RPG
FINAL FANTASY® XIII
The first 3 hours are a test
Gets good by 3h almost every game dips in hours 2–3
Fully opens up by 35h rated like by long-time players
Reach the ending 19% of players who started
Started playing 90% of owners
Steam reviews 75% positive of 20,075
What the data shows
- In the first 2 hours 1 in 2 reviews are negative (56%); after 35h it's 1 in 6 (17%).
- Fully opens up by hour 35.
- The opening is criticised more than in 84% of games we track.
- 19% of players who start reach the ending.
- The biggest drop-off is between “Instrument of Fate” and “Instrument of Dissent”: from 100% to 76% of starters.
- 90% of owners got the first achievement.
When it gets good
Share of positive reviews by how many hours the reviewer had played when writing the review.
before it gets good opening up fully opened up
Based on all 20,161 Steam reviews in every language. Median playtime in a sample of 299 reviews: 41.5h for positive, 19.9h for negative. Almost every game is rated lower in the first 2–3 hours: that window includes refunds and quick first impressions. What matters is how deep the dip is and how fast the game recovers.
Where players quit
Share of players who started the game and reached each story milestone. 100% is the most common achievement (90% of owners), so people who bought the game and never launched it don't count.
- Started playing 100%
- Instrument of Fate Took the first steps toward challenging an unjust fate. 100%
- Instrument of Dissent Survived the Purge to confront a greater peril. Most players quit here 76% −24
- Instrument of Tragedy Strode into danger's den and paid the consequences. 69% −7
- Instrument of Flight Slipped through the net and lived to fight another day. 60% −10
- Instrument of Vengeance Resolved to be more than a victim of circumstance. 49% −10
- Instrument of Survival Evaded pursuers, though memories of the past still gave chase. 46% −4
- Instrument of Rebellion Made plans to infiltrate enemy-occupied territory. 43% −2
- Instrument of Shame Carried the burden of guilt to the end of the line. 39% −4
- Instrument of Wrath Took the fight to the enemy's door. 37% −1
- Instrument of Truth Recognized the true threat to the world's future. 34% −4
- Instrument of Hope Traveled to the world below, seeking a way to alter fate. 31% −3
- Instrument of Faith Defied destiny's charge and embarked on a different path. 23% −8
- Instrument of Change Witnessed the dawn of a new crystal legend. 19% −4
story milestone ending biggest drop-off
Story milestones were labeled by AI from achievement names and descriptions; mistakes are possible.
All achievements (35)
story milestone ending side
- Instrument of Fate Took the first steps toward challenging an unjust fate. 100%
- Instrument of Dissent Survived the Purge to confront a greater peril. 76%
- Instrument of Tragedy Strode into danger's den and paid the consequences. 69%
- Instrument of Flight Slipped through the net and lived to fight another day. 60%
- Instrument of Vengeance Resolved to be more than a victim of circumstance. 49%
- Instrument of Survival Evaded pursuers, though memories of the past still gave chase. 46%
- Instrument of Rebellion Made plans to infiltrate enemy-occupied territory. 43%
- Instrument of Shame Carried the burden of guilt to the end of the line. 39%
- Instrument of Wrath Took the fight to the enemy's door. 37%
- Instrument of Truth Recognized the true threat to the world's future. 34%
- Loremaster Discerned the full attributes of 100 enemies. 32%
- Instrument of Hope Traveled to the world below, seeking a way to alter fate. 31%
- Instrument of Faith Defied destiny's charge and embarked on a different path. 23%
- Kelger's Cup Completed all low-level Cie'th Stone missions. 22%
- Instrument of Change Witnessed the dawn of a new crystal legend. 19%
- Pulsian Pioneer Took over 10,000 steps on the lowerworld surface. 16%
- Limit Breaker Dealt 100,000+ damage with a single attack. 11%
- Commando's Seal Mastered the Commando role. 9.0%
- Superstar Earned a 5-star rating in the battle to determine the world's fate. 9.0%
- Ravager's Seal Mastered the Ravager role. 8.8%
- Sentinel's Seal Mastered the Sentinel role. 8.2%
- Synergist's Seal Mastered the Synergist role. 8.2%
- Saboteur's Seal Mastered the Saboteur role. 8.1%
- Medic's Seal Mastered the Medic role. 8.0%
- Xezat's Chalice Completed all mid-level Cie'th Stone missions. 6.1%
- Natural Selector Passed Titan's trials. 5.6%
- Floraphobe Toppled a green terror and cut an oversized succulent down to size. 5.2%
- Gysahl Wreath Discovered buried treasure with a little help from a chocobo. 4.9%
- Dorgann's Trophy Completed all high-level Cie'th Stone missions. 4.6%
- Master's Seal Fully developed all characters. 4.2%
- Exorcist Triumphed over undying lowerworld souls in seven fierce battles. 3.9%
- Galuf's Grail Completed all Cie'th Stone missions. 3.7%
- Adamant Will Felled a heavyweight of the lowerworld wilds. 3.3%
- L'Cie Paragon Earned a 5-star rating for all Cie'th Stone missions. 2.8%
- Treasure Hunter Held every weapon and accessory. 2.2%
Steam page Updated: 2026-10-18.