LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII on Steam - User reviews, Price & Information
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Lightning Returns is the concluding chapter of the Final Fantasy XIII saga and series heroine Lightning's final battle. The grand finale of the trilogy brings a world reborn as well as free character customization and stunning action based battles.
LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII is a rpg, jrpg and female protagonist game
developed and published by Square Enix.
Released on December 10th 2015 is available only on Windows
in 8 languages: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish - Spain, Japanese, Korean and Traditional Chinese.
It has received 4,427 reviews of which 3,508 were positive and 919 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.7 out of 10. 😊
The game is currently priced at 15.99€ on Steam.
The Steam community has classified LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII into these genres:
Media & Screenshots
Get an in-depth look at LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII through various videos and screenshots.
System requirements
These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.
Windows
- OS *: Windows® XP SP2 or later
- Processor: 2GHz Dual Core CPU
- Memory: 1500 MB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA® Geforce® 8800GT / ATI Radeon™ HD 4770 VRAM 512MB or later
- DirectX: Version 9.0c
- Storage: 22 GB available space
- Sound Card: Sound card compatible with DirectX® 9.0c
- Additional Notes:
User reviews & Ratings
Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, the final installment in the Lightning Saga, takes a significant departure from its predecessors. Instead of a traditional turn-based RPG, it opts for a more action-oriented combat system within a time-limited setting. This unique approach, while innovative, results in a game with both considerable strengths and notable flaws. What Works: Unique Gameplay: The real-time combat is fast-paced and engaging, demanding strategic thinking and quick reflexes. The ability to switch between different weapons and abilities on the fly adds a layer of tactical depth. The crafting system is also a welcome addition, allowing for customization and experimentation. Compelling Setting: The world of Lightning Returns is visually stunning and rich in detail. The decaying world of Nova Chrysalia offers a unique and atmospheric setting, brimming with side quests and lore. Character Development: Lightning's character arc is brought to a satisfying conclusion. Her motivations and struggles are explored with greater depth, offering a compelling narrative focus. Fashionable Combat: The game's unique approach to character customization allows players to express their creativity. The sheer number of outfits and accessories adds a significant element of replayability. What Doesn't Work: Time Limit: The game's strict time limit can be frustrating for some players. The pressure to complete objectives within a limited timeframe can detract from the overall enjoyment. This mechanic can be quite punishing and unforgiving. Repetitive Side Quests: Many side quests feel repetitive and lack depth. While some offer interesting stories and rewards, others feel like filler content. Uneven Difficulty: The difficulty curve can be quite uneven. Some battles are challenging, while others feel trivial. This inconsistency can be frustrating for players. Linearity: The game's linearity, especially in the early stages, can feel limiting. Players have little freedom to explore the world at their own pace. Overall: Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII is a bold and ambitious experiment. Its unique gameplay mechanics, compelling setting, and satisfying character arc are balanced by a frustrating time limit, repetitive side quests, and an uneven difficulty curve. Whether you enjoy the game will likely depend on your tolerance for these flaws. Those who appreciate its innovative approach and unique setting will find a rewarding experience, while others may find it frustrating and ultimately unsatisfying. It's a divisive game, but it's also a memorable one.
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Lightning Returns isn’t your typical Final Fantasy game—and it doesn't want to be. As the final act of the XIII trilogy, it takes a radically different approach to storytelling, structure, and gameplay. With its real-time combat, countdown-to-apocalypse mechanic, and heavy emphasis on customization, it's a game that breaks tradition in nearly every way. It’s ambitious. It’s experimental. It’s messy. But it’s also one of the most intriguing and personal entries in the Final Fantasy series. The game picks up 500 years after the events of XIII-2, with Lightning resurrected as the “Savior,” a chosen agent of the god Bhunivelze. Her mission? Save as many souls as possible before the world ends in 13 days. No pressure. The narrative is fragmented, more of a character-centric epilogue than an epic saga. Lightning—previously stoic and emotionally restrained—is given center stage to reflect, reconnect, and redeem herself. Every main quest revolves around someone from her past: Snow, Hope, Fang, Vanille, and more. While the delivery is uneven and sometimes convoluted, there’s emotional payoff in seeing these characters brought full circle. That said, the theological and metaphysical themes are dense, and the lore can feel like a tangled web unless you’ve played the previous entries. For newcomers, this is a rough place to start. For returning fans, it's a melancholic, oddly satisfying curtain call. The core gameplay hook is a doozy: you have 13 in-game days to save the world. Every quest, battle, and moment consumes time. Fail to manage it well, and you won’t be able to finish all the story arcs or side missions. This real-time system is a double-edged sword. It creates urgency and forces strategic planning, but it can also stress out completionists and feel punishing for first-timers. Fortunately, time pauses during combat and dialogue, and you can extend the world’s lifespan by completing major quests. Side quests—essential for progression—range