Final Fantasy XIII Still On Track For Winter 2009 Release…

@element7: Bug testing?

@Ackers: Play 6. Without a doubt the best in the series. People will tell you 7 is better. They are ignorant twats. If you want something in 3D, play 9. It's the only 3D FF with the "feel" of the older games.

@★愛ちんﾞ:.･☆:

Probably because Microsoft didn't want to shell out all of that money for what is already a lost territory.

J-Ham

@ everyone thanks for the epic response! damn - it seems like im gonna have to buy all of them :-D

Damn you Wada-san, first you said this would not affect the development of the PS3 version, and it would be completed before porting and localization to NA PS3/XBOX360 was done. Now I find out that you've already begun localization, does this mean the game is done already and can be released for PS3 in JP? If so, why the Winter 2009 release date, unless MS paid for that presentation, delaying the initial release of the PS3JPN version.

I will be forgiving when Tetsuya Nomura shows off Versus XIII at Sony's press conference.

@Ackers: I started with 10. I am now a blatant FF fanboy. Get that.

They can announce a delay at anytime, even a week before "release", so never count on what they "say" these days.

jellyfish

@Fadecy: Rival Schools for PSN/XBLA PLZ: There is no Japanese 360 version.

*pokes Square*

Us: Still a 2009 Japan release?

Them: Yes.

Us: Still?

Them: Yes.

Us: STILL?

Them: YES!

Haha, this is getting funny.

@BubbleF**kingBuddy:

I hope that there will be ASIAN version with only English text (no voice because they dont have enough time) and region locked that way i could play and its not something that never happened..

Virussz

@Narishma: Great point. I love 6, 8 and 12 most of all. Initialy hated 10 (I hate main characters with low IQs) but most people think of it as the best PS2 era Final Fantasy.

SNES or handhelds: Final Fantasy 6
PS1: Final Fantasy 7
PS2: Final Fantasy 10

FF7: very interesting story, great gameplay additions to the series, every character has a unique style, all characters can be very easilly modified via equipment. Biggest FF fanbase. Most iconic villain and main character. Classic combat system.
FF8: average story (lots of loopholes; could be the translation), fun characters, military atmostphere (commando missions), boring combat / magic system, character optimization is very detailed (I spent hours on it), beautiful CGI. If you like the characters and the story despite their flaws, you will love the game.
FF9: fantastic cast of main characters, tons of humor, serious storyline as the plot advances, ok combat - can be slow at times when you are high level, Dragon Ball style story. Pretty easy game. Character optimization is character based. You can't change a mage to a fighter unlike previous FF.
FF10: very poetic, lots of character devlopement. If you like the cast of characters, you will love the story (if not (like me) you will want to kill Riku, Tidus, Yuna and Waka. Slowly). Combat is fun and fast paced. Character optimization is detailed yet simple. However, once a choice is made, you cannot undo it (unlike FF7 and 8).
FF12: very different story style (closer to FF tactics, tactics Ogre or Vagrant story) - I loved it, others didn't. Characters are not developped enough (huge wasted potential there), most characters have charisma (imo). Character optimization is ok and by the end of the game, everyone should be maxed out and good at everything with few differences. Not enough story scenes versus amount of time spent in combat / exploring. Fights can be avoided however (first FF title to provide this). Combat is real time. Characters can be given scripts to dictate what they do in certain situations.

Thriceborn

@Ackers: VII though X would be the best bet if you're looking for standard final fantasy as of the last 10 years (the old school ones are nice, but i've found them to be less forgiving of those who don't grind their asses off, and don't always point you in the right direction).

Cerabret100

@Ackers: if you're new to rpg's, i would suggest ff10 first.

if not, then ff6/ff7/ff4/ff8 (order of my favorites).

@Ackers: Despite what the name suggests, the FF games are not sequels. So it doesn't matter which one you start with. Everyone has their favorite and you'll get 12 different responses to your question, each one as valid as the others.

Narishma

@Edairu: What if the Japanese voices suck?

@bableebooblah-new and improved.: People in Japan, prepare to wait in line.

No, no thanks. We were promised that the PS3 version would come out before the 360 one! It's their fault if they didn't specify in the first place in which country that will be >:|

I want my FFXIII for the PS3 by Christmas, kthx.

@woons:
March 2011

@Ackers: I would say start with FFIV (the GBA version, not the DS version) because it's pretty much the "classic" Final Fantasy. If that isn't your cup of tea, though, then I'd say start with FFVI. As for the Playstation ones, VII or IX are good starting points. I'd suggest holding off on VIII, though, as that game's pretty different from the two games before and after it. But really, any FF can be a good starting point. I think FFIV is the best starting point, though.

@Fadecy: Rival Schools for PSN/XBLA PLZ: Just keep yourself busy. The English versions will(should) be out at the same time.

