I didn't like this sequel as much as the original. It starts out alright, with the introduction of Noel and the reintroduction of Serah. It really doesn't get itself together at all after that, unfortunately.
Gameplay is essentially the same as Final Fantasy XIII with three party members and the paradigm system to swap what your characters can do. XIII-2 only has two permanent party members (Noel and Serah) and your third slot rotates in monsters you tame, depending on what paradigm type you choose. This seems cool at first, but the monsters are strictly less interesting than an actual party member would be.
The fights in this game lean into the weaker aspects of the combat system pretty hard. Most of the fights don't really allow you to utilize any jobs other than commando or ravager (even medic is outclassed by simply using potions). It feels like the designers don't really have any idea what makes this system interesting and fun.
I don't really even know what to say about the story, but it manages to be even more incomprehensible than the original. They take the baseline jargon-world of Final Fantasy XIII and add in time travel. The events are random, the locations are random, characters from FFXIII show up randomly, and the antagonist is a random character with arbitrary motivations that don't make any sense. In fact, most of what is happening doesn't make sense, isn't really explained, or is just boring or dumb. I liked Noel as a character, but basically everyone else and everything else that happens in the game is pretty bad.
I still ended up having an ok time with Final Fantasy XIII-2, carried mainly by the strength of the combat system and Noel. Unless you are really invested in the story of Final Fantasy XIII, this game probably isn't worth playing.
Gameplay is essentially the same as Final Fantasy XIII with three party members and the paradigm system to swap what your characters can do. XIII-2 only has two permanent party members (Noel and Serah) and your third slot rotates in monsters you tame, depending on what paradigm type you choose. This seems cool at first, but the monsters are strictly less interesting than an actual party member would be.
The fights in this game lean into the weaker aspects of the combat system pretty hard. Most of the fights don't really allow you to utilize any jobs other than commando or ravager (even medic is outclassed by simply using potions). It feels like the designers don't really have any idea what makes this system interesting and fun.
I don't really even know what to say about the story, but it manages to be even more incomprehensible than the original. They take the baseline jargon-world of Final Fantasy XIII and add in time travel. The events are random, the locations are random, characters from FFXIII show up randomly, and the antagonist is a random character with arbitrary motivations that don't make any sense. In fact, most of what is happening doesn't make sense, isn't really explained, or is just boring or dumb. I liked Noel as a character, but basically everyone else and everything else that happens in the game is pretty bad.
I still ended up having an ok time with Final Fantasy XIII-2, carried mainly by the strength of the combat system and Noel. Unless you are really invested in the story of Final Fantasy XIII, this game probably isn't worth playing.