Ah, mandatory installations. They're a necessary evil most PS3 users have gotten used to, and all too common in many unoptimized multiplatform titles.
While a relatively minor gripe, it's always nice to see a game whose developers have gone the extra mile to make everything work smoothly, and that seems to be the case for Final Fantasy XIII's PS3 incarnation.
At least, if a supposedly leaked scan of the game's case art is confirmed. The game will have no mandatory (or optional) hard drive installation, and even its save data will take up a piddling 500kb (with 1.9mb extra for Trophy data).
Better still, the game will support loss-less 5.1-channel audio, and its gorgeous FMV cutscenes will be rendered at up to 1080p. Mmmm, juicy HD.
Nothing's been said so far about the Xbox 360 version, seeing as Final Fantasy XIII is still a PS3-exclusive in Japan. Perhaps more information will be available as Square Enix's international marketing engines rev up.
A question comes to mind though, for you dual/console 360/PS3 owners: were FFXIII PS3 to offer these features, and the 360 version not (perhaps due to some Blu-ray snafu), would it influence your choice?
Contest:
9:00 AM on 11.28.2009
| 
I've also got absolutely no complaints about installs, as long as it's one install taking place before I start playing. When the installs come up constantly ala MGS4, then I get tired of it.
A big reason is because I want to support Square's decision to bring FF to the 360 in hopes that we'll see more big AAA Japanese titles that have been traditionally console exclusive to go multiplatform.
Call me a whiner, and I'm getting a PS3 so it's not even like this is a big deal to me personally, but I'm still bummed MGS4 never got ported to the 360. Rising is great and all but still.
Anyways unless they butcher it somehow (and here come the naysayers claiming it's a port so they will) I'm getting it for the 360.
http://www.destructoid.com/final-fantasy-xiii-won-t-include-forced-installs-on-ps3--152727.phtml
Not because I'm lazy, but because so far this generation Microsoft has proven how much they suck at packaging multi-disc games. See the US versions of Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey if you need proof of how much multi-disc packaging on 360 sucks.
Hell, I install all my 360 games, and I don't have to.
Mandatory installs suck, I have various memories of trying to play games on PS3 only to be greeted with a long-ass wait (GTA4 in mind).
Optical drives are far more prone to wear and breakage than HDDs. They make more noise. They are more likely to result in loading issues than an HDD.
I am getting FFXIII for the PS3 and I just hope this is not a concession for the 360 port that will detriment the way the game runs...
Plus I'd prefer achievements over trophies.
And installs? I'll install every single disc to my beautiful 250GB hard drive for my 360.
Therefore they could fit the 1080p movies and lossless audio on those.
I also have most of my games installed on my Xbox. It really helps shorten the load times in games like Lost Odyssey and Mass Effect. More than likely I'll do the same thing with my PS3.
I guess that's what the international version will be for...
*cool and original* :F
MGS4 was a let down install wise as sure there was no manditory install but sitting through 4-5, 3-6 minute long install screens got old VERY fast.
As for the voice thing, I definitely prefer the english voices to the japanese ones. The japanese girls are just so irritating.
If they're hard or require tons of time, I'll probably just play it on the PS3. Playing it on an American console feels strangely dirty and wrong.
Couldn't agree more.
PS3 version for me definitely.
Largely because
1. PS3 is lead development platform.
2. Blu-ray > DVD9
3. The PS3 is a better console.
4. Sony and FF seems right.
5. I get all my multi platform games on PS3.
I'll probably get FF13 on Xbox too, but only because I'm a FF collector and there would by a turd if it had the FF logo on it. (Hell, I did, FFX-2)
Okami, Bully, last gen Xbox GTAs, all titles I can recall that, in my opinion, were better ported than their originals.
This probably won't be but just sayin'.