Final Fantasy XIII Preview

By Keza MacDonald Published 26 August, 2009

Summoning and soundbites from director Motomu Toriyama.

Our last meeting with Final Fantasy XIII - playing the half-hour demo on the bonus disc nestled in the Advent Children special-edition Blu-ray in a tiny Japanese living room, back in April - was rather more intimate than this month's gamescom demonstration. It was possible to gain a real feel for the colourful, sleek science-fiction setting and revamped Active Time battle system, and both impressed us with their innovative spark as much as their predictably professional implementation. FFXIII is, in keeping with series tradition, a bright departure into a brave new universe rather than an incremental update.

This time, design director Motomu Toriyama took us through a five-minute slice of gameplay, offering a tiny amount of new information about the game and a few generous insights into its design process. He was fighting in a party with main characters Lightning and Snow, sidekick Sazh and Vanille across a snowy plane, showcasing the battles, summoning system and party AI.

Although you only directly control one character at a time in FFXIII, all party members can be directed via the Paradigm Shift system. It's an addition that was made fairly late in the design process, according to Toriyama, in order to endow the game with additional strategic depth; based on the number, nature and level of your foes, directing party members to adopt a defensive or aggressive stance is going to be a necessary consideration rather than an arbitrary option.

"Of course, Final Fantasy has traditionally been a turn-based, command based battle system," says Toriyama on the merits of the revamped Active Time battles, "and FFXIII is the ultimate evolution of that turn-based system. It's very close to an action game feel, but strategising is still an absolutely key component - there's still that classic RPG feel to things as well, and that has to be one of FFXIII's greatest draws."

'Final Fantasy XIII' Screenshot 1

Snow's summon, Shiva, in rad motorcycle Gestalt form.

The seamlessness of the action is still immediately noticeable, the battle results screen being the only break in the action. Otherwise the transition from exploration to battling to cut-scenes is barely perceptible; the character models, explains Toriyama, are almost exactly the same for cut-scenes and in-game action, and the standard of facial animation is as high for in-game scenes as it is for pre-rendered ones.

Toriyama takes us into a battle with masked soldiers, and we get to see Lightning's summon - it's Odin, depicted with a black-and-green cyborg feel. Summoned gods take on two forms - in his humanoid shape, Odin simply joins the fight as another party member, but in his Gestalt form he turns into a cybernetic horse for Lightning to ride around on, transforming the game into a Final Fantasy version of polo where your button-presses translate directly into attacks. Each character has only one summon - as we saw at E3, Snow can summon Shiva and turn her into a bitchin' motorcycle to ride around on.

English voice acting and five languages' worth of subtitles have all recently been completed, explains Toriyama - localisation has been a key concern ever since the very beginning. "The development of FFXIII is on a worldwide perspective; we're not going for one market over another but developing simultaneously for all worldwide markets. The localisation process has been going on as we've been making the Japanese version.

"We've also had monitoring and testing where we have groups of testers try the game out and offer feedback that we can incorporate into the development process, and there have been some surprises there. We've been doing that for audiences in Japan and overseas, trying to look at it from a global perspective."

That international internal testing has thrown up a few surprises for the team. FFXIII's Active Time battles were designed at least partly to appeal to the more action-based sensibilities of Western gameplayers, but it's evidently hitting the mark with the Japanese market as well. "It's been a really interesting experience developing this and having people from different regions try it out, because we have certain expectations," says Toriyama with a wry smile. "We would think that the Japanese audience would have a better reaction to the characters' expressions and emotional reactions, but it's actually more the North American and European testers that are saying they really like that stuff. Similarly, we would expect the action-based battle system to appeal to overseas audiences a lot more, but Japanese testers are loving that element too, so we're having all these new discoveries during development. It's been a really fun experience."

Final Fantasy XIII's world is split into two large areas - Cocoon, the green-glowing floating city in which the last demo was set, and Pulse, everything outside of it. About 60 per cent of the game is going to take place within Cocoon, but the area in the previous demo was just one tiny part of the massive city - a unique one at that, explains Toriyama, very close to Pulse - so we shouldn't assume that we've seen everything that the setting has to offer.

