Do You Have FFXIII-2 Questions? We'll Ask Square Enix
Final Fantasy XIII-2So it seems Final Fantasy XIII-2 will arrive on North American shores in January 2012.
And you know, everyone still has a ton of questions. Just about every role-playing fan and Final Fantasy aficionado would just love to sit down with the FFXIII-2 developers and start up a Q&A. Well, that can be difficult to do so we figured we'd play the role of facilitator.
We have a few questions for Square Enix and we know you do, too. We'll gather up a bunch of 'em and forward them to the designers responsible for Final Fantasy XIII-2. So give us your most pressing questions. What must you have answered before your excitement level is allowed to rise? Be sensible and civil; obviously, we won't submit badgering questions. But please do post your queries in the Comments, and we'll take them into consideration.
Please just bear in mind that with localization/translating, you will have to be patient.
Related Game(s): Final Fantasy XIII-2
Tags: ffxiii-2, final fantasy xiii-2, ffxiii-2 interview, square enix
7/18/2011 9:03:35 PM Ben Dutka
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Comments (69 posts)
karneli lll
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 2:15:07 AM
3 up, 0 down
Riku994
Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 9:35:08 PM
Reply
7 up, 2 down
Vitron
Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 9:41:37 PM
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Uhh... Will that do?
6 up, 0 down
Vitron
Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 9:44:36 PM
3 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 9:52:47 PM
Reply
Will there be numerous side quests?
Will the whole party die when the leader dies?
Can I control more than just the leader?
Does our health regenerate with each battle?
How can they use magic when you have to be a LaCie to do that?
Which characters besides Lightning and Serah will return?
Why did you stick with auto battle?
Will it use the crystarium again?
Will gil be easier to obtain?
Will there be more or less exploration than FFX?
Will we be able to go back to places we have already been?
...that's all just for starters.
5 up, 0 down
Dreno
Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 10:01:04 PM
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I couldn't resisit. I apologize
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WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 10:13:58 PM
1 up, 0 down
Dreno
Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 11:02:54 PM
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WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 11:08:05 PM
And the Wiki's plot setting:
Resonance of Fate takes place in the distant future where Earth has undergone a drastic change in the environment. For reasons unknown, poisonous layers of gases permeated the land, causing cancer, which resulted in near extinction for mankind due to humanity's inability to adapt to the new changes. The remaining humans built a gigantic device called Basel, an environment purifier buried deep in the ground, which cleanses the air in the surrounding land; it was called the Zenith System. Civilization began to reform around Basel itself, building a city around the tower.[11] In order to overcome the cancer, human lives were tied to quartz and linked to the Zenith system, making them immune to disease and mutation, but requiring them to remain in the city, and giving them a set shelf-life.
Civilization gradually began to grow around Basel, with people eventually moving inside the machine itself and building up the core, raising it high above the planet’s surface. As centuries went on, people built levels around the core and established various towns, cities, and even theme parks and landmarks for the survivors to enjoy themselves. However, Basel has now existed so long that people have forgotten why they live there, or that there is even a world outside Basel.[12] The Cardinals, who are the political/religious leaders that foster a worship of Basel and its machinery, built their luxurious mansions in the uppermost layers of Basel, in the monster-free “Chandelier”, while the lower classes reside among the many districts built around the base and stem of the tower.
Last edited by WorldEndsWithMe on 7/18/2011 11:11:32 PM
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johnld
Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 11:54:55 PM
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TheOldOne
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 8:14:10 AM
1 up, 0 down
Claire C
Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 10:24:36 PM
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1 up, 0 down
johnld
Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 11:57:16 PM
0 up, 0 down
xdamon11
Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 10:33:12 PM
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Oxvial
Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 10:36:37 PM
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1 up, 0 down
TheCrazyMerc
Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 10:37:41 PM
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Pandacastro
Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 10:44:25 PM
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0 up, 0 down
Jawknee
Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 10:47:32 PM
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5 up, 3 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 11:56:08 PM
1 up, 0 down
Jawknee
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 12:12:13 AM
1 up, 2 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 3:09:57 AM
0 up, 0 down
Jawknee
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 8:30:20 AM
0 up, 1 down
coverton341
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 4:10:08 PM
0 up, 0 down
tes37
Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 10:49:57 PM
Reply
Will you ever give us anything turn-based again?
