love does not mean she does not want to feel it. This feeling is very important to her since it was nothing she felt since she was a baby, the ship discussion with Leo was very relvevant as Leo actually wanted her to get to know it. The Mobliz story with her, the last survivors and the new born baby is totally something she did because she liked it, she didn't just stay there because they were like her specimen when it was about analyzing love, she wanted to have this in her life and when Square does not mention her and show her like that in her own story and shows those characteristics in Dissidia, so the characteristics of the girl very unsure about things but actually seeking her place in the world, since they are the most relevant about her then it just is like that. Terra is my favourite in Final Fantasy VI but I like her for what she is and your life story of finding your meaning of life and learning to be strong is not the same as being strong from the beginning. Terra needs her friends, Terra needs her journey, she needs Mobliz and she definitely needs to close the Kefka chapter which stands for no love at all.

EDIT: Replying is no use if you just want to defend Terra. I don't say that because I don't like her, I say it because you need to consider every official detail about the story, so I won't reply to this anymore.

[maybee]

She is very weak, it is just like that.

Lol, no she's not.

Just because she didn't wield a massive sword or Gunblade and go all revenge on the Empire & Kefka doesn't mean that she's a very weak person. There is also mental strength than just physical strength, you know.

She acted like any normal person would after being mentally-abused like that. Scared, lost, confused, and traumatized.

She was used by the empire and could do nothing against it.

Buuulllshiiiit.

She joined the Returners did she not ? And after she regained her memory she was keen to head into the land of the Espers and show Kefka who's boss.

Deal with it bro.

And yeah, she was just one person, this is the clown that destroyed the world and the Empire that ruled the world with a Iron Fist, not even Mr Suplex a Train could take them on without aid of the Returners. In fact, even all of the Returners with them all together as one struggled, they screw up during the Floating Island, and that was them as a team.

And it is not only like she was so weak but that she never could do anything against being weak, she just was totally made like this.

Again total BS

She started off lost and confused, but because of character development she became a stronger person. Most Final Fantasy leads start off somewhat lost and then become a better person. Cecil, Terra, Squall, Zidane, Tidus etc

It's called character development.

She was used since she was a baby and when they wanted they even robbed her her will. And in Final Fantasy having no will and not resisting magical or mind control items or powers or not being able to control your own powers is exactly the opposite of mentally strong.

Yes the Empire did rob her off her free will and no, just no. What a load of hogwash. You made up that " Final Fantasy law/ rule " yourself. And yes, she is mentally strong, due to overcoming Kefka's control on her and not letting herself become Kefka's toy.

I even implied she gets stronger during the story but she is a very weak girl at the beginning.

Keyword here : The beginning.

And just because she asks for the meaning of love does not mean she does not want to feel it.

No Terra wants to feel love, hence why she feels so much less confused when she does understand and feel, and know love.

The Mobliz story with her, the last survivors and the new born baby is totally something she did because she liked it

Well yeah... she wanted to stay and protect them because her emotions in her heart wanted her to stay and protect them from Kefka, and then she realizes that she wanted to protect them, because she loves them like she was their real Mother.

she didn't just stay there because they were like her specimen when it was about analyzing love

I didn't say that.

she wanted to have this in her life and when Square does not mention her and show her like that in her own story and shows those characteristics in Dissidia

Dissidia!Terra is completely off her original character so much that it shouldn't be compared.

Terra is my favourite in Final Fantasy VI

That's kind of depressing, because you don't even know that the character that you really like. You think that she's this weak, feeble chick when she's not.

but I like her for what she is

No you do not.

Terra needs her friends, Terra needs her journey, she needs Mobliz

EVERYBODY needs their friends, everybody needs their journey and who they love. You need friendships and love to survive, needing friends and love DOES NOT make you weak in any way, it just makes you human. We desire love and comfort because from birth, as humans we desire to be loved and held.

EDIT: Replying is no use if you just want to defend Terra.

2 late.

And defend Terra ? You don't want me to defend somebody that you say that you like ?
I don't think that you really like her at all and you're just pulling straws.

[Shauna]

Because people like to argue about things.

Also you'll get FF vs FF all the time. They may have little in common but dammit we will compare them anyway because that's what we do.

FF7 is the fan darling and FF13 is the most recent main-numbered-instalment. People will compare and argue them until they die.

[Ayen]

I just find it interesting because people defending XIII as a good game has enough of a challenge in general. Arguing that it's better than VII would require a skill of convincing that I'm not sure exists.

I've seen fans of VI and VII argue a lot over which is better, except in that debate you could make a strong case for either installment.

[Sephiroth]

Arguing that it's better than VII would require a skill of convincing that I'm not sure exists.

That is hard to say, I also will never think of it as better than Final Fantasy VII but much effort has went into the Fabula Nova Crystallis of Final Fantasy XIII and it definitely has some well-thought out aspects. In the end the story of an RPG should be the most interesting thing for someone and Final Fantasy XIII has much story with its world and characters, all three parts, of course as well as things live the novels, et cetera.

Lightning would only be stronger in the sense of physical strength and bad attitude.

No, I already wrote when she became a strong person. That is a fact. And that is exactly what I am taliking about when I say people only read half information and can't set it into the right context then.

[Gamblet]

In my opinion you can't really compare those two, the difference between them is so... vast.

[Elskidor]

Did they forget about Terra?

Terra was never strong.

Lightning would only be stronger in the sense of physical strength and bad attitude.