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Toriyama Speaks about FF13 Battle System

The latest Famitsu magazine over in Japan features a new interview with Motomu Toriyama, FF13's Director. In the interview he talks about the game's battle system in detail, including what will be changed from the version present in the demo.

Here's the Best Bits.

Kurisu6238d ago

I take it that FFXIII no longer features "Overclock", as the "Bonus" bar now takes it's place.

Sharingan_no_Kakashi6238d ago

its not that i hate this game... but y isnt v13 getting any attention?

AP6238d ago

Well, this is out in Japan before the years end, while Versus could be as late as Christmas 2010. It's no surprise Square is talking about this but keeping Versus under wraps.

SpoonyRedMage6238d ago

Why would it?

FFXIII is the next main installment whilst Versus is a Spin Off. A higher profile Spin Off than most but still only a Spin Off and as the guy above me said FFXIII is more immediate.

Kain816238d ago

SE choose that FF13 should be the mainstory, cause they would have a wider audiance, cause FF13 is rated for Teens, like all other Final Fantasys.

I have read that in the German Mag

Sharingan_no_Kakashi6238d ago

wow i had no idea versus would be out so late. i guess i just assumed they'd release together sense they've went into production together. Or am i wrong there too?

And versus isnt a spin off. Cant be a spin off if its no way related to the plot of the other.

SpoonyRedMage6238d ago

Kain81, from what I know you're right there. Except I dislike the "mature audience" categorisation. The original idea was judged to be too different in feel so instead of scrapping it they made it a non-main series game.

And it is a spin off, in the same way KH is a spin off, FF Tactics is a spin off and Crystal Chronicles is a spin off.

ssipmraw6238d ago

i dont understand how KH is a spinoff, KH is its own series. Versus is being designed to be believable from what ive read.

DNAgent6238d ago

I don't think SpoonyRedMage knows what a spin-off is.

SpoonyRedMage6238d ago (Edited 6238d ago )

Yes I do, Versus is a spin-off of the main series.

Because wait...it's game not in the main series but of the same franchise.

It doesn't have to be connected by plot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

Go down to the fifth bullet point under Variants of Spin-off and behold.

@ssipmraw: It's the same with Crystal Chronicles but both are technically part of the FF franchise(using characters, themes etc.) but are not part of the main series.

ExcelKnight6238d ago

I'm pretty sure you'll be surprised to know FFXII is a spinoff of FFT, then.

They're not really spinoffs because they're not a plainly numbered game. Even the devs keep saying the three XIII games complete themselves as parts of the same world.

Sharingan_no_Kakashi6238d ago

exactly. The three FF13 games are all part of a single compilation called the Fabula Nova Crystalis Chronicles.

SpoonyRedMage6238d ago (Edited 6238d ago )

That's still a spinoff.

Look it'd go like this:

....
FFVII - DoC - Advent Children - Before Crisis - Crisis Core
FFVIII
FFIX
FFX - FFX-2
FFXI
FFXII - Revenant Wings
FFXIII - Versus - Agito

Just because they have a fancy name for the three games doesn't mean Versus and Agito aren't spin offs. It's also made all the more obvious by the fact that they've concentrated on FFXIII because it's part of the main series.

And no I'm not surprised that FFXII is a spin off, so's Vagrant Story because they're all set in a Ivalice.

I must ask, why do you have a problem with it being a Spin Off?

FamilyGuy6238d ago

crystal chonicles, tactics, FF12 and kingdom hearts are spin off of the actual FF franchise. Like Halo Wars is a spin off of the Halo franchise.
They all share a similarity in their game universes but the genre changes so they become spin offs.

Versus and Agito are title spin offs because they both revolve around the FFXIII 's universe specifically where instead of just having a similarity in the universe they actually have characters that are shared somewhere in plot of the games.

DNAgent6238d ago (Edited 6238d ago )

But FFvs13 isn't a spinoff.

"Final Fantasy Versus XIII; is, according to its developers, a wholly INDEPENDENT STORY unfolding with different characters and a different visual design. And, although it is set within the same Final Fantasy XIII universe, it is UNRELATED to any other entry within the compilation and is thus NEITHER A SEQUEL NOR A PREQUEL to any other entries in Fabula Nova Crystallis: Final Fantasy XIII.[4]"

Using your logic FF13 would be a spin-off of FFvs13. They are both FF13 but each game has a different take on it.

ZeroBlitz6238d ago

"It's also made all the more obvious by the fact that they've concentrated on FFXIII because it's part of the main series."

All three games have received the same 'concentration'. FFXIII is coming out sooner and thus got a demo. It's in no way a bigger game than Versus and Agito is going to be just as large-scale as any of their other portable games, likely bigger than Crisis Core. And guess what... Crisis Core was a spinoff that just happens to be their best FF RPG since X.

