Ben-DutkaOkay, you can all stop sending me links to the leaked footage. It's obvious that even 30 seconds of Final Fantasy Versus XIII can create a conversation maelstrom. 🙂
Anyway, you've probably already seen it, but here's a link to a supposedly non-removable video . We say "non-removable" because most others have been taken down; especially those found at YouTube. It's clear that Square-Enix doesn't want this footage to get out, which is why we won't be embedding it into this article (or anywhere on the site). But at least it's worth talking about: it appears to be a very wide open world, almost MMO-like, although it's difficult to get an idea of size and scope from that brief clip. Then there's the action, when the character takes on a massive foe in the city…thing is, we didn't really see anything there that distinguished the game as an RPG. These days, the lines between genres are more blurred than ever and we knew it wouldn't be turn-based, but we're definitely missing the role-playing aspects in that video.
It's too bad it isn't very good quality, either, because we're interested to see more about that vaunted realism and beautiful clarity . At some point, Square-Enix will release something new that shows us more in the way of gameplay, and they'll actually let people post it. In the meantime, we reserve the right to reserve judgment.
Related Game(s): Final Fantasy Versus XIII
I bet you got my e-mail first….Lol, I doubt it.
LMAO – I sent him an e-mail as well.
It was actually posted in the comments section of the last article.
But honestly Ben, what RPG aspects did you expect?
We ALL knew from the beginning that the combat was going to be similar to Kingdom Hearts, and from that video, and from what some people have said, it is.
the Versus XIII gameplay looks like Kingdom Hearts, Cant wait! Hope Square puts a trailer up for both Versus and Agito as soon as possible. Awaiting a release date…
We'll probably get a JP release date on january 11 2011…Seriously.
Well, from the little that is viewable of Versus, the animation of the character running, jumping and fighting the beast boss looks awesome.
Difficult to tell the resolution and clarity of graphics from the video, but I am sure we will all get a chance to see more footage soon enough…
Off topic – I just came back from Mumbai, India – that was one "hell" of an experience and a very humbling one too… I have never seen such poverty in my life before.
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
What in the world were you doing there?
Hey World 🙂
I went to Mumbai for business, similarly with all my travels throughout Asia – mostly for business rather than leisure…
It was nasty – to come out of the airport and see one of the biggest slums in the world over flowing every where. You couldn't tell the difference between the "rags and river" so to speak. Cows, wild pigs, dogs and humans all mixed together.
Some of you here, including Ben, have read some great works… This may include the famous book – a "Passage to India"… it describes the experience of being in India very well – in literary sense of course.
It is a very humbling experience and one that makes me realise now that my problems are extremely trivial… in many ways, we are so much better off even though at times we may not believe it to be true… well it is!
I arrived back in Singapore yesterday, and today (Saturday) I bored a plane to South Africa… criss crossing the world and flying the PSXeXtreme flag high… Unfortunately a relative passed away so I am going to attend the funeral…
Between that and the poverty, I am just very happy to be alive and well, have a job and be able to play the PS3 whenever I can.
I don't want to moan or belittle anything or anyone again – if I can help it after what I saw…
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
Last edited by Qubex on 9/17/2010 10:04:34 PM
Afraid I haven't read that one, but you're right. Something tells me the throngs of poor in India don't care a great deal if FFVersusXIII gets a 360 port.
Yes, I read A Passage to India. Not my favorite book but Forster is still a fantastic writer, and yes, it gave me a good idea of India's poverty (even if it was based on a time many decades ago).
I really have no intention of ever going there. It also doesn't help that I despise heat. LOL
The strange thing about Southeast Asia is it is home to some of the wealthiest people on earth (3 or 4 of the top ten richest people are from and live in India iirc), as well as the poorest.
And so i have a cynical saying about that: The difference between a 1st-world nation and 3rd-world nation is this: Some 1st-world nations oppress other people, while the other oppresses it's own.
Thank you for your wonderful comments my friends. Yes, it was an experience bar none.
The one thing I have learnt in life, having traveled to 64 countries around the world (with a few more to come – including Sri-Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives and Nepal)… is to appreciate what you have. Ben was mentioning that he may never travel to India, I understand this.
My honest opinion is, that whilst travel does broaden ones mind, is probably one of the best forms of education you can have… if I had a choice I would rather have stayed in one place.