(I didn't really mean 'give', I'm willing to buy it)
Last edited by tes37 on 7/18/2011 10:53:32 PM
1 up, 0 down
Highlander
Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 10:56:45 PM
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With FF XIII and FF XIII-2 you seem to be taking the FF series further away from the games of old. Many older FF fans feel let down and even abandoned by you. They feel that the genre defining franchise that they loved has left them behind as it moves in a new direction. What do you say to the fans that feel abandoned by Square Enix and the direction the Final Fantasy franchise it taking? What do you say to the lovers of the more traditional JRPGs and turn based JRPGs that made Square and Square Enix what it is, but are no longer being developed?
13 up, 0 down
darxed
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 8:09:25 AM
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Highlander
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 10:15:34 AM
That's fine with me, then they can quite and sign up with Level 5 - The king is dead, long live the King. Square/SquareEnix is dead to me, Level 5 rules.
Last edited by Highlander on 7/19/2011 10:15:52 AM
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cLoudou
Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 10:57:32 PM
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When did you decide to make XIII-2?
Can I have some action figures?
Why is Wada still there?
Can I have an autographed copy of the game?
2 up, 0 down
Warrior Poet
Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 10:58:38 PM
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FFIII brought awesome puzzles. FFVI brought storytelling. FFV brought deep character growth. FFVI improved storytelling further. FFVII brought 3D, FFVIII brought proportioned graphics and Junction. The list goes on and on. What will FFXIII-2 add to the series as a whole?
Keeping in mind the previous Final Fantasy games, are XIII and XIII-2 is an indication to where the series is eventually headed?
What do you feel is better about the new combat system then the previous ones such as ATB and CTB?
Square-Enix says frequently that they listen to their fans. You certainly have a lot of fans with different perspectives - what kind of requests are you implementing?
Who will compose the music for FFXIII-2?
Will there be a hard mode?
Will more complexity be offered in the battle system?
Also: Will there be decent customer support? My copy of FFXIII stopped working about 100 days after I bought it. I've never seen the ending. It takes that long to get 3/4 that way into a game that length. If my older PS3 can't read the dual-layer disc, what help will be offered?
And Ben, thanks for serving as the middleman with all of these questions. Of course everyone's won't all get asked, but hopefully we can get some real interaction with Square-Enix this time around. I'm cautiously optimistic.
The folks at S-E are very competent and talented, and while their recent decisions are certainly questionable, they are still very capable of making a great Final Fantasy!
2 up, 0 down
kokoro
Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 11:27:15 PM
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4 up, 3 down
Beamboom
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 6:48:31 AM
Last edited by Beamboom on 7/19/2011 6:51:38 AM
2 up, 0 down
bebestorm
Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 11:40:16 PM
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Ultimadream
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 3:08:30 AM
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johnld
Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 11:52:27 PM
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after the most disappointing final fantasy, final fantasy 13, why should a long time squaresoft and early square enix rpg fan even bother with final fantasy 13-2 if its basically the same game as final fantasy 13?
although i do have some general questions that i personally want answers to.
1. Can you fire Wada?
2. can you create a game developing environment where the executives, people who dont know anything about videogames, are completely isolated from the game development process? let them do everything else except anything that has to do with making a game.
3. what will it take for the square enix merger to dissolve so that someone else, like sony, to handle the talent which was Squaresoft?
4. How many new final fantasy fans did you get after final fantasy 13? Was it worth losing tons of loyal fans?
5. How does it feel to fall from being the go to rpg game developer by your own hands?
6. we all know wada, but who are the people responsible for leading the company in the retarded direction that they're on now? i want to know all the people to blame for this.
7. when will you start making actual RPG games again?
8. After admitting that you removed enough content for a complete new game, How much of final fantasy 13-2 is actual final fantasy 13-2 content? This just seems like an expansion or DLC, so will you charge full price for it? (although i already know the answer to the last part)
Last edited by johnld on 7/18/2011 11:59:55 PM
3 up, 1 down
godsdream
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 12:49:45 AM
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2.-The best Final Fantasy games are made with different team members (the only one I can recall being in all of them is Amano, the character drawer/designer). Saying this, Have you learned from your mistakes in the recent past, of letting key people -people who made Squarsoft/Enix who they are now- out of proyects?
3.-Why you let Nobuo Uematsu go from Final Fantasy?
4.-Are you still convinced that going multiplatform was the best idea? Can you tell us if that final decision was based on economic purposes or what other reasons did you consider (Note: you can't say that you wanted to let more players to play it, because you would've chosen the Wii also ;) ).
5.-Why are you taking so long to make a FF7 remake? Are you keeping it as your last ace under your sleeve, knowing that your last few financial years have been not very well?
