Summary
Final Fantasy 17hasn’t been officially announced, but there’s little doubt it’s coming. However, with how starkly different the last two mainline installments are, it’s difficult to tell whereFinal Fantasy 17might end up in terms of its approach to world design. WithFinal Fantasy 15being fully open world andFinal Fantasy 16being split up into smaller hubs,Final Fantasy 17may need to find a middle ground somewhere.
WhetherFinal Fantasy 17should be open world or not is a purely subjective take, but there are things it can learn fromFinal Fantasy 15andFinal Fantasy 16to ensure its world is the best it can be.Final Fantasy 17taking notesabout what worked and what didn’t in each of those installments is key, as it will contribute to its reception in the end.
Final Fantasy 17’s Map Design Should Land Somewhere Between FF15 and FF16
Final Fantasy 15 Features a Massive Open World for Players to Explore
Final Fantasy 15was the firstFinal Fantasygame to incorporate a true open-world design, which automatically nominated it for a divisive reception, as these things go. On the positive side,Final Fantasy 15features one of the series' most visually captivating worlds to date, and its sheer scale makes it a wonder to behold. Couple that with traveling around Lucis inthe iconic Regaliaalongside Noctis' faithful companions, and its road-trip vibes make for an incredibly freshFinal Fantasyexperience. Unfortunately, its open world wasn’t all that well-received, as it succumbed to many of the same issues that plague other open-world games.
Like manyopen-world gamestoday,Final Fantasy 15’s approach to world design leaves its optional activities feeling repetitive and shallow, ultimately netting it all the dreaded “filler content” label. Large portions ofFinal Fantasy 15’s open world also feel underused, as there are far too many regions that lack notable landmarks or other surprises that might have made those areas seem more intentional. To be fair, these aren’t new roadblocks in the open-world genre, but they still put a damper on things inFinal Fantasy 15.
As such,Final Fantasy 17may want to avoid going fully open world.
Final Fantasy 16 Features a Smaller, Hub-Based World Structure
Final Fantasy 16didn’t do a sharp U-turn away fromFinal Fantasy 15’s world design, but it did leave the open-world approach behind. Instead of a true open world,Final Fantasy 16features a more manageable, hub-based structure that allows for a greater focus on storytelling. Specifically,Final Fantasy 16is split up into several large expansive regions, each of which has plenty of exploration potential and room for activities but is still self-contained.
Final Fantasy 15was the firstFinal Fantasygame to incorporate a true open-world design, which automatically nominated it for a divisive reception, as these things go.
Ironically,Final Fantasy 16’s approach to world designmakes it feel insignificant compared to its predecessor, almost as if it might have been better as an open-world game. The hub structure ofFinal Fantasy 16’s world limits players' ability to get immersed in its rich lore, and the linear structure of certain zones tends to make it feel a little too much like a guided tour of Valisthea’s various landscapes. Considering that, perhapsFinal Fantasy 17might actually be better off exploring a more opened-up version ofFinal Fantasy 16’s world.
Final Fantasy 17’s Map Could Be Closer to Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s
It may not be wise forFinal Fantasy 17to go fullyopen world likeFinal Fantasy 15, but it could also do much more thanFinal Fantasy 16accomplished. In light of that,Final Fantasy 17might find better footing somewhere in the middle. As it turns out,Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s is closer to the middle of these two approaches, as it features sizable open-world zones as opposed to being fully open world or being split up into smaller hubs. On the positive side,Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s open-world zones benefit from the nostalgia of longtime fans of the originalFinal Fantasy 7, while also featuring gorgeous environments that are tough to ignore.
Unfortunately,Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s open-world zonesalso fall prey to common open-world roadblocks like emptiness, repetitiveness, and lifelessness. It’s not impossible, however, forFinal Fantasy 17to take this approach and shine whereFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthfell short. Filling its world with meaningful and diverse side content, as well as distinctive environments would be a great place to start. This would not only put its map in the sweet spot betweenFinal Fantasy 15andFinal Fantasy 16, but it would also improve upon whatFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthstarted.
Final Fantasy 16
WHERE TO PLAY
An epic dark fantasy world where the fate of the land is decided by the mighty Eikons and the Dominants who wield them.This is the tale of Clive Rosfield, a warrior granted the title “First Shield of Rosaria” and sworn to protect his younger brother Joshua, the dominant of the Phoenix. Before long, Clive will be caught up in a great tragedy and swear revenge on the Dark Eikon Ifrit, a mysterious entity that brings calamity in its wake.
