Final Fantasy 13 ushered in Fabula Nova Crystallis, a brand-new series mythos defined by games featuring crystals whose significance were tied to Gods and/or God-like powers.
Its announcement seemed like a fresh start for the franchise with an aesthetically beautiful world ready to be explored in future entries. Fast forward to launch, however, and Final Fantasy 13’s mixed reception poked holes in Square Enix’s plans. While it featured dense lore, much of it was buried in menus, making it a haphazard investment for many people when coupled with the unbalanced distribution between cinematics and player agency.
Source: N4G PC RPG Corner: Lightning Returns