If 2014’s Tokyo Game Show proved one thing, it’s that the Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy franchises are still very much alive and kicking. As two titans of the Japanese video game industry, each series has been pushing the envelope since 1987 and almost thirty years later, their global appeal can’t be understated.
So, hot on the heels of Square Enix’s all-new trailer for the sharp-suited, rebooted Final Fantasy XV, a new gameplay demo has surfaced online that showcases the rather stunning character models and environments.
Shortly after placing the eye candy front and center, the footage shifts into the midst of a battle, which hints at the fluid and dynamic system that we can expect come launch. Essentially, Final Fantasy XV appears to hone the seamlessness from the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy — which brought together the active combat system with the more traditional turned-based combat the series is known for.
For fans of non-linear gameplay, this is very good news indeed. Final Fantasy as a whole has taken a lot of flak recently for deviating from the tried and tested formula. But judging from this early footage, it seems as though Final Fantasy XV is set harken back to the open-world framework of older iterations and give players the freedom they so desire coupled with some truly incredible graphics.
And while it’s disappointing that the company is yet to pin a release date on the much-anticipated RPG, fans can look forward to a Final Fantasy XV demo — entitled Episode Duscae — to debut alongside the revamped Final Fantasy Type-0 HD in March, 2015.