FFXIII Versus

Spoiler:

Final Fantasy Versus XIII (ファイナルファンタジー ヴェルサスXIII, Fainaru Fantajī Verusasu Sātīn?) is an action role-playing game[2] published by Square Enix for the Sony PlayStation 3 video game console[3][4] and currently being developed by the company's 1st Production Department.[5] The word "versus" is Latin for "towards". Alongside Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Type-0, the game is a part of the Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy compilation. Unveiled at E3 2006, the game focuses on a mysterious protagonist, named Noctis Lucis Caelum, who is the last heir of a dynasty ruling over the only remaining city to control crystals. Under unforeseen circumstances, he makes a stand against marauders seeking to take the crystal as their own.[6]

Final Fantasy Versus XIII is, according to its developers, a wholly independent story unfolding with different characters and a different visual design. 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 the Fabula Nova Crystallis: Final Fantasy series.[7]

Contents [hide]
1 Gameplay
2 Setting
3 Characters
3.1 Main characters
3.2 Other characters
4 Development
5 See also
6 References
7 External links


[edit] Gameplay

The main character, Noctis, with eleven floating weapons surrounding him.Director Tetsuya Nomura has stated that Versus XIII's gameplay will be a realistic derivation of Kingdom Hearts's battle system with some elements of a third-person shooter. Nomura has also stated that the game will depart from the light and magical aesthetic of his previous directorial games (i.e. Kingdom Hearts) and opt for a darker, bleaker world that is intended to counter previous Final Fantasy installments. According to Nomura, the world of Final Fantasy Versus XIII is based on the modern Shinjuku district.[8] In formulating a realistic world, Nomura has stated that he wants the characters to be "believable" and thus realistic. As a testament towards his desire for realism, in the PlayStation Premier trailer, in contrast to previous Final Fantasy titles, Versus XIII had a greater display of graphic violence with an instance of blood.[9]

Battles will take place in real-time environments using all regions of the field, from up high buildings to down low streets. Nomura said that the game will feature battles that take place in areas with great differences in height, as shown in the trailer, and the players will have to fight using the full environment. This means fighting what's in front, as well as above and below (vertical battles).[10] The battle interface consists of several aspects, mainly Magic, Item, Summons and EX-ARTS. In addition, there are highly animated character portraits on the lower right corner of the screen. The portrait will change according to the character's feelings and current movement similar to Star Ocean: The Last Hope albeit in a wider variety. The game also uses a realtime event system, thus when the players is moving around you can be suddenly attacked or trigger a certain event. For example, when Noctis reaches a pedestrian bridge, a behemoth beast will attack. Another example is a plane crashing into the road. Implementing these kinds of real time events, which transition seamlessly into the flow of gameplay, takes a long time in terms of development, said Nomura.[11]

The game's combat will be party-based with each party consisting of a maximum 3 characters at a time with players being able to switch between the controlled characters. At the start of the game the party line-up will be predetermined, though players will get the ability to freely switch out members as the story progresses similar to Final Fantasy XIII. Each character will have his or her own special attack capabilities, and all characters will be able to use magic, although the effect of the magic differs for each character. For example, when Noctis casts magic it emerges from his weapon, while for another party member when he casts magic he lights his surroundings with fire. Noctis is the only character capable of equipping all weapon types in the game, other characters each have their own unique specialties. For example, one of the characters is a gun specialist who can switch to a third person view for precise aiming at the enemy's weak points, buildings and other objects.[11]

Nomura has also stated in Dengeki PlayStation that he aims to create previously unseen "tricky" battle sequences, reminiscent of the CGI film, Final Fantasy VII Advent Children.[6] He has also stated that the development team have been implementing a traversable world map, used in the main Final Fantasy series up until its removal in Final Fantasy X.[12] Nomura later commented, in an interview conducted via Twitter, that players will be able to control an airship around the world map.[13]

The game will feature large open fields in the world map which allow players to walk through almost anything on the field apart from the mountains. Nomura has also mentioned that the fields are truly vast and that it was very far to traverse from one end to another;[14] thus, to facilitate easy navigation, the game will feature the return of vehicles such as an airship[15] as well as a car, allowing players to easily traverse the large fields.[14] Players can ride cars, aircraft and Chocobos, they can also steal tanks and only tanks as they have high moral standards and are unwilling to steal common vehicles.[11][16]

One of the trailers show Noctis selecting from a number of different weapons to defeat the enemy soldiers in front of him. The various weapons in the game will have different methods of attack, and some will even be usable as shields to go along with Noctis's crystal power. Weapons will have some sort of customization element as well. The trailer also showed Noctis warping around killing enemies. Nomura explained that players won't be able to warp freely to every spot but will be able to warp to the location where the sword is placed. This is one area that is being tested on so it's a matter of time to see if this all makes it into the final product. Summon beasts are in the game and will have to be defeated to be used. Nomura has also said that the game will have Sixaxis support but has given no specifics about it.[10]

[edit] Setting
Final Fantasy Versus XIII involves Noctis Lucis Caelum, the last heir to an isolated nation, which holds the last Crystal protected by kings. Its isolation is due to the city's resistance; to protect itself against invading heretics.[17] The game has been said to initiate at the "clearing" of a long cold war between warring nations that revolved around the crystals.[18]

The official trailer starts with the words, "This is a fantasy based on reality." The trailer shows modern technology such as cars, freeways, and automatic weapons and bears a striking resemblance to the real world today.

