Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII Announced For Release In 2013 [Update 2]

Square Enix announced a new Final Fantasy XIII game at their Lightning Saga event in Japan today. This is titled Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII and represents Lightning’s final battle. The concept is based on the keywords “Lightning Returns” and “World-Driven”.

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII takes place in a place called Novus Partus (above), which comprises of four islands connected by a monorail system. Here’s a concept image Square Enix used to show off the game’s world:

Lightning Returns takes place many years after Final Fantasy XIII-2. In the game, the world is set to end after 13 days, and an in-game countdown clock acts as a constant reminder of this. All actions you perform in the game use up time from the clock.

Square Enix say Lightning Returns will feature a heavy focus on customization with several different costumes for Lightning, and is a game designed around the idea of responsiveness and giving you more direct control over Lightning. Finally, they also showed off concept art of a monster—the Red Dragon Monster:

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII is slated for release in 2013 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.