Final Fantasy XIII

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Final Fantasy XIII
Developer(s)	Square Enix
Publisher(s)	Square Enix
Designer(s)	Yoshinori Kitase (game producer) Motomu Toriyama (game director) Kazushige Nojima (scenario writer) Tetsuya Nomura (character designer) Yoshitaka Amano (title logo designer) Nobuo Uematsu (theme song composer) Masashi Hamauzu (music composer)
Series	Final Fantasy series Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII
Engine	White Engine
Released	TBA 2008
Genre	Console role-playing game
Mode(s)	Single player
Ratings	CERO: Not yet rated
Platform(s)	PlayStation 3
Media	BD-ROM
Input methods	DualShock 3/SIXAXIS

Final Fantasy XIII (ファイナルファンタジーXIII, Fainaru Fantajī Sātīn^?) is an upcoming console role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix exclusively for the Sony PlayStation 3 as a part of the Final Fantasy video game series. First appearing at E³ 2006, the game features a futuristic, high-tech world, and a storyline focusing on "those who resist the world".^[1] Final Fantasy XIII is the flagship game in the Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII collection. The game takes place in the same universe as the other games, although they are not directly related to each other.^[2] Final Fantasy X-2 director Motomu Toriyama returns as the director of the game.^[3]

Gameplay

Combat in Final Fantasy XIII

Battle system

The concept for Final Fantasy XIII's battle system is to maintain the strategic nature of command -based battles, whilst also including the excitement and speed found in fast-paced battles. This system stemmed from a desire to create battles of the type found in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, whilst adding multiple player characters to the battle. As such, and like recent entries in the franchise, the battles will be in real time, without any random battles.^[4] Active Time Battle makes a return in Final Fantasy XIII. In keeping with command-based battles, players input commands by selection through a reel on the bottom-left hand side of the screen. Each command has an ATB cost, which reduces the total ATB bar. Selected commands are placed on a row of upcoming moves, above the bar. As characters fight, each command is used in turn, with the current command in use turning yellow. Commands can be chained together for certain effects. The environment also plays a role in battle; for instance, Lightning has been seen sending a soldier into a light, electrocuting him and multiplying the damage. A map is seen in the upper left hand corner of the battle screen, with blue dots representing allies and red dots signifying enemies. The dots emitting circles are the characters currently affected by the fighting. The upper right-hand corner of the battle screen shows a circular-shaped gauge, representing the Overclock mode. When full, Overclocking allows the player to induce a slow-motion effect, almost pausing time for everything other than the player. Once Overclock is activated, a rapidly decreasing number appears inside the circular gauge, signifying the duration of the Overclock status. This system may replace the traditional Limit Break system found in previous Final Fantasy games.^[5] Final Fantasy X battle director Toshiro Tsuchida will return as the battle system director for the game. He has the intent of giving individual enemies their own personalities and background stories.^[6]

Summons

Summoning will also return in Final Fantasy XIII. Summons are shown as partly mechanical beings, and the possibility exists that they will feature not only in battle, but in outside gameplay as well. Shiva is one such summon that will be returning, and in Final Fantasy XIII, she takes the form of a pair of sisters who can merge into a motorbike, which the unnamed, blonde male character has been shown to ride. As of December 2007, both Carbuncle and Ifrit are also said to appear in the game.

Online

Although the main focus of Final Fantasy XIII is a traditional offline RPG experience, Square Enix is attempting to add special online features to the game.^[7]

Plot

Setting

Pulse is the world of Final Fantasy XIII, and the overworld is plagued by monsters, though little else is known about it. Cocoon is a separate, floating environment, whose people perceive everything outside of Cocoon - the world of Pulse - as dangerous, and fear it. Those who have been influenced by the people of Pulse, known to them as the Outsiders, are quarantined by the "Holy Government" of Cocoon, and deported to Pulse. Prisoners have been shown to be deported.^[8]

The Crystals

The Crystals in Final Fantasy XIII have conscious thought and are considered living beings. With the ability to create things, it is likely the people of Final Fantasy XIII's world see them as gods. Two Crystals have so far been revealed - one for Cocoon, and one for Pulse. Cocoon's Crystal created the city, and cares for it, whilst everything outside Cocoon is controlled by Pulse's Crystal.^[9]

Characters

Aside from Lightning, a second female has been revealed in closed screenings; not much is known about her, other than she carries a bow as a weapon.

