Dissidia Final Fantasy (2008)

Unreleased

Dissidia -Final Fantasy- is an action game currently in development by Square Enix for the PlayStation Portable as part of the campaign of the Final Fantasy series 20th anniversary. The game will be released in North America under the name: Final Fantasy: Dissidia. Dissidia's genre has been described as "dramatic progressive action" and its graphics will be three dimensions with the ability to level up characters like in RPGs. The game will reunite characters from other installments of the Final Fantasy series. Chaos will make an appearance as the god of discord, while a new character, Cosmos, will appear as the goddess of harmony. Character designs will be handled by Tetsuya Nomura, but are based upon the original game art by Yoshitaka Amano. The game will also feature a narrator, who is to be voiced by Bunta Sugawara.

Synopsis
This is a story long steeped in Final Fantasy, a history of conflicting opinions. Originally, the goddess of harmony, Cosmos, and the dark god Chaos were both equal in power.

However, the forces of evil have threatened that balance. The most infamous villains of the Final Fantasy series have united under Chaos to take control of the crystals. If they succeed, they will have the power to change their fates and plunge the Final Fantasy universe into eternal darkness.

To prevent this from happening, Cosmos has summoned ten warriors to protect the crystals. Each warrior must once again face their greatest foes in the ultimate showdown.

Now, a new battle begins...

Gameplay
Dissidia is an action-based fighting game mixed with RPG elements. The battles in Dissidia are divided into stages, each taking place on its own checkerboard-like map. Characters will be moved around like pawns on the board, able to pick up equipment and potions on the map and fight whenever they stop adjacent to an enemy pawn. Destiny Points, also known as DP, are needed to move around the board. Characters can collect more DP by fighting non-boss enemies on the board. The non-boss enemies are imitations of other characters in the game, while the bosses of each stage appear at the end of the map. The energy of characters is not refilled after battles with regular enemies, so grabbing items and equipment on the board is the key to winning a battle and being prepared for the next. Battles take place on full 3D fields with a destroyable environment. The battlefield features regenerate after some time, eventually building up to their original form. Destroying pillars and other objects builds up character's Brave meter. Characters can also run up walls by holding down the button and keep running up them until letting go. is for jumping, and can be combined with the R button's guard to block certain attacks. The L button can be used to turn target locking on and off. There are two attack buttons, each with a different purpose. is to damage the opponent's hit points while the button damages the opponent’s Brave points. Brave points are required to do more damage to an enemy. The more Brave points a character has, the more damage he can deal. There is also an EX-Gauge which fills up during battle from attacking or from acquiring the EX-Cores placed around the stages. Once filled, the character can enter EX-Mode which grants a character-specific bonus and gives access to an EX-Burst, a special move that deals massive damage to their opponent. These moves often reference the representative games, such as Squall using his Renzokuken. After the battle is over, characters are rewarded with Gil, EXP, and AP. Characters level up in the game, the max being level 100. The director stated that depending on the player skills, a level 20 character can defeat a level 90 one. Screenshots and demos have shown that characters on the same side can battle with one another, such as Squall vs. Tidus and Garland vs. Kuja. In a scene in the new gameplay trailer, Tidus is shown obtaining a full Ex-bar from an item. It should also be noted that there are two variations of Victory Fanfares used - one for the Heroes, and another for the villains.

Characters


Thus far, 20 playable characters have been confirmed, a hero and a villain from each of the first ten Final Fantasy games. Final Fantasy XII is not represented as it had not been released when Dissidia first entered development, and spin-off games like Final Fantasy Tactics are also not being represented. However, hidden characters have been hinted at, but not confirmed. When asked by Famitsu about the possible inclusion of characters from Final Fantasy XI, Nomura cryptically stated, "I can't say anything yet."

As the game's synopsis implies, the story revolves around the conflict that each of the paired characters has that makes them unique. The story will unfold both outside, and in the middle of battles, marking a unique style of story telling. It has also been hinted that, although the playable cast consists of ten villains and ten heroes, they may not all be on the same side - heroes and villains have been seen fighting amongst themselves in trailers on several occasions.

