Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
Final Fantasy XIII-2
We had previously heard that Final Fantasy XIII-2's plot would involve time travel thanks to a mildly spoiler-ish revelation about one of the game's characters. Now Square Enix has revealed that time travel is actually a core gameplay mechanic in the game thanks to a system known as Historia Crux.
Square describes the Historia Crux system as "like a compass for time travel" which takes the place of a traditional world map. Using the Historia Crux menu (pictured above), players will be able to jump between different periods in time and space, including rewinding to previous points in the story to try to create a different outcome. Director Motomu Toriyama says the system helps the game move away from the extreme linearity of Final Fantasy XIII:
"...this time around the gameplay and story itself will alter to fit the player's choices. You will be able to freely come and go between all the areas; the game will provide not just simple environmental exploration, but also a multi-layered exploration of history through the Historia Crux."
Depending on your actions in each time period, you will be able to explore multiple branching paths of history, which will in turn lead to multiple possible endings. Hardcore Japanese RPG fans may be reminded of a release from earlier this year, the excellent DS RPG Radiant Historia. The similarities between the Historia Crux system and that game's system certainly have me excited.
While we wait to discover more about Final Fantasy XIII-2 at next week's Tokyo Game Show, check out the new batch of screenshots below or take a look at the most recent trailer.
Products In This Article
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
