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‘Final Fantasy XV’ News: Open-World Possibilities, Flying Car Details, & More

By Bryan Star
Published on: 06:49 PST, Jun 5, 2016

Final Fantasy XV details have come in from Square Enix, and it could shape the mindset of fans who have been waiting to start their adventure with Noctis and friends. During an Active Time Report broadcast, the information was revealed to the public.

In a report by DualShockers, it appears the open world aspect of Final Fantasy XV has been expanded upon. Unfortunately, it looks as though players won’t be able to roam in terms of going absolutely anywhere that they would like. While the locations upon which Noctis can traverse will be expansive, Final Fantasy XV Director Hajime Tabata has clarified that the number of places the player can access will open up as the story goes on.

This is nothing new to action adventure RPG games, as plot progression is what usually opens up new venues or ways to travel. The Final Fantasy series is especially famous for this feature, as travel by air and car tend to happen at later points once the player has reached a critical part in the story.

Additionally, it appears that players won’t be able to climb every mountain or scale every cliff in Final Fantasy XV. The open world will have specific ways of getting from higher or lower ground. Combat is fairly straightforward while out in the field, and Tabata has also clarified that there will be something close to a skill tree for various abilities to be learned.

Tabata is currently not going into details about the Armiger, Noctis’s special ability that allows him to form weapons around him that hover and enhance his combat abilities. He has stated that it would be a “spoiler,” though he does state that there are seven weapon types. Each of these types have quite a bit of variety in them. The Final Fantasy series is known for its plentiful amount of equips and accessories, so fans should expect the same trend for Square Enix’s upcoming release.

An interesting note on Final Fantasy XV is the difficulty. Hajime Tabata has assured players old and new that “action game” skills will be of little importance. The game will gradually show the player its mechanics. One could consider it a tutorial, the usual process by which a game’s various aspects are introduced and taught. Of course, games usually have a difficulty setting that the player can use to increase or decrease the challenge. Tabata has teased such an option, though he admits that fans will have to wait until E3 to hear more.

In regard to vehicles and methods of transportation in Final Fantasy XV, Director Tabata has stated that the Regalia, Noctis’s car, will be faster than chocobo travel. This is a bit of a change to Final Fantasy players, as the yellow birds are usually the go-to choice for when players want to get across land quickly. An interesting note on the giant birds is that you’re able to feed them, increasing stamina or speed based on what’s given to them for consumption.

Piloting and driving the Regalia could cost players dearly if they aren’t careful; the ability to take off from the ground when flying will be left up to the players, but the vehicle will crash if the Regalia’s landing isn’t handled properly. This will lead to a “Game Over,” and players will be reset to the point before takeoff began. There’s also the option to travel by boat, though this will not give players total control. Instead, they’ll be able to rotate the camera during the transition.

Fast point travel in Final Fantasy XV will help players by allowing them to revisit any area they’ve camped at. This is convenient for farming, or if a player simply wants to explore a previously visited location. Additionally, it appears that players will be able to save their game anywhere. Other games in the Final Fantasy series generally require a certain location or designated area to save, giving this change an intriguing potential. Monsters and enemy units are aplenty in Final Fantasy XV, so this may give more wary players a sense of relief when making progress.

There is currently no gallery mode or photo mode planned for the initial release of Final Fantasy XV, though Square Enix may include these options at a later time. The graphics are a main concern for fans, as well. Tabata has asked that patience be given until E3, when more details on the game are released. Of particular importance is the fact that Square Enix is interested in a PlayStation 4 bundle, but the possibility of such a thing would rely on Sony.

There’s also the matter of Kingsglaive, the full-length movie that will accompany the release of Final Fantasy XV. In a report by Gematsu, players can get information on the main characters and supporting cast. The movie will be bundled with the game depending on which edition of Final Fantasy XV is purchased. Fans who are interested in the anime, Brotherhood, should also be excited to know that the next episode will make its appearance around E3.

How do you feel about the latest Final Fantasy XV details? Excited to pilot the Regalia and feed chocobos? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

[Image via Square Enix]

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