(Final) Fantasizing

“Fantasy is an exercise bicycle for the mind. It might not take you anywhere, but it tones up the muscles that can. Of course, I could be wrong.” – Terry Pratchett

Wise, wise words from Mr Pratchett there, and there’s no fantasy addict bigger than moi. With less than two weeks to go till Final Fantasy XIII-2 my excitement is building so quickly that I may just explode. Sure, there are plenty of haters out there that slated the first one, but the sales don’t lie. I adored the first one (once you got past the first few hours) and I just can’t wait for the sequel.

Of course, this isn’t the first direct sequel in the Final Fantasy franchise. Sure, there’s plenty of people that slated FFX-2 for it’s extreme campness and crap gameplay, but it did add some fascinating story bits. Seriously, if you persevered to the end there were some great bits hidden in it. I often find myself confusing which bits were in X and which bits in X-2. Brimming with optimism, I assume that XIII-2 is going to have learned from past mistakes and will deliver as solid a gaming experience as any other Final Fantasy title.

I loved the worlds of XIII, the contrast of Gran Pulse and Cocoon, and I just can’t wait to be back there. The alternate timeline idea opens up so many new story options, whilst not treading on any toes. Let’s face it, Lightning was one of the best Final Fantasy girls of recent years – strong yet feminine, looking out for her family and sexy enough without going over the top – and I can’t wait to continue the tale of her and her sister.

Needless to say, I have my preorder locked and loaded, and once it arrives I’ll be lost to Cocoon for many months to come. Gorgeous guidebook? Check. Preorder bonuses? Check (went to Game for their extra outfits and additional Omega boss). Awesome looking special edition? Check. Not the crystal edition, however. At £30 more than the special edition “never to be on sale” T-shirt is fairly expensive, especially when there’s no mention of it coming in anything but blokes onesize. I decided not spending my hard-earned cash on enough T-shirt to make a tent was acceptable enough. However, if I spot a girl sized T-shirt anywhere else, I may just have to buy that too.

In short, I cannot wait and will drive everyone around me crazy until I get it. The game I imagine is so wonderful that I will gladly give it a few months of my life, as I have every other title in the series (except XI and XII). However, until February 3rd all I can do is get lost in my imagination and final fantasize.