Play UK Interview - Kitase and Hashimoto talk XIII and regard the VII Remake Demands

Kitase and Hashimoto have been interviewed by the UK video gaming magazine - PLAY UK on the topic of Final Fantasy XIII. Here is the interview as following on the topic of Final Fantasy XIII and the Fabula Nova Crystallis series. Questions will be in Bold and the Square-Enix Staff Members replies will be in italics. With XII you guys took the franchise into a different direction, do you plan to do this with XIII too? Kitase: Final Fantasy XIII will actually be different to Final Fantasy XII, as well as different from the other Final Fantasy games that have been released. The development staff behind XIII is actually the same staff that was behind Final Fantasy X, but of course they have played Final Fantasy XII and have studied it as well. So maybe taste-wise XIII will be closer to Final Fantasy X, but the active-time battle system which was not in Final Fantasy X, will be going back in XIII. So in that sense it could be more similar to Final Fantasy XII. But it is going to be a more evolved ATB System, so just like the monsters roamed around in Final Fantasy XII the monsters will be roaming the fields and you can actually see and avoid them, but the overall experience will be totally different. How will XIII's spin-offs tie into each other? Hashimoto: Just to clarify, Final Fantasy XIII has three titles so far but we don't consider them as spin-offs as such. But all three titles are based on certain mythology that exists in the game world and each director of each game offers his different interpretation based on that myth. So that it is not a linear sequel or prequel type expansion, it is more like an expanded universe, one based on concepts , and that's how we decided to move with this project. Well how do you decide on which Final Fantasy games to expand upon and which ones to not? Hashimoto: Well the director of the original title, the one at the core, will decide if they want to expand on certain characters because there are a lot of unique characters that appear in the series and the worlds that can be expanded on further. So the director, also based on fan feedback as well, might decide that he will base a certain game on another title and the producer will look at that. Then the business overview will decide whether or not it is financially feasible to produce these sequels. Can you give us any insight to the themes and the characters of XIII? Kitase: What we can disclose right now is what I have heard from Director Motomu Toriyama. The theme is going to involve some kind of ultimate decision and the characters will start in a situation of devastation., and they will be led on a path in which they have to make a decision in order to create hope and a brighter future. That's really all we can say. What are you guys most excited about regarding XIII? Hashimoto: Well, this is an answer more from a more marketing standpoint, but obviously we announced the title for both PlayStation 2 and X-Box 360, so in a sense we're very excited to be able to appeal to a new user base and fans that are users of both PlayStation 3 and X-Box 360. Another thing I'm very excited about is that it has traditionally taken a year for the localisation to take place, so the elements that made the series culturally Japanese? In a sense we began to think that in the games. For now we have come to the conclusion that since the people making the games are born and raised in Japan it is just a natural part of us that come out in the games we make , we're not really conscious about over cultures or markets around the world however after Final Fantasy VII we began to become more conscious of the Western market. So we just go with what comes naturally. You guys have a very vocal fan base, how do you respond to the pressure from these fans - for instance the current call for a Final Fantasy VII Remake? Do you welcome such demands, or do you feel like telling these guys "shut up and let us get on with the game"? Hashimoto: *Laughs* Since the internet has become a common part of our life there have been a lot of comments that are sent to us and people send us petitions even on the things they want to see, and we obviously watch these comments and we receive the messages and we take them into consideration. But of course a lot of the requests are not possible to work on all at once. The Team that's working on Final Fantasy XIII first has to complete that then start working on something different. So the voice of the fans is important and the teams definitely see it, but we want people to understand that we can't work on everything at once to satisfy everyone's needs. ----- Overall, information to the same standards to what they have been releasing and Hashimoto states what I have been seen or heard stating continually. With those statements I really hope that it will get through to people.... eventually.... Also, no new images/artworks/screenshots were shown in the magazine issue - only images from the trailer on the Final Fantasy XIII Official site and some screenshots from the Final Fantasy VII PlayStation 3 Demo video. Also in other news (or as Garland would call "The Paper-clip News") : The Black Mages have had a live concert featuring the remixers/DJs from the Final Fantasy Remix Album and also on stage they had some Final Fantasy cosplayers recreate the Final Fantasy VIII - SeeD Ball Dance and scenes from other Final Fantasies such as the Opera Scene (Final Fantasy VI) and the Play from Final Fantasy VII and the one from Final Fantasy IX whilst the Black Mages performed with intermissions in which the Remixers/DJs took their chances to set up some tracks from the Album which they remixed there in front of the crowd (who had a HUGE line up) , from what I can recognize from photos on the Famitsu website. This may cause a surge for another Live album release of which may feature some additional tracks, to the side of causing more demand for another Black Mages album to come as soon as possible. I am not sure of something for Dissidia though, I have been reading on some Japanese blogs of people who attended the recent Square-Enix Members party and they still read as Ten characters featured - not the nine that Garland had announced in a previous update. I can only conclude to a possible mistranslation / translation error. There might also be another form for either Ultimecia or the Cloud of Darkness due to an image surfacing before being removed online of a female character in a black outfit with somewhat of a v-neck top or dress wearing red-ish lipstick and a purple monster/beast head that somewhat resembles the final Guardian Force known as the "ultimate GF" from Final Fantasy VIII ~ Griever, but also resembles a Behemoth due to the shape and style of the horns. However the outfit shown on the character was that of neither Ultimecia or the Cloud of Darkness leading to either character customization, the Cloud of Darkness changing forms, Ultimecia merging with Griever... or the possible inclusion of another female character in Dissidia. I will be following this up further so this can be taken as a grain of sand for now. Square-Enix have updated the Sigma Harmonics website, they are also featuring a section of their Members Site (Japanese side) to have Sigma Harmonics Members. So far the trailer, concept art and overall designs look great to me. Especially with the theme song for the game "Harmonia Vita" being released early on the artist's album "RIOT GIRL". I've tried mystery / crime mystery type RPGs on the Nintendo DS but they seemed rather monotonous to me however with the 3D system it seems like it's going to be worth waiting for the release and if it's not released outside of Japan, then it's worth the import in my opinion. I also forgot to announce this from the party: In Final Fantasy XIII, there has been a new character introduced that looks similar to Sephiroth. I don't know if it's a female or male character as the character only appeared shortly. And Nomura had also completely confirmed that Final Fantasy Versus XIII will remain a World-Wide PlayStation 3 Exclusive. I have just been making sure that all sources were not mistranslated or mistook say, Siren as a new character for XIII as Siren has already been shown officially. Square-Enix have announced a "Final Fantasy XI Players' Collection" which will feature a limited edition talisman of a sort which is actually of an item from Vana'diel / is an actual item in the Final Fantasy XI world. Which will only be out for a limited amount of time. No idea if they are going with what they have done in the past of "Buy the real item, get the item in the game" concept or not. It was featured on PlayOnline. And that's all I currently have to announce right now, I'll be keeping an eye out for more news.

If I had a dream I was a Tonberry, and then dressed as a Tonberry... then does that make me a Tonberry? - Follow the forum rules everyone, or I'll use Everyone's Grudge on you. New Avatar coming soon, with a free phoenix do--DOINK!

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