Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The first reason to buy Opponent – Nabaat is simple: you want a Coliseum fight that can push back. Nabaat arrives as a Saboteur, and Daze puts immediate pressure on the party rather than letting you settle into a comfortable rhythm. Her ability to call in allies gives the battle extra moving parts, which is welcome in DLC built around a single opponent.

Her self-healing is the detail that makes the encounter feel less disposable. You have to account for the fact that progress can be undone, while her allies can keep the fight from becoming a clean one-on-one exchange. It is a small slice of Final Fantasy XIII-2, but it is aimed at the part of the game where adapting your battle plan is the fun.

The real payoff comes after the win. Defeating Nabaat earns her crystal, letting you bring her in as a battle ally instead of leaving the whole purchase behind in the Coliseum. Sadistic Surge gives her Feral Link a named bit of personality, and the reward makes more sense for someone building out a flexible roster than for someone who only wants a brief boss challenge.

Graphics

Nabaat brings her Final Fantasy XIII role as a PSICOM officer into the XIII-2 Coliseum. The visual attraction here is seeing that familiar character used as a combatant and then as a summonable ally, not a new world or a large batch of scenery.

Story

There is a modest but genuine fan-service pull to facing Jihl Nabaat again. Her connection to Final Fantasy XIII gives the encounter some context before the fighting starts, especially if PSICOM and its officers stuck with you from the earlier game.

That said, this is a battle add-on first. Its narrative value comes from the recognition factor and the chance to reclaim Nabaat as an ally after defeating her, rather than from a broad new chapter of XIII-2.

If Nabaat meant little to you in Final Fantasy XIII, the story hook will not carry the purchase. In that case, judge it on whether a Saboteur-oriented recruit and a more demanding Coliseum opponent sound useful to your party.

Overall Experience

Opponent – Nabaat knows exactly how large it is: one opponent, one hard-fought reward, and a new ally for the roster. That narrow scope is not a flaw if you are still engaged with XIII-2’s battle collection and want another meaningful crystal to earn.

The frustration can come from Nabaat’s Daze, her ability to restore HP, and the allies she summons. Yet those are also the reasons the fight has some bite; a Coliseum download should make you reconsider the battle in front of you, not just hand over a recruit.

At its best, this is a satisfying extra duel with a practical reward attached. Fans of Nabaat or dedicated monster collectors should give it a chance, while anyone looking for a substantial story expansion will find the value much harder to justify. If you want another similar Coliseum matchup afterward, the Omega opponent add-on is a relevant follow-up.

Retro Replay Score

6.5/10