This video was pulled from Japanese television show Game Center CX, from a segment focusing on Square Enix's newest PS3 epic, Final Fantasy XIII. The group plays through a bit, oohing and aahing at just about everything they see. I was oohing along with them.
In this video you'll see some exploration and battle play, as well as some huge roaming beasts. In the middle of the video, Final Fantasy's resident bad ass, Bahamut, is summoned. His humanoid form is kind of boring, but his Driving Mode is pretty serious. Not to sound like a huge geek or anything, but the transformation into a dragon gave me f'n goosebumps. He is then able to swoop down and do about 2,500 hit points worth of damage each time. Bahamut's finishing move, Mega Flare, smacks the baddie down for about 5,000 hp. Even with as awesome as Bahamut was, you'll see much more damage in the end of the battle. Awesome.
Sorry, I'm geeking out again, aren't I?
What's funny is that this graphical powerhouse is being played on a 4:3 monitor. Someone on the show even asks about this.
Dale North is Destructoid's Editor-In-Chief, a founding editor, and specialist in Japanese gaming. An accomplished musician, Dale was reporting from Japan during the earthquakes of 2011. Luckily, he got the fuck out alive and is home in America now with his wife and beloved corgi, Einstein. Dale is also a co-founder of Destructoid's sister anime site Japanator. Likes Corgis, Sega Saturn, PSP, iPhone, Photographic tools.
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I love seeing Arino's genuine enthusiasm for games. I wonder what it says about me that I'm learning Japanese just to watch this show with some awareness of what's going on.
Mega Flare did a lot of damage alright...but it wasn't as impressive as when Bahamut being summoned
Miss the classic mega flare where he soars in the sky or in orbit of the planet and casts briliantly his mega flare...here it is presented like a spell
After watching that, I wish Final Fantasy would get with the current generation and play more like a cross between Shadow of the Colossus and Mass Effect. It'd be so much more awesome if it wasn't those old boring silly staged battles and you just attack a creature/summon Bahamut in true real time and everything reacts realistically, etc.
But maybe that'll never happen with the FF series. :/ I still haven't even finished XII.
@Rigby - Final fantasy is it's own game and this turn base strategy game is what made Final Fantasy, Final fantasy. If they were to follow with the idea you suggested, then it would just be another Shadow of the Colossus in my opinion.
Anyways, about the video. Before the release date was announced, I took my time to look at all the characters in FF13. One particular guy that stood out to me was the black guy lol. I thought his hair cut looked dumb and he was going to be some lame looking character in this game. Looking at that video, I was right. When you see the black guy in the fighting scene, he moves kinda weird and looks like joke. I hope I don't cringe whenever I have to watch something involving him.
It's quite literally the same game...you gotta hand it to a company that can release the same game consecutively changing none of the core mechanics, herding those mechanics into different IPs and then still captivate people with the same experience. Dull. Hook this up with a 4 Jim, make us proud
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Contest:
12:20 PM on 12.15.2009 | 
I'm sold.
I need a PS3.
Getting my Lightning PS3 in about 5 days :P
Miss the classic mega flare where he soars in the sky or in orbit of the planet and casts briliantly his mega flare...here it is presented like a spell
But maybe that'll never happen with the FF series. :/ I still haven't even finished XII.
Anyways, about the video. Before the release date was announced, I took my time to look at all the characters in FF13. One particular guy that stood out to me was the black guy lol. I thought his hair cut looked dumb and he was going to be some lame looking character in this game. Looking at that video, I was right. When you see the black guy in the fighting scene, he moves kinda weird and looks like joke. I hope I don't cringe whenever I have to watch something involving him.
No.
@Linktrigger
He does appear to be a goofy, lame, character, but I still want to give him a chance. He seems better than Barrett, at least.