The Official Final Fantasy XIII Thread (56K Warning)

Final Fantasy XIII is just around the corner, and in anticipation, this thread has been constructed for the convenience of all PlayStation 3 forum users in order to answer questions, provide a convenient hub for general discussion, and to keep the board generally organized from over-cluttering with FFXIII madness.

A. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

A1. What's Final Fantasy XIII?
A2. Will I need to play the previous games?
A3. What's Final Fantasy Versus XIII?
A4. What is Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII?
A5. Is there any DLC planned?
A6. Is there going to be online multiplayer?
A7. Do I have to install?

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B. FINAL FANTASY XIII: GIVE ME THE RUNDOWN

B1. What's the plot of Final Fantasy XIII?
B2. Who are the characters?
B3. What will the gameplay be like?
B4. How are the game's visuals?
B5. How about the music?

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C. BEHIND THE SCENES

C1. Staff
C2. Localization
C3. History of Development

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D. SHOULD I PLAY THIS GAME?

D1. What are the release details?
D2. How is the reception for the Japanese release?
D4. How is the reception for the international release?
D5. Any other merchandise I might be interested in?
D6. So tell me: Final Fantasy XIII or __________­____?

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E. RESOURCES

E1. Trailers/Videos
E2. Gallery
E3. Other sites and pages
E4. Disclaimer

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A1. What's Final Fantasy XIII?

Final Fantasy XIII is the thirteenth instalment in the main Final Fantasy series, coming from a legacy of many other spinoff games, movies, and merchandise of the same franchise. Over the last few years, the main role-playing Final Fantasy games have undergone long development cycles and incredible anticipation from an incredibly large fan-base. Consider this a landmark instalment of the franchise in between the more common spinoffs and mini-games we see bearing the same Final Fantasy name.

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A2. Will I need to play the previous games to understand FFXIII's plot?

Every single main Final Fantasy game (with the exception of X) is independent of the other games in the franchise. While many themes and traditions are maintained throughout every game (i.e. Chocobos, Airships, etc), every Final Fantasy game provides the player with a brand new universe and story to unfold without the need of a prior Final Fantasy experience.

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A3. What does Final Fantasy Versus XIII have to do with Final Fantasy XIII?

Final Fantasy Versus XIII is a yet-to-be released action role-playing game which was developed at the same time Final Fantasy XIII was produced. While still undergoing development without a solid release date in sight, the game is still on-schedule in production and has Tetsuya Nomura with his team behind Kingdom Hearts working on it.

Final Fantasy Versus XIII is a part of the Fabula Nova Crystallis compilation alongside Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Agito XIII and will have next to no relevance in story with Final Fantasy XIII. The ties to Final Fantasy XIII lie within its theme of "crystals that lead the world towards the future" and its similar universe, nothing more.

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A4. What is Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII?

Final Fantasy XIII falls under Fabula Nova Crystallis – a collection of games bearing the Final Fantasy XIII name, yet all being completely different in story. Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy Versus XIII, and Final Fantasy Agito XIII all fall under this collection as games taking place in the same universe, yet having little to no relevance to each other.

Think of it as its own, new series under the Final Fantasy name. Final Fantasy XIII just happens to be the first of this compilation.

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A5. Will there be downloadable content for this game?

No DLC has been planned or announced by Square Enix as of yet.

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A6. Is there a multiplayer component to this game?

There is no online multiplayer to this game. If you have an interest in a multiplayer game set in a Final Fantasy universe, then keep your eyes out for Final Fantasy XIV!

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A7. Do I have to install anything before playing?

There are no mandatory or optional installs for Final Fantasy XIII. Save files are about 500KB each, so you can save your HDD space!

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*All other FAQs posted in this thread may be added to this section in the future*

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B1. Without spoiling it completely, what's Final Fantasy XIII's plot like?

(Plot deciphered from trailers to follow; minor spoiler alert)

A futuristic world called Pulse is cast below a supposed floating paradise called Cocoon. As tensions rise, a war breaks out between the two worlds which leaves Cocoon victorious, but now in a state of extreme fear of Pulse. From this fear, extreme measures are put in place to ensure the security of Cocoon citizens from Pulse influence. All citizens of Cocoon whom are judged to be "contaminated" with Pulse are exiled and expelled from Cocoon.

Lightning – our strawberry-blonde-headed protagonist – and her associates plan to stop this injustice. However, they are soon caught up in a different problem altogether. In this universe, there exists an omniscient, god-like being named fal'Cie. These crystal-like beings assign people to become l'Cie – pretty much servants to the fal'Cie to carry out a "Focus", the ultimate goal each l'Cie must carry out to avoid a horrific fate.

