Final Fantasy 13 (PS3/XBOX 360)

[spankdatazz22]

Re: Final Fantasy 13 (PS3/XBOX 360)

Incredible trailer

[trobinson97]

Re: Final Fantasy 13 (PS3/XBOX 360)

I still want to know where you get all this free time for time consuming Rpgs....

Huh? All what time consuming rpgs? Only games I play with any regularity is NBA 2K9 (when it's time to get a league game in) and WoW (when I sign up for a raid). If anything, I'm looking forward to these games to get me on the 360. Last one I played was Lost Odyssey, and the last time I played it was March of 08'.

[Cyros]

Re: Final Fantasy 13 (PS3/XBOX 360)

I'm probably just thinking about the fact that when you get Rpgs you're able to sink a ton of time into them.

[trobinson97]

Re: Final Fantasy 13 (PS3/XBOX 360)

Two questions, and no offense intended:

1. Like what and when?

2. Why are you so interested in how much I play what?

I guess I am just a little confused as to what the purpose of the questioning is.

[Cyros]

Re: Final Fantasy 13 (PS3/XBOX 360)

Two questions, and no offense intended:

1. Like what and when?

2. Why are you so interested in how much I play what?

I guess I am just a little confused as to what the purpose of the questioning is.

1. Well, last game probably was Lost Odyssey

2. It was all in fun. I'll tack on smileys next time.

Sorry if this caused you some problems. Roll Tide, right?

[Flawless]

Re: Final Fantasy 13 (PS3/XBOX 360)

Final Fantasy XIII's Battle System Exposed

The battles in Final Fantasy XIII are basically realtime; you can see enemies on the game map and fall into battle when you come into contact with them. Your party has a time gauge that fills up over...time, and once it reaches a certain level, you can execute commands. This is sort of like the "Active Time Battle" system we saw up until Final Fantasy IX, but unlike before, commands can be executed even if the time gauge isn't completely full.

You see, the gauge is divided into sections; when each one fills up, you are able to execute one command, such as "Fight" or using an item. When the gauge is full, you can input several commands in one go and watch as your party executes them all at once, with the results depending on the sequence of your orders.

Every command, meanwhile, has an associated cost. For example, while "Fight" only consumes one time unit, trickier magic could cost three or more units, draining your time gauge rapidly. While unconfirmed, it seems likely that more time units will be added to the gauge as you levels up, and that'll be important -- given that there's no visible MP display on the battle screen, there's a decent probability that magic works completely off the time gauge and there's no MP concept here at all.

Like in most recent FFs, chaining attacks plays a major role in the battle system. Attacking the enemy multiple times in rapid succession results in a Chain, which gives a bonus to the damage you deal. Linking a chain together fills up a gauge on the top right of the screen; once it reaches a certain level, enemies will start to flash red onscreen. Keep the chain going until you fill the gauge to maximum, and enemies will go into Break mode, letting you deal even more damage until the gauge is fully exhausted. Enemies in Break mode can be thrown into the air with a dedicated command, letting you juggle them around for -- you guessed it -- more damage. (You can't juggle really huge monsters, of course, but there might be some other method of making them vulnerable for a short period of time.)

[Flawless]

Re: Final Fantasy 13 (PS3/XBOX 360)

OPM UK & Edge May 2009 Issue, feature scans

The latest UK magazines Official Playstation & Edge have both done feature's on Final Fantasy XIII, and most prominently, the Demo which is due out in Japan on the 16th of this month.

I've scanned both features, but unfortunately it seems the Official Playstation Magazine is missing it's last page, leaving the feature abruptly in the middle of a sentence.
This is most likely down to the page being removed by OPM before shipping, looks like SE may still have aspects on the demo that do not want to be shared with the public. Irrespective, enjoy both features.

[highheatkingsb]

Re: Final Fantasy 13 (PS3/XBOX 360)

I live for this series. I can't wait.

[Candyman5]

Re: Final Fantasy 13 (PS3/XBOX 360)

I live for this series. I can't wait.

They still need to top 7.

[Marino]

Re: Final Fantasy 13 (PS3/XBOX 360)

They still need to top 7.

That is pretty hard to ask.

[Flawless]

Re: Final Fantasy 13 (PS3/XBOX 360)

Famitsu:

• In the demo you can play as Lightning and Snow.
• Cutscenes can be paused and skipped.
• Right stick is for the camera, left is for movement, and you can use that to walk or run.
• Camera can be moved during battle.
• NPCs are all fully voiced.
• You will hear NPCs talking even if you don't initiate a conversation with them.

