Square Enix releases details on the plot and characters for its upcoming CGI film Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy 15, which will release prior to the game.

Final Fantasy XV may well be the make or break game in the long running series. It has been in development for years, and it will reportedly need to sell 10 million copies worldwide to even see a return on investment. While the series was once synonymous with well-made, perfectly executed RPGs, it has faced cooler reception over the last few installments.

Final Fantasy XIII and its oddly-numbered sequels were technically impressive, but fans disliked the linear nature and generic storytelling. Final Fantasy XIV had a disastrous launch, and was never quite able to recover its fan base. It appears Square-Enix is betting the farm on Final Fantasy XV, as they are even creating a feature-length, CGI film, entitled Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV, which will release prior to the game.

The film will take place concurrently with the game, but although they both feature some overlapping characters, the film and game will each take place in different locations during the same conflict. Both are set during a war between the kingdom of Lucis and the empire of Niflheim, but the film will follow the elite soldiers of the kingdom of Lucis, the titular Kingsglaive, as they fight to save their homeland from the invading Imperial army. The main squad of Kingsglaive soldiers in the film are:

Nyx Ulric

Nyx is the main protagonist of the film. He was saved during childhood by King Regis, and uses his excellent fighting abilities to repay the debt that he feels he owes to the King. He also shows command over some of the magic seen in the royal family.

Lunafreya Nox Fleuret

Lunafreya is a powerful magic user who can speak with the gods. She was engaged to be married to Noctis, the protagonist of the the game, but moved to the imperial capital instead.

Drautos

Drautos is the commander of the Kingsglaive. He is a hard worker and recognizes hard work in others, but he is very critical of his own faults. He serves as a mentor for Nyx.

Libertus Ostium

Libertus grew up in the same hometown as Nyx, and is a just and responsible person. He can also be emotional and stubborn at times.

Luche Lazarus

Luche is a highly intelligent member of the Kingsglaive, and has used that intelligence to gain the trust and respect of his fellow soldiers.

Crowe Altius

Crowe grew up an orphan, and considers the other members of the Kingsglaive as the closest thing she has to a true family. She is a powerful mage.

Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV will see a theatrical release in Japan and a streaming release elsewhere. The English language release will feature the voices of, among others, Sean Bean, Lena Headey, and Aaron Paul. Alongside the impressive cast comes the impressive graphics engine, the updated Luminous Engine. The Final Fantasy series has long pushed the limits of whatever hardware it runs on, and Final Fantasy XV is no exception. The CGI created using this engine is so impressive, in fact, that the creators removed many of the cutscenes from Final Fantasy XV and used them for Kingsglaive instead.

Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV will release in Japan on July 9, 2016, and will be available to stream elsewhere sometime before the video game releases (September 30, 2016).

Source: Silconera