Lightning Returns is a fitting game title for this entry into the Final Fantasy franchise if you ask me, as this time we return to the story of Lightning on a time sensitive mission (which i will not spoil for people who haven't played the game yet)

i feel like the story of the game was a fitting way to wrap up the trilogy and the ending was a very calm and happy ending.

The fact that every day is timed adds a very urgent feeling of needing to do as much as you can in one in game day, as well as the main and side quests giving Lightning stats (it was a nice change from the crystarium from 13-1 and 13-2)

The world was beautiful too look at, and the music of the areas was also very fitting

The only gripe i had was with the final boss, but once I had it's patterns understood I was able to handle it properly.

I'd give the game an 7.7/10.

game runs like butt

I know, I'm 11 years too late on this one. Just got it.
Just got the best ending, and I'm shelving the game.

It's not the worst FF out there to play. Personally, I felt like FF15 played much much much worse (that combat system was terrible). It also isn't the best FF out there.

The combat system is decent. Definitely not the best SE has ever put out, but it is decent. I did not like the Stagger mechanics that made every single fight essentially the exact same thing. Controlling only Lightning sucked. Other people that could have helped (Noel, Fang, Snow, Sazh) just kind of sit on the sidelines 95% of the game. A party system could have improved this game a hundredfold and made the combat much less boring and monotonous. This is another case where ditching turn-based combat only hurt the game.

The story was decent, if pretty predictable. Like as soon as the premise of the story was explained after the prologue with Snow, I knew who the final boss was and I was correct. Followed a common JRPG trope. The true identity of Lumina surprised me but that was really the only surprise.

NG+ wasn't enough incentive for me to want to play through again with the frustrating combat.