Square Enix's anticipated title, Final Fantasy XIII , is just around the corner, and today marks the first day that U.S. online media is allowed to review the game. Unfortunately, due to the global PSN error that crippled PS3s everywhere (including our debug systems) and other factors, I wasn't able to beat the game before today. Yes, even after more than 30 hours with Final Fantasy XIII

Rather than attempt a review without completing the full experience, I decided to delay the review until Monday and instead provide you readers with my impressions so far -- especially for those of you that are debating whether or not to pre-order the game this weekend. Although Final Fantasy XIII is extremely different from the other members of the franchise and it has its fair share of problems, it's still an excellent Japanese role-playing game.I've discussed the game's premise and story in the past, so I won't do so at length here. All you need to know is that the game stars Lightning, a stoic officer in the military, and a group of individuals connected to her in one way or another. The opening of the game will be familiar to those who tried out (or saw footage of) the Japanese demo, as it's essentially the same. Lightning and Sazh are aboard a government train and things get crazy real fast.Final Fantasy XIII is primarily about the dynamic between two worlds: Cocoon and Pulse. Cocoon is a spherical moon that hangs above the savage world of Pulse. The narrative also includes a fascinating take on the West's perception of the divine, as there are powerful beings known as the fal'Cie that watch over humans. Humans branded by the fal'Cie are called l'Cie, and they are given a specific "Focus," or task, that must be completed, lest they transform into monsters upon failure. This mythology plays an extremely important role in the game's story and it's been great so far.The criticisms that have circulated the internet regarding Final Fantasy XIII are mostly true. The first 25 to 30 hours are extremely linear. This is not an exaggeration -- the game is almost on rails during these segments, as there is usually only a single path that you travel down, with occasional side paths that might tease you with treasure.This first section of the game (and arguably three quarters of the experience) is not only linear, but also restrictive. Players are not allowed to choose their party or party leader -- these selections are dictated by the story progression. Although this might be a tremendous pain to some gamers, I actually enjoyed the linearity and restrictions, because it forced me to experiment with all the characters and their various battle roles. Of course, players that aren't aware of Final Fantasy XIII's open-world conclusion might be much less enthusiastic, especially if they believe that the entire game is completely linear.Another seemingly universal complaint is the fact that there are "no towns" in Final Fantasy XIII, but this claim can be somewhat misleading. There absolutely are towns in the game -- just not in the traditional JRPG sense. During your journey, you do pass through different cities and locales, but they're just as linear as the game's dungeons. So while it's initially disappointing to not have peaceful areas to explore and take a break from battle, there are plenty of beautiful, fantastic environments to marvel at as you continue through the story.It's safe to say that Final Fantasy XIII is very different than the other Final Fantasy titles, but it's a lot of fun. The battle system is surprisingly complex and -- perhaps even more startling -- extremely difficult. Although players only control one character at a time, there is plenty of micromanagement to be found.While in the neutral position, your main character's turn gauge charges up. This gauge is segmented, so when it's full, there are actually three full segments contained within it. Executing a single command requires a certain number of segments. For example, a basic attack requires one segment, so players can queue up three at a time. A Blitz attack, alternatively, costs two segments of the gauge. As characters grow, their turn gauges will expand, enabling players to select a more complex series of actions.The most important element of battle outside of this basic command selection is the Paradigm system, which controls the battle roles of each character. There are six different roles that a character can train in and each character is particularly capable in three of those roles. Some roles are better suited for attacking, while others are designed for defense or restoration. By selecting a custom "Paradigm," or grouping of several roles, players can freely switch the roles of their characters anytime during battle.This might sound like a gameplay design afterthought, but it's absolutely critical to survive in Final Fantasy XIII. This game requires constant micromanagement and changing Paradigms in order to come out victorious, and I really appreciated that challenge -- even when things got frustrating.So the question remains: do you put down money for a pre-order? I say "yes, you do." Although Final Fantasy XIII is incredibly far removed from its predecessors, it's still a breath-taking JRPG with an extremely interesting story and a realized game world. The voice acting is generally top-notch, the presentation is off the charts and there are chocobos to be ridden. It might not be the best Final Fantasy out there, but that doesn't stop it from being enjoyable.As a quick note for owners of multiple platforms, I strongly recommend getting this game on the PS3. The 360 version seems to run well enough, but it's noticeably less sharp and is spread across three discs.Check back Monday for my full review.