1UP: Final Fantasy Versus XIII New Impressions Preview

They've been recompiling and tweaking the same game footage since Versus was announced more than two years ago at E3, slowly adding new bits of CG with each successive showing. Now that everyone will have access to the game's trailer, they'll actually have to show gamers something new.

Fortunately, there's hope, as the 10 seconds of new footage in the latest cut of the trailer apparently consists of in-game, real-time footage -- which means they actually have a game engine now. The scene in question is extremely brief, and consists simply of the game's sullen main character in a natty black suit (whose real-world counterpart is on display at the event) walking up a grand stairway onto an observation platform looking out over a nighttime cityscape, strongly reminiscent of the Tokyo Skyview in Roppongi. (The trailer does say it's a fantasy based on the real world, after all.) At the top of the stairs is a blond woman who turns to face him and smiles enigmatically.

[NO_PUDding]

Why write 'smiles enigmatically'?

Is there soemthign more than this blonde woman? What a strange idea to sue that word. It just makes me question more.

[Heaven_Or_Hell]

Can't wait to see the actual in-game footage ...
If someone can catch it :(

I'm still wondering why Square-Enix is hiding these trailers if there are graphically stunning oO

[ash_divine]

that's what I'm wondering aswell.

[B-Rein]

maybe bacouse in can be made better, they are waiting till they get pull grips with the new engine then show us the game play then and at the moment its like beta

[Splenda14]

i am surprised that they have game play this game coming 2010 who knows it might come closer then we think

[ash_divine]

that's what I'm hoping for

[Liquid Dust]

I can only hope there might be a 3 to 6 month release gap between 13 and versus next year. Perhaps a june release for 13 and a november release for versus? That sounds like a good release schedule for me. And with kingdom hearts on psp and ds to keep me busy inbetween releases, 2009 is looking fantastic

Im also really looking forward to seeing the in-game engine and seeing the battle system. Square has really come a long way in their fluidity of character motion. Battles on birth by sleep look amazing, hopefully we can see something really exciting

[bleachrulez]

but when does square enix 2nd day event start

[silverchode]

today i think, its the 3rd already in japan i think.

[meepmoopmeep]

i love Tetsuya Nomura's art/character designs!

i love the cold, dark, emo look of Versus! friggin sweet!
me being a big macabre nut would LOVE to see a macabre FF game!

[Rybnik]

This.

"After watching some of the documentary sequences on display around the show floor, I realized that this sequence doesn't depict a drop in the quality of Square's CG output -- it represents a real-time cut-scene whose visual quality vastly exceeds any video before. What would be slightly disappointing as a prerendered sequence is utterly astounding as live 3D footage, assuming they haven't faked it."

Even though Parish is a 1up Journalist, he is obviously extremely impressed by this. That says something, and further encourages me that this game is going to blow people away. WOW.

Hypetrain kicking into high gear!

Oh, to clarify, a translation from Famitsu (I think) on Neogaf confirms that the 10 seconds that Parish describes is indeed real-time and not "faked"

[eagle21]

This game looks awesome. When someone gets this footage please post it.... 8D

[Rybnik]

Shortly after the first display yesterday, there was (extremely briefly) a leaked clip on youtube. This was posted through Gaf, however it apparently was pulled within 15 min of being posted. I never got to see it :(

[jonboi24]

If this game is some based in our world and they use a futuristic/alternate Japan as a background than i just have to say, "WOW". I would really like to see what a FF game would be like if it is placed in our world. I can imagine fighting on the sides of the the Tokyo Tower and how badass that would so be.

[vloeistof]

it was on youttube and i missed it hmmm.

[CViper]

darn.