Fully voiced NPCs is pretty huge news.

[Candyman5]

Re: Final Fantasy 13 (PS3/XBOX 360)

Can I make a japanese account and get this demo on 360? Or is it only the PS3 you can do that with?

[Flawless]

Re: Final Fantasy 13 (PS3/XBOX 360)

Demo won't be on PSN. It comes with the release of Final Fantasy Advent Children Complete in Japan. I believe it's coming to the US in June.

...

Final Fantasy XIII Updated

Here's some of what you won't experience in the demo. Although Lightning and Sazh start off together, you won't learn about their relationship until a reflection scene that takes place after the events of the demo. Also, while the demo lets you play from the perspective of just Lightning and Snow, the final version will also have sequences that take place from Vanille's perspective. As you advance with one character, the game will switch to another character and you'll experience what that character has been up to. Apparently, such scenes run in parallel with one-another like one of those "Meanwhile..." transitions in a movie.

We'll see just about 30% of the final battle system in the demo, explained Toriyama. The game's "Evolved ATB" system (the name for this system is currently under consideration) will show itself in only its base form. There won't be summons in the demo, although they'll be in the final. Additionally, the demo will limit you to just three move stocks, while the final version of the game will have your possible move stock increase as your character develops. The final version will also have changes to the game's menus to make it easier to input commands once you have a lot of commands at your disposal.

Toriyama also revealed something particularly surprising about the battle system. At the end of each battle, your character's HP will be totally recovered! The game is being tuned so that individual battles are tough and you won't win unless you think.

Once you've cleared battle, you're presented with a result screen which gives you a one to five star rating indicating your performance. To get a high rating, you need to fight efficiently and finish the battle quickly.

This star ranking system will be in the demo. A couple of points about the results screen won't make it out until the final, though. The game will have support for Trophies and other PS3 features, Toriyama revealed without getting into specifics. He also briefly mentioned that mysterious "TP Bonus" icon that has been shown in screenshots of the result screens. It has something to do with summon magic, but that's as far as he'd say.

Toriyama was even more vague about the game's character growth system. FFXIII will feature a new character development system, similar to how FFX featured the Sphere system and FFXII the License Board system.

One thing to note about character growth, however, is that you won't be able to make just anyone use magic. As part of the story, only the L'cie characters can use magic.

Toriyama also offered up a preview of what happens prior to battle as you move about on the fields of play. As indicated by past trailers, FFXIII's enemies are visible prior to battle. The enemies have fields of vision, and when they see you, they will attack. In the demo, all enemies in the area will proceed to join in on the attack, although in the final version, the enemies will react to you individually.

For the tech heads, the interview also shared a few technical details. The game will output at 720p and 30 frames per second. There are a few slowdown issues with the demo during battle, but these will be cleared out in the final. Also, for those with SD televisions, the development staff is taking care to make sure the game will be readable by all.

Finally, some good news for those concerned about a massive wait for the final version of the game. According to Toriyama, the major areas of the game are nearly done, and now it's just a matter of connecting everything together. The work of the designers is, for the most part, finished.

This hopefully means a 2009 release is still on track for Japan with an international release not too long after that.

But first, that demo! Two Famitsu editors were given a chance to sample the demo in advance. Their play time lasted one hour and twenty minutes or so. They praised the speediness of the game and the near zero load times. The background music is "cool," said one editor, who also made note of the detail in the backgrounds which allows you to see characters fighting enemies far in the distance as you move about the fields of play. It would be a loss to not experience the demo, said another editor.

[Candyman5]

Re: Final Fantasy 13 (PS3/XBOX 360)

Demo won't be on PSN. It comes with the release of Final Fantasy Advent Children Complete in Japan. I believe it's coming to the US in June.

...

Final Fantasy XIII Updated

Is that a game or a 2nd CG movie.

[Flawless]

Re: Final Fantasy 13 (PS3/XBOX 360)

Watched a live stream of the demo being played and it looks great. Battle system looked like a lot of fun for only being 30% of the final one. Music is fantastic and visually it's way ahead of other JRPGs.

A bunch of captures from the demo



There's a couple videos on youtube. Expect better quality footage of the demo as well as impressions throughout the week.

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