Choose LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII
Choose LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII if you want the Adjustable Text Size side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 79.8% positive across 2,168 reviews.
LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII vs STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE
LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII and STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE both land in RPG on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are RPG games on Steam. LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII (2015) is 7 years older than STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE (2022). LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII scores higher on Steam reviews (79.8% positive) than STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE (71% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE
Choose STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE if you want an Action game with Color Alternatives and Custom Volume Controls. On Steam, it's the newer release (2022) and ships with the modern feature baseline. STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE launched in 2022.
Both LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII and STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE sit in RPG on Steam and both list Stereo Sound, Surround Sound, and Playable without Timed Input, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII |  STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2015 | 2022 |
| Genres | RPG | Action, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 7.99 USD | 23.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 79.8% positive (2,168 reviews) | 71% positive (978 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Square Enix | Square Enix, tri-Ace |
Side by side
- Both are RPG games on Steam.
- LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII (2015) is 7 years older than STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE (2022).
- LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII scores higher on Steam reviews (79.8% positive) than STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE (71% positive).
- LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII is currently ~67% cheaper on Steam than STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE (7.99 USD vs. 23.99 USD).
- Both are Deck Playable.
LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII vs STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE — FAQ
- Which is better, LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII or STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE?
- On Steam reviews LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII scores higher (79.8% positive) than STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE (71% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII or STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE first?
- If you want chronology, LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII (2015) came out before STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE (2022). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII and STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE similar?
- They overlap on RPG on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.