Sony Japan recently revealed some updates to their all-in-one home theater systems. Some of you may remember the popular HT-CT100, which is Sony’s “home theater in a box” (HTIB), decorated with rich connectivity and overall respectable sound for the price. It has been a while since that model was released and Sony is refreshing the line with the HDMI 1.4 capable HT-CT150 and HT-CT350 (CT350 pictured above). These will both be released in Japan on April 30th, but they are coming to the USA probably in the Summer or Fall. The HT-CT350 will cost Y50,000 ($550USD), while the CT150 will be about ten thousand less.
What new features do they bring? One of the biggest additions is 3D support, which allows 3D displays and source devices to communicate through an HDMI link. It’s a major milestone on the path to bringing true 3D gaming and 3D home theater to the mass market, supporting resolutions up to 1080p in 3D.
There’s also the addition of ARC, which stands for Audio Return Channel. This basically enables a TV, via a single HDMI cable, to send audio data “upstream” to an A/V receiver or surround audio controller, increasing user flexibility and eliminating the need for any separate S/PDIF audio connection. Format support includes Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby Pro Logic, Dolby Pro Logic Ⅱ, MPEG-2 AAC, Linear PCM (2ch/5.1ch/7.1ch). The usual S-Force PRO front surround sound technology is back again, as well as a S-Master digital amplifier, Deep Color and x.v. Color modes.
Both models are the usual beautiful black, minimalistic monolithic design we have seen elsewhere with Sony’s 2010 home theater lineup. And like last year, both HTIB’s have a soundbar and subwoofer – the HT-CT150 has a fairly average 280W maximum output, while the CT350 hits in at 320W. Last year’s HT-CT100 came in at 250W.
There are three HDMI inputs, one HDMI output, two SPDIF’s, and digital coax input. There is also two analog audio inputs, a DMPORT (for Walkman, iPod connectors), and the CT350 has a FM tuner.
There is also a new widget you can use on your BRAVIA TV in conjunction with these new home theater systems that allows you to control certain characteristics such as audio output and sound mode.
Sony announced at GDC2010 that the Playstation 3 motion controller is officially called the Playstation Move and will be available this Fall. The new controller, combined with the PlayStation Eye camera, can detect the natural and intuitive movement of the hand and reflect the precise movement within the game, and delivers a whole new entertainment experience on PS3.
They also announced a smaller additional device called the Playstation Move sub-controller, which doesn’t have a LED ball and is for more finely tuned movements. This would be more appropriate for FPS games, and Zipper Interactive has promised that SOCOM 4 can be played completely through with the Playstation Move. Every major publisher is going to make compatible games.
Sony will sell the Playstation Move controller individually and also include it in a PS3 bundle. Sony will also sell bundles in the Fall for less than $100 that includes the PlayStation Eye camera, PlayStation Move controller, and a game.
You will be able to use two Motion Controllers at once.
Sony showed off several motion controller demos during GDC 2010 that looked remarkably accurate, in game genres and games such as sports (archery, ping pong, tennis), FPS combat, family, and more. A new game called Move Party was demonstrated that gives players certain challenges they must complete on screen, such as painting a certain area.
They also showed off how the motion controller would work with the game LittleBigPlanet, which allows a player to use the DualShock controller and the Playstation Move together. The Playstation Move allowed someone to highlight an object and move or slingshot it to assist the Sackboy in progressing through the level.
The Playstation Move features an orb at the end which can glow in any of a full range of colors according to the RGB color model using light-emitting diodes (LEDs). As with the standard PlayStation 3 controllers, the Motion Controller will use Bluetooth 2.0 wireless radio communication, and a rechargeable internal lithium-ion battery. It will feature buttons on the controller, an analog trigger, and vibration-based haptic technology. In addition to providing a tracking reference, the controller’s orb light can be used to simulate aesthetic effects, such as the muzzle flash of a gun, or the paint on a brush.
The Game Developers Conference (GDC) is the largest annual gathering of professional video game developers, focusing on learning, inspiration, and networking. The event comprises an expo, networking events, awards shows such as the Independent Games Festival and the Game Developers Choice Awards, and a variety of tutorials, lectures, and roundtables by industry professionals on game-related topics covering programming, design, audio, production, business and management, and visual arts. There are several GDC’s held in various locations around the world every year (five in total for 2010), but right now there is one occurring in San Francisco from March 9-13. Sony is due to make reveal some interesting PlayStation information in their annual press conference at this event today around 7PM, specifically regarding the upcoming motion controller. There are already rumors they will be announcing the name of the motion controller as the Playstation Move.
You can watch the presentation at 7PM EST/4PM PST on G4TV. If you don’t have that network on your TV, just watch the live stream below:
Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) today announced that 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution will offer high definition (HD) movies for purchase and rental on the PlayStation Network video delivery service in the United States. PlayStation Network is the first to offer high definition movies for purchase from all of the major movie studios, further establishing PlayStation 3 (PS3) as the preeminent home entertainment platform for this year’s most popular and critically acclaimed high definition movies.