Alternate costumes have been confirmed in an interview. The developers plan to have four outfits for each character. Revealed alts include Firion with a red cape (as in one of Amano's artwork) and Squall in his SeeD uniform, as well as Onion Knight with the appearance of Luneth from the DS remake of Final Fantasy III.

Final Fantasy

 * Warrior of Light: A warrior who excels at swordplay. He is also exceedingly talented at balancing his offense with the defensive use of his shield. On his world, after rescuing Princess Sara of the Kingdom of Cornelia, he set out on the journey to save a world covered in darkness. When in Ex-Mode, he can class-change to Knight. He was described as being an "all-round" fighter. He will be voiced by Toshihiko Seki.


 * Garland: He bears a great sword that he can transform into a highly destructive battle axe, both of which he wields with two hands as he fights in ever-changing patterns. On his world, he stood in opposition against the Warriors of Light. Although he used to be a famous knight, one day he suddenly kidnapped Princess Sara to demand the kingdom of Cornelia in exchange for her life. His Ex-Mode gives him a boost in both power and defense. His Ex-Burst, Soul of Chaos, charges up by rapidly tapping the circle button, and once full unleashes a string of critical attacks. He was described as being a "standard" fighter. Garland will be voiced by Kenji Utsumi.

The conflict between Garland and Light Warrior is a heavy reference of the "Cycle" that the Four Fiends used to prolong their rule in the original Final Fantasy. Garland challenges Light Warrior to end the cycle of evil, claiming it is endless.

Final Fantasy II

 * Firion: The sword, the spear, the bow, the knife, the staff; only a sampling of the weapons this young man has mastered. He possesses a strong sense of justice, and an equally passionate soul. On his world, he hails from the kingdom of Fynn. When the kingdom was besieged by the Palamecian Empire, his adoptive parents were killed in the attack and he almost died as well. After he and his friends are saved by the Wild Rose Rebellion, they decide to dedicate themselves to the cause. He can change his weapons in the middle of battle. He was described as being a "weapon specialist". Firion will be voiced by Hikaru Midorikawa.


 * The Emperor: A man who wields terrible magic and manipulates powerful arcane forces. He has a cool-headed demeanor, fitting for one who believes the ends justify the means. On his world, he planned to conquer the world as the leader of the militaristic Palamecian Empire. He held the people of the world in fear of the powerful demon army he summoned from Hell itself. He can transform into the demonic Emperor of Hell in Ex-Mode. He was described as being a "trap-maker". The Emperor will be voiced by Kenyu Horiuchi.

The conflict between the Emperor and Firion revolves around opposite ideals. Firion, seeking The Wild Rose, is a metaphor for seeking freedom from oppressive rule. The Emperor however claims that all must bow down to his law and order. They represent iconic values of Chaotic Good vs Lawful Evil, hallmarks of most role playing games.

Final Fantasy III

 * Onion Knight: A young man who possesses the title of Onion Knight. Although he is small, he runs about nimbly and liberally uses his sword and magic. On his world, while playing around in the ruins of the crystal's temple, he and his friends fell into a hole caused by an earthquake and they wandered the caverns until they came to the crystal's alter, where the Wind Crystal presented them with a mission of becoming the Warriors of Light. He can transform into a Sage or a Ninja on Ex-Mode and his Ex-Burst consists of using either the Ninja's Throw ability, or the Sage's magic abilities. Both transformations are jobs received from the hidden land of Eureka in Final Fantasy III (The Earth Crystal in the DS Version). His design is based on the original Final Fantasy III Light Warrior in one of Amano's artwork, Koichi Ishii's Onion Knight artwork for Final Fantasy III, and the Onion Knight artwork from the DS remake. One of his alternate costumes is based on Luneth, the main character from the the DS remake. He was described as being a "magic & sword" character. He will be voiced by Jun Yukuyama.


 * Cloud of Darkness: A being who exists to return all to nothing in order to reset the balance between light and dark. She is able to fly and can use the tentacles to attached to her body to attack. On her world, when the sorcerer Xande caused darkness to flood the world, she was revived from her 1000 year slumber. As she was poised to erase everything, the Warriors of Light made a stand against her. As with most other Dissidia characters, her design has been altered dramatically to resemble an original Amano sketch of her. Some of the notable differences from her in-game appearances are pale skin (instead of orange on NES and green on DS), silver hair, a blood red cape, and her arms seem to resemble that of Ultimecia's. Her Ex-Mode transformation is her green appearance from the previous games - which gives her the ability to interupt and cancel her opponent's brave attacks, and her Ex-Burst is the Particle Beam, her signature attack. She was described as being a "wave cannon master". Masako Ikeda will voice her.