When Lightning and everyone around her is branded as l'Cie, she takes action and decides to rebel against the very beings which had given her the unique powers to carry out her focus in the name of the fal'Cie.

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B2. So, who will the playable characters be?

(Minor spoilers)

• Former sergeant of the Cocoon military
• Older sister of Serah, whom is the girlfriend of Snow Villiers
• Wields the gunblade

Age: 21
Height: 171cm
Summon: Odin

• Former leader of Team Nora – a resistance group against Cocoon
• Boyfriend of Serah, whom is the younger sister of Lightning
• Uses fists and brute force to attack foes

Age: 21
Height: 200cm
Summon: Shiva Sisters

• One of the exiled Cocoon citizens at the beginning of game
• Upbeat and cheerful
• Uses magic at a distance

Age: 19
Height: 161cm
Summon: Hecatoncheir

• Former pilot for military
• Lover and defender of Chocobos
• Uses duel-wielded pistols

Age: 40
Height: 189cm (with afro)
Summon: Brynhildr

• Young, fourteen-year-old being protected by Snow
• Happens to hate Snow for a past event
• Uses collapsible boomerangs

Age: 14
Height: 153cm
Summon: Alexander

• Used to work for the Cocoon Sanctum
• Comes from Oerba Village
• Uses a spear which can turn into a Sansetsukon

Age: 21
Height: 175cm
Summon: Bahamut

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B3. What will the gameplay be like?

Final Fantasy XIII's gameplay falls back to the ATB system (Active Time Battle) with a few twists added. As players navigate an over-world, they can come in contact with enemies which represent different battles the player may engage in (much like Final Fantasy XII). Upon engagement, a short transition is made to the Battle Screen (much like Final Fantasy X), where gameplay relies on quick command inputs set in a real-time environment. That's right; there will be no random battles in this installment as well!

Instead of the traditional MP used in most Final Fantasy games, FFXIII makes use of a new Action Gauge system. Each attack is worth a certain amount of Action Segments in the ATB Bar, which can be stacked and queued in a certain sequence. Smart players can take advantage of this system and attempt to set a sequence up to set up larger combos which can lead to other in-battle benefits such as staggers and even summons. Action Segments refill automatically, so the player must judge how to distribute these points on certain attacks at which time, at which sequence, and on which targets.

Each character can also be assigned a "Role" in battle, ranging from Commandos to Medics, all having their own special perks and abilities. Since there can be up to three party members in battle at a time, each trio of roles is called a "Paradigm". Paradigms can be shifted in battle, with up to six separate combinations of Paradigms being stored at a time. The player may initiate a Paradigm Shift in order to adapt to any battle situation. Timing is also crucial when initiating Paradigm Shifts, especially since proper use of this system could lead to other small benefits such as completely filling the ATB Bar.

Another departure from traditional Final Fantasy games is a ranking system which grades you on a 5 star scale after every battle. After every battle, your party completely heals as well, making for a faster-paced game overall.

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B4. How are the game's visuals?

Final Fantasy XIII runs on the Crystal Tools Engine and runs at a native high-definition resolution of 720p on the PlayStation 3. Lossless audio and uncompressed 1080p cinematic cutscenes will fit on a single Blu-Ray disc.

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B5. How about the music?

Final Fantasy XIII is scored by Final Fantasy X's co-composer, Masashi Hamauzu. The Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra lends their talents for all orchestral compositions.

Final Fantasy XIII marks the first main, numbered Final Fantasy game without Nobuo Uematsu having a part in the original soundtrack.

The Japanese version of the game features "Kimi ga Iru kara" by Sayuri Sugawara as the main theme. The North American, Australian, and European versions of the game feature "My Hands" by Leona Lewis to replace "Kimi ga Iru kara" as the main theme.

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*Any other relevant, yet non-spoiling information may be included in the future in this section*

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C1. Who are the noticeable staffs responsible for Final Fantasy XIII?

Final Fantasy XIII is being developed by Square Enix's 'Product Development Division 1', which is headed by Yoshinori Kitase. This means that the staff is made up of many of the same designers and employees whom worked on Final Fantasy X and X-2.

While produced by Yoshinori Kitase, Final Fantasy XIII is being directed by Motomu Toriyama whom is also responsible for the scenario and script. Motomu Toriyama and Tetsuya Nomura return from previous games as the battle director and main character designer respectively.

As previously mentioned, Nobuo Uematsu for the first time sits out of Final Fantasy XIII and is replaced by Masashi Hamauzu as the main composer and producer of the original soundtrack.