“Securing high definition content from these studios is another significant milestone further validating PlayStation Network as a complete entertainment network in the home. PlayStation Network is the first and only service to deliver high definition home entertainment from all six major studios, directly to consumers for download,” said Peter Dille, senior vice president, marketing and PlayStation Network, SCEA. “PlayStation Network continues to offer the most comprehensive catalog of HD movies to PlayStation Network members that realize the wide-ranging entertainment power of the PS3 system.”
The PS3 system is the most complete home entertainment solution on the market today, enabling consumers to enjoy high-definition games and movies, as well as listen to music, view photos, browse the Internet and more. Today’s announcement joins one of the industry’s strongest home entertainment brands with the major media companies that produce and distribute a substantial number of films. At launch, the content will be available in the U.S. only, with plans to launch soon in the U.K., France, Germany, and Spain.
New titles available today on PlayStation Network include:
20th Century Fox – “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian”, “Jennifer’s Body” and “Fantastic Mr. Fox” (on March 23)
Walt Disney Pictures – Disney Pixar’s “Up”, Jerry Bruckheimer’s “G-Force” and Disney’s “Earth”
Paramount Pictures – “Star Trek”, “Paranormal Activity” and “Zoolander”
Sony Pictures – “This Is It”, “2012″, “District 9″ and “Zombieland”
Universal – “Inglourious Basterds”, “Couples Retreat” and “Public Enemies”
Warner Bros. Digital Distribution – “The Hangover”, “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince” and “The Wizard of Oz”
Experience Hendrix and Sony Music Entertainment’s Legacy Recordings have released the monumental Valleys of Neptune, a newly curated album of 12 fully realized Jimi Hendrix studio recordings. Neptune features more than 60 minutes of music never commercially available on a Jimi Hendrix album, from the artist Rolling Stone magazine called the greatest guitarist of all time. Centered around tracks recorded during a pivotal and turbulent four-month period in 1969, Valleys of Neptune unveils the original Jimi Hendrix Experience’s final studio recordings, as the group lays down the foundation for its follow-up to Electric Ladyland, alongside the guitar superhero’s first sessions with bassist Billy Cox, an old army buddy he’d recruited into his new ensemble.
Valleys of Neptune provides an essential, compelling, and up-til-now largely unseen view of what Jimi Hendrix was up to musically in the critical period between the release of Electric Ladyland in October 1968 and the 1970 opening of his own Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village, the state of the art facility where he would begin his final project, the ambitious double album First Rays of the New Rising Sun.
Janie Hendrix, CEO of Experience Hendrix LLC, the Hendrix family-owned company entrusted with preserving and protecting the legacy of Jimi Hendrix, noted, “My brother Jimi was at home in the studio. Valleys of Neptune offers deep insight into his mastery of the recording process and demonstrates the fact that he was as unparalleled a recording innovator as he was a guitarist. His brilliance shines through on every one of these precious tracks.”
Valleys of Neptune is originality electrified, offering more than 60 minutes of previously unreleased Jimi Hendrix music, originally recorded, and newly mixed for this historic release, by Hendrix’s longtime engineer Eddie Kramer, who first worked with the guitarist on Are You Experienced? in 1967. Valleys of Neptune is produced by Janie Hendrix, John McDermott (who contributes detailed liner notes to the album) and Eddie Kramer.
“Valleys of Neptune” has long been one of the most sought after of any commercially unavailable Jimi Hendrix recording. The song was released as a single globally on February 2, 2010, nearly forty years after Jimi finished recording the track at New York’s Record Plant in May of 1970.
Other highlights on Valleys of Neptune include blazing studio covers of Elmore James’ classic “Bleeding Heart” and Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love” as well as premier performances of original Hendrix compositions like “Ships Passing Through The Night,” “Lullaby For The Summer” and the original un-dubbed Jimi Hendrix Experience rendition of “Hear My Train A Comin’.” Also included in Valleys of Neptune is “Mr. Bad Luck,” a Jimi Hendrix Experience track, produced by Chas Chandler during the 1967 Axis: Bold as Love sessions.
