Final Fantasy XV: Gamescom Details, "Dawn" Trailer

Final Fantasy XV's brand new Gamescom trailer is... something, to say the least. Unexpected and anger-inducing, this exclusive trailer is what we've all been waiting for... except it wasn't. The "Dawn" trailer, which is three minutes long, touches upon the prologue, set 15 years before the actual game:



As you can see, two events unfold in this trailer. The first one emphasizes that the kingdom Noctis hails from, Lucis, is overrun with soldiers that harm civilians and dominate the streets. The camera then pans to a medium-sized dog who roams the streets with what appears to be a bandana on its leg. Perhaps it's wounded?

The second scene then reveals a melodramatic track and Noctis' father, Regis, cradling a young, sleepy Noctis to his chest. This scene drags on for an uncomfortable amount of seconds--actually, it's well over a minute--until the father whispers, "I'll be with you... always." What is rather hilarious is that when Regis attempts to nuzzle Noctis, the boy shoves Regis' face away as he attempts to regain his comfortable position. The camera then shifts from Regis standing outside his car, holding a sword with tip to ground, to a large building. This trailer is more to set the emotion of the story, which is accomplished, but fans do not seem to be happy with the results.



There is something to take note of in the trailer, however. In the mist behind a massive building are shadows that belong to three huge figures that somehow resemble Eidolons. Is one Bahamut, even? Tabata confirms that these three figures are not Eidolons... what these are will remain a secret.

Luckily, the presentation at Gamescom does delve a bit farther into the actual story. Courtesy of GameSpot and the presentation, the details are as follows: Final Fantasy XV's story opens with a political tiff. Lucis--Noctis' kingdom--and the kingdom of Niflheim were originally to sign a peace treaty. Beforehand, Noctis travels to the imperial province of Tenebrae to marry Lady Lunafreya in an effort to officialize the union between the two kingdoms. Unfortunately, the treaty was merely an elaborate ruse. Niflheim instead seized the throne of Lucis and snatched its crystal, classic Final Fantasy style. So on the way to Tenebrae, Noctis learns that he, Regis and Lady Lunafreya are presumedly dead. In order to take back the throne and provide proof that he is very much alive, Noctis heads out for his home with companions Ingis, Gladiolus, and Prompto.

Lunafreya, or Luna for short, will be a strong character, sharing the same traits as many of past Final Fantasy female protagonists. To emphasize this, Tabata states:
 

"She's not one of those weak, vulnerable heroines that need protecting. 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."

(Editor's note: Honestly, it sounds as if she mostly resembles Garnet from Final Fantasy IX.)

There's still some ongoing contemplation over the existence of airships. According to Tabata, the developers have figured out how to make airships fly at the same height as a chocobo or certain Eidolons, but at the same time, the console could very well limit the possibility of allowing these airships to fly at greater heights. It's important to note that Tabata really wants these airship powerhouses.



Battle system-wise, the Cross Chain system between party members will change between the Episode Duscae Demo and the final release. There will be more attack options and something similar to Cross Chain that will initiate automatically under certain conditions.

As mentioned previously, Final Fantasy XV and Final Fantasy Versus XIII are completely different from each other. However, the roots of an emotionally impacting story are still there. Apparently, this will be the "saddest, most dramatic storyline in the Final Fantasy series." So... tragedy and calamity will walk hand in hand for sure. But will it be as tragic as Nier? Nevertheless, the story, like within Nier Gestalt, will focus on familial bonds--in this case, between father and son.

(Editor's note: Though I'm not one to love negativity, I love a heavily impacting, sad story with a good ending attached. Make me cry!)

As for the main antagonist of Final Fantasy XV, he will be male and the most powerful and darkest villain encountered in the Final Fantasy series. To me, Kefka was bad enough. Who could top him in Final Fantasy?



Marlboros will be in FFXV. Just figured to give you fans who dread the infamous monster a heads up. Tabata revealed gameplay featuring this monster, which can be seen below. Oh yea; this time Marlboros are the kings of the jump-scaring, capable of launching out of nowhere in marshlands for your blood. Oh, to make things worse, it will use Bad Breath if you're caught in its grasp.

We're receiving yet another demo, which is already finalized. Unfortunately, no release date has been announced for it.

One of the most popular characters among fans is someone not even introduced yet: she is an unnamed, raven-haired woman, who will still be in the game and play a major role.

Unfortunately, that's all the information gathered, but more will revealed at PAX Prime at the end of this month. Maybe, just maybe we will see a release window soon.