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Game Structure
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII

Game Structure

Master the game structure of Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. Learn about main quests, side quests, and Canvas of Prayers to optimize your playthrough and extend your time.

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Master the game structure of Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. Learn about main quests, side quests, and Canvas of Prayers to optimize your playthrough and extend your time.

Walkthrough
  1. 1
    Understand that all areas are available from the start, unlike traditional RPGs with linear progression.
  2. 2
    Be aware of potential difficulty spikes early in the game.
  3. 3
    Grasp the basic structure of the game, including the four main areas and quest difficulties.
  4. 4
    Prioritize completing Main Quests, which are multi-stage tasks that must be finished before the final day to avoid failure.
  5. 5
    Each Main Quest adds an extra day to the world's remaining time.
  6. 6
    Complete Side Quests, which are rated out of three stars for difficulty and vary in scope from simple deliveries to lengthy challenges.
  7. 7
    Accept and complete tasks from the Canvas of Prayers, found at Chocolina outside monorail stations. These involve recovering items from monsters.
  8. 8
    Note that Canvas of Prayers quests do not extend the world's remaining time but offer small attribute boosts.
  9. 9
    Begin with seven days to save the world.
  10. 10
    Each Main Quest completion adds a day.
  11. 11
    An additional day can be obtained by completing a certain number of Side Quests, falling between day 12 and the final day.
  12. 12
    At 06:00 every day, Lightning returns to the Ark to offer Eradia to Yggdrasil, with each new petal granting an extra day.
Tips
  • The game does not pull its punches and you may find yourself facing a difficulty spike very early on without intending to.
  • There are quite a few pitfalls new players can face that could hinder their playthrough.
  • The optimal walkthrough is designed to avoid pitfalls and difficulty spikes, while gathering the best items for a stress-free playthrough.
  • Main Quests are divided by chapters and are extensive in size.
  • Rewards from Side Quests can be large or small dependent on the difficulty.
  • Canvas of Prayers quests normally ask you to recover items from monsters.
  • Canvas of Prayers quests do not count towards extending the world’s remaining time but they do offer small boosts to Lightning’s attributes that all add up over time.

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