Final Fantasy has a legacy on console, however because the years have rolled on, not solely has the collection landed on PC, but it surely’s change into the definitive place to play it. The newest mainline entry, Final Fantasy XV, seems and performs greatest on PC, whereas the continuing MMO success story Final Fantasy XIV is of course at residence alongside favourites like World of Warcraft and Guild Wars. Then there’s the truth that all of the games from the golden period of Final Fantasy are conveniently accessible on Steam, usually with HD graphics and additional options like achievements, speed-up modes, and cheats. What? Cheating is a function.
All this thought of, I obtained to eager about what the following step for this venerable collection could possibly be. In a recent interview, Final Fantasy XIV director and producer Naoki Yoshida stated that he want to see a brand new game that returns the collection to its traditional fantasy roots, and will get away from the high-tech aesthetic that has confirmed standard lately.
But how probably is that to occur? The reply might lie in Final Fantasy’s storied historical past, in addition to goings-on round different Square Enix tasks.
Who will develop Final Fantasy XVI?
Final Fantasy XV famously spun out from Final Fantasy Versus XIII, a game initially conceived by character designer turned game director, Tetsuya Nomura as a extra life like tackle the collection’ themes. Nomura left the mission within the midst of growth to concentrate on Kingdom Hearts III, nonetheless, and was changed by Hajime Tabata. Recent statements by Nomura in interviews counsel that Nomura is lower than comfortable about how XV turned out – but it surely doesn’t appear as if he’ll have any alternative to vary the route of the collection himself.
Now that Kingdom Hearts III has launched, Nomura’s consideration will flip to Final Fantasy VII Remake, the multi-part reimagining of the 1997 traditional. We can anticipate VII Remake to come back to PC finally, however it’ll begin life as a PlayStation timed unique.
Square Enix has already confirmed it’ll divide the Remake into a number of games, and by all accounts, we’re wanting not less than three to inform this epic story. Once they’re accomplished, Nomura will probably transfer onto the following stage within the Kingdom Hearts collection, teased within the secret film of Kingdom Hearts III (extra on that later). In different phrases, Nomura’s schedule seems to be full for the following half a decade. Given that Final Fantasy XV director Tabata has since left the corporate, it appears probably {that a} new chief will step in to develop the following mainline title within the collection.
Who might fill the director’s seat? There are two frontrunners. A brand new game with Yoshida on the helm would virtually assure a return to a extra conventional type, whereas in gameplay phrases it might incorporate components of XIV’s MMO stylings. That would put it in the identical territory as Final Fantasy XII, which obtained a remaster on Steam final 12 months.
A Yoko Taro Final Fantasy could be a bizarre and engaging route for the collection
The wildcard alternative is a reputation that JRPG followers will already be intimately conversant in – Yoko Taro. Taro is the mad genius behind the Drakengard collection, however you’ll most likely know him for its spin-off collection, Nier. Square Enix revealed Nier: Automata in 2017 to loads of crucial and business success, elevating Taro’s profile throughout the game trade to Kojima-like ranges. Automata was an idiosyncratic and delightfully odd post-apocalyptic journey, that supplied a considerably extra mature tackle the philosophical themes operating by the guts of Final Fantasy.
An government producer at Square Enix, Yosuke Saito, has expressed his want for Taro to work on the Final Fantasy series, whereas Taro himself has stated he’s desirous to do it – as long as he will get a giant funds to work with. Taro has already had direct involvement with the collection, confirming at Paris Games Week that he had helped to design a Nier-themed raid in Final Fantasy XIV. His games are darkish, cerebral, and decidedly extra grownup than typical Final Fantasy fare, so placing him on the helm of a brand new mainline game could be a bizarre and engaging route for the collection. Taro has labored throughout quite a lot of totally different aesthetic kinds, so I don’t know what kind this game might presumably take, however I do know that I’m effectively up for it.
Will XVI have a conventional fantasy setting?
When Final Fantasy first debuted on NES, it was steeped in conventional fantasy tropes, borrowing closely from the Tolkien-esque type that had already been popularised on the console by The Legend of Zelda. As the graphics modernised, so too did the settings on supply in Squaresoft’s flagship collection. Final Fantasy VI was the primary to introduce mechs into the universe, and when the 3D period took off, Final Fantasy was propelled headfirst into the realms of science fiction.
