If only we could read Japanese then the language barrier would not have delayed the info and we could've gotten them sooner. Caught the Famitsu scans for Final Fantasy XIII (Xbox 360, PS3) we posted yesterday? Now we know what those Japanese text walls have been trying to tell us.

Japanese gaming mag, Famitsu, comes up big again in their latest issue, where they managed to get hold of more info on the characters that we'll be meeting next year in Final Fantasy XIII (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3), as well as a few other gameplay elements. For now, we're stuck with getting details when they come, and come they just did, so read up and stay updated.

Square Enix Europe proudly announces that their delegation in the forthcoming GamesCom 2009 will be joined by some of the biggest names in their organization. They're loading the arsenal with the big guns so you bet they're coming to GamesCom going for the kill, and if you won't take the announcements from reps and frontline personnel, you're in for a treat.

Final Fantasy XIII (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3) lead writer and designer Motomu Toriyama sat down with Japanese gaming mag Jump and talked more about what eager fans and gamers have left to learn about the upcoming FF. Good news: Square Enix still has a few more party members to reveal.

With the demo finally released to the public (videos here!), Final Fantasy XIII (PS3, Xbox 360) is now in its last stretch. Square Enix is on the move to make last-minute improvements to their build, and if you remember from previous reports, game director Motomu Toriyama and the rest of the team are already in the process of tying loose ends now. But what exactly are those refinements to be made? What differences will there be between the demo and the retail version of FFXIII? Take a deep breath, let's take 'em one bit at a time.

The latest issue of Famitsu in Japan has an interview with Final Fantasy XIII (PS3, Xbox 360) director Motomu Toriyama. We've got info on the current status of the game - just tying the loose ends now! - as well as their efforts in balancing resolution and readable text. As with their other recent games, cut scenes may also be paused and/or skipped here.

The upcoming demo for Final Fantasy XIII packaged with Advent Children Complete will only be 50% of what you'll see in the final game, according to new info from the Japanese mag, Dengeki PlayStation 3. That and more after the link.

Worries that Final Fantasy XIII will be delayed sprang up when Square Enix president Yoichi Wada announced that its release could be affected by Dragon Quest IX's own delay. Looks like worries may have been premature. FFXIII's director Motomu Toriyama says that development is still "going favorably for a 2009 launch."

When Final Fantasy XIII comes out, I expect to spend countless hours grinding, which is why I'm hoping the battle system won't be a hassle to play. High quality scans show the new and improved (?) battle system - way different from the one we saw from early screens.

In a recent interview, Square Enix producer Yoshinori Kitase, talks on some of the specifics for the command systems of the three games that comprise Final Fantasy XIII. Now if you've been following news on the Fabula Nova Crystallis series, then most of what Kitase says will already be familiar to you, but let this serve as a refresher course. Fabula Nova Crystallis 101.