Lightning Returns in a Shorter, More Action-Oriented Final Fantasy

[Jeremy Wilkinson]

Lightning Returns in a Shorter, More Action-Oriented Final Fantasy

In the conclusion to the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy, even time is an enemy.

In an interview with Famitsu (translated by Andriasang), Square Enix has confirmed some details about the conclusion to the ongoing Final Fantasy XIII saga. Lightning will take the helm once more for what will be her final outing, Lighnting Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. The game promises to be a shorter experience and will apparently be a rather different kind of Final Fantasy.

Lightning Returns is based around a doomsday clock timer. Following the events of XIII-2, people have stopped aging and the world is doomed to end in thirteen days. The days will progress continuously, with each in-game day corresponding to between one and two hours of real-world time. Clocks will litter the game's cities, giving a constant reminder of the passage of time. Once time's up the game will end, but it will be possible to hold back the clock by completing certain quests. Players will have to beware, though, as the remaining time can shift forwards as well as backwards depending on who they choose to help. The curtailed time means that Lightning Returns is designed as a much shorter game than its counterparts, and is meant to be played through more than once.

Square Enix has also changed the combat system significantly, making fights far more active. The ATB gauge from the other Final Fantasy XIII games makes a reapparance, but the way it's used is rather different here - instead of inputting commands via a menu, abilities are assigned to buttons on the controller, and players will be able to move freely around the battlefield rather than being rooted to the spot. Some areas of battle will reportedly be timing-based as well, though whether this is just a synonym for "quick-time events" or will allow for something deeper is unclear at the moment. To allow players to better concentrate on the more active system, Lightning will fight by herself.

The game's conclusion will apparently mark a happy ending for Lightning's story, but despite the supposed replayability there will only be one ending. It's not quite clear yet how Square Enix intends to make replays worthwhile, but at a base time of between 13 and 26 hours this certainly looks like it will be a much shorter Final Fantasy experience.

According to the interview, Lightning Returns is currently about 30% complete, and is slated for a release on PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2013.

Source: Andriasang [http://andriasang.com/con2l3/lightning_returns_details/]

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[Fappy]

Sounds like Majora's Mask. I don't think many people will be happy to hear this news

 

[GAunderrated]

Sounds like Majora's Mask. I don't think many people will be happy to hear this news

Nope. Some people are like me and like to search every square inch of a game to get the most enjoyment out of it. I don't like an arbitrary clock trying to hurry me up because the game is so impatient it can't wait for me to explore. It's why I hated dead rising 2.

 

[GundamSentinel]

Sounds like Majora's Mask. I don't think many people will be happy to hear this news

Nope. Some people are like me and like to search every square inch of a game to get the most enjoyment out of it. I don't like an arbitrary clock trying to hurry me up because the game is so impatient it can't wait for me to explore. It's why I hated dead rising 2.

Same here. That was basically why I disliked Majora's Mask. The timer may be very forgiving, but it's still there all the time. I don't like it.

Then again, I still have to finish FFXIII-2 (I suppose I'm one of the few people who liked XIII, but I got really bored with XIII-2), so it might be a very long time before I even try this game.

 

[disgruntledgamer]

How did this God awful game get a 3ed installment? Seriously I was shocked when they made FF XIII-2 let alone another one...........

 

[Jack and Calumon]

Final Fantasy XIII trilogy? You know, I remember when there was 3 games that were related to Final Fantasy XIII that weren't all connected to Final Hallway XIII. There was that Agito thing for the PSP which I think went Japan only, which sucks, but then there was also Final Fantasy Versus XIII, which has pretty much decided to drop off the face of the earth and hide until the world ends.

SQUARE! Make Versus XIII already! What we've seen looks really good! Focus on that! Make it and let the Director of Kingdom Hearts wrap everything up! PLEEASE!

Also make TWEWY 2 on the way.

Calumon: ...People are really needy, aren't they? :S

 

[Ghonzor]

I hate you Square.
Of all the games to spawn little bastard children, why is XIII the one you chose?
Didn't buy XIII-2, won't buy Lightning Returns. And if this is the shape of things to come, I won't buy anything from Square at all.

 

[Madmanonfire]

Square Enix has also changed the combat system significantly, making fights far more active. The ATB gauge from the other Final Fantasy XIII games makes a reapparance, but the way it's used is rather different here - instead of inputting commands via a menu, abilities are assigned to buttons on the controller, and players will be able to move freely around the battlefield rather than being rooted to the spot. Some areas of battle will reportedly be timing-based as well, though whether this is just a synonym for "quick-time events" or will allow for something deeper is unclear at the moment. To allow players to better concentrate on the more active system, Lightning will fight by herself.

This is a HUGE step in the right direction in terms of gameplay. I think I'm gonna look forward to an FF13 title for once.
It looks like Square Enix is starting to do things right, with Theatrhythm and this promising game.

