New Final Fantasy XIII footage released

By Robert Purchese Published 28 January, 2009

Square Enix flashes some gameplay.

Square Enix has released a brand new trailer for Final Fantasy XIII, showing impressive CGI cinematics and some very acrobatic turn-based battles.

The footage can be seen on the official Final Fantasy XIII website, either in big or small size, to use the technical terms.

The trailer is in Japanese, but the visuals set the scene well enough; an enormous and technologically advanced metropolis filled with futuristic baddies and trains that put the Virgin Bullet to shame.

Our two heroes - the acrobatic female Lightning and blonde brawler Snow - eventually meet and find themselves facing off against all manner of foes: humanoids, robo-tigers and cyborgs.

Unperturbed, our champions set about duffing up the baddies using all manner of attacks, such as hitting them high into the sky and bopping them about like punch-bags. There appears to be a reactionary system involved that makes the action feel a little more real-time, too.

Then we're back to CGI and the trailer comes to an end, with the promise of a 2009 Japanese launch.

Unfortunately we're still no closer to narrowing down European plans, and whether the completed PS3 version will be held back in order to launch simultaneously with the yet-to-be-started Xbox 360 game.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (45) Latest comment 3 years ago

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

  • ZxdarkstarxZ #1 3 years ago

    I love final fantasy and i think this looks sweet ^^ so glad they are bringing it out on 360 as well as ps3 =]

  • Eraysor #2 3 years ago

    Looks delicious, but it needs more techno music than that orchestral stuff. It doesn't really fit the futuristic premise at the moment.

  • Burkey123 #3 3 years ago

    WOW!! That looked amazing! Good to see some gameplay as well.
    God knows when its out though :(

  • neonxaos #4 3 years ago

    Looks like Squeenix have a winner with this one... and they need one!

  • Heitzu #5 3 years ago

    I can't believe how nice that looks roll on the inevitable delay between Japan and European release...

  • Erinan #6 3 years ago

    Please please please - Japanese version with English subtitles? Pretty please?

  • patchbox360 #7 3 years ago

    the one game sony should have held on to.

  • FirewalkR #8 3 years ago

    [link url=http://www.finalfa ntasy13game.com/
    ]http://www.finalfa ntasy13game.com/
    [/link]

    European official site with subtitles. In case it still shows a counter, reload.

  • MasterNameless #9 3 years ago

    "Please please please - Japanese version with English subtitles? Pretty please? "

    +1000000

    The horrible english dubs always remove so much of the atmosphere for me, so I really hope they do this. They probably won't though.

    I italicised the 'for me' bit there so we don't get dragged into the incredibly tedious sub/dub argument again, it's all personal preference... well, mostly.

    It's nice this is out on the 360 too, but will probably get the PS3 version as it's the true home of the FF series. Saying that though, if there is a surprise online element, then it's 360 all the way. Although it is still tempting just for the party chat/friends list... argh!

  • chessboxer #10 3 years ago

    I won't be buying this (ActionRPG's >>> Turn-based) but it does look fucking amazing. This raises my hopes for Versus XIII when it comes out in 2011.

    Sorry to piss on your camp fire but there is no chance of the Japanese game having English subs.

  • septimus #11 3 years ago

    If they delay for the PS3 version for the bloody 360 I'll be gutted. Looks great though, and hopefully make up for 12 being meh.

    another +100000 for Japanese voices / english sub. It can never be overstated how much better an option it is compared to subbing.
    Edited by 1 at 28/01/09 @ 17:18

  • Pedrolot #12 3 years ago

    Looks good, But im looking forward to Versus.

  • Feanor #13 3 years ago

    FF12 had great voice acting, so I'm not too worried if FF13 doesn't get a sub option.

    Maybe only the PS3 version will be able to include the Japanese and English voices?

  • FirewalkR #14 3 years ago

    If they announced that the Japanese PS3 version, coming out this year, was gonna have english subtitles and menus.. it'd be the end of the internets, I tells ya!