Here is the full tracklisting and information for Valleys of Neptune:
Stone Free
Recorded: Record Plant, New York, April 7, 9, 14, May 17,1969
Producer: Jimi Hendrix
Vocal, Guitar: Jimi Hendrix
Bass: Billy Cox
Drums: Mitch Mitchell
Backing Vocals: Roger Chapman, Andy Fairweather Low
Valleys Of Neptune
Recorded: Record Plant, New York, September 23, 1969, May 15, 1970
Producer: Jimi Hendrix
Vocal, Guitar: Jimi Hendrix
Drums: Mitch Mitchell
Bass: Billy Cox
Percussion: Juma Sultan
Bleeding Heart
Recorded: Record Plant, New York, April 24, 1969
Producer: Jimi Hendrix
Vocal, Guitar: Jimi Hendrix
Bass: Billy Cox
Drums: Rocky Isaac
Tambourine: Chris Grimes
Maracas: Al Marks
Hear My Train A Comin’
Recorded: Record Plant, New York, April 7, 1969
Producer: Jimi Hendrix
Vocal, Guitar: Jimi Hendrix
Bass: Noel Redding
Drums: Mitch Mitchell
Mr. Bad Luck
Recorded: Olympic Studios, London, May 5, 1967
Producer: Chas Chandler
Additional bass and drum recording, Air Studios, London, June 5, 1987
Vocal, Guitar: Jimi Hendrix
Bass: Noel Redding
Drums: Mitch Mitchell
Sunshine Of Your Love
Recorded: Olympic Studios, London, February 16, 1969
Producer: Jimi Hendrix
Guitar: Jimi Hendrix
Bass: Noel Redding
Drums: Mitch Mitchell
Percussion: Rocki Dzidzornu
Ships Passing Through The Night
Recorded: Record Plant, New York, April 14, 1969
Producer: Jimi Hendrix
Guitar, Vocals: Jimi Hendrix
Bass: Noel Redding
Drums: Mitch Mitchell
Red House
Recorded: Olympic Studios, London, February 17, 1969
Producer: Jimi Hendrix
Vocal, Guitar: Jimi Hendrix
Bass: Noel Redding
Drums: Mitch Mitchell
Lullaby For The Summer
Recorded: Record Plant, New York, April 7, 1969
Producer: Jimi Hendrix
Mixed By Eddie Kramer
Guitar: Jimi Hendrix
Bass: Noel Redding
Drums: Mitch Mitchell
Crying Blue Rain
Recorded: Olympic Studios, London, February 16, 1969
Producer: Jimi Hendrix
Additional bass and drum recording, Air Studios, London, June 5, 1987
Vocal, Guitar: Jimi Hendrix
Percussion: Rocki Dzidzornu
Bass: Noel Redding
Drums: Mitch Mitchell
Less than a week ago, Erica Ogg of CNET e-mailed me a few questions for a piece she was doing about Sony. The title of her post was, “Can Sony stop breaking its fans’ hearts?” and is about how the company is full of talent and innovation but doesn’t seem to execute the grand slam other CE manufacturers such as Apple, Nintendo, etc have accomplished. I was briefly quoted in the article (our e-mail conversations were much larger), and you’ll soon realize that it would have been impossible for her to use everything I said.
Her questions are in bold -
Erica Ogg: What’s the sense you get about Sony products lately…are they reactionary to competitors or are they truly working on new inventive things?
Christopher: The sense that I’ve always had about Sony is that they have various methods of delivering products. Many times competitors have taken Sony’s technology or product idea and added another layer (usually software or price related) that glorifies the experience and makes it easier to use. It’s no secret that they were an analog hardware company for most of its life and slipped when everything went digital. But the whole feeling lately that Sony isn’t inventive, or headed in the right direction is odd and something I would have said several years ago. Not now. Sony has done a complete 180 compared to 5 years ago. I think that their product strategy is a little vast at times, but plays to many different price ranges and ensures quality and competitiveness.
Sony has worldwide, regional and specific strategies. Let’s take a look at several of the upcoming products for 2010, for example.
Worldwide, Sony will begin to offer 3D televisions (along with nearly every other major CE manufacturer), Blu-Ray 3D players, and enable the PS3 to have the ability to play 3D games for free through a firmware update. On top of that, Sony is accelerating the creation of 3D content by essentially providing and educating everyone about the back end, from cameras, lenses, studio/mastering equipment, and so on – from the lens to the living room. Sure, you can argue that 3D content will be limited, its a gimmick, and so forth, but I’m excited for 3D games and eventually Blu-rays. No other game manufacturer has anything like this coming as quickly as Sony. Then we’ll eventually have live 3D TV, which will be limited at first, but still very exciting in certain applications such as sports. I think its pretty inventive that Sony is playing a key role in making this whole thing mainstream. Let’s say Sony didn’t play a backseat role like many others – we would probably be muddled in the 2D age for a while.
Regionally, Sony has different product lineups that they believe will work the best there based on market data, competition, and so forth. A perfect example of this is the Walkman situation. Apple probably has well above 85% market share with portable music players in the last several years in the USA and Sony plays a very limited range of Walkman MP3/Video players here. It’s the safe bet. In Japan, Sony has a 64GB A-Series OLED Walkman that has an incredibly vibrant color display and rich functionality. In Europe, they only play the 16GB version of the device, and in Asia Pacific they offer it up to 32GB. Those decisions were made after market research – the choice probably resides in the question, “Can we make money playing the whole range, or a specific capacity in this regional area?” That is probably the common sizes people (when I say people, I mean the masses) are buying in that area.
