Thankfully we don't have to rely on those awful quality photos of yesterdays Versus gameplay anymore! Now we have a not so awful quality scan of the entire Famitsu article including the fully translated Nomura interview. Read it in it's entirety below.



Is this a real-time screenshot we’re looking? The image quality is very good.
Yes it’s an image in real-time using the real hardware.We aim to improve the quality you’re seeing now even further. As of now we can’t share more details in full scale right now, so we removed the menus and subscreens where it shows Noctis expression (image projected on the subscreen).

Were the party members also there originally?
Yes, we removed because we haven’t formally announced their weapons and clothes yet.

The exquisiteness and shades are like a photograph taken from real life.
Indeed, we’re using physical calculations to determine the movement of the clouds. By this time it allow us to filter sunlight and others on Versus XIII.

Is the cliff to the wilderness & the Gas Station set in the same location?
Yes in the back of the Store is the cliff to the extended wilderness. You can walk all the way, to everything you see but the mountains.

What’s this giant Enemy on the other screen?
It’s a Military Behemoth and he actually bears a huge sword in his back. As for this pictures, the battle screen were on the screen but we omitted it.

Q: The street of Shinjuku is real.
Yes, it’s our model for this, even the bicycle lanes and crosswalks are decipted. But the sense of distance has been changed a bit since the last time. Right out of the city you encounter the wilderness with electric wires every as it’s this kind of territory for this country.

This region, It is only the Prologue, the early stages, nature is so even there.
Movement around this area is easy because you can use a car. Getting on and off the car can be done anytime, but only not possible to go all the way through it because it leads to a region underwater that has been shown on promotional trailers before.

Monsters appear on the field?
(Laughter)…Yes, there are monsters that appear on the field; Some staff were doing the tests and were surprised by how good looking some are in the evening sun.

Are the battles seamless, what about the world?
It’s basically seamless and we aim to make it even more seamless, but there are loadings between big areas.

Information disclosure, is very restrict as of now.
Development is very advanced along and according to expectations we’re taking steady steps; wait at ease please, information on Versus XIII will come. Moreover, we’re making preparations for a Big announcement.

You can actually see a signboard and things written inside in the screenshot?
The signboard is still temporary even though the inside of the Gas Station is modeled after the Stations in the US in detail. It’s possible to go up there using the stairs.

Do you play in this perspective the whole game?
Yes. The camera basically sits in this position. We decided to priority to the character’s presence and the world; that said we decided to scrap the over the shoulder perspective of the world.

Source: Playstation Informer

It's taken over 4 years but gameplay screenshots of Final Fantasy Versus XIII have finally been released! The screenshots come from the earlier posted Famitsu article which confirms they're running on Playstation 3 hardware.

In the gameplay you can see Noctis in both urban and desert environments showing off the scale of the world Nomura is building as well as the enemies you'll be facing. You can see the images below.

The upcoming issue of Weekly Famitsu has some new details on Final Fantasy Versus XIII. Next to Nomura waxing lyrical about the game's graphics, we now know that:
-The world is an open field, and you can go everywhere except for the mountains
-You can destroy objects that you find on the road.
-You'll be able to use a car as promised. You can exit it and move on foot at any time as well.
- Enemies will be visible on the field, and while some enemies are wandering around, others will suddenly appear and surprise you. (This clarifies what the random and visible comment meant, and it also confirms that game will be similar to FFXII in that sense.)

Screenshots in the magazine (yet to surface) are, according to Nomura, running on PS3 hardware, yet they conveniently lack any icons and menus because the game is a monstrous secret.

Meanwhile, GameInformer ran a tidbit about the game going multiplat. We'll see how that develops.

Sources:andriasang.com
Another post on andriasang.com
duckroll from NeoGAF

During the four years since it's announcement, Square Enix have happily reaffirmed that Final Fantasy Versus XIII will remain a Playstation 3 exclusive. It seems that with the success of the Xbox 360 version of Final Fantasy XIII in the west, they may have changed their mind.

When asked whether Versus could possibly make an appearance on Xbox during a Q&A session after an investors meeting, Yoichi Wada answered "We'll be looking into it internally until right before the formal announcement." Although nothing is set in stone, I'm sure fans well have very opposing opinions about this possibility.

