Ranking The Final Fantasy 13 Trilogy - Which One is The Best

Ranking The Final Fantasy 13 Trilogy - Which One is The Best

The Final Fantasy 13 Trilogy is one of the most criticized trilogies of video games of all time. But I love the trilogy and Final Fantasy XIII in general. But a big question, is which game in the trilogy is the best? And which is the worst? Let's find out!!

Content of the Video:

0:00 Intro

0:20 The Worst

3:55 The Middle Child

6:58 The Best

9:22 Subjectively

#finalfantasy #ff13 #finalfantasy13

[MelaniWanda]

I agree 1000%. For me XIII-2 is the best in the trilogy and definitely one of the best FF titles, even if only because of how fun it is to play. The OST is amazing and Caius, Serah and Noel are some of my favorite videogame characters ever. I need SE to announce a remaster of this trilogy for new gen consoles ASAP.

[JAGtheTrekkieGEMINI]

While I disagree with a few arguments I also think that FF13-2 is the Best Part of the FF13 Trilogy

[ClaireYunFarronXIII]

This is a question I like asking fans of this trilogy, because they always give great answers explaining why whichever game is their favourite, like you yourself have done. As a whole, the trilogy is tied together extremely well, but each game comes with a distinct flavour that's sure to resonate with fans in some way or another. So, I may not agree with their overall ranking, but I fully understand where they're coming from. That's typically what trilogies are like. That's what Final Fantasy is like—or should be. Most people like debating on which game in the trilogy is the best, but choose not to participate, for the most part. I like looking at the trilogy as a whole, since the games either elevate or add some retrospect to one another. Each game can stand on its own, yes, but they're also a part of something bigger, and some people forget that, it seems. That said, I do have a favourite.

Great video. And thanks for turning down that music drowning you out. That was quick.

[andrewdowell]

I'm glad you feel the same way about the world and lore of FFXIII. I get the complaints about the data logs but once I got into the habit of reading them every so often, I got really engrossed in the game's universe. I really love the story and setting in this game. I like the sequels but they do kind of take away from the main game itself. They kind of recontextualize the original game too much when I think the first one can stand alone just fine.

[robwaters]

By the way, the ending of the trilogy is spoiled at the 2:30 mark.

[Therius]

Great video as always! It's been a while since I had time to watch one and I need to catch up. I definitely know which channel I am binging during my winter break 😉

My personal order puts them in chronological order for the exact reason you mentioned in the subjective section at the end. OG FF13 is what made me fall in love with the world and its characters. Each game afterwards really divorced itself from the foundation that its predecessors established.

FF13-2 is great but for half the time I felt like I was playing an alternative universe spinoff instead of a direct sequel set in the same world. Which isn't a bad thing, but I feel that time travel really hindered the plot since there was no way to do things like going back to when Cocoon was still prospering or the "War of transgression" that is central to the plot but never mentioned outside of 2 cutscenes and datalogs which means we couldn't flesh out the pasts of our OG cast. But the ending of 13-2 was still pretty good, I have never felt more hoodwinked in my life. I am still not over the fact that were making it happen the whole time. Gameplay wise, I think FF13-2 handled the battle system perfectly. Nothing more to say there, the whole trilogy could have followed its example and just kept refining this battle system

Lightning Returns is a great game but feels like its own standalone thing with how distant it feels from the source material, which is really my only problem with the game. The rest is fine, the music is stellar and the battle system is fine once you get used to it (or download the DLC and wreck everyone on normal mode).

In general, I feel this trilogy is the one that needed a prequel instead of a sequel the most out of any other game. That way we could see more of our OG cast and be invested in the world of Fabula Nova Chrysalis. The datalogs and Fal'Cie make it sound like we missed out on a badass war of the Gods with Man trapped in the middle. People feared L'Cie for a reason, I want to see why that is. Who went absolutely ham with their powers? We know from the Ci'eth stones that not everyone was a misunderstood and sympathetic character like our main cast.

Hell give me a Fang, Vanille, and Caius game with them as the MCs set before the main story, since it is pretty much implied they were all around at the same time but from different villages/factions. It would give me a reason to care that cocoon falls and Pulse was essentially genocided or that Caius has been suffering for millennia. It would give Bhunivelze a reason to appear before the final game and not out of nowhere.

With what little we got its hard to be invested. I felt like siding with the main villain of FF13 on several occasions because Cocoon seemed like a bunch of a-holes that deserved it, so who cares if it falls. I agree the villain is bland but that's likely because he is exhausted and we missed out on what led him to this point of being done with it all. They had something cooking with the first game but took a hard detour for some reason

[BULLETSCARER]

This is a really good video, it's cool to see someone talking about the 13 trilogy. Like, and it's the fact I was also watching these videos of yours as I was going thru them, that was also kinda cool too lol. Once I got going, I blew right thru the trilogy and wasn't even trying to the point some stuff I'm just not thinking of or can recall from some segments of the games cuz of how fast I blew thru it and cuz of how much I really enjoyed Lightning Returns. Which might be weird, but literally, that's what happened lol and idk if that's happened to anyone else playing any kind of game.