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C2. So what happened during localization?

Final Fantasy XIII holds the record as the fastest-localized Final Fantasy game to date, bringing its usually-Japanese-exclusivity for the first few months to a minimum.

Localization for the North American and PAL region games include a fully redubbed English voiceover, along with English subtitles and subtle name changes.

Several names of roles have been changed in the North American/European/Australian localizations, with examples including Attacker being changed to Commando, Blaster being changed to Ravager, and Defender being changed to Sentinel. Other changes include Optima Change being altered to Paradigm Shift.

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C3. So what's the history behind the development of Final Fantasy XIII?

Did you know that Final Fantasy XIII was planned to be a PlayStation 2 game? It was not until a year and a half of development (behind closed doors) that Square Enix decided to move all of their resources to development on the PlayStation 3.

Even with this lost development time, Square Enix managed to use the experience gained from this planning to get to a "cruising speed" on development that much sooner, according to Yoshinori Kitase in an OPM (magazine) interview.

With many hands working on Final Fantasy XIII (even Final Fantasy Versus XIII developers), there was quite a large amount of quantity control which had to be done such as the removal of Team Nora's secret base, Lightning's home, and even a fully-running zoo in the name of keeping the volume and length of the game at a maintainable level. Isamu Kamikokuryou even states that there was enough content removed to make a new Final Fantasy title altogether.

In 2006, Final Fantasy XIII was officially unveiled at E3. On April 16th, a playable demo for Final Fantasy XIII running off an old build of the game was packaged with the Japanese version of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete Blu-Ray movie.

Finally, on December 17th, 2009, Final Fantasy XIII was released in Japan for the PlayStation 3. North America, Europe, and Australia await its localized versions of Final Fantasy XIII's release on March 9th, 2010, while the rest of Asia is scheduled for sometime in May.

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*More information may be added above as they are revealed in the future*

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D1. What are the details of this game's release?

Final Fantasy XIII will be sold (for $59.99 USD/CAD) in many major electronic retailers on March 9th, 2010 in North America, Europe, and Australia.

The already-released Japanese version of Final Fantasy XIII came out with a Standard Edition and a Limited Edition PS3 Bundle, with the Bundle including a Limited 250GB Slim PlayStation 3 console with a pink print of on it along with the game.

PAL regions will have a Standard Edition and a Limited Edition, with the Limited Edition coming with a Final Fantasy XIII Original Sound Selection CD which samples a few songs found in the full game packaged in an art-covered slipcase. The Limited Edition also contains The World of Final Fantasy XIII, a hardcover art book with 3 collectable art prints inside featuring the game's Summons. Finally, the Limited Edition comes packaged with a lCie decal, a crucial symbol in the game's storyline.

The North American regions will have the Standard Edition, and much like Japan, a Limited Edition Console Bundle for the Xbox 360 containing the game along with a 250GB Elite covered with an exclusive Final Fantasy XIII-themed face plate.

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D2. The game's out already in Japan? How's the reception so far?

Final Fantasy XIII has been receiving generally positive reviews from many critics whom have reviewed the Japanese version of the game.

The game is highly praised for its gorgeous visuals and incredible soundtrack. Many claim that Final Fantasy XIII features one of the best battle systems to date, with a larger emphasis on fast-paced decision-making leading to a more exciting experience overall. Many also claim that the story is one of the best in the series.

While having generally favourable opinions, the game is most notably criticized for being overly-linear in the first few hours of the game, with literally a single path to take without the need of much exploration. This, and the removal of traditional towns has drawn much criticisms towards the game's "un-Final Fantasy-like" design decisions. While the story received much praise, it also received criticisms due to unmemorable characters and predictable pacing.

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D3. The game's finally out in North America, Europe, and Australia... how's the reception?

Final Fantasy XIII has generally recieved positive reviews based on the international release of the game.

GameSpot - 8.5

IGN - 8.9

GameTrailers - 8.6

1UP - A-

NZGamer - 9.2

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D4. Any other merchandise I might be interested in getting?

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Final Fantasy XIII Original Soundtrack (4-disc full Japanese import)

A 4-disc soundtrack featuring every track from Final Fantasy XIII.

Final Fantasy XIII Standard Edition Guidebook by Piggyback

The Official Piggyback guidebook for Final Fantasy XIII

Final Fantasy XIII Collectors Edition Hardcover Guidebook by Piggyback

A hardcover, Limited Edition version of the Piggyback guidebook. Contains an additional 16 pages of information/art on the story.

Final Fantasy XIII "Elixir" Canned Beverages

They're back! Each can of "Elixir" comes with an individual picture, making every can a collectable item.