Also, as far as I know Sony was the first major CE manufacturer to put a large touchscreen OLED screen in a portable music player. Now it seems like having OLED in a mobile device is one of the hottest aspects.
A good example of a specific strategy Sony is doing is the upcoming Dash Personal Internet Viewer just for the US, which is the alarm clock of the 21st century with a custom chumby OS and access to 1500+ apps including weather, traffic, news, e-mail, Netflix Watch Instantly, Facebook, Twitter, and more. When I go to the store I don’t see anything like that sitting on the shelves. Chumby has been around for a while but this is another example of Sony bringing incredible, cutting edge technology to the masses.
How do you think Sony customers/fans’ perception of Sony has changed over the past couple years as Apple has become more influential as a consumer electronics company?
I think Apple won many people in the USA because they have a brilliant leader who can transform a product launch into a phenomenon, build mostly great devices with revolutionary software, and have an incredible fan base. Steve Jobs is an American icon and identity that Sony simply doesn’t have here. Sony did in the 80′s with Akio Morita. Apple has had a pretty good track run of successful products especially in the last ten years and have sold many devices. They are an ubiquitous name and have a custom tailored experience, from the store right down to the box. Apple clearly influences Sony and vice versa. I will admit one of my favorite devices of all time is an iPhone, because it created a world of connectedness I’d never experienced in my life.
When I think of consumers who usually choose Sony, they appreciate the quality the brand name usually represents and are willing to pay a higher price. Sony attracts people because they have beautiful hardware design, innovative features, but also have some competitively priced products in many areas of electronics. Most of their devices are top tier quality, especially with things such as HD, Audio, and so forth. Some people have had bad experiences with Sony products, but on the overall scale of things it has been a company that delivers quality.
Just like Apple, Sony is an ubiquitous name and has a custom tailored experience, from the store right down to the box. If I had to rank companies that are the most watched brands, sure you can say Apple, Google, Microsoft, but Sony isn’t that far behind. It’s such a large brand (you must also think movies and music) that has so many people behind it.
Do you think fans growing impatient? If so, can you cite specific examples?
Sony has turned some fans off in various product categories that was disappointing to observe. Let’s talk about gaming.
After commanding the market for so long with the PS2, Sony makes a successor. The PS3 was very expensive at launch, had a bunch of revisions, and was built at a cost for a long time. While Sony is trying to sell the PS3, Nintendo blew up because they offered an innovative controller with the Wii and it was relatively low cost and easy to use, therefore attracting the everyday person. That’s the pinnacle of strategy in this category – when women, old people, and all those other genres of people who usually don’t spend money on gaming start to do so.
Those who didn’t want to pay the high price for the PS3, wanted more complexity and advanced graphics than the Wii, chose the XBOX360. Microsoft stole so many consumers from Sony it’s absurd – if you had said that to me at the peak of the PS2′s success it would have been hysterical. But Microsoft did just that by offering a lower priced system first with capabilities that made it seem on par with what Sony was trying to offer, even though the PS3 is far more advanced. But the 360 had just enough going for it in the overall experience to entice the advanced consumer Sony was seeking. The consumer who was tired of waiting for whatever was stopping them from choosing the PS3.
You mentioned the whole Wii/Xbox juggernaut stealing momentum from the PS3. What about the proprietary format issue…that seemed to be a huge turnoff for fans. Do you think they’re over that?
I don’t think many people view Blu-ray has a proprietary format these days since it has become so mainstream. There are still many people who use DVD. Those who choose to embrace the splendors of HD either see it in a theater, business (bar, restaurant, etc), Blu-ray and HD content from the Internet, or their content provider (cable, satellite, etc). This is pretty much the accepted landscape of the HD world.
The only reason I feel Blu-ray was ever viewed as proprietary is because of the rocky start it had competiting with HD DVD, where it was an object of slander and still in the stage of forming alliances. There was also the issue of cost at the beginning – everything associated with it was expensive and the US economy was tumbling. Fast forward to 2010, where the economy is improving. Consumers can enjoy enormous games are on 25-50GB discs, backed by a huge network infrastructure (e.g. MAG).
I just don’t get how someone can use a system that has games where you have to change discs – wouldn’t you rather have it all on one? Final Fantasy XIII will have 3 DVD discs on the XBOX, and only require one Blu-ray disc for the PS3. I think the power of that fact will begin to resonate in consumers as games become larger and more complex.
Does the idea of a Sony fanboy really exist anymore?
