FF XIII demo images and videos

BlimBlim
Friday, April 17, 2009 | 8:19 AM
147 comments

PS3

DjMizuhara is on fire today with the demo of Final Fantasy XIII, and already sent us a big image gallery, along with 2 HD videos. And more to come!
Update 4: DjMizuhara forgot to upload the end of the part of the demo with Lightning. It's now fixed!

Commented on 2009-04-17 09:24:50

Just back then, before 3D really arrived, most games managed to simply look beautiful more because of the effort and talent in the art direction, and there was less pissing and moaning about rubbish post processing effects which usually hide bland art.

In reply to

hiscore

Commented on 2009-04-17 11:49:41

Enemy design is more convincing then mainstream americanized (main) character design. Also, why does every resistance member have to be so... clean these days? Battle music is annoying (too many violins), too baroque. Together with the omnipresent and oversized HUD it distracts form the gameplay core. Hoping for a transparency/resize HUD-slider there. Framerate seems to be consistent (still have to watch it on HD though). Damage numbers on enemies preferrably less bold/big in the final version. Battle menu screen is minimalistic in a bad way.

I love the epic scale of the environment but random fights against lesser minions seem to get lost in this visual extravaganza. Character movement and behavior during fights is sometimes off (even though it is scripted).

For the moment, I think it will be a beautiful game, a platform showcase, but it needs more than just pretty faces and suggestive music to convince me this is not a mainstream approach to what jrpg's used to be.

In reply to

ACEfromRussia

Commented on 2009-04-17 14:01:26

very cool
cant wait

In reply to

Redneck

Commented on 2009-04-17 15:07:44

@gameplay vs gfx discussion:

The gameplay of jrpgs barely changed in 20 years!
I played Mystic Quest back then and the fighting etc is very much the same, it just looks like a pile of shit (compared to today's standarts).

Games on SNES could also tell deep and good stories.
Just look at Chrono Trigger or Terranigma or Secret of Evermore...

Graphics are the main aspect that make the difference between this game and some 15 year old random jrpg. So if people are disappointed by gfx just let them whine, imo they have the right to do so especially when the devs say that they push the PS3 to the limit...

In reply to

jackdoe

Commented on 2009-04-17 15:59:50 In reply to Redneck

Posted by Redneck

whine, imo they have the right to do so especially when the devs say that they push the PS3 to the limit...

Not quite true. Square says they pushed 50% in the demo, 100% in the final build (which comes with some vast improvements).

In reply to

Nakano

Commented on 2009-04-17 16:48:13 In reply to jackdoe

Looks very good. I think i'll force myself into turn based combat and give it a try.

Posted by jackdoe

Square says they pushed 50% in the demo, 100% in the final build (which comes with some vast improvements).

Damn, i'm so tired of these statements...

In reply to

jackdoe

Commented on 2009-04-17 19:06:31 In reply to Nakano

Posted by Nakano

Damn, i'm so tired of these statements...

Why? I'm merely saying that the game will look better according to the developers and that those complainers can stop complaining.

In reply to

Redneck

Commented on 2009-04-17 19:44:48 In reply to jackdoe

Posted by jackdoe

Not quite true. Square says they pushed 50% in the demo, 100% in the final build (which comes with some vast improvements).

Allright, so in the final build we can expect models and environments with doubled poly-count and far better textures...

...lets see if they can live up to their promises

In reply to

jackdoe

Commented on 2009-04-17 19:48:59 In reply to Redneck

Posted by Redneck

Allright, so in the final build we can expect models and environments with doubled poly-count and far better textures...

...lets see if they can live up to their promises

No. We can expect a smoother framerate, some better textures, some better effects, and way better fingers (which is technically double the polygons but only in the hand model). This will serve to make an already good looking game look even better.

In reply to

Redneck

Commented on 2009-04-17 19:57:33

Do you know which of those pics is the demo build?!

In reply to

jackdoe

Commented on 2009-04-17 20:00:56

I can tell if I could see the hand model for the right screen.
-edit-
Shit, I can. Just needed to scroll right. Okay, the right screen is DEFINITELY the demo build. The demo build has blockier fingers. However, the left screen is definitely a newer, closer to near final build as the fingers are more realistic. For comparison, check out video 3 and look at the fingers.

