Final Fantasy XV
The game has been the subject to much praise and interest since its release
as well as during its long development cycle
Regardless of praise or concern, the level of detail that can be observed in the game's open world
is something that can certainly be appreciated
Upon observing more recent open world games
most notable titles being, Horizon Zero Dawn and Zelda, Breath of The Wild
I began to think about some of the things that
the development team behind Final Fantasy XV, was able to accomplish with their take on open world design
The game's director, Hajime Tabata, spoke of creating an expansive world that felt natural
while still delivering a sense of wonder to players.
Despite its mystery, the world of Final Fantasy XV had become recognized...
as "Eos"
Even though Eos was still a mystery during this period, what players did know was that
Square Enix was looking to deliver a detailed, open world Final Fantasy game
with a number of new approaches not seen before in previous titles for the series.
In this regard, I do feel that, Square Enix has delivered on this expectation quite well
With that said, there are a number of aspects that I feel have greatly contributed to both the game's realism
and the vision of its developers
The sense of scale in Final Fantasy XV
is something that has never been seen before in previous titles for the series
Before Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy titles typically had expansive world maps where players could freely explore.
These world maps, which generally consisted of 'hub areas'
served as a way for players to explore various locations
take on new challenges, and engage with each title's unique story
However, despite their variety, their sense of scale was not realistic in any shape or form
More than likely, this was due to the technical limitations of the time
On that note, it could also be said that
this type of world design greatly contributed to the diversity that was present in previous titles
whether it is when entering towns and blistering locale
or when simply wandering on various continents
Final Fantasy XV takes this to the next level
and for the first time, delivers a world that is similar to our own
From the very beginning of this adventure
you are introduced to a desert area with large, mountainous borders, sparse roads
and not to mention a rather welcoming outpost, that serves as an important location throughout the remainder of the game.
Just then, the player is able to observe just a fraction of Eos
During what I like to call, the "Golden Period" of Final Fantasy (FFVI-FFIX)
it was standard for players to begin their journey at a specific setting before having the chance to set off into the wild.
For instance, the first couple of hours for Final Fantasy VII take place in Midgar
before the player is actually able to explore
In another example, Final Fantasy VIII
the player is able to get a brief look at Squall's life when exploring the intriguing sectors of Balamb Garden
If I could make a comparison, I would say that, the overall structure of Final Fantasy XV, including its story
is very reminiscent of the early NES Final Fantasy titles
Namely, Final Fantasy I, II, and IV
Despite the lack of environmental variety observed later in the game
Final Fantasy XV tends to do a decent job of introducing various areas on the continent of Lucis
A great example of this would be one of my favorite areas
Saxham Outpost, a Farmland area that can be found in Duscae
This relaxing area, ties in well with the aesthetics of the Duscae region
while still maintaining its own presence as an individual location.
It has beautiful walkways, and even its own pond, which is a nice touch to an already interesting vicinity
The game's primary towns and cities examine this aspect even further
Perfectly blending themselves in with the environments around them
the ability to seamlessly go from one area to another is a significant step for a mainline Final Fantasy title
Perhaps the best example of this would be Cape Caem
which is easily one of my favorite locations in the entire game
due to how perfectly the development team was able to blend the feeling of the Fall season
with that of the seaside.
The music featured in Cape Caem also does the location wonders
delivering a rather calming score during perhaps one of the game's most significant milestones when in regards to the story.
(Rain and thunder sounds)
Since the beginning of the game's creation, when it was originally named "Final Fantasy Versus XIII"
Square Enix sought to provide a realistic experience that was evocative of the very world that we live in
As the title's development progressed
the idea of a setting with numerous fantasy elements
and those closer to what can be found in the actual world, became more evident
This is especially true when in regards to the cities and towns that can be found in the world of Eos
For instance, Insomnia, which serves as the Crown City of the Lucian continent
combines a number of structural characteristics that can be observed in Tokyo, New York, London, and even Paris
Unfortunately, players aren't able to freely explore this city in the same way as other areas
but the inspiration in its design is relatively present.
The game offers other environments that closely resemble what one would expect from the real world
Using another example
I find Galdin Quay to be very identical to the Maldives, or isolated Caribbean areas
This beautiful resort, which was meant to operate as a small town area, is isolated in the ocean
as if it its own an island
It is surrounded by rocky land blistering with palm trees and a complete view of the ocean
The player is able to engage with this area quite a bit
with the option to do a variety of quests, and not to mention fishing
Another area, which has a number of similarities in functionality
differs radically in design
This would be the fantastical city of Altissia
The design of this location is clearly inspired by Venice
the capital of northern Italy's Veneto region
Outside of wandering on foot
the player has the option of traveling via gondola
All the while, you are able to completely take in the amazing scenery that the city has to offer
from its familiar architecture, to the calming water features.
I would say that, out of all of the areas that can be observed in Final Fantasy XV
Altissia is perhaps the most obvious example when in regards to how the development team
tried to convey a combination of fantasy and realistic concepts for their location designs
At the same time, the team had also made it clear that, Eos is in fact a fantasy world
just with the guiding principle being that...
the world should be connected to our very own
Noctis: "Time to go."
Gladiolus: "Alright!"
(Driving sound)
Out of all of the subjects discussed so far
perhaps one of the most captivating aspects of Final Fantasy XV
are some of the more overlooked details that can be found in the world
I would say that, one of my favorite features is the dynamic weather and lighting system
which really creates an immersive experience for the player
Little things like, realistic cloud formations
or even it raining more (or less often) depending on the region, really adds an impactful touch to the game's realism
However, the discussion of realism cannot be present
without mentioning one of the most significant elements of Final Fantasy XV's world design
and that would be the road itself, or rather...the ability to travel by car
From the very get go, it is very obvious as to how the development team tried to incorporate the aspect of driving
all the while maintaining the sense of a fantasy setting
The continent of Lucis is designed in such a way that
the player is able to freely stop what they're doing and engage with the environment around them at any time
With this in mind, the development team tried to encourage this type of play
through the use of parking spots, service stations, and even monster sightings
When you combine specific elements associated with the Regalia
such a music player, and even the capability to push the Regalia when empty
it just comes to show how far the development team went to enhance the "road trip" experience
Finally, there is one aspect that I feel is not given enough attention when in regards to discussions involving Final Fantasy XV
This relates to the landmarks that can be found in the game's extensive world
Like our world, we may associate certain objects and structures with that of another country or region
Examples of this would be the Statue of Liberty, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Taj Mahal, and even Japan's very own Mount Fuji
With this in mind, landmarks in Final Fantasy XV generally serve the same purpose
Not only do they encourage the player to explore certain areas
they also give players a sense of direction when navigating each region of the Lucian continent
Most notable landmarks include Longwythe Peak, the Disc of Cauthess, and the Rock of Ravatogh
Early on, players are actually able to get a glimpse of perhaps one of the most mysterious landmarks that can be found in Eos
Angelgard Island...
an isolated location that sits in plain sight from the East of Galdin Quay
Players have the opportunity of seeing this island in multiple locations when flying the Regalia Type-F
as well as when at the top of the lighthouse at Cape Caem
I find the most touching location, however
to be on the dock of Galdin Quay
(Waves)
While Final Fantasy XV does have a number of elements that make it's world truly great and mesmerizing
these aspects are what I feel grab my attention the very most
I think other players who have had the chance to experience the world first hand
may also feel the same way, while being keen to other areas that made their experience memorable
I do hope to expand more on the design of Eos
particularly when in regards shortcomings, the bestiary, dungeons
and more importantly...the potential of such an expansive world.
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