The relationship between the Onion Knight and the Cloud of Darkness is the eternal battle between light and darkness, both in Final Fantasy III, and the shifting balance it has during the game.

Final Fantasy IV

 * Cecil Harvey: A warrior who can switch between a Dark Knight and a Paladin. On his world, he commanded the Red Wings, Baron's airship unit, but being forced to follow the King's unreasonable commands caused him a great deal of anguish. To redeem himself from the cursed power of darkness, Cecil traveled to Mt.Ordeals and became a holy warrior. In his Dark Knight form, he prides himself on ground combat, weilding devastating powerful attacks. In his Paladin form, he prides himself on aerial combat, nimbly bounding in the air with his magnificent swordplay. Cecil will be voiced by Shizuma Hodoshima.
 * Golbez: A man clad in dark armor and priding himself on powerful magic. Even when wearing such an armor, he is still quite agile. On his world, he manipulated the kingdom of Baron to gather the crystals, and when Cecil left the kingdom he assumed command of the Red Wings to lead them to war against other nations. Golbez has been seen speaking with Sephiroth, claiming to have some sort of unrevealed plan for which he needs Cecil's light power. In his EX-Mode he summons the Shadow Dragon, and for his Ex-Burst, "Double Command," the player inputs commands for both Golbez and the Shadow Dragon. He is a powerful magic user, and, like Kuja, is more powerful from long-distances. Golbez will be voiced by Takeshi Kaga.

The nature of their conflict is unconfirmed; however, it seems to center around their relationship as brothers, and their opposing alignments of light and darkness. It could be that they represent two opposite interpretations of the Mysidian Legend, which refers to light and darkness "birthed from dragon's maw" and "two bound by ties of blood".

Final Fantasy V

 * Bartz Klauser: An orphan from Lix that, on his father's final wish, decided to wander the world. His flaming passion to do what is right sets him apart from others, as well as his overwhelming naivety. On his world, during his adventures, Bartz comes across a young woman, Lenna, an amnesiatic old man, Galuf, and the pirate captain, Faris. Upon reaching the Wind Shrine, the four are chosen by the Crystals to fight Exdeath's campaign of destruction. While his color scheme is based on his in-game appearance, his clothes and facial features are based on the original artwork of Amano's. He is a Mime and can mimic the attacks of the other hero characters as well as wield their weapon(s). Scans show that he doesnt have to be facing the specific character he mimics. An article in Famitsu Magazine describes that his Ex-Burst uses all of the weapons of each and every hero. He will be voiced by Souichiro Hoshi.


 * Exdeath: An evil warlock who is the manifestation of all evil in the Great Forest of Moore, he seeks to destruction of the Crystals so as to obtain the power of the Void, and thus, bringing chaos to the world. His look in Dissidia is largely unchanged from his original artwork and his battle sprite. He has been shown weilding the sword form his artwork and casting magic. His Ex-Mode appears to be his tree form fought before Neo-Exdeath in Final Fantasy V, but Famitsu Magazine articles name him as "Neo-Exdeath" - therefore sugesting that the appearance of Neo-Exdeath has been re-designed. He has been described as a "guard and counter" fighter. He will be voiced by Tarou Ishida.

The nature of their conflict is presently unknown. It may, however, have something to do with Exdeath's desire to end all of existence, and Bartz's will to live.

