Final Fantasy XIII-3's Environments Will Be "About 90%" Open

[StewShearerOld]

Final Fantasy XIII-3's Environments Will Be "About 90%" Open

Square Enix wants to take exploration options "a step higher" than previous Final Fantasy titles.

One of the biggest complaints many had about <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/7296-Review-Final-Fantasy-XIII>Final Fantasy XIII was its extreme linearity. Much of the experience took place in what amounted to a single long corridor that technically led the player to different places but allowed for little exploration. Square Enix tried to address this in <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/9377-Final-Fantasy-XIII-2-Review>Final Fantasy XIII-2, opening up the game's environments substantially. That said, with Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII-3, the company is aiming to provide even more freedom than its predecessor.

"Our games have never put too much consideration into the idea of 'being able to go to areas that look accessible,' so we've made it our goal to take that part a step higher," Yuji Abe, design director for the Lightning Returns. "Covering 100% in those regards might be a little difficult, but I'd say that you'll be able to go to about 90% of all visible areas." This focus on giving players the ability to go where they please will likely resonate with the many people turned off by Final Fantasy XIII's tightly directed narrative.

Interestingly enough, Abe also suggested that there may be new liberties granted in the way gamers advance through the game as well. When asked about players who might try to avoid combat, he didn't shoot the idea down wholesale. "I believe there will be a huge hurdle to doing that, he said. "However, Lightning will be able to level up by simply clearing key events, which will increase her parameters. Again, if you want to increase her parameters by a larger amount, you can also purchase equipment." While he's hardly saying combat will be optional, his phrasing does seem to suggest that it won't be quite the same necessity as in other Final Fantasy titles. If that's true, it will be interesting to see the various ways players devise to get through the game.

Source: Siliconera









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[CharrHearted]

Cue the comments shutting down this piece of fantastic news for being fanboys in 3...2...1..

In my own opinion, I really can't wait for lightning returns, Finishing 13, Zack fair armor and angeal/zack blade, big open world? Isn't that a final fantasy we've been wanting?

Oh no, apparently the only things fans want is another port or attempted remake of FURNER FURNTERSER SEVERN.

 

[MatsVS]

Every piece of news I've heard about this title has seemed positive, and I am finding myself more and more excited. I suppose your enjoyment of this title will depend in a large degree on whether or not you enjoy Lightning as a character. If you do, however, I see no reason not to get this. I know I will.

 

[technotica]

i never played XIII-2 due to the big let down that was the first, and im not playing XIII-3 without playing 2. While opening it up is a reasonably sound notion, I really wish they'd just make a new one already.
(which i guess they are doing with 15.. i just don't want to play as lightning in her world anymore)

 

[LordMonty]

My god did the listen to the fans? I lost intrest in FF around twelve and ignore the online ones totally. Lets hope the magic is back and this game rocks.

 

[elvor0]

Cue the comments shutting down this piece of fantastic news for being fanboys in 3...2...1..

In my own opinion, I really can't wait for lightning returns, Finishing 13, Zack fair armor and angeal/zack blade, big open world? Isn't that a final fantasy we've been wanting?

Oh no, apparently the only things fans want is another port or attempted remake of FURNER FURNTERSER SEVERN.

You're right this is good news, but I haven't played FF13-2 and have no intention of doing so, so while I would like to at least try Lightning Returns, because so far I've liked everything I've heard about it, I'll likely have no idea whats going on. I mean FF13-2 had time travel right? That's gotta make things wonkey as fuck.

However right now, Majoras Final Mask Fantasy does sound pretty sweet.

 

[Foolery]

I am still skeptical about that in game "doom clock" Its going to be Majora's Mask all over again isn't it.

Hey, I loved that game! Though I can understand people having mixed feelings on it. It was pretty dark for a Zelda title, the 'doom clock' added to the tension and feeling of impending horror. I think that's the idea for Lightning Returns as well. The world is about to end, get moving. It's not intended to be an rpg where you faff about. Square mentioned that it's to be played through multiple times.

Anyway, it's definitely got my interest peaked.

 

[Ninjamedic]

So, who else is waiting for Spoony's review instead of the actual game? Though I have to wonder about the one executive or shareholder screaming about the Squares decline since XIII in the manner of Charlton Heston. It baffles me how the script and design document got to the development stage without someone pointing out how insane it was.

But what do I know? My favourite game is FURNER FURNTERSER NERN.

I prefer FURNER FURNTERSER TAKTIKS myself. Agreed with everything you said there, though I have to ask, did anyone else think X-2's battle system (apart from the aesthetics) was really good? As in the best of the post-VII games?

 

[In Search of Username]

I actually really liked the linearity. In other FF games the part where you had to explore the world map was always the most tedious part. JRPGs, generally speaking, do exploration TERRIBLY. So I have trouble thinking this will be in any way a good thing.

 

[cridia]

So, who else is waiting for Spoony's review instead of the actual game? Though I have to wonder about the one executive or shareholder screaming about the Squares decline since XIII in the manner of Charlton Heston. It baffles me how the script and design document got to the development stage without someone pointing out how insane it was.

But what do I know? My favourite game is FURNER FURNTERSER NERN.

