Japan is Going Wild for Final Fantasy XIII


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Japan is mental. Absolutely bloody mental. Whether it's their alcohol vending machines, tins of coffee or mental hospital themed restaurants (seriously..) they're completely and utterly off their rocker.

Today however, I found out exactly how crazy Japan can really go over something. They're going wild for Final Fantasy XIII. Walking around Akihabara, Tokyo's capital for all things games, anime and porn (it really doesn't help with stereotypes when all three sit on the same shelf..), you literally can't turn away from it. Every screen is playing it and every shop is promoting it. Even those which don't have a single other game within their walls will be selling the title come tomorrow morning. I have never seen anything like it.

Currently where I'm staying is quite a bit out of the way. I wouldn't say I'm in the sticks, but it's far enough away that I wouldn't expect that the Final Fantasy marketing assault would be able to invade my life. Though even yesterday, whilst I tried (and failed) to communicate with the poor woman serving me at the local convenience store I noticed it playing on the screen alongside my total price.

Whether this is Square or Sony that are pushing it, I don't know, but the west needs to take note for next time they want to sell a game. I don't even want to think about how many copies of other games could have been sold with even half of this marketing campaign. Because let's be honest, we all have at least one title in our collection that we wish had seen better sales.

Just to show you the scale of what's going on over here, I've taken a few photos, and just to give you a clear idea of how widespread this is, only 2 of the following photos were taken under the same roof. If you excuse me though, I'll be off for a bit of sleep. I'm up early tomorrow! I have some queueing to do..

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Source: http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2009/12/16/jap...l-fantasy-xiii/

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Do you think it will be that popular here?

Doubt it, Japan often take these things to a whole new level and other countries dare not follow :p still it'll be making waves in the west for sure :) I'll be getting it and between this, GT5 and ME2 I'm set for gaming nirvana! :D

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I don't think this game will break records in the US/Canada. I know I already have it on pre-order :)

march 13!

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anyone know if they leaked the intro vid yet?

The first 10 minutes of the game is online, can't remember where I seen it again, a fairly big news site.

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I love how totally bat**** crazy some cultures can seem to outsiders! Japan especially - it's mental but in a really fun way!

Japan to me = sensory overload

you know in those anime shows where the characters eyes get really huge, watery and black w/ the little !! coming out of them... that'd be me in Japan.

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OMG, that is so lame.

I know it was said that there was no backtracking or visiting previous towns etc. but I thought it wasn't true.

But if this map is right, and it is indeed just one long essentially straight game, no going back or doing bits and bobs, let alone that there are no towns, personally I can't say I'm going to be too much of a fan.

Seems like they've tried to dumb it down. :(

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OMG, that is so lame.

I know it was said that there was no backtracking or visiting previous towns etc. but I thought it wasn't true.

But if this map is right, and it is indeed just one long essentially straight game, no going back or doing bits and bobs, let alone that there are no towns, personally I can't say I'm going to be too much of a fan.

Seems like they've tried to dumb it down. :(

Dumbing it down for that damn Xbox crowd :(

No but seriously that's a pile of ass if true, I love having openess, especially in FF12 where you accidentally wondered into an area with enemies much higher than you and got your ass handed to you :p

Here's hoping they don't do that with FF13 Versus.

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One of the best things about most FF games was that you'd encounter a WTFBBQ!!!111 enemy who would totally own you or an area you couldn't access until X was achieved (like the ship level in VII or the Omega bosses) but later on you could come back with the right spell/level of XP and kick its ass. If it's linear it means the challenge is pretty much going to be linear and therefore always achievable :(

How will they fit in the Omega if you can't go back to new challenges?

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One of the best things about most FF games was that you'd encounter a WTFBBQ!!!111 enemy who would totally own you or an area you couldn't access until X was achieved (like the ship level in VII or the Omega bosses) but later on you could come back with the right spell/level of XP and kick its ass. If it's linear it means the challenge is pretty much going to be linear and therefore always achievable :(

How will they fit in the Omega if you can't go back to new challenges?

Maybe you can go back, or maybe these challenges are just off the main path as you go, so if you miss them you can't go back?

Guess we'll have to wait for people who have the game to go over these sorta things.

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