After the outstanding success of Final Fantasy VII and VIII, each games with a extra life like, futuristic aesthetic, Square determined to take the collection again to its roots with Final Fantasy IX. That game forged off the mechs, rockets, and skyscrapers, in favour of castles, dragons, and airships. While in a while within the story there have been some suggestions of the wizard hat to the stargazing of newer titles, the general tone of the game had its toes firmly planted within the swords and sorcery that gave the collection its begin.
As in 1999, in 2019 we discover ourselves rising from a tech-dominated period of Final Fantasy, one which has taken the collection to new and thrilling heights. With Nomura out of the image (for now), XVI affords a clean slate. Perhaps we’ll get a throwback to easier occasions.
COULD Kingdom Hearts CROSSOVER INTO FINAL FANTASY?
Those who took the time to collect all the Lucky Emblem collectibles in Kingdom Hearts III had been rewarded with a secret post-credits scene that hints in direction of the way forward for the collection. What’s fascinating for us is the implications the teaser has for the broader Square Enix canon, and the place Nomura’s future games will match into this line-up.
Beware! Major Kingdom Hearts III spoilers observe
At the tip of Kingdom Hearts III, the long-running story arc that started within the first game was lastly concluded, with the defeat of the collection big-bad Xehanort. While the universe of this Disney/Final Fantasy mash-up is secure ultimately, protagonist Sora learns his journey shouldn’t be over. Once the mud has settled on the ultimate battle, Sora units out to rescue Kairi, who has been misplaced to darkness (if it’s important to ask, you don’t wish to know). We know Sora succeeds on this quest as a result of we see Kairi secure on the Destiny Islands within the epilogue – nonetheless, her rescuer is mysteriously absent. What occurred to him? The secret film provides us a solution.
Ok, strap in for those who’re not a fan of Kingdom Hearts, as a result of what follows goes to sound fairly bonkers. After the credit have rolled, we see Sora get up, dazed and confused in real-life Tokyo. Yep, they went there. As the scene performs out, we see one other main character, Riku, has additionally arrived in Tokyo and is being watched by Yazora – a personality from a fictional videogame we see within the Toy Story world. I do know, I do know, however stick to me right here. The pretend game that our heroes seem to have woken up in is Verum Rex – a game that bears a placing resemblance to Final Fantasy Versus XIII, Nomura’s magnum opus that was cancelled and reworked into Final Fantasy XV. As the digicam pans throughout landmarks seen within the reveal trailer for Versus XIII, we hear the acquainted notes of Somnus, the theme that finally grew to become XV’s most important menu music.
While this post-credits sequence is scarcely greater than two minutes lengthy, it provides us a hell of rather a lot to unpack. Seeing the characters of Kingdom Hearts in a distinctly life like setting is weird, to say the least, and small particulars such because the life like stitching on Sora’s garments and the marginally extra pure proportions of his face have led many followers to take a position {that a} very totally different future lies in retailer for the franchise. To add gasoline to the idea fireplace, Sora has already had run-ins with the forged of The World Ends With You, one other Square Enix title set in Tokyo. Could this imply the door is open for Kingdom Hearts to journey to the worlds of Final Fantasy as effectively? Anything is feasible. Especially when your characters routinely skip between universes.
Read extra: Pass the time with the best RPGs on PC
If Nomura plans to redo Versus XIII with the Kingdom Hearts heroes, this might level to a future for the collection that’s separate from Disney, due to this fact opening it as much as a extra grownup viewers. Given how dedicated Square Enix has lately been in bringing its titles to PC, this new period for the collection could possibly be the proper time to make the leap.
Did… did I simply attempt to clarify the plot of Kingdom Hearts to a PC gaming viewers?!
Whew! This was extra exhausting than a zero-XP run of Kefka’s Tower! That’s nearly each doable actuality I can consider for the following Final Fantasy game. Now, for those who don’t thoughts, I’ll be popping on my tinfoil hat and ready for a Square Enix exec to politely inform me to be excited for E3.
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