@kNZA: And

Spoilers to leak to the Internet > ~5 minutes

Antiterra is right: stray away from any FF13 related news when the Japanese version is released. This isn't the old days where magazines were the only outlet of spoilers.

Alienation

@Ackers: FFIX is a great starting point

pharcotix

@ClockOut: It's because Square is slow as all get out when it comes to localization.

Sir-Lucius

@woons: This.

@Ackers: That isn't the question you should be asking
"Do i have the patience and skill to immersed myself with the story and a long learning curve"Is what you should be asking yourself.

It doesn't matter what game in the series you buy as long as you are willing to commit to it your be fine.

@Ackers: my suggestion is FF9. the PS1 final fantasies were far and away the best of the series, although i've known a lot of people that find the dated graphics of 7 and 8 to be a barrier. 9's grahpics have aged pretty well and it will give you the best sense of the spirit of final fantasy.

@Aaron Monroy: Well, what do you mean, because it pretty much is. I've seen so many Sony fanboys cry because Microsoft paid to have the game released at the same time, which is holding back the PS3 release. That doesn't seem to be the case, but apparently that's not what they meant? Dozens of forum pages beg to differ.

@woons: Autumn/Winter 2010 sounds about right.

@Ackers: Regardless of which one you were to go with, even not liking it might not mean that you wouldn't like others. Several games in the series are almost entirely different to other ones. FF11, FF12, FF1, FF2, and FFX are all pretty different from most of the rest. 4-6 are fairly similar, as are 7-9.

But yeah, if you think FF's basic RPG formula looks hard, it could be just that you weren't watching your friend from the beginning. Or if it still seems a bit complicated, do as was recommended earlier and play Chrono Trigger first. It's on DS, and while being simple to understand, is nonetheless a fantastic game that holds up completely today.

@Ackers:

No you'll be fine, every RPG explains everything to you as you start off. What can I say but - enjoy!

woons

@Chaotix3:

The Japan version (PS3) gets released first.

After translations, etc. both international versions are coming in Spring '10

kNZA

@Ackers: Final Fantasy VI

@Sarah Ellmore:

When has an FF game ever been localized in under 6 months?

kNZA

@Blackmoon_: Not a fan of reading the article are you?

@Obey__:

It's a little thing called money...

kNZA

@Fadecy: Rival Schools for PSN/XBLA PLZ:

Localization of FF games is always > 6 months

kNZA

@BarbeQueQ: I'm going to assume by proper you mean that it was the original version in development because i've got some very sad news for anyone who thinks either version will be any better or worse then they other.

Cerabret100

@Shinta: They already destroyed their 360s over Vesperia.

Black-Dog-Howls

@BarbeQueQ:

What is with you fanboys?!!

Have you never noticed that the non-Japanese release always takes over 6 months?

Look at history.

Stop being such a sniveling resentful child just because the rest of the world's gamers can play your fave RPG/soap opera!

kNZA

@Sarah Ellmore: A EU release date with the rest of the world THAT'S BLASPHEMY GTFO YOU DAMN HERETIC >:[

@Ackers: If you're used to rpgs, you should be fine. Just a matter of the terms they use for potions and spells and whatnot. I'm playing 7 now for the first time, it's okay. I would agree with Shinta and say to start with X.

Each FF has a mostly unique battle system. For instance, in X-2, the clothes you wore dictated your job. In X, it was the weapons you chose, and in VII, it's the materia (basically magic marbles) you equip.

@Ackers: If the learning curve is still that steep, I would start with Chrono Trigger. It will teach you the basics of RPGs without being as difficult as Final Fantasy VI, and it 100% still holds up graphically.

Chrono Trigger is on SNES, PS1, or DS.

Shinta

@Ackers: FF3 is a good way to get into it, but 6 is one of the best games ever. It's over 15 years old and still holds up well. Look on Ebay for GBA copies though.

madammina

@woons: is there a steep learning curve because when i saw my friend play it, i had no clue what he was doing lol

@woons:

they've been saying the EU version would be out a year after the JP version so it wasn't a shock that NA was getting it in the spring of 2010

harlock_JDS

@BubbleF**kingBuddy: I hope they put Japanese on the English version if the voices suck.

Edairu wants a Phantom Dust 2!

@Ackers:

7, then 9.

woons

@Ackers: I loved FFIV but there is a huge fanbase around FFVII. FFIV is the old style while FFVII is the first to use 3d polygon. If you really can't handle starting at giant polygon, I guess try FFX.

@Antiterra: well without the need to port it to the 360 it's likely it would be out in the west in late 2009 as well since localization work is going on now.

harlock_JDS

Imperial Hot was obviously just joking with that comment. It's not going to be delayed based off of an off the cuff remark.

Shinta

@Ackers: Final Fantasy X

Shinta

@xxXX_Insanities_Birth_XXxx:
thats not what they meant by holding it back...

