Final Fantasy Versus XIII Confirmed to be Playstation Move Compatible

Have you wondered why the battle system of Final Fantasy Versus XIII has been kept under wraps so well by Square’s top brass?  It turns out that the publisher was simply waiting for the announcement of the Playstation Move.  Now, with the game’s release date still a mystery, some details have surfaced concerning how the Move will play into the game’s complex battle system.

At a recent invite-only press conference held in Tokyo, Square showed a brief video followed by a demonstration highlighting the battle system.  The aforementioned video has sadly not yet surfaced on the web (there was a strict “no camera” policy in effect).  In the video, the protagonist Noctis was in an futuristic urban environment at night time.  By tilting the move from a vertical position, the player could move Noctis in a desired direction.

Enemies appeared on the map (not the world map, that was not shown in the video) and by making a quick tapping motion when within range, the player can engage the enemy in battle.  The quicker the tapping motion, the higher the chance of a preemptive strike.  Once battle begins, Noctis can do one of four things:

• Attack by waving the controller in a clock-wise circle above the player’s head.
• Escape by running at the PS Eye as quickly as possible and holding the Move in an erect position.
• Use an item by shoving the Move into a pocket (breast pocket, 5th pocket, and rear pants pockets all confirmed).
• Cast magic by laying down and resting the Move on the player’s belly while holding their breath.

Tetsuya Nomura was on hand to explain the benefits nimble players would be able to appreciate:

“By utilizing the Move the player’s actions will directly affect the quality of their character’s actions.  For instance, the longer they player can hold their breath while laying on their back, the more the desired spell will charge.  The longer the spell charges the greater damage it will deal.”

When Mr. Nomura demonstrated an attack, he started by engaging a group of enemies in battle.  He then began swinging the controller violently above him, the Move’s orb began glowing a bright red, as did Noctisis’s eyes.  The faster Nomura spun the Move, the more swords appeared around the protagonist, deflecting enemy bullets and swords as he charged.  Once the attack was unleashed, damage was dealt to the selected unit.  A number of gauges appeared on-screen, it was explained that at least one measured the strength of the charged action.  Sadly, many other aspects of the battle screen were left unexplained.

“We’re still working out the details.”  Nomura explained when pressed for further explanation, still panting from the physical exertion.

The last announcement was that FFVXIII would be released in two forms, the first a stand alone copy of the game, the second to be bundled with an exclusive version of both the Move and the PS Eye which would match in a unique color and design.  No images were revealed but Nomura’s incessant winking during this announcement suggests he is quite happy with the design.

The meeting ended abruptly when President Wada, who had been silently watching suddenly grabbed the Move from Nomura.  “Watch how long I can hold my breath!”  He exclaimed with an eager smile.  An hour later he was rushed to Tokyo University Hospital where he is now resting comfortably.  According to several sources, the President and CEO also reportedly swallowed several 10 yen coins in the ambulance ride to the hospital, however this is not confirmed.

We can definitely look forward to learning more about this unique title in the near future.  In the meantime, my thoughts go out to Wada-san and his family during this difficult time.

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