SquareSoft of Japan has been good enough to release the first official information detailing Final Fantasy XI, its massively anticipated online RPG.
As previously announced, the game is set in a world called Vanadir, which is split into several different countries. Within each country you will encounter a variety of races and climates, each with its own set of rules and its own power-system in place.
Square has included Hume, a human race, Tartares, a magical, if a bit short, race, monkey-dog people, and Eruvan, a warrior race with pointy ears.
Cooperation is the name of the game and Square has made a strong point of the fact that progress will be very difficult, and sometimes impossible, when playing alone. To pass to some points of Vanadir teamwork will be essential. Square has also stated that there will be an unprecedented number of constantly updated none character players and many places to meet other players and partake in a bit of social interaction.
How Final Fantasy players, so used to playing as the hero of the piece, will react to playing in such a way, remains to be seen.