Square Enix’s latest information dump for Final Fantasy XV is here, this time giving fans a first-look at the RPG’s Phantom Sword mechanic, as well as customization options for Chocobos and Noctis’ car: the Regalia. Phantom Swords is the term applied to weapons and arms that only Noctis, “as a member of the royal family,” can use, and they’re considerably more powerful than standard weaponry.
You’ll want to use them sparingly, however, as each swing of a Phantom Sword will drain your HP. According to Square, Noctis and his companions will have to rummage through the “king’s graves found all across the world,” in order to find more of them. Besides the health drain risk, Phantom Swords also enable Noctis to perform Phantom Link, which is a co-operative attack that deals massive damage to enemies.
Customization options for the Regalia and Chocobos are also detailed, including confirmation that the big birds have the ability to join Noctis in battle with their own unique attacks. Various different decals are available for the Regalia, but you’ll need to unlock them by collecting ores scattered throughout Eos. The more you find, the more color and sticker options you’ll have to play around with. The final few screenshots provide further details on Ally Commands, attacks initiated by Noctis that order Gladios, Prompto and Ignis to perform their signature moves, as well as the return of the iconic Cactuar and Toberry enemies.
Final Fatasy XV launches for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on November 29, and is the culmination of over a decade of development. Having survived numerous redesigns (the original title was Final Fantasy Versus XIII)Â and delays, Square Enix can finally sit back and relax, although we can’t imagine the team will get much of a break – there’s already a colossal amount of DLC planned for the months following launch.
