“Apparently, the plan is to release my comment alongside the teaser trailer for BBS from the secret movie in Kingdom Hearts 2,” says Nomura. “So, taking my cue from that video, I’d like to give you an insight into the crossroads.”

According to Nomura, the concept of crossroads where people wait for someone else is a major part of the themes of Kingdom Hearts, with the concept appearing several times throughout the franchise. Notable examples include three Keyblade wielders waiting for someone at a crossroads in the celebration video, as well as Sora meeting a character dressed in a black coat and getting an invitation to Castle Oblivion in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories.

“In this video, three Keyblade wielders clad in armour wait for someone at a crossroads,” he says. “Meeting someone at a crossroads is actually a recurring motif in Kingdom Hearts.”

“At the beginning of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories (CoM), Sora meets someone in a black coat and is invited to Castle Oblivion.”

Nomura goes on to talk about various characters encountering protagonists at crossroads, and somehow being linked with each other by fate. The concept of crossroads even leads to the Keyblade War, and Kingdom Hearts 3 gets in on the action with the Lost Masters gathering at crossroads. Nomura cites a myth from American folklore of a young man making a deal with the devil to trade his soul for the ability to play the guitar at a crossroads.

“The first time a crossroads appears in Kingdom Hearts is in CoM, which is about losing something to gain something,” says Nomura. “And in fact, all subsequent appearances of crossroads have the same significance.”

Nomura then hints towards a similar Faustian bargain taking place in Kingdom Hearts 3 with the Lost Masters meeting up at crossroads.

“But wait… when the Lost Masters gather at the crossroads in KH3, what is gained and what is lost? That’s a story for another time,” Nomura concludes.

Despite continuing these themes of crossroads across several Kingdom Hearts games, and potentially even in Kingdom Hearts 4, Nomura has previously stated that the next title will serve as a reset button for the franchise. This is to help new players get into the games without being overwhelmed with more than two decades worth of backstory.

Since the original announcement of Kingdom Hearts 4 from all the way back in 2022, Square Enix has been quiet about the title. Rumours, on the other hand, have indicated that the game might be set for release later this year. Neither Nomura nor Square Enix have made any official announcement, however.

Among the few details we know about Kingdom Hearts 4 is the fact that it is being developed in Unreal Engine 5. Square Enix has mentioned that this will help the game be several levels higher than its predecessors when it comes to the quality of lighting and detail.

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— KINGDOM HEARTS (@KINGDOMHEARTS) January 9, 2025

The Tokyo Game Show has come and gone and Square Enix’s Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Kingdom Hearts 3 were no where to be seen. We did catch some new information about Kingdom Hearts 3 in the past few months, especially with new gameplay videos and a release set for 2018. The biggest news for Final Fantasy 7 Remake is that it’s shifting to in-house development.

That being said, it seems like something big is coming. As per director Tetsuya Nomura while speaking to Weekly Famitsu, there was only one announcement for Dissidia Final Fantasy NT at the Tokyo Game Show but he has many things to show. To that end, Nomura asked fans to wait for more information.

It could just be another useless tease or the promise of something that’s going to come far down the line. Regardless, Kingdom Hearts 3 is out in 2018 for Xbox One and PS4 and Square Enix is pushing forward on development with Final Fantasy 7 Remake. We’ll take what we can get at this point.

It’s amazing that Square Enix had first officially confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 for Xbox One and PS4 back at E3 2013 but has yet to decide on a release date for the same (then again, Final Fantasy 15 has been in development Hell since 2006). Though there’s been new gameplay footage at this year’s E3, we’re still a ways off from any kind of release date confirmation.

However, according to director Tetsuya Nomura, there have already been decisions on what the release date will be. Speaking to Dengeki PlayStation, Nomura said, “We’ve reached an agreement, but I still can’t say anything. I plan to give new information at the Kingdom Hearts Fan Event that will be held on the 3rd of November.”

Will it be a release date announcement? Perhaps even an estimated release window similar to other high profile games showcased at E3? We’ll find out in November so until then, stay tuned for more information.

Final Fantasy 15 has undergone several changes since its initial introduction though. The game is no longer being directed by Tetsuya Nomura, the man who directed Kingdom Hearts 2 and helped turn it into the mega franchise it is today. Instead, Final Fantasy Type-0 director Hajime Tabata is at the helm. We’ll never know just how different the two directorial visions could have been since Nomura’s Final Fantasy didn’t have much of a real showing in the past decade or so of its announcement.

"Magic attacks could be used, different types of weapons could be equipped to generate variations of materialized attacks and that Teleport Slash could be used to zip between foes. However, the combat in Final Fantasy 15 - at least at this stage - seems adamant on punishing players."

However, on playing the recent Episode Duscae demo, one can’t help but wonder if Tabata and his team are working a bit too hard to distinguish the game from Kingdom Hearts.

