In 2007, a game released on the Nintendo DS would become the first entry in a new universe of interconnected Final Fantasy stories, yet it began as a standalone experiment in real-time strategy. Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings was not merely a spin-off but a deliberate attempt to bring the complex world of Ivalice to a handheld platform with a fresh gameplay loop. The project was co-developed by Square Enix and Think & Feel, a studio known for its work on Monster Summoner, to create an accessible entry point for new players while retaining the depth of the main series. The game follows Vaan and Penelo, the sky pirates from Final Fantasy XII, as they leave their home in Rabanastre to pursue a legendary treasure called the Cache of Glabados. Their journey takes them to Lemurés, a floating continent hidden from the surface world, where they become entangled in a war between the Aegyl, a winged people, and the mysterious Judge of Wings. The narrative shifts from the political intrigue of the previous game to a more light-hearted adventure focused on common folk, with Vaan and Penelo at the center of the story. This shift in tone and perspective was a deliberate choice by director Motomu Toriyama, who wanted to explore the unseen history of Ivalice through the eyes of those who had never held power. The game's success would later validate the decision to make it a standalone title, as it sold over one million copies worldwide and became the top-selling game in Japan during its first week of release.
A World of Floating Islands
The setting of Revenant Wings introduces Lemurés, a floating landmass that has been isolated from the surface world for centuries. This hidden continent is home to the Aegyl, a people who possess wings on their backs and live in a state of peaceful isolation. The Aegyl are similar to the Humes of Ivalice but lack curiosity and dreams, a trait that has kept them safe from the conflicts of the surface. The story begins when Vaan and Penelo, pursuing the Cache of Glabados, are transported to Lemurés by a derelict airship. There, they meet Llyud, an Aegyl who is ostracized for his curiosity, and learn that the Aegyl are at war with sky pirate bands commanded by the Judge of Wings. The Judge of Wings seeks the three auralith, powerful shards of auracite that keep Lemurés airborne. As the party attempts to help the Aegyl, the Judge of Wings destroys the first auralith, granting the party a vision of Balthier's death at the Judge's hands. The Aegyl also begin acting more aggressively, and the party discovers that the auraliths require the anima (souls) of the Aegyl to function, which has gradually drained them of their spirits and turned their dead into Espers. The story reveals that Lemurés was created by Feolthanos, a god whose influence continues through pieces of auracite, and that the Aegyl's isolation was a result of his rebellion against the Occuria, god-like beings who controlled Ivalice. The narrative culminates with the party destroying Feolthanos and the last auralith, dispelling the Espers and causing Lemurés to fall from the sky. The now-pacified Aegyl leave with Llyud to find a new home, and the party goes their separate ways.