Overview
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII is an action-RPG developed and published by Square Enix, released in 2013 in Japan and in 2014 in Europe on PS3 and Xbox 360, then on PC, where I played it. It is the final part of the trilogy after Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy XIII-2.
It is the strangest of the three.
Story and world
The world is coming to an end: it only has a few days left. Lightning, awakened for the occasion, is tasked with saving as many souls as possible before the world disappears.
Gameplay
The whole structure rests on this permanent countdown. The game takes place in an open world split into several regions, and the clock keeps running. Completing quests lets you extend the remaining time, which pushes you to optimise every single day: which quests to do, in which region, at what time.
In combat you only control Lightning, and the outfit system replaces the classes. Each outfit has its own abilities and its own action gauge; you equip three and switch between them in real time. It makes for very snappy combat.
Verdict
The time pressure can put you off, but the game takes a real risk and it mostly pays off.