  • Chufty #15 3 years ago

    Immense. Looks like some vintage Final Fantasy going on there. Can't wait!

    The last two FF games have had some great English voice acting, but still, I agree the option of subtitles would be nice.

  • viper_h #16 3 years ago

    I just hope the battle system isn't that real-time impossible-to-manage gambit crap that 12 had.

    Back to normal turn based fun please.

  • Zaltan #17 3 years ago

    I agree with, viper_h. Turn Based FTW.

  • Scimarad #18 3 years ago

    Awesomeness incarnate!

    I was getting a real FFX vibe off of that combat.

  • Burkey123 #19 3 years ago

    By the look of the comments, I'm in the minority but I absolutely loved the gambit system, it was much more free flowing and i felt it suited FF. Its all about individual taste I suppose.

  • Scimarad #20 3 years ago

    I really liked the FFXII system as well but I think I'm in a minority.

  • Widge #21 3 years ago

    The voices on FF are ok but I find the actual direction so stilted when compared to other voice heavy games.

  • Widge #22 3 years ago

    and WHEN do we hear some release date news for XIII Versus?

  • Benno #23 3 years ago

    LOOKS NICE

  • Matthew_Aaron #24 3 years ago

    wow, but still prefer the look of versus

  • SixFootHalfling #25 3 years ago

    The battle system looked to me to be very similar to the system in IV on the DS.

    That is it's a hybrid turn based system, where a party members speed stat relates to how lond it takes a bar to fill, and the player can only move the party member when this is full, the bar then refills to cast a spell, etc, whereas attacks are instantaneous.

    The bar appeared to be at the bottom right, under the health bars. tbh I liked this system as it allowed for a lot of depth, enabling you to plan attacks so that they all hit at once, spread them to reduce counters, or save the healer for an extra 10 secs to ensure they heal after the enemy AI attacked, etc.

    Yes I know the description makes it sound shit but it does actually work, honest.

  • chessboxer #26 3 years ago

    I think Versus XIII will be early 2011 in Japan (maybe Christmas 2010 but I doubt it) with an EU/NA launch closer to Christmas 2011. You're kidding yourselves if you thinks it's coming out any earlier.

  • Burkey123 #27 3 years ago

    OK I'm confused? Which game is out first? FFXIII or Versus? Whats the difference between the two?

  • Zanuah #28 3 years ago

    From what I heard, they are using the time that they use to localize FF13, to port the 360 version. So for US and EU the launch for the PS3 and the 360 version will be the same.

    Well in any case I'm looking forward to this one again... just couldn't play FF12, I hated the battle system, which is a shame for me since I love the graphics it had. :(

  • Scimarad #29 3 years ago

    Versus is by the Kingdom Hearts team so it'll be bloody ages!

  • FOSTERSMAN #30 3 years ago

    thats all well n good but how many discs will the 360 version ship on?
    lost odessey had 4 n that got boring on the first disc let alone number 4!

  • Xeopuppy #31 3 years ago

    I would prefer it in Japanese with English subtitles, at least it would come out in UK at the same time, I am glad it's coming out on 360 also, but I am still going to get it on PS3. (I have both machines by the way)

    I stopped getting excited about Final Fantasy since Final Fantasy IX, but this is awesome, reminds me of Final Fantasy VII, Active Time Battle, Science fiction and Fantasy mix. Amazing.

  • chessboxer #32 3 years ago

    @ Burkey123

    FFXIII then Versus XIII then Agito XIII. That is the order they will be released. One cannot and will not come out until the previous game has been released so PSP fans will be getting Agito XIII in 2011, possibly 2012.

    Loosely, FFXIII tells a story (I'm not going into the whole Crystal saga). Versus XIII tells another side of the same story (Versus is just different and darker) and Agito XIII tells yet another side and it's supposed to have a multiplayer element to it.

