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Square Enix Used “Strength” As A Focus For Lightning’s New Look

Lightning's new look in Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII has generated plenty of dissent. But Square Enix has attempted to explain the protagonist's more stylized presentation.

In a recent Famitsu interview (as translated by Siliconera ), developers Motomu Toriyama, Yoshinori Kitase and Yuji Abe said they wanted Lightning to best represent "strength." That's why she boasts a red cape, as the designers figured red was a good indicator of strength.

Said Toriyama:

"We got [Tetsuya] Nomura to design Lightning for what will be her last fight. We asked him to represent her with the word ‘strength’ as the focus. Red and white were the dominant colors that represented Final Fantasy XIII, with that in consideration, I believe that the color red symbolizes strength better than any other. In the end, we decided to go half white and red for Lightning’s color scheme."

Lightning has a new role in her final adventure, that of a Liberator. So she basically has what looks like a uniform because she's on a mission to save souls before the world ends in 13 days. That being said, those who overhauled Lightning's look realize that not everyone will be happy with it, which is why her costume will be customizable this time around. …so will you be one of those who changes it?

Related Game(s): Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII

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WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
11 years ago

Her original costume had a red half cape, that was fine. This new outfit doesn't look like any uniform, it looks like Ezio ate a samurai warrior. And oh yes, those intentional crotch shots exude strength!

http://www.psu.com/Lightning-Returns–Final-Fantasy-XIII–i40420.php

It will be good when this whole mess is over. I think that this was a bait and switch on top of being a failure. Fabula Nova Crystalis was supposed to be 3 games, FFXIII, Versus XIII, and Agito XIII. The fact that Agito got renamed and XIII got two sequels tells me Versus will get renamed and SE will just pretend this Lightning stuff was the trilogy they had in mind, even though it was just a failed attempt to make more money off an overbudget hail-mary to action fans product that nobody liked in the original XIII.

So now nobody can ever discuss Versus, the greatest franchise of all time has been flushed, SE somehow got the impression that everybody loves Lightning as much as they do Cloud, and fans are left holding the bag.


Last edited by WorldEndsWithMe on 1/4/2013 10:25:41 PM

Beamboom
Beamboom
11 years ago

lol – totally off topic, but these days you have a different avatar dependent on what computer I use, World.
Here on my laptop you still got the old Bioshock avatar, on my mobile you got the "not enough space" icon and on my stationary you got a busty babe.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
11 years ago

The avatar thing on this site is completely messed up, when you try to update it you get a 500 error so I kept changing it. Ben wouldn't admit he was wrong so I decided to just conform out of the niceness of my heart and put Tifa up there for now in the teeny tiny space that all new avatars must squeeze into, leaving no room for us creative types.

karneli lll
karneli lll
11 years ago

The saddest part is the game is going to move a lot of copies. Leading SE to think that their plan was successful

Underdog15
Underdog15
11 years ago

Isn't that the measure of success in business, though?

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
11 years ago

Well XIII-2 sold between 1/3 and 1/2 what XIII did, so LR will probably shift 1/3 of that. SE is taking a very backwards approach to profitability. But when you're putting out crap I guess it doesn't bother you to put out crappier crap to make a quick buck.

Underdog15
Underdog15
11 years ago

She's already strong. She was kick a$$ in the first one, and she was a freaking warrior goddess in the second. I'd say she's already established as strong.

This new uniform doesn't exude strength… it exudes torn bed linens…

oONewcloudOo
oONewcloudOo
11 years ago

It looks like a blind person dresses her. I can't believe no one at S-E doesn't think her clothes are eye rapingly bad

Yukian
Yukian
11 years ago

Tetsuya Nomura: "Oh, you need my help designing YOUR main character for YOUR game? Sure, I'll help you…!"

Epic photobomb! Lol

BTNwarrior
BTNwarrior
11 years ago

And in posting this comment Toriyama started the first phase in the campaign of confusing the consumer base so much that hopefully some will forget the travesties that were the last two ff13 games

Corvo
Corvo
11 years ago

Yukian up top made me laugh. Square said to Nomura "Here, you get 5 hours out of your cage. Make a new lightning that exudes strength and we'll even give you some outside time." Nomura "…I'll give you an incredible looking character."

shadowscorpio
shadowscorpio
11 years ago

Seems like that's all SE does these days; Feels the need to explain themselves .

Teddie9
Teddie9
11 years ago

Strength and batshit crazy are now synonymous……then who knows what kind of communication is used at that company.

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