For years now, Final Fantasy players have been learning the mystic arts of white magic and gobbling down health potions to ensure their party's survival, and continuing the odd tradition of adding "ga" to spells that somehow qualifies them as being more powerful. But after 26 years, Square Enix is changing things up a bit, and doing away with this tried and true system of health restoration.
Taking its place are two new types of currency, Glory and Radiance. It's the former that will be the primary means for players to recover from countless hours of grinding. Translating from a Dengeki interview, Siliconera reports that Glory and Radiance are a currency players use for various reasons, including, apart from healing, teleporting around the world, stopping time, and resurrecting after a knock-out, ala the good 'ol Phoenix Down.
Whereas in past games, resting and proper items would be used to recover magic points, and health items purchased (ocasionally earned), Glory Points will be earned after winning battles. Said the game's design director, Yuji Abe, "to a degree, you'll be able to go around fighting to recover your health." So, get in a tough battle and need to recover? Fight again...Stronger enemies will give you more GP, so it might be a good idea to take on a stronger enemy to cast a Curaga when your HP is looking low. Command-based battle systems allow you to use them as much as you'd like, but this time it may feel a little more restricted."
It'll definitely be a switch for most FF familiars, but doesn't seem like it'll be too difficult for players to get used to.
As far as Radiance goes, it has arguably a far more powerful quality, specifically, time travel.
We've known for a while now that Lightning Returns tasks players with saving the world in a severely limited amount real world time, 13 days. Players can be given additional time for making certain gameplay decisions, or scolded for making the wrong ones. However, Radiance give players a new option to impact the ever flowing river of time, by spending them at the Tree of Life. Players can earn Radiance by completing particular quests, each of with will offer various amounts of points, forcing players to think strategically when choosing their missions. Just don't overthink it, because the clock is always ticking.
The closer to the so called "Lightning Saga" that began with Final Fantasy XIII, Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13 is out in the states some time in February 2014 on PS3 and Xbox 360.