Very little information regarding the plot of the game has been revealed since E3 2006; however, Square Enix representatives have commented that Versus may be the darkest Final Fantasy game yet.[6][19]

Screenshots from Japanese gaming magazine, Famitsu, have revealed a large city reminiscent of Tokyo which showcases a recreation of the real-life Shinjuku, surrounding Square Enix's office, in game.[14] The lead character is seen battling a Behemoth in the dead of night with cars and flames in the distance.[20]

[edit] Characters
[edit] Main characters

A close-up of Noctis's face as he draws his weapon in battle.Noctis Lucis Caelum (ノクティス・ルシス・チェラム, Nokutisu Rushisu Cheramu?)
Voiced by: Tatsuhisa Suzuki
The protagonist of Final Fantasy Versus XIII, Noctis is the last heir to the Caelum Dynasty, which rules over the only remaining city-state that controls the Crystals. Noctis attempts to protect his city-state against those who seek to conquer it and take the Crystals by force. Nomura has compared Noctis's family to the modern-day Japanese mafia.[21][22] The color of his eyes have been shown to change from blue to crimson during battle; according to Nomura, the color changes are both intentional and significant.[18] Noctis's full name is Latin for "Light of the Night Sky," [23][24] and his nickname is "Noct".[24]
Noctis wields many weapons, ranging from swords, spears, and lances to guns. He controls them with telekinesis (through the power of the Crystal), using them for both attack and defense. Nomura has stated that each weapon has a different usage and is not directly limited by normal standards of attack; for instance, some weapons are also usable as shields.[25] Noctis also has the ability to teleport or to suddenly move at a high speed, though it is unknown what role this skill will have in the actual gameplay.
Noctis's personality is different from other characters in the Final Fantasy franchise and is one that Nomura had wanted to try out for a long time.[26] In the past, protagonists were not given strong personalities while distinctive ones were delegated to the supporting cast, but Nomura states that Noctis's idiosyncrasies mark a departure from this tradition.[26] Although his character is said to be hard to define given his complexities,[24][27] a good measure of his personality can be sensed from his first meeting with Stella.[28] Noctis hides his shyness underneath a façade of coolness in front of her, which creates a cold and unsociable impression.[28] However, he smiles and acts more openly around his friends,[24][27] a testament to Nomura's statement that "[Noctis] is not the least bit a silent, gloomy little boy."[26]

A close-up of Stella summoning her weapon.Stella Nox Fleuret (ステラ・ノックス・フルーレ, Sutera Nokkusu Furūre?)
A young woman with golden-blonde hair, Stella is said to be the daughter of the Fleuret family of the country Tenebrae (Latin for "darkness")[22][28] and an enemy to Noctis, though her allegiances are under suspicion.[citation needed] Fleuret is the French name of the fencing foil, a direct reference to Stella's weapon of choice, a rapier. Like Noctis, she is able to materialize weapons from thin air, as she is shown summoning her rapier from a rune similar to one used by Noctis to summon his sword, though Stella's rune is golden while Noctis's is blue.
Like that of Noctis, a good measure of Stella's personality can be sensed during her first meeting with Noctis.[28] For instance, in their discussion about the power they share and its connection to an old legend,[22] Stella is very open about the matter while Noctis seems reluctant to talk about it, suggesting that they keep it a secret.[28] Stella is described to be ladylike and extremely polite[8] but direct in her manner — a reflection of her proper but strong upbringing.[22][28] She acts according to her beliefs, and doesn't shy away from problems.[8][22] Nomura states that she will be the first to stand out from other female characters in the Final Fantasy franchise,[8] although it is not specified how.
[edit] Other characters

The hero Noctis and his three companions.Noctis has three companions who have been revealed in the video game magazine Famitsu.[29] The first is Ignis (voiced by Mamoru Miyano), a man with light brown hair and glasses who is seen wearing a suit and driving the Noctis' car. He uses throwing knieves in battle. The second is a bulkier man with long dark brown hair and a scar on the left side of his face, named Gladiolus (voiced by Hiroki Yasumoto). In the January 2011 trailer, he's seen wielding a long two-hand sword. The third is a younger man named Prompto (voiced by Tetsuya Kakihara), with blond hair who is seen carrying a shotgun and teasing Noctis. Unlike other characters, he can target weakspots on enemies with his precise aiming. These three people are Noctis' friends; they speak casually and amicably with him, and they also accompany him during his travels.[30]

Another character, shown in a white robe, is seen facing off with Noctis. Noctis approaches the character with intent, implying that they are enemies.[31]

Soldiers have been seen in the trailers as well. These unknown warriors wear medieval-styled armor but carry assault rifles that resemble modern automatic weapons.[32] Another man, dressed in a business suit and shown leading a meeting with several other men in a cathedral-style chamber, is Noctis's father and the ruler of their city. He says he intends not to permit anyone on behalf of his son rule the land. He possess the same weapon manipulating powers as Noctis, and is shown fighting another man, thought to be Stella's father or grandfather, the king of Tenebrae.[31]