Absolutely. I meet them all the time on PlayStation Network in games, talk to them on Twitter, see them in comments on technology blogs, watch them proudly talk about their products in forums, or the explosive traffic Sony Insider has received, and so forth. Most of the people working for Sony, not only in electronics, but in other areas are “fanboys.” There are also many “fangirls.” They love what they do. I don’t think I’ve ever met one person working at Sony who was miserable – they love the brand, and want they genuinely want the consumer to have the best experience possible. I see nothing but total dedication with those people, of which you would see only in successful business environments.
I also get a sense, just in reading the comments on a lot of message boards today regarding these new products Sony will apparently launch soon, that there are a lot of people who want to be excited but are sort of cautious because they’ve been hurt before by things from Sony that didn’t pan out. Do you agree that there’s that feeling out there among fans?
There is definitely that feeling of skepticism with Sony products in the online world. There have been some memorable, high profile slips, such as Minidisc, ATRAC, SACD, Connect Music Service, or more recently the mediocre success of the PSP Go amongst other examples. Consumers have the right to be weary – Sony makes huge gambles with their innovations, hoping that they will take off and become mainstream. The general feeling is that when Sony launched a product in the past (specifically the 90′s and early ’00′s), it could do so much, but generally was lacking a few key features and was generally more successful in an environment with only other Sony products. It was like that for a long time. Things have changed greatly though – a good example of this is that nearly all of Sony’s 2010 digital imaging products have slots for Memory Stick Duo and SD cards.
It took Sony a while, but they are getting it. Offer as much choice as possible.
If you look at their products for 2010 and the general strategy for the coming years it seems to me that Sony is playing things the right way now. As for regaining trust, only the consumer can make that choice. But I believe many people still feel Sony, despite its errors, is a very trustworthy brand.
At long last, we are finally starting to get an official indication from Sony as to how much their active shutter 3D glasses and emitter will cost. Those of you planning to buy a 3D capable 2010 BRAVIA TV have been very curious about 3D accessory pricing. Sony’s upcoming 3D capable BRAVIA TV’s for 2010 include the LX900, HX700, HX800, HX900 and NX900 series – however the LX900 is the only model that comes with the glasses (two, specifically) and emitter. Learn more about the Sony 3D TV experience.
Available in June, the TDG-BR100 (above) and TDG-BR50 active shutter 3D glasses will be available to purchase in Japan for about Y12,000, which is roughly $133USD. The glasses’ width can be adjusted for those with larger faces or if you wear glasses. I was initially expecting these accessories to cost around $199, but if Sony can keep it around $125 or lower that would far better. Here are the TDG-BR50 glasses in blue and pink (no word if these are regionally exclusive colors):
Sony Japan also detailed how much the 3D infrared emitter (below) would cost that you will need to have for your active shutter 3D glasses – it will be about Y5,000, which is roughly $55USD. The BRAVIA LX900 series already has the emitter built-in.
Sony Japan stated that their line of 3D capable TV’s should be available around June in Japan, with similar launch times for other regions.
Sony’s FeliCa contactless integrated circuit chip technology is included in the newest version of the Blackboard Inc. campus commerce and security solution, enabling a unique ecosystem for access and payment developed specifically for higher education institutions in North America. The Blackboard Transact (v3.6) contactless solution offers a secure environment that enables a student to make payments, gain building access, and provide identification all with one card. This fully integrated technology platform allows students to make a variety of purchases and access secure buildings with a simple tap or wave of the card.
The technology is already in place at Santa Clara University, which partnered with Blackboard to pilot the contactless system.
“Blackboard’s technology platform is the first to bring FeliCa technology to colleges and universities in the U.S., enabling a fast, safe and convenient system that integrates well with many technologies that campuses already have,” said Makoto Yamada, general manager of Sony Electronics’ FeliCa Americas division.
Developed by Sony, the FeliCa microchip provides a fast, convenient and secure all-in-one solution platform for multiple applications, including electronic payment transactions, access, interactive signage and membership or loyalty rewards systems. The chip combines processing, storage and communication functions, and can be implemented in a variety of ways including cards, key chains and mobile phones.
The Blackboard Transact contactless solution features FeliCa technology with a secure file system and data communication structure that enables communication between the software, the card reader and the FeliCa-powered card via mutual authentication and encrypted data transfer. Deployed in Asia for more than ten years, FeliCa technology has been the basis for transportation access and merchant communities where customers can easily and rapidly purchase goods and services. Sony continues to extend FeliCa technology into new markets globally, and a number of pilot programs utilizing the technology are under way in the U.S. FeliCa technology complies with the Near Field Communication (NFC) standards.
Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) has launched its popular turn-based strategy game PoxNora on Facebook. Tapping into its expertise as a preeminent online entertainment company, SOE plans to follow this inaugural Facebook launch of PoxNora with additional games for the Facebook platform based on both existing franchises and new intellectual property. PoxNora is a combination turn-based strategy game and collectable card game set in a fantasy world of creatures, relics, and spells. SOE acquired PoxNora in January 2009, and since then the game has expanded in reach and popularity with over 2.5 million registered accounts to date.
