Lightning Returns: FINAL FANTASY XIII Opening Cinematic and first 30 minutes

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Square Enix have recently released the full opening cinematic for Lightning Returns: FINAL FANTASY XIII. In it we see Lightning battling Snow and Lumina is differently fulfilling her role of being a quirky antagonist. However, that's not all! Square Enix have also released a series of three videos showing the start of the game. Check them all out after the break.

Opening Cinematic


First 30 minutes of Gameplay (Japanese)

As Lightning is the only character you play in this game the Paradigm system has been replaced with the Schema system. Schemas are effectively managed via the costumes themselves. At the start of the game you have two Schemas available. According to NovaCrystallis the ability set of those Schemas looks something like:

Divinity
Triangle: Thunder
Circle: Attack
Square: Block
X: Galestrike


Dark Muse
Triangle: Electric Blitz
Circle: Heavy Slash
Square: Lesser Guard
X: Light Slash


The tiered ATB system works similar to both XIII and XIII-2 with more powerful attacks requiring more of the ATB guage to use than simpler attacks. So, in short, the Battle System seems to follow the same sort of structure as XIII and XIII-2.

What do you think of the cinematic? Did you find anything interesting in the gameplay footage?

It confused me. But I still liked it.

I find it fascinating that you can get to change outfits during battles, and for the style changes, it reminds me much of Persona and Blazblue when you customize color schemes to suit your liking, making the possibilities endless.
In other words, regardless of not understanding Japanese, I enjoyed the preview and the cinema movie. :)
And I want to get this out of my chest... Lumina reminds me much of Serah and she has to be her, the physical resemblance of both are too much for me! XD

I'll go with Sera/Yuel combined. I don't know, but from the first time I ever saw Lumina, it was the first thought that came to mind.

The gameplay vids would be sooooo much better if the players would've just STFU.