Final Fantasy XIII Gameplay

The concept for Final Fantasy XIII's battle system is to maintain the strategic nature of command-based battles. The system stemmed from a desire to create battles similar to those found in Final Fantasy VII Advent Children.Like those in Final Fantasy XII, battle sequences are integrated into the world environment.The Active Time Battle (ATB) system will return, but is expected to work differently from its predecessors. The battle system that was shown during the E3 2006 trailer was only a prototype. Recently, Square Enix showed battle footage in various Japanese magazines and trailers which introduced a new interface.

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You can only control one character at a time in battle, although battle parties of up to three characters have been shown. You can stack up to three commands per turn and release them all at the same time to form a combo. These commands include series staples such as Attack, Fire, Blizzard and Cure, as well as new ones such as Launch, which sends the enemy up in the air. The game does not make use of MP but introduces "cost points" for each command. Cost points determine how many times the commands can be used per turn. The overclock gauge from the prototype battle system is replaced with a break bar.
The minimap shown earlier has also disappeared from the battle interface. The player is able to view the HP and name of the enemy before engaging it in battle. When the player engages an enemy, the camera moves to another position and the battle menu appears, making the battle transitions nearly seamless.The classic summoned creatures will return in Final Fantasy XIII. Shiva returns in the form of a pair of sisters who can merge into a motorcycle, which the character Snow rides, and can use ice to create a path to drive on. Carbuncle emerges from a disc-like object when it is touched by the character Vanille.