Aaron Monroy

@★愛ちんﾞ:.･☆: SE wouldn't mind, Sony would mind.

Shinta

@tobz1000: Agreed. As long as it's not "Duke Nukem Forever" long.

madammina

Does this mean that, starting this fall, we'll have to start watching out for spoilers from the inevitable few importers who will get the game from Japan and find it funny to shout plot details on every gaming forum/blog on the Internet?
I'll probably ignore every article related to the game once it's released in Japan, because like ClockOut said, I don't want to feel like I'm playing an old game when it finally comes out over here.

@Fadecy: Rival Schools for PSN/XBLA PLZ: Why would they? If FFXIII is coming to the West in Spring 2010 for the 360, it'll come for the PS3 at the same time. Whether "spring" means late March or early June remains to be seen.

@BarbeQueQ: If it's already running on 360 and they have another 6 months before release I doubt it's really the 360 port holding it back. Clearly they haven't even got the english text on yet so they can be porting it while it's localized.

xxXX_Insanities_Birth_XXxx

@tobz1000: At the rate they're going the 360 version is going to be rushed which is disappointing. It already showed a bit in the on stage demo.

Black-Dog-Howls

@Siye: I guess it already playing on the 360 proves the PS3 fans were wrong to suspect it was the 360 port holding back the release. The game had already been delayed tons of times anyway so I never thought it was that. Still another 6 or so months away though.

xxXX_Insanities_Birth_XXxx

I thought PS3 version was set to be released first.

Chaotix3

@BubbleF**kingBuddy: If you consider the fact that it's not a worldwide release it's the fact that it isn't being translated simultaneously, in other words when it release in Japan the English translation isn't even done. So you can always continue to dream about this.

The spring '10 release in the US was a nice surprise from yesterday. Hopefully this means a not-too-exaggerate delay for the EU. But hope is usually a foolish thing to hold.

woons

i have never played a final fantasy game in my life - if i was to buy one -, which one should i get?

@Obey__:

but SE would mind...

@BarbeQueQ: Absolutely. Timed exclusives are ridiculous, but releasing-things-when they're done, a la Red Alert 3, is definitely a good thing.

tobz1000

@ClockOut: I'm guessing it's because it's PS3-exclusive in Japan. Otherwise I imagine it'd come out in Spring there too.

tobz1000

@Fadecy: Rival Schools for PSN/XBLA PLZ: Inevitably this is the case. Part of MS' deal was a simultaneous release, and making a 360 port takes longer than not making a 360 port.

tobz1000

Since they are doing the localization already, I hope they release the PS3 version simultaineously in Europe/US and Japan. An xbox version arriving a tad later in Spring 2010 sounds fair to me.

Sarah Ellmore

I don't understand why its exclusive in Japan. I mean I'm sure the 10 or 15 people that own a 360 wouldn't mind being able to play it.

Obey__

I hope they put English on the Japanese version.

BubbleF**kingBuddy

@Siye: I need it March/April, because if it comes out in May I will willingly fail my last year of uni to play it.

Ladi

@BarbeQueQ: It would be*

BarbeQueQ

@Fadecy: Rival Schools for PSN/XBLA PLZ:
patience is a virtue eager Fadecy.
you will soon be rewarded for your tolerance and wait.

bableebooblah-new and improved.

@Blackmoon_: Winter 2009 ...in Japan, not worldwide.

@BarbeQueQ: As fanboyish as that sounds, I'll have to agree. I'd rather have a timed exclusive than wait for the simultaneous release. Pretty bogus if you ask me.

final fintasy, this christmas huh? people, prepare to wait in line.

bableebooblah-new and improved.

It would have been cool if they first released the proper version, the PS3 version, and then at some point the 360 one.

BarbeQueQ

I still can't get over the delay for the rest of the world, after Konami managed a world wide release for MGS4 there isn't really an excuse for this. They'll be so much news and buzz about this when it is released in Japan on sites such as Kotaku that when it comes out for everyone else it'll feel like we're playing an old game.

ClockOut

I thought I heard they say that it was coming early '10 at the MS cony

Blackmoon_

I just hope they don't delay the PS3 version because of the 360 version, I WANT IT ASAP DAMMIT.

Yesssss. Something to play when those christmas days are played thru.

elmorepow

No delays = good news.

A Spring release is good enough for me.

Yehyehyeh! :D

Siye

@Saint Jonah:
damnit.

bableebooblah-new and improved.

@Fadecy: Rival Schools for PSN/XBLA PLZ:

It's funny every one comeplaining that here in the states we have to wait becouse of the 360 port(wich im sure was already in development a long time ago) but diden't you all learn from back in the snes days if u wanted to play a good rpg you needed to learn japanese and import,

wait did any of you ever acctully have a 16bit system (hahaha)