And the reason for this is simple. If you spend time and effort to establish yourself in a place, doing something you love doing, you build a strong community of people around you. Its people, your closest family and friends that are the gold of this earth – that is if you are lucky enough to have a decent loving family and a good group of friends… sometimes people don't have this base to lean on, and sometimes – in these cases – it is best to go and find your "dream"… but it doesn't make it any easier…
So the message is… yes, go out and find your "dream", but think carefully before you pack up and leave on your worldly adventures… life changes quite a bit after that, you change as a person and links are broken and frayed when away for years on end…
Decide where you base should be, put roots and build those important people connections… when in ill health or when one is down… it is those special people around you that will be your support structure…
The masses in Mumbai may have been at the very bottom of human existence… but I saw a spirit of life and community that transposed their dire situation… their spiritual outlook rose above the mere material things we all hunker for… you have to ask yourselves… is it all worth it?
Damn, shallow as it may be… for Uncharted 3, Last Guardian, GT5, Killzone 3… it may just be…
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
Man I hate being late to these articles sometimes.
First of all to Qubex, my condolences.
I hope you think your trip to India was still worth it, on a personal level.
Now I certainly understand travel being a great form of education, personally I think so too. It's all about broadening your view of the world. Because the world media tends to portray things quite differently. But I also think your connections in the place you live are most important, establishing a good social support system is key. In my opinion the one doesn't necessarily have to go without the other.
What I really disagree with is this view that developing countries oppress themselves, so I agree with Shams comment in that sense. My view is a bit hard to explain, because they really do opress themselves but allot of people don't actually make the connection with the fact that these were colonies(now i'm not saying Shams doesn't make the connection). When independence was given/thrusted to these countries, they had no sense of democracy, only the experience of how they were ruled as colonies. So many African presidents/chiefs applied the same kind of rule, leading to corruption and genocide among other things.
Wait, was that the narrative where the American kept using the term "bloody"? I've been doing that thenceforth.
Thanks for your input Ergi, and appreciate the condolence message 🙂
You make some valid points regarding the media… that could also, in a smaller way, be filtered down to the way the general media views games and gamers. As we have seen it has taken 2 decades to get thoughts and perceptions to change. Then let us not forget what Ben has been fighting for for most of his professional life… decent, accurate and thought provoking journalism… intelligent journalism…
If it's bad journalism, continued ignorance is fueled; on the other hand if journalism is good, accurate and balanced, people can learn from these reports, views and in-depth articles that try to inform and educate… and we see this stark contrast, of good and bad reporting, in gaming journalism as well…
Travel no doubt broadens and educates the mind… but lest us not forget that when traveling the people you meet and the things you read or may see; both good and bad, ones perceptions can still be skewed if one is being "deceived" and/or "manipulated" to a degree…
I believe in life it is very very difficult to get a 100% accurate picture of anything… there will always be gray areas… varying opinions – varying situations and parameters that misconstrue the reality of the given situation…
So what is the reality for people at the particular moment of ones life… difficult to answer entirely… I guess that to some extent it is how an event or information given (in what ever form it may come) affects you personally and on which side of the fence you may be standing on on that particular day…
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
Last edited by Qubex on 9/18/2010 4:23:49 AM
True, getting 100% is impossible. I quote you Qubex: "I guess that to some extent it is how an event or information given (in what ever form it may come) affects you personally and on which side of the fence you may be standing on on that particular day…"
This part is very insightful to me, because people get deceived in their own countries so I guess it depends on how information is given in a way but also your capabilities to dig and stay critical of what you read/hear/see.
I hear you, Ergi. What i meant but that line, was 3rd-world nations face oppression both from the 1st-world nations, as well as their own at an even more alarming level than 1st-world nations face from their selves or from others. So who does one blame more? The have-nots who are hurt by those from their own, or those who have plenty, but continue to hurt others.
And congrats Qubex. Travel is both an invaluable privilege, and form of education that you can't get from anywhere else. It's really like an out-of-body experience.
Can't tell a lot but so far Final Fallout Fantasy is looking great. I'm suddenly glad we have nuts with cell phones everywhere. But… why conceal this from us? Why not create more hype? Is it because it is still a few years off?
Maybe it's a few years away, maybe there can still be even more polish done, maybe they have another surprise lurking. Who knows?
Agreed, gotta love those nuts with the cell phones.
FF is definitely looking good!
