E3 Trailer: Impressions of Final Fantasy XIII

Square Enix shows us stunning visuals, fast-paced gameplay.

May 10, 2006

Square Enix released a preview trailer of Final Fantasy XIII, its next, next major installment in the acclaimed Final Fantasy series. (Final Fantasy XII has not yet been released in North America).

The Final Fantasy XIII Trailer depicts the game's female heroine and demonstrates some of the gameplay style, as well as the visuals of the game. The game, which is being developed for the Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3), definitely seems to use the system's power to deliver high-quality visuals. Many of the gameplay scenes demonstrate graphics nearly as crisp as some of the pre-rendered scenes that the series presented on the PS2.

Final Fantasy XIII features a female protagonist in a futuristic world.

The gameplay style of Final Fantasy XIII also seems to be different than recent titles in the series, continuing an evolution towards an active pace. Final Fantasy games traditionally use a heavily turn-based system, in which battles may be drawn out indefinitely, depending on how long a player decides how to proceed.

Final Fantasy XII (FF12), which is due out at the end of the year, employed a system more like online RPGs — much of the battle's mundane tasks are automated with more strategic and powerful attacks being delivered at a faster pace.

FF13 seems to employ a very fast battle style. From the video, it seems to approach the status of an action-RPG.

Beyond the battles, the game seems to have a very futuristic, sci-fi setting unlike anything that's been seen in the series since Final Fantasy VIII.

Final Fantasy XIII is being released as a part of an encompassing project called Fabula Nova Crystallis™. Coupled with Final Fantasy Versus XIII, it represents the core of the FF13 project, around which other games and perhaps anime and CG movies will revolve.

View the FF13 Trailer here on Galbadia X.