The battle system!

[Madame Adequate]

Square Enix: Final Fantasy XIII's Battle System Detailed

Okay, so as far as I can see you'll be able to take any action you can afford, rather than getting one action per full ATB.

Now, this thing about having five possible actions - is this going to be like FFVIII, where you can't use a potion unless you're junctioned for items? Because that was the worst thing about that entire game. Or is it the cast that there are simply never more than five possible actions you can take? And if so, does this change for each character?

Let's speculate baselessly

[trancekuja]

Oh God , please let it turn out to be good

[edczxcvbnm]

Sounds like a really good battle system. You can't endlessly attack but you can perform endless actions until you get 'tired'. You can also then sit back and just build up the bar so that in a tough jam you can dispense everything to save the rest.

I really like the way this system sounds a lot. This gives me hope for the game.

[Jessweeee♪]

This looks really fun o:

[Wolf Kanno]

The system sounds like the way I imagined and its been a system I've waited for since Xenogears. I just hope it doesn't pull a FFX and make the enemies and bosses so pathetically weak that battles can be ended in a single round. That was so infuriating in X and destroyed the potential that battle system had.

Its interesting that you can switch between characters in the middle actions to create group combos. It makes me wonder if the "Time/gravity" ability is unique to Lightning only... The combat system sounds marvelous just don't screw it up SE

[Rostum]

Sounds good to me!

Famitsu PS3: High Quality FFXIII Gameplay Screenshots - Final Fantasy XIII: News, Trailers & Screens ~ Final Fantasy-XIII.net

[Madame Adequate]

Sounds like a really good battle system. You can't endlessly attack but you can perform endless actions until you get 'tired'. You can also then sit back and just build up the bar so that in a tough jam you can dispense everything to save the rest.

I really like the way this system sounds a lot. This gives me hope for the game.

This was my thinking, really. It adds a new layer of tactical consideration, because you'll be deciding whether you just spam attacks when you can, or save up for more powerful stuff (Which is the logical way it'd work).

On a related note I'm optimistic because VII and X are my faves. XIII is next in this progression

[Rye]

I really dig the new ATB bar. =O

[LunarWeaver]

Looks like more fun than a Slip n' Slide!

Something I don't say lightly.

[trancekuja]

Did SE develop something like gambit system or will the other characters give support in battle on their own?

[Shoeberto]

I really like the looks of it. It's an interesting twist on the concept of the ATB.

[Hazzard]

The system sounds like the way I imagined and its been a system I've waited for since Xenogears. I just hope it doesn't pull a FFX and make the enemies and bosses so pathetically weak that battles can be ended in a single round. That was so infuriating in X and destroyed the potential that battle system had.

Jzeez, bro. You think too cynical at times, and really need to tone down with the needless FFX flaming. I mean, it's common knowledge that you despise the game, but do you really need to mention it in every thread?

[Wolf Kanno]

Sorry, I replayed it a few months ago to help my GF. The game just infuriates me to no end even thought months have passed and listening to people talk how much FF should always be like X gets annoying...

I will try my best to tone it down though; cause even I'm noticing how annoying I am.

[Madame Adequate]

Sorry, I replayed it a few months ago to help my GF. The game just infuriates me to no end even thought months have passed and listening to people talk how much FF should always be like X gets annoying...

I will try my best to tone it down though; cause even I'm noticing how annoying I am.

Meh, I do adore X but I can't argue that it's incredibly easy outside of one or two bosses. Then again, how many RPGs aren't like that?

[The Summoner of Leviathan]

Under the "Action" thing, the five options from top-bottom, left-right are (question marks mean my speculation of their meaning):

Attack (たたかう）
Fire? (ファイア）
Care/Cure? (ケアル)
??? （うちあけ）*
Firaga? (ファイカ/ファイガ）

*From my search うちあけ comes from the verb　うちあける which means "to speak frankly", "to open one's heart, or "to speak one's mind". (Source: WWWJDIC)