The English localization of Final Fantasy XIII is now complete, awaiting master disc approval. This news was revealed today on the official European site by a message from the game’s director, Motomu Toriyama.

Dear gamers in Europe,

FINAL FANTASY XIII overseas version is finally completed.
I am sorry for the long wait.
At present, members of the development team in Japan are on a New Year holiday while awaiting an approval for the master disc.

The overseas version was developed simultaneously with the Japanese one as we wanted to ensure that it comes out as soon after the Japanese release date as possible.

In the completed FINAL FANTASY XIII, the features which were popular amongst gamers at our survey last summer have been enhanced even further.

One of those features is characters’ facial animations, which work as the core of any human drama. Their movements are completely synchronised with the English lines and, due to this, each scene in the game is truly spectacular. Another feature to be mentioned is FFXIII’s new strategic battle system, Paradigm Shift.

Just like the Japanese version, this system adds elements of real-time actions to the battle, which has been made almost over-the-top, so that the more you use the shift, the more exhilarating the combat becomes.
The release date is now approaching.

Don’t get distracted. You will see the truth when you hold it in your hands.
Please be patient a little longer for the “day of a battle against the fate”!

Motomu Toriyama

Source: Official Final Fantasy XIII European Site.