Final Fantasy VI

 * Terra Branford: The child of an Esper and a human, Terra was instrumental in the Gestahlian Empire's development of Magitek. As a hybrid of the two races, she is proof they can co-exist peacefully. In her world, Terra helped the resistance group known as the Returners rebel against the empire to uncover her lost memories. Terra's appearance is based on her original artwork, and she thus she appears as a blonde and wears a pale cloak. She attacks using elemental magic, her EX-Mode is to transform into her Esper form, and her EX Burst is her Riot Blade Desperation Attack. She has been described as a "magic master". Terra will be voiced by Yukari Fukui.
 * Kefka Palazzo: A failed Magitek experiment turned into the psychotic and sadistic Court Mage of the Gestahlian Empire. Kefka desires to cause chaos and destruction wherever he can for the sole purpose of finding amusement in doing so. In his world, Kefka found an ancient trio of Gods known as the Warring Triad, and drained them of their power to become the God of Magic. As his appearance is based on his artwork, Kefka's clothing is much more garish than in-game, but his core facial design is identical. Being refered as the "smiling mad mage", Kefka attacks using his magic, and his EX-Mode is to transform into his "god" form, and his EX Burst is a variation of his signature move, "Forsaken". He has been described as a "trick star". Kefka will be voiced by Shigeru Chiba.

Their conflict has not been confirmed at this time. It may deal with their opposing characteristics, Kefka believing in hatred and destruction, while Terra believes in love and hope. The source of their power is another sharp contrast, Terra having innate magic while Kefka's was forcibly extracted from Espers.

Final Fantasy VII

 * Cloud Strife: A young man with false memories and great strength due to experiments by Professor Hojo, he wields the enormous Buster Sword and has become a great warrior in his own right. In a trailer presented at the Tokyo Game Show 2008, Cloud has been seen in a video fighting his arch enemy Sephiroth, effectively confirming his place among the Dissidia cast as a playable character. His voice actor is confirmed to be Takahiro Sakurai.
 * Sephiroth: Once a great SOLDIER, now driven mad by what he believes is his birthright to reign over humanity as a God. He fights using his nodachi, the Masamune. Minor changes have been made to his appearance to appear more like his Amano art, with a belt on the outside of his overcoat, and different shoulder guards. His voice actor will once again be Toshiyuki Morikawa.

Their Dissidia conflict is unknown, although it's possibly about one wanting revenge on the other. Sephiroth seems to want to crush Cloud's mind and Cloud in response seems to want revenge upon the mad swordsman for controlling him.

Final Fantasy VIII

 * Squall Leonhart: A young man armed with a specially designed Gunblade. With his reticence and unsociable character, he is often apathetic towards other people. On his world, he attended the mercenary training academy Balamb Garden, as a member of the special SeeD unit. After he met with Resistance member Rinoa Heartilly, and became entangled with the Sorceresses, Squall's fate was forever changed. Slight alterations have been made to his outfit to resemble his Amano art, but his overall costume still remains similar to his in-game appearance. On his Ex-Mode, he transforms his Gunblade into the Lion Heart, and his Ex-Burst is his limit break, Renzokuken. He was described as being a "combo master". Hideo Ishikawa will voice Squall.


 * Ultimecia: A Sorceress said to have the power to manipulate time itself. She possesses powerful magic, able to be molded into mystic swords and axes for her to attack with. On her world, she was a Sorceress from the distant future who, through the use of time magic, planned to compress her time with that of Squall's so that her existence would be become constant. In the second trailer, she is able to halt time and screen shots reveal that her Ex-Mode transformation is her form when junctioned with Griever. She was described as being a "magic shooter". Atsuko Tanaka will voice her.

These two have a one sided conflict, or rather it is a rehash of Squall's past personality prior to the ending of Final Fantasy VIII. Ultimecia uses mind games and deception to try to crush what heroism and good values Squall may have buried under his no-nonsense personality. Squall for his part seems focused only on protecting the crystals. Their conflict may also be rooted in Ultimecia deceiving Squall, and Squall seeking the truth behind the events occurring around him.

Final Fantasy IX

 * Zidane Tribal: Possessing excellent drive and judgment, he is a 16-year-old boy with a deep sense of justice and a weakness for girls. On his world, he was a member of the Tantalus Theatre Troupe--a cover for a group of thieves. After a mission to kidnap the Princess Garnet, he decided to dedicate himself to her cause. While traveling, Zidane and the others become entangled in the conflict over the planet of Gaia on which they live. On his Ex-Mode, he transforms into Trance Zidane to use Dyne techniques and his EX-Burst is his ultimate attack, Grand Lethal. He was described as being an "air master". Romi Paku will voice Zidane.


