Final Fantasy XIII-2
Encyclopedia
is an upcoming console
role-playing video game
developed and published by Square Enix
for the PlayStation 3
and Xbox 360
. It is being produced by Square Enix's 1st Production Department. It is a direct sequel to the 2009 role playing game Final Fantasy XIII
.
Three years after the events of Final Fantasy XIII, Lightning
, the protagonist of the original game, has disappeared into an unknown world. Her younger sister Serah Farron, a returning character from the original title, and a boy named Noel Kreiss attempt to find Lightning.
The game is due to be released in Japan on December 15, 2011, January 31, 2012 in North America and February 3, 2012 in Europe. Square Enix Europe has stated that the game "exceeds Final Fantasy XIII in every aspect" and that it has an evolved battle system of the original game. The game's theme song for the Xbox 360
is "New World" by Filipino singer Charice, while PlayStation 3
version is "Yakusoku no Basho" by Mai Fukui
.
s called "Cinematic Action" which will allow them to deal higher damage to foes and gain the upper hand in certain battles. The player can tame monsters and use them as party members in battles. This also leads to a new "Feral Link" feature being in the game; as the player attacks an enemy while a tamed monster is in their party, the Feral Link bar fills up and when it is full the player can make their current tamed monster do a special attack on the enemy via a quick time event.
and Final Fantasy XIII
, they instead randomly appear on the field when the player gets close. Just as the monsters appear on screen, a dial clock called "Mog Clock" appears in the middle of the bottom half of the screen and a red ring surrounds the player's character with a radius of about 3 meters. The introduction of this Mog Clock feature grants the player various bonuses (or penalties) depending on the time it takes them to enter a battle with the enemy.
s (NPCs). These choices offer the player different things to say at certain story scenes and to different NPCs. The game will feature multiple endings
but these are not affected by the decisions made by Live Trigger. The director Motomu Toriyama
has stated that the Live Trigger system is in place "more for enjoying conversation rather than for the branching story" and that the multiple endings will be affected by a different system. The introduction of the Live Trigger system is simply for allowing the player to have unique things to say during story scenes and conversations with NPCs. The dialogue selections will also change each time the game is played.
of the game. This time travel
system adds a significant element of nonlinear gameplay. It allows players to travel through “time-space locations,” ranging from hundreds of years in the future to hundreds of years in the past, allowing them to turn back time in order to explore different plot possibilities in each location. The game's time travel elements have been compared to the role-playing games Chrono Trigger
and Radiant Historia
.
return in Final Fantasy XIII-2. Players will be able to revisit old areas that have changed in appearance like Lake Bresha, now called the Bresha Ruins. A re-created version of the city of Bodhum had been made on Pulse, known as New Bodhum. Many of the civilians from Bodhum now live here. The Yaschas Massif on Pulse reappears with its ruins now inhabited by Cocoon soldiers and scientists like the Bresha Ruins. Valhalla, otherwise known as "the invisible world" will also be a playable area. Serendipity is a floating casino city packed with minigames like Slots and Chocobo racing. The city of Academia replaces Eden as the new capital of Cocoon and is Hope's new hometown.
in XIII and is given a much larger role in this game as she goes on a journey with Noel and her new Moogle companion named Mog to find her sister.
Other new characters include , a mysterious purple-haired man in dark purple and black clothes from the future who is the game's antagonist, Noel's former friend and mentor, Lightning's fated rival, and the immortal guardian of the timeline; his companion Paddra Nsu-Yeul, a Pulsian seeress with strong connections to Serah and Caius referenced in Final Fantasy XIII as the author of two Analects; and Alyssa Zaidelle, a girl with short blonde hair in yellow and red clothes who works as part of the Academy organization as Hope's assistant. In addition, all six main playable characters and NORA from Final Fantasy XIII
will make reappearances in Final Fantasy XIII-2.
Snow and Hope return with drastically new appearances. Hope returns as the 17-year-old leader of the Academy, a scientific expedition group that studies the world's history, looks for a new energy source for Cocoon to replace its dead fal'Cie, and plans to build a future in which the world does not rely on the fal'Cie. Snow reappears in darker clothes and shows his hair. He returns as a Pulse l'Cie in the Sunleth Waterscape as a guest character. He saves Serah and Noel from a giant Flan-type monster before the latter berates him for always believing himself to be "The Hero". Sazh returns taking part in activities to better Gran Pulse, but nothing else is currently known about his role.
