So everyone has been waiting for the latest installment of FF to land in the West. So GameTrailers have previewed the Japanese version of the game. Here are some points I have hand picked.

Here is a comment from a Final Fantasy lover and his concerns with FF of late after hearing about the game from previews of the Japanese game.

"The only thing I need to know about this game is:

Will I be sad and then wowed like when Rydia separated from the group and made her tryumphant return in Final Fantasy IV?

Will I be touched like I was when Cyan lost his family, Locke found and lost the love of his life and when Celes sang the opera, or enraged like when Kefka killed General Leo and destroyed the world in Final Fantasy VI?

Or will I be so passionate for any character as I was for Cloud when he stepped up to defend Tifa from Sephiroth, even when she never knew he was there, in Final Fantasy VII?

The only game that did that for me since those was Lost Odyssey. And I know why, and that why is called Hironobu Sakaguchi.
He is not on board in this one, so.... I really doubt any of this will be answered yes."

Firstly this game strays quite a way from ANY previous FF game ever concieved. And in alot of respects almost isn't FF at all. Maybe Square/Enix could have given it a different name. But then it wouldnt have had the sales would it.

Lets see. The entire game looks to be linear. It does open up, but not how we perhaps would have liked. Many Japanese gamers are already saying the game can be 100% in less than 60 hours. FF12 in some respects can take over 200 to give you an idea on how FF usually is to 100%.

There is no villages to visit, no shops almost no existant NPC's. There is no OVERWORLD to travel either. Items are bought at save points, with obviously item drops in battle to. You can only control 1 character through the entire game. Not even in battle do you ever get a choice to control the other characters. The battle system is essentially a chain of commands that are put in line. Now FF lovers love FF. But this doesn't really seem anything like FF other than using the name. Some of the best things about FF were finding random villages, visit new places on the overworld map. EXPLORATION.

Now obviously we will all reserve judgement till we play it. And no doubt we will all buy it. But it seems Squenix have lost there way with FF. I personally hope it is still a great experience. Yes the CGI will be amazing, Yes the graphics will be the best JRPG out. But the design choices are worrying. And right now, with this full info of the Japanese verion I just dont see FF13 getting good 90 scores. I wouldnt be surprised if FF 13 averages low 80's. Still a good game by that standard. But not the standard set by the series. It's looking like the early Wired review may have hit the nail on the head.

Right now, I am praying Mistwalker are making Lost Odyssey 2. Because I fear that apart from visuals FF13 as a game, as a JRPG filled with h100's of hours to fully complete just wont cut it. Anyhow heres the video, and heres hoping it is a GREAT experience rather than a bad design choice.

Well the second half of xenogears was linear and it still was a fantastic game! I'm not worried that I won't have fun with the game...

What I'm expecting most of the basic plot to be.

"I love you, Serah."

"I love you, Snow."

-both kiss-

Directed by Tetsuya Nomura

FFX was extremely linear and I loved every second of it. For me story is the most important part in jrpg games.

WOWOWOW

AMAZING PREVIEW

BTW why have you cherry picked the 1 very harsh negative comment?

Best RPG I've played in a VERY long time.

funny how in this & in the other negative FFXIII thread ALL the people who are playing it on VGChartz have said how awesome it is yet their comments were ignored by 99% of the posters in those threads

2 reasons.

1. He is clearly a fan of the series, and not a newcomer drom FF10 onwards.

2. Most FF fans on forums who talk about all the FF's general opinion is FF plumitted into love stories and bad desig when 10 released.

Final Fantasy picked up some new gamers in the PS2 days. Many who never played 1-9. This generation may well be pleased. But long running fans in general are growing weary about Final Fantasy games. Not only has poaaibly the best composer in VG history gone, but the man responsible for great stories is also no longer there. FF stories were massive before. FF3, FF4, FF6, FF7, FF8 ( I'm currently playing the remakes of FF3 and 4 on DS ) Now they seem to be heavy heavy love stories. Love was involved in previous FF's, but didnt overshadowed the character progression. Since 10 the direction has been heavily lop sided. It's clear that Hironobu clearly isnt involved anymore. Like I say to an FF fan who has played all of them, things dont add up. To a newcomer, they are easy to get into now. The gameplay is dumbed down, and the stories less 'Japanese' Complicated.

I liked the game, but its the only FF in a long time that I can remember that made me think "lets get this over with already" during the last chapter.

You forgot the "the Laughing scene"!!!