Final Fantasy XIII, whenever it finally launches, will take us right back to the zippers-and-hairspray aesthetic of the Nomura/Kitase/Nojima alliance that rules the series (and indeed, nearly everything to come from the Square half of Square Enix) these days. No doubt XIII will feature very impressive visuals and some clever combat rules and impressive character-twinking possibilities and an inventive new take on the concept of amnesiac heroes who have to save the the world from a beautiful, porcelain-skinned megalomaniac that wants to become a new god. But it likely won't be a brilliant, innovative fusion of numerous disparate styles, a synthesis of western and eastern RPG tradition, a collaboration of single- and multi-player RPG concepts. It won't be Final Fantasy XII, in other words.
- Jeremy Parish, Final Fantasy XII review