LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII similar games & best alternatives

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LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII - lightning-returns-final-fantasy-xiii_3.avif
LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII - lightning-returns-final-fantasy-xiii_4.avif
LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII - lightning-returns-final-fantasy-xiii_5.avif
LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII - lightning-returns-final-fantasy-xiii_6.avif

LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII

2015

Should you play it?

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.

What works

  • Non-linear open world exploration
  • Engaging and skillful combat system
  • Extensive character customization
  • Strong replay value with new game+
  • Immersive fantasy story and world

Things to keep in mind

  • Time limit can feel stressful or restrictive
  • Some side quests considered repetitive fetch quests
  • Story complexity may confuse new players
  • Lack of multiplayer or cooperative play
  • Technical issues on some pc setups

What to play next

Top picks

Games that feels the closest overall

  • The Surge 2

  • Lies of P

  • Gothic II: Gold Edition

  • Bayonetta

  • The Surge

  • Stellar Blade™

More relaxing

Games that feels like LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII but with a more relaxing feel

  • The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered

  • Horizon Forbidden West™ Complete Edition

  • WitchSpring R

  • Dishonored

  • Divinity II: Developer's Cut

  • NieR:Automata™

More leadership-focused

Games that feels like LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII but with more leadership over others

  • Drakensang: The River of Time

  • FINAL FANTASY XII THE ZODIAC AGE

  • RESONANCE OF FATE™/END OF ETERNITY™ 4K/HD EDITION

  • Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered

  • The Bard's Tale IV: Director's Cut

  • Summoner

Choose your own criteria ->

Similarity map

How to compare these games

Compare nearby games

Each card is a nearby game on the similarity map, compared with LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII. Swipe sideways to move between games. Titles already listed in What to play next are left out.

  • Cover and title: open that game’s page.
  • What works / keep in mind: the same highlights as the desktop comparison panel.
  • Bars: the main motivational differences versus this game.
How to use the graph

Similarity map

Each dot is a game placed from its motivation profile relative to this page’s game. Direction shows which motivation differs most; distance along that axis shows how large the gap is.

  • Purple star: this page’s game at the centre — everything is relative to it.
  • Direction: each axis is a main motivational difference vs this game (e.g. more / less competitive).
  • Distance on an axis: how large that difference is (ring scales show +/− points).
  • Coloured chips: click to highlight games that mainly differ on that motivation; click again to reset.
  • Dotted line: link between this page’s game and the one selected for comparison.
  • Hover a dot to preview that game in the panel on the right; click to keep that comparison.
  • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom.

How to read the map This is a polar difference map: direction = which motivation differs, and distance = how much (same units as the sidebar deltas).

Swipe to compare nearby games with LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII. These titles are not in What to play next.

LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII: A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Violence, Survival, Fellowship, Intimacy. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Expression. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Relaxation, Leadership.

Last update: 21/08/2026