A new Final Fantasy game has been announced, it'll be called Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII(Remember these are the guys that named other dumb games such as Kingdoms Hearts 358/2 Days). Here's an official statement by Square-Enix:

Toriyama said Lightning will make her comeback, returning as a stronger character than she was in the first two games, FF XIII and FF XIII-2. Lightning is going to face her final battle, so he asked the character designer to convey the power in her eyes.

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The game will offer players a lot of ways to customize their version of Lightning. Her outfits will be about more than just aesthetics. They affect her abilities.

Character control will be more dynamic. She'll be able to hang off ledges, pull herself up, jump, duck behind corners. You'll be able to move her around in battle, a first, they said, for the series.

First screenshot of the new game.

First logo.

The game world is composed off four islands and touches on three themes: gothic, mechanical and fantasy. When the game begins, the world is 13 days away from the end. She has 13 days and 13 nights to save humanity. The game runs on a doomsday clock.

Concept art.

The game runs on a time-of-day system, with a monorail that moves through it on schedule. The monorail runs on a schedule, like everything else—you can get stuck in one region waiting for the monorail to take you to another island.

The game will be out for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in 2013.

Source

And I thought Final Fantasy XIII-3 would be a dumb name.

I haven't actually played any of the FFXIII games, but my reaction to what I've seen has gone from "Looks cool and interesting, maybe?" (FFXIII) to "Haha, that's kind of laughable in a cheesy anime sort of way" (-2) to now just "bleeeeeeehhhhhhhhhh"

I gather this is popular in Japan but that doesn't make it any less nonsensical to me. Normally you can get a pretty good idea of a game's story by reading TVTropes and Wikiepedia but after looking at this series's story for quite a while I still couldn't tell you much about it.

Why not, right? If it's good I shall play it.

Isn't there already a thread for this?

I've come to like the Final Fantasy XIII universe, so this is exciting news to me.

I've enjoyed the XIII Series but I'm ready for it to end. I think going for 3 games is a little much.

Those screens and concept art looks interesting though thanks for showing them.

Stronger character? Alright, maybe I'll look into it.

At some point, an entire world hanging in the balance get's a little silly when it happens for the 3rd time in one lifetime.

Meh. I liked 13, but this is getting ridiculous now. One sequel should have been enough.

Fuck. Yes.

GIMME.

I'm looking forward to this !

The game will offer players a lot of ways to customize their version of Lightning. Her outfits will be about more than just aesthetics. They affect her abilities.

Can she sing as well?

so is it going to be a one character game?

also I am so down for this, though the doomsday thing doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

though the fact that there are apparently still people living in academia (is that academia in that last shot? looks like it to me) doesn't either

Fuck. Yes.

GIMME.

This is majora's mask with lightning .

Uh, no thanks. FFXIII was a fine game, had fun with it, but that game is enough. FFXIII-2 was just mediocre overall, and I don't expect much from whatever continuation they'll do for this particular universe with the way that game turned out.

Also, switching the sub and main title so it's somehow "different" from the other major FF games doesn't make it so. Nice try, Square. Ya ain't fooling me.

@SlightConfuse said:

This is majora's mask with lightning .

I doubt there's gonna be time travel involved, after the ending to the 13-2 lightning focused DLC

I'm struggling to get excited about this considering that XIII-2 totally ruined the story of XIII.

@Voxel said:

I'm struggling to get excited about this considering that XIII-2 totally ruined the story of XIII.

explain this to me please? 13-2 made the 13 story way more interesting than it was (only thing 13 had was better characters)

It's a way better name than FFXIII-3 too bad because I like Lightning but that this is a sequel to XIII-2 and I just didn't care for that new guy and Lightning sister or the game for that matter and this is probably a direct sequel to that story.

@AngelN7 said:

It's a way better name than FFXIII-3 too bad because I like Lightning but that this is a sequel to XIII-2 and I just didn't care for that new guy and Lightning sister or the game for that matter and this is probably a direct sequel to that story.

nah, I have doubts that noel shows up at all actually (there's DLC that pretty much leads up to this game in fact, in hindsight)

So no news on versus , type 0 or 10 HD?

@Voxel said:

I'm struggling to get excited about this considering that XIII-2 totally ruined the story of XIII.

explain this to me please? 13-2 made the 13 story way more interesting than it was (only thing 13 had was better characters)

A - Initial hunch was "what the fuck a third game with Lightning"? However, we have 3 Ezio games so whatever.

