Now that the general audience has been able to take Final Fantasy XV for a test run following the release of the Episode Duscae demo alongside Final Fantasy Type-o HD, Square Enix has begun welcoming feedback from the early build, all the while discussing the RPG’s male leads.
In fact, during a recent interview with GameSpot, Game Director Hajime Tabata spoke about the all-male party, and how he believes it makes the sequel “more approachable for the player.”
Speaking honestly, an all-male party feels almost more approachable for players. Even the presence of one female in the group will change their behavior, so that they’ll act differently. So to give the most natural feeling, to make them feel sincere and honest, having them all the same gender made sense in that way.
Ever the advocate of eclectic names (and hairstyles!), your FFXV players will consist of Noctis as the main character, Gladiolus, Ignis, and Prompto. That’s not to say the title will only contain male characters, far from it. We’ve already caught a glimpse of Cid – a character who is by now a stalwart of the series – who happens to be female in this particular rendition. Tabata didn’t specify whether the game will include playable female personas, though it isn’t hard to imagine that the RPG would switch perspectives during some parts of the story.
Taking place across one giant, interconnected land mass, Final Fantasy XV is very much out to set the record straight in the wake of Final Fantasy XIII, which was heavily criticized for its staunch linearity. Since its rebranding from Versus XIII, Square Enix has slated the game for release in late 2015, but don’t be too surprised if it slips to 2016.
In the meantime, let us know what you make of Tabata’s comments down below.