There doesn't look to be any shortage of characters on hand for Final Fantasy XIII-2, whether you're talking about humans or beasts. Mog the Moogle doesn't quite look like a ferocious or particularly helpful accompaniment to the player's party, but the newest trailer for Final Fantasy XIII-2 shows that looks can be deceiving.

We've known for some time that monsters would have an expanded role in the follow-up to FFXIII, from useful accomplices in combat to upgradeable pets. But thanks to a new trailer centering on Mog the Moogle, it seems that the adorable flying critter will prove more than useful in a variety of different ways in and out of skirmishes.

Whether it's adding to the new and improved combat system by offering special attacks, or helping the player uncover hidden items and artifacts, there's more to Mog than meets the eye. have a look:

The new flying pet is just one change the developers at Square Enix have made in an effort to deliver the game fans had hoped for with FFXIII. That means plenty of new characters and DLC, and the early gameplay footage looks both graphically stunning and promising. The only question remaining is whether fans are willing to give the game developers a second chance to deliver the game they had expected.

The first week of Japanese FFXIII-2 sales are fairly indicative of just how much goodwill the series may have lost with the last entry. It's understandable to be a bit more cautious after a lackluster release, but it would truly be a shame if the extensive changes and new systems that have been made to the FFXIII formula were all for naught.

Still, if loyal fans decide that their money is better spent on other franchises this year, it's hard to feel too sorry for Square Enix. The Moogle may be helpful, but it's no miracle worker.

What do you think of the various changes that have been made to the combat engine and monster collecting? Are useful new pets and bonus attacks enough for you to forgive and forget? Leave us your own thoughts in the comments.

Final Fantasy XIII-2 releases January 31, 2012 on the PS3 and Xbox 360.

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