Square Enix have unveiled the new box art for one of 2010’s most anticipated videogame release, Final Fantasy XIII.
The plot focuses on the fal’Cie, beings created from crystals. 13,000 years ago, a mythical Crystal told the fal’Cie to construct a paradise for humanity. The shell-like city of Cocoon was created and floated high above the surface of the world known as Pulse. Cocoon’s Crystal created life forms and machines for its inhabitants to use, and humanity flourished. Over time, the people of Cocoon began to fear for the safety of their world, and were worried that it would be cast down from the sky. In present day, the wilderness of Pulse has strange effects on people, and the Holy Government of Cocoon quarantines and exiles from the city anyone who has been influenced by Pulse. A woman codenamed Lightning is chosen by the Crystals to be the enemy of humanity and bring about the downfall of the world.
Gameplay will be familiar to anyone that has played any of the existing Final Fantasy, specifically VII onwards, with a few changes. Like in Final Fantasy XII, enemies are integrated into the world environment, but unlike XII battles do not take place in the same “dimension”, but rather a short flash transports players to a new battle screen, separate from the main playing world. The Active Time Battle (ATB) system will return, but it works differently from its predecessors. Users will, for the first time, be able to chain large numbers of commands together in order to achieve attack bonuses.
The Final Fantasy games are usually incredibly well made and well received, and this one is sure to continue the trend by selling bucketloads of titles. As you can see from the pictures above the game will be released on both X-Box 360 and PS3, on March 9th, 2010.
Musings from a Man Lost in La Mancha 