Final Fantasy 16 includes massive maps, but optional dungeons

Final Fantasy XVI previews are out in the wild, and we think the next mainline entry in the legendary series is shaping up to be an absolute banger. There’s a bunch of new information about the world of Valistia out in the ether, but a few comments from director Hiroshi Takai and producer Naoki Yoshida, better known as Yoshi-P, were of particular interest to all Final Fantasy XIV fans.

During the round table discussion with the press, viz Relayed by IGN, it was revealed that the world of Final Fantasy XVI would include several maps, some smaller, others larger, with Takai noting that “we have – I think – four zones that are about two kilometers by two kilometers.” You will return to each one during your adventure and one in particular, The Hideaway, as it serves as a hub area for the player.

Takai dropped a bombshell that might make longtime fans cringe, saying, “We didn’t make any [hidden dungeons or maps] Because we wanted players to focus more on the main scene and not have the feeling that you have to go to this area and clear this area. “It seems that Takai reconsidered this statement before adding, “However, there are areas that I guess the player could consider dungeons. They’re off the field, and you go deep down, but they’re all connected to the story in some way. And they are all expertly designed dungeons. We’ve created these as great places, we want players to go there, and so we’re going to give players reasons to go there. We didn’t want to make something that most players might not even get.

So the jury is kind of out on what exactly constitutes an alternate dungeon, but Yoshida notes that “one thing is as you hear these answers and you’re thinking , oh, and so there’s not a lot of places you can. Explore,” he said. “There are many areas you can explore. So don’t worry about it.”

Look forward to discovering more about Final Fantasy XVI’s side content in the coming weeks, as it looks like we’ll learn a lot more in April. We also learned that a demo of the game will be available before launch.

Do Takai’s comments make you nervous? It looks like there will be dungeons to explore, the difference being that they’re tied to the game’s central quest line instead. Define the term “alternative dungeon” and remember that Final Fantasy is constantly reinventing itself in the comments section below.