'Final Fantasy XIII' Screenshot 2

The scale of the fights reminds us of White Knight Chronicles, as does the action-based fighting.

Japan's been treated to a full on-disc demo of FFXIII already, but are there any plans to do the same for Europe, particularly as Xbox Live provides the ideal platform for giving hesitant Western gamers what might be their first taste of the series? There's a hurried discussion between Toriyama and his Japanese PR man before he assures us that there are no firm plans - but that they'd very much like to do a downloadable demo near the game's release in Europe and America in spring next year.

The game's 90 per cent complete, and with the localisation efforts already finished there doesn't seem to be anything endangering that tentative early-2010 release date. We'll be seeing more of it at TGS, according to producer Yoshinori Kitase, but mere months from the Japanese release we're not sure what surprises Square-Enix can still have up its sleeve. At this point, though, FFXIII doesn't need to surprise us to impress us. It's shaping up beautifully.

Final Fantasy XIII is due out for PS3 and Xbox 360 in spring 2010.

Picture of Keza.

About Keza MacDonald

Read more articles from Keza by visiting the Keza MacDonald archive page.

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Comments (47) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • TriggerHippie #1 3 years ago

    I just hope the combat system is a bit more hands on than XII. I really didn't feel connected to the characters in the last game during the fights.

  • Charlie_Miso #2 3 years ago

    So when does Dragon Quest IX come out?

  • Scimarad #3 3 years ago

    I'm so utterly hyped up for this one! I'm really suprised to hear how similar the in game models are to pre-rendered ones considering the quality of the cut scenes.

    I wonder who gets to summon Ifrit?

    "...particularly as Xbox Live provides the ideal platform for giving hesitant Western gamers what might be their first taste of the series?"

    ...a week after the PSN demo if you have a Silver account, probably - I wouldn't call that the ideal platform. Then again, PSN might drag their heels and give it to us AFTER Xbox Live silver users.

    Edited by 2 at 26/08/09 @ 08:22

  • frankfurter209 #4 3 years ago

    I will give them credit for trying to freshen up the gameplay, but the story/plot just looks atrocious as usual. All the gameplay revamps don't change the overblown, nauseating characters and self-seriousness.

  • Scimarad #5 3 years ago

    Attrocious? Surely a matter of taste, really. Most would generally say the story and settings are the strongest point of an FF game.

  • JohnnyWashnGo #6 3 years ago

    I loved FFXII even though I never got around to finishing it. A BC compatible PS3 would be really handy right about now so that I could finally put that game to bed.

    FFXIII looks amazing and I am sure it will be another classic from SE. Next spring looks like a long time away at this point.

  • andywilkie35 #7 3 years ago

    I'm playing through FFVII again on my PSP and I wish they'd just go back to the normal summon system of that, FFVIII and FFIX rather than the shit systems of FFX and FFXII. I want Shiva to turn up and fuck them up with ice, not be a fucking motorbike! Good lord what has happened there

  • Cid #8 3 years ago

    I'm not really a fan of the action-y direction they've taken, but I'm willing to give it a chance.

    This'll be the first game I play on the PS3.
    Edited by 1 at 26/08/09 @ 09:07

  • patchbox360 #9 3 years ago

    just release the game already

  • Vanmunt #10 3 years ago

    as much as I am looking forward to this, 14 has got my interest more... FF12 was too dumbed down for the masses, I have a feeling 13 will be even easier!

  • Widge #11 3 years ago

    XII was fine but WHERE WAS THE STORY

  • Scimarad #12 3 years ago

    XII did have a decent story but it was spread very thin throughout the game.

  • Cid #13 3 years ago

    Vanmunt: they've said that FFXIII will be the most challenging Final Fantasy ever. Whether that's true or not remains to be seen, but it does at least show that they're not looking to make it easy.

    FFXIV is a skip for me. MMOs = not my thing.

  • Vanmunt #14 3 years ago

    @cid

    lets hope so... I doubt if they will ever go back to the level of difficulty of VII, games are leaning more and more towards the casual market see the bayonetta 1 button game play!! Demons Souls was the first hardcore game I have played in a while and it made a nice change!!

