Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII Battle System Evolves

[roseofbattle]

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII Battle System Evolves

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Customizable abilities and reactions are fine-tuned for Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII's battle system.

Final Fantasy XIII's battle system was already a departure from the battle systems of earlier games. With Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII being the final installment in the story of FFXIII, this has to be the game to nail the fighting aspect. In a trailer released today, Square Enix showed a trailer of what to expect fighting alone as Lightning.

In FFXIII, the player formed a team of three characters and customized each roles they served, which could be modified quickly in the midst of battle to switch between offense and defense as needed. In the sequel, monsters could be captured to join battle. Elements of the Active Time Battle system make up the new Style-Change ATB, also taking elements from the dressphere mechanics of Final Fantasy X-2. The outfits have different power sets with its own ATB gauge. When the gauge is depleted, Lightning must switch to a different outfit. Outfits not in use replenish their ATB gauge. In this Schema system, Lightning can equip up to three outfits at any time to switch through during battles.

The biggest change is the elimination of menus, which were integral to the battle system of the previous two FFXIII titles. In Lightning Returns actions are assigned to the four face buttons. Players may execute those actions as long as the ATB gauge isn't empty. Different outfits have different abilities, but evasion can be assigned to any garb.

The demo is available now. Lightning Returns: FFXIII launches in North America on Feb. 11 and Europe on Feb. 14 for the PS3 and Xbox 360.

Source: YouTube [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJlMYHdh85U]


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[knight4light]

So she is now Erza Scarlet from fairytail. Requipping different outfits to fit with the situation and have different abilities.

...sounds awesome!

also i love real time battles

 

[Sniper Team 4]

I may have to download this demo so I can figure out how this combat works. I was going to download it anyway, but still.

On a minor nit-pick note: I'm a bit disappointed that all changing outfits does is change what Lightning looks like. No, wait! Let me explain. I played FF X-2 and I had a blast with it. Part of what I liked the most about the changing outfits was seeing how different the girls looked in each one and how their stances and weapons changed. From what I saw here, Lightning's stance does not change, and she always has a shield and some sort of one-handed weapon that she always fights the same with. Basically the same moves, but with different weapon skins. I don't want that. I want her entire fighting style, stance, and combat moves to change like they did in X-2.

On the excited front, I'm coming for you Caius. This time you don't get to cheat and come back.

 

[Revnak_v1legacy]

I may have to download this demo so I can figure out how this combat works. I was going to download it anyway, but still.

On a minor nit-pick note: I'm a bit disappointed that all changing outfits does is change what Lightning looks like. No, wait! Let me explain. I played FF X-2 and I had a blast with it. Part of what I liked the most about the changing outfits was seeing how different the girls looked in each one and how their stances and weapons changed. From what I saw here, Lightning's stance does not change, and she always has a shield and some sort of one-handed weapon that she always fights the same with. Basically the same moves, but with different weapon skins. I don't want that. I want her entire fighting style, stance, and combat moves to change like they did in X-2.

On the excited front, I'm coming for you Caius. This time you don't get to cheat and come back.

From what I saw of the Demo she seems to have one stance where she moves around a bit differently. It is yellow and she has a neat hat. A very neat hat indeed.


OT- Cautiously aproaching optimistic about this. They even brought back Caius, who just may be my favorite character in the series, which is saying very very little, but still, Caius is back and is just as ridiculously purple as ever.

EDIT- Correction. Sahz is my favorite. Caius is my second favorite.

 

[major_chaos]

Hmmmm glad there is a demo. On paper this sounds much better than the horribad auto-play "combat" from FFXIII but I want to experience it first hand before I get excited. Although even if the combat is fun I'm not sure it can overcome the insufferable characters and hilariously stupid story enough to make my actually buy the game.

 

[DjinnFor]

Looks intriguing but since I didn't bother to finish FF13 nor did I even play FF13-2, I don't think I'll be getting this. Not a fan of jumping in late to stories.

 

[DanielBrown]

I am currently replaying FFXIII for the first time since it was released. Figured it was about time I get some more value out of the money I spent. Unfortunetly the game is even worse than I remembered. Can only play for around 40 minutes each session before I grow sick of it.

So yeah... Won't bother with this game. What I disliked the most was how actiony/automated the gameplay had gotten in series, and it looks like they're gonna keep going that path(iirc FFXV is completely action based).
I'll comfort myself with the FFX/X-2 Remaster and Tidus' horrifying, robotic face.

 

[captainsavvy]

On a minor nit-pick note: I'm a bit disappointed that all changing outfits does is change what Lightning looks like. No, wait! Let me explain. I played FF X-2 and I had a blast with it. Part of what I liked the most about the changing outfits was seeing how different the girls looked in each one and how their stances and weapons changed. From what I saw here, Lightning's stance does not change, and she always has a shield and some sort of one-handed weapon that she always fights the same with. Basically the same moves, but with different weapon skins. I don't want that. I want her entire fighting style, stance, and combat moves to change like they did in X-2.

Having played the demo, each Schema (outfit) has it's own move list and stat attributes.
For example, Black Mage has quick-fire/quick-blizzard and Blizzaga attacks and a high magic stat, Red Mage has Deprotect and MediGuard, Dragoon has Jump and a high damage stat, the Heartstealer (basically Zidane from FF9's outfit) has a high speed stat and an Evade move instead of Guard, Lightning's default Saviour Schema has Thunder and Blitz as attacks etc. etc. Some moves can even be swapped between Schema.

While most of the Schema in the demo worked with a sword/shield combo, the Dragoon actually has a bracer and spear so it's likely that some Scheme in the full game will have different weapons. You can also swap weapons between Schema as well if you want to.

Each Schema also has a different winning pose and battle cries.
And I'm pretty sure her animations changed when fighting. At least I remember the Zidane thief outfit fighting differently to the dragoon and mages...

You get to customise the colour of the clothes and what accessories they wear and the Schema you choose as your default is the one Lightning runs around the world in. Which is pretty cool.