Alyssa Zaidelle, Serendipity, and more in Latest Final Fantasy XIII-2 Update

Square-Enix released some new screenshots a few days ago, and have now released the text to go along with it. The information foxues on some of the recent stuff we’ve learned in Japan, including Alyssa, Xanadu (which is known as “Serendipity” in English), mini-games, and more.

Hope Estheim – Director of Academy Research, Team Alpha.

  • A tireless work ethic and extraordinary ability have propelled Hope through the ranks of the Academy. Despite his youth, he has become the de facto leader of the research institute. Hope is articulate, considerate, and admired by his peers. He has matured considerably in the ten years since he fought alongside Lightning and the other l’Cie. He is researching “spacetime anomalies” that were discovered at the site of ancient ruins. Sorrowful events in his past once threatened to destroy him, but now they are the fuel that drives him to build a better future.

Hope Estheim – Yaschas Massif, 10 AF.

  • Ten years ago, he was an enemy of Cocoon, fighting alongside Lightning. Now, he is the leader of the Academy research institute.While researching ancient technologies, the institute discovers spacetime anomalies and launches an investigation. The sorrows and hardships of Hope’s past life now drive him to build a better future.

Alyssa Zaidelle – One of the young Academy researchers.

  • Bright and cheerful, she is a popular figure within the institute. She is also a smart and canny scientist, and she has become Hope’s trusted assistant.

A strange object has been unearthed in the ancient ruins. Strangely, Noel seems to know more than he’s letting on about the mysterious device. What role will it come to play in the adventures to come?

Cocoon Destroyed 

  • In the centuries to come, catastrophe will threaten humanity with extinction. One of the catalysts will be the fall of Cocoon. Serah is determined to change that bleak future.

The City of Academia 

  • The new capital city of humanity, built beneath Cocoon. Rapid urbanization has taken place under the leadership of the Academy and this highly automated information city stands at the center of a new civilization. But, how many years, how many centuries, must it take to create such a wonder?
  • Anomalies – A lively amusement district, brilliantly lit by neon and flashing signs. Normally it would be alive with the hubbub of excited shoppers, but now the only sounds are the woeful howls of Cie’th who haunt the streets.

  • Getting Around – Moving walkways are a great way to get around. Learn how to use the control panels to change directions and soon you will be exploring every corner of the sprawling city. Other devices and puzzles are waiting to be discovered.
  • Academia will change depending on the era in which you visit. See the city grow into a wonder of the modern age, a monument to technological and cultural progress that exceeds our wildest dreams.

Serendipity

  • Visitors to the casino play games with Casino Coins. Win enough coins and you can exchange them for rare prizes not available anywhere else. Head over to the casino’s exchange counter to purchase some coins and then let the games begin.
  • Slot Machines – Serendipity’s slot machines are built into recycled airbikes. Just like people, the machines have moods. Talk to the assistant nearby to pick up hints that might help boost your winnings.
    • Insert a coin, spin the reels and line up the pictures to match the payoffs shown above. The reels will come to a stop in different ways for that extra bit of tension, just like the real thing. If the goddess of luck is with you, you might hit the jackpot–50,000 coins!

  • Chocobo Races – Put your honor – and your hard-won coinage – on the line in the famous Chocobo Races. You can enter your own chocobo and race for the winner’s purse, or bet coins and try to predict the finish order.
    • You have to win chocobo allies in battle before you can enter them in the races. As long as a chocobo is racing for you here in the casino, he won’t be able to join you in battles back in the real world.
    • On the Racing Form, you can change your chocobo’s race strategy, give him items, or place bets on the race. This is also the place to view vital stats for each chocobo, including odds, individual strategies, and conditioning. Check it out before every race!
    • Sprinting Start – Press the button the instant the gates open to dash out of the gates and get a headstart on the pack.
    • Spurt – Use Spurt during the race to spur your chocobo to an extra burst of speed. The effect will last until the Spurt gauge in the lower right of the screen runs out. Know your chocobo and his abilities, and save Spurt for when it will be most effective.

Temporal Rifts

  • Somewhere in a void beyond space-time float temporal rifts. To escape these timeless labyrinths, adventurers must unlock crystal mysteries and resolve paradoxes. Temporal rifts will be an important part of your journey through the main story; but there will be many other occasions when side stories and quests will bring you to these mysterious places.

Tile Trial

  • Once you cross a tile, it is gone forever. There’s no turning back–you have to keep moving forward. Can you gather all the crystals, reach the far side of the maze, and find the gate to your own world?

The Hands of Time

  • Walk around the face of time, step on the numbered crystals, and press the button to make the crystals disappear. The hands of time will move around the clock a number of places equal to the number that disappeared. You then choose to erase a new crystal at one of the hands. Your goal is to make all the crystals disappear.

Kweh! Goes the Chocobo

  • Unleash your chocobo’s special attack and he will strike the target with a flurry of pecks. It looks cute, but you wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end!

The Tonberry’s Ultimate Grudge

  • With its special attack, the tonberry summons a maelstrom of malice. It’s a very tonberry kind of move.

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