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Lightning Returns with Japanese voice overs and Moogle costume DLC
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13 received a few new pieces of downloadable content today, one of which is the previously-revealed Japanese voice pack. Announced in November 2013, the voice pack costs $3.99 (£3.19/3.99 euros) and adds lip-syncing adjustments to match the game's Japanese voice overs. Additionally, players can pick up three new sets of costumes and equipment, each set available for $3.99 (£3.19/3.99 euros). The three pieces of DLC – dubbed Ultimate Savior, Moogle Lover and Divine Wear – include a weapon, shield, adornment and garb. Players can buy all three in the premium collection pack for $9.99 (£7.99/9.99 euros), and can also pick up five new Lightning Returns themes on PS3 for $1.99 (£1.19/1.49 euros) and avatar items on Xbox 360 for $3.99 (£3.19/3.99 euros). [Image: Square Enix]
The Mog Log: Lightning fizzles in FFXIV
There's something a bit odd about playing what amounts to a promotional event for a game you won't be seeing for several months. Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII promises to conclude the two-part trilogy that its predecessor created, but it's not coming out in the US until February of next year, leading to a minor disconnect. Still, it matters only in the broadest sense; after all, most of the references packed in hearken back to the first game in the set, and I didn't need a pre-order to know that I wanted a gunblade. So I've been following along with Final Fantasy XIV's event and dutifully progressing along the quest chain for the week. But I wasn't terribly impressed all around. I think there were some very nice touches coupled with some really baffling decisions here and there, and the overall effect was rather lackluster. It isn't really the fault of the event so much as a problem with popularity.
The Mog Log: You got your Final Fantasy XIII in my Final Fantasy XIV
If there was any doubt about it before, it's a known fact now: Lightning of Final Fantasy XIII will be showing up in Final Fantasy XIV, and players can go so far as to earn a copy of her outfit to wear out and around Eorzea. Odds are pretty much absolute that it will be purely cosmetic, but that doesn't make it any less unusual. Aside from ruffling the feathers of anyone who particularly dislikes Lightning, the inclusion opens up the weird snarl of non-continuity along the entirety of the franchise. I like Lightning, but this certainly does feel unusual. Even without seeing the quest, I have plenty of questions about how the games tie together, what the possible explanation could be, and how this will affect both worlds (as Naoki Yoshida has said specifically that this is Lightning herself, not someone who looks and acts as she does). So let's talk about crossovers, let's talk about Final Fantasy XIV's existing fanservice, and let's ask ourselves if this is the straw that breaks the camel's back. Metaphorically. I don't think there are camels in Eorzea.
Get counter-productive with this Lightning Returns trailer
This "13 Days" trailer for Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13 shows Lightning in action with varying outfits. The game's battle system includes a means to counter physical attacks, which uses up a portion of the ATB gauge, and battles where Lightning destroys sections of enemies for item rewards.
Bonus item event in Final Fantasy XIV's beta
Final Fantasy XIV's open beta is only going to last until the 19th, which is just a stone's throw away. This would be worse news if not for the fact that the collector's edition of the game will be launching three days after that, meaning that the game's fans will have other things to do shortly thereafter. (The game's detractors don't really need the game to run one way or the other.) But if you'd like to take part in one last hurrah before launch, Square-Enix is hosting a special event on the newly-added Karnak and Narshe servers. All characters created on the special servers before 1:00 p.m. PDT on the 16th will have both the Onion Helm and Asuran Armguards added to their inventory. The former is the bonus for pre-ordering the collector's edition of the game, while the latter is the reward for also owning a copy of Final Fantasy XIII. It's not quite the potpourri of good news revealed from the pre-launch event yesterday, but it promises to still be a nice chance for Final Fantasy XIV beta testers to go out with a bang.
GDC10: PS3 FFXIII gives you an extra shot at the FFXIV beta
Big news for Final Fantasy XIV fans today, especially if you're biting your nails waiting to get into the beta. The official PlayStation Blog has announced that the initial production run of Final Fantasy XIII on the PS3 will come packaged with a special offer for an in-game item, and an extra shot at a potential beta spot for Final Fantasy XIV. While it doesn't guarantee a beta key, anything that increases your chances of playing the game sooner is a good thing. But act now, because once those launch copies are gone, so is the offer.
