Chapter 7 is complete, and certainly the high point of the plot so far, at least in regard to Snow, Lightning, and Hope. It starts off really awkward, though, and I still find the "we're pets" scene to be more unintentionally funny than thought-provoking. But at least it gets Lightning into a better place, where she can feel likeable. I always forget how much I like Fang though, she is definitely the most charismatic character in the cast, and her dynamics with Lightning and Snow make both of them feel more likable in association.

I still see Snow as being a deconstruction of a character like Sabin. Another happy-go-lucky character holding trauma, and throwing caution to wind (along with punching it in the face) when confronted with adversity. I still feel that Hope/Snow is nowhere near as enthralling or gut-wrenching as the Ken/Shinji dynamic in Persona 3. Probably because there is a bit more trauma and twisted aspects to the P3 version, whereas XIII's sill has to play second fiddle to other plot elements like the l'Cie thing that is used as a blanket excuse to resolve the conflict.

I also forget how much I like Hope's dad, and the intriguing plot directions he presents that I know will never go anywhere in this plot once Barthandelus hijacks the story. Rosch is an intriguing antagonist as well, who is more cutthroat than I remember him being. Of course this, and Chapter 12 are the only times he factors into the plot. I will say that the Calvary, and Cid, are still poorly explained or utilized in this plot. Yes, the Datalogs provide all the information I mean, but they largely feel like this intentional big good created to be a deus ex machina to get characters out of sticky situations the writers can't figure out how to get out of. So I am digging them less and less every time they show up. Especially since we've had maybe one scene to really introduce them, and it was ambiguous at best.

In gameplay, this chapter brought back all the roles, which was nice. I hate that one Gatling gun aircraft unit, though. The best part was having enemies drop money items while also giving me better access to organic materials through the shops, so I could raise weapon levels. Snow, Fang, and Lightning are all still using starting weapons with low XP thresholds for levels, but Hope, Sazh, and Vanille are all using specialty weapons that have ridiculous XP level needs. I am annoyed there are not any good synthesis abilities available at this point of the game, but I shouldn't be surprised since there are barely twenty in the game overall, and half of them are sort of useless. The only two I've taken advantage of is Snow's High HP skill with his starting weapon, and Sazh has a fire elemental one he's using to help bolster his less than stellar Ravager role while also giving him better survivability against all the fire based enemies in his chapter.

I am now off to Chapter 8, which I remember being the last real good chapter of this game before it really all goes to hell for me. So we'll see.