Poor poor final fantasy, you used to be my favorite franchise.....

French import reviews :

Gamekult 8/10 http://www.gamekult.com/jeux/test-final-fantasy-xiii-2-SU00009039t.html?pf=xbox-360-160031

Jeuxvideo.fr 7/10 (this one is not very enthusiatic) http://www.jeuxvideo.fr/jeux/final-fantasy-13-2/preview-test-final-fantasy-13-2.html

Jeuxvideo.com should be up on Saturday and IGN thonight.

These Are the scores compiled from here http://www.psu.com/forums/showthread.php/287926-The-Official-FINAL-FANTASY-XIII-2-Review-Thread?p=5757446#post5757446

Dengeki PlayStation - S
Famitsu - 40/40
Snat.co.uk Import Review - 10/10
Xbox 360 Mag Italy - 9.5/10
X360 Magazine UK - 90/100
Official Xbox Magazine - 9/10
RPGSite Import Review - 80/100
GameInformer - 8/10
PlayStation Official Magazine - 8/10
Play UK - 80/100
Edge - 6/10
Playstation Lifestyle - 5/10

essentially, the story is the most critisized thing. GI said, the gameplay was one of his favorites in a JRPG. Even the 5/10 score, said the gameplay was good, and the Time mechanic should have been saved for Chrono 3. Just that he didn't like the story, writing etc.

The time travelling I figured wasn't going to work very well story wise, because even the ones that are considered done well by many (Radiant Historia, and Chrono Series, The Source Code) I find still bother me in certain ways. Because, it's a more complex plot device, and there's always plot holes related to this. And Toriyama, is not one I would consider to be able to handle it that well.

That said it looks like a blast, I like Serah, and Noel seemed better than snow and hope. And who knows, maybe I'll like more than just enjoy the story. . I'll find out on MY BIRTHDAY. :D.

Touche.

Yeah I mostly can't decide between the Bestbuy bonus and the Futureshop one (steelbook).

i'm judging the story based on Advent Children. i think Tetsuya Nomura had a hand in FF8s story as well, which is why well...

i've seen a few pictures of Noctics aloof his 'so called' friends while they are goofing around. similar type of thing as Squall, who behaves as if he is above everyone else for the sake of looking cool. its the same way Nomura ruined Cloud in Advent Children. and i got fed up of how all the FF7 cast who had relatable personalities in FF7 became cliched anime sterotypes in Advent Children. Noctics are Stella are enemies... this is nusating. like FF8 where Squall must train SEEDS to hunt the sorceress who eventually turns out will one day be Rinoa. its going to be the same thing since they are enemies...

i think Nomura might suceed on a gameplay level, but i doubt on a story or character level the game will be interesting. i think a lot of it will be characters monologues like FF13. Notics will give many speeches during the game about things that you dont agree with and things that arnt necessarily true. rather than being about characters developing with relation to other characters.

FF12 is half a mess. i dont deny it. but thats because the main developer had to leave because of health issues. 2 characters who i dont think were even meant to be in the game were forced in. besides your telling me Versus will have issues related to the real world. yet FF12 is a reference to the events of Hiroshima and Nagasaki... that to me is a lot deeper than anything Nomura has done. i dont think its going to be deep at all. it will try to be, but wiil end up being pretentious and shallow.

I don't know what I would consider a "story". FFXIII's basic story isn't that great and it isn't well told, especially the parts of the story that involve the goddess Etro. But everything else, like the mythology, the characters and their interactions, the world etc. I loved.

EDIT: Just saw IGN's review. It's weird, they said it was a huge improvement, minus the story yet they give it a lower score. The review didn't seem to add up to an 8/10. IGN has confirmed some of my fears about the story and lack of focus, mainly because of the lack of cutscenes. Still, looking forward to it.

What a disaster: how to destroy the FF brand - episode 6.

Did you check the IGN reviews to see WHO actually reviewed it?? They are not a hive mind and different reviewers have different taste.  As for the "story" thats kind of my point, the fact that you have to put the word in quotes sums up, IMHO why the whole narrative fails so hard. I dont give a damn how cool the mythology is, if the story underneath it fails, it all fails IMO. basic story, should come first. I hated the mythology, I hated the characters, except for Fang and Szah. Vanille voice was like nails on a chalkboard with a cat singing in the background. The world sucked. BUt if you loved those things more power to you. Fabulos nova crystallis whatever the hell has been one of the worst mythologies in just about any JRPG i have ever played. Its a massive step back from the Ivalice alliance to me. Hell compilation of FF7 is better, Dirge of Cerebus and all. 

IGN is kind of harsh. I found the story quite excellent, with a smart use of time travel and really epic cutscenes.