One year later when New Bodhum is overrun by monsters, Serah is saved by a mysterious youth named Noel who says to have met Lightning. Accepting his offer of bringing her to her sister, Serah sets off through time and space to find out what has happened to Lightning while learning more about Noel and the mysterious enemy Caius.
Unlike Final Fantasy X-2
, which had a more cheerful and humorous feel than Final Fantasy X
, the overall tone of the story of Final Fantasy XIII-2 will be darker and more mysterious than the original. Director Motomu Toriyama said that considering Vanille and Fang are gone and the world is in a state where Cocoon had fallen, there's no way for the new story to be totally peaceful. Yoshinori Kitase
, the producer, has said the story will have the serious feel of a true numbered entry in the Final Fantasy
series.
The actual story will delve deeper into the Fabula Nova Crystallis mythology and this time focus on the Goddess Etro. The personality of Lightning will be the same as it was in the original game and not experience a change like Yuna
had in Final Fantasy X-2. The game's story will continue to value the refined and noble qualities of Lightning's personality. Other characters will also appear in the game, but in new and unexpected forms, and some of these returning characters will see major changes to their personalities. The game will also have a number of new characters, in addition to the mysterious man, Caius, shown in the teaser trailer. Caius is in direct conflict with Lightning and equal to her in strength. The original game ended with a lingering question: "Is Lightning really happy?" The conclusion of the story in Final Fantasy XIII-2 will provide a clear answer to this question.
, as well as overseas.
Talk of a sequel came as early as January 2010; the game's art director mentioned in an interview that the amount of working art assets that were cut from the final product was enough to make up an entire game. In March 2010, during an interview with Kitase, producer for the game, he was asked about the possibility of a sequel. In response, he replied: “If we could do a XIII-2, we could direct all our attention to the story and refine what we have already built.” On December 15, 2010, Tetsuya Nomura, main character designer for the original game, released a drawing of Lightning, along with the words “She must not be forgotten”. On January 11, 2011, Square Enix registered the domain name FinalFantasy13-2game.com via a proxy company that it had used to register websites for several other unannounced games at the time, including MindJack
and Nier
.
The game was officially announced at the Square Enix 1st Production Department Premier in Tokyo
on January 18, 2011. The teaser trailer showed Lightning, outfitted in armor, drawing her weapon and engaging a mysterious male warrior. The teaser was officially released on January 20, 2011, and can be viewed on the game's official websites. Motomu Toriyama
, who was also the director and scenario designer of the original game, returns as director alongside producer Yoshinori Kitase
, who was the producer of the original game. Tetsuya Nomura
returns as the character designer, though he will only be responsible for designing the faces of new and returning characters. The clothing of all new and returning characters is being designed by other artists. The armor worn by Lightning was designed by Isamu Kamikokuryo
, the art director of the original game who returns to the role for the sequel. The clothing of Noel, Serah and the male character shown in the teaser trailer were designed by Yusuke Naora
, who was the character designer of The Last Remnant
. The Moogle was designed by Toshitaka Matsuda.
On June 2, 2011, two in-game screenshots from the English version of the game were released in relation to E3. They showed Serah as a returning character with a new costume and a new male character named Noel. One of the screens showed Serah and Noel engaged in battle, with Serah as the playable party leader. GameSpot
released an exclusive teaser trailer for the game the next day, showing more characters and a glimpse of the battle system. There were two demos presented at E3: One where Serah and Noel deal with a giant boss called Atlas and other having Lightning riding her Eidolon Odin and fighting an alternate existence of the Eidolon Bahamut.
In August 2011, a new trailer was released at the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle. It depicted further gameplay and cutscenes, as well as a figure appearing to be Hope from Final Fantasy XIII, using his Airwing boomerang to aid Serah and Noel.
In September 2011, two new trailers were released for the 2011 Tokyo Game Show
, one entitled "Promise", the other entitled "Despair". Both were released in English and Japanese. New footage included Hope and Snow returning from the previous game, and the appearance of Paddra Nsu-Yeul. Extensive footage of Caius in battle with Lightning was also shown.
October 2011 saw the release of yet another trailer, titled Change the Future, made specially for New York Comic Con. This trailer elaborated on how Lightning went to Valhalla, and further showcased Caius, Yeul, Snow, and Hope.
