History Trivia / FinalFantasyXIII

* DuelingWorks: With ''[[VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles1 Xenoblade Chronicles]]''. Both were big [=JRPGs=] released during UsefulNotes/TheSeventhGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames, with '''Final Fantasy XIII'' being developed by Creator/SquareEnix while ''Xenoblade Chronicles'' was headed up by former Squaresoft employees over at Creator/MonolithSoft. The two games also released on mutually-exclusive platforms, as ''XIII'' was initially planned as a Platform/PlayStation3 exclusive but ended up being a multiplatform release on the [=PS3=], Platform/Xbox360, and Windows; ''Xenoblade Chronicles'' was a Platform/{{Wii}} exclusive as a result of Monolith Soft being owned by Creator/{{Nintendo}}. Furthermore, ''XIII'' had NoSidepathsNoExplorationNoFreedom and was a very linear game, while ''Xenoblade Chronicles'' had a linear design but with wide-open areas that allowed for exploration at the player's discretion and many different sidequests.

* TrendKiller: This game was the nail in the coffin for the NoSidepathsNoExplorationNoFreedom trope trend that {{Eastern RPG}}s had been moving toward during the UsefulNotes/{{the sixth|GenerationOfConsoleVideoGames}} and [[UsefulNotes/TheSixthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames seventh]] generation of console games. The game was heavily criticized for leaning so hard into the trope that every single map felt like a "hallway" with no towns or [=NPCs=] to interact with. It also didn't help that not long after ''Final Fantasy XIII'' came out, ''[[VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles1 Xenoblade Chronicles]]'' received widespread acclaim for being a JRPG from [[Creator/MonolithSoft former Squaresoft developers]] that put an emphasis on exploration with its world design, offering areas that were structured in a linear fashion yet open enough to play host to many different sidequests and not feel restricting. Since then, the majority of subsequent ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' games, as well as most other current-gen {{Eastern RPG}} games, have opted to go with a WideOpenSandbox approach -- until ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXVI'', by which time the tastes of many gamers were moving back towards more linear, story-based experiences, as the result of Wide Open Sandbox games being seen as over-saturated.

** [[DownplayedTrope A minor case]], but nonetheless worthy of mention; the difficulty setting is absent in the overseas releases except for the 2014 UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} release.

* DuelingWorks: With ''[[VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles1 Xenoblade Chronicles]]''. Both were big [=JRPGs=] released during UsefulNotes/TheSeventhGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames, with '''Final Fantasy XIII'' being developed by Creator/SquareEnix while ''Xenoblade Chronicles'' was headed up by former Squaresoft employees over at Creator/MonolithSoft. The two games also released on mutually-exclusive platforms, as ''XIII'' was initially planned as a UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 exclusive but ended up being a multiplatform release on the [=PS3=], UsefulNotes/Xbox360, and Windows; ''Xenoblade Chronicles'' was a UsefulNotes/{{Wii}} exclusive as a result of Monolith Soft being owned by Creator/{{Nintendo}}. Furthermore, ''XIII'' had NoSidepathsNoExplorationNoFreedom and was a very linear game, while ''Xenoblade Chronicles'' had a linear design but with wide-open areas that allowed for exploration at the player's discretion and many different sidequests.

* TrendKiller: This game was the nail in the coffin for the NoSidepathsNoExplorationNoFreedom trope trend that {{Eastern RPG}}s had been moving toward during the UsefulNotes/{{the sixth|GenerationOfConsoleVideoGames}} and [[UsefulNotes/TheSixthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames seventh]] generation of console games. The game was heavily criticized for leaning so hard into the trope that every single map felt like a "hallway" with no towns or [=NPCs=] to interact with. It also didn't help that not long after ''Final Fantasy XIII'' came out, ''[[VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles1 Xenoblade Chronicles]]'' received widespread acclaim for being a JRPG from [[Creator/MonolithSoft former Squaresoft developers]] that put an emphasis on exploration with its world design, offering areas that were structured in a linear fashion yet open enough to play host to many different sidequests and not feel restricting. Since then, every subsequent ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'', as well as most other current-gen {{Eastern RPG}} games, have opted to go with a WideOpenSandbox approach.

* KillerApp: Or, it was supposed to be. Its absence for the first ''four years'' of the [=PS3=]'s lifespan, as well as its hop to international multi-platform release, has blunted its impact. Total sales of the game are more-or-less on par with ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'' (which is no mean feat on the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3, which had the lowest userbase of the Big 3 consoles of the seventh generation.)

