New details keep popping up about FF XIII-2. For starters, we know that random encounters are back . We also know that Lightning and Serah will return to the cast of characters for FF XIII-2. With this in mind, here are the Top 5 things we’d like to see in FF XIII-2.

5. Achievements that are, well, achievable – One thing that disappointed me about FF XIII was how unachievable the achievements are. Eighty hours through the game, and I only got 50% of them. With four of the six available roles mastered, I had enough trouble completing all the Cie’th stone challenges let alone getting a five star rating on them (both of which are trophies). Some have reported taking as long as 100 hours to get all of them. That’s just too much, plain and simple.

4. Better weapon upgrade system – Even though the idea of upgrading weapons is nothing new for an RPG, I found FF XIII’s system overly time consuming. In particular, the rarity of gil made weapon upgrading painful at times. I spent a lot of time farming gil in order to upgrade my weapons. After eighty hours, I still don’t have all the weapons fully leveled up. Additionally, it took me a while to get the hang of the weapon upgrade multiplier system. When I get a new game I prefer something I can pick up and play to something I have to sit down and read about.

3. Better Battle/Role System - It looks as if the same battle system used in FF XIII will be used in FF XIII-2. Even though the battle system in FF XIII was widely criticized, it did speed up the gameplay quite a bit. Quicktime events, a la God of War, are just one new addition this time around. We’d also like to see all the roles unlocked from the start. Now that we are familiar with the battle system, give us some more freedom. Although part of me wonders that if Square is looking to make Final Fantasy more interactive why they don’t try a format similar to Secret of Mana . Secret of Mana, is truly a classic action/rpg from Square. I sunk a lot of hours into it and played through multiple times. It at least needs a modern remake! Come on Square! (steps of soapbox) I digress. Let’s move on to number 2

2. Less Linearity – In addition to the linear development system, FF XIII’s environments are also very linear. In many instances I felt like I was on a rail or track and could only go forward or backward. One characteristic that makes Final Fantasy games so enjoyable is exploring environments. In addition to exploring the environments and admiring the detail; rare items are found by exploring environments. Environmental exploration makes the game more personal. I can play the game the way I want to.

1. Mini-Games – The hallmark of any great FF XIII game is the mini games. Forty to Sixty hours of straight battling and cut scenes gets old for even the most avid RPG fan, and the best way to break that up is with Mini-Games. FFVII had chocobo racing, and FFX had blitz ball. What FF XIII-2 will have (if anything) remains to be seen.

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About The Author

Jon Chaplin is a Co-founder of New Gamer Nation. He's a fun loving guy who loves to try new things, especially video games.