White Knight Story: Or what FF XII should be like.
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB9YeFLAwUo

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/733/733845p1.html

This game looks amazing. The gameplay looks like the gameplay I've been waiting years for. A realtime battle system that allows you to strategize. I mean random encounters are dumb, the heroes should see the monsters coming unless you're being ambushed. Let's take FFX for example, how do you get ambushed in the Calm Lands. THEY'RE FLAT PLAINS WITH SHORT GRASS!!! The animation in this game is beautiful too.

I...wow. Yeah, I definitely give these guys credit. This is the first incentive I've felt for buying the PS3.

I question the extent to which this approximates the authentic in-game experience. However, if it is legit, I am certainly intrigued.

I would normally say no no, you got it all wrong: this is what FFXIII should be like. However, after watching that, I must say I'm interested in White Knight, if just for the level of realism it got, even if it bordered in the edges of uncanny va- *gets shot by fifthfiend*

I like it, especially the gut punch bit, that just struck me as awesome.

I'm not sure what I'm really looking at. Is it just a turn-based system with a different look? Is it a slower-paced Kingdom Hearts? Is it supposed to be something like the boss battles in God of War, where you need to time button presses right to do damage?

I guess I'm more puzzled than intruiged.

Maybe, when I buy a PS3 four years from now or so, I'll get this game.

Looks awesome, even beyond awesome to orgasmic, but is it worth $550-650?

I'll tell you what it looks like...

It looks like an interactive cinema. They had games like this from old old systems. Playstation 1 had one with the Power Rangers where they showed actual scenes from the show while you entered the button sequence at the bottom of the screen.

Looking at the sequence at the bottom, it seems like there's points where they can attempt a combo of some sort. But either way, much of the game looks prescripted as shown by the fluid cutscenes.

My guess would be that it's one of those games where you can interact partially with the battle to affect the outcome. Since it said at the start like Mission 3 or something, it's level-based gameplay like the LOTR games. But those scenes definitely seem like some times he is controlling the character and the rest he is following through with some special move that is available just for that scene and character, like when the girl assisted him in beating up the guy when he came around from behind. The bar at the bottom changes with text and colors often enough for this to make sense, though I don't know if it's a button combination or what that makes it work.

did you read the article. The battle prep menu allows you to select moves and combos the character can use in that fight. I.e. the particular manner he slashes a foe. Or the co-op attack can either be comboed like in a fighting game, or organic based on your choices.

Level 5 is love.

That's all I have to say.

I actually have a semblance of a justification to think about getting a PS3 now.