* TrendKiller: This game was the nail in the coffin for the NoSidepathsNoExplorationNoFreedom trope trend that {{Eastern RPG}}s had been moving toward during the UsefulNotes/{{the sixth|GenerationOfConsoleVideoGames}} and [[UsefulNotes/TheSixthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames seventh]] generation of console games. The game was heavily criticized for leaning so hard into the trope that every single map felt like a "hallway" with no towns or [=NPCs=] to interact with. Every subsequent ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'', as well as most other current-gen {{Eastern RPG}} games, have opted to go with a WideOpenSandbox approach.

----

* TheWikiRule: The [[http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Final_Fantasy_Wiki Final Fantasy Wiki]].

* The game is full of {{Mythology Gag}}s (many more can be found [[http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Final_Fantasy_XIII/Allusions here]]):
** The town of [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV Palumpolum]].
** And the flying fortress ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX Lindblum]]''.
** Sanctum Skybase ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyII Palamecia]]''.
** Doesn't Cocoon look an awful lot like [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII Meteor]]? [[spoiler: It sure does in the ending. Vanille and Fang even use TheLifestream from stopping its descent.]]
** Sanctum soldiers and citizens use something called "manadrives" to cast magic without the threat of becoming l'Cie. They serve the same function as [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII Odine Brand para-magic machines]], just with a different name.
** The cities of [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIII Nautilus]] ([=NPCs=] also make ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' and ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'' references here) and [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII Eden]].
** The entire fal'Cie civil war and the humans caught in the middle of it mirrors the Archadia/Rozarria conflict in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'', except a LensmanArmsRace is involved.
** Cocoon itself is a reference to [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX Doctor Tot's globe.]]
** [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX Cocoon is red, Pulse is blue. The game pits these worlds against each another.]]
** The entire battle system is apparently based around [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI Chainspell]], although it is expanded to all attacks rather than being a LimitBreak. Someone more familiar with ''XI'' could confirm/deny this more readily.
** [[spoiler: And Yaag Rosch's last stand near the end of the game involves piloting a HumongousMecha called the Proudclad to fight the group]]. This directly parallels [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII Scarlet and Heidegger facing off against Cloud and the others]] in a mecha ''by the same name.''
** And there is an enemy called Manasvin Warmech that looks very similar to the BonusBoss [=WarMECH=] from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyI.''
** The concept of l'Cie, magic-using humans who mutate into demonic monsters and whose souls solidify into a physical, crystalline form and are forced to fight a war as avatars of {{Physical God}}s are based on [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI Espers]], who are... magic-using, mutated humans whose souls solidify into a physical, crystalline form who were forced to fight a war as avatars of {{Physical God}}s.
** The game starts with the ex-Soldier and the black guy on a train. They then proceed to fight a [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII giant scorpion robot]].
** The entire dynamic between Fang and Vanille is mined from a single boss battle from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIII'': You fight a boss named Hecatoncheir in order to collect the [[MineralMacGuffin Fang of Earth]], four of which unlock the path to the [[TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon Crystal Spire]] and the end of the game.
** And on a similar note, Orphan and Barthandelus are based on DemonicSpiders from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyV''.
** One of the children in a group of kids when you first arrive one the Nautilus will occasionally say "Run, run, or you'll be well done!" Something said by [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI Kefka]].
** AMP technology is used the very similarly to the green gravity drop bombs used in ''Anime/FinalFantasyTheSpiritsWithin''.
** The plot of the game while on Gran Pulse is basically an abridged version of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'''s. It especially starts to line up towards the end of the segment - the party traverses a large, tall structure (Taejin's Tower/Mt. Gagazet) in order to reach a city at the far north of the continent (Oerba/Zanarkand), which at least one of the party members (Vanille and Fang/Tidus) lived in while it thrived, but is now in ruins.

%%ShoutOut isn't trivia. Don't put it here.

** Gilgamesh was intended to appear as a regular character; a fal'Cie with giant swords. FridgeLogic dictates that he was likely supposed to be the ultimate opponent of Titan's Trials as opposed to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqBRU16nCWo Attacus]], as Attacus uses the exact same progressive battle tactics that Gilgamesh did in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'', and you are arbitrarily given the store ''Gilgamesh Inc.'' as a quest reward for finishing half of the Trials fights. Getting this store as a reward for beating their namesake would have made more sense.