This was a paramount concern when gameplay was first revealed for Nomura’s title. Many were worried that Final Fantasy had lost its turn based roots and was entering into a more hack and slash style of gameplay. Not that this would have been a bad thing – anyone who’s played Kingdom Hearts 2 will know that Nomura has a penchant for action-heavy, RPG-esque titles. Further iterations like Birth by Sleep and Dream Drop Distance may have tacked on one too many gimmicks for fans’ tastes. However, Nomura could be trusted to make a fun combat system for what was essentially a mature game.

However, Nomura is now on Kingdom Hearts 3 and is implementing such zany combat features as rollercoaster attacks and whatnot. Final Fantasy 15 maintains some of the cooler aspects of the initial Versus XIII showing as seen with the Teleport Slash and materializing weapons. But protagonist Noctis is far from being the bad-ass initially introduced.

Running through Episode Duscae’s combat mechanics was straightforward enough. You have the ability to parry and automatically dodge attacks by consuming MP. Magic attacks could be used, different types of weapons could be equipped to generate variations of materialized attacks and that Teleport Slash could be used to zip between foes. However, the combat in Final Fantasy 15 – at least at this stage – seems adamant on punishing players. Parries are hard to execute, the camera is uncooperative and you’ll often find enemies ganging up on you mercilessly. You can’t block but the dodging should get you out of most predicaments, right?

Unfortunately, when you run out of MP, Noctis enters “Stasis” which prevents him from moving or doing, well, pretty much anything. One can’t simply use the attacks and dodges as one pleases. Some real thought needs to be put into combat and even if this is an early stage of Noctis’s abilities, it represents a fairly hard struggle for your average action RPG fan.

"In the end, it will all depend on how the combat is balanced out and while it won't be the one thing to determine the game's quality, it will be an integral part. And at this point, taking such a strict approach to combat doesn't seem worth it."

Then again, Final Fantasy 15’s combat is at least different from the slash-heavy, flashy combat of Kingdom Hearts. Fights are determined by retreating and taking cover to recuperate your health and magic points as much as going HAM on tougher foes. To some fans, this combination of dodging and strategy may be appealing. For a Kingdom Hearts fan such as myself, it didn’t quite feel as fluid or natural as I would have liked. Each battle felt like a chore to get through rather than an enthusiastic romp against the forces of darkness.

If there was anything that could make me question Final Fantasy 15’s potential to this extent, it would be the combat. Make no mistake – this game will be a success even if some of the more punishing aspects aren’t addressed. Challenge-seeking players who want that hardcore Final Fantasy experience, albeit without too much of a turn-based aspect, may like it.

At this point, who knows? It doesn’t quite appeal to the Kingdom Hearts fan in me, it doesn’t appeal to your average JRPG fan who’s more used to turn-based combat and planning things out in an orderly pace and it sure as hell isn’t going to supersede Dark Souls in terms of difficult and rewarding combat (and that’s a game which is more about the difficulty of the enemies than the combat).

We’re still at an early stage with Final Fantasy 15. Square Enix could choose to overhaul the combat significantly based on feedback. It could choose to reduce the health of enemies or the severity of the Stasis effects. In the end, it will all depend on how the combat is balanced out and while it won’t be the one thing to determine the game’s quality, it will be an integral part. And at this point, taking such a strict approach to combat doesn’t seem worth it.

Square Enix confirmed at TGS 2014 that a demo for Final Fantasy 15 would be included when Final Fantasy Type-0 releases in March 2015. The demo won’t be on the disc so you’ll need to download “Episode Duscae” in order to play it. According to Square Enix, this “includes elements from the opening sections of the full game, but alters story progression and more to create a unique first-play experience”. A new gameplay trailer was also revealed which showcases some new locations and gameplay mechanics such as a drivable car. Check it out above.

It also seems that director Tetsuya Nomura is longer on the project, instead working full-time on Kingdom Hearts 3. “In reviewing our development structure, we have decided to assign Hajime Tabata as the new director for Final Fantasy 15. Currently, Tabata and the entire development team are working, whole-heartedly, towards completing the production of Final Fantasy 15 and ensuring the delivery of the highest quality Final Fantasy title to date.

“We invite every one of our fans to view the fruits of our labour through Final Fantasy 15’s demo, and promise to present a game that further surpasses expectations when the finished product is released.

“As the director of Final Fantasy 15, Tetsuya Nomura has mainly worked on the original concept for the story and universe in addition to creating the characters. Hereafter, he will be focusing his efforts on the production of titles that can only be made possible by Nomura, himself, and delivering products that exceed the quality of past titles, starting with another one of his representative projects, Kingdom Hearts 3. Square Enix will continue to work on these titles with the best staff formation in an effort to deliver them to everyone as soon as possible and appreciates your continued support.”

This isn’t the worst decision seeing as how Hajime Tabata directed Final Fantasy Type-0 and the HD remaster. There’s no still no release date for Final Fantasy 15 though so stay tuned for more details.