  • Hypercube #15 3 years ago

    I'm certainly very interested in this - it seemed I was in a minority for really disliking the combat mechanics in FFXII, al the AI stuff. I just ended up pausing and assigning commands manually anyway, so it would have been easier to do it as turn based for me.

    Everything else was pretty spiffing though - one of these days I really should finish it.

  • Cid #16 3 years ago

    Vanmunt: are you saying FFVII was difficult? o_o I think it's one of the easiest Final Fantasies going.

  • YobRenoops #17 3 years ago

    "Japan's been treated to a full on-disc demo of FFXIII already, but are there any plans to do the same for Europe, particularly as Xbox Live provides the ideal platform for giving hesitant Western gamers what might be their first taste of the series?"

    Wheres the mention of PSN?

  • chicknstu #18 3 years ago

    Want it now!

  • ZuluHero #19 3 years ago

    it's hard to believe that after all the wait, this time next year it will all be over :)

    I guess the same could be said about any big release though. Looking forward to this so much :)

  • viper_h #20 3 years ago

    Looking forward to this actually, which is surprising, considering how bad XII was.

    Next year's going to be pretty good for games!

  • knightmt #21 3 years ago

    Want, I enjoyed XII, I liked that the game played itself,
    but that may just be me.
    New stuff sounds amazing,
    the stories are fucked up, but that makes them different.

  • wittynic #22 3 years ago

    Square are getting really bad a recycling story-lines. City where rich people live attacked by a group representing the poor people? Where have i head that before?

    Also not so keen on the Transformer-Summons.

    And you can only control one character? Why not give the option at least. Whilst the auto-pilot of FFXII was great for regular enemies, it was good to be able to individually control for Bosses and the like.

    Still going to buy it though.

  • Widge #23 2 years ago

    Ghostbusters

  • Yonda1me #24 2 years ago

    This will probably be "Advent Children action scenes translated into a videogame". I get that feeling.

    In this HD generation, where the visuals are one of the main sources of impact, I do like to think Final Fantasy will fit nicely, because of all the story and emotions of their characters. Maybe go for a more cinematic feeling.

    Still I don't get two things, Why all the hate towards the series? There seems to be a need to say 'I'm hardcore, so I cannot like this despite it's quality'. Doesn´t make sense.

    And, if the localization process is finished, 5 languages in subtitles, why not release it worldwide?
    Edited by 1 at 26/08/09 @ 11:36

  • Cid #25 2 years ago

    "it is obvious that they cannot stick to the traditional,outdated ff of old"

    Well they kind of already did that a long time ago. The last truly turn-based FF was 10. Since then they've been adding all sorts of real-time elements.

    I don't think more traditional systems are outdated at all. I'd rather they focused on adding more strategy to an existing battle system than overhauling the whole thing and trying to make it like some sort of lame anime. Take the SMT series' press-turn system, for example. Simple additions that make all the difference.

    Edited by 1 at 26/08/09 @ 11:42

  • Doctor_What #26 2 years ago

    And funnily enough, FFX was also the last one that I really enjoyed. I (and my girlfriend) am looking forward to the return of turn-based fighting :)

  • viper_h #27 2 years ago

    "one character at a time" is what the article says, not just one character.

    I hope.

  • Daryoon #28 2 years ago

    I wonder if people whined so much when FFIV added real-time to the previously rigid turn-based structure? And scraped the job system in favour of predetermined, unchangeable classes? And repeated the same story of magic crystals for the 3rd time in 4 games?

  • Yonda1me #29 2 years ago

    viper_h

    Although you only directly control one character at a time in FFXIII, all party members can be directed via the Paradigm Shift system.

    I think "at a time" means per battle. Maybe you can select in the menu screen wich one but you won't control all of them in battle, as the videos taken from the demo and events suggest.

  • Keza #30 2 years ago

    The previous demo does indeed suggest that you can't switch between characters mid-battle, but I'm not entirely sure if you can switch outside of battle.

  • Rubarack #31 2 years ago

    Gameplay? Strategic depth? Final Fantasy?

    Wow, things have changed.

  • Sonic_D #32 2 years ago

    This may be the first FF I play properly for a long time. Please Sqaure release FFVI for the DS, it is my fave FF and deserves a re-release. Currently enjoying Chrono Trigger on the DS and would love to play FFVI after.

