Final Fantasy XV’s story has been a long-kept secret following the departure of Tetsuya Nomura. Since then we’ve learned that changes were made to the original Final Fantasy Versus XIII script to appropriate the tale more toward that of a singular mainline title. With the arrival of Gamescom and a new trailer, director Hajime Tabata is now ready to share a few more of those details – shedding some light on a few bits before even more of the game is revealed in the coming months.

Speaking with GameInformer, Tabata explained a big part of the game will focus on the bonds shared between parent and child in addition to the bonds of friendship we’ve already seen between Noctis and his friends. For example, the car so prominently seen in much of the game’s media is actually owned by Noctis’ father and serves as a “sort of the metaphor representing the relationship between Noctis and his father through the car.”

Throughout the story, players will learn more about Noctis’ past through various flashback sequences. The dog seen in the trailer is one such key element. “That dog actually plays a really big part in the events that take place a little later in their lives – after the young-man phase,” said Tabata.

The young girl in the trailer is Lunafreya who serves as a replacement for Final Fantasy Versus XIII heroine Stella. Luna is a childhood friend of Noctis and although she shares some visual similarities to Stella, Tabata insists she possesses a stronger personality. “She’s a much stronger, more determined character,” Tabata said. “She’s got her own willpower and objectives that she acts upon. In some ways, Noctis is the weaker character. Maybe he’s the one who’s going to need protecting.”

Tabata notes that although she was vulnerable in the trailer imagery, he made sure to show the defiance in her eyes to illustrate this part of her personality.