Lightning

Lightning, as seen in the E³ trailer

Final Fantasy XIII's lead character appears as a strong, independent young woman with strawberry blonde hair. She uses the codename "Lightning" to hide her true identity. She was chosen by one of the crystals - though it is unknown which - to destroy Cocoon.^[10]

The two yellow stripes on Lightning's left shoulder symbolize her rank and social status. Her weapon can be transformed between a sword and a firearm at will. Lightning is able to use gravity as a tool and weapon, for instance, throwing a small 'gravity bomb' to disable enemies at the start of a battle; indeed, during battle, she seems to be able to defy gravity, almost levitating. Character designer Tetsuya Nomura was asked to create a "female version of Cloud from Final Fantasy VII", and has described her as "not very feminine".^[11]

Unnamed male

The unnamed blond as shown at the Jump Festa convention.

A blonde, bandana-wearing male, who has been shown riding Shiva in her motorcycle form, wielding a gun with a laser sight attached, to come to Lightning's aid when she is outnumbered by soldiers.^[12] Very little else is known about him; nicknamed by the staff as "Mr 33cm", supposedly after his shoe size,^[13] he is described as "cowboy-like" and it is unknown whether they share a relation.^[14]

Development

Along with Final Fantasy Versus XIII and the mobile phone game Final Fantasy Agito XIII, Final Fantasy XIII is part of the project known as Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII,^[15] but is neither a prequel nor a sequel to either of the two other installments. Square Enix explained that although all three games take place in the same universe, they are not directly related in terms of story.^[2] The game runs on the White Engine, an all-new seventh generation multiplatform^[16] middleware engine built by Square Enix for their future games. Both the engine and the game were originally slated to be used with the PlayStation 2 but were later moved to the PlayStation 3.^[17] The engine handles advanced audio processing, cinematic cut-scene transition, physics effects calculations and special effects rendering. The White Engine reportedly uses four of the six developer-available synergistic processing elements (SPEs) of the Cell Broadband Engine Architecture microprocessor to achieve near-pre-rendered CGI quality in realtime.^[18] Square Enix recently announced they had licensed Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3 to use on a number of particular other upcoming current generation titles, but will still use the White Engine for Final Fantasy XIII.^[19][20] A release date has not been confirmed, but in a financial briefing on May 23, 2007 it was shown that Final Fantasy XIII will not be released until after the fiscal year ends in March of 2008.^[21] In an interview with Square-Enix's European and North American CEO, John Yamamoto at E3 2007, the possibility of a worldwide simultaneous release for Final Fantasy XIII was mentioned.^[22] Recently Amazon began listing Final Fantasy XIII for pre-sale for US$59.99 with a listed "December 1st 2008" Release Date. ^[23] Some of the developers in Final Fantasy XIII are veterans. Kazushige Nojima, known for his work on many titles including Final Fantasy VII and Kingdom Hearts, will return as the scenario writer. Eiji Fujii, previously the movie director of Final Fantasy XII, will return as the movie director. Isamu Kamikokuryō, previously the co-art director of Final Fantasy XII, will return as the art director, with Tetsu Tsukamoto designing the weapons. The main programmer will be Kazumi Kobayashi. Rumours surfaced over the internet regarding the possibility of Final Fantasy XIII making an appearance on the Xbox 360. However, on June 5, 2007 Shinji Hashimoto disclosed information to Japanese company Nikkei BP that they are not currently planning on releasing any Final Fantasy titles on the Xbox 360, aside from the Final Fantasy XI MMORPG that is already out on the 360. Hashimoto stated that while Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers is currently in production for the Wii, plans to develop a Final Fantasy title for the 360 are currently "a blank page".^[24] Final Fantasy XIII appeared at the Tokyo Game Show in Japan on September 20, 2007.^[25] An expanded trailer showed more of the world of Final Fantasy XIII, included a new female character, and reaffirmed platform exclusivity.

References

External links

• Final Fantasy XIII E3 2006 page at the official Square Enix North American website (English)
• Final Fantasy XIII E3 2006 page at the official Square Enix Japanese website (Japanese)