Last edited by godsdream on 7/19/2011 12:52:00 AM
1 up, 0 down
Warrior Poet
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 6:10:50 PM
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Char
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 1:25:23 AM
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1.Will there be: world map,villages,cities,dungeons,infested forests and other unique places to explore? FF7-FFXII,Star Ocean The Last Hope,WKC1&2 and Lost Odyssey kept its true rpg essence. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28_mUBO5Pbw
2. What about npcs??? Npcs in towns or cities always give players insight(pov) of the story. They sometimes give clues to secret items or missions. Neglecting actual npcs is a darn mistake SE!
3. Is there gonna be overdrive mode or limit break similar to FFVII-FFX?(LOL). Isn't it SATISFYING to use a flashy limit break on tough(s.o.b) enemies??http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlRnnVF7QmE&feature=related
4. What about allowing players to pilot airships just like the good old Final Fantasy series?
5. Can you give gamers the option to choose Active Time Battle or Turn Based Battle??
6. Did you learn anything from previous Final Fantasy titles?
7. Will Square Enix ever remake Final Fantasy VII? Listen to your fans once in a while!
0 up, 0 down
karneli lll
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 2:13:35 AM
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Do you really think it will sell well? (If yes) Are you insane? or how does the brain washing work?
0 up, 0 down
Lawless SXE
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 2:17:29 AM
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Will the ATB/Paradigm system be slower this time to better facilitate the use of strategy, and might we also be able to control more than just a single character through something more akin to the older ATB?
Why have you chosen to add in extra (may I say impure?) elements, such as platforming, as opposed to aiming for a stricter, clearer RPG focus?
And can we please, please get a rough estimate on a possible release date for Versus and assurances that it will remain PS3 exclusive worldwide?
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karneli lll
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 2:17:50 AM
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1 up, 0 down
Excelsior1
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 2:36:54 AM
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are the kill tubes completely removed from ff13-2?
can you swap out charcters during battle?
you have said the battle system is evolved and will will allow for more customization and player control. what exactly do you mean by this? can you give an example?
you have said it is difficult to know which direction to take the ff series. what makes you say this? is becuase of the rise of twitch based gaming? are the fans giving you mixed messages?
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Excelsior1
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 3:42:44 AM
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Ultimadream
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 3:09:52 AM
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Ultimadream
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 3:20:47 AM
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I want to know if the story progression will be structured like XIII? The joy of XIII was that every half an hour you would get a cut scene progressing the story. Obviously after the complains of the linear structure of XIII, this could be compromised to the style of XII where you would not get a story update 5-hours apart.
Also, will there be a more prominent antagonist with XIII-2?
1 up, 0 down
Excelsior1
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 3:41:09 AM
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Lawless SXE
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 3:51:05 AM
Considering "Obviously after the complains of the linear structure of XIII, this could be compromised to the style of XII where you..."
I'd say, yes, it is a FFXII reference ;P
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Excelsior1
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 4:17:41 AM
Last edited by Excelsior1 on 7/19/2011 4:22:17 AM
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Ultimadream
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 5:03:33 AM
As for the characters, I agree, apartfrom Balthier and Cid, I just did not care for them. I have found a similar reaction to all games set in Ivalice, So any FF related to the Ivalice world I just ignore now. I class 'Lost Odyssey' as the true FFXII.
2 up, 1 down
Dancemachine55
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 3:25:29 AM
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2. Will XIII-2 have a "Wait" option similar to older battle systems from prior FF's?
3. Will there be an open world to explore within the first 5-6 hours of the game?
4. Will you give fans back more RPG elements and tone down the instant action portion of battle systems?
5. Was the content in XIII-2 meant to be included on the PS3 version of FF XIII, or was a lot of it cut to reduce space on DVD discs? Has more content been added since?
6. Will you return to the industrial settings of FF VI and FF VII that made them so popular?
7. Why has Versus XIII been so long in development and will it remain PS3 exclusive?
8. With such a big fan following, do you have any plans to remake FF VII in HD either for the end of this console generation or for the next console generation? With the character models and story already completed, what challenges are there to getting this done?
9. Have you received a lot of questions and demands from fans? What key things have you learnt from your fan backlash regarding the casualisation of the Final Fantasy franchise?
Last edited by Dancemachine55 on 7/19/2011 3:33:57 AM
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___________
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 3:26:10 AM
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4 up, 0 down
VampDeLeon
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 11:27:05 AM
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Will gamers be able to be immersed in Final Fantasy XIII-2 without having played the first game?
