Choose FINAL FANTASY XIV Online
Choose FINAL FANTASY XIV Online if you want a Massively Multiplayer game with Multi-player, MMO, and Online PvP. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 86.8% positive across 60,003 reviews.
FINAL FANTASY XIV Online vs LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII
FINAL FANTASY XIV Online and LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII 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. FINAL FANTASY XIV Online (2014) is 1 year older than LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII (2015). FINAL FANTASY XIV Online scores higher on Steam reviews (86.8% positive) than LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII (79.8% 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 LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII
Choose LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII if you want the Playable without Timed Input and Adjustable Difficulty side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 60% cheaper on the Steam Store. 2,168 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both FINAL FANTASY XIV Online and LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII sit in RPG on Steam and both list Adjustable Text Size, Stereo Sound, and Surround Sound, 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
 FINAL FANTASY XIV Online |  LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2014 | 2015 |
| Genres | Massively Multiplayer, RPG | RPG |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 7.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 86.8% positive (60,003 reviews) | 79.8% positive (2,168 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Square Enix | Square Enix |
Side by side
- Both are RPG games on Steam.
- FINAL FANTASY XIV Online (2014) is 1 year older than LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII (2015).
- FINAL FANTASY XIV Online scores higher on Steam reviews (86.8% positive) than LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII (79.8% positive).
- LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII is currently ~60% cheaper on Steam than FINAL FANTASY XIV Online (7.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- FINAL FANTASY XIV Online has co-op; LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII does not.
- Both are Deck Playable.
FINAL FANTASY XIV Online vs LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII — FAQ
- Which is better, FINAL FANTASY XIV Online or LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII?
- On Steam reviews FINAL FANTASY XIV Online scores higher (86.8% positive) than LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII (79.8% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, FINAL FANTASY XIV Online is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play FINAL FANTASY XIV Online or LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII first?
- If you want chronology, FINAL FANTASY XIV Online (2014) came out before LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII (2015). 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 FINAL FANTASY XIV Online and LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII 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.
- Does LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII have multiplayer like FINAL FANTASY XIV Online?
- No. FINAL FANTASY XIV Online supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op), while LIGHTNING RETURNS™: FINAL FANTASY® XIII is listed as single-player only.