Square Enix favorite heroine is evident as they announce Lightning will get one last game to conclude the Lightning saga. The game supposedly will have a more interactive feel with the environment that has never been seen before. Motomu Toriyama, director of the Final Fantasy 13 series, called it ‘World Driven’. It’s hard to say for sure what this is since it’s so early, but it seems the environmental world and social world will react to each player differently to try and give a more unique gaming experience to the individual player. Again, it’s still early, and many details are unknown. There will be a lot of customization in this game. Including Lightning’s outfits and weapons, which will supposedly have an impact on the game besides just visual. For example, Lightning’s different weapons and armor should influence the combat in some way. Apparently, there is a great importance for each player being allowed to have the ‘Lightning’ that they want. This game should show a level of customization deeper than any previous Square Enix titles.
This game will be a direct sequel from Final Fantasy 13-2 and has a new setting called Novus Partus, which is four islands that look to have vastly different landscapes. The plot centers around these islands being destroyed in thirteen days. Of course, it’s up to Lightning to stop it. There will be some sort of ‘doomsday clock’ that will be ever present throughout the game. This will have a great influence in the game, even down to small things like when shops open and close. Another example is how there will be fewer monsters out during the day, so if you want to train, it would be better to wait until nightfall where there is an increase in random encounters. Traveling will also take up time and the player will have to take all this into account as they proceed through the game. Time will move forward, but also backwards based off the actions of Lightning. It sounds a little like Zelda: Majora’s Mask’s time scheme, if a comparison had to be made. Then again, it’s far to early to tell what this game really contains.
This may seem like Square Enix is just pumping out games from the factory for people to throw money at them, but this time it sounds like a lot of effort is being put into this game to be different. The player can move and control Lightning in combat instead of simply selecting a button to perform an action like a traditional RPG. Not only that, but apparently Lightning will be able to hide behind cover and hang off ledges among other things. That gives even more control to the player. This new ‘World Driven’ system along with deeper customization shows that Square Enix is trying to be new and different. Nevertheless, it’s hard to say for sure how fans are going to respond to this. We’ll just have to wait and see. Lightning’s Return: Final Fantasy 13 will come to PS3 and Xbox 360 in Japan in 2013. Keep checking NGN for the latest news and updates.
