Shopping Guide
The four stations where visitors can test out games at the Square Enix booth were split into six different titles. Let’s take a look at each one.
I first spoke with the person in charge at the demo station for Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII about the station’s appeal.
“The main quest here is to ‘save the white chocobo.’ Within that, players can have fun with the game’s unique customization, take down enemies in the new battle system, or keep moving ahead. What the player does is completely up to them.”
The demo time is 15 minutes per person. Possibly the most effective approach for players was to decide what they wanted to test out before starting to play.
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call is a music game that allows players to enjoy the popular songs of the FF series. What does the demo feature? “This game is a leveled-up version of the previous one, and features more songs and characters to choose from. Players can experience part of that in this demo. It even includes the new FFXIV. With each song at two minutes, guests can play about five songs!” - Manager
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster brings two games back to life in one remastered HD version. What does this demo have to offer?
>Players can choose the game they like out of the two. X starts from the opening. There isn’t much chance to control the characters, but players can easily see the improved quality of the graphics. With X-2, players can get a taste of both the video and the gameplay, which hasn’t changed from before. Though both games had stunning graphics for their time, everything has been redone here, from the character modeling, textures, and monsters to backgrounds and menus. I hope players can see how much better they look. - Manager
Despite having already been released, the line for the Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn demo station was the longest. Anyone who came out victorious in an eight-person Titan Battle received a specially made T-shirt, which contributed to its popularity. Even the person in charge of the station found it surprising:
>I didn’t think people would line up this much, but I’m glad! Most demo stations are single-player, but here, eight people at a time get to face off and play together. They get to have a playing experience unique to online gaming, and I think that is part of the draw. Mixing beginners and experienced players in the battles keeps it fresh.
In the Partners station, four consoles were set up to try out Wolfenstein: The New Order. TGS was the first event to feature it on the PS4. “It has been fully localized with Japanese audio. Guests can play parts where the story and background are easy to understand.” - Manager
The demo station in the Mobile Corner was also not to be missed! There were four iPads showcasing Final Fantasy IV: The After Years. These demos had no time limit. At this booth, the delighted manager shared with me just how well the game was received:
>This is a release for smart phones, rather than a regular game console. Players can enjoy a real RPG with rich graphics on their smartphones. Everyone has been coming and enjoying the game for much longer than we expected. I’m very happy to see them get so into the game.
Whether it was challenging yourself to an online battle, getting a feel for the latest FF games or playing on a mobile device, each station had something to offer!
Source: Nikkei TRENDYnet
Article/Photos: Yoko Arakawa
