Skip to main content

Final Fantasy XIII saga concludes on Steam with Lightning Returns in December

lightning returns
A long-promised Steam version of Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XIII sequel Lightning Returns is launching in December, producer Kitase Yoshinori announced.

“We are currently putting the finishing touches to the game and it will take a bit more time until it’s complete,” Kitase stated in a tweet translated by NeoGAF forums member Hasemo. “We should able to release it around December. I’m terribly sorry for the late release despite saying that the game will be out in Autumn. We will share more details with you at a later date.”

Lightning Returns is the concluding chapter in Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XIII saga, and originally launched for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in 2014. The publisher announced that a Steam version was due this fall, but did not issue further updates when the game missed its initially targeted release date.

Lightning Returns wraps up plot details introduced in Final Fantasy XIII, a 2009 sequel in Square Enix’s beloved, long-running RPG series. A direct follow-up, Final Fantasy XIII-2, launched in 2012, addressing criticism leveled at Final Fantasy XIII‘s slow pacing and unconventional structure that defied many long-standing RPG traditions.

A Windows version of Final Fantasy XIII launched via Steam in 2014, and a PC port of Final Fantasy XIII-2 arrived earlier this year. Both games boast additional resolution options not present in the original console editions, and both feature a 60 frames-per-second presentation on PCs.

Square Enix followed up on Final Fantasy XIII in 2010 with the MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV (the developer’s second attempt at an MMO version of the series after Final Fantasy XI), which suffered numerous issues at launch. The game’s largely negative reception led Square Enix to later relaunch it as Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, an overhauled edition that fixed the original game’s many bugs and interface quirks.

The next entry in the Final Fantasy series, Final Fantasy XV, is currently slated to launch for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2016. The sequel builds on traditional RPG gameplay with open-world elements and real-time combat, among other features.

A release date for the PC version of Lightning Returns is not yet known.

Editors' Recommendations

Danny Cowan
Danny’s passion for video games was ignited upon his first encounter with Nintendo’s Duck Hunt, and years later, he still…
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII: tips and tricks for beginners
Cloud, Zack, and Sephiroth stand back to back in Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion.

Well over a decade after releasing exclusively for the PlayStation Portable, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is finally available on all major modern platforms for the very first time. This updated version of the beloved title comes packing quite a few quality-of-life improvements and a much-needed graphical overhaul, but it retains the unique complexities that make it stand out among the Final Fantasy VII collection. Whether you're a returning player or diving into this highly-anticipated remaster for the first time, we've got a few tips to make your experience a little friendlier.

Further reading

Read more
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin writer breaks down 2022’s best ending
Garland towers over Jack, Ash, Jed, Sophia, and Neon in

It took me a while to figure out how Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin’s darker story and blunt characters would all coalesce into a satisfying narrative. Then, within the game’s final hours, some massive twists and revelations shocked me to my core as they thematically redefined the entire experience. Nine months later, Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin still has my favorite video game ending of 2022.
STRANGER OF PARADISE FINAL FANTASY ORIGIN | Available on March 18, 2022 | Chaos Awaits
As such, I had to reflect on why this ending stuck with me and learn more about its creation. To find out how it came to be, I spoke to Kazushige Nojima, the founder of Stellavista Ltd., which helped craft the story and scenario for Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin and was the scenario writer for many other notable RPGs like Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy X, and Kingdom Hearts.
“I joined the team after some development had progressed, and at that point, Jack’s fate was already decided,” he explained to Digital Trends in an exclusive interview. “My job was to organize the various story elements, which at the time were in disorder, into a united pathway to the ending.”
And what an ending it was. Be warned that spoilers for Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin are to follow in this breakdown of what made the ending so special, which features insight from a developer that helped create its bombastic narrative.
You don't know Jack
Although Nojima admits that “the philosophy of the characters, the events that occur, and the storyline that leads up to what happens to Jack, in the end, were the result of much trial and error,” the final version of Stranger of Paradise is clever in how it sets up for a conclusion with maximum shock value. For much of the game, its plot seems fairly simple and surface-level.

The game is about a group of heroes on a quest to restore the four Elemental Crystals around Cornelia to save the land from darkness. It’s a tale literally as old as the Final Fantasy series itself. But, something feels a bit off the whole time as many of the characters -- namely the player character Jack Garland -- seem laughably single-minded and stoic despite the quest they are taking part in. While this results in some moments that seem unintentionally funny for a lot of the game’s runtime, it’s all turned on its head in the game’s final hours.
Upon defeating Astos, a Dark Elf who’s been taunting players throughout the game, Jack learns he is a Stranger. Strangers are agents for a race of beings called the Lufinians, who release their darkness into the land of Cornelia and send agents to quell it; if the darkness gets too harsh or combines with emotion to become Chaos, they’ll just reset the entire world. This revelation recontextualizes Jack’s basic and bland personality as we discover he's someone who’s had their memory wiped and brainwashed to have a single goal: defeat darkness and Chaos.
With the death of Astos, [Jack] felt a sadness which he had never before experienced.

Read more
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion works best as a portable game
Cloud, Zack, and Sephiroth stand back to back in Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion.

With Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion’s release date fast approaching, you may be debating what platform to buy it on. It’ll launch on everything from PC to Nintendo Switch, and there's a fair reason to get it on each. A PS5 or Xbox Series X copy will provide a smooth, reliable experience, while a PC copy will allow you to run it at ultra-high frame rates if you so desire.

CRISIS CORE –FINAL FANTASY VII– REUNION | Launch Date Trailer

Read more