Two Xbox 360 FF13 bundles for Europe, faceplate pre-order bonus for all
Clearly not content with just one measly Final Fantasy XIII Xbox 360 mega bundle, it looks like Europe will be receiving a second bundle as well. Europe will be receiving the same Final Fantasy XIII Special Edition bundle that was revealed at X10, which includes the game, a 250GB hard drive, two wireless controllers and downloadable Avatar goodies. Speaking of Avatar items, the release actually reveals what they are: a Rosch outfit, a Nabaat outfit and a Chocobo pet (the same one you might already have, we're assuming). The release didn't specify a price, though Amazon UK lists it for £249.99 ($391). In addition to that bundle, however, the region will also be receiving the Final Fantasy XIII Elite bundle, which includes the game, a single wireless controller and the standard 120GB hard drive. Again, no price was revealed, though Amazon France has it listed for €249.99 ($340). Finally, the press release reveals just how you can get your hands on one of the limited edition, promotional FFXIII faceplates. The faceplates will be offered as a bonus for anyone who pre-orders the 250GB Special Edition console. Major Nelson also revealed on Xbox Live that the faceplate will be a pre-order bonus for the North American Special Edition console as well. So, if you really want that faceplate, you'd better be ready to plop down 400 bones for it.
TGS 2009: Sony Japan unveils 250GB Final Fantasy XIII bundle
Click to embiggen. The 250GB PS3 is real! Sony is taking advantage of its exclusivity of Final Fantasy XIII in Japan by introducing a new bundle. For 41600 yen, Japanese gamers will get a special limited edition system with Lightning (the main character, not the weather condition) printed on the body. It'll be available for purchase on 12/17 (so importers, get ready!).We'll upload images as soon as we get them. In the meantime, you can download Final Fantasy VIII from the Japanese PlayStation Store for 1500 yen.%Gallery-73855%
Special Edition Advent Children PlayStation 3 unboxed in all its matte glory
There's a lot to love about the special edition 160GB Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete Cloud Black PlayStation 3 bundle that was unleashed this week in Japan -- a fancy Strife Wolf emblem, a copy of Advent Children Complete on Blu-ray, and a Final Fantasy XIII demo you can't play anywhere else -- but perhaps our favorite part is the console's matte finish. For us, a smudge-resistant PS3 is well worth the 49,980 yen (US $505) price of admission. 1UP has the unboxing, hit up the read link for more pics.[Via Joystiq]
Spiky hair and afros: New playable FF XIII character revealed
The latest issue of V-Jump reveals a new playable Final Fantasy XIII character who deviates from the JRPG norm. Sazh Kalzroy (that's his name) likes the color green, uses two pistol-like weapons, loves Chocobos ... and he's black. One of the last memorable black characters in a JRPG we can recall is Barret from Final Fantasy VII, way back in 1997. We considered Fran from FF XII ... but she was more of a bunny. There's also Vivi from FF IX, although we're not sure if a black mage counts.It'll be interesting to see how Kalzroy is portrayed in the game. We're also wondering if we'll see a lot more diversity from NPC characters inhabiting the world of FF XIII, or if Kalzroy will be the only black man on the planet. You can check out the full V-Jump scan here.[Thanks, Copland]
Re: Final Fantasy XIII DVD trailers released
How long will these trailers stay online? We're not exactly sure. Hopefully, you'll be lucky enough to catch these Final Fantasy XIII trailers, captured from the recently released "Re: Final Fantasy XIII" DVD. Check out XIII and Versus after the break.[Thanks, Torgo!]
What's playable, and what's not, at Square Enix's TGS booth
2008 looks to be yet another excellent year for Tokyo Game Show. There's a lot of excitement over the potential surprises at the show. Square Enix has posted its lineup for this year's show, and we're a little saddened to see Final Fantasy XIII (PS3) still not playable. At the very least, we'll be getting some one-on-one time with Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep (PSP). Check out the full PlayStation list here:Playable Dissidia: Final Fantasy (PSP) Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep (PSP) Trailers-Only Final Fantasy XIII (PS3) Final Fantasy Versus XIII (PS3) Final Fantasy Agito XIII (PSP) The 3rd Birthday (PSP) Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete (Blu-ray) We're expecting many of these trailers will be shown behind closed doors. Fear not, though. We'll provide detailed impressions of the trailers live from Tokyo next month.
Final Fantasy Agito XIII to use Crisis Core's ATB system, will support Infrastructure
The revelation that Agito, the former Final Fantasy XIII cell phone game, was coming to the PSP was a nice revelation for many. Apparently, the developers were tired of waiting for cell phone tech to advance to the level they wanted for Agito. While details are far and few between, the latest issue of Famitsu PS3 (via FinalFantasyXIII.net) says that Agito will use an advanced version of Crisis Core's ATB system. Fans of the PSP-exclusive prequel should be familiar with the real-time battle system. However, unlike Crisis Core, players can look forward to controlling more than one character.Another bonus is the addition of Infrastructure online play to Agito, a rarity for more Japanese-developed titles. Games with community aspects, such as Monster Hunter Portable and Phantasy Star Portable have opted to use Ad-Hoc multiplayer only. Although that hasn't hindered the popularity of either of these games, players across the Pacific understand that Infrastructure makes online play much more accessible. We approve.[Thanks, Monkey!]
