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All you need to know about Final Fantasy XV

Final Fantasy XV is without a doubt one of the most anticipated titles this year, and following months of speculation, Square Enix’s Uncovered: Final Fantasy XV event earlier today has given us plenty to look forward to.

The biggest news is that we do not have much longer to wait, as game director Hajime Tabata took to the stage to announce that the game lands on 30th September 2016 globally. For the collectors, Final Fantasy XV will be available in 2 different special editions.

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The first Deluxe Edition features an exclusive steelbook cover, the Kingsglaive computer generated movie on Blu-ray disc, as well as several bonus DLC items, including an exclusive outfit, the royal raiment, the exclusive Masamune weapon, and a Platinum Leviathan.

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The Ultimate Collector’s Edition which everyone probably wants will contain all of the above, as well as a hardcover, 192-page artbook, the soundtrack, the Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV anime, several more DLC in-game item packs, as well as a Play Arts Kai figurine of Noctis.

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Here’s the catch – only 30,000 sets of these are set to be sold, and they can only be bought at the Square Enix Online Store.


For Singapore Only

Fear not Final Fantasy fans, as PlayStation Asia has something sweet set up for you guys. Pre-order for the PS4 disc and digital edition of the game starts today at all PlayStation Authorised Dealers. AND THIS INCLUDES THE ULTIMATE COLLECTOR’S EDITION.

For more info, visit asia.playstation.com

PlayStation Asia is not saying how many sets have been reserved for the local market, but if you really want one, you need to place an order today.

Here are the local prices:

  • Standard Edition: SGD $84.90
  • Deluxe Edition: SGD $129.90
  • Ultimate Collector’s Edition: SGD $459.90

Starting from today, customers who pre-order the digital version of Final Fantasy XV at the PlayStation Store will receive bonus add-ons, including “Masamune/FINAL FANTASY XV Original Model”, “FINAL FANTASY XV Original Theme “Big Bang”, “Recolor: Pixel Character Style” and “Fishing Set”.

FINAL FANTASY XV leather pouch
FINAL FANTASY XV leather pouch

Those who pre-order the physical game will receive a limited edition FINAL FANTASY XV leather pouch, while stocks last.

Everything considered, that is not too bad for a game that began way back in 2006, as a spin-off of Final Fantasy XIII and was part of the highly ambitious Fabula Nova Crystalis Project. What was then envisioned as a PlayStation 3 title is now an epic RPG for the PlayStation 4.

It remains to be seen if the game’s decade long development will impress, but the live event, hosted by Greg Miller (Trending Gamer 2015) and Tim Gettys (KindaFunny.com), sold the title as a masterful epic, complete with its own movie and Hollywood voice acting talent.

Touted as the largest Final Fantasy production in the history of the well regarded franchise, Final Fantasy XV is set in the Kingdom of Lucis and Empire of Nilfheim, and follows our main cast of heroes, protagonist Noctis, and his entourage, Prompto, Gladiolus and Ignis. Following the betrayal of the armistice between the two neighbours, Noctis and his crew must fight their way to retrieving the last of its kind magical crystal of Lucis, and defeat the forces of Nilfheim.


Here’s our recap of what took place.

A Welcome by Hironobu Sakaguchi

The ‘father’ of the Final Fantasy series, Hironobu Sakaguchi, kicked things of with a discussion on the long journey of series, the many ups and downs over the years, and of expectations from fans. He talked about the team’s plans to bring the fabled role-playing series back to its roots with current director Hajime Tabata, and it was this well-received revelation that set the tone for the entire show.

Stand By (Me) for a new trailer

The debut of a new trailer showcased the gorgeous visuals, and brought us through a variety of locales in the game, as well as the many different enemies players will encounter, including a massive enemy the size of a building. Elements previously shown, such as riding a Chocobo, driving around in the Leviathan and pushing a broken down Leviathan, were also on display.

All of it was set to a wonderful cover of the classic teen anthem, Stand By Me, by Florence + The Machine. The combat mechanics  has an emphasis on group dynamics, and a new tagline, asking players to Reclaim Your Throne, was shown.

Art and Music By…

An amazing piece of art by Yoshitaka Amano, a Japanese artist and character designer, was shown, in what is meant to be the cover art for a certain product to be revealed later. Famed Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu made an appearance via a video link to convey his well wishes, despite not being directly involved with Final Fantasy XV. Yoko Shimomura, the composer of the game was also applauded as she acknowledged the fans. It was great to see the team being recognised for their iconic work and efforts.

Florence + The Machine

If you are not familiar with the works of Florence + The Machine, that will soon change. Behind-the-scenes footage of the band recording the cover of Stand By Me, as well as an interview with Florence Welch were shown. The singer praised the classic music of the series as inspiring and emotional, and that the band was excited to be working on the project with Square Enix. For those of us familiar with the movie and song of the same name, the incredible cover struck a cord and gave the trailer a surprisingly emotional touch.

Gameplay Footage

Similar to the Active Time Reports, these Progress Reports, along with several new gameplay footage, revealed more about the components of Final Fantasy XV.

Adventure – The awesome vast open world was put on display, and there was some on-foot travel shown as well. Noctis was whistling along, and the fan-favourite Chocobo shows up, backed by the iconic music of the Chocobo theme. Four friends riding their Chocobos for adventure? Sign me up!

