Okay, Let's Just Pretend Lightning Returns Doesn't Exist

I've decided to be completely indifferent for the time being, and optimistic for the future. In all honesty, it's really the only way I can remain sane.

Right now, here's my suggestion for all you hardcore Final Fantasy fans who feel slighted (and maybe even downright abused) at the announcement of Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, the game that focuses more on action and institutes what sounds like a ridiculous time clock:

Just pretend it isn't there. Seriously. Let's not complain because quite clearly, that doesn't do anything. Square Enix doesn't listen and worse, they have no intention of listening, so why get a hernia over something we can't change? Besides, let's not forget that this is the "Final Chapter" in the Lightning Saga, so they can't do this to us again. At the very least, they have to start over the next generation with Final Fantasy XV. Right? Speaking of which, we should probably not put much faith in Versus XIII, either. Too much of a leap of a faith.

With a new generation comes fresh hope. We put the past generation behind us, try to forget the mistakes game makers have made, and look to the future. Many designers have reinvented themselves with new hardware, and there has to be a chance for Square Enix down the road. I'm going to cling to that. Lightning Returns might turn out great, I don't know. But for now, I'm just going to pretend it's not there...and I suggest you do the same if you're really upset.

Tags: lightning returns, final fantasy xiii, ffxiii sequel, final fantasy xv

9/2/2012 9:02:19 PM Ben Dutka

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Comments (68 posts)

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bebestorm
Sunday, September 02, 2012 @ 9:32:22 PM
Reply

Its easy to pretend!.... The one I pretend doesn't exist is FF X-2!

6 up, 4 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Sunday, September 02, 2012 @ 10:17:55 PM

But you can never pretend it didn't have the finest active time turn based battle system ever seen.

4 up, 1 down

bebestorm
Sunday, September 02, 2012 @ 10:48:48 PM

Yeah I can because I chose not to play it.

4 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Sunday, September 02, 2012 @ 10:53:10 PM

Touche

4 up, 0 down

Ultimadream
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 2:57:59 AM

Even so that was ruined by the tedious dress sphere system...

0 up, 1 down

daus26
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 7:41:15 AM

Tedious? I thought they were fun lol. It's like having multiple classes.

3 up, 0 down

ZettaiSeigi
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 9:15:18 AM

@daus26: I agree. Between FF X-2 and XIII-2, it's easily the former for me, any day.

2 up, 0 down

ZettaiSeigi
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 9:15:19 AM

The only consolation for me on this news is the fact that it's going to be the final chapter of this polarizing FF game. I'll just wait until the give FF Versus XIII the spotlight that it long deserved.

Last edited by ZettaiSeigi on 9/3/2012 9:16:48 AM

1 up, 0 down

Neo_Aeon666
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 12:32:00 PM

LOL I was a sucker for Luna and I loved it when she was impersonated at first and sang WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU! lolll Man I got em all in lady luck outfits to clear the game! AH and I remember wanting to peek at the hotspring scene LOL man

1 up, 0 down

Temjin001
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 5:01:06 PM

I have to say, of all the FF's, X-2 was the hardest for me to accept because of the overbearing femme appeal of it all. Granted, it may do some nice game play things, but I'm sure a Barbie game could, too, but it doesn't mean I'll want to play it =)

0 up, 0 down

Underdog15
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 8:55:41 PM

LOL @ FFX-2 being an "Active time turn based" battle system. >.< A term just now invented by World, though the concept was first achieved through FFXIII.

I think part of the problem here is that some people just don't know what they're looking at.

Last edited by Underdog15 on 9/3/2012 8:56:11 PM

0 up, 0 down

Arvis
Wednesday, September 05, 2012 @ 10:56:39 AM

FFX-2 is one of the best games in the franchise. Objectively, I feel comfortable saying that you are truly missing out by skipping that game. So addictive, so fun. Cheesy, yes, almost painfully so at times, but there are some touching, genuine moments as well.

-Arvis

0 up, 0 down

Siris86
Sunday, September 02, 2012 @ 9:51:19 PM
Reply

Though not quite the RPG everyone expected, it seems a little harsh to pretend the game doesn't exist. With an open world, stealth and perhaps traversal mechanics, and an action oriented battle system, I think it's at least interesting enough to warrant further information. Of course I'd much prefer Versus info, but I have the hunch that it's shaping up to be FFXV and possibly next-gen.

