Square Enix shared the latest look at Final Fantasy XV with a new trailer and gameplay footage during Tokyo Game Show 2014. Hajime Tabata, who has taken over the role of director from Tetsuya Nomura, recently spoke with 4Gamer about the game’s characters and more.
During the interview, 4Gamer mentions that after seeing the latest trailer in Tokyo Game Show, along with some demonstration footage, it looks like the development of Final Fantasy XV seems to have gotten quite far already.
“At the moment, it feels like it’s at around 50 – 55%. The system’s basic parts are more or less complete, and you won’t have to wait another five or ten years after the release of the demo, so don’t worry. Of course if it isn’t well-received, we’ll have to re-think things,” Tabata replies with a laugh.
Next, 4Gamer asks if it’s safe to say that Final Fantasy XV will be an open-world RPG.
“In the sense that the world is seamlessly connected, then yes, that’s right,” responds Tabata. “That’s how the story will be told, as you ride a car and go on a journey.”
The interviewer also mentions that the trailer’s style and the way the characters were shown, gave off the vibe of a road movie, which is basically where the main characters leave home to travel from place to place, and are often placed in situations that are different from their everyday lives. In Final Fantasy XV‘s case, Prince Noctis is on the run and will go on a journey with his buddies.
“Exactly. We’re designing it to be a road movie that you can experience as an RPG. You’ll feel the romance of going on a trip, and such,” Tabata says.
4Gamer then mentions that the trailer and demonstration footage both focused on male characters, and that they get a feeling that it will be like a trip with guys. Meanwhile, they point out, we’ve only seen female characters in cutscenes.
“The party will only have male characters,” replies Tabata, “and that hasn’t changed since its previous form of [Final Fantasy Versus XIII].”
4Gamer asks if the road movie-style is also something that the game inherited from the days Versus XIII.
“Yes, we’re making Final Fantasy XV to have a strong road movie vibe to it,” explains Tabata. It’s a part of the game in which we’re placing great importance.”
Final Fantasy XV is in development for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Published: Sep 22, 2014 02:10 am