I prefer FURNER FURNTERSER TAKTIKS myself. Agreed with everything you said there, though I have to ask, did anyone else think X-2's battle system (apart from the aesthetics) was really good? As in the best of the post-VII games?

It was essentially the system from V, with a few minor alterations. And since I still think the job system from V is one of the best in the FF franchise, I have to agree with you. I don't really like the whole dress-up doll feel the entire art direction gave me and the story/writing was horrendeous enough to make me quit a few times, but the gameplay at the very least was really solid.

 

[Colt47]

I think most of us just want to forget that Final Fantasy XIII exists at this point. There is a niche of people who stuck through the first two that might be interested in this one, but at the same time they also have added in features that are even more niche, such as the in-game time management elements.

I also don't want to join the Spoony fans pushing Noah to review Final Fantasy XIII series games any faster than he wants to because I am deathly certain he enjoys making the videos and jokes more than actually playing the game. This is especially true compared to the older "broken, but quirky fun" titles that are fun to play through and talk about.

 

[KingWein22]

I was not a fan of XIII nor XIII-2. It just never struck as something I would really want to sit down and play. I liked the world exploration in the previous games. I mean, how else can you go around in circles until you get an encounter? Sometimes in as little as a step.

 

[1nfinite_Cros5]

If they listened to the playerbase and improve the upon the previous games, hopefully they'll do things right.

Also, maybe it's just me, but every time I see the title of this game, I misread it as Lightning Returns Final Fantasy XIII, without the colon. As if Lightning is returning her own game back to the store. I wonder if anyone made an image of that yet.

EDIT:

Spoiler: Yyyyyyyup! Turns out I was right

 

[GAunderrated]

I am still skeptical about that in game "doom clock" Its going to be Majora's Mask all over again isn't it.

Hey, I loved that game! Though I can understand people having mixed feelings on it. It was pretty dark for a Zelda title, the 'doom clock' added to the tension and feeling of impending horror. I think that's the idea for Lightning Returns as well. The world is about to end, get moving. It's not intended to be an rpg where you faff about. Square mentioned that it's to be played through multiple times.

Anyway, it's definitely got my interest peaked.

To each his own I guess. The clock on Majoras Mask and Dead Rising series pretty much killed those game for me entirely. I don't like my gameplay and immersion to be ruined by the developers telling me to hurry up because they can't wait for me to play the game at the pace I want with an arbitrary clock.

When I mean arbitrary let me put that into context with an old game. In super metroid you had clocks given to you twice during the game when you had to escape the space station and the planet. It did create tension because you were escaping areas about to explode but only because it was briefly after you defeated two bosses and thought you were done with the tension.

If the entire game was put on a clock all the tension would be removed due to only caring about the clock not about the gameplay or immersion.

Therefore I am confident that Lightnings Return will not be a game that I enjoy due to too much arbitrary nonsense. I think its sad that I consider myself a hardcore FF fan yet SE seems content on me not playing a new FF game for half a decade and growing due to their decision to stay with the worst universe they have ever created for the Final Fantasy series.

 

[FightingFurball]

God can't they just drop the shitty combat system for a better one like in the earlier titles, not including FFXII in that comment ^^
It is the reason I find the FFXIII games lacking.
If they would just drop it...

 

[Foolery]

Don't get me wrong, I liked it too, but I always felt I could never catch a break, it made me dread playing the game for fear that I would piss around too long and fuck myself over.

I like dark games (although they are over-saturating the market now, where those happy games at?) But one where they force you to move your ass aren't that much different from linear games, if they tell me to go places and I have a time limit, I will go to the next area without looking around, not much different from the linear FFXIII.

Take FF12, once I beat the Henne Mines I was free to run around, I managed to get the ultimate gun by using my head (I got it using a complex plan since I was going into a place way above my level) and get several weapons WAY before I should have them, I was rewarded for going off the beaten path, taking my time and having a look at GameFAQs around the world.

I will probably get this (I didn't like XIII but I liked XIII-2) So I will see for myself how it is. On the plus side, there will be ways to increase the timer.

Reasonable skepticism. It's a good point. XIII-3's gameplay might potentially try to shuffle a player away from areas using the timer, so that you can't notice the backdrops are actually cardboard cut-outs with limited rewards for exploration.

And now you've reminded me of XII, which was a very different beast. Yeah, XII encouraged exploration, with the exception of areas where higher level monsters would keep you away until you progressed the story, had a clever strategy, or grinded for a bit.

I think its sad that I consider myself a hardcore FF fan yet SE seems content on me not playing a new FF game for half a decade and growing due to their decision to stay with the worst universe they have ever created for the Final Fantasy series.

To each his own indeed. I actually like the universe of XIII. With all the techno-organic life forms and junk. It's the characters and convoluted writing that drags it in down in my opinion. Style over substance. It can be fun in a way, so long as you don't think too hard about the plot.

I think most of us just want to forget that Final Fantasy XIII exists at this point. There is a niche of people who stuck through the first two that might be interested in this one, but at the same time they also have added in features that are even more niche, such as the in-game time management elements.

I don't think they would have decided to make XIII-2, and now Lightning Returns if they didn't think there was an audience for it. 2.37M sales, roughly half of the original XIII, which was 4.98M. So niche, in a way. Although XIII was their first Final Fantasy for some of the people I know that are really into this series.