** Lightning was originally supposed to have a much more flirtatious and carefree personality, but it was determined that her role required her to be more serious and her original personality was largely transplanted to Fang [[spoiler: [[VideoGame/LightningReturnsFinalFantasyXIII and Lumina.]]]]

* RelationshipVoiceActor:
** Snow and Nora are [[Anime/CodeGeass Schneizel and Cornelia]].
** Also, [[Creator/MaayaSakamoto Lightning]] and [[Creator/DaisukeOno Snow]] are [[Manga/BlackButler Ciel and Sebastian Michaelis]], or [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006 Princess Elise and Silver the Hedgehog]].
** Cid Raines in ''both'' [[Creator/YuuichiNakamura Japanese]] and English (Erik Davies) happens to be the previous voice combo of [[VideoGame/BlazBlueContinuumShift Hazama and Terumi]].

* NamesTheSame: No, [[BonusBoss "The Undying"]] [[MythologyGag are not the same ones]] from [[spoiler:''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'', of which one acted as the Final Boss.]]

* [[YouLookFamiliar You Sound Familiar]]: Jihl's English voice actress, Paula Tiso, previous starred in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' as straight-laced black mage Lulu. In many ways, Jihl is like an evil Lulu.

* FanNickname:
** Sazh has been dubbed both "Chocobro" and "Chocofro" by his adoring legion. And thanks to Gadot's expy mention he is now called (by the fans that hate him) "not-[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyX Wakka]]".
** Snow was nicknamed "Mr. 33cm" as mentioned above due to his rather large... feet.
*** And at 6'5/6'7 (accounts vary), his "feet" are actually small for his size.
** Galenth Dysley / [[spoiler:Barthandelus]] has recently been dubbed Superpope/SUPAHPOPE!, mainly due to [[spoiler: his fondness for transforming into a mechanical monstrosity and beating the party to a bloody pulp. His own Menvra is also called Hedwig.]] He's also been dubbed [[spoiler:"Barty"]] by some.
** Snow's Gestalt mode has been dubbed "The Motordyke" by a portion of the fandom.
** [[spoiler: Orphan, the final boss of the game, was referred to as Oprah rather frequently during early squabbles over its name.]]
** Aster Protoflorian has been given the name [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Bulbasaur]].
** The chocobo chick, or [[LetsPlay/HCBailly Let's Player]] nickname at least: [[RunningGag "Frocobo says NO/YES!"]]
* ImageSource:
** DefrostingIceQueen
** HairContrastDuo
** ImHavingSoulPains
** IntimateMarks
** LivingPolyhedron
** PowerCrystal
** RuinsOfTheModernAge
** TakeMyHand

* [[YouLookFamiliar You Sound Familiar]]: Jihl's English voice actress, Paula Tiso, previous starred in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' as straight-laced black mage Lulu. In many ways, Jihl is like an evil Lulu.

* BigNameFan: In [[https://news.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/04/08/10/lea-salonga-ricky-martin-aga-muhlach-ffxiii an April 2010 interview]], Creator/LeaSalonga said that she played ''XIII'' on the Xbox 360, and cited Fang as her favorite character.

* AuthorExistenceFailure: Storyboard director Yoshinori Kanada died of a heart attack five months before the game's release.
* BadExportForYou: [[DownplayedTrope A minor case]], but nonetheless worthy of mention; the difficulty setting is absent in the overseas releases except for the 2014 UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} release.

** Also worthy of mentioning, that the Steam release for Asia is only available in Japanese and lacks a language select screen. This is extremely frustrating to Asians who don't speak Japanese. This is probably why the Steam version sold poorly in the region. Square has pretty much released all their games with both English and Japanese audio tracks after this.

* IronyAsSheIsCast: In a sense; a few people not from Oceania panned Georgia Van Cuylenberg's Australian accent as Vanille has being stilted or forced, while simultaneously praising Creator/RachelRobinson's own accent. The only issue with this is that the former is from Melbourne (and was using her natural accent) while the latter is from Los Angeles. [[note]]The explanation is that the Western Australian accent is far less common in American media than the Eastern Australian one, so it sounds off to foreign ears.[[/note]]

* IronyAsSheIsCast: In a sense; a few people not from Oceania panned Georgia Van Cuylenberg's Australian accent as Vanille has being stilted or forced, while simultaneously praising Rachel Robinson's own accent. The only issue with this is that the former is from Melbourne (and was using her natural accent) while the latter is from Los Angeles. [[note]]The explanation is that the Western Australian accent is far less common in American media than the Eastern Australian one, so it sounds off to foreign ears.[[/note]]