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Microsoft gathered the press in Tokyo today for a pre-Tokyo Game Show press conference where it detailed its upcoming game and hardware lineup for the Japanese market. The big news from the conference was the formal announcement of Final Fantasy XIII for the Japanese 360.
While the Square Enix RPG was released internationally as a multiplatform title, in Japan it was PlayStation 3 only. The game's development staff continually insisted that the game would remain so in Japan.
The Japanese release will be under the name Final Fantasy XIII Ultimate Hits International. "Ultimate Hits" is Square Enix's Japanese budget lineup. We're not sure just yet if this means the game will get gaudy budget packaging, but the price is being kept in check at 4,980 yen, or about half what the PlayStation 3 version originally cost at its release last year.
As for the "International" part of the name, this is being included because Square Enix is using English voices in the game. Japanese Xbox 360 owners will have to play the game with an English voice track. Subtitles can be selected between Japanese, English and various European languages. The game's theme song is the overseas version's "My Hands" song from Leona Lewis.
It's not uncommon for Square Enix to release an international version of its games with English voices and music, and usually some actual gameplay changes. FFXIII will be getting just one such gameplay change: an "easy" mode. This is being included to allow players to more easily progress through the story. Easy mode makes it easier to pull of breaks, so those who aren't familiar with the game's Optima Change system will have greater success in the game's battle system.
The other bonuses for 360 owners come in the form of a sweet first print run bonus item, a booklet called Final Fantasy XIII Corridor of Memory. This includes a visual art collection featuring artwork from Japan and abroad, a look at some unused event scenes, and a newly written epilogue chapter called Final Fantasy XIII Episode i. Via this epilogue, fans will be able to learn what happened to Lightning and crew following the game.
FFXIII hits the Japanese Xbox 360 on December 16, nearly the one year anniversary of the PS3 version's December 17, 2009 release. Japanese gamers will get a first shot at the game at the Tokyo Game Show next week, where it's scheduled to appear in playable form.
source
it will be interesting to see how many Japanese buy this.
While the Square Enix RPG was released internationally as a multiplatform title, in Japan it was PlayStation 3 only. The game's development staff continually insisted that the game would remain so in Japan.
The Japanese release will be under the name Final Fantasy XIII Ultimate Hits International. "Ultimate Hits" is Square Enix's Japanese budget lineup. We're not sure just yet if this means the game will get gaudy budget packaging, but the price is being kept in check at 4,980 yen, or about half what the PlayStation 3 version originally cost at its release last year.
As for the "International" part of the name, this is being included because Square Enix is using English voices in the game. Japanese Xbox 360 owners will have to play the game with an English voice track. Subtitles can be selected between Japanese, English and various European languages. The game's theme song is the overseas version's "My Hands" song from Leona Lewis.
It's not uncommon for Square Enix to release an international version of its games with English voices and music, and usually some actual gameplay changes. FFXIII will be getting just one such gameplay change: an "easy" mode. This is being included to allow players to more easily progress through the story. Easy mode makes it easier to pull of breaks, so those who aren't familiar with the game's Optima Change system will have greater success in the game's battle system.
The other bonuses for 360 owners come in the form of a sweet first print run bonus item, a booklet called Final Fantasy XIII Corridor of Memory. This includes a visual art collection featuring artwork from Japan and abroad, a look at some unused event scenes, and a newly written epilogue chapter called Final Fantasy XIII Episode i. Via this epilogue, fans will be able to learn what happened to Lightning and crew following the game.
FFXIII hits the Japanese Xbox 360 on December 16, nearly the one year anniversary of the PS3 version's December 17, 2009 release. Japanese gamers will get a first shot at the game at the Tokyo Game Show next week, where it's scheduled to appear in playable form.
source
it will be interesting to see how many Japanese buy this.
