One of the bigger changes: Serah and Noel are the only playable human characters in the game with the third party slot ready for a monster ally. These battles share plenty of systems with the original, but Final Fantasy XIII-2 includes several crucial improvements, both large and small. At each new turn, battles separate Noel from bringing Serah back to Lightning. This sense of freedom, even if you choose to ignore it, helps Final Fantasy XIII-2 feel more like a traditional RPG where discovery dominates the experience. This functions as a literal 'reset button' mid-game. More impressively, you can unlock the ability to close time gates and start the area from scratch, correcting mistakes or just trying something new.

While a general flow from one place to another moves the plot along, the freedom to sidetrack greatly enhances the explorative flavor. You can access these environments, which dot the timeline, in more than one order. With webs of rooms to explore and treasure chests hidden off the map, Final Fantasy XIII-2 encourages you to take your time and look around.

Environments no longer follow a single path. As soon as the two heroes leap into the flow of time, Final Fantasy XIII-2's open nature shines through. You acquire full control of Serah, Noel, and the systems that power them an hour or two after the opening sequence a stark contrast to the slow build of the original. She tasks Noel with traveling through time to find her sister and bring her to Valhalla, as Lightning can't leave the realm unguarded.

She fights a dark-haired man named Caius and - in the midst of battle - meets a stranger from a future age named Noel. In the beginning, Lightning somehow finds herself guarding the throne of Valhalla, a realm of chaos unbound by time. It still leaves plenty of room to get serious, but much of this emotional weight bears down towards the finale. Much like Final Fantasy X-2, this sequel approaches storytelling with a lighter heart.

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