Final Fantasy XIII is too modern for "levels". It has a Final Fantasy X style character growth system where players spend Crystarium points to purchase abilities and stat boosts earned from encounters. As seen above, Lighting is playing the role of a blaster and can purchase HP +15 or the magic spell thunder. Snow, being an attacker, has different options like the ruin spell and HP +70.
New Final Fantasy XIII scans from Jump has revealed that the game will have a similar mini-game to the hunt system from FFXII. They will be in the forms of optional missions.
Ripten: "In a recent interview, Square Enix President, Yoichi Wada, was asked if he thought Final Fantasy XIII would be the best selling Final Fantasy ever, and considering the recent US & European announcement video touted Final Fantasy XIII as "possibly the most anticipated game of all time", his response may shock more than a few Final Fantasy fans..."
Split-Screen: "Final Fantasy XIII is only a month away, and it's already begun outpacing FFXII (Playstation 2) in pre-orders according to a retailer representative in Japan. He also predicted the game will easily cross the one million mark on release."
Vincent Martella (aka Greg from Everybody Hates Chris) has been confirmed to be doing a voice for a character in the English version of Final Fantasy XIII.
Final Fantasy Union writes, "In a keynote at the Montreal International Game Summit, Yoichi Wada, CEO and President of Square Enix, spoke to the possibility of Final Fantasy IP being exhausted, specifically Final Fantasy XIII's compilation Fabula Nova Crystallis, and how Square Enix keep the Final Fantasy series as a whole from becoming exhausted."
IGN: "Square Enix Ltd. today announced that Final Fantasy XIII will be available on both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in Australia and New Zealand on March 9, 2010. This is the same date that it will launch in the U.S., and shows that the age of long delays for European and Australian releases of RPGs are long gone. Huzzah!"
PlayStation LifeStyle writes:
GOONL!NE: Some new direct-feed shots of Final Fantasy XIII has been released by Square Enix.
Speaking to CVG in a recent interview, Kitase told us: "Unfortunately, it has been decided that no DL contents will be available for the Japanese version due out in December, while no decision has been made for the overseas versions."
Finally North American and European gamers know exactly when Final Fantasy 13 will be in store shelves in their respectful regions and they couldn't be happier. A lot of details were released today, including inside information on the visuals of the game. In fact Square-Enix believes lovers and new comers alike will be so impressed by how realistic the game looks that they'll be hooked by the visuals.
Antonio Marfuggi writes:
Square Enix intend to make the 13th day of each month special leading up to the March 9th 2010 release of Final Fantasy XIII by releasing all-new information on the English language release of the game on the 13th of every month.
Here's Leona Lewis' contribution to the world of Final Fantasy, in the form of "My Hands" - the official theme of FF13's English release.
The Lost Gamer writes "Square Enix had promised to make a big announcement today regarding Final Fantasy XIII, and towards the end of the newly released trailer have unveiled exactly what fans within both Europe and America have been waiting for - it's release date."
GOONL!NE: Square Enix president Yoichi Wada has given the clearest indication that we'l be seeing Final Fantasy XIII in Europe a lot sooner then previously thought.
FinalFantasy-XIII.net: Shonen Jump's latest issue includes a new feature on Final Fantasy XIII with new screenshots and for the first time, proof that characters will be able to acquire new weapons.
SCRAWL: "Final Fantasy XIII's Crystarium System is one thing; now here comes the game's weapon system.
Andriasang writes: "This past week, Weekly Shounen Jump provided first word on a Final Fantasy XIII bonus item. The magazine reported that Square Enix would be packing a Final Fantasy XIV campaign code with the first print run of FFXIII."
FinalFantasy-XIII.net: The US Playstation Blog has posted an update on what we can expect from the super special Final Fantasy XIII announcement this Friday. Apparently a "never-seen-before" Final Fantasy XIII Video is going to be aired in the 10-Screen Theatre on Playstation Home.