Final Fantasy XIII demo to be over 90 minutes long
The latest issue of Famitsu PS3 is all about the recent Square Enix DKΣ3713 event, and FinalFantasyXIII.net has a few juicy scans from the magazine. One of the more interesting things to point about the upcoming FFXIII demo bundled with Advent Children Complete: the demo will be on a separate Blu-ray disc (meaning it will unlikely be region locked), and the amount of gameplay is promised to be longer than the length of Advent Children. That means the FFXIII demo should be at least 90 minutes long, if not longer. That's huge! The demo will supposedly come from the very beginning of the game, so players won't have to worry about spoiling the later parts of the game.[Thanks, Monkey!]
Final Fantasy XIII coming to Xbox 360 in Taiwan
North America? Check. Europe? Check. Japan? We'll come back to that one. Microsoft can now add Taiwan to its list of territories to have Final Fantasy XIII grace the Xbox 360. At a game exhibition in Taipei (via GNN Gamer), Microsoft executive Grace Chou announced the Chinese territory would be getting the Xbox 360 version, although she said it was currently undecided which localized variant (i.e. Japanese voices, English voices or both) would be used. Also unclear is what other Asian countries, if any, would get the Xbox 360 version.Our fingers are crossed that this news matters at all before the Mayan-predicted "spiritual transformation" (read: potential apocalypse) of 2012. Seriously, this game isn't coming for a long time. [Via Kotaku]
So, here's that Final Fantasy XIII trailer ...
Yeah, we can complain about Final Fantasy XIII's move to Xbox 360. But let's not forget two important things: it's still coming out on PS3, and it's still the same beautiful game we've all wanted. Here's the E3 trailer that was on display, filled with all sorts of new footage that hasn't ever been seen before. Of course, now that it's not a PS3 exclusive, maybe you think this looks worse? Hopefully not! We're still very excited for this game.
Final Fantasy exclusivity clarified at Square Enix conference
The announcement was heard all around the world: Final Fantasy XIII on Xbox 360? No way! Well, today's Square Enix E3 press conference clarified a few details. First: Final Fantasy XIII is still a PS3-exclusive ... at least in Japan. According to Kotaku, Square Enix exec Shinji Hashimoto told reporters: "I think you are right [in assuming that (the Xbox 360 version) is not coming out in Japan.]" It will only appear on Xbox 360 in English-speaking territories.In addition, Final Fantasy XIII will release in Japan first -- and then will be localized for the international audience. That means Japanese gamers will enjoy FFXIII on PS3 long before the rest of the world will see it go multiplatform. Hashimoto says that the Xbox 360's large install base in English territories is what led to the decision to make the game multiplatform. Because the decision was recent, there's no way of estimating how many discs the Xbox 360 version will be.Also, Final Fantasy Versus XIII is still in development as a PS3 exclusive.
Final Fantasy XIII no longer a PS3 exclusive
It's coming out on Xbox 360 too. In fact, it'll be a simultaneous release on both PS3 and Xbox 360 for US and Europe. Sorry.For those that are down: remember, Sony conference is tomorrow.
Final Fantasy XIII still not playable at upcoming Square Enix party
What would you do to get into the upcoming Square Enix party? Well, don't get your bloodthirst too ready, as the hotly anticipated games, Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Versus XIII (pictured), won't be making a playable appearance at the invite-only event. Once again, only video trailers will be shown. And, in typical Square Enix fashion, we're assuming no recording devices of any sort will be allowed near these screens. Bah!Ever since its debut, people have been clamoring for a playable test drive of the upcoming RPG. 2008 is the promised time for playable demos. Perhaps E3 or TGS?[Via Kotaku]
GDC08: Final Fantasy, beautiful men, and fighting the uncanny valley
Note: We'd like to show you images from the session, but as is typical of Square Enix events, no photography of any sort was allowed.Isamu Kamikokuryo discussed the process of making art for Final Fantasy in a crowded Q&A panel at this year's Game Developer's Conference. At first, Kamikokuryo reminisced about how he got his job at Square Enix. It wasn't particularly romantic: he followed a simple call for applicants, and submitted a resume with a photograph of one of his oil paintings. He got a call back, and got a job that many fanboys would kill for.Eventually, the discussion moved on to the high quality graphics that Square Enix has been able to produce in its pre-rendered movies. Asked how the team copes with "the uncanny valley problem," Kamikokuryo noted that it's something everyone on the team is constantly thinking about. "In terms of the uncanny valley, that is something we have to fight against. We can't go there -- that's basically how we feel about it. For all the things we create, many of the section creators get together and we make adjustments so this uncanny valley phenomenon doesn't happen. We don't usually use that phrase, because all the staff has this in mind while we do our work."