Will this be the end of XIII or will there be a XIII-3?
1 up, 0 down
Gamer Girl Gemo
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 12:24:53 PM
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What were the main mistakes believed to have been made in FFXIII in your opinion that was a must to fix?
Were fans' majority of opinions listened to when creating FFXIII? Which ones did you listen to most?
From where did you get the feedback for the "changes" you've made from FFXIII to FFXIII-2?
How many gameplay hours will FFXIII-2 include?
Will the open-world town and interaction of NPCs become available once again?
1 up, 0 down
LowKey
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 1:11:04 PM
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1 up, 0 down
nogoat23
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 1:22:25 PM
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Will I be able to revisit a previous area? Will there be a reason to?
What do you think is good/bad about previous Final Fantasies, and how are you implementing/improving those things for Final Fantasy 13-2?
Who is the target audience for this and future Final Fantasies?
Will I get to use my brain? (ie. Having to make decisions about what to upgrade instead of being able to upgrade everything. [Then give me a new game+ feature so I can play again and upgrade everything.] Or, having to figure out what to do next and how to do it, instead of following the yellow brick road wherever it takes me.)
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hellish_devil
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 5:10:15 PM
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Will we have some kind of system like Gambits in FXII to have a real control of our party?
Will we get a Cid in our party?
Can we get Omnilash as a bonus?
Can we get rid of the Auto-Battle, at least as an option in the menu?
Are you sure who your fans are? (after all the "we are hearing the fans" crap)
Last edited by hellish_devil on 7/19/2011 5:13:44 PM
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Spore_777
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 5:15:19 PM
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Hokie
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 5:19:23 PM
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At what point in the game will I have complete control over my party?
Do I have to read a separate encyclopedia in order to get the story, or will the story unfold as a part of game play?
Will I be able to import for FFXIII?
How linear is this game? Am I able to explore and revist old locations? If so, will the level of enemies scale with me or remail stationary?
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shep05
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 9:51:50 PM
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will characters have more stats?
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shadowscorpio
Wednesday, July 20, 2011 @ 12:07:48 AM
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Will you be returning the item drop rates back to Final Fantasy 8 levels?
Will obtaining sufficient amounts of gil rely on the player continuously conquering the most difficult enemy in the game anywhere from 5 to 15 times just to get a single item drop?
I could go on but if combinded with everything that has been asked so far, I think we just about got everything.
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specie8470
Thursday, July 21, 2011 @ 11:15:55 AM
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ephemeral
Friday, July 22, 2011 @ 3:18:51 AM
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What I'm really interested in knowing is that not only will there be multiple side quests, but that some of them will be silly one's. I realise that Square have said that this game will be more serious than other titles, but I still think that an element of fun could be added to one or two side quests.
Also with regards to weapons, will we be able to buy new one's or will it just be a straight upgrade again? I found that rather boring.
Will the team leader be swappable in battle? I basically used the same leader and never got to see the other eidolons which was a bit of a shame. Then again they weren't very useful in battle since the characters could basically beat anything that came their way with a good enough strategy, it all rather smacked of XII where the summons were about as useful as a piece of cheese. I never used them.
Also will there be limit breaks? That was one thing that really seemed to be missing from XIII.
Finally, please say that Square is NOT remaking VII because I think it would be impossible to remake it and keep it's charm. I mean when you really think about it will people really get the humour in seeing Cloud dress up as a girl? Or get chased around a bed by Don Corneo? I don't think so. And what about all the swearing that Barret does? How exactly would that end up getting that game rated if you had a voice actor f'ing and blinding all over the place? I realise that so many people want a remake of this iconic game, but I think it would be forever ruined if it actually was remade. It would turn a true classic into a complete joke just for the sake of a few suped up cut scenes, better graphics and voice acting, and half of the people who bought it would complain anyway because it didn't live up to their expectations. Just do the smart thing and leave VII alone.
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Gravelight
Friday, July 22, 2011 @ 8:10:35 PM
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Will there finally be some mature content, just a little?
Is the majority of the game straight through or is there lots of backtracking?
Will the franchise ever run together with all main characters, ix-nay Dissidia?
Will the game be loaded with tons of elevator music like XIII? ...hope not.
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Claire C
Reply
Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 9:30:32 PM
Can you pilot airships, boats, etc?
Is the an option for "wait" battles, not just "active" battles?
Are there side quests?
Are you making any HD collections?
When's Versus XIII coming out?