Final Fantasy XIII

Final Fantasy XIII, the thirteenth installment in the Final Fantasy series, is a role playing game developed by Square Enix for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.GameSpy: Final Fantasy XIII Coming to Xbox 360 (July 14, 2008) This installment is the first part of a three part Final Fantasy game called Fabula Nova Crystallis. Square Enix describes the three games as set in the same universe with different stories, characters and worlds.http://ps3.ign.com/articles/705/705978p1.html

Trailer Released - Jan 28 2009

A new trailer for Final Fantasy XIII was released on the game's official web site on January 28, 2009. A countdown had appeared on the site on January 21 with little clue as to what it was counting down to, but the new trailer was it. The trailer, which is in Japanese with English subtitles, gives some more clues about the plot and features the first shots of in-game footage.http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/28/final-fantasy-xiii-countdown-ends-new-trailer-released

Story

Set in the future, the storyline focuses on those who resist the world. There isn't much detail except that it looks like the characters are a cybernetic girl, a gun-wielding heroine, a girl with a bow, and a guy who rides a motorcycle. Not much is known about the story besides the fact that the crystals are sentient beings and there is a being called Farsi whose existence far surpasses humans. The Farsi and Crystal created the Cocoon - a utopian haven for humans.

Gameplay

All the battles will be in real-time without any random battles. The Active Time Battle (ATB) makes its return in FF XIII, but unlike previous games you will start with a full ATB bar, and each action you choose will decrease the total ATB bar. The menu is also laid out differently, and instead of having the commands pop up for each character on screen, they will scroll on the bottom. Selected moves are then placed in order above the ATB bar. There is also the inclusion of an onscreen map where you can view your allies as well as enemies. The environment will also play a factor in battles. Also included is a form of bullet time called 'Overclock Mode' where characters can slow down time dramatically, but only for a set amount of time found within the overclock gauge. This may replace the Limit Break system from previous games.