In reply to

Shuyinsan

Commented on 2009-04-17 22:25:53

and yet the right one is a trailer as the image says
Trailer 1080p.mp4
plus it has english subtitles so it is the last trailer
the left is the demo build
why?
the left one has lower res textures...clearly..

but then again WHO CARES..the games are known for theire immense storylines.
if anything is gonna sell this game its not the graphics.heck if this game would have an equal story like VII or VIII then i dont care if it looked like FFX or something..id still buy it.
Heck i bought FFVII of the PSN last week....
I dont care, for me the game looks good already..its smoother then we ever had, we always did it with what we got...the games still get good grades..
Graphics dont make the game...its a plus and maybe its a standard nowadays..

Yes i am a dedicated FF fan.
I do have FFIII till FFXII in every region, yes I do have the original FFII
There are things i still need..but basically i have alot of FF (from potions to Consoles to Action figues)

In reply to

Ahmed_p800

Commented on 2009-04-17 22:32:14

WoOoOoW FF series FTW!!!

people who say the GFX sux....STFU and look at Redneck post ^^

Its the demo for god sake!!!

The game is gonna rock

Star ocean is BS (animation,voice,story,..etc ALL SUX except maybe battles)
The LR (i have both on xb360 and pc) pc Graphically cleeeeaaarly wins (all high...wow)

killzone....one word-OVER HYPED (maybe 2 words)

anyway back to topic......ff is the best series EVER

anyone hates ff shoudnt both to comment here

pease!!!

In reply to

jackdoe

Commented on 2009-04-17 22:32:33 In reply to Shuyinsan

Posted by Shuyinsan

No, it isn't. Sigh, you need to realize that these trailers are NOT being released first to the public. The trailer on the right was showcased at DSK3 2008 event (a private, invite only event), around the same time the demo would be built. The trailer was then subbed and later released this year. So no, it is NOT the final trailer. Far from it in fact. The shots on the left are scans from Famitsu which come from a later build this year. Of course, the only way to know this would be to follow FFXIII to the tee, something I have been doing.

In reply to

Ahmed_p800

Commented on 2009-04-17 22:36:33

forgot to say

the music.........WoooooooooW

In reply to

pythxvii

Commented on 2009-04-17 23:32:19 In reply to lb003g0676

Posted by lb003g0676

Wow... I saw the video, the animations are really nasty and cheap looking, and so is the modelling.

I am not saying anything about what either console is capable of, but certainly creating a game with just one in mind, makes a better finish which this agme doesn't have. As beautiful as RE5 is, you can still tell it has low poly models.

Maybe it's just budget restraints. But it looks a lot worse than I expected. Especially Sazh face.

The zombies in RE5 are the only lowpoly models really. And things that don't need to be high poly, like buildings. The models for all the actual characters are amzing, and the higher enemies too.

It looks goo, but itsnothing technically superb, and its not like th art style is something new (i understand the whole, its a series, lets keep it the same, but seriously... There are way too many games and animated movies/shows that look EXACTLY the same.

And why is the giant thing i the first couple pictures glowing orange, cause it looks like its light, but NTOHIN elselooks like it sbathed in really warm orange light. Just curious, cause its gbugging me and I wanna know if its actually glowing itself or something.

In reply to

[quote=lb003g0676]Wow... I saw the video, the animations are really nasty and cheap looking, and so is the modelling.

I am not saying anything about what either console is capable of, but certainly creating a game with just one in mind, makes a better finish which this agme doesn't have. As beautiful as RE5 is, you can still tell it has low poly models.

Maybe it's just budget restraints. But it looks a lot worse than I expected. Especially Sazh face.[/quote]
The zombies in RE5 are the only lowpoly models really. And things that don't need to be high poly, like buildings. The models for all the actual characters are amzing, and the higher enemies too.

It looks goo, but itsnothing technically superb, and its not like th art style is something new (i understand the whole, its a series, lets keep it the same, but seriously... There are way too many games and animated movies/shows that look EXACTLY the same.

And why is the giant thing i the first couple pictures glowing orange, cause it looks like its light, but NTOHIN elselooks like it sbathed in really warm orange light. Just curious, cause its gbugging me and I wanna know if its actually glowing itself or something.

