The “Dawn” of Final Fantasy XV

During gamescom 2015 an interview held with Square Enix video game director Hajime Tabata revealed details surrounding Final Fantasy XV along with a tentative bracket for release scheduled sometime before 2017. Elements of the story introduced in the “Dawn” teaser trailer were discussed with a bend towards introducing players new and old to the updated story and ensuring that everyone is on the same level as the game takes its final steps down the road to the full release.

The “Dawn” trailer is set 15 years before the events of the main game and everything shown is taken from in-game footage. King Regis is depicted holding a young Noctis in his arms while he stands in the rain. Of course, it wouldn’t be Final Fantasy if he wasn’t also holding a badass sword point down while three enormous ethereal shapes loomed over the buildings in front of the two of them. It has been confirmed by Tabata that these three mysterious figures shrouded in shadow and cloud are not the beings known as “Eidolons” that Noctis can summon to his aid during battle, but their identities haven’t been revealed; they seem to be playing it close to the chest regarding these beings and their role in the story.

The trailer reflects one of the key themes that run though the game: the bonds between parent and child and the bond you have with your comrades. The trailer introduces players to the point “when the cogs of fate begin to turn and the story is set in motion”.

The game’s story kicks off with some good old political conflict. Noctis’ kingdom of Lucius is days away from signing an armistice with the kingdom of Nifelheim. Prior to the treaty signing, Noctis departs on a journey to the imperial province of Tenebrae, where he will formalize Lucis’ union with the state through his marriage to the Lady Lunafreya. Unfortunately this peace offering turns out to be a ruse, and the imperial city’s army seizes Lucis’ throne and its sacred crystal. On his way to Tenebrae, Noctis learns that he, his father, and Lunafreya are all believed to be dead. Upon hearing this, Noctis sets out with his three companions – Ignis, Gladiolus, and Prompto – to set things right and fulfil his destiny.

The Lady Lunafreya (or Luna as the devs refer to her) will be a strong female character with her own dreams and goals that she aspires to. “She’s not one of those weak, vulnerable heroines that need protecting,” Tabata says. “She has her own will and determination, and she has very strong inner strength. She really acts of her own initiative to achieve her goals.”

The storied history of Final Fantasy is dotted with a number of memorable villains. The ill deeds perpetrated by characters like Kefka and Sephiroth have shocked us and tugged at our heartstrings in equal measure and provided the series with a lot of its teeth. When questioned, Tabata was reluctant to go into any great detail regarding the game’s antagonist but teased fans with the statement “He’s going to top all of them” – a bold claim and one that will have to be seen to be believed for a lot of people.

Another staple of the Final Fantasy series is the airship, and the dev team have been working tirelessly to include a remarkable one in their game. There is still a bit of debate as to what they can get out of the technology currently available to them on console. At the moment they have figured out how to work airships into the game that fly about as high as the Ramuh summon’s eyes. They’re still looking into developing fully functional airships that fly properly at greater heights but now it now depends on the game’s development cycle.

Tabata also addressed combat and how the “cross chain” system is progressing – where Noctis can team up with another party member for joint attacks – and the changes that can be expected between the Episode Duscae demo and the final release. There will be more options for attacks in the final game, along with a type of cross chain attack that doesn’t have to be manually triggered, and will under certain conditions execute automatically.

With the recent announcement of the Final Fantasy VII remake at June’s E3 press conference, and the rumoured FF XII remaster allegedly in the works, Square Enix certainly have their hands full. Any further information about Final Fantasy XV is set to be revealed in the next Active Time Report livestream, scheduled to air during PAX Prime at the end of the month and at the Tokyo Game Show in September.

Watch the new “Dawn” trailer below.