 * Kuja: With his pale skin and long silver hair, he is certainly beautiful, but he possesses a cruel, violent personality and an undeniable narcissism. He also seems to be unusually jealous of Zidane. On his world, he taught Queen Brahne how to manufacture Black Mages from the mist, and planned to also use the power of the Eidolons to throw the world into chaos. He can transform into Trance Kuja on his Ex-Mode. He was described as being a "range-free" fighter. Kuja will be voiced by Akira Ishida.

The exact nature of their Dissidia conflict is unknown. They banter in a poetic fashion using musical metaphors; Kuja tells Zidane he will "play him his requiem", for example. It is assumed they are continuing the struggle of which brother has the right to exist at the cost of the other.

Final Fantasy X

 * Tidus: The ace player from the Blitzball team, The Zanarkand Abes. On his world, he arrived in Spira after his city was attacked by the beast Sin, after which he met the summoner Yuna and joined her guardians on her pilgrimage. His appearance has been heavily based from his Amano artwork more than his appearance in Final Fantasy X. He fights with the Brotherhood sword and a Blitzball. On his Ex-Mode, he changes his weapon into the Caladbolg which casts Hastega to give him more speed for his attacks and dodging, and his Ex-Burst is his Blitz Ace overdrive. He was described as being a "dodge/attacker." Tidus will be voiced by Masakazu Morita.


 * Jecht: Tidus' father who served as the star player on Zanarkand's Blitzball team. On his world, he lost his way during training when he accidentally came into contact with Sin and was sent to Spira, and in trying to return to Zanarkand he joined Yuna's father Braska on his pilgrimage. Soon, his fate is swallowed up within the curse of Sin. Famitsu magazine screen shots reveal that he is able to transform into his Aeon Form on his Ex-Mode. He was described as being a "ultimate infighter". Jecht will be voiced by Masuo Amada.

Their conflict revolves around their antagonism as father and son, somewhat, as well as Jecht's role as Braska's Final Aeon. In the trailer in which they battle, Tidus accuses Jecht of deceiving him, and claims "if you don't cross over, tomorrow will never come". Thus, their conflict could be seen as rooted in the need for Jecht to die in order for Sin to be destroyed.

Why these two characters would want to fight on opposite sides is very questionable. Throughout the course of Final Fantasy X, Tidus does show hatred for Jecht, but not vice versa. It is speculated that Jecht is still under the control of Yu Yevon, as evidenced by the fact that he can transform into the Final Aeon, but it seems unlikely. The creators themselves state that their relationship will be based on a "What If" situation, of how they would behave together prior to the ending of Final Fantasy X. During the trailer at DKS31713, Tidus questioned Jecht as to why he joined with the other side - therefor suggesting that it was Jecht's own free-will to join with the villains, but this doesn't tell us the reason he did so.

"The scenes with Tidus and Jecht should be quite an interesting expansion. In the main Final Fantasy X story the two only got a chance to talk together in the final scene. This time we're telling the parts of that story that couldn't be seen before. There will be quite a few. But what we're doing is fine tuning the original story details behind the characters' births, relationships, & interactions. Tidus has a connection with the heroes, while Jecht is tangled with the characters on the Chaos side." -Takeshi Arakawa (Game director)

Gods

 * Cosmos, the Goddess of Harmony that summoned the heroes into the Dissidia universe to protect the Crystals from the forces of Chaos and keep order. She is so far the only original character introduced in the game. She will be voiced by Masumi Shimamoto.


 * Chaos, the antagonist from the original Final Fantasy, returns as the God of Discord. He summoned the villains into the Dissidia universe to take control of the Crystals and upset the balance of power between good and evil. He will be voiced by Norio Wakamoto.

The conflict between Cosmos and Chaos over arches the storyline of the game and represents the eternal conflict between the forces of order and chaos. They both are opposites to each other, not just as the titles that they hold, but their elements - Cosmos seems to be an aqua-like being from the skies, whilst Chaos appears to be a lava-like being from the ground. It is unlikely that either Cosmos or Chaos will be playable characters in the game, but one or both will most likely feature as a boss.

