Square Enix has already made it clear that Final Fantasy 16 will not have an open world. But in a recent interview attended by IGN the developer has explained how its segmented map works, revealing that the world of Valisthea is made up of a number of variously sized zones that will provide opportunities for non-linear exploration.
Talking as part of a roundtable discussion with the press, Final Fantasy 16 director Hiroshi Takai explained that the world is constructed from multiple maps; some small, others large. Commenting on the larger scale ones, Takai said “We have – I think – four zones that are about two kilometers by two kilometers.”
Producer Naoki Yoshida elaborated on the way players will navigate and explore these zones, which collectively make up the landscape of Valisthea. “On the world map you have the areas that you can travel to and you select that area and then you jump to that area seamlessly. And then you follow the main quest there. And then once you finish that, you’ll go back to this hub area […] called the Hideaway.”
Takai describes the Hideaway as a location from which to start both main missions and optional side quests, the latter of which includes monster hunts among other activities. Yoshida also notes that the Hideaway is where players will find the item shop, as well as a blacksmith who can craft and upgrade weapons.
Much of this set-up will be somewhat familiar to series veterans; even back in the days when Final Fantasy had an ‘open world’, the overworld was more a home for a variety of zones (or ‘field maps’) rather than what we’d consider an open world today. But unlike many of the series’ beloved classics, Final Fantasy 16 will not feature any hidden dungeons or areas.
“We didn’t create any [hidden dungeons or maps] because we wanted players to focus more on the main scenario and not have this feeling that you have to go to this area and clear this area,” said Takai. “We wanted them to focus on this and we wanted to focus our development more on the main areas. So we didn’t go out of our way to create maps that didn’t need to be visited.”
“However, there are areas that I guess players could consider dungeons,” he continued. “They’re off the field and you go deep down, but those are all connected in some way to the story. And they’re all expertly crafted dungeons. We created these as great places, we want players to go there and so we’re going to give reasons for players to go there. We didn’t want to create something that most players may not even find.”
Despite this, Yoshida wished to assure players that there’s still much to see and do within Final Fantasy 16’s world. “The one thing is that as you hear this answer and you’re thinking, oh, and so there’s not many places you can explore,” he said. “There are a lot of areas that you can explore. So don’t worry about that.”
For more about Final Fantasy 16, take a look at how it was only possible to make it for PS5 hardware, its novel approach to accessibility, as well as our hands-on preview. You can also read Yoshida’s comments on Final Fantasy 16’s approach to the diversity of its characters and cultures.
Matt Purslow is IGN’s UK News and Features Editor.
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