In regards to the "it's closer to FFXIII than FFXV" translation, my take on that is:
FFXVI is going to have a lot of set-piece moments. Pulling the details out of my ass here, but instead of FFXV where 99% of the game is just standard sequences in the open world or dungeons, I think FFXVI is going to have a lot of sequences (like XIII or IX or VIII) where say you're in a castle being chased by guards, and the castle is being bombarded by enemy airships, and then you run on to the roof of the castle and Jill transforms into Shiva and rips the airships apart, and then Clive jumps off the roof onto an airship and makes his way inside to rescue Joshua, etc.
Like the battle between the gardens in FFVIII, or the eidolon battle over Alexandria in FFIX. Or most of what was happening in XIII. Linear set-piece sequences that aren't "open" in any way, you're playing through an interactive movie, but give those kinds of memorable moments that a purely sandbox game can't give.
But while XIII was lacking the rest of the equation (a world to explore and go off and do your own thing in your own time), it sounds like XVI will have that. Regions and towns and sidequests etc.
FFXVI is going to have a lot of set-piece moments. Pulling the details out of my ass here, but instead of FFXV where 99% of the game is just standard sequences in the open world or dungeons, I think FFXVI is going to have a lot of sequences (like XIII or IX or VIII) where say you're in a castle being chased by guards, and the castle is being bombarded by enemy airships, and then you run on to the roof of the castle and Jill transforms into Shiva and rips the airships apart, and then Clive jumps off the roof onto an airship and makes his way inside to rescue Joshua, etc.
Like the battle between the gardens in FFVIII, or the eidolon battle over Alexandria in FFIX. Or most of what was happening in XIII. Linear set-piece sequences that aren't "open" in any way, you're playing through an interactive movie, but give those kinds of memorable moments that a purely sandbox game can't give.
But while XIII was lacking the rest of the equation (a world to explore and go off and do your own thing in your own time), it sounds like XVI will have that. Regions and towns and sidequests etc.