Summons
Summons have been confirmed to appear in Dissidia. Not much is known about them, but they are equipped prior to fighting and are represented by red orbs over the player's health bar. Currently known Summons include:
 * Barbariccia
 * Bomb
 * Cactuar
 * Carbuncle
 * Ifrit
 * Leviathan
 * Typhoon

Arenas
Although it is possible that more will be introduced, to date ten arena-type areas have been revealed, each serving as the last site of the conflict between the heroes and the villains in their original games.

The arena representing the original Final Fantasy is the Chaos Shrine, where the first and final boss battles in Final Fantasy take place. In each corner of the room is a portrait of each Elemental Fiend. Two distinct areas make this arena, the starting point being a hall, where said portraits can be found, and a second floor, seemingly the rooftop of the shrine. The villains have also been seen conspiring in the Chaos Shrine.

The area that represents Final Fantasy II is Pandaemonium, the palace of Hell erected by the Emperor, and final dungeon of Final Fantasy II. Final Fantasy III is represented by the World of Darkness, the final dungeon in Final Fantasy III where the Cloud of Darkness rests and Final Fantasy IV is represented by none other than the Red Moon, where the game's climax takes place. The Crystal Palace and Lunar Whale visible in the background.

Final Fantasy V is represented by the Dimensional Castle, the deepest section of the Interdimensional Rift before entering the Void itself, where Exdeath lies; while the arena of Final Fantasy VI is the Magitek Research Facility from the imperial capital Vector. Final Fantasy VII is represented by an area of the Northern Crater: the platform where the player fights Jenova SYNTHESIS in Final Fantasy VII. The area that represents Final Fantasy VIII is the Clock Tower of Ultimecia Castle, the Sorceress' lair in Final Fantasy VIII. Final Fantasy IX is represented by the Crystal World, a series of floating platforms of crystal in the depths of Memoria, where the final battle with Kuja took place; and Final Fantasy X is represented by Dream's End, the deepest area in Sin where Jecht has recreated Zanarkand and where he is fought as an Aeon.

In addition to the above arenas, a wasteland with storm clouds and floating rocks has been sighted, where several villains and heroes battle each other in the released trailers' CGI scenes.

Development
First news of the game appeared when Square Enix filed for United States trademark registration of "DISSIDIA" and then with the opening of the Dissidia website with the games logo. It was fully unveiled at Square Enix Party 2007 with the first trailer featuring the Warrior of Light, Garland, Zidane, Kuja, and Sephiroth. It was announced as part of the Final Fantasy series 20th Anniversary (although the game wouldn't be released in time for the Final Fantasy series anniversary, and would not represent all numbered Final Fantasy games of the last 20 years, instead stopping at Final Fantasy X.) It was announced that the game would be directed by Yousuke Shiokawa, with music by Takeharu Ishimoto, and character designs handled by Tetsuya Nomura. The game would pit past Final Fantasy characters against each other in a 3D battle field. The game made its playable debut at Jump Fiesta 2008, December 22nd 2007 where another trailer was shown featuring Squall, Ultimecia, and Tidus. In an interview Nomura stated that the game was being developed by younger staff members within Square-Enix and although he was the character designer, he was pretty hands off the project and leaving it in the hands of the younger developers.

Director, Takeshi Arakawa, has said that there were difficulties in developing Dissidia using the UMD media in that they wanted to find a compromise between reading from the disc constantly (which drains battery) and longer loading times.

Merchandise
The Dissidia cast shall be made into Trading Arts Figures, posing in their positions as depicted in their Dissidia artwork. Dissidia will also include a purchasable bundle similar to that of Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-. It will include Dissidia, and the new PSP 3000 with engravings of Cosmos and Chaos, similar to the Crisis Core bundle. A line of Potion beverages with likenesses of the artwork for each of the heroes and villains on the cans have also been produced.

The Dissidia -Final Fantasy- Original Soudtrack is now available as well, with the possibility of being ordered through Square-Enix's japanese site.

Trivia

 * The first trailer for Dissidia had the tagline "There are 12 worlds...and the 13th is about to be revealed." The meaning of this line has not yet been explained, although it may refer to Final Fantasy XIII.
 * Dissidia's release date in Japan, December 18th, is the same date that the original Final Fantasy was first released.
 * Dissidia will also be released through the Japan PSN store as a download.