With Final Fantasy Versus XIII hopefully making an appearance at E3 next month, it's likely that we won't have to wait too long to hear Square's final decision.

Source: Andriasang

Tetsuya Nomura has taken part in a mini interview on the Japanese Square Enix Members Twitter. Unfortunately, Nomura remains reserved like in most of the interviews he takes part in. He does however make brief mention on the development status of Final Fantasy Versus XIII. Read the full interview below.

What percentage of Versus is done?
Nomura: Things are not connected yet, every part is moving along separately. However, we have gotten airships working over the world map.

At what age do you think you'll be active until?
Nomura: I haven't though about my own future yet.

What is your favourite character?
Nomura: I like all of the characters I have created, but I associate the most with Sora, so he is special.

I'm anxious about what you said in regards to a sequel to Dissidia Final Fantasy...!
Nomura: I'll do my best for a sequel to Dissidia Final Fantasy!

You were on Konami's Kojima's Net Radio for some time, how is your relation now?
Nomura: Once in a while, he will invite me to meals.

You should start using Twitter.
Nomura: I have nothing... to say on it.

Any new information [on your latest projects]?
Nomura: Producer Hashimoto isn't allowing me to.

Current game progress, games you are currently playing, and non-game related hobbies?
Nomura: This year I want to release two titles. I recently cleared Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and just started on Heavy Rain. As for non-game related hobbies, I like watching various movies.

Thanks to Cagalli for finding the interview.

Source: Square Enix Members Twitter

Tetsuya Nomura was interviewed by Famitsu this week about Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep. He was also asked about the progress of future projects he was working on. Concerning Final Fantasy Versus XIII, Nomura said that "development is going well, however there is still more to be done".

"From the beginning, the character presentation on the world map was similar to FF* (the magazine has intentionally censored the asterisk parts), where you would see a very small Noctis running around. It was somewhat lacking and so it was altered to be more like FF*’s system.

* denotes a censored number by Famitsu"

Because of these alterations, Nomura is unsure whether it will be ready for this years E3 like he said back in October. He says he has to balance development with other titles he's working on and is currently discussing how they will proceed with producers.

Thanks to Cagalli for translating the interview.

Source: FF-Reunion

Square Enix has taken another opportunity to show off their partnership with Roen by bringing a new Final Fantasy Versus XIII costume to Jump Festa. The new outfit is for Noctis but we don't know when he's going to wear it or if it might possibly replace his existing one. See it in photos below.



Source: marshallalloc.blog90.fc2.com

I find it surprising that most of us forgot about Jump Festa this year. Even more surprising though is that a new Final Fantasy Versus XIII gameplay trailer has been shown there. Of course it was only a short trailer and it was shown in, you guessed it, Square Enix's infamous Closed Mega Theatre. I can't help but feel a little nostalgic at the moment.

The trailer begins with Noctis waiting on a highway and then being picked up by a car. It then speeds off. The entire trailer is in real time and apparently looks stunning (especially the lighting).

The tiny trailer ends with "Revelation will come next time". Let's hope we don't have to wait for the next trailer as long as we did for this one.

Source: Andriasang.com

I'm sure most of you were disappointed about the lack of Final Fantasy Versus XIII information from TGS last month considering they showed gameplay in private. Prepare to get a lot more disappointed because Nomura told Famitsu that they'll begin unveiling gameplay next E3. If they're ready that is.

The gameplay actually shown at TGS was only test footage comprised of untextured monsters and a city not going to be featured in the final game. This shows how early into development they still are. We can only hope after FFXIII is out, development picks up on Versus.

Source: 1up

The Tokyo Game Show began today and although we were told otherwise beforehand, Final Fantasy Versus XIII has made an appearance. Apparently after attendee's played either the Final Fantasy XIII or Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep demo at the Square Enix booth, they were treated with some gameplay footage of Final Fantasy Versus XIII in a private theatre. Apparently the footage is only of gameplay in the testing stages. Let's hope we get some more out of TGS soon.

Thanks to john tora volta for finding this.

Source: Ambelo