When it comes to role-playing console videogames, the Final Fantasy series is one of the best-selling franchises today. To date, the series has sold more than 100 million units; Final Fantasy XIII alone sold over one million units on the first day of its release in Japan. Most of the game titles, with the notable exception of Final Fantasy XIV, have received high ratings from well-known review websites.

Final Fantasy XIII, the most recent Final Fantasy title for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, has enjoyed positive reviews from critics from other parts of the world.  Critics and experts have praised the game’s graphics and presentation, as well as the seemingly seamless transitions from cutscenes to gameplay.  All elements within the game, including landscapes and non-playable characters, are impressively designed, providing lots of eye candy for aesthetically discerning players.

The game’s backstory involves the fictional world of Cocoon and its government’s decision to purge the city of civilians who have come into contact with the underworld of Pulse. The game’s main character, Lightning, starts a journey to save her sister Serah, who is thought to be involved with a being from Pulse. Together with a group of allies, Lightning fights against the Sanctum, who governs the world of Cocoon.

One feature that critics have praised for Final Fantasy XIII is the game’s battle system, which offers a newly introduced Paradigm system. The Paradigm system allows players to execute battle strategies during the game by creating unique roles for the characters to assume in different battle conditions.

Players can choose from six roles or paradigms to use during battles: Commando, Ravager, Medic, Saboteur, Synergist, and Sentinel. Each of these roles can be assigned to AI-controlled characters as well. Many players consider the Paradigm system to be a suitable trade-off for the lack of mini-games or puzzles within the game.