I really enjoyed this trilogy overall tho. I think if I was to rank them right now, it'd be Lighting Returns, XIII2 then 13. I'd probably have to sit on it for a bit and sit and think about that but that's more than likely how I'd rank them. But overall, I loved the trilogy and can say with confidence, Lightning Returns is my favorite. I liked the characters and the world of Lightning Returns. And I liked the time mechanic for the world. It gives you a sense of urgency almost, to make you feel like Lightning trying to rush and save as many people as you can. And tbh, I liked how it ends with Lightning defeating a god and basically becoming one. That was cool, showcasing how powerful she's gotten over the trilogy, and Lightning as a character was great in my opinion. Next to Cloud, she might be my favorite in the Final Fantasy series if not, my literal favorite, and idk why, just something about Lightning, she's just awesome. If at some point they returned to this world of Final Fantasy with Lightning and them, that'd be cool I think, but honestly, leaving it on its own would be probably the smartest way to do things.

[ypto]

For me it's

1. Lightning Returns
2. XIII
3. XIII-2

XIII is second because it just hit the spot when I played. I decided to get through it slowly (took me 2 months) which definitely let me get immersed in the story and really love and understand the characters. XIII-2 however (although the gameplay is technically better) had more of a "spin-off" vibe, throwing in the Caius-Yeul-Noel side-story. Also, XIII had this very "celestial-tech futurism meets fantasy" aesthetic, but XIII-2 was simply futuristic which took some of the charm off. Also it's really short so I barely had any time to get immersed.
Lightning Returns, however, was amazing. I love timed games, and I loved how it strayed from the futuristic setting and went for a more "contemporary-ish" vibe, similar to versus xiii's (not xv though). Also, the time, the towns and the many side-quests made the world feel living, and so real.

Overall I loved the entire trilogy and really don't understand its nonsensical criticism (aside from XIII's linearity, that I can understand). I chose to play it as my first true final fantasy experience bc I remembered my dad playing it around 2013 when I was pretty much a kid, and I had many memories watching him play it

[dangregory]

Please explain to me, how I look at your videos. Enjoy them so much thinking I’ve found someone who’s got several hundred thousand subs. To find you have 2k. You’ve got a big future here, your content is set out fantastically. I’ve genuinely gotten back into wanting play these games again, I go on Spotify to listen to the music as well. Ff13 is my favourite game of all time and you’ve made me want to play it again for like the 10th time

[davidlejenkins]

What I always tell my friends is: If you like more engaging reactionary combat play lightning returns, If you want to get lost in a amazing fantasy world, play the first one, and if you're under the influence, play the second one and you won't regret it.

[TheBoodercg]

Its tough for me to find a cooler experience than sprinting around the hub world as Lightning, and slashing and bashing down targets single-handedly. Its just straight up a fun time in Lightning Returns.

[TrvisXXIII]

XIII-2 was so short, when I completed the game in almost 40 hours during the initial release, I still didn’t believe it was over when I got to the credits lol

[florentmanzi]

Your Final Fantasy 'Worth Playing' series was one of my most enjoyed content on Youtube this year!

Looking forward to your next videos: is there any plan to do one for FFX-2 ?

[cutthratjake]

XIII-2 is the best, but my favorite is Lightning Returns. XIII is far too linear for me. As for Lightning Returns clock, I've never found it a challenge and never ran out ouf time.

[MagusX]

Great video. I have always been an adamant defender of this game. Never understood the hatred for it. I do agree however that the game is empty, but I think the combat is phenomenal, I love the music, I love the story and even the characters. I hated that people called Noel a crybaby but his anger towards Snow made sense.

[Coreisus]

I remember 14/15 year old me playing 13-2 and totally dismissing the "Pokémon mini-game" thinking it was just an optional thing.

And boy did I *struggle* to make it to the final boss. And I could never get him down more than half health.

Years later, watching these reviews I realize that wasn't an optional mini game, but actually a core element of the game.
If I'd actually interacted with it, then maybe I'd have beaten the game

[keybladerk]

id agree with this assessment, yes. personally i think 13-2 is one of the rare games who did (most of) their dlc correctly.

[QwertyRulz]

It's here! It's finally here! Yes! Give me more of that delicious FF13 video content!
--
8:00
"How could you say something so controversial yet so brave!?"
You didn't have to reveal this universal fact to the masses...but I'm glad you did.
I worked so HARD to get certain ones, one being the DLC physical Sabateur with the glasses.
I fought her so many times to unlock ger that I literally had it down to a formula and went from 11 minutes battles to around 5.
I liked the "actually battling alongside your captured monsters" feel of it so much. And Serah going, "What a good boy!" when your monster gets a final blow (hilarious when it's a tonberry) has lived in my head at least once a month since the game came out.

[DaltonGoesSlow]

Glad you mentioned the multiple playthrus of lrff13. When approached from that angle the time limit is a non issue. Especially if you start on easy as intended. You can kinda steam roll normal and then hard is a kick in the pants. I loved the time limit and extinction mechanics. Also loved the questing and the return of useful NPCs. I think LR is a jrpg gamers jrpg all aspects but the battle system really. It felt so much like classic FF to me, in the good way. Not in the OOPS YOU MISSED THE ZODIAC SPEAR way in ff12

[ardizhareta]

no for me lightning return is the best final fantasy game of all time