Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13 lets players postpone the apocalypse by completing quests

Lighting Returns: Final Fantasy 13, the third and final title in the Final Fantasy 13 saga, uses a time management system in which players can extend the hours until the end of the world by completing missions, according to a recent interview with designer Motomu Toriyama on 4Gamer.

According to Toriyama, developer Square Enix is still determining how long an in-game day will be, with the current popular choice being between one and two real-time hours. The game's story will take place over the world's last 13 days, and once that time is up the game will have a definitive end.

In-game time can be extended by completing quests and defeating specific enemies. This allows for more unique, player-specific game experiences, and different choices will yield different cutscenes and alternate routes for heroine Lightning to take in those 13 days.

It is not possible to see every cutscene in one play through the game, Toriyama says, and the fluid time management structure means players can have completely different experiences each time they play the game.

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13 will release next year for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.