B - My lingering problem is that I REALLY DON'T LIKE FF13's combat, so if this will continue the same system, kill me now!

I'm waiting for the Final Fantasy XIII-333/2 days later:3D Lightning Drop: Re:Snowed

Final Fantasy is dead

@Animasta said:

@AngelN7 said:

It's a way better name than FFXIII-3 too bad because I like Lightning but that this is a sequel to XIII-2 and I just didn't care for that new guy and Lightning sister or the game for that matter and this is probably a direct sequel to that story.

nah, I have doubts that noel shows up at all actually (there's DLC that pretty much leads up to this game in fact, in hindsight)

If he does or not doesn't matter at this point. I would've wanted XIII-2 to feature Lighting or Sazh as the main characters (while the others show up as temporary party members) now I think is too late for me to go back just because it's finally Lighting's story , unless the game turns out to be interesting or fun in some way.

@Voxel said:

@Animasta

@Voxel said:

I'm struggling to get excited about this considering that XIII-2 totally ruined the story of XIII.

explain this to me please? 13-2 made the 13 story way more interesting than it was (only thing 13 had was better characters)

The ending of XIII had a great amount of closure (especially considering it took me 100+ hours of playing and well over a year to beat it). I didn't like the idea of those events suddenly un-happening or being twisted because some dude is in love with a small girl and decided to mess everything up. It just didn't seem fitting for the characters to have another apocalyptic thing to deal with and it ruined the fantastic ending that XIII had for me personally.

the ending wasn't ruined because of caius or yeul, the ending was ruined because etro saved the lives of the characters of 13, which set 13-2 into motion and was the reason lightning became etro's guardian or whatever. So, theoretically, if 13 had ended with all of the characters dying (except for serah and dajh I suppose) then 13-2 and, assumingly, this game would never have happened.

and it took me the same amount of time to beat 13 roughly and I had no problems with them messing up that happy ending they had.

I think they've said that this game is the last game for Lightning and not for FFXIII in general so there could be more after this. Regardless, I'm hyped either way and can't wait to get my hands on this.

@Voxel said:

@Animasta

@Voxel said:

I'm struggling to get excited about this considering that XIII-2 totally ruined the story of XIII.

explain this to me please? 13-2 made the 13 story way more interesting than it was (only thing 13 had was better characters)

The ending of XIII had a great amount of closure (especially considering it took me 100+ hours of playing and well over a year to beat it). I didn't like the idea of those events suddenly un-happening or being twisted because some dude is in love with a small girl and decided to mess everything up. It just didn't seem fitting for the characters to have another apocalyptic thing to deal with and it ruined the fantastic ending that XIII had for me personally.

the ending wasn't ruined because of caius or yeul, the ending was ruined because etro saved the lives of the characters of 13, which set 13-2 into motion and was the reason lightning became etro's guardian or whatever. So, theoretically, if 13 had ended with all of the characters dying (except for serah and dajh I suppose) then 13-2 and, assumingly, this game would never have happened.

and it took me the same amount of time to beat 13 roughly and I had no problems with them messing up that happy ending they had.

@Animasta

@Voxel said:

@Animasta

@Voxel said:

I'm struggling to get excited about this considering that XIII-2 totally ruined the story of XIII.

explain this to me please? 13-2 made the 13 story way more interesting than it was (only thing 13 had was better characters)

The ending of XIII had a great amount of closure (especially considering it took me 100+ hours of playing and well over a year to beat it). I didn't like the idea of those events suddenly un-happening or being twisted because some dude is in love with a small girl and decided to mess everything up. It just didn't seem fitting for the characters to have another apocalyptic thing to deal with and it ruined the fantastic ending that XIII had for me personally.

the ending wasn't ruined because of caius or yeul, the ending was ruined because etro saved the lives of the characters of 13, which set 13-2 into motion and was the reason lightning became etro's guardian or whatever. So, theoretically, if 13 had ended with all of the characters dying (except for serah and dajh I suppose) then 13-2 and, assumingly, this game would never have happened.

and it took me the same amount of time to beat 13 roughly and I had no problems with them messing up that happy ending they had.

Just my opinion. The story should have ended with XIII, instead of continuing on with a purple haired guy and time traveling.

The 13-series of games need to stop.