Drive – The Leviathan is a big part of Final Fantasy XV, and what is a road trip without some tunes? Final Fantasy radio is now a reality while on the road, and it features songs from the series. Now, the total number of songs in the final game remain a mystery, but it is certainly a great feature to include. Side quests while driving also appear to be available, and the trailer includes elements of non playable characters with a broken down car appearing by the roadside, for players to choose to help or ignore. A cockpit view of the game was also shown, which showed off the interior of the Leviathan.

Battle – The combat of Final Fantasy has been evolving and the upcoming game is no different. The Warp Strike by Noctis was featured prominently, and the use of magic was also shown. Not only does magic do damage to enemies, it also appears to affect enemies functionally as well. (There was a segment that showed a Behemoth covered in frost when attacked with the spell, Blizzard.) Smart AI also means enemies may retreat when facing an unfavourable situation. The trailer ended with the same giant enemy, grabbing Noctis and smashing the ground with its fist, in a move named “Gaia’s Wrath.”

World of Wonder: Enviroment Footage

This bit was a focus on the world of Final Fantasy XV, and more footage of the beautiful lands players could journey on were shown, from bustling cityscapes, soothing natural environments, vast plains and tall mountains, mysterious back alleys and sewers, coastal beaches and the sea to industrial plants and machinery. I cannot wait to travel to the city built amongst the mountains, and experience the weather system and the game’s day/night cycle as well.

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Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV

The game might be a brand new adventure for gamers, but the four lads are not new, so what better way to introduce them, then with an anime prequel? If you have no idea who they are, here’s what you need to know. There Noctis, the Prince of Lucis and the main protagonist. Ignis is the bespectacled advisor to Noctis, while Gladio is the bodyguard to the royalty of Lucis. Rounding up the team is Prompto, the everyman and joker of the group.

The 5-episode anime style animated series, Brotherhood Final Fantasy XV, will explore the group’s journey from childhood to adulthood. It will be available online for free, and all 5 episodes will be available before the release of the game.

Here’s Episode 1!

Kingsglaive

Kingsglaive, a feature length full CG movie was also announced. This is from the team that brought us Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, and it is a different entity from the anime. This movie will explore the story back home in Lucis, while Noctis is away during the events of the main game. It will be available to download and stream worldwide before Final Fantasy XV is released. Here’s Square Enix’s official synopsis:

“The magical kingdom of Lucis is home to the hallowed Crystal, but the menacing empire of Niflheim will stop at nothing to make it theirs. War has raged between the two for as long as most can remember. King Regis of Lucis commands an elite force of soldiers dubbed the Kingsglaive. Wielding their king’s magic, Nyx Ulric and his fellow glaives stand before the crown city of Insomnia, fighting to stay the inexorable advance of Niflheim’s imperial army.

Before the overwhelming military might of the empire, King Regis can only salvage his kingdom by accepting an ultimatum—he must cede all lands outside the crown city, and see his son, Prince Noctis, wed to Lady Lunafreya, the former princess of Tenebrae now captive of Niflheim.

As the war of wills rages, the machinations of Niflheim transform Insomnia into an awe-inspiring battleground, pulling Nyx into a struggle for the very survival of the kingdom.”

Voices of Kingsglaive

The voice cast of Kingsglaive were also present, and it’s a star-studded reveal. Lena Headey, of Game of Thrones fame, will be portraying Lunafreya, while fellow GoT star, Sean Bean will be playing the role of King Regis. (I’m not sure about you, but do you get the feeling that Sean Bean will end up dying in this movie?). Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul plays Nyx, the main protagonist of Kingsglaive who is given a secret mission by King Regis.

Final Fantasy Minigames

What will Final Fantasy be without any minigames? Justice Monsters Five is a game that makes  an appearance in Final Fantasy XV, and gamers will soon get to play it on their iOS, Android and Windows 10 devices. Pre-registration begins now. Think of it as Final Fantasy meets Monster Strike.

Platinum Demo

September is not really that long a wait but if you must really get into the game now, fire up the Platinum Demo right now. Enter the dream of Young Noctis and Carbuncle and uncover an untold tale as players explore the world from a curious new perspective. Featuring combat, magic, monsters and squeaky hammers, players can collect crystals to unlock magical plates that can change the weather, and transform Noctis into the creatures in the game.

The bonus is that if you beat this demo, Carbuncle will be available as an exclusive summon for the main game. The Platinum Demo is available now on the PlayStation Store!

One-of-a-kind Audi R8

In a bizarre but totally amazing move, a special Audi R8 was emphasized in a partnership deal between Square Enix and car manufacturer Audi. Alas, this car will not be available for sale, and is merely a promotional tie-up.

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Trailer Wrap

The wrap up of the event was a reveal of another trailer. This one includes more combat, some story elements and images, including the recently revealed female dragon knight. Summons. Towns. Camping. Cooking. Travel. Cidney. It looks like the usual fare for a Final Fantasy game has been included.

No, wait. What’s this!? Boat travel? Awesome. Now what? The Leviathan transforming from a car into a plane!? This game is going to be bonkers.

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Are you excited for Final Fantasy XV? Did the event gave you even higher expectations? Sound off in the comments and let us know what you think!