When you start playing you get to choose from one of three difficulty settings, and then choose from either Action Style or RPG style command input. With the former you input commands by yourself, this is the default mode. With the latter you get to choose from options such as “Fight”, “Special”, etc., and the character will perform the appropriate action. The characters you can choose from in the demo are Warrior of Light, Firion, Terra, Cloud, Kuja, and the two newest characters Kain and Lightning (the characters you can choose changes depending on which difficulty you’ve chosen.) First we’ll talk about the two newest characters, Lightning and Kain.Kain, the Aerial Fighter
Kain, from FFIV, is a Dragoon who’s specialty is the “Jump”. With the Jump command, he jumps into the air and quickly falls back down attacking with his lance. With the square button you can increase the length of your jump, and after you’ve jumped you can still cancel the attack. While you’re in the air there are other decisions you can make, and many quite good aerial moves you can do. You can evade magic that your enemy has cast and then counter attack. Aside from the Jump command, after you’ve attacked you can press triangle to cancel your move, and use air dash to run after your enemy and attack them even more. Combine this with the new Assist ability and you’ve got dangerous attack move. But this won’t always work out. Your enemy can evade the attack or defend at the right time. The correct way to use Kain seems to be aerial Brave attacks from above or below, putting your enemies off balance. He is easy to use, and would probably be best for people who are good at strategizing.
Technical Lightning
Next up is Lightning from FFXIII. She can change between three Roles, Commando, Ravager and Medic. Commando uses physical attacks, Ravager uses magical attacks, and Medic uses healing moves. To change Roles (Paradigm Shift) you must press the R and L buttons at the same time. If you rush and only press the L button you turn off Lock On, so you have to be careful with it. Commando is easy to use for basic attacking moves. You can shoot your enemy from the air, and then follow up with a sword attack. Ravager can use magic like Thundaga and Watera, as well as an aerial sword attack called “Scene Drive” (Army of One) that can hit your enemy multiple times. But the most interesting is Medic, which can heal your Brave with Cure. While it doesn’t heal much, it looks as though it can be used to increase your Assist Gauge. If your press circle at the right time, you’ll cast Curaga rather than Cure, healing you for more. To use Lightning well, you have to learn to change Roles depending on your opponent and the situation.
The new Assist System will change everything!
We’ve already looked at the new Assist System before, but now we are going to look at how you can use it. The basic way to use it is after you’ve smashed your opponent into a wall and want to do an extra attack. Attack -> Assist Brave Attack -> Then the player character does an HP attack. If you use Assist while your opponent is releasing a multi-hit attack, the Assist character will act as a sacrifice while you escape. If you’ve pressed L + Circle using one Assist Gauge they’ll take the force of the attack, if you press L + Square using two, you’ll use guard and be able to run away to safety. But if you’ve used the Assist to escape, a key mark will appear and you won’t be able to use Assist for awhile. In the demo you couldn’t change the Assist character, but normally you would be able to choose whoever you liked. Any of the controllable characters. It seems there will be a lot more rules that go along with the Assist System in the actual game. The new Assist System makes the battles go even faster, and will make things even more fun.
Dialogue translated from the trailer! (Thanks krexia!)
Narrarator: “Two gods, that preordained the battle. With those powers of harmony and chaos, which will never to disappear or merge, the world becomes a stage for the eternally continuing conflict, hovering on the precipice between stability and collapse…”
Warrior of Light: “We are warriors who were called to this land to lead the goddess of harmony to victory.”
Cecil: “The crystals are the power Cosmos has entrusted to everyone. Therefore, to protect everyone is to uphold the will of Cosmos.”
Kuja: “It would be best if we got away from here soon.
Zidane: “Why is that?”
Bartz: “Zidane, is this the warrior of Cosmos who is said to rarely show himself?
Emperor: “Among these warriors of Cosmos who have suffered many defeats, there is not one with memories of battle.”
Lightning: “The figures called Manikins are getting agitated in large numbers. They are all our enemies.”
Garland: “Lots of your friends have already begun their journey. You should also enjoy your final moments.”
Lightning: “What did you say?!”
Kain: “If Chaos triumphs, the world will collapse. Is that what you wish for?”
Golbez: “The world won’t disappear or collapse. Because the battle will not end.”
Lightning: “Bartz hang in there!”
Bartz: “Kain… why?” (Bartz refering to what Kain has done to him.)
Cloud: “Kuja.”
Kuja: “What is it?”
Cloud: “It’d be good if you could consider your own memories precious.”
Ultimecia: ” I’m not stupid enough to obey an unfamiliar god.”
Cloud of Darkness: “…”
Kain: “I’ll show you a thing that’s called the power of being a real person!” (Referring to the manikins.)
Warrior of Light: “It’s as you said. We will lose.”
Lightning: “What are you planning, you traitor?!”
Warrior of Light: “That’s not something for you to know now.”
Warrior of Light: “It’s possible that I already no longer meet the qualifications to fight for light. But I swear that here, I will protect you until the end.”
Tifa: “Who are you?” (Referring to Sephiroth.)
Sephiroth: “Your enemy. There’s no need to know more than that.”
Tifa: “So, a warrior of Chaos.”
