Some more Final Fantasy XIII tidbits -- online?

This time we've found the scans containing the interview with Square-Enix's Motomu Toriyama. We've read them, sure. We've decided to give you some of what we learned and let you read the rest. Some of this was already known, some of it is speculation, but all of it is Final Fantasy deliciousness.

We already knew the game was going to take on the FF8 approach -- more science-fiction than fantasy (technology-wise, cities with big buildings not made out of wood or thatch or brick). Fine by me. As an aside, I've heard tons of whines about that particular entry into the series and I'd like to hear why it rubbed you the wrong way. Personally, the FF thorn(s) in my side are IX and Mystic Quest. I wouldn't call FF7 sci-fi based because it was one city that was "technologically advanced"... it was more industrialized than sci-fi. FF8 was sci-fi. FF8 had the Gun-Blade. So does XIII. What're the odds?


We also know the battle system is going to be a revamped ATB system -- pushed to its limits as far as speed goes. This, to me, is also a great move. Not sure how many of you dared to demasculinize yourselves with Final Fantasy X-2, but that was easily the greatest rendition of ATB to-date. If they're going to make it faster with XIII, I'm on board. Just so Lightning isn't girly like those three ladies were. She doesn't seem to be.

The game is being built from the ground up with the PS3 in mind. The high-definition capabilities, the Blu-ray, the multi-core mumbo jumbo... it's all needed to run this game in the way Square-Enix desires it. Online? They're thinking about it. Wonder what they'd do. Either way, expect a whole new level of expression on character's faces and gestures.

Mini-games are a possibility, but they'd probably be dragged out into their own full-length releases. Hopefully, these will be cheaper and on the PS-Store, because I won't dole out a constant stream of $60 for mini-games-gone-full.


There's a bit more info in the scans, but we're not going to go into every title and what's already known about them. If you want to play a little bit of catch-up, go ahead and check out the scans. We're going to find some news not relating to Square-Enix.