  • stevetuck #33 2 years ago

    Is it bad that im not even looking forward to this menufest?

  • KillerMonkey #34 2 years ago

    Hot asian anime chicks, woo!

  • geeza2020 #35 2 years ago

    when square announced that FF13 would go back to turn based battles i was thrilled. I founf ff12's battle system a bit hollow and not quite what was promised. But now i find that you can only control one character at a time in battles. wtf? surely that takes out most of the strategy in the game? Maybe i have interpreted the article and some of the comments here incorrectly. Can anyone confirm/deny this, as i probably wont buy the game if it is the case.

  • Arwin #36 2 years ago

    "We would think that the Japanese audience would have a better reaction to the characters' expressions and emotional reactions, but it's actually more the North American and European testers that are saying they really like that stuff. Similarly, we would expect the action-based battle system to appeal to overseas audiences a lot more, but Japanese testers are loving that element too, so we're having all these new discoveries during development. It's been a really fun experience."

    Just recently read a report on research on exactly this point. It showed that the Japanese almost exclusively look at the eyes to determine someone's state of mind, whereas almost all of the Western world looks at the whole face when doing the same. This difference in approach causes the Japanese to have problems distinguishing some facial expressions on Westerners, often confusing anger with astonishment.

    Pretty interesting research I think and key information for people who are trying to develop something that appeals to both Eastern and Western audiences. It may also explain a lot of success on Nintendo's part. You need characters with super-deformed heads and saucer sized eyes. It may sound like I'm joking, but it's now been shown to be much more absolutely true than I'd previously have thought.
    Edited by 1 at 26/08/09 @ 13:23

  • Yonda1me #37 2 years ago

    geeza2020

    You can check that here for example.

    In the Advent Children demo, you have a Nora + Snow fight but you only control Snow. There's more videos on the internet where for instance, you only control Lightning in a Lightning + Snow + Sazch fight.

    It's pretty much confirmed that it's a bit similar to Final Fantasy XII in that sense.

  • Scimarad #38 2 years ago

    I loved the gambit system in FFXII. I really hope FFXIII has something similar if we have to really on AI a lot.

  • Postumo #39 2 years ago

    This is Final Fantasy, a Japanese RPG game, so story/plot will be atrocious as scimarad commented before. I can't remember the last J-RPG with a serious plot I've played, maybe Grandia II or Shining the Holy Ark... but then i was just a boy.

    J-RPGs use to be nonsensical and bizarre about their plots. Characters tend to be Emo and bizarre. And what can i say about summons? they look stupid.

    Bring me The Witcher 2, Fallout or Mass Effect 2 as soon as possible, pleas.

  • Cid #40 2 years ago

    Why not be bizarre with your storyline? It's a video game.

  • actionfitz #41 2 years ago

    my PS2 bricked before I could finish FFXII, Shadow of the Collosus and God of War 2 :/
    gutted that my PS3 has no BC feature.
    Might borrow a friends old dusty PS2 so I can finish them.
    Looking forward to this, though im still slogging through Lost Odyssey... please for the love of god get rid of 'Random battles' for ever...
    so sick of that by now (refering to Lost Odyssey there heh).

  • hiddenranbir #42 2 years ago

    Surely we can grind ourselves to victory!

    I'm not too big on summoning a motorbike. I mean, on one hand awesome I get guns, but then summoning a motorbike...I guess it wouldn't be FF if it wasn't for such silliness.

  • adinus #43 2 years ago

    The Mickey Mouse glove pointer in the second image in the article has sold this game to me.
    Edited by 2 at 26/08/09 @ 17:38

  • Drakron #44 2 years ago

    "The last truly turn-based FF was 10."

    Try their ONLY turned based FF, all FF with the exception of X were real time based.

  • Cid #45 2 years ago

    ATB is still a form of turn-based combat.

    Either way, the first three Final Fantasies used standard turn-based systems.

  • YoungPayters #46 2 years ago

    mmmmmmm, yummy!

  • cobaltfram #47 2 years ago

    Really, after XII, I'd really fallen out of love with the series. But I'm interested in what a JRPG will look like when it's made to appeal to Western Audiences. We'll have to see, but it will be interesting, to be sure.