Jump has the first real look at FINAL FANTASY XIII-2’s Crystarium system.

If you recall from FINAL FANTASY XIII, the Crystarium was used to essentially level up your characters, however, the system was capped to a certain point in each chapter. Now in XIII-2, the Crystarium is completely open, allowing players to level up as much as they choose.

As you can see in the pictures, the Crystarium itself is shaped in the form of Noel and Serah’s weapons. It appears there are no longer “tiers.” You still have to spend CP to gain new abilities, of course, but this refined system makes it a lot easier. By completing certain conditions of specific roles, for example, you’ll be able to select from several bonuses for your character.