 

[The_Darkness]

Okay, I knew Lightning was popular, but I didn't realise she was that popular!

Hang on:

The game's conclusion will apparently mark a happy ending for Lightning's story, but despite the supposed replayability there will only be one ending. It's not quite clear yet how Square Enix intends to make replays worthwhile, but at a base time of between 13 and 26 hours this certainly looks like it will be a much shorter Final Fantasy experience.

What.

So the game ends when time is up. There is only one ending. Does that mean that, if I just leave the game sitting around for 13 hours, basically doing nothing to stop the end of the world, I'll get the same ending as someone who does absolutely everything possible to save the world? And that this ending will be 'a happy ending for Lightning's story'?! If that's the case, either Lightning is perfectly happy with the world ending, or the world is apparently perfectly capable of saving itself!

Also, I, for one, do not mind the Majora's Mask-esque timer game mechanic, so long as they are clever about implementation - don't overly punish people who take their time, and make sure that replays feel nothing like each other.

(Edit: Also - two sequels for FFXII, yet no more word on the Deus Ex scene? Come ON Square Enix!)

 

[DangNabbit]

Still waiting for this bad dream of XIII games to end. No one cares about them as much as you seem to do, Square.

Combat system sounds interesting, but I'm not buying Square games just because it's Square anymore. Things really have to improve with them.

 

[ProtoChimp]

Okay my interest is peaked, but kinda killed by the timer. At least there appears to be SOME innovation in this game. More so than 13-2, and yes I have trouble writing the Roman numerals. Still I'm gonna remain pessimistic about this so I don't get disappointed. I mean I liked 13 a lot, I got bored once I got to the big over world but it was still alright. Then I felt like I was being punished for liking the game because 13-2 sucked each and every way from Sunday. So I'll just expect this to suck and hopefully I'll be pleasantly surprised, although I'm pretty sure even the ultra fanboys don't like this idea, is that true?

 

[twaddle]

The battle system sounds an awful lot like a certain other battle system in a game they were supposedly working on but put to the wayside for later. A game that has been in development since 2006-2007 maybe? One that perhaps was suppost to be part of a trilogy perhaps? Probably had a tagline that started with a "VER" and ended with a "SUS"?

 

[Lvl 64 Klutz]

I hope the timer mechanic doesn't spoil this title. I would probably really enjoy the Atelier series if it weren't for timed objectives. The thing is, time management has almost always been a big part of that series' challenge. To just shoehorn in a new type of challenge into an established series is a major no-no. Imagine if Activision announced that in order to be successful in the next CoD you would need to utilize RTS skills.

I remain optimistic that they know what they're doing, but I'm keeping an eye on the details as they emerge for sure. The one ending thing doesn't make any lick of sense at all.

 

[Andy Shandy]

Now where was that picture...

Ah, here it is!

But anyway, I enjoyed the previous two so I'm looking forward to this one.

 

[Eclipse Dragon]

I didn't have an issue with Majora's Mask because you could use the ocarina to go back in time and all your junk (except quest progress) carried over. You had as much time as you wanted to explore, it was only the long quest lines that became an annoyance. Even then, if you devoted the whole time to those particular quest, things turned out okay. The timer was more of a clever illusion in Majora's Mask.


This doesn't look like the case, it doesn't seem like you'll have some wonderful magical item that resets the thirteen days and keeps all your junk intact. I don't like the idea that I have to do particular quest in order to rewind my time, especially if these quest aren't infinite. Gamers are going to feel rushed through the whole thing with no time to stop and explore under the beautifully rendered waterfalls.

A fitting conclusion to a trilogy that had so much potential, but fell so short.

 

[kyogen]

I'm looking forward to this. It sounds very much like a logical extension into gameplay of ideas they only tackled in the narrative of the first game. I'm also very glad that Lightning is the player character. She was always my favorite in this FF universe.

 

[Fractral]

Let me guess, its still the same price as the 40 hour FF13, and the 25 hour FF13-2? For a game that's around 20 Hours, with only one ending? And I think I can divine the next announcement- something along the lines of 'Lots of DLC that we should have packaged with the actual game'.

 

[razer17]

Final Fantasy XIII trilogy? You know, I remember when there was 3 games that were related to Final Fantasy XIII that weren't all connected to Final Hallway XIII. There was that Agito thing for the PSP which I think went Japan only, which sucks, but then there was also Final Fantasy Versus XIII, which has pretty much decided to drop off the face of the earth and hide until the world ends.

SQUARE! Make Versus XIII already! What we've seen looks really good! Focus on that! Make it and let the Director of Kingdom Hearts wrap everything up! PLEEASE!

Also make TWEWY 2 on the way.

Calumon: ...People are really needy, aren't they? :S

It's adorable that you think Square will listen. It seems they've made a habit out of listening what gamers want, then doing the opposite.