  • Miths #33 3 years ago

    I have a rather ambivalent attitude towards most JRPGs - I usually enjoy the turn based combat a lot, but the typical androgynous, emo teen protagonists and melodramatic storylines and dialogue tend to make me want to puke every hour or two.

    This video looks pretty damn great though - and I like the sci-fi setting - so I guess there's little doubt I'll end up buying the game. I just hope it won't go too heavy handed on all the negatives I just listed above. So far it looks like the male characters at least aren't 15 year old boys posing as angst ridden excuses for seasoned warriors, but I can't really say the slick, boyish gay... sorry, guys in that video looks like characters I'm likely to be particularly fond of either.
    I hope the female character we see a lot is going to be the main protagonist - women/girls in JRPGs don't tend to have the same vomit inducing effect on me as the guys.

    Hopefully all my reservations will be put to shame. But then I've been hoping for that every time I've bought a JRPG. I really sort of wish I hated the gameplay as well so I just wouldn't bother at all :).

  • butler` #34 3 years ago

    Jesus. That combat looks sick. If the hit the nail on the head with the turn-based but fast paced/fun, this is going to be serious business.

  • penhalion #35 3 years ago

    ......I'm just not seeing what most of you guys are. Being honest about it, I wasn't very excited once I saw the combat. The story seems to be about some psychic awakening thing too so that's going to be needlessly convoluted.

    This is a "reserve judgement until I see a full version" game for me.

  • Vistrix #36 3 years ago

    Looks amazing.

    Not being funny but, how on earth will the 360 cope with the overheating running this game??

  • Vistrix #37 3 years ago

    @farticusmaximus

    How is it even remotely stupid? Have you not heard that the 360 is well known for hardware failiures? I wasnt trying to provoke anyone, I was just wondering what people thought about it. People seem to have the RROD problem with various things but perhaps running intensively graphical games will heighten the problem.

    Its not stupid to think about. Its logical.
    Edited by 1 at 29/01/09 @ 09:37

  • Vistrix #38 3 years ago

    @farticusmaximus

    Ok, it was. The 360 hardware problem can in no way be related to running highly graphical games.

    It was a really stupid suggestion that makes no sense.

  • Vistrix #39 3 years ago

    Im still debating on which platform I should get it on though.

    If Microsoft or Sony can pull some kind of exclusive DLC deal from Square Enix, its going to sway me.

  • Penguins20 #40 3 years ago

    @ Miths

    I too hope for no more androgenites, It's been getting a little silly recenctly. Vaan had to be introduced with the tagline "He's a guy, honest" on most of the websites I looked at previews on. Hopefully Square have learned lessons from Crisis Core (a game about manly men fighting a prancing, poetry reading bloke) about making their male characters better.

    It would also be nice to have some more complicated motivations for characters than "I am a Princess...I must save my Kingdom" or "I must protect the princess as it is my duty" (See: Ashe, Garnet, Basch, Steiner, Kimahri, and many others...). The futuristic setting will hopefully dicourage this, however.

    Overall, looking good so far!

  • CallousB #41 3 years ago

    Looks very good visually...but to be honest I thought the new Wii FF Crystal Bearers trailer looked more interesting gameplay wise.
    Edited by 1 at 29/01/09 @ 11:45

  • actionfitz #42 3 years ago

    I think my Eyes just came.

    "and whether the completed PS3 version will be held back in order to launch simultaneously with the yet-to-be-started Xbox 360 game."

    I would say thats a certainty - lest microsoft allow sony to ship loads of PS3's to people who'll buy one just to play this game.
    (hides in a corner looking shifty).

  • PierrePressure #43 3 years ago

    I'm after a darker story line ala VII and VII rather than the fantasy tosh...funnily enough.

  • Vistrix #44 3 years ago

    @PierrePressure

    Yeah, because of the futuristic theme im hoping for a similar atmosphere to FF8.

  • Burkey123 #45 3 years ago

    Cheers chessboxer. I just got a bit lost there for a minute.