AnsemTheWise previews: "Final Fantasy XIII-2"

[AnsemTheWise 1,114]

 

Name: "Final Fantasy XIII-2"

Platform: Paystation 3, Xbox 360

Developer: Square-Enix

Rating: Teen (Violence, Language, Partial Nudity, Simulated Gambling, Alchohol Reference)

Players: 1

DLC: Yes

Release Date: US- January 31, 2012

UK- February 3, 2012

 

I just spent the last two-and-a-half hours playing the XIII-2 demo, and I wish I still were. Anything that was holding Final Fantasy XIII back has been reworked, and XIII-2 is brilliant.

 

The demo begins with Serah and Noel being thrown out of one of the time devices into the Bresha Ruins. They are immediately attacked by the monstrous monster Atlas, players getting their first taste of XIII-2 with a massive boss battle. It's also where the player is introduced to "Cinematic Action", a sequence of button presses a la God of War. Unlike the aforementioned series, though, the "Cinematic Action" sequences serve as more than just damage or to finish off a boss. Whether you press a button or not can determine whether you dodge a rather devestating attack, or even if back-up arrives to blow your foe to kingdom come.

 

After their battle with Atlas, Serah and Noel realize that they won't be able to stop the beast in a straight-up fight (however, the option is still available to you!). I chose to look for a way to control Atlas, spelunking under the Ruins to look for a control device for the titan above me. I found one in the end, solving a tricky temporal puzzle on the way (more on that later), and confronted a weakened Atlas. The sheer scale was amazing; the thing was bigger than two Adamantoises! I won't spoil anything specific, but let's just say we see a little Lightning at the end...

 

There are a lot of new changes this time around. The Crystarium is back, but this time you get basic bonuses with each level. Each time you reach a new crystal, you level up and get a new bonus; either HP, ATK, MAG, or even a combination of any of them. Like in XIII, you will learn new abilities at predetermined points and you upgrade each role seperately. However, everytime you clear a level of the Crystarium, you don't just bump up to the next. You get to choose a bonus! You can either boost the effectiveness of one of your roles, increase your ATB by 1, or increase your Accessory Points (more on that in a bit).

 

Another big new thing in XIII-2 is the monster system. As you defeat opponents, there is a chance that they'll drop crystals. These crystals allow you to set these creatures into your paradigms, turning them into party members. You can set up to three in your Paradigm Deck, each having a pre-assigned role. For instance, Cait Sith are Medics while Pulsework Hoplites are Commandos. However, this doesn't slow you down a bit. Monsters are seamlessly switched out during Paradigm Shifts, menaing you don't have to take your eyes off of the action. monsters also share an HP bar, although their Feral Link guages are seperate. "Feral Link" is a special attack that can be executed at any time when your active monster's Feral Link guage is full, each with a different effect. I've only seen damaging Links so far, although some are power attacks, while some boost the Chain Guage. None of my character shave been KO'd during the demo, but I assume you would have to revive them like any other character. Monsters also level up through the Crystarium, although they use items rather than CP.

 

Comabat is smoother than in XIII, and any clunkiness has been smoothed out. Another big change in combat is Wounding. Similar to Marvel vs Capcom, the HP bar has three parts: green for vitality, red for HP that can be recovers, and empty. The empty portion of the bar can only be restored with (rather expensive) Wound Potions, however the ailment vanishes after battle like any other (HP is also restored).

 

A few new things happen in the field. First... you can jump! The second is enemy related. Enemies pop up out of nowhere, and the Mog Clock comes into play. The Clock cysles through Green, Yellow, and Red. If you attack an opponent in the field when the Clock is green, you will get a Preemptive Strike, as weel a Haste at the beginning of the fight. Yellow produces a normal battle, while red is a punishment. If you are thrown into a red battle, you will be unable to retry the fight, and I believe SE said you may even be slowed.

 

You can save anywhere via the Start menu, although not in the demo. To counter this, shopping is done via the flamboyant Chocolina, an energetic woman in a flashy red chocobo dress. You cna but everything from items to weapons to bits to upgrade your monsters. And speaking of upgrading your monsters...

 

You can find little accessories for them! They don't serve any real purpose, but there's nothing like seeing a feral beast beatin' the crap out of something with a paperboy's hat on!

 

I've only had my hands on a small fraction of Final Fantasy XIII-2, but I can't wait to be all over the rest. I'll continue my countdown to January 31st, and I hope that you'll enjoy the demo as much as I did!

 

Have any opinions about the demo yourself, or questions? Feel free to post them below!

[Sigrun 1,064]

*fangasms*

[AnsemTheWise 1,114]

*fangasms*

 

I still am!

[Khrulesbbs 574]

played the jap version but was so pleased with the english demo minuss MOGGGSSS VOICE "KUPOOOO" "BAD LUCK KUPPPOO" such a bad voice in english

[-Omaega- 629]

I want to see Final Fantasy XIII-6

[Number XV 490]

This looks awesome. They seemed to have fixed all of the bugs from the first one, and the graphics are beautiful as always.

[teh lazy prince Xylek 1,559]

yeah the demo was awesome

[Kishira 2,854]

I didn't play the demo, only watched my brother play through it. It definatly looks alot better than XIII, the little kitty monster thing is so friggin cute! And the way it meows!!!!! ;A; <333

[lizzie1238 538]

2 and a half hours? It only took me one hour. Which is great, for a demo, but nowhere near that long.

[Always 309]

I still need to finish XIII. X'D

[AnsemTheWise 1,114]

2 and a half hours? It only took me one hour. Which is great, for a demo, but nowhere near that long.

 

Actually, 20 minutes of it was eating dinner and watching TV, but I spent most of the time really getting into the details of the game. Tinkering with the mechanics and everything for the preview.

[coolwings 1,546]

I just got the demo on PS store today.... It took me 2 hours to complete and I loved it......

 

I was thinking of getting the game but not to sure but now I really want it

[AnsemTheWise 1,114]

I just got the demo on PS store today.... It took me 2 hours to complete and I loved it......

 

I was thinking of getting the game but not to sure but now I really want it

 

Hurry! Reserve the Collector's Edition!

 

Since this is a preview, I should mention this. The Collector's Edition includes:

 

- a fancy nice package, as all CE's should

- the 4-disc soundtrack

- the concept art book

 

And these nice bonuses come for a nifty $20 extra.

 

Not bad, considering you'd be paying about $50 for the soundtrack and $20 for the book by itself.

[hatok 6,413]

50 dollars for the soundtrack? why would you do that when you can listen to it for free online, and easily put it on most MP3 players?

[Leaxel 178]

The demo was good though I did not like the monster spawning it got a little annoying. Behemoth kings better run around! It would be soo annoying if one of them just spawned in your face.

[AnsemTheWise 1,114]

The demo was good though I did not like the monster spawning it got a little annoying. Behemoth kings better run around! It would be soo annoying if one of them just spawned in your face.

 

Are you kidding? It's like Russian Roulette, only with Behemoths!