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The Last Story team have updated the game’s official column once again, this time with information about the towns on Ruli Island and their inhabitants.
Sakaguchi reveals that, from an architectural standpoint, small villages from France and Italy were used as the inspiration for the game’s towns, in order to convey the feeling that there is a rich history behind them. The game’s producer follows up by writing that, while towns in other games are usually abundant with dead-ends to avoid letting the player get lost, The Last Story features large towns, and that allowing the player to get lost and wander randomly through them is one of the goals of the design.
The behaviour of the inhabitants and passers-by on the street also changes periodically, sometimes in noticeable ways, and other times in a more subtle manner. Overall, the goal behind the cities in general is to give off the impression that the towns are a living, breathing place that you want to explore.
Here’s another piece of concept art — I love the cat on the barrel — along with a map of Ruli Island:
The text on the map appears to be a partial, rather literal translation of the last column update. It reads:
“Ruli Island is located at the entrance of the only open bay of the continent surrounded by the mountains.
The place is gathered by wealth and power because of the linchpin of traffic and defense of the empire behind it.
A huge battery is enshrined, skilled knights and reckless mercenary soldiers prepare for the enemy’s invasion.
At the wealthy town of Ruli’s, the coquettish voice is like intoxicated from the transient party wraps around everything, despite the ground of entire empire being covered by corruption, while the neighboring castle is filled by a weird ghostly air with an eerie magical power.
Tonight as well, an evil spirit is lurking near by, like it may be attracted to Ruli’s strange power.”