It has been stated multiple times that FFXIII and Versus are both the latest entry in the FF series. The only reason FFXIII was named as such is because they clearly had to decide on one of the two for the official naming. It got the part because it had the more traditional combat of the two games. If they thought they could get away with calling them both FF[Versus/______]XIII without damaging sales or the series, they probably would have.

In this case, if you want to call VersusXIII a spinoff of XIII then you'd have to consider 13 a spinoff of V13 too as the only excuses you'd have to do so are the fact that they are based in each other's worlds. They are both being created as being the thirteenth iteration of the FF series.

"It's the same with Crystal Chronicles but both are technically part of the FF franchise(using characters, themes etc.) but are not part of the main series."

What? Crystal Chronicles is a game that is pretty damn different from the main series but uses the FF brand name to sell games and as you said uses some of FF's traditional themes. Of course it's a spinoff. There's no comparison between CC and Versus - which is going to have the same work (story, cutscenes, music, voice-acting, a complex battle system) put into it as a main series FF game gets - because it is one.

I have no doubt many many people will call Versus a spinoff but Square-Enix aren't creating it to be one. Versus has always been given as much attention as XIII by S-E (new trailers, info were always together) until the demo - which is due to FFXIII being in it's final stages of development.

+ Show (11) more repliesLast reply 6238d ago
DNAgent6238d ago

Just like the rest of this game. FF12's battle system was the one thing they did right. If they didn't want to carry over the same battle system for FF13 then they should've made a real-time battle system for the game at least.

In any case, this will just be yet another mediocre game that falls in line with all of S-E's other garbage so this game isn't even on my radar.

SpoonyRedMage6238d ago

I prefer turn based to be honest. Not everything needs to be real time and action based. Next RPGs will have cover systems to...

The reason they changed it was because the majority hated XII's battle system by the way.;)

Enate6238d ago

I think this is the first time I've actually agreed fully with a statement you've said I can't believe it. FFXII was down right horrible standing in a circle like an idiot waiting to swing with gambits or without the gambit was down right boring. An as you said I much prefer turn based to this day over run around in a circle action based J-RPGS. Still playing Xenogears and suikoden II in my psp to this day.

Gue16238d ago (Edited 6238d ago )

As I said in a thread on the forums that everybody ignored, this so new anticipated FFXIII battle system it's just a rip-off of the battle system from the Shadow Hearts series.

The way they explain you can launch enemies into the air to keep a chain of combos combined with magic and team attacks, well, that's Shadow Hearts for you. The best turn based battle system ever created.
----------------------------- ------------------------------- ---------
"'Strategy Battle' refers to to the ability to stock multiple commands and mix and match them." -just like in Shadow Hearts

"a fusion between strategy battle and action battle. The system allows for flashy combat moves." -Shadow Hearts again

"As in the demo, your allies will perform follow-up attacks on enemies to aid you." -yeah, more Shadow Hearts

And the transformations in Shadow Hearts are the equivalent of the Summons, you can use them for more than one consecutive turn.
----------------------------- ------------------------------- ---------
=Quotes from IGN about Shadow Hearts:

-"Despite these criticisms, though, Johnny and Shania's adventure through Depression-era America is still worth checking out for its battle system alone. When your combat is this good, how could you not?"

-"Shadow Hearts' battle system is still one of the best around."

-"The turn-based battle system is laden with party choices plus customization and upgrade options that offer plenty of variety in the fights. The team-based combos are especially fun."
----------------------------- ------------------------------ --------

The only difference is that you complete the combos based on the timing you pushed the button on the ring... FFXIII has that part removed, probably because they want a more accessible game fro the masses.

ZeroBlitz6238d ago (Edited 6238d ago )

Wow. Those 'best bits' pretty much revealed... nothing. So much for a detailed explanation about the battle system.

At most they told us that:
The full game will allow for more strategic battles. ...
Party AI won't be completely self-sufficient. How is that unexpected?

kewlkat0076238d ago (Edited 6238d ago )

I'm liking this MIX. After FFXII, I think they realized a MIX is the way to go.

Of course, just as Lost Odyssey, I'm an turn-based gamer...I have yet to play an "JRPG of the century" with Action-based concept. All just button smashers with a Heal all party button over and over.

Oh yeah if it's not part of the "STAND-ALONE CORE" Final Fantasy games, it's a spin-off. That includes VS's and the X2's and such.

ZeroBlitz6238d ago

That's kinda harsh considering there's only one JRPG of the century every hundred years. KH2 has a really fun 'action-based concept' for battle.

"All just button smashers with a Heal all party button over and over."

That argument can be made for most RPGs. Typical strategy in one rarely goes beyond 'use ice elemental magic to beat this boss; heal regularly, maybe use buffs'. FF isn't often more complex than, say, a Tales of game.