“The Facebook platform offers gamers a new and powerful way to interact with and tap into their social communities,” said John Smedley, president of Sony Online Entertainment. “With the launch of PoxNora for Facebook, we are leveraging the expertise SOE has gained bringing entertainment to the online gaming community for over 10 years.”
From microtransactions to community play, SOE has customized the Facebook version of PoxNora to appeal to a wider social networking audience in a fun and engaging way. The new PoxNora for Facebook harnesses the platform’s social channels by allowing users to invite friends and post updates of accomplishments.
Final Fantasy XIII is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix and is the thirteenth installment in the Final Fantasy series. It was released for the PlayStation 3 in Japan on December 17, 2009 and is due for release very soon in North America and PAL regions on March 9, 2010 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Final Fantasy XIII is the flagship title of the Fabula Nova Crystallis collection of Final Fantasy games and is the first game to utilize Square-Enix’s Crystal Tools engine. The game features both futuristic and natural elements; it is set between a land of wilderness and the high-tech world above it. Following the story of Lightning, Square-Enix describes the theme of the game as “those who resist the world.”
The game sold in excess of one million units on its first day of sale in Japan, and had sold 1,698,256 copies there at the end of 2009. Universal praise was given to the technical milestone for the series achieved by the game’s graphics and presentation. Electronic Theatre remarked that “there are very few moments when the visual and aural superiority fails to astound”, and Edge Magazine felt that Cocoon in particular was an “inspired setting [...] blessed with a vibrancy and vivid color that often leaves you open-mouthed”. Art design also added to the positive reception of the graphics, being described as “magnificent”. Further praise was given to the CGI cutscenes, and the almost seamless transition of visual quality between these and the realtime gameplay. Many also appreciated the game’s soundtrack, with Masashi Hamauzu providing “a score with catchy hooks and blood-pumping battle melodies”
The game’s new battle system also received near-universal praise. The increased pace of battles was appreciated, several reviews describing it as “thrilling”; Edge Magazine’s description of the battle system summarized it as “among the genre’s finest”. The roles provided by the Paradigm Shift feature also added depth to the battle system and contributed to the fast pace, and having the AI automate the other two party members’ actions meant battles in the game “may be the most involving the series has ever seen”. The story, characters and voice acting were mostly received well. Wired remarked that the story was “a little more human and less esoteric than in previous games”. 1UP felt that the story was “hardly world-class writing”, but that the writers clearly knew the medium well and had attempted to avoid clichés.
Characters
Lightning – Former sergeant of the Guardian Corps, Lightning sought the Pulse fal’Cie, Anima, in order to ask it to save her sister Serah, whom the fal’Cie had turned into a l’Cie. However, much to her dismay, Lightning was turned into a l’Cie herself. Her l’Cie mark is in the center of her chest. Lightning has long pink hair and is 171 cm tall (5’7″). Originally named Éclair Farron, she discarded her birth name after her parents died in an attempt to emotionally reinforce herself so that she could protect Serah, although this only caused tensions to rise between them. Lightning is very independent and determined, but she is also shown to have a compassionate side. Lightning’s visual design was influenced by Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy VII, as Tetsuya Nomura was asked to design a female version of him to be the protagonist of Final Fantasy XIII. However, Yoshinori Kitase has contradicted this, saying the only similarities between the two are their pasts as soldiers, as Lightning has a more fragile side to her that Cloud does not.
Lightning wields a weapon called the Blaze Edge which is a combination of a gun and a sword (one collapsing into the other), similar to the gunblade wielded by Squall in Final Fantasy VIII. She can also manipulate gravity with a device on her thumb (though due to Sazh’s interference, this device becomes damaged). In battle, Lightning is very agile and uses acrobatic moves. As a l’Cie, she can summon the Eidolon Odin to fight by her side in battle, who can assume a horse-like form that she can ride on. While riding, Lightning dual wields Odin’s detachable sword. Her strongest unique special attack is called Scene Drive in the Japanese version and Army of One in the North American version.
Snow Villiers – Prior to becoming a l’Cie, Snow is the head of Team Nora, a resistance group fighting against the government of Cocoon. Standing at a massive 200 cm (6’5″), Snow is a large character and is capable of running full speed while carrying two people at once. He has light blonde hair and wears a black bandanna. He was nicknamed “Mr. 33 cm” by the development team of Final Fantasy XIII as a nod to his shoe size. He uses his fists to take down opponents, focusing on brute force compared to the fast and agile Lightning. Snow bears the mark of the l’Cie on his lower left arm, through which he has the power to summon the twin Shiva Sister Eidolons, Nix and Stiria, who can combine into a motorcycle form for Snow to ride while toting a large gun. Unlike most grapplers, Snow changes his runes on his coat rather than buying new gloves.
