Squeenix Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII

[MaroonSkein]

That's the actual name. Details here.

Short version: Lightning is the only playable character, combat is fully real-time with active blocking and dodging, special moves cost ATB to use and are learned from equipment.

The interesting stuff:

Perhaps the most interesting feature of LR:FFXIII's battle system, however, is the new "Overclock" ability. Overclock allows Lightning to slow the flow of combat for everyone but herself, gaining the upper hand against difficult foes. The tradeoff, however, is that using Overclock costs time.

And time is of the essence in this game. Just as FFXIII spanned 13 days (revealed through flashbacks sprinkled throughout the story), LR:FFXIII also takes place across 13 days. In this case, however, that period of time serves as a countdown to an apocalypse. In just shy of two weeks, the world will end, and Lightning's goal is to prevent it.

This may sound awfully reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, but I think a better comparison might be to Valkyrie Profile or Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter. As in Valkyrie Profile -- a game created by tri-Ace, who incidentally co-developed FFXIII-2 -- Square tells us that if you reach the end of the 13-day countdown without having beaten the game, you may be thrust into the final battle regardless. On the other hand, you may also be able to start over, potentially carrying across skills and materials (the developers have yet to determine the specifics). In that sense, LR:FFXIII reminds us more of Dragon Quarter, a game designed around the assumption that you'd screw things up and need to restart, replaying the quest with enhanced strength and abilities that built with every new attempt.

What makes LR:FFXIII particularly Dragon Quarter-like is the way it treats time as a sort currency. Treasures cost time to access (the more powerful the item within, the more time required). Overclocking apparently burns several minutes per use, much like abusing the ability to transform into a dragon in Dragon Quarter added to the constant advance of Ryu's deadly D-meter, marking your progression to the inevitable end of your quest. And should Lightning fall in combat, it's not necessarily game over; rather, a menu appears that allows players to choose to quit or cast a healing spell. The rub? Casting a spell like Arise costs 100 minutes, a not-insignificant investment when you're on a 13-day deadline. Is it worthwhile to burn time and continue or simply accept failure gracefully? Trade-offs like these give Lightning Returns the potential to force interesting decisions on players, requiring consideration and long-term strategic thinking.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Concept is good, but I imagine most people will save all their time for bosses and important-looking treasures, as that's what happens when you have an atypical "currency" like that. In Valkyrie Profile, I used to give all the crap treasures to Odin and keep the good ones

 

[SerratedBiz]

It took quite a few games for Squeenixsoft to realize that hot chicks sell more than prepubescent boys (in certain regions, at least). I wonder how much more they can milk out of Lightning before they turn their gaze upon the pseudo-loli sister.

 

[MaroonSkein]

It took quite a few games for Squeenixsoft to realize that hot chicks sell more than prepubescent boys (in certain regions, at least). I wonder how much more they can milk out of Lightning before they turn their gaze upon the pseudo-loli sister.

Have you missed FF XIII-2? The sister was the protagonist there.

 

[Ermm]

Square really likes to shovel shit down in their fan throats. FF XIII-2 sales was a good indication that sheeples are not happy at all, which were pretty significantly lower than the original XIII. And XIV is already sunk. But of course, Square Enix mysterious business choices are their choices.

 

[deuxhero]

^ 13-2 was of minimal cost due to reused assets though. I'd imagine it still made decent money.

After this kind of crap, I can actually see where the suits were coming from when they said Bravely Default couldn't be called Final Fantasy because it would confuse people: Bravely Default looks like it could actually be a good game (if it was released in English...)

Spoiler

Notice them using one of the best combos in FF5 to show what you can do with the job system.

 

[felipepepe]

Video presentation by boring guy:



I like the Majora's Mask-like time concept, but I find very weird how they seem to be suffering to reivent the wheel on character armor... "we want her costume to change not only appereance, but her skills & stats!" o_O

 

[Malpercio]

 

[felipepepe]

http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?members/malpercio.14244/

 

[Giauz Ragnacock]

I gotta say, this sounds cool, very cool.... even from the mouth of a robot man.

 

[SerratedBiz]

It took quite a few games for Squeenixsoft to realize that hot chicks sell more than prepubescent boys (in certain regions, at least). I wonder how much more they can milk out of Lightning before they turn their gaze upon the pseudo-loli sister.

Have you missed FF XIII-2? The sister was the protagonist there.

Only played the demo which featured one half of Lightning play, assumed the game would be similar.

 

[Crooked Bee]

New trailer:

 

[Tehdagah]

The graphics are worse than FFXIII.

 

[felipepepe]

It's the same thing, just less "flashy". FFXIII had futuristic cities and ariships flying around, while this one is just a regular town.

 

[Average Manatee]

I would have a massive hard on right now but for the fact that this game isn't being developed by someone competent.

 

[GarfunkeL]

New trailer:

This video does not exist.

Also, wtf. So they are bringing dress spheres back from X-2? Since those were so fucking popular.

 

[Raghar]

Dress spheres, do you know you could miss Paine dress sphere? Also Yuna turning into flower was brutal. Magic immunity, and physical immunity. (Still not enough for some bosses, but when you blinded that Khamaris at the start of the fight, you could improve from low level flower to fully/nearly fully unlocked flower.)

 

[Diablo169]

When are Square going to realise that FF13's world is just plain fucking boring. Even the most die hard Final Fantasy fanboys hate it and they keep making sequels in the same setting.

 

[EruDaan]

Who gives a damn about FFXIII? That... that thing is not a even a game! It's a damn interactive movie with a story that makes my brain melt. It is exactly what we all should hate and fear. Isn't Mass Effect already turning into that direction? Running 100 meters, fighting some mobs, short sequence, running some hundret meters, fighting some mobs, movie sequence, boss battle, movie sequence?

Oh and if you squint your eyes and turn your head a little bit to the left while standing on your head, you can see Snow that is the most obvious and blatant pedophile in games history. I mean... Serah is almost three heads smaller than him, has the body of a twelve year old girl and the mindset and behaviour of a fourteen year old. No wonder Lightning hates him.

 

[Ermm]

Mass Effect was already in that direction from the start.

When are Square going to realise that FF13's world is just plain fucking boring. Even the most die hard Final Fantasy fanboys hate it and they keep making sequels in the same setting.

Yeah, it has been said gazillion times, but still, it boogles my mind.

Sure, there is a small group of supporters for this travesty.

But still, for a quick buck, they are really tarnishing FF brand.

 

[mindx2]

In these jRPGs I can never tell if the protagonist is male or female...

 

[Gerrard]

The graphics look like it's a PS2 game.

 

[felipepepe]

I'll just leave this here.



Also RIP MaroonSkein.

 

[evdk]

I'll just leave this here.

And have you pre-ordered?

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Hohoho, reminds me of this joke from when the first images of FFXIII popped up.

Spoiler

And now to watch as the FFVII Remake theorists go into a frenzy