Gah, my browser doesn't want to load the link…
Maybe they're trying to keep it hidden in order to build suspense, and keep people guessing. I mean, it really wouldn't do to unleash a flood of information about the game if it isn't being released until 2012 *cough* Irrational *cough*. Better to let the game hype itself through media outlets, then bust open the coffers six months out from release, yeah?
Peace.
I agree, however they are pretty stingy since the only vid we got was that CG stuff years ago so this little tidbit wouldn't be overdoing it.
Now that does look awesome, maybe SE will get my money from this.
But I'm not gonna keep my hopes high since this is SE we're talking about.
@World, it reminds me of Fallout as well.
I'll take any footage over nothing since we've gotten so little info/glimpses on this title. I also read somewhere that they'll be having a conference in January for this whole 'Fabula Nova Crystallis' package/series which hopefully means we'll get to see even more footage or dare I say a demo of any sort?
Maybe we'll get a release date for Versus and Agito and an official announcement of Heraesus. Stuff the demo, I want releases!
Peace.
What the deuce is haraesus?
Years ago, S-E unveiled the FNC Compilation using some sort of a diagram. Three of the spots were FFXIII, Versus and Agito. A fourth was designated Heraesus and there were two other empty slots. At least, that's what I read after doing a bit of digging around to find out more about the series in years long past. It wouldn't surprise me if they've decided to scrap the project since as, as far as I know, it was never 'officially' announced.
Peace.
Wow, even in that grainy footage you could see the fluidity in his movements and clothes. If Square keeps the focus all on the PS3 until this is done, they will redeem themselves. 🙂
though I remember early screens of FFXIII looking a whole better than what we got in the end.
I think one game wont be enough
No… they need ALOT more than one good FF spin-off.
BUT it is a foot in the right direction =]
It looks great. I'm still trying to figure out what kind of game it is.
I figure action RPG like Kingdom Hearts, there will probably be some scraps of FF style customizations for the character and his weapons/magic. But I have to say, without companions this would be a sad chapter in FF history, so I hope Noctis get's some traveling friends that can fight and don't just talk his ear off and send him on his way.
If Sora can get companions (Donald and Goofy) Noctis should definitely have some too!
Well from the trailers, I'm sure those other guys have a purpose. Hopefully they'll help on the journey at least.
It looks like 12, but less bad. Hopefully they focus on the story a lot instead of giving us crap like FF12 and 13.
FFXII was a 9/10 almost everywhere.
That game had solid story and gameplay. What killed some of the goodness was Vaan, he really wasn't the hero of the game. It was clearly Balthier.
Anyway, personal opinion or not, it's right up there with the rest of the other FFs.
I liked XII too.
I liked FF12, dont get me wrong, but the story was one of the worst in the series. I loved pretty much everything except the story, which was horribly bland.
The story was one of the strong points.
No fooling around, no romance BS. It was serious, mature, and straight to the point. Very dynamic and very real (I like the fact that it was a real struggle) and not some fantasy stuff.
It was "world" story showcasing the evils of what happens when a super power imposes its will on everyone.
As much as I hate IGN.com, their review really explains exactly what I mean. And I'm sure psxe's review has the same take.
Last edited by Scarecrow on 9/18/2010 2:56:36 PM
I do actually feel sorry for the turn-based fans seeing this apparent abandonment of it in favour for action rpgs but in saying that I am rather interested in this title after seeing the gameplay.
You SHOULD feel sorry for us.
Those who don't move forward with the times… get left behind.
And those without history have no future.
Hahahahaha why did I get thumbed down so much =(
Akuma: Because that's the kind of statement that really, really irritates older people. 😉
HAHAHA. thats pretty funny actually.
Empty environments…
Nice graphics though
By the way, psp = jrpgs
It really is as simple as that. Though there still are some jrpg devs supporting the ps3 like Aksys and Level 5.
Last edited by Scarecrow on 9/18/2010 12:00:02 AM
And that fact is the gayest thing of all.
I'm offended.
Hey guys i've got a Ghost of Sparta promotion code. sadly,it can't be played in Singapore, so i guess the next best thing to do is to give it away so someone else can enjoy it.. so here you go :R4QH-GRBH-FMEN
Good point Ben. Where the heck is the RPG elements in that video? Where's the air ships they told us about?
Looks good, but looks can be deceiving. From what I can see it's just more FFXIII without the menus.
Thanks so much for the code rockervi, you're awesome!