's "Best Xbox 360 Game of the Tokyo Game Show 2011," but did not earn a mention in the PS3 category, despite being playable on the platform. In Japan, the game finally climbed to number one on Famitsu Magazine's Most Anticipated List after Final Fantasy Type-0 was released in October 27, 2011. To promote the game's upcoming release, AKB48
member, Yuko Oshima
, was appointed the leader of a group of thirteen official test players.
}
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
role-playing video game
Role-playing video game
Role-playing video games are a video game genre with origins in pen-and-paper role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, using much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics. The player in RPGs controls one character, or several adventuring party members, fulfilling one or many quests...
developed and published by Square Enix
Square Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
for the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
. It is being produced by Square Enix's 1st Production Department. It is a direct sequel to the 2009 role playing game Final Fantasy XIII
Final Fantasy XIII
is a console role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. Released in 2009 in Japan and 2010 in North America and PAL regions, it is the thirteenth major installment in the Final Fantasy series...
.
Three years after the events of Final Fantasy XIII, Lightning
Lightning (Final Fantasy)
is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the video game Final Fantasy XIII developed and published by Square Enix. She was created by Motomu Toriyama, the game's director and scenario writer, and designed by Tetsuya Nomura...
, the protagonist of the original game, has disappeared into an unknown world. Her younger sister Serah Farron, a returning character from the original title, and a boy named Noel Kreiss attempt to find Lightning.
The game is due to be released in Japan on December 15, 2011, January 31, 2012 in North America and February 3, 2012 in Europe. Square Enix Europe has stated that the game "exceeds Final Fantasy XIII in every aspect" and that it has an evolved battle system of the original game. The game's theme song for the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
is "New World" by Filipino singer Charice, while PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
version is "Yakusoku no Basho" by Mai Fukui
Mai Fukui
is a Japanese singer-songwriter. She will sing the theme song for the upcoming video game Final Fantasy XIII-2, Yakusoku no Basho. She was nominated for Best New Artist at the 50th Japan Record Awards.-Singles:...
.
Combat System
As in Final Fantasy XIII, the game will use a variation of the Active Time Battle (ATB) system and the Paradigm Shift system. The system will address issues with those used in the previous game. There will also be a feature that allows the player to control the difficulty of battles. During battles, players will be put through quick time eventQuick Time Event
In video games, a Quick Time Event is a method of context-sensitive gameplay in which the player performs actions on the control device shortly after the appearance of an on-screen prompt. It allows for limited control of the game character during cut scenes or cinematic sequences in the game...
s called "Cinematic Action" which will allow them to deal higher damage to foes and gain the upper hand in certain battles. The player can tame monsters and use them as party members in battles. This also leads to a new "Feral Link" feature being in the game; as the player attacks an enemy while a tamed monster is in their party, the Feral Link bar fills up and when it is full the player can make their current tamed monster do a special attack on the enemy via a quick time event.
Mog Clock
Monsters no longer roam the map like in Final Fantasy XIIFinal Fantasy XII
is a console role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 2. Released in 2006, it is the twelfth title in the Final Fantasy series and the last in the series to be released exclusively on the PlayStation platform...
and Final Fantasy XIII
Final Fantasy XIII
is a console role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. Released in 2009 in Japan and 2010 in North America and PAL regions, it is the thirteenth major installment in the Final Fantasy series...
, they instead randomly appear on the field when the player gets close. Just as the monsters appear on screen, a dial clock called "Mog Clock" appears in the middle of the bottom half of the screen and a red ring surrounds the player's character with a radius of about 3 meters. The introduction of this Mog Clock feature grants the player various bonuses (or penalties) depending on the time it takes them to enter a battle with the enemy.
Live Trigger
The player will be presented with a series of "dialogue trees" when talking to non-player characterNon-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
s (NPCs). These choices offer the player different things to say at certain story scenes and to different NPCs. The game will feature multiple endings
Multiple endings
Multiple endings refer to a case in entertainment where the story could end in different ways, described as an alternate ending.-Literature:...
but these are not affected by the decisions made by Live Trigger. The director Motomu Toriyama
Motomu Toriyama
is a Japanese game director and scenario writer who has been working for Square Enix since 1995. He is the director in charge of the main series Final Fantasy games developed by their 1st Production Department, which is managed by Yoshinori Kitase....
has stated that the Live Trigger system is in place "more for enjoying conversation rather than for the branching story" and that the multiple endings will be affected by a different system. The introduction of the Live Trigger system is simply for allowing the player to have unique things to say during story scenes and conversations with NPCs. The dialogue selections will also change each time the game is played.
