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Final Fantasy XIII: Fabula Nova Crystallis, Part 1
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Images from Gamefaqs.com
Among the many highlights at this years E3, Final Fantasy XIII was perhaps the brightest of them all. The flashy trailers and gameplay have been evoking hype among fans of the RPG genre since 2006. E3 showcased some of what we've already come to learn from the brief demo that was bundled with the Blu-ray version of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, plus quite a bit more.
Final Fantasy XIII is being developed as part of a compilation of games that are related by their common theme of Crystals. Meaning "new tale of the crystal", there are three confirmed games within the Fabula Nova Crystallis series: Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy Versus XIII, and Final Fantasy Agito XIII.
Final Fantasy XIII is set within perhaps the most technologically advanced world yet seen in Final Fantasy. Magic is so commonplace to the people of FFXIII that it has become part of their way of life, with it even integrated into their technology.
The world is divided into two realms: "Pulse", associated with fear, hatred, and wilderness, and "Cocoon", a massive, high-tech floating colony, like a dark moon in the sky above Pulse. Each realm possesses a sentient Crystal, which both aid and dictate the fate of humanity.
The gameplay in FFXIII is where the game truly shines. Developer Square-Enix was quoted saying it hoped to "recreate the battles seen in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children".
The battles still operate under the "ATB", or Active time battle, where a character waits for his or her time gauge to fill up before being able to execute an attack. In FFXIII, the time gauge is divided into parts, and your character cannot take action until at least one part of the gauge is full. Every action, from melee attacks to magic, has a set gauge cost associated with it. Stronger actions consume more of the time gauge, so a level 1 magic spell costs less time to use than a level 3 spell, for example. It seems magic points are out the window, by the way, which is a good thing, considering how fast-paced the battles look to be.
What's cool about the system in FFXIII is that you can queue a series of actions before unleashing them as a combo. With a full time gauge, you could string together several melee attacks, opt to fire off a series of magic spells, or any combination of moves provided you have sufficient time-gauge to execute it.
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If that weren't already impressive enough, one of the major staples of the Final Fantasy series, the summoned deities you can call into battle to aid you, make a return in FFXIII. However, its execution of the summons this time around is unique and very stylish. During E3 the summoned Ice-goddess Shiva makes her appearance, only this time as a pair of sisters, Styria and Nix. When summoned, they replace your party members and fight alongside you as your party normally would.
The twist is what is called Gestalt Mode. Each summon, aside from fighting alongside you, can merge with your character in some way. The Shiva sisters, for instance, are actually two parts of a magic ice-motorcycle that you activate as their Gestalt. In Gestalt mode you can execute all manner of flashy special-attacks, from mad dashes to devastating wheelies, in a heavily action-oriented sequence.
Final Fantasy XIII is looks better and better with every tiny announcement. It is currently in development for the PS3 and XBox 360. Check out Examiner.com in the near future for any late-breaking news!
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