Final Fantasy XIII: Style Or Substance?
Final Fantasy XIII is a matter of weeks away, which means those of us lucky enough to own both an Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 have a difficult decision to make. Okay, so you know the technicalities behind why the PS3’s superior Blu-Ray format pwns the 360’s sub-standard DVD, right? The jist of it is; Blu-Ray single layer capacity = 25GB. DVD single layer capacity = 4.7GB. A significant difference, huh? What this then leave us with, is the fact that Final Fantasy XIII will look hotter running on the PlayStation 3.
This is where tricky decisions come in, the kind of choices that change lives, people! I’ve said from day one of buying my PlayStation 3, which I rarely play, that it would only serve as a Blu-Ray player and for exclusives my 360 fangirlism otherwise wouldn’t see. The rule was simple; any multi-platform releases would involuntary be bought for the Xbox.
Personally, I’m faced with this decision for the first time, as the sheer detail of Final Fantasy XIII means that, while the experience is somewhat preserved on the Xbox 360 by shipping the game on 3 discs, CG has been compressed, and environment/character detail is lower. Basically, it’s not going to look as good on my Xbox as it will on my PlayStation. Therefore the choice should be simple, right? But factor into that my love of Achievements, my gripes with the PlayStation, and the simple fact that gaming without Xbox Live leaves me feeling limbless, I’ve got to weigh things up.
I can experience the full beauty of the Final Fantasy universe on my PlayStation 3, but I’ll feel 100% disconnected and solitary when I do so. I can’t invite a friend who’s also playing into chat with me to talk about our experiences, where we’re at in the game, or keep one another company through some of the inevitably tedious parts JRPGs always posses. I won’t feel the petty delight of an Achievement pinging up and boosting my overall GamerScore I’ve honed for two years. And these, my friends, are important things to me.
I don’t have anything derogatory to say about Alan Wake. My advice to you? Spend a night in Bright Falls and soak up the eerie atmosphere. Alan Wake excels at thrilling you psychologically. Which is why it’s called a psychological thriller, I guess…