Temporal Rift
Players will be presented with puzzle-like problems in a void between dimensions. When they completely solve the current anomaly, they will be able to resolve a paradox happening in the real world.Historia Crux System
The Crux system allows players to jump through various gates throughout XIII-2. Players will see a drastic change, based on their choices. This would also go towards the multiple endingsMultiple endings
Multiple endings refer to a case in entertainment where the story could end in different ways, described as an alternate ending.-Literature:...
of the game. This time travel
Time travel
Time travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
system adds a significant element of nonlinear gameplay. It allows players to travel through “time-space locations,” ranging from hundreds of years in the future to hundreds of years in the past, allowing them to turn back time in order to explore different plot possibilities in each location. The game's time travel elements have been compared to the role-playing games Chrono Trigger
Chrono Trigger
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1995. Chrono Triggers development team included three designers that Square dubbed the "Dream Team": Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of Square's Final Fantasy series; Yuji Horii, a...
and Radiant Historia
Radiant Historia
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Atlus for the Nintendo DS. The game's development team mostly consists of Atlus staff who previously worked on Megami Tensei games like Persona 3, Strange Journey, Nocturne and the Etrian Odyssey series. The development team also includes...
.
Setting
The worlds of Gran Pulse and Cocoon in Final Fantasy XIIIFinal Fantasy XIII
is a console role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. Released in 2009 in Japan and 2010 in North America and PAL regions, it is the thirteenth major installment in the Final Fantasy series...
return in Final Fantasy XIII-2. Players will be able to revisit old areas that have changed in appearance like Lake Bresha, now called the Bresha Ruins. A re-created version of the city of Bodhum had been made on Pulse, known as New Bodhum. Many of the civilians from Bodhum now live here. The Yaschas Massif on Pulse reappears with its ruins now inhabited by Cocoon soldiers and scientists like the Bresha Ruins. Valhalla, otherwise known as "the invisible world" will also be a playable area. Serendipity is a floating casino city packed with minigames like Slots and Chocobo racing. The city of Academia replaces Eden as the new capital of Cocoon and is Hope's new hometown.
Characters
Final Fantasy XIII-2 has two new main playable characters: Serah Farron, Lightning's younger sister, and Noel Kreiss, a mysterious young time traveler from 700 years in the future who uses dual combinable swords. He is the last surviving human from a time in the future, and he seeks to change that fate. As the main protagonist of the original game, Lightning will have brief playable appearances as she serves as a knight protecting the Goddess Etro's shrine from Caius in Valhalla. Serah appeared as an NPCNon-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
in XIII and is given a much larger role in this game as she goes on a journey with Noel and her new Moogle companion named Mog to find her sister.
Other new characters include , a mysterious purple-haired man in dark purple and black clothes from the future who is the game's antagonist, Noel's former friend and mentor, Lightning's fated rival, and the immortal guardian of the timeline; his companion Paddra Nsu-Yeul, a Pulsian seeress with strong connections to Serah and Caius referenced in Final Fantasy XIII as the author of two Analects; and Alyssa Zaidelle, a girl with short blonde hair in yellow and red clothes who works as part of the Academy organization as Hope's assistant. In addition, all six main playable characters and NORA from Final Fantasy XIII
Final Fantasy XIII
is a console role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. Released in 2009 in Japan and 2010 in North America and PAL regions, it is the thirteenth major installment in the Final Fantasy series...
will make reappearances in Final Fantasy XIII-2.
Snow and Hope return with drastically new appearances. Hope returns as the 17-year-old leader of the Academy, a scientific expedition group that studies the world's history, looks for a new energy source for Cocoon to replace its dead fal'Cie, and plans to build a future in which the world does not rely on the fal'Cie. Snow reappears in darker clothes and shows his hair. He returns as a Pulse l'Cie in the Sunleth Waterscape as a guest character. He saves Serah and Noel from a giant Flan-type monster before the latter berates him for always believing himself to be "The Hero". Sazh returns taking part in activities to better Gran Pulse, but nothing else is currently known about his role.