from heartfelt to filler, but many are meaningful. Helping everyday people in a dying world adds thematic weight and reinforces the game’s focus on emotional connections over spectacle. Gone is the party system. You play as Lightning alone, but she has access to customizable battle roles (called Schemata). Each Schemata includes a unique outfit, weapon, and abilities. You can switch between three in real time, creating a rhythm of blocking, dodging, and attacking with precision. It’s a fast, engaging system that rewards timing and adaptability, almost like a mix of action-RPG and fighting game mechanics. The customization options are deep, and fashion fans will enjoy dressing Lightning in everything from full armor to cosplay-style ensembles—each with gameplay relevance. However, the lack of party dynamics may disappoint fans who enjoy character synergy and traditional turn-based strategy. Despite being a late PS3/Xbox 360-era title, Lightning Returns still looks great. Each of the four major zones—ranging from the gothic city of Luxerion to the desert of Dead Dunes—has a distinct personality and aesthetic. The game’s art direction sells the idea of a crumbling world full of beauty and despair. The soundtrack, composed by Masashi Hamauzu and others, is varied and excellent. From solemn piano pieces to battle-ready techno-rock, it perfectly complements each area’s tone. Lightning Returns is divisive, daring, and unlike any Final Fantasy before it. It doesn’t always hit the mark, but its commitment to doing something different is admirable. If you can embrace its strange mechanics, storytelling structure, and time-based urgency, you'll find a surprisingly emotional sendoff—not just for Lightning, but for one of the most polarizing sub-series in Final Fantasy history. A flawed but fascinating finale. For fans of Lightning and those craving something different in their RPGs, it's a bold, bittersweet swan song. Pros: -Deep, stylish, and fast-paced combat -Rich customization and fashion system -Emotional closure for long-time fans -Striking visuals and excellent soundtrack -Unique real-time structure Cons: -Steep learning curve with time mechanics -Can feel lonely without a party system -Story is dense and inaccessible to newcomers -Side quests can be hit-or-miss Rating: 7/10
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Beat the game. Did a Hard Mode NG+ run and didn't have the foresight to buy elemental or hero potions for the final boss. Even with meta builds, I couldn't deal enough damage to the boss before he killed me. I had no way to purchase these potions in the endgame, either. Then the game taunted me by placing the object that restarts the whole game next to the boss door. Needless to say, I was livid. 10/10 game. Would play again.
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Lightning didn't do anything wrong. People weren't ready for this game when it came out. Still stands the test of time and is gorgeous. Really was fun when I got to replay it. Love the garb system. It's similar to dresspheres from ff10-2. Story's great and bosses are challenging. Also has stellar music.
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I love this game. Some of that love is nostalgia, but having just finished it I do think it holds up. The side quests are really not as bad as a lot of people make them out to be and many of them can be completed without much effort. The open world and ability to do the mainline quests in your preferred order is really nice (I do like to spend a lot of time in the Wildlands). The very first time I played this game when I was younger I missed a mainline quest unknowingly. This did cause me to be unable to complete the game and had to move on to NG+, so just look out for that. The atmosphere of the game is very cool and fun, the combat system is easy to use and feels decent, and the characters are great. I cannot recommend it enough.
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Frequently Asked Questions
LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII is currently priced at 15.99€ on Steam.
LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII is currently not on sale. You can purchase it for 15.99€ on Steam.
LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII received 3,508 positive votes out of a total of 4,427 achieving a rating of 7.69.
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LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII was developed and published by Square Enix.
LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII is playable and fully supported on Windows.
LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII is not playable on MacOS.
LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII is not playable on Linux.
LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII is a single-player game.
There are 2 DLCs available for LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII. Explore additional content available for LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII on Steam.
LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII does not support mods via Steam Workshop.
LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII does not support Steam Remote Play.
LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII is enabled for Steam Family Sharing. This means you can share the game with authorized users from your Steam Library, allowing them to play it on their own accounts. For more details on how the feature works, you can read the original Steam Family Sharing announcement or visit the Steam Family Sharing user guide and FAQ page.
You can find solutions or submit a support ticket by visiting the Steam Support page for LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII.
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Last Updates| Steam data | 22 July 2025 14:22 |
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| SteamSpy data | 23 July 2025 04:28 |
| Steam price | 30 July 2025 04:47 |
| Steam reviews | 29 July 2025 09:57 |
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Game modes
Features
Online players
42
Developer
Square Enix
Publisher
Square Enix
Release
10 Dec 2015
Platforms