Last edited by Siris86 on 9/2/2012 9:53:16 PM

1 up, 7 down

Siris86
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 10:09:00 AM

So, I guess since everyone wants to forget the game, when actual gameplay is presented this site won't cover it, right? I'm sure...When any of these elements are found in other games it makes them interesting (save the winding clock, though I think the extremity of the time phobia displayed here is a little ridiculous), but in a FF spinoff, shield your eyes! Run away! Be true fans of Final Fantasy that immediately hates anything SE produces! Hope on Versus until the next baseless rumor emerges and then quickly abandon it!

0 up, 3 down

Underdog15
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 8:57:09 PM

I don't think you grasped the concept of the article. :p

0 up, 0 down

LoneRanger1975
Sunday, September 02, 2012 @ 10:05:28 PM
Reply

I will probably wait for this FF to go down. This year it's like 2 months after a game comes out it goes to $30 or less. Yeah, I got burned waaaayyyyyyyy too much this year.

On a separate but related issue: When the h^ll is Final Fantasy X HD coming out?! It was due around or near the Vita's launch and there just remains a TBA slot on every board. I've got a few FFs on my Vita but this is one I never finished on the PS2 and the Vita plus PSP are awesome for them long RPGs. Shut down the system for a few hours and come right back where you were in the game. No waiting. (I love my Vita BTW.)

3 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Sunday, September 02, 2012 @ 10:20:48 PM

When asked about the progress of FFXHD at the FF 25th Anniversary event Shinja Hashimoto gave a quick response: "no comment".

0 up, 0 down

daus26
Sunday, September 02, 2012 @ 10:26:37 PM

Ugh. Of course. Like FFXIII-2. they'd want all focus to be on Lightning Returns.

0 up, 0 down

Underdog15
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 8:58:06 PM

@World
I hope they got boo'd hardcore.

0 up, 0 down

Heartless Angel
Sunday, September 02, 2012 @ 10:14:43 PM
Reply

Let's now buy this game. Let the low sales be a wake up call to them that we don't want this and we never wanted the story of XIII to be extended in the first place.

0 up, 0 down

Ludakriss
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 4:12:24 AM

There is irony in the typo in the first sentence. Now, instead of "not".

4 up, 0 down

daus26
Sunday, September 02, 2012 @ 10:23:56 PM
Reply

It's hard to pretend that this game doesn't exist when it's a game that is going to delay FFvsXIII even further into non-existence for this gen. If FFvsXIII were to release before, or around it's time, then maybe.

And yes, although it's too strong of a word, it just seems like they are abusing the fans. They're continuosly doing things that are the opposite of what the fans want to see. I'm not the one that should wish SE a bad omen, but I do still have a glimmer of hope that someday all this nonsense will stop.

0 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Sunday, September 02, 2012 @ 10:24:39 PM
Reply

It's difficult to ignore multiple knives to the heart. The problem here seems to be that people want to wait and find out of it's a "good game in it's own right."

Yeah, consumers don't want that from FF.

But you're right, there is no point at all in shouting at the deaf, gesticulating in front of the blind, or asking for answers from the dumb.

3 up, 1 down

Metal Head
Sunday, September 02, 2012 @ 10:50:26 PM
Reply

I will get the game, but not pay full price. I have played worst games in my life for example, Zelda on 64 it was impossible to play and enjoy. A friend of mine lend me his N64 and zelda Occarine of time if I remember correctly.

0 up, 1 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Sunday, September 02, 2012 @ 10:54:55 PM

Wow, Ocarina is considered among the greatest games ever made. In any case, I'll buy this used to see how the story ends without getting any money to SE. Well, that is if the clock doesn't turn out to make it unplayable.

0 up, 0 down

Jawknee
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 12:47:39 AM

I didn't like the clock in Majora's Mask either. I never finished the game. Was my least favorite Zelda. I won't lie though, if Nintendo remakes it for 3DS I'll give it another try.

0 up, 0 down

dmiitrie
Sunday, September 02, 2012 @ 11:00:12 PM
Reply

This is pretty much the approach I've taken for a little while now. I was really angry with XIII. I was sorta disappointed with XIII-2. Now, I just can't work up the energy to be upset at all. S-E has taken everything away from me, even my ability to be mad on the Internet. I just don't care any more, not about this, not about Versus, not even about XV.

