The JRPG genre has evolved substantially over the last two decades, going from traditional turn-based combat focusing on more traditional ideals to a more action-rich environment. While there are elements that remain from their roots, even games such asTales of Arise,Star Ocean: The Divine Forceand Monolith’s Xeno franchise, just to name a few, have changed arguably for the better. That’s not to say there aren’t games out there that still rock the slower, strategic systems, such asPersona 5andDragon Quest XI, but the direction has shifted with most major developers. EvenFinal Fantasy XVandFinal Fantasy VII Remakeadopted a more active system, but Final Fantasy XVI looks to go beyond that. With a star-studded lineup of developers, such as Hiroshi Takai, Kazutoyo Maehiro, Ryota Suzuki, Masayoshi Soken and of course Naoki Yoshida, the latest entry in the long-running franchise is shaping up to be the most ambitious we’ve seen. Creative Business Unity III have become superstars among the Final Fantasy community thanks toFinal Fantasy XIV, so it makes sense that Square Enix would put them on another major project such as this, and it was no doubt the right decision. Final Fantasy XVI is nothing like what we’ve come to expect from a Final Fantasy title, and maybe that’s a good thing.
This is arguably Final Fantasy’s most mature plot yet, sporting dark and dreary events. It’s not just the overarching theme, but the amount of death, destruction and discrimination that occurs throughout the story that’s surprising for a Final Fantasy title. People called Bearers, who have magical gifts, are treated like property and used until their Aether is depleted and thrown away like tools. That’s the earthlier plot as Clive and party fight for those who cannot fight for themselves, whereas there’s a more fantasy concept weaved between the seams. It’s not surprising considering this is also about characters having magical abilities and even able to transform into Eikons, or as we know them as Summons or Primals. These are gigantic creatures representing elements such as Fire, Ice and Wind, with not one element being more powerful than the other. And every time these Eikons show up you know you’re in for a treat. The supernatural elements are well done as they’re not forced into the plot but implemented all the way through, affecting the narrative right from the start, both hidden in the background and directly in the forefront.
Outside of that, this is very much Square Enix’s Game of Thrones, and not just because it takes place in a fantasy world with warring houses, but there are so many parallels to specific characters and nations such as the Lannisters, specifically Cersei and Jamie. There are even phrases such as “I always pay my debts” and an island just outside of the protagonist’s homeland called The Iron Kingdom which is filled with zealots that aren’t too different from say the Ironborn. Looking past the obvious influences to George R.R. Martin’s work, the story itself hits hard in spots, harder than it has any right to, as you will develop strong connections with even some of the smaller characters. I helps that the writing team nailed it, from the light-hearted exchanges with characters at The Hideaway base of operations to the deep and meaningful monologues from Odin. Players will be fully immersed in this fantastical setting.
Final Fantasy XVI melds the middle ages type setting finely while implementing more traditional monsters, such as giant spiders, with more common Final Fantasy creatures such as Coeurls, Behemoths, Lich and so much more. With that said, there are stark omissions such as Tonberries and Cactuars, but otherwise there’s a significant bestiary of familiar creatures. The RPG also embraces the M rating wholeheartedly, with a shocking amount of blood and cursing. It’s not on the level of something like Mortal Kombat, but for a Final Fantasy game, we’re not used to the amount of brutality. Decapitations, dismemberment, impalement and more are now just common place in this universe, and in graphic detail.
On top of the roughly thirty-hour campaign, there are around eighty additional side quests to partake in, each highlighting unique characters and events. There’s some long-running chained quests that start near the beginning that gradually evolves as the story progresses, but the majority are one-offs. Most of the side quests don’t amount to much in terms of gameplay or unique tasks, usually fetch quests or taking down specific monsters, but it’s the lengthy stories most of them have that enrich the experience. It greatly builds the world and helps players understand it more, adding to the immense lore of the nations, events and magic. In addition, there are Notorious Marks that can be found on the Moogle board, allowing the player to locate and hunt monsters out in the world doing more harm than good. These range from basic monsters to Behemoths that can one shot anyone who doesn’t come prepared. All of this ties right into a Reputation system that gives players with various rewards for hitting specific milestones. I do wish this was more integrated into other systems other than just additional goodies as most of the items aren’t particularly useful, but the few crucial rewards, such as Ability Points and Legendary Accessories at least got a long way.
