Final Fantasy 17: Time to Revisit Classic World Maps and Airships?

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Summary

  • Final Fantasy 17 could bring back world maps and airships for an enhanced sense of scale and exploration.
  • Larger game worlds encourage exploration and discovery beyond completing tasks or collectibles.
  • Reintroducing world maps and airships in Final Fantasy 17 could redefine the modern era while recapturing the series’ essence.

The long-running series “Final Fantasy” has seen numerous major transformations throughout its extended history, with the latest main entry, “Final Fantasy 16”, demonstrating a readiness to shatter established norms in an effort to expand its audience base. Consequently, it is anticipated that “Final Fantasy 17” will follow suit by introducing innovative gameplay and exploration features, as well as a unique narrative and entirely new characters. In addition to these changes, “Final Fantasy 17” might consider reintroducing world maps and airships for an enhanced gaming experience.

In the lore of Final Fantasy, world maps and airships have played a significant role. Notably, Final Fantasy 9 is the only game in the series that still incorporates a traditional world map and airship. Although subsequent titles included airships and expansive open worlds, their designs were somewhat constrained. Given the passage of time, maybe it’s now appropriate for Final Fantasy 17 to reconsider this concept, taking into account the advancements in gaming today.

The Argument for Final Fantasy 17 to Bring Back World Maps and Airships

World Maps and Airships Would Mean a Return to a Sense of Scale

Over the past ten years or so, open-world games have shown us that bigger isn’t always best. Games with vast landscapes can sometimes feel empty or overstuffed, offering too much room and not enough activities, or an excessive amount of content that feels repetitive and lacks depth. However, it’s not the size of an open-world game that makes it inherently flawed; rather, it’s how the space is utilized. As long as developers continue to use their space thoughtfully, there will always be a compelling argument for larger worlds in gaming.

In the lore of Final Fantasy, world maps and airships play significant roles, and it’s worth noting that Final Fantasy 9 is the only game within the series where you can find these elements in their classic forms.

If the hypothetical game “Final Fantasy 17” were to incorporate world maps and airships once more, it would symbolize a revival of a grandeur that the series has been missing for a while, but not necessarily a return for the sake of being grand. Games like “Final Fantasy 6”, “7”, and “9” utilized expansive overworld maps to create an illusion of immersion in a larger-than-life universe – the very essence of fantasy gaming. Instead of merely experiencing the role of a hero in a confined dungeon or linear journey, players could feel connected to something far more extensive. Hypothetically, “Final Fantasy 17” could achieve this sense of immersion while still preserving its narrative prowess, a trait it has demonstrated in previous installments.

World Maps Invite Exploration, Not Just Completion

Larger game maps often carry the perception that they’re just for adding additional content, as even ‘Final Fantasy 7 Remake’ demonstrated this somewhat. However, what’s interesting about vast game worlds is their capacity to stimulate exploration by inviting players to discover new areas, regardless of whether there are activities or collectibles hidden within those expanses. Games such as ‘Elden Ring’ and ‘Zelda: Breath of the Wild’ exemplify this concept well, since they arouse player curiosity through visual and auditory hints rather than simply labeling locations with markers and presenting players with a to-do list.

Games akin to these suggest that Final Fantasy 17 could revive world maps and airships, and effectively pull off this concept without making it overly expansive just for the sake of size. Instead, it could encourage players to explore its rich and varied geographical features, hidden treasures, and intriguing characters and narratives that lie beyond the typical pathways. At the very least, it would be a wonderful method for Final Fantasy 17 to rekindle the nostalgia of those who have stayed loyal to the franchise since its inception, but it wouldn’t have to be merely a nod to the past — it could fundamentally reshape the contemporary Final Fantasy era.

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2025-03-27 17:12