C3 Exclusive Interview | FFXII: Revenant Wings (Nintendo DS)

Motomu Toriyama, Director: From the beginning, it was our intent to create a new FINAL FANTASY game on the Nintendo DS. The Nintendo DS has a universal appeal that seems to transcend gender and age groups. Even people who have never played video games before seem to be able to pick up and play DS games with ease. It was this widespread appeal and accessibility that motivated us to create a new FINAL FANTASY that everyone could enjoy.

AR: Was the plan to always take FFXII: RW in a real-time strategy direction? And was there any consultation with the Heroes of Mana team, considering that also uses the RTS genre?

MT: The basic concept behind the battle system is "large-scale combat using simple controls," which is realized through the use of the DS stylus. Though the game admittedly has RTS-like qualities, our intent was not to create an RTS title; rather, the project revolved around the question of "what would happen if we applied the FFXII battle system to a large-scale military conflict setting?" As such, the battle system in this game was inspired more by FINAL FANTASY XII than HEROES of MANA.

AR: Can you tell our readers a little more about how the game uses the DS system's various features?

MT: First of all, in regards to the battle system, players can strategically mobilize multiple characters and Espers using the stylus alone. Engaging in combat can initially be just a matter of setting destinations or targeting enemies. However, as players grow more accustomed to the system, they can employ more strategies, such as choosing the right combinations of units or using certain commands at the right timing.

In terms of actual gameplay, as characters gain levels, the gameplay tempo increases to an action-game-like level. The longer you play, the more challenging it becomes.

We also took advantage of the DS's dual screens to enhance the cinematic effects in the game. By displaying different camera angles on the top and bottom screens, we were able to create visually dynamic CG movies that you can watch repeatedly and discover something new every time. All of these features could have only been realized on the Nintendo DS, and we hope that you will all experience it firsthand.

AR: Are all of the characters in Revenant Wings from FFXII, or are there new ones created especially for this portable game?

MT: The main setting of the game is the sky continent of Lemur