Story
Final Fantasy XIII-2 begins at the end Final Fantasy XIII, when Vanille and Fang transform into Ragnarok to prevent Cocoon's collision with Gran Pulse by turning themselves and the structure into a crystal pillar. Freed of her l'Cie status along with Snow, Hope, and Sazh, Lightning is reunited with her sister Serah as she awakens from crystal stasis. However, Orphan's defeat and Cocoon's fall have an unintentional side-effect which spirits Lightning out of her time to Valhalla. As a result, with the exception of Serah, many believe that Lightning is dead or she sacrificed herself alongside Vanille and Fang. Two years later, many of the survivors of Cocoon's fall begin rebuilding their lives on Gran Pulse with Serah living in the constructed town of New Bodhum. Only Snow believes in Serah and leaves her in order to find Lightning for her, but ends up going missing himself.One year later when New Bodhum is overrun by monsters, Serah is saved by a mysterious youth named Noel who says to have met Lightning. Accepting his offer of bringing her to her sister, Serah sets off through time and space to find out what has happened to Lightning while learning more about Noel and the mysterious enemy Caius.
Unlike Final Fantasy X-2
Final Fantasy X-2
is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square for Sony's PlayStation 2. It was released in 2003 and is the sequel to the best-selling 2001 game Final Fantasy X...
, which had a more cheerful and humorous feel than Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square as the tenth title in the Final Fantasy series. It was released in 2001 for Sony's PlayStation 2, and will be re-released for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita in 2012...
, the overall tone of the story of Final Fantasy XIII-2 will be darker and more mysterious than the original. Director Motomu Toriyama said that considering Vanille and Fang are gone and the world is in a state where Cocoon had fallen, there's no way for the new story to be totally peaceful. Yoshinori Kitase
Yoshinori Kitase
is a Japanese game producer and former game director that has been working for Square Enix since April 1, 1990. He is mostly known for his work on the role-playing video game series Final Fantasy and is currently the manager of 1st Production Department....
, the producer, has said the story will have the serious feel of a true numbered entry in the Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy
is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
series.
The actual story will delve deeper into the Fabula Nova Crystallis mythology and this time focus on the Goddess Etro. The personality of Lightning will be the same as it was in the original game and not experience a change like Yuna
Yuna (Final Fantasy)
is a player character in the Final Fantasy series. She is the female protagonist of Final Fantasy X and the main protagonist of the sequel Final Fantasy X-2. She was designed by Tetsuya Nomura and voiced by Hedy Burress and Mayuko Aoki in the English and Japanese versions, respectively...
had in Final Fantasy X-2. The game's story will continue to value the refined and noble qualities of Lightning's personality. Other characters will also appear in the game, but in new and unexpected forms, and some of these returning characters will see major changes to their personalities. The game will also have a number of new characters, in addition to the mysterious man, Caius, shown in the teaser trailer. Caius is in direct conflict with Lightning and equal to her in strength. The original game ended with a lingering question: "Is Lightning really happy?" The conclusion of the story in Final Fantasy XIII-2 will provide a clear answer to this question.
Development
Due to global demand and the development staff's desire to further Lightning's character, development began for a sequel to Final Fantasy XIII, with input from both inside and outside of Square EnixSquare Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
, as well as overseas.
Talk of a sequel came as early as January 2010; the game's art director mentioned in an interview that the amount of working art assets that were cut from the final product was enough to make up an entire game. In March 2010, during an interview with Kitase, producer for the game, he was asked about the possibility of a sequel. In response, he replied: “If we could do a XIII-2, we could direct all our attention to the story and refine what we have already built.” On December 15, 2010, Tetsuya Nomura, main character designer for the original game, released a drawing of Lightning, along with the words “She must not be forgotten”. On January 11, 2011, Square Enix registered the domain name FinalFantasy13-2game.com via a proxy company that it had used to register websites for several other unannounced games at the time, including MindJack
MindJack
MindJack was almost universally panned by critics.Angry Joe of Blistered Thumbs and That Guy With The Glasses was incredibly critical of the game, with the only good thing about the game being the inclusion of monkeys.]] He gave the game a 1/10, which he had so far given to only one game, that...
and Nier
Nier (video game)
Nier is an action role-playing video game developed by Cavia and published by Square Enix. It was released for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in Australia, Europe, Japan and North America in April 2010. In Japan, the game was an Xbox 360 exclusive titled Nier Gestalt, while an alternate version...
.