2 up, 0 down

tes37
Sunday, September 02, 2012 @ 11:01:44 PM
Reply

Pretending this doesn't exist will be easy. When it releases, I'll stop pretending and it's non-existence in my library will be a reality.

3 up, 0 down

Metal Head
Sunday, September 02, 2012 @ 11:06:12 PM
Reply

@ World I hate it the clock formula for Occarina. I don't like to go against time, is irritating in real life already to have to deal with in a game. I play my games slow enjoying every detail that many gamers don't do.

3 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Sunday, September 02, 2012 @ 11:53:05 PM

Ahhhh, you have made a mistake! The lame clock was in Majora's Mask not Ocarina. I couldn't play Majora's Mask either. It's just a gimmick to make a game that has little content seem longer.

2 up, 0 down

gunblademaster
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 12:52:40 AM

Majoras was so awesome! As long as you played the song on the ocarina that slowed time down, time never became a problem.
I also hate time on games but there was something about Majoras that I really enjoyed. There was much more sidequests that OoT and the system where certain events are triggered at different times worked well.

0 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 11:57:34 AM

I hear ya gunblade, but you shouldn't have any significant time limits in an RPG and (in my opinion) shouldn't have to do anything special to thwart your game restarting every few minutes so you have to do things over and over.

1 up, 0 down

ZenChichiri
Sunday, September 02, 2012 @ 11:13:50 PM
Reply

I just pretend that this is what they really mean by it:

http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/17xqutf8w4cv4jpg/medium.jpg

3 up, 0 down

tes37
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 10:24:49 AM

LOL. I like that.

0 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 11:57:54 AM

HAH!

0 up, 0 down

Underdog15
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 9:02:39 PM

lol excellent.

0 up, 0 down

Dancemachine55
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 12:08:09 AM
Reply

Square Enix,

Remove the Final Fantasy title from ALL of your games. You're just driving away more and more fans.

Oh, and feel free to sell the rights and Final Fantasy name, brand and logo to Mistwalker Studios. They're the only ones who can bring the franchise back to standard.

Feel free to make more games, just not anymore Final Fantasy games as you clearly have no idea what you're doing with that franchise anymore and clearly don't care about the fans anymore.

Yours sincerely,
Dancemachine55

1 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 12:46:26 AM
Reply

Suikoden! Time to jump in and steal the Final Fantasy fan base now.

2 up, 0 down

gunblademaster
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 12:54:51 AM
Reply

As long as they add auto-battle, I'll be a happy gamer.... ....he...hehe....hahahah....HAHAHAHA!!!

Sorry, could not contain myself

2 up, 0 down

Ludakriss
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 4:16:59 AM

xDDDDDDD Wowwww!! You, my friend literally made me laugh in the manner that you wrote in your sentence!

Creepy stuff O_O

1 up, 0 down

gunblademaster
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 6:15:47 AM

LOL.
Well, sometimes when all hope is lost the best thing to do is just laugh.

1 up, 0 down

Lawless SXE
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 3:03:38 AM
Reply

So... you're not going to report on it?

Either way, it probably is the best way to go about it for you guys. I'll just pretend it's another low profile title that I have a passing interest in.

And I hope you realise that even if FFXV does bring back the correct feeling of nostalgia that you're all looking for, S-E is just going to it with one sequel or spin-off after another. They've already announced that they want to follow in the vein of CoD and AC, keeping it the public spotlight with yearly releases, and besides that, history dictates it. Since FFX they've expanded every entry. First with X-2, then countless expansion packs for XI, if you choose to count it. The Ivalice Alliance ties into FFXII and now the Fabula Nova Crystallis and FFXIV: A Realm Reborn. It's inevitable.

0 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 9:48:13 AM

When news pops up about LRFFXIII Ben will split off into John Shepard and write that news :)

0 up, 0 down

ProfPlayStation
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 3:05:27 AM
Reply

A fine suggestion, Ben. Reading Final Fantasy news these days is like watching a huge slow-motion train wreck. It's hard to look away, but I must, because that train contains harmful toxic waste that will only damage me, the longer I look at it. If I pretend it's not happening, maybe it'll just go away...

