Acid Rounds: Final Fantasy XIII-2

Acid rounds is a semi regular, irregular spot on TGAM for games we have beasted from start to finish.

Cunzy1 1: The Final Fantasy XIII Trilogy completely passed me by, but my good associate Richie went in hard. Tell me about this middle game. Did it only get good after 30 hours? Did the story attempt to make sense? Was this just a vehicle for Lightning merch?
Richie: Ha FFXII-2 was an odd one, squeenix clearly had heard the massive backlash that the first one got for the 20 hour training mission, foregoes this entirely and places you right into a sequel letting you just play about and get the controls.
And no the story makes no fucking sense, Lightnings sister Serah charges about through time "fixing the time line" to save a planet of immortal souls (btw all characters from FFXIII are immortal) from a priest that is also a moon, that is also a spaceship and and antagonist that doesn't like this for "reasons". oh and it might be a dream.
Ha no, Lightning is almost entirely non-present for the game, save for canon-breaking DLC, she was to busy off with Luis Vuitton...

Cunzy1 1: We're both fans of Final Fantasy X-2 did this 'second one' also bring excellent dressing up mechanisms and sultry goths?
Richie: No. Dressing. up. SadFace.
Instead the main mechanic which makes this one stand out is the beast hunting, and adding enemies to your party, which is pretty awesome! loads of fun having Tonberry or a Cactuar on your sided thousand needling and deathing the bad guys.
And yeah, there is some proper Emoing out: Happy-go-lucky, beanie-wearing Snow, swaps out his white trench coat for a black one, which in gamerspeak mean you are troubled.

And then you have the main bad guy in his Black and purple jumpsuit which may as well say "I'm the antagonist" all over it

Cunzy1 1: Who would you say are your favourite characters in this game and why?
Richie: Chocolina! hands down, some human embodiment of chcocobos that somehow exists throughout time. And is a Merchant. In like for best videogame merchant, just after RE4's Merchant.

Cunzy1 1: Was there any talking to dogs or remembering we went to the same orphanage shenanigans in here?
Richie: Tonnes the NPCs throughout seem to acknowledge that Serah is somehow a time travelling god/fixer-upper. Lightning is a crystal. The story is utter bullshit.

Despite all this bullshit shenanigans, the game does create a living, breathing, immersive world for the story to take place in. Its a romp through time, interspersed with cut-scenes and mechanics for levelling up your team (of caught monsters). In a world of infinite sofa time I would thoroughly recommend this one!

Cunzy1 1: We've both been nostalgic for the Final Fantasy VII soundtrack of late, this one have a stirring/ethereal soundtrack?
Richie: Yeah, the music was great! a solid progression from the FF series, with the addition of voicing to the ethereal, but done really well! But as with most FF Soundtracks, unless you play them, you don't get the "feels".

Cunzy1 1: These games were quite the time sink, did you get round to Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XII?
Richie: I... Yes, but I stopped. I started Lightning returns, and suddenly everything was timed missions, and turning round corners to meet unbeatable (as yet) enemies. I just couldnt face going back to it, beeling like I needed a Prima Guide (RIP)...


Cunzy1 1: Are there moogles in this one?
Richie: Contentiously yes, a talking one which may also be the god of time. That you literally throw around the map.