The Lightning Saga is a subseries of the Final Fantasy series, containing Final Fantasy XIII and the titles related to it. It is part of the Fabula Nova Crystallis: Final Fantasy mythology.
The subseries features Lightning as the lead protagonist. Mainly, Yoshinori Kitase acts as the producer, Motomu Toriyama as the director, and Kazushige Nojima as the scenario concept designer.
The three games in the Lightning Saga shipped over 12 million copies worldwide making it one of the best-selling Final Fantasy subseries.
Titles[]
Official[]
Listed in order of game release:
- Final Fantasy XIII, released on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 (later released on Microsoft Windows through Steam and on iOS in Japan) is the thirteenth main Final Fantasy game and first title in the subseries. The game, following a group chosen to trigger an apocalyptic event to destroy their homeland, takes place across the world of Gran Pulse and the artificial planetoid of Cocoon.
- Final Fantasy XIII-2, the direct sequel to Final Fantasy XIII, released for the same platforms as the original and again later digitally re-released on PC. It details the aftermath of Final Fantasy XIII, including how the events of the original game concluded. It ends on a cliffhanger, leading into the second sequel.
- Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, the second sequel to Final Fantasy XIII, released for the same platforms as the previous Final Fantasy XIII games and again later digitally released on PC. The story, set on the dying world of Nova Chrysalia, details the end of the Final Fantasy XIII storyline, tying up multiple loose threads.
Related[]
- Final Fantasy XIII Episode Zero -Promise-, a web novel, later made into a CD drama, taking place in the weeks leading up to the events of Final Fantasy XIII.
- Final Fantasy XIII -Episode i-, a novella released with Final Fantasy XIII International Ultimate Hits in Japan, which acts as an epilogue to Final Fantasy XIII, covering direct events following the game's ending.
- Final Fantasy XIII-2 Fragments Before, a novella that delves into events between Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy XIII-2, filling some of the second game's narrative gaps.
- Final Fantasy XIII-2 Fragments After, a second novella set during and after the events of Final Fantasy XIII-2, completing the story arcs begun in Fragments Before and filling in further narrative gaps revolving around some of the secondary characters.
- Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII Chronicle of Chaotic Era, a cancelled prequel novella to Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, detailing events that happened between that game and Final Fantasy XIII-2.
- Final Fantasy XIII: Reminiscence -tracer of memories-, a ten-episode novella, originally released through Famitsu magazine and then through a dedicated online website, which acts as the expanded epilogue to the Final Fantasy XIII games, tying into the epilogue scene of Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII and incorporating material from Chronicle of Chaotic Era.
- Final Fantasy XIII Gaiden Shōsetsu: Yumemiru Mayu, Akatsuki ni Otsu, a six-chapter novella included in the Final Fantasy XIII Ultimania Omega, taking place from the time of the discovery of the Pulse fal'Cie in Bodhum through the events of Final Fantasy XIII.