'Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV' Features References To Past 'Final Fantasy' Games

As is wont for each succeeding entry in Square Enix' massively popular "Final Fantasy" series, references abound; although this time, the references have also extended to the other media in the franchise with the newly released CGI film "Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV" apparently full of them.

"Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV," the movie tie-in to the upcoming "Final Fantasy XV," just recently opened to a limited release to theaters in the United States. The film's storyline is set as taking place alongside the events of "Final Fantasy XV," offering more insight into the other workings of what sets of the conflict for the game's story.

Throughout the film's run, references to the previous entries in the "Final Fantasy" franchise are littered here and there for "Final Fantasy" fans to catch and snicker at. A collection of the references has been released by Gamespot.

One of the initial major references shows up in the first big action-sequence of "Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV," with a major clash between the protagonist's own Kingdom of Lucis and neighboring Empire of NIflheim. The empire has attacked, instituting its hordes of mechanical soldiers against which stand Lucis' titular Kingsglaive elite military group.

With the Kingsglaive overwhelming the Niflheim soldiers, the empire decided to try and turn the tables by bringing out its big guns; gigantic mechanical creatures that many "Final Fantasy" players might recognize as a Weapon. The Weapons are a long recurring enemy in the series; like Ultima Weapon, Omega Weapon, Emerald Weapon, and Ruby Weapon; that are placed in the game to function as the biggest and baddest bosses that players can face.

Other references are both less subtle and more blatant at the same time; at one point a character was shown wearing a shirt with a stylized drawing of a Marlboro. Ignoring the similarly named cigarette brand, Marlboros are tentacle enemies in the series known for their ability to inflict debilitating status debuffs.

Interestingly, locations in Lucis are named after elements from previous games; the Bank of Spira, for example, is named after the world that "Final Fantasy X" and its sequel took place in. Meanwhile the kingdom's shops take after major figures like one named Cosmos, named after the supreme being of light in the Dissidia games standing against Chaos; and Lindzei, the god of the setting of the collective "Final Fantasy XIII" games. There was also a shop featuring the real name of that game's protagonist, Lightning, which is Éclair.

One major reference is not directed at previous titles in the series, and instead is perhaps the film's way of including elements from its previous iteration as "Final Fantasy Versus XIII." A CGI render of the face of Stella Nox Fleuret can at one point be seen as being used for makeup advertisements in the film.

Those who followed the development timeline of "Final Fantasy XV" will remember the character as the deuteragonist back when the game was still in development as "Versus XIII" and part of the "Fabula Nova Crystallis" collection. She was designed as a more combative character, brandishing a rapier as she stood against Noctis Lucis Caelum for unknown reasons. Stella Nox Fleuret eventually went a redesign, ending up in the more diplomatic form of Lunafreya Nox Fleuret.

"Kingsglaive: "Final Fantasy XV" hit theaters August 17. "Final Fantasy XV" will release to consoles on November 29.