FFXIII linearity is "very beneficial", says Toriyama

Final Fantasy XIII director Motomu Toriyama has issued an official statement on the official EU site for the RPG, saying the game's linearity will be "very beneficial" for old and new Final Fantasy players alike.

He also explained the linearity with the first part of the game in Cocoon, and the open-world of Pulse in the second half of it.

"In order to allow the player to become absorbed in the drama of the storytelling and the new and exciting world of Cocoon and be drawn to the characters without getting distracted or lost we have deliberately used a linear game design for the introduction sections so they can be enjoyed in the same manner as watching a film," he said.

"We are aiming for a vibe while playing that is similar to the experience of an FPS style game, where the player rapidly progresses through a series of dramatic events and experiences one after the other on an imposing and atmospheric battlefield.

"This kind of design is also very beneficial for the player in allowing them to gradually and systematically learn the brand new battle system that this instalment brings to the series. It is set up such that the player will experience and try out each character’s possible roles in battle and naturally internalise the intensely tactical nature of the paradigm shift system."

Last week, Toriyama said recent reviews for the game were from "a western point of view".

FFXIII is out on March 9 for PS3 and 360.

Thanks, tLG.