Chris-FaylorThis week's Famitsu Weekly pulls back the curtain on the new FFXI expansion, Chains of Promathia. This expansion stands independent of the other expansion, Rise of the Zilart, which was packed in with the North American version of Final Fantasy XI.
First, the bad news. Chains of Promathia won't include any new jobs or character skills, nor will it raise the current level cap.
On the plus side, the expansion features and original story and adds over 40 news areas to the FFXI world. From the goblin-inhabited Moblupolis to the ruin-filled island chain known as Tabnesia Archipelago, the new environment are quite varied. For water-based transportation, Chains of Promathia allows players to use rafts.
The North American release of Chains of Promathia will occur simultanouesly with the launch of the Japanese version, due out this fall.