The game was officially announced at the Square Enix 1st Production Department Premier in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
on January 18, 2011. The teaser trailer showed Lightning, outfitted in armor, drawing her weapon and engaging a mysterious male warrior. The teaser was officially released on January 20, 2011, and can be viewed on the game's official websites. Motomu Toriyama
Motomu Toriyama
is a Japanese game director and scenario writer who has been working for Square Enix since 1995. He is the director in charge of the main series Final Fantasy games developed by their 1st Production Department, which is managed by Yoshinori Kitase....
, who was also the director and scenario designer of the original game, returns as director alongside producer Yoshinori Kitase
Yoshinori Kitase
is a Japanese game producer and former game director that has been working for Square Enix since April 1, 1990. He is mostly known for his work on the role-playing video game series Final Fantasy and is currently the manager of 1st Production Department....
, who was the producer of the original game. Tetsuya Nomura
Tetsuya Nomura
is a Japanese video game director and character designer working for Square Enix , best known for his work on both the Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts series.-Time before Square:Nomura was born in Kōchi, Japan...
returns as the character designer, though he will only be responsible for designing the faces of new and returning characters. The clothing of all new and returning characters is being designed by other artists. The armor worn by Lightning was designed by Isamu Kamikokuryo
Isamu Kamikokuryo
is a Japanese art director that has been working for Square Enix since 1999. He is mostly known for his work on the role-playing video game series Final Fantasy.-Biography:...
, the art director of the original game who returns to the role for the sequel. The clothing of Noel, Serah and the male character shown in the teaser trailer were designed by Yusuke Naora
Yusuke Naora
Yusuke Naora is a Japanese video game art director and character designer working for Square Enix . He served as the art director for several Final Fantasy and Compilation of Final Fantasy VII titles...
, who was the character designer of The Last Remnant
The Last Remnant
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix. The game is directed at both Japanese and Western audiences and had a simultaneous release in Japan, North America and Europe, on November 20, 2008 for the Xbox 360. The game was released worldwide for Microsoft Windows at the end...
. The Moogle was designed by Toshitaka Matsuda.
On June 2, 2011, two in-game screenshots from the English version of the game were released in relation to E3. They showed Serah as a returning character with a new costume and a new male character named Noel. One of the screens showed Serah and Noel engaged in battle, with Serah as the playable party leader. GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
released an exclusive teaser trailer for the game the next day, showing more characters and a glimpse of the battle system. There were two demos presented at E3: One where Serah and Noel deal with a giant boss called Atlas and other having Lightning riding her Eidolon Odin and fighting an alternate existence of the Eidolon Bahamut.
In August 2011, a new trailer was released at the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle. It depicted further gameplay and cutscenes, as well as a figure appearing to be Hope from Final Fantasy XIII, using his Airwing boomerang to aid Serah and Noel.
In September 2011, two new trailers were released for the 2011 Tokyo Game Show
Tokyo Game Show
The , commonly known as TGS, is a video game expo / convention held annually in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. It is presented by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association and the Nikkei Business Publications, Inc...
, one entitled "Promise", the other entitled "Despair". Both were released in English and Japanese. New footage included Hope and Snow returning from the previous game, and the appearance of Paddra Nsu-Yeul. Extensive footage of Caius in battle with Lightning was also shown.
October 2011 saw the release of yet another trailer, titled Change the Future, made specially for New York Comic Con. This trailer elaborated on how Lightning went to Valhalla, and further showcased Caius, Yeul, Snow, and Hope.
Anticipation
Pre-release anticipation has been varied from East to West. Final Fantasy XIII-2 was a runner-up for 1UP.com1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
's "Best Xbox 360 Game of the Tokyo Game Show 2011," but did not earn a mention in the PS3 category, despite being playable on the platform. In Japan, the game finally climbed to number one on Famitsu Magazine's Most Anticipated List after Final Fantasy Type-0 was released in October 27, 2011. To promote the game's upcoming release, AKB48
AKB48
AKB48 is a Japanese female idol group produced by Yasushi Akimoto.The group has achieved enormous popularity in Japan. Its ten latest consecutive singles topped the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart...
member, Yuko Oshima
Yūko Ōshima
is a member of Japanese idol group AKB48's Team K, and a subunit of the group Not yet. She has been a contributing member for all of AKB48's singles since "Aitakatta" in October 2006, except for 2010's "Chance no Junban". Oshima has participated in four number 1 singles: "River", "Ponytail to...
, was appointed the leader of a group of thirteen official test players.
External links
}