3 up, 0 down

Ultimadream
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 3:10:17 AM
Reply

As I have said before, I cannot take this game as the true sequel to Final Fantasy XIII-2. It feels like what Crisis Core was to Final Fantasy VII a spin off.

This is not an RPG, I know many of you have joked about the previous 2 being a departure but this one really is. this sounds more like Metal Gear. Infact, I feel the same way about this title as I do with Rising, if it was a separate game not related to my favourite franchise, it be happy but as the context is so removed from the previous titles I just cannot enjoy it. While Rising seems too over the top for Metal Gear at least this title seems like it can fit no matter how wild it gets after the convoluted mess of XIII-2.

What hurts me the most is that they haven't even kept the menus in, even Crisis Core had a menu setting. Applying moves to the face buttons makes it a straight up action game in my book. If this Final Fantasy XIII-3 I'd be fine, but as it's the conclusion of Final Fantasy XIII I want it to be done right in a form of an RPG.

I feel like telling S-E like what Obi-Wan from the original Star Wars does when their vehicle is stopped by two soldiers "This is not the game we're looking for" S-E mindlessly repeats "Go back and try again."

On another note, no Versus, no Type-0, No FFX HD remake... Other than this spin off we got nothing from S-E for the 25th Anniversary, a real let down. Still I guess I want to see the trailer for this spin off tomorrow...

0 up, 3 down

Ultimadream
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 3:14:18 AM

This is all I can think of about this game now:

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz266/ultimadream/MetalGearLight4-1.jpg

1 up, 0 down

Jawknee
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 9:18:34 AM

Only Crisis Core was good. This...not so much.

2 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 9:52:57 AM

That's not true that nothing came out of FF 25th anniversary, we found out there may or may not be an upcoming Final Fantasy dating sim for girls. :(

0 up, 0 down

Oxvial
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 3:37:02 PM

''If this Final Fantasy XIII-3 I'd be fine, but as it's the conclusion of Final Fantasy XIII'' Your obsession of a ''proper'' conclusion with FFXIII on every article of FFXIII is starting to pisses me off!, FFVII had a inconclusive ending and that was fine a much better game than your crappy FFXIII.

0 up, 0 down

homura
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 4:40:02 AM
Reply

New settings, new battle system, I don't care about the story anymore, I will buy this game used. I loved XIII, hated XIII-2 pretend that it's existence is just another paradox. I don't even care about versus anymore, if it will be release so be it, I'm not going to wait anymore. There is a lot more interesting games than this coming next year that deserves full price purchases.

0 up, 0 down

Russell Burrows
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 5:14:56 AM
Reply

Pretend??
Nah!
I need better subwoofers, amplifiers, projector, etc. much more than giving my cash to Square Fail.

Oh look theres Borderlands 2, Ni No, etc. those games are much more deserving of my cash than some game?? failure from Square Fail.

1 up, 0 down

daus26
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 7:44:56 AM

I'd like to see Ni No Kuni outsell Lightning Returns on the PS3. Not because I want them to fail though, because I want them to wake up.

Lol jk. Nothing will wake them up.

1 up, 0 down

firstc624
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 7:23:28 AM
Reply

please for the love of gaming let the tgs have info on either FFX-HD or versus...cause yeah...i just can't play them after XIII. i got a little thru XIII-2 but just couldn't connect with the story and stopped playing it.

Currently playing FFVII again on my psp...AHHH

1 up, 0 down

Ninja_WafflesXD
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 7:43:52 AM
Reply

I'm not going to pretend that I'm not going to buy this game....I'll just wait till the price drops, and buy it used :/

And I may seem like a colossal idiot for saying this....but I'm still holding out hope for Versus XIII (which may very well be the death of me).

1 up, 0 down

The Real Deal
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 9:59:43 AM
Reply

Thats the problem, companies know they can abuse their audience and get away with it. We should never forget what these companies do, its their track record. Each customer should always look at a companies previous iterations to make their decisions when purchasing their next iteration.

Square Enix has officially used final fantasy as a cash cow, games made cheap and without innovation. Like i said I will move on from final fantasy, will let the new generation of fans take the torch. I imagine i am not alone in my opinion.

