New details have arisen on Final Fantasy XV’s story. According to director Hajime Tabata, the story will take place over ten years.
If you watched the hour of gameplay that hit the web several weeks ago, you may have noticed that the intro to the game takes place after the events that have been shown in trailers and demos. This is because the story begins with a time jump and then rewinds to when Prince Noctis begins his journey with his four friends.
It was also recently revealed that only roughly half of the game is open world. The first half is filled with massive open spaces to explore, while the second is much more straightforward. This is done on purpose. The latter half is more linear so that those who stick with the game will have a more direct path to the finale.
The expanse of time that the game takes place in is also very thought through. By the end of the game, you will be able to see the changes that the characters go through, cementing them as more realistic, emotional beings.
The biggest change in this entry of the storied franchise, however, is the combat. If you haven’t seen the game in action during its 10-year development cycle, it might surprise you to know that Final Fantasy is moving away from turn-based combat. The action heavy combat system being introduced in XV is still full of depth and intricacies, but everything is more active.
These big changes to the game’s story and systems signal a very different kind of Final Fantasy game. But that may be just what the series needs.
Final Fantasy XV releases for Xbox One and PS4 November 29, 2016.
