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Final Fantasy XIII-2 at TGS2011
15 Sep 2011 by NightmareTwo different trailers were shown at TGS2011, one with footage from the PS3 and the other with footage from the Xbox360. The trailers had different theme songs and the selection of event scenes was also different.
Hope and Snow made their first appearance in Final Fantasy XIII-2, they look somewhat different from the original Final Fantasy XIII. There was also a new blonde-haired young female character named Yuru. The mysterious man who appears in the Final Fantasy XIII-2 logo is called "Kaias", and apparently he travels with Yuru. In one of the event scenes, town residents turned into Cie'th and Lightning said that it was a future she was unable to protect.
During the event, Square Enix officially announced that Final Fantasy XIII-2 will be released on the 15th of December (in Japan) and will be priced 7,980 yen. There will also be a PlayStation 3 bundle which includes a Lightning themed PS3 and the game, priced 37,960 yen. Overseas, Final Fantasy XIII-2 will be released on January 31st in America and on February 3rd in Europe.
It has also been confirmed that there will be downloadable content after the release of this game but no details were given at the event.
Finally, some information about the theme song or rather theme songs have been revealed. There will be 2 different theme songs depending on the region of the game. Mai Fukui's voice will be heard in the Japanese theme song while Charice will be heard in the American/European theme song. The girls will be singing variations of the same song. Each version has the same background music, but with different lyrics and arrangements.
Final Fantasy X HD Remake
15 Sep 2011 by NightmareDuring the Tokyo Game Show, Square Enix announced that it will be remaking Final Fantasy X in HD for the PlayStation Vita and the PlayStation 3. They described the HD remake as a "special 10th anniversary production". No trailers were shown at the event but Square Enix said that the specs for each version of Final Fantasy X will be similar.
Final Fantasy XIII-2 Fan Meeting
11 Sep 2011 by NightmareThe fan meeting at the offices of Shinkuku Ward in Tokyo, organized by Square Enix and dedicated to Final Fantasy XIII-2, was held yesterday. The director Motomu Toriyama has provided few additional details about the release of the title, which apparently will be announced at the "Tokyo XXXXXX". According to what was reported by Famitsu, the number of "X"s stand for the Japanese translation of "Game Show", so a reference to the TGS 2011 is more than evident.
In addition to this, Motomu Toriyama shared some more details about the game.
- The release of DLC is still uncertain, as well as the launch of a limited edition.
- Bonus content will be available to those who have the save data from the original FFXIII.
- The character development is handled by a system similar to Crystarium. Even creatures that join the party will benefit from the system.
- The game will include more than 150 types of monsters.
- Compared to the prequel, this time chocobos can be ridden everywhere.
- The red chocobo returns.
- The Moogle alongside Serah and Noel comes from Valhalla.
- Although slightly shorter than its predecessor, the game will take several hours to complete due to time travel, side quests and mini-games.
- Most of the old cast will appear in FFXIII-2. Some of them will be playable.
- Serah and Snow are not yet married, but Snow seems to have a good reason for that. We'll discover the implications of the affair in the final version of the title.
- The amount of time devoted to the development of the game is equal to a year and a half. The game is currently 90% complete!
Final Fantasy XIII-3?
11 Sep 2011 by NightmareThe "Corporation Service Company" has registered the internet domain name finalfantasyxiii-3.com. This announcement is really surprising due to the fact that Final Fantasy XIII-2 hasn't been released in Japan or America yet. The Corporation Service Company is known for registering domain names for titles by Square Enix such as finalfantasy13game.com and Finalfantasy13-2Game.com. Is another sequel to Final Fantasy XIII coming out? We'll find out in less than a week during the Tokyo Game Show.
Final Fantasy Type-0 Manga
09 Sep 2011 by NightmareFinal Fantasy Type-0 will be converted into a manga which will appear in Shounen Gangan. The manga will be drawn by Takatoshi Shiozawa, the author of Full Moon. It will make its first appearance on November 11th.
Final Fantasy Type-0 Collectors Edition
09 Sep 2011 by NightmareSquare Enix has released high resolution photos of the Final Fantasy Type-0 Collectors Edition package which will be sold exclusively through the Square Enix Store. The package will cost 12,760 yen in Japan (that’s about $165) and it will include the game, a 24 card post card book with an eight page character introduction, the first print version of the game's three disc soundtrack CD, and a special box. A standalone version of the game’s soundtrack will also be available for purchase. Final Fantasy Type-0 will be released on the 27th of October in Japan.
Interview about FFXIII-2's Time Travel Mechanics
08 Sep 2011 by NightmareRecently, Square Enix Members (EU) interviewed Motomu Toriyama, the director of Final Fantasy XIII-2, about the new time travel mechanics which have been introduced into the game. You may find the interview below.
Could you give us an overview of what the Historia Crux is and how it works?
The Historia Crux is a new gameplay system that functions like a compass for time travel. As the portal which allows the player to select areas and time periods to go to, it functions a bit like a home menu and is at the heart of the story and gameplay progression of FINAL FANTASY XIII-2. The player can enjoy travelling through time by freely choosing between all the time-space locations where gates have been opened up. Although these locations proceed onwards into the future, you also have the option of rewinding time so it will be possible to experience many different historical possibilities.
What specific fan feedback are you trying to respond to with the Historia Crux?