2 up, 0 down

daus26
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 6:26:46 PM

I think you're right. Their plans of using the Final Fantasy name for annualization success is pretty evident now. The only way to stop them is to show them that it won't work. That's going to be hard if there's a decent amount of "new" fans over the "old" fans whom are going to support it.

It show that they only need to sell a few to keep at it, probably because the investment that goes into it is minimal. Can you just imagine the investment Call of Duty developers puts in versus the sales they get? I mean that's like overkill success. SE is trying for that overkill success, but at best they're only going for minimum if it's going to be a consistent 2million and below.

0 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 10:05:18 AM
Reply

Here's what happened:

SE Overlord: "We gotta finish the main story for XIII and all we have are a few more scraps from the cutting room floor of the past two games."

Underling: "Well, since the battle system in Versus is looking great and we can't show that game let's just steal it and dumb it down, remove any possibility of party members, then then add a clock to the game so they won't be focused on the brief story but be worried about doing fetch quests that add time to the clock instead. That should eat up 50 hours."

SE Overlord: "Yeah, do that. And toss Nomura a cookie on your way out, he's in his cell."

4 up, 0 down

daus26
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 6:33:29 PM

If they really did "steal" the battle system for FFvsXIII, that would be one of the biggest shame, ever. It's like they're treating FFvsXIII as a resource rather than a game that deserves much more recognition than it currently does. That's just disgusting and I hope that's not the case.

0 up, 0 down

berserk
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 10:11:43 AM
Reply

Why pretend it don t exist , it s not like i cared much about the series as it now was .I m actually more interested in it because of the way it s gonna be .

It s gonna be a 19.99 buy now .... maybe not , instead of a no buy .

0 up, 0 down

OxyFenix
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 11:53:36 AM
Reply

I had fun playing FF13-2, therefore I will buy this game day one. I've enjoyed the first two games and that's all I care. Sure it's not a great "Final Fantasy" game, but it's still a good game and I'm playing it as that. Plus after that ending that almost ruined the entire game, I need a sequel.

You can't end it like that. Seriously, what was the point of even playing the game with an ending like that. It's like mass effect 3.

0 up, 2 down

Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 12:35:48 PM

Despite my bitterness, that's essentially how I feel about the whole thing.

0 up, 2 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 12:46:13 PM

But Ben, would you buy it day 1 if you didn't get it for free?

1 up, 0 down

Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 3:58:34 PM

I still have to know more about it, but right now I'd say no. I would play it but it probably wouldn't be a day-one purchase.

...which is a far cry from the days when I pre-ordered FFVIII 15 months in advance and almost couldn't sleep the night before it finally came out. ;)

Last edited by Ben Dutka PSXE on 9/3/2012 3:59:20 PM

1 up, 0 down

daus26
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 6:37:34 PM

Like ME3, I figured their plans was to finish it off with DLC.

Anyway, it just feels like they're just extending the story for unnecessary reason. Remember FFXIII's ending? It was just fine!

0 up, 0 down

Underdog15
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 9:06:48 PM

@Daus
I agree. FFXIII's ending was fine the way it was.

1 up, 0 down

Teddie9
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 2:03:48 PM
Reply

Oh I'm not looking foward about any particular square release. I'm enthusiastic about major Sony titles like the last of us or Beyond 2 souls - or other nearer releases like AC3 - games made by developers that haven't underwhelmed most of their fans recently. I'll give them attention once I hear something great about their games either close to or once they're released.

I'm not giving into hype for a company that has abused my ff fan status twice.

1 up, 0 down

Knightzane
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 2:07:34 PM
Reply

This whole ordeal makes me remember FFX when tidus laughed really loud to try and make himself feel better. Then he couldnt laugh anymore because he had to face the truth. SE please stop laughing because your taking my favorite game series and turning it into a money-wh0re. They need to realize that the fans are the Zack to the clouds and if they don't carry on the FF legacy it'll die and be forgotten. I only played MGS4 for a few hours so i cant have a real opinion on it however that trailer looks awesome and snake still looks like a box hiding badass so ill probably pick it up.

1 up, 0 down

telly
Monday, September 03, 2012 @ 5:02:23 PM
Reply

Good advice. I'll be playing FF VII again in the next month or two, possibly between a Vita and PS3, and that's how I choose to experience Square games.

0 up, 0 down

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