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The older it gets, the more I respect Final Fantasy XIII

Alex Donaldson: "Hindsight is a hell of a thing, however, and in the years since Final Fantasy XIII, my respect for the decisions its developers made has skyrocketed. In the two Final Fantasy titles since we see both the brilliance and the folly in alternative approaches - and in Final Fantasy VII Remake, we get a more nuanced understanding of what FF13 was trying to accomplish from many of the same development leads."

Einhander1972878d ago

FFXIII is actually one of the best Final Fantasy games.

I also sort of was disappointed at the time, never as much as the bandwagon. But really all the fantastic 3D rendered cutscenes and I actually liked the characters and the story though convoluted was actually fantastic and the ending was extremely emotional. So much budget and time were put into that game Square had such big plans, I actually have always felt kind of bad for how things played out.

I have been thinking for years how great it would be to get all three games on one disk for PS4 or 5.

Nyxus878d ago

I always liked this game, and I agree, a rerelease for current gen would be nice.

Shane Kim876d ago (Edited 876d ago )

Gotta take off the nostalgia glasses. It's the worst FF. Shiva as a bike, I mean come on.

Elda876d ago

Shiva as a bike is strange but saying FFXIII is the worst FF is not at all a fact, that's simply your opinion.

Terry_B876d ago

*One of the 3 equally bad FF's

DivineHand125876d ago (Edited 876d ago )

When I got my series X a year ago, I bought FF13 for nostalgia reasons but ended up being disappointed. When I first played it around the time it launched, I didn't have a lot of experience with final fantasy games, so I enjoyed it. Fast forward to when I played it again, I found that the game had many unnecessary filler moments instead of just giving us meaningful content.

The game is also very linear and a quote on the article said it best. "It is like a sewage pipe that leads to the ocean until it opens up on Grand Pulse."

The story didn't make much sense either and I believe it is my mistake as I played the FF7 remake on PS5 prior which is a night and day difference in terms of pacing, storytelling and likeable characters even though cloud is aloof.

FinalFantasyFanatic876d ago (Edited 876d ago )

Probably was a mistake to play any of the golden era FFs first (e.g. FF6 through FF10), it makes it harder to enjoy some of the FFs that aren't as good. I think FF12 was where major issues with the series started becoming apparent, and it just got worse from there.

FinalFantasyFanatic876d ago (Edited 876d ago )

I didn't really care for it that much, the only saving grace was that it had a better story than 15 (overall it was better than 15) and possibly 12, and even then, you had to read some of it through primers, like reading a book. Plus the battle system was reasonably fun for what it was, even if it was more the spectacle that was exciting for me (e.g. summoning). And to be fair, the 13 trilogy got better with every games, I still don't like Snow though.

Gamingsince1981876d ago

Ff13 is only good if you haven't played a ff before, or any other games that are decent for that matter.

-Foxtrot876d ago

It is in fact no way the best Final Fantasy game, it's one of the worst

Linear corridors, Cutscene, Fight, Cutscene...rinse and repeat

Dialogue and characters are pretty bad, especially Lightning as the main FF hero, they literally said they tried to make a "Female Cloud" and they failed.

Story was pretty awful

I could go on

I think the only alright thing that came from the game was the music.

Elda875d ago

That's not a fact that's your personal opinion. The game sold 11 million copies between its 2009 release up until 2014 including critically reviewed as an 8 out of 10 or an 80 out of 100. The game does have some issues but it's not at all a fact as one of the worst FF games.

-Foxtrot875d ago

Elda

Not just mine mate

A large majority

So….

Traecy875d ago

N4G commenters such as yourself aren't the majority. The game was well received.

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gold_drake878d ago (Edited 878d ago )

i liked the game alot but i didnt like how they handled the terminology.

i dont mind reading data logs but it had soo many.

but i always loved the music and how it looked. the battle system wasnt too bad either.

but i like 13-2 more :)

i still dont understand why we never got a remaster of the trilogy

Eonjay876d ago

Xbox kinda did. Besides the video files of course which are still best on PS3 due to bluray.

Snookies12878d ago

XIII is a pretty solid game, but XIII-2 is WAY better. XIII-2 was one of the few games I decided to go for a Platinum trophy in, early on. Had so much fun the entire way through getting it too!

Eonjay876d ago

Totally agree. FF 13 was okay but 13-2 is my favorite FF game ever.

shinoff2183878d ago (Edited 878d ago )

I hated this to when it released. I haven't much liked a ff game since ff10 as much , aside from ff7remake. I decided to give it another shot on my series x since it's not on a current ps and was liking it quite a bit(just takes me some time to get over things ) until star ocean 2 remake came out I was all over that.

Square should definitely remaster it or something for ps4 ps5

KillerB876d ago

my favorite jrpg trilogy ever

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