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Final Fantasy XV really is coming in 2016, more details will be revealed in March

Final Fantasy XV Marlboro fight
Earlier this month at Gamescom, Final Fantasy XV director Hajime Tabata all but confirmed that the game would be released in 2016, saying that the release date was “not going to be 2017. It’s going to be before that.”

Over the weekend at PAX in Seattle, Tabata reaffirmed that confirmation, this time to an entire panel audience. Though he didn’t offer anything more about when the game would be released, Tabata did say that Square Enix would share details on the game’s release at a “special event” to be held in March 2016, according to Polygon.

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While details on the release date were scarce, plenty of information about the game proper was on display. Final Fantasy XV is still undergoing intensive development, with systems like the camera, AI, and combat all seeing plenty of changes. Tabata said that these systems were anywhere from 30 to 80 percent complete.

The game system Tabata spent the most of his time talking about was the driving mode. The car used by Noctis and friends throughout the game is known as the Regalia, and two modes will give players the choice of deciding how hands-on they want to be with the car. Auto mode allows the player to simply kick back and enjoy the ride, while manual mode sees Noctis hop into the driver’s seat, giving the player control of the car.

In a surprising touch of realism from a game known for the fantastic, the Regalia can run out of gas if players aren’t careful. At this point players have the choice of calling in for help or pushing the car to the nearest gas station. Those who played the Episode Duscae demo have already seen this.

As we reported earlier this month, Final Fantasy XV will be the first game in the history of the franchise to see a simultaneous worldwide release. Now we just need to wait until March to find out exactly when that will be.

Kris Wouk
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…
All Wall of Memories curiosities in Final Fantasy 16
Final Fantasy 16's cover showcasing its protagonist infront of two demon summons.

Clive is a more sentimental guy than you might expect from looking at him. Even though he puts on a tough face, it's clear he still cares deeply for those around him in Final Fantasy 16. This is most obvious once you unlock the Wall of Memories where he will store all the trinkets and items he finds to display. These curiosities are the main collectibles you will be picking up throughout Final Fantasy 16, but only the first is handed to you. The remaining ones will be off the main path and take a little more work. If you want to fully stock Clive's Wall of Memories with every collectible, here's where you can find them in Final Fantasy 16.
All curiosities

There are a total of 22 curiosities to find to fill up your Wall of Memories in Final Fantasy 16, but you could really say 21 since the first is given to you as part of the story. Here's where to get them all so you can unlock the For the Hoard trophy.
The Oath
Automatically obtained once you reach the "Cid the Outlaw" main quest.
Ambrosia's Tack
Rewarded to you after completing "The White-Winged Wonder" sidequest.
Martelle Apples
Rewarded to you after completing "The Fruits of Her Labors" sidequest.
Cid's Goblet
Rewarded to you after completing the "Payback" sidequest.
Guardians Scarf
Rewarded to you after completing "The Flames of War" sidequest.
Continental Censer
Rewarded to you after completing the "An Eye for an Eye" sidequest.
Hanged Man Signboard
Rewarded to you after completing the "For Great Justice II" sidequest.
Martha's Rest Signboard
Rewarded to you after completing the "Rekindling the Flame II" sidequest.
Crimson Caravans Signboard
Rewarded to you after completing the "Trading Places II" sidequest.
Charred Sparring Sword
Rewarded to you after completing the "More than Words" sidequest.
Scholar's Bonnet
Rewarded to you after completing the"An Inconvenient Truth" sidequest.
Stolas Quill
Rewarded to you after completing the "A Tail to Tell" sidequest.
Model Airship
Rewarded to you after completing the "Aiming High" sidequest.
Winter Mead
Rewarded to you after completing the "Silver Linings" sidequest.
Rusted Battlehelm
Rewarded to you after completing the "Where There's a Will" sidequest.
Snow Daisy Garland
Rewarded to you after completing the "Priceless" sidequest.
The Triunity Accord
Rewarded to you after completing the "Three's Company" sidequest.
Briar's Kiss Signboard
Rewarded to you after completing the "Lines in the Sand II" sidequest.
Clayhearth Signboard
Rewarded to you after completing the "Duty Undying II" sidequest.
Veil Signboard
Rewarded to you after completing the "Under New Management II" sidequest.
Medicine Chest
Rewarded to you after completing the "Back to Their Origin" sidequest.
The Circle of Malius
Rewarded to you after completing all of the trails in every chronolith.

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A chronolith trial pillar glowing in the sunlight.

Every Final Fantasy game changes up the battle system in one way or another. Final Fantasy 16 isn't the first to have real-time, action-focused combat, but is by far the most polished and refined one. The story is by no means secondary, but for the first time players are able to really express themselves through the various combos and abilities you can pull off. Square Enix recognized this and included special combat trails called Chronolith Trials. These are somewhat similar to the special missions you can find in games like Devil May Cry 5 where you are faced with a unique challenge for a reward. As tough as these challenges are to beat, finding them is also a bit of a chore. Hop on your Chocobo and follow our lead to find all the Chronolith locations in Final Fantasy 16. 
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Chronolith Trials are unique combat trails that put you into an arena that spawns waves of enemies. There will always be three rooms that each spawn three waves of enemies, plus a boss at the end. You're on a timer, and can only use a designated Eikon with predetermined abilities. By pulling off Battle Techniques, including Precision Dodge and Ability Finishes, you can extend your time. If you're quick enough to beat all the enemies without running out of time, you'll earn a special accessory as a reward. There are seven in total, and completing them all will also unlock the final Wall of Memory item you need to complete that collection.
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Phoenix
In Greensheaves in Rosaria, fast travel to Martha's Rest and exit to the north. Follow the path east and you will find it just before the path leading to Rhiannon's Ride.

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Final Fantasy X

While the role-playing game (RPG) has become a catch-all genre, now encompassing an almost silly range of games that don't share much in common, there was one video game franchise in the 1980s that was the quintessential RPG. Yes, we're talking about Final Fantasy from Square Enix.

The fantasy Japanese RPGs debuted on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1987, but they became cultural touchstones in the '90s as Super Nintendo games. From there, the series made an incredibly successful jump to 3D on the PlayStation 1 before the mainline series started to take more risks, including the elimination of turn-based battles and massively multiplayer online game (MMO) entries, and the latest game, Final Fantasy XVI, becoming a full-on character-action game.

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