The original game, FINAL FANTASY XIII, was primarily story driven and progressed in a very linear manner. For the sequel, FINAL FANTASY XIII-2, we are going for a much more player driven concept, so this time around the gameplay and story itself will alter to fit the player's choices. You will be able to freely come and go between all the areas; the game will provide not just simple environmental exploration, but also a multi-layered exploration of history through the Historia Crux.
How does the Historia Crux affect the gameplay in FINAL FANTASY XIII-2?
The Historia Crux branches off into multiple different routes depending on the player's choices. You will be able to take a detour into areas that have branched off of the route you have taken, perform side missions and turn back time in each of the areas to experiment with all possibilities. It is of course also possible to progress simply following the main story, like in the original FINAL FANTASY XIII. The flow of areas accessible via Historia Crux has been structured so that all of the player's actions and decisions will influence the gameplay.
Casual players will be able to use the Historia Crux in a similar manner to browsing a favourite website – picking and choosing between all the different links available. It also contains elements aimed at more dedicated gamers, allowing for more challenging play through encouraging exploration of all the different times and places; to find additional secrets including the multiple endings that are hidden in the different routes.
Many fans have been longing for an explorable World Map for a while. Do you feel that the Historia Crux is a good alternative?
The Historia Crux divides the world into multiple layers, overlapping with the different time periods that can be played with the feeling of jumping freely around several world maps. This is a completely new system and experience, so it cannot be unconditionally compared with other options; however, when considering the key concept of "player freedom", I believe it to be an optimal system for combining the best parts of open-world style games with the story-driven aspects of FINAL FANTASY XIII. The player can adjust their play style to either delve deeply into everything available and be engrossed, or just make more straightforward choices while going along their adventure.
Is it possible to share more information on how the Historia Crux allows for sidequests and hidden objects to feature in the game?
In the original game, the sidequests were only unlocked in the second half of the story in Gran Pulse, but in the sequel we have put in many different sidequests right from the start. Due to the overwhelming demand from players of the original, we have also included many strong and colourful mini games, a tradition of the FINAL FANTASY series. You will be able to return to any of the times and places whenever you like from the Historia Crux, so it is completely up to the player in what way they choose to play these.
Is it possible to change events that happen in the future depending on your actions in the past?
Depending on the player's actions, new turning points to new futures will appear in time, and these will certainly form the basis for the multiple endings.
This is the first time time travel has featured so prominently in a FINAL FANTASY game, is this something you'd like to explore more in future games?
For the FINAL FANTASY series, each game has its own new game system, so it is not as if we are intending on making time travel key to all future instalments. We want fans to look forward to each FINAL FANTASY having its own unique system. For FINAL FANTASY XIII-2, we are experimenting with carrying out repeated large scale user tests to reflect the opinions of users in the game itself. We really have received a lot of feedback about the game, but among the voices there are those who say it reminds them of the classic RPG, CHRONO TRIGGER. For FINAL FANTASY XIII-2, we are aiming to make time travel a major thematic direction, and be able to express this on high-end game machines.
Will we be meeting older/younger versions of FINAL FANTASY XIII characters as we travel through time?
The main characters from the original FINAL FANTASY XIII will show up in this journey through time, so we will see them in many different situations and guises. I am sure that the fans of the original will be looking forward to seeing them again and how they have changed over the years!
Is it possible to return to time periods you've already visited and replay them as if it's your first time you have visited the area?
It will be possible to wind back time in each of the areas you visit and replay them. Character levels and equipment etc will be carried over so it will be possible to play the game as if doing a "New Game+" for each of the areas at different times. It will be possible to play through from the start using your levelled up characters, once you have completed the game. We have taken care to put a number of elements into the game system to make replays more exciting and user-friendly.
Source: https://member.eu.square-enix.com/en/blogs/we-discuss-time-travel-with-final-fantasy-xiii-2s-Motomu-Toriyama
All credits go to Square Enix Members and Jem Alexander
Final Fantasy Type-0 Box Art
06 Sep 2011 by NightmareDuring a Nico Nico Video broadcast, Square Enix displayed the box for Final Fantasy Type-0. On the front, you can see artwork by Yoshitaka Amano.
Square Enix also aired a gameplay video which shows the world map and Class Zero characters Trey and Cater in battle, a fight against Gilgamesh, and more.
Final Fantasy Type-0 is expected to be released on the 26th of October in Japan.
FFXIII-2's Time Travel System
06 Sep 2011 by NightmareAccording to last week's issue of Weekly Shounen Jump, Noel is a traveler from the future. He is the last survivor of a world on the brink of doom.
Now Dengeki PlayStation unveils that during the game you'll be able to travel back and forth through time. The system responsable for time travel is called the "Historia Crux" and locations or eras can be unlocked by activating gates found around the world. Opening gates requires "O-Parts", which can be tracked down with the help of Noel’s Moogle.
The magazine provides screenshots of the gate view in which there are two possible destinations: "Bresha Ruins AF0005" and "Fragment 0/8". There are also screenshots which show the transformation of Bresha Ruins over time. In AF005 it’s lush and brimming with life while in AF300 it's an area in ruins.
Noel goes back in time hoping that he'll be able to change the future. He tells Serah that he met Lightning who wishes to see her. Lightning is a guardian of Etro's shrine in Valhalla and has become close to being some sort of deity in existence.
After a full introduction on Lightning, the magazine shows screenshots of Lightning riding her summon Odin and fighting Chaos Bahamut and also of Valhalla and Etro's shrine.
Update: Added screenshots
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