Oerba Dia Vanille – Vanille is a mysterious but upbeat young girl with red-brown hair worn in pigtails. Originally residing from Oerba Village located on Gran Pulse, Vanille is among those being exiled from Cocoon at the start of the game and is subsequently rescued by Team Nora. She has a childlike innocence and is shown to be very compassionate, but at times she can also be very stubborn. Vanille also serves as the game’s narrator. Her weapon is a form of foldable fishing rod with multiple lines that can be reeled and used to attack enemies. She has been a l’Cie for a long time, one of two l’Cie given the Focus to summon the Eidolon Ragnarok, and her l’Cie mark is located on her upper left thigh. In battle, Vanille excels at using magic based attacks from a distance. Her Eidolon is Hecatoncheir, a multiple-limbed, earth-elemental summon who can transform into a bipedal mech armed with machine guns that she can pilot.
Sazh Katzroy – A former airship pilot of the Military, Sazh wields dual pistols (which can be combined to form a collapsible rifle), and his strong point is striking enemies from a distance. His l’Cie mark is at the base of his neck. He has a six-year-old son named Dajh with whom he is very close. When Dajh inadvertently became a l’Cie and was taken by Sanctum, saving him became Sazh’s main motivation. Sazh has a pet baby chocobo that lives inside his afro. Sazh is described as having good judgment and moral discernment. He has a gentle personality and is easily moved to tears, and joins the party early in the game. His Eidolon is Brynhildr, a female fire-elemental knight who can transform into a race car. Tetsuya Nomura based Sazh’s appearance on Lionel Richie.
Hope Estheim – Hope is a fourteen-year-old boy with silvery-blonde hair and orange, yellow, and green clothing. He uses collapsible boomerangs in battle. During the Purge, his mother offers to help Snow and Team Nora fight off PSICOM. She dies during the battle, and though Snow honors her final request to protect her son, Hope nonetheless hates Snow in a grief-induced rage for his connection to his mother’s death. His Eidolon is the holy-elemental summon Alexander, which transforms into a fortress in Gestalt Mode, and is able to blast enemies from afar with multiple cannons.
Oerba Yun Fang – A raven-haired woman who comes from Oerba Village, donning clothing resembling the traditional Indian Sari adorned with tribal accessories, and bearing the mark of a l’Cie on her right shoulder. Though she is a l’Cie from Pulse, she originally works for the Cocoon Sanctum under Cid. It later turns out she is one of the two l’Cie given the focus to summon Ragnarok. She wields a spear that can transform into a sansetsukon in battle, and her Eidolon is Bahamut, who can take flight in his Gestalt-mode. As revealed by Tetsuya Nomura in an interview, during the early stages of development she was originally scripted to be a male character.
Combat
In battle, the player can only control one character at a time out of a party of up to three.
Multiple commands can be stacked into slots per turn and released at the same time to form a combo. The number of command slots increases as the characters grow in strength.These commands include series staples such as Attack, Fire, Blizzard and Cure, as well as new ones such as Ruin, Ruinaga, and Radial Strike. The difference between XIII’s battle system and the ATB gauge is that these commands can still be placed in the slots even though the bar has run out, and the actions will be executed once the required slots are filled up. The game does not make use of MP but introduces “cost points” for each command, which determine how many times the commands can be used per turn. Because magic cannot be used outside of battle, the Hit Point (HP) of the party is completely restored after each battle.
When engaging an enemy, the camera moves to another position and the battle menu appears, making the battle transitions nearly seamless. The after-battle victory screen in XIII holds information such as the time it took to finish the battle, the highest number of combos executed, the number of break attacks and the quality of battle which is determined by a ranking of one to five stars. The party will be able to purchase new weapons in the game for use in battle.
A “Break State” is one of the new features of the Final Fantasy XIII battle system. The breaks refer to the times an enemy enters a state of reduced retaliation. This occurs when a chain combo has been maintained for a certain period of time on an enemy, filling a bar to maximum. When a high level combo has been achieved, the enemy will glow red and enter this state, during which the player will be able to inflict high amounts of damage and knock some enemies high into the air. The chain bar will gradually deplete during this period; when it becomes empty, the break state ends.
The “Role” system exists in order to control what abilities are available to characters in battle. Rather than having all abilities available to characters as they are learned, abilities are restricted to certain Roles, similar to the Job system of previous installments. The Japanese version’s Roles are Attacker, Blaster, Defender, Enhancer, Jammer, and Healer, while the English localization calls them Commando, Ravager, Sentinel, Synergist, Saboteur and Medic, respectively. Commandos strike with physical, non-elemental attacks; Ravagers use elemental abilities like Frost Blow and Thundaga; Sentinels provoke and absorb enemy attacks, and dish out counterattacks; Synergists use buffs like Shell and Brave, while Saboteurs use debuffs like DeShell and Bio; and Medics exclusively heal, using abilities like Cura, Raise, and Esuna. Roles, with a specific purpose in mind for each, are the only means by which to direct ally AI.
