Final Fantasy XIV Online sees several familiar faces returning to the franchise, with Himorichi Tanaka (Final Fantasy, FFII, FFIII and FFXI) serving as producer, Nobuaki Komoto (FFIX and FFXI) as director and Akihiko Yoshida (Vagrant Story, Final Fantasy Tactics and FFXII) as art director. Of course, it wouldn't be a Final Fantasy title without input from composer Nobuo Uematsu, who is indeed returning to provide the score for the new game. However, while there may be similarities with Final Fantasy XI, the new title is promised to present us with a completely different world.
Apparently in-game?
Set in Eorzea, the game appears to harken back to a more medieval-European fantasy world, as seen in titles such as Final Fantasy IX and XI. However, some interesting airship designs have been shown that are quite unlike what has been seen in the past, which could mean that there is advanced technology available to certain races inside the game. Of course, another scene shows us a more traditional sea-ship in the style of a Spanish galleon. As far as playable races, Square Enix has promised that FFXI players will be able to create similar characters to the ones they had before. In the media released, races resembling the Mithra, Galka and Elvaan can be seen, as well as the good old plain Hume.
Gameplay-wise, FFXIV Online is set to be less team-focused than its online predecessor, balancing battle and exploration between both solo adventurers and teams. The game will also focus on character growth, allowing player characters to change dynamically. Square Enix are considering this aspect in particular as important as great graphics and storytelling. Both Jobs and Chocobos will return, although both are currently said to be very different to their counterparts in FFXI. At present, the game looks terrific for an MMO, as the trailer presented at E3 was a mix of pre-rendered CGI and in-game footage. The battle aboard the galleon in particular has been confirmed as using the in-game engine, although it is unknown whether the final game will use cinematics in the way shown.
When you start seeing flying pipes, you know you're tripping.
Another interesting aspect of Final Fantasy XI is the weapon system. While exact details are elusive, Square Enix have stated that weapons will strongly influence on your character's success. The example given is that selecting a certain weapon one day over another for specific tasks could affect the way your character develops. In fact, weapons are so important to FFXIV Online that the game's logo has been designed around them and the concept of a 'wheel'. In this instance, the 'wheel' refers to a circle of players who carry their weapon in front of them but leave their back open to attack, encouraging them to rely on their comrades. Square Enix has stated that there are hidden meanings about how the game will work inside the logo.
Final Fantasy XIV Online is currently set for a simultaneous worldwide release in 2010, sometime after Final Fantasy XIII. It will be released in territories speaking English, German, French and Japanese. While the game is confirmed for PC, and supposedly console-exclusive to PS3, Square Enix has expressed interest in bringing the game to the 360. The game will be ditching FFXI's PlayOnline system, and replacing it with something entirely different, if anything at all. Don't count on no subscription fees, however. Whatever is used, the game is intended to be cross-platform, although the success of this in the beta will determine whether it will make it into the final game. Speaking of the beta, Square Enix don't have any official plans, but are looking at a longer beta period than Final Fantasy XI, which itself had a beta of about four months.
With the team behind the game taking everything they learned from Final Fantasy XI as well as feedback from players, Final Fantasy XIV Online is definitely worth watching out for, as more news arises over the next year.
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