Final Fantasy XIII-2 Will "Exceed" Final Fantasy XIII

[Tom Goldman]

Final Fantasy XIII-2 Will "Exceed" Final Fantasy XIII

Square Enix has officially confirmed Final Fantasy XIII-2, and hopes it'll improve on Final Fantasy XIII in every way.

The Final Fantasy XIII [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/106907-Little-Chocobo-Hints-at-Direct-Sequel-to-Final-Fantasy-XIII] was recently announced at Square Enix's 1st Production Department Premiere event in Japan.

Lightning is back, but with a new outfit. Final Fantasy XIII-2's first trailer shows a happy reunion of the game's characters with their loved ones, including Sazh's doppelganger son. Sadly, something else must go wrong in the world afterward (or beforehand?), because Lightning appears with a new battle-ready suit of armor and her sword, back-to-back with what seems to be the game's primary foe: a blueish-haired tall man dressed in black with a large stabbing instrument of his own. This man is also featured in the logo, so he likely plays a big part in the game. She turns, they clash with their weapons, and then the trailer ends.

Final Fantasy XIII director Motomu Toriyama says that Final Fantasy XIII-2 will "exceed Final Fantasy XIII in every way." Final Fantasy XIII-2 features Lightning as its main character in a "dramatic storyline" that involves her rival, and Square Enix hopes it'll have players asking : "Why does mankind defy its fate?"

Final Fantasy XIII-2 is being developed simultaneously for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The game is slated for a 2011 release in Japan, and should hit shelves in North America and Europe "next winter."

Thanks for the tip TheGuy(wantstobe) [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/TheGuy%28wantstobe%29]!

Source: Siliconera [http://www.siliconera.com/2011/01/18/final-fantasy-xiii-2-releases-in-europe-next-winter/]

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[TilMorrow]

Maybe that purple haired dude is a male doppelganger of lighting? I also noticed the feathers and what appears to either be a cloak of feathers or a wing. Anyone guessing something like Septhiroth (I know its unrelated but it could be a similar sort of thing, no?)?

 

[Jesus Phish]

Because FFX-2 was such a good idea...

 

[Kwatsu]

Square Enix hopes it'll have players asking : "Why does mankind defy its fate?"

Didn't FFXIII already beat that question to a pulp?

 

[Scars Unseen]

As much as I am against direct sequels of FF games, I gotta say that this time around it would take some serious effort to not improve on FFXIII at least on some level. So I say what the hell, give it a shot. The worst they could do is drive the series even further into the ground than they already have.

 

[EmperorZuma]

Because FFX-2 was such a good idea...

This. Seems Square Enix hasn't learned from past mistakes, but then again what company does?

 

[MadGodXero]

Since I'm having trouble beating Final Fantasy XIII, I doubt I'll pick it up, unless its an action rpg, like Kingdom Hearts, then maybe.

 

[LawlessSquirrel]

"Why does mankind defy its fate?"

Arrogance. Next question!

I suppose I should play XIII before judging this, but I've not heard the best things so far. Maybe this is Square Enix trying to salvage the work that got looked down upon the first time around?

 

[Assassin Xaero]

So, their solution is more revealing outfits? And guess that means I need to beat FFXIII now...

 

[GonzoGamer]

Square Enix hopes it'll have players asking : "Why does mankind defy its fate?"

Didn't FFXIII already beat that question to a pulp?

Yea, I actually keep wondering why "Final" Fantasy keeps denying it's fate.
I hope you get to play as a pop star again because that made a lot of sense. I don't have anything against a hot female protagonist but I couldn't keep playing that one. That was actually my final Final Fantasy.

 

[Sarah Kerrigan]

Her outfit looks like a badass version of Aqua from Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep...and having played and beaten FFXIII I gotta say this does get me intrigued. Square has only done this once, and maybe twice could be the charm?

Though I was hoping for some versus and Agito news first Square...no offence. ^^;

 

[Plinglebob]

I liked both FFX-2 and FFXIII so all I'm doing is crossing my fingers and hoping it turns out ok.

 

[twm1709]

Square Enix hopes it'll have players asking : "Why does mankind defy its fate?"

More like "why do so many JRPGs are about mankind defying its fate?"

 

[NickCaligo42]

Because FFX-2 was such a good idea...

Note that X-2 was Motomu Toriyama's first project as lead... yeeeeah.

On one hand, this shouldn't be a problem. XIII had everything going against it, with a ludicrous amount of resources dedicated to an overly bloated project that had unclear goals. They literally had no idea what they were doing with either the story or the gameplay until they released the demo alongside Advent Children Complete in 2009; that's three whole years of twiddling thumbs and not knowing what the project's goals were. It's hard to do worse than that.

On the other hand those are mistakes that student game design teams make, not major development houses, and it doesn't bode well that they'd make them in the first place with so many resources behind them and so many experienced people to consult. This is still a team that's proven grossly inept at coming up with either a focused narrative or a focused set of game mechanics; even if they do better, it's still liable to be a really lackluster product as "unimaginative and stagnant" would be an improvement for them. What I fear is that they're going to lift the mechanics and storytelling formulae straight from FFXIII instead of re-building from the ground-up like they really should, just piling gobs and gobs crap on top of a hugely flawed foundation.

Personally I'm hopeful. I liked the aesthetic of XIII, and I'd like to have a good Final Fantasy to play for a change--but from this team? With Square not having made a decent game in the last ten years? I'm not gonna get my hopes up that much...

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

I am actually looking at a copy of XIII my friend lent to me, which I need to play properly. This might spur me on to do so, so I can see if the next one is worth buying.

Regardless, I guess if they allow you to actually play the game, it'll easily exceed XIII.

Trololol

 

[Enagan]

Oh come on Square! Your releasing FFXIII-2 BEFORE Versus XIII???
Seriously?
Versus and Agito were suposed to be released at the same time XIII did!

On another note, if they can make XIII-2 with a world map + towns - corridors = happy me!
I guess we'll have to wait and see...

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

Final Fantasy 13 was such a successful failure that succeeding it should be easy. Unless of course they continue along the route 13 went, then it will be massive fail. But then, I won't know because I'm done with Square-Enix and the FF games. Too many disappointments since FFX2, MMO's included.

 

[Andronicus]

I'll keep my eye on it, but I'm sure as hell not going to preorder this one.

If they offer a properly explorable world, with towns and secrets and places you can actually return to at the end of the game, then all is forgiven. Hell, I might even be able to overlook the watered down combat, if they decide to pull that crap again. ALL IS FORGIVEN!!