Each character may only take on one role at a time, and each combination of three Roles for a given party is called a “Paradigm” (“Optima” in Japan). Up to six Paradigm combinations may be stored at any one time. During battle, players may switch between them on-the-fly, called a “Paradigm Shift” (“Optima Change” in Japan). Timing Paradigm Shifts correctly can fill the ATB gauges, making switching frequently in battle an advantage.
Story
The plot of Final Fantasy XIII takes place in a world known as Pulse and revolves around the story of the fal’Cie, mechanical beings with godlike power created by a being called the Marker. Each fal’Cie has crystals residing inside them. People who are marked by the fal’Cie are called l’Cie. Each l’Cie has a Focus, a goal the fal’Cie wants him or her to fulfill within a certain amount of time; however, the fal’Cie do not explicitly say what the goal is: l’Cie learn what their Focus is by interpreting visions that are given to them. L’Cie gain the ability to summon Eidolons (monsters who fight with the l’Cie), but this ability comes with a price: if a l’Cie dies before completing his or her Focus, fails to tame his or her Eidolon, or fails to complete his or her Focus within a set period of time, he or she becomes a monster known as a Cie’th. If a l’Cie does complete his or her Focus, the reward is not much better: permanent transformation into a crystal. For this reason, being chosen as a l’Cie is seen as a curse.
Some 1,300 years ago, a fal’Cie named Orphan constructed a paradise for humanity: the shell-like city of Cocoon, which floats high above the surface of Pulse. Then Orphan created life forms and machines for Cocoon’s inhabitants to use, and humanity flourished. A war was fought between the Pulse and Cocoon, and Cocoon prevailed. However, fear lingered in the hearts of the people of Cocoon, for the day another invasion might come from the world beneath again.
Although most Cocoon citizens have never seen Pulse with their own eyes, they have been told that it is a dangerous place that has strange effects on those who venture down to its surface. Consequently, anyone who is discovered to have visited Pulse is immediately subjected to quarantine and exile by the theocratic government of Cocoon, known as the Sanctum. The Sanctum enforces this policy with its strongest military branch, PSICOM.
As Snow leads the resistance group, Team Nora, in an attempt to stop the purging of civilians, the mysterious Lightning fights her way past PSICOM soldiers with the aid of Sazh to find a Pulse fal’Cie, Anima, who turned her sister, Serah (who is also Snow’s fiancée), into a l’Cie. Through a chain of events, these three, along with two exiles, Vanille and Hope, are forced by the fal’Cie of Pulse to become l’Cie, and with that became enemies of humanity with the Focus of bringing about the downfall of Orphan and Cocoon.
Leveling & Summons
The leveling system for the game is called the Crystarium System which resembles the Sphere Grid in Final Fantasy X. Instead of gaining experience points after winning a battle, characters gain CP (Crystal Points) which can then be spent in order to unlock abilities and increase attributes such as maximum HP. Every character has a Crystarium, and within it, different sections corresponding to each Role the character has available. The Crystarium is not initially available within the game, and only becomes available through story sequences. After that point, levels in the Crystarium become unlocked as the story progresses, essentially capping the amount of growth that can be achieved in the middle of the game. Every character initially specializes in up to three Roles, and the other Roles are not even available in their Crystariums until much later in the game.
The classic summoned creatures called Eidolons (as they were in Final Fantasy IV DS and Final Fantasy IX) return in Final Fantasy XIII. Each character possesses only one Eidolon that is summoned from a crystal that sprouts from the character’s mark of l’Cie. The Eidolons include series staples Odin, Shiva, Alexander, and Bahamut, and newcomers Hecatoncheir and Brynhildr. When summoned, the Eidolon stay in battle while the characters accompanying the summoner leaves the party. There is also a new feature called “Gestalt Mode” (known as “Driving Mode” in Japan), which when activated joins the summoned and its summoner; Snow can ride and steer the combined Shiva Sisters which is a motorcycle, Vanille’s Hecatoncheir can transform into a bipedal mech with machine gun turrets in which she can control, and Sazh can ride and steer Brynhildr as a race car. This changes the pace of the combat significantly. But not all summons turn into mechanical vehicles; Odin’s Gestalt Mode changes him into a horse for Lightning to ride on, Bahamut’s Gestalt Mode is a flight mode for Fang to ride on, while Alexander’s Gestalt Mode changes him into a large castle which surrounds the enemy and fires lasers at them from all sides. The summons play a major role in the game’s storyline as well, much like Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy IX and Final Fantasy X.
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