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| Brett Wooley |
One of these things is not like the other.
10.19.15 - 12:28 AM
With the release of Final Fantasy XV Episode Duscae, a series of concerns have MATERIAlized (good night folks, tip your bartender) about the Western localization of the game. If you've followed the Final Fantasy franchise since the Super Nintendo days, and joined the concentrated fan discussions over the internet, you know there have always been differences (minor or major) with plot related dialogue or character development. At first it was to cater towards a younger Western age demographic, but the dialogue began to mature with the progression of the series on our side of the world.
Now fans are pointing out significant differences between the interactions of Prince Noctis and Ignis. In the Japanese version, Ignus has a closer and more informal relationship with Noctis, even using a nickname of "Noct" in normal conversation. This emotional closeness is lost in the English version, as Ignis uses "Highness" and speaks with a tone suitable for a butler or officer responsible for Noctis' welfare. Fans are puzzled by this change, and even accuse the translation team of failing to study the material more appropriately. On the other side of the argument, an Australian gamer explained how the change of Cidney to Cindy was positive for them . A "cydney" refers to a "painfully gorgeous and intelligent female capable of bringing destruction and desire to any man she meets." I believe half of 70's - 80's rock was dedicated to "cydneys."
This reminds me of Glenn/Frog from Chrono Trigger. In the English version we related to a stalwart (almost cliché) knight dedicated to retaining his honor and sense of justice. In the Japanese version players journeyed with an informal, more jovial swordsman that struggled with his complex situation.
What is interesting is the response that these gamers received from Director Hajime Tabata. He actually agrees with the concerns about the relationship between Noctis and Ignis, and claims to have addressed his concerns to Localization Lead Dan Inoue. "Rest assured that we're discussing these issues internally and working out the best way to improve things, so I hope you can look forward to what you'll see in the final product."
Final Fantasy XV is due out next year with an expected release date around Q2 2016. Since it's Fall of 2015, you can celebrate it like Gladiolus and check out our extensive gallery while patiently waiting for the release.