Final Fantasy’s combat has changed over the years, from a traditional turn-based battle to a more active system. We saw hints of this all the way back in Final Fantasy XII but it wasn’t until Final Fantasy XIV and XV that it truly became the direction the franchise was going down. For Final Fantasy XVI, this is now closer to an Action RPG, with a stronger focus on the former. Square Enix has gone as far to bring on Ryota Suzuki, a designer forDevil May Cry 5, to spearhead the combat system, and it shows. This feels very much like Devil May Cry, from the fast-paced swordplay to the ability tree. Because Clive is able to absorb elements of other Dominants, he unlocks various abilities, and each has their own small skill tree. It’s not on the level of something like FFX’s gridsphere system, but instead each tree has five unique abilities, one of which is an expensive special attack, and each can be upgraded and mastered. As they’re upgraded, their ability will gain not only hit harder, but also have additional effects and attacks added on top of it. For example, Flames of Rebirth hits everyone within a certain radius numerous times, but if it’s mastered, the amount of hits will essentially double alongside the length the skill is used.
Players can play this like a simple character action game, but the amount of tools they are given is deep. Special abilities more or less stop time, for example, but Clive’s cooldowns on his abilities will continue to roll, so there’s a way to minmax some of the mechanics. On top of this, players need to strategize how they use their abilities as the Stagger system allows them to essentially down an enemy for a certain amount of time and unleash a great deal of damage. This isn’t just a run of the mill hack’n and slash game, but instead we our given the opportunity to be creative. This is what makes Final Fantasy XVI’s combat feel so satisfying, and because it allows for a lot of customization, someone’s playstyle can be dramatically different from another. And the game actually highly encourages experimentation as players are allowed to full refund their AP points without any penalties. Because of this, though, I do wish there were times when I could set loadouts for specific situations. There are times when I wished I had more crowd control and others when I had more single target abilities.
Final Fantasy has been known for having extravagant cutscenes, but XVI blows them out the water. This is without doubt the most cinematic and exciting Final Fantasy to date, at least from a presentation standpoint as not only are the visuals highly detailed, but the music is on point, delivering some of the most memorable scores in recent history. It feels like the developers are mixing and matching CG with in-game rendering, as there are times when some of the foreground or backgrounds don’t quite match up with some of the models, but it’s so hard to tell where it’s being used. The amount of detail put into just simple armor to be more practical, or the amount of work that went into the environmental design to differentiate itself in each area is astounding. All the character and nations have unique visual traits that give to the authenticity of the story. Some of the animation can feel stiff at times, especially during conversations, but it pales into comparison to the flow of combat and cutscenes. The Eikon battles are a thing of beauty, with the scale matching that of God of War, if not grander. Whether it’s the visuals or the music, this will have players immersed within this beautifully rendered and portrayed world.
Closing Comments:
Final Fantasy XVI will change what we think of the franchise moving forward. It’s groundbreaking on so many levels, elevating the thirty-five-year old series to new heights. The combat is highly engaging and invites creativity and experimentation by giving players a bevy of tools to play around with. The story is beautifully written, and although it takes nods from other fantasy properties, it builds its own unique universe to immerse one in. The presentation is also spectacular, marrying both visuals and audio in an orchestra of splendor. While there’s downtime in between the major story beats, players will still be on the edge of their seat throughout this lengthy adventure. This is a bold new direction for the franchise we wholeheartedly endorse, as while it doesn’t have the same charm as older titles, Square Enix have created something truly special. Final Fantasy XVI is the most captivating and cinematic Final Fantasy ever released, and will stick with us for generations to come.
Final Fantasy XVI
Reviewed on PlayStation 5