@Voxel said:

@Animasta

@Voxel said:

@Animasta

@Voxel said:

I'm struggling to get excited about this considering that XIII-2 totally ruined the story of XIII.

explain this to me please? 13-2 made the 13 story way more interesting than it was (only thing 13 had was better characters)

The ending of XIII had a great amount of closure (especially considering it took me 100+ hours of playing and well over a year to beat it). I didn't like the idea of those events suddenly un-happening or being twisted because some dude is in love with a small girl and decided to mess everything up. It just didn't seem fitting for the characters to have another apocalyptic thing to deal with and it ruined the fantastic ending that XIII had for me personally.

the ending wasn't ruined because of caius or yeul, the ending was ruined because etro saved the lives of the characters of 13, which set 13-2 into motion and was the reason lightning became etro's guardian or whatever. So, theoretically, if 13 had ended with all of the characters dying (except for serah and dajh I suppose) then 13-2 and, assumingly, this game would never have happened.

and it took me the same amount of time to beat 13 roughly and I had no problems with them messing up that happy ending they had.

Just my opinion. The story should have ended with XIII, instead of continuing on with a purple haired guy and time traveling.

then everyone should have died (there's no other reason why they should of survived except for godly interference, to be fair)

I dunno I guess I just liked 13-2 way more than everyone else apparently! Still, I'd hardly considered the story of 13 ruinable in the first place considering it wasn't that good. Neither was 13-2, to be fair, but the story was always pretty entertaining (and a dying world was fuckin amazing that first time).

Honestly I'm just disappointed it doesn't sound too crazy, because after 13-2 ANYTHING could have happened. including new bodhum and academia surviving apparently.

@JasonR86: it really has to after this. No way it can continue

The 13-series of games need to stop.

Why.

@LordXavierBritish said:

Why.

because 13-2 ended on a completely crazy cliffhanger that's why

Why.

@Hailinel said:

@LordXavierBritish

Why.

Why not?

Because it's hard to care about Final Fantasy when they keep using the same characters I don't like.

At least with the numerals I get the chance to set myself up for disappointment all over again, with this shit I just know I don't care before I even see a trailer.

Final Fantasy x-2...-2?

Fuck you Square! Give me FFVS13 instead but hopefully the rape simulator that is Tomb Raider will be good.

@LordXavierBritish said:

@Hailinel said:

@LordXavierBritish

Why.

Why not?

Because it's hard to care about Final Fantasy when they keep using the same characters I don't like.

At least with the numerals I get the chance to set myself up for disappointment all over again, with this shit I just know I don't care before I even see a trailer.

That's not a good reason. If you don't like the characters, that's your problem. If you don't like Final Fantasy XIII in general, that's also your problem. A lot of people enjoyed both FFXIII and XIII-2 and have an interest in seeing another game. Those are the people that are interested in this game and they should be free to look forward to it without comments like yours and others in this thread trying to take a shit on the parade. Such comments add absolutely nothing to the discussion other than pointless hateful bullshit.

Like some people on here FF is pretty much dead to me(unless they make a tactics game). I'm glad that other people like the FF13 games, but I just can't anymore. This sounds like it could be interesting, but I don't care about any of the characters in FF13 so I'll be skipping this most likely. (I posted this thread because I didn't see anyone else making this thread and I wanted to see people's reactions on here)

@biospank said:

Fuck you Square! Give me FFVS13 instead but hopefully the rape simulator that is Tomb Raider will be good.

you know now that I think about it the fact that this game is going to come out before versus is fucking hilarious

@Hailinel said:

that purple-haired guy turned out to be one of the best villains in the series.

I'd like to know why you like the guy. I thought he was among the worst antagonists in the series.

@Hailinel said:

@JasonR86

The 13-series of games need to stop.

Why? Because you personally don't like it? That's a ridiculous argument and if you don't like them, leave the games to those that do.

You got it.

@AuthenticM said:

@Hailinel said:

that purple-haired guy turned out to be one of the best villains in the series.

I'd like to know why you like the guy. I thought he was among the worst antagonists in the series.

because he had a decent motive and he was voiced by liam o brien

that's literally all one needs to do to become a great antagonist in final fantasy.

So when you said New, you meant "New."

I quit FFXIII when I got stuck in the giant land of sidequests. I can't go forward without leaving the side-stuff behind, but the enemies there are way too tough to take on, and I can't be bothered to grind for hours just to finish the sidequests.

I feel like that situation is a metaphor for JRPGs somehow...