Galathor

Commented on 2009-04-17 23:52:15

Each enemy glows orange when it only have less HP left - so as you can see in the pictures the boss you´re talking about doesn´t have much HP left in his HP-bar...

In reply to

crookedmind

Commented on 2009-04-18 00:13:03

Got to love the black guy speaking japanese and all still managing to look queer.

In reply to

jackdoe

Commented on 2009-04-18 00:26:04 In reply to crookedmind

Posted by crookedmind

Got to love the black guy speaking japanese and all still managing to look queer.

I winced during those scenes. Reminded me of Jar-Jar Binks.

In reply to

Shuyinsan

Commented on 2009-04-18 00:35:39 In reply to jackdoe

Posted by jackdoe

never said it was final..
And dont get all nerdy on me, I WAS at the DSK3...
Dont get me wrong..I know my shit..i give you the right on this one though..
I've been in the Game buisness for 6 years now (recently accepted at at a major company) i know how the shit works.
I cant see vanilla on the right screen tho. ive been judgin from snow's jacket.
ahh well..
but then again..they did say the demo was not final..but I dont think theyll enhance anything major to the graphics tbh with you.
apart from the dropping framerates..the only things ill think will change is that and the way they route everything (making it smoother) the ps3 is not hard to dev for at all..its just getting used to the system.

and yet still graphics dont mean shit for this game to me :D I already have the game pre ordered since it was allowed to..And I'm keen on getting them all

In reply to

[quote=jackdoe]
No, it isn't. Sigh, you need to realize that these trailers are NOT being released first to the public. The trailer on the right was showcased at DSK3 2008 event (a private, invite only event), around the same time the demo would be built. The trailer was then subbed and later released this year. So no, it is NOT the final trailer. Far from it in fact. The shots on the left are scans from Famitsu which come from a later build this year. Of course, the only way to know this would be to follow FFXIII to the tee, something I have been doing.[/quote]

never said it was final..
And dont get all nerdy on me, I WAS at the DSK3... XD
Dont get me wrong..I know my shit..i give you the right on this one though.. 
I've been in the Game buisness for 6 years now (recently accepted at at a major company) i know how the shit works.
I cant see vanilla on the right screen tho. ive been judgin from snow's jacket.
ahh well..
but then again..they did say the demo was not final..but I dont think theyll enhance anything major to the graphics tbh with you.
apart from the dropping framerates..the only things ill think will change is that and the way they route everything (making it smoother) the ps3 is not hard to dev for at all..its just getting used to the system.

and yet still graphics dont mean shit for this game to me :D I already have the game pre ordered since it was allowed to..And I'm keen on getting them all

jackdoe

Commented on 2009-04-18 00:47:44 In reply to Shuyinsan

Posted by Shuyinsan

Well, you said last trailer, so I assumed you meant final. Anywho, you have to scroll to the right to see the right most image. There you could see the increase in polys in the hand (which will probably be the most signifcant change).

In reply to

Jollipop

Commented on 2009-04-18 03:49:59

Its not just the hands though its the shoes as well, plus the textures and lighting are different also.

In reply to

Shuyinsan

Commented on 2009-04-18 12:33:39

i can't scroll to the right o.O
ahh well..The demo looks immense beautifull in motion

In reply to

Thor

Commented on 2009-04-18 16:28:57

Fantastic visual quality, absolutely stunning animations and voiceovers. the lower side is the character development. its easy to judge that the character dev is in line to please the american audience. A punk-like hero and an afro sidekick. anyhow, the main character 'Snow' seems to have a special renderer working on him, for he looks awesome and most detailed human in a story game ever, that beard is pure CG!

In reply to

daikide

Commented on 2009-04-18 18:40:09

Good, but I honestly want a more FFVIII like game. I mean the one were you have a places you get attached to. Balamb garden, Balamb city, Ester, Dollet, Timber...

There where no such places for me in FFX and VII... you just run around and never go back to the old place, you have no choice and feeling of a free open world... :(

I hope FFXIII will be different but my hopes are not too high... after FFX it has been a complete downfall...

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FF XIII demo images and videos

Demo images

Demo by DjMizuhara part 1

Demo by DjMizuhara part 2

Demo by DjMizuhara part 3

Demo by DjMizuhara part 4

Intro video

Demo: Missing part

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