Whether you loved or hated Final Fantasy XIII, anyone who cares about its sequel wants to know how it compares: is it better than FFXIII? How different is it? Well, Final Fantasy XIII-2 definitely improves upon XIII… in some ways.

More freedom; more exploration; more discovery; Story driven by characters; Battle system still rules

No summons; Some difficulty dips and spikes; Only two party members

It seems like everyone who played Final Fantasy XIII, even those who truly liked it, had at least one bone to pick. Complaints were like snowflakes, unique in shape and consistency.

Engaging story and characters; Witness how actions change events through time travel; Significantly improved battle system; Side quests and puzzles add welcomed variety

Character customization is lacking; Side plots occasionally vanish without a trace; QTEs remove agency from some battles

Great: Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding it back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.

Prepare yourself for the most confusing and nonsensical Final Fantasy game you will ever play. While Final Fantasy XIII-2 redeems itself and its predecessor slightly by offering a return to things that made the series great, like open environments, lots of sidequests and even chocobo racing, it also...

Looks great; turn-based battle system is fantastic; can explore different periods in time and take on side-quests; lots of different monsters to recruit; leveling up characters is quite easy; multiple difficulty levels; multiple endings and there are quick-time events in battles.

Confusing story and hokey script; Chocolina is an unholy terror and must be stopped.

Kevin VanOrd travels through time searching for Lightning in this video review for Final Fantasy XIII-2.

Monster collection is fun and addictive; Multiple heartfelt moments combine story and gameplay in effective ways; Caius is a fantastic villain; Impressive; varied visual design

The best characters were sidelined in favor of less interesting ones; Multiple sequences bog down the pace; Main story is relatively easy and short

Final Fantasy XIII-2's box art features the indomitable Lightning, looking strong and feminine in her tough-as-nails armor and flowing skirt of feathers. You remember Lightning, of course: she spent the majority of Final Fantasy XIII trying to release her sister Serah from a crystalline prison.

Monster collection is fun and addictive; Multiple heartfelt moments combine story and gameplay in effective ways; Caius is a fantastic villain; Impressive; varied visual design

The best characters were sidelined in favor of less interesting ones; Multiple sequences bog down the pace; Main story is relatively easy and short

Tradition meets innovation, experiments meet apologies, and worlds collide.

+ Lightning-fast battle system with a highly addictive growth interface; + Monster allies and the time travel system are awesome

+ Lightning-fast battle system with a highly addictive growth interface; + Monster allies and the time travel system are awesome, - Perhaps the worst story in Final Fantasy history.

The unfolding drama of Final Fantasy XIII continues in Final Fantasy XIII-2. Explore a richly developed world featuring both new and familiar faces, and an exciting and highly developed strategic battle system. In this ongoing saga, the future is about to change...

When I first heard about Square Enix making a sequel to Final Fantasy XIII, I was pretty excited. Although I have to be honest, I had high hopes and low expectations. I just finished the massive thirteen when I started the second one, so I had the plot stored in my memory.

A lot of Final Fantasy fans weren't very enamoured with the 13th iteration of the series, with a major reason behind the lack of love being that many genre staples were omitted, such as towns, NPC interaction and as for the exploration aspect, well there's probably more potential for adventure up...