Remember when Final Fantasy 15 was actually Final Fantasy Versus 13? It seems like decades ago, but there was a time when the developers behind this RPG mainstay had big plans for the inclusive Crystal trilogy, or Fabula Nova Crystallis. Things have changed quite a bit since that time, but Final Fantasy XIII trilogy director Motomu Toriyama recently explained to IGN a few of the thematic consistencies between the next-gen project and Lightning’s tale on current-gen hardware.
One of the main threads that can be traced between the two games is the existence of Etro – the goddess Lightning is serving in Final Fantasy XIII-2. The character is seen in the Final Fantasy 15 trailer, and that’s something that Toriyama recognizes.
"You must remember, it was a long time ago that we named those three games: XIII, as well as Versus and Agito which we now call Type-0,” he said. “Obviously those three projects were going to be developed against the backdrop of this Crystal trilogy, or Fabula Nova Crystallis. But each project has a different set of characters and they’re set in different universes and worlds.
"When Etro is mentioned in the context of XIII and XV, we’re referring to the same goddess of Death. It’s the same goddess, but how she’s featured, how she appears and how she’s involved with the story is completely different. They’re different stories and different projects. So while it’s the same character, her involvement is very different."
The characters have drastically changed since the game’s inception, but expect a few hangovers from Versus when Final Fantasy 15 launches down the line.
