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Lightning Returns: FINAL FANTASY XIII — a Steam gift for the Lightning Saga finale
Lightning Returns: FINAL FANTASY XIII is the dramatic conclusion of Lightning's story and the end of the Lightning Saga that began in FINAL FANTASY XIII and continued in FINAL FANTASY XIII-2. Square Enix released the game on consoles in 2014, and the PC version arrived on Steam on December 10, 2015. The world has only days left: the old order of Cocoon and Pulse is dissolving, humanity has just 13 days remaining, and Lightning, now the Savior, must rescue as many souls as she can before everything collapses. Buy from us and you get the full PC version as a Steam gift — it lands straight in your Steam library.
What kind of game it is and how it differs from earlier entries
Where the earlier games in the series were classic JRPGs with linear corridors and a party of heroes, Lightning Returns breaks the mold. You control a single heroine — Lightning — across a semi-open world of four regions: the religious city of Luxerion, the festival resort of Yusnaan, the sprawling Wildlands and the ruined Dead Dunes. Each region runs on its own clock, and the whole game is framed by its defining mechanic: a countdown. Days tick away, and your actions literally extend them — save souls, complete quests, quell chaos, and you earn extra time before the end of the world.
Combat: outfits instead of a party
The heart of Lightning Returns is the Schemata system. Instead of companions, Lightning has three outfit loadouts that you switch between in real time, mid-battle. Each schema is its own set of weapon, shield, abilities and style: one is built for physical damage, another for magic, a third for defense and counters. Smart schema-juggling, block timing and staggering enemies are the core of combat. It leans far more toward action-RPG than the series' turn-based roots, and that's exactly why many players love it on its own.
What's included in the Steam PC version
The Steam PC version is essentially an expanded edition. It bundles in nearly all the DLC that was released on consoles:
- the full main game with the trilogy's finale;
- all the extra outfits (garbs) that were sold separately on consoles;
- additional DLC shields and weapons;
- Japanese voiceover alongside the English track.
Two honest caveats worth knowing up front: the FINAL FANTASY VII-themed Aerith outfit never made it to the PC version and won't be added, and the PC release also removed the ability to name chocobos and place custom map markers. None of this affects gameplay or your playthrough — these are minor cosmetic features.
How you receive the gift
We deliver the game as a Steam Gift through a bot. We need two things from you: your Steam friend invite link (open your profile → “Add Friend” → copy the s.team/p/... link) and your Steam account region. After payment, our bot adds itself as your friend, sends the gift, and automatically leaves your friends list once it's delivered — you don't even need to accept the request. No Steam Guard is required. Delivery usually takes a couple of minutes from checkout.
Region and ownership — the key conditions
A Steam gift can only be accepted if your account region matches the gift region — that's Steam's own rule and there's no way around it. So enter your real region in the order field and we'll match the right variant. The second requirement: Lightning Returns must not already be in your account's library — Steam won't let you accept a gift for a game you already own. With both conditions met, accepting the gift goes smoothly.
Is it worth playing without FFXIII and FFXIII-2?
Technically Lightning Returns stands on its own: you can learn the mechanics and finish the story from scratch. But it's the finale of a large arc, and many emotional beats hinge on events from FINAL FANTASY XIII and FINAL FANTASY XIII-2. If you're a series fan who loves JRPGs with a strong story arc, it makes sense to look at the whole trilogy. And if you simply love the Final Fantasy world, check out other entries like FINAL FANTASY XV too.
System and platform
The game is built for Windows PC and runs through Steam. Once you accept the gift, it behaves like any game you bought yourself: updates, cloud saves and Steam achievements all work normally, and you can reinstall it as often as you like. It's your copy in your library — for good, with no subscriptions or rentals.
Who it's for
Lightning Returns is for players who want a stylish action-JRPG with unusual outfit-based combat, in-world time management and a strong heroine at the center of the story. If you value Japanese RPGs for their style, Masashi Hamauzu's music and a dramatic finale — and you want to close out the Lightning Saga — this is your pick.