Final Fantasy XIII Figures with Elixirs

Figures featuring the main cast.

Final Fantasy XIII Posters (unofficial)

Unofficial posters for the game can be found in many markets and anime stores. I've bought a few of these posters myself, and they look really, really good.

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D5. So tell me: Final Fantasy XIII or ____________?

That's something that you have to decide on your own. Are you hungering for a JRPG experience which is advertised to last you at least 60 hours? Then by all means, go ahead and purchase this game. However, if you're still unsure after reading all of the pre-launch information there is, then do some more research, borrow it from a friend, rent it, or look up some reviews to pick out what you might like or dislike about the game yourself.

Ultimately, nobody can tell you what you might like or dislike as an individual human being.

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*More merchandise will be added to some above sections in the future as they are released*

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E1. Trailers/Videos

Final Fantasy XIII E3 2006 Trailer - See the very first Final Fantasy XIII trailer ever released!

Final Fantasy XIII E3 2006 Extended Trailer - See the second Final Fantasy XIII trailer, released months after the first one for the public.

Final Fantasy XIII E3 2009 Extended Trailer - The extended version of the new trailer unveiled at E3 2009.

Final Fantasy XIII Japanese Launch Trailer - Beautiful launch trailer for the Japanese release of Final Fantasy XIII.

Final Fantasy XIII International Trailer - International trailer in English, featuring "My Hands" by Leona Lewis.

IGN Battle System Showcase Video - IGN gives us an overview of the battle system in a helpful video. Thanks director13!

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E2. Gallery

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E3. Other sites and pages

Official Final Fantasy XIII Site - Updated with the latest trailers, screenshots, and information!

GameSpot's FFXIII Page - A great hub for all of the latest reviews, previews, features, and more.

FinalFantasyXIII.net- Constantly updated with Final Fantasy XIII information. The newest news can usually be found here first!

Wikipedia Page - A very good summary of the game with all of the official data nicely sourced and linked.

GameTrailers Videos- Find every trailer or official video released in this one-stop convenient hub.

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*More links will be provided above as they are released in the future*

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E4. Disclaimer

All of the above has been written by Hazelnutman (Peter J.) and has not been taken or copy/pasted from other sites or articles. The banners have also been made by Hazelnutman, but the source material in these banners belong to their respective owners. All other media also belong to their respective owners, and Square Enix holds all rights to Final Fantasy XIII and games of the same franchise.

Any persons having additional questions about this article, having corrections, or wishing to contribute/tweak content are welcome to PM me. I haven't played the game yet myself and so mistakes are to be expected. ;)

Also, if you would like to contribute to this thread, then simply share some significant information about this game which can be added to one of the first few posts, and I'll be sure to credit you for it! This is our thread; let's make it the best damn Final Fantasy XIII thread in the world.

Simply stunning work, hazel. As usual. Thanks for this thread. Game is my most anticipated title of the year, and it's been the game I've been wanting the longest. I have to wait an extra week to gt my copy of the game, but it will be well worth it. I am a little jealous you all get it a week earlier than me though.

And damn! Sazh is 40!? That boy looks good! Oh, and Vanille might be one of the most beautiful female characters I've ever witnessed. Not that, uh, you know I like video game characters or anything like that. Her character design is just pretty is all. *cough*

I agree, amazing work. Absoloutly stunning. This should be stickied if anything because it's the single best source for FFXIII information I've found to date

~Kosake

Oh, and Vanille might be one of the most beautiful female characters I've ever witnessed. Not that, uh, you know I like video game characters or anything like that. Her character design is just pretty is all. *cough*yokofox33

Vanille ownz!!

Nicely done 'nutman:P YOKO LOVES VANILLE!!!!111!1ryrulez

Vanille OWNZ!!! haha btw nice one hazelnutman, I didn't read the plot parts just because I don't wanna know even the most basic stuff. I'll wait for it in-game. Hopefully people in this thread can be reasonably smart about spoilers, especially once the game comes out. Ah can't wait!

This is superbly well done thread. It's sure to get to newbies of the final fantasy franchise. Well done! :)

Has anyone tasted the Elixir Canned Beverages? Or does anyone know what they taste like?-Hoax-

They taste like flat Sprite. They are pretty terrible.

[QUOTE="-Hoax-"]Has anyone tasted the Elixir Canned Beverages? Or does anyone know what they taste like?yokofox33

They taste like flat Sprite. They are pretty terrible.

[QUOTE="yokofox33"]

[QUOTE="-Hoax-"]Has anyone tasted the Elixir Canned Beverages? Or does anyone know what they taste like?-Hoax-

They taste like flat Sprite. They are pretty terrible.