If you thought Square Enix spent a ton of resources on Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn and the Final Fantasy XIII series, think again. According to the report for the game, Final Fantasy XV is expected to be the most expensive project developed by Square Enix yet.

An exact number was of course not provided but considering the number of iterations the game has gone through – starting out as Final Fantasy Versus XIII for the PS3 before eventually moving to the PS4 and Xbox One as Final Fantasy XV – without even mentioning the number of years it’s been in limbo, you can rest assured that it’s pretty high.

Final Fantasy XV is directed by Tetsuya Nomura, who is also developing Kingdom Hearts III for next gen consoles, and as of now, more information on the release dates for both games is expected in the coming months. E3 2014 perhaps? Stay tuned.

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When a game has merchandise coming out, you know that means its development is underway. This is the case with Final Fantasy 15, which was recently re-revealed at E3 2013 (it was formerly known as Final Fantasy Versus XIII) and now seems to be on track despite several delays in the past few years. Now, a Play Arts Kai figure for Noctis Lucis Caelum, the protagonist, is underway.

Square Enix merchandise manager Hidemi Matsuzuka posted a painted prototype of the same on Twitter. It seems that character design and director Tetsuya Nomura had a hand in the figure’s development and it certainly looks sharp as a result. Will other cast members be getting Play Arts Kai figures? When will it release? As of now, it’s unconfirmed.

Which is the same for Final Fantasy XV itself, which will be arriving on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 in the coming years (hopefully). Stay tuned for more details as the months roll on.

However, has that move from being Final Fantasy Versus XIII to Final Fantasy XV affected director Tetsuya Nomura’s vision for the game? Speaking to Final Fantasy World, Nomura stated that, “Yes, I probably mentioned the old school Final Fantasy feeling [when talking about] FFXV. If you see the trailer you might actually think it’s very action based – especially compared to the previous FFs. We wanted to create like an action-based FF this time because we wanted to create a dynamic feeling between the story and the game itself.

“Of course, we are going to put many FF elements into it, because otherwise there is no point calling Final Fantasy XV. Naturally, we still think we should have some old school FF feeling to the game. Yeah, I would like to achieve that as much as I can. Our goal is to ensure that the player never actually stops playing. This is the reason behind it and it will be great if we can achieve that.” Naturally, the power of the new consoles will help make this a reality.”

Currently, Final Fantasy XV is slated to release on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 with a possible PC release.

In regards to many oft he co-operative attacks between party members, Nomura stated that, ““The starting point will have a sense of control that is similar to that of Kingdom Hearts’ ‘easy and refreshing action,’ so it won’t be difficult. Most of it will come pretty naturally to you. We’re currently testing out different operational methods with each hardware. Regarding allies, in addition to cooperative attacks, there will also be situational actions, which will be part of various scenarios in battles.”

We already know about Behemoth and the Iron Giants that Noctis fights against, and how you can aim for specific body parts along with climbing on enemies like the former and riding them. Nomura also revealed details about the water-based monster, Leviathan.

“There’s a battle where Leviathan is causing a waterspout. There’s a scene that shows a fight inside the tornado while jumping between the debris of collapsed buildings. I believe that boss fights will feature such particular flashy situations,”  he said in an interview with Famitsu.

Nomura also revealed that the water nation of Accordo seen in the trailer is inspired by Venice, which he visited in 2004 and 2005. Along with Accordo and Lucis, there is Solheim and Tenebrae which make up the crystal-protecting nations. However, Lucis is the only nation left now with a crystal.

Regarding the combat, it was already decided that players will switch weapons automatically depending on the combos. However, it’s being changed in such a way that players can equip their own weapons when they please.

As for the comparison between Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy 15, Nomura stated that, “While Final Fantasy XV focuses on the realistic side of things, Kingdom Hearts is more about the ‘bold action’. In short, it’s about having movements that wouldn’t be possible, but making it look real instead of unnatural. In a way, it connects it to Kingdom Hearts’ fresh characteristics.”

Final Fantasy 15 is set to release for Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

Surprisingly, there was the intention to make Final Fantasy XV a pure action title. “True, we did want to get rid of the UI, remove hit counters, restrict the playable character to Noct and so on. But if we did all it that it would become just another action game like all the others. The team is saying, ‘don’t forget this is Final Fantasy before it is an action game.’”

Understandably, there’s no confirmation on whether it’s an RPG at all, so when asked how he would describe Final Fantasy, Nomura stated that, “I think it is thinking about the numbers while fighting in a party. ‘FF’ is different to existing action games and FPSes, you can see the quantity of damage you’re taking and inflicting, and how much you are healing. Managing those numbers is the ‘thinking about the numbers’ part.

“And in FFXV you can switch freely between 3 characters, so it is also about party combat. There are lots of combos and you need to be aware of characters outside the party.”

Final Fantasy XV is currently slated to release for Xbox One and PlayStation 4