[QUOTE="-Hoax-"][QUOTE="yokofox33"]

They taste like flat Sprite. They are pretty terrible.

hazelnutman

That's what I did. I bought the Elixir boxset. It's a really nice item and they individually numbered. Glad I got one before you can never find them again. You get all the cans and a nice metal tumbler cup. Also has a stand built onto it so you can display it. Well worth the money I pad for it.

[QUOTE="hazelnutman"][QUOTE="-Hoax-"] Thanks you saved me some money:) I wanted to import one.yokofox33

That's what I did. I bought the Elixir boxset. It's a really nice item and they individually numbered. Glad I got one before you can never find them again. You get all the cans and a nice metal tumbler cup. Also has a stand built onto it so you can display it. Well worth the money I pad for it.

This thread made me place my pre-order( i was gonna get it anyway). So technically square-enix should give you a cut of my $60. :D

Great thread, someone sticky this.

Awesome Job man! Can't wait! :D

Fantastic job, Hazel. Awesome way of organizing information on a game that people should be more excited about. It's been disheartening reading so many posts that prematurely condemn the game for linearity concerns. I've had mine pre-ordered since December, people should have more faith in a series that's never disappointed. And before anyone argues that, XII was fantastic. So shush. :P

Fantastic job, Hazel. Awesome way of organizing information on a game that people should be more excited about. It's been disheartening reading so many posts that prematurely condemn the game for linearity concerns. I've had mine pre-ordered since December, people should have more faith in a series that's never disappointed. And before anyone argues that, XII was fantastic. So shush. :P

Khadaj32

[QUOTE="Khadaj32"]

Fantastic job, Hazel. Awesome way of organizing information on a game that people should be more excited about. It's been disheartening reading so many posts that prematurely condemn the game for linearity concerns. I've had mine pre-ordered since December, people should have more faith in a series that's never disappointed. And before anyone argues that, XII was fantastic. So shush. :P

-Hoax-

[QUOTE="Khadaj32"]

Fantastic job, Hazel. Awesome way of organizing information on a game that people should be more excited about. It's been disheartening reading so many posts that prematurely condemn the game for linearity concerns. I've had mine pre-ordered since December, people should have more faith in a series that's never disappointed. And before anyone argues that, XII was fantastic. So shush. :P

-Hoax-

Agreed! Sure, Vaan and Penelo were a little out of place, and the story wasn't quite as epic as previous FF's, but it was still interesting, continuing the Ivalice tradition of political intrigue (from the original FFT, at least.) And plus, Balthier. 'nuff said.

Awesome job! I'm so excited for this game! March 9th can't come soon enough.

Yes I agree, make this a sticky plese. And I want this game soooooooooo bad!!!!!!!!! I can't wait I have to wait a week after the release to get it... :(Sim_genius

*hugs* You poor bastard :(

Edit: And yes, this must be stickied.

Excellent my friend ! :D. This has to be one well constructed guide for FFXIII,

The only thing you could add to this already awesome thread is the info concerning the final amount of HDD required space, or mandatory install. :)

I encourage you to go to the AtM and ask for an sticy. I think it's 100% worthy.

Holy God! Hazel this is something unprecedented. Youve taken a host of information from tons of different sites and made a nice coherent thread that answers any basic question on FFXIII. Well done. I dont even want to know how long it took to gather all that together to post.

Im just sitting here eagerly awaiting FFXIII by playing the original FF over again and reading up on info. UGH dont you just hate it when you think, "well its only 10 more days."

But then you realize, "10 more days?! Thats like over a week! I cant wait that freakin long!"

Only played the seventh one, but I'll be getting this, looks really good! I liked discovering towns in 7 though. >_>

Im just sitting here eagerly awaiting FFXIII by playing the original FF over again and reading up on info. UGH dont you just hate it when you think, "well its only 10 more days."

But then you realize, "10 more days?! Thats like over a week! I cant wait that freakin long!"Roman_Irishman

lol I know exactly what you mean. I'm going crazy.

Something I need to know...

Is FFXIII the moar babying of the JRPG's? Is it simple and easy to understand?

I DONOT like JRPG's at all...but this one has caught my eye...It looks really fun and worthwhile...

Will I like it? The only RPG I have ever loved was Golden Sun and that doesn't match the scale of FFXIII...

so...:D

someoone has some time on there hands lol jk......good job man and congrats on such a great thread that makes an actual point and a well deserved sticky...much more than past Official threads for certain games ive seen *cough* mw2 *cough* anyway thanks for the thread