It’s a good day to be a Final Fantasy fan, as a more polished look at Final Fantasy XVI (FFXVI) has finally arrived. At the latest State of Play showcase, Square Enix unveiled a glimpse of gameplay for the highly-anticipated title, which is set to release in Summer 2023.
The three-minute reel is our first look at the game since its reveal in 2020, showcasing combat mechanics that feature high-speed, real-time action in the vein of Final Fantasy VII Remake. In it, we also see iconic summons like Ifrit, Bahamut, and Shiva in colossal sizes, who are likely to be directly involved in combat in one way or another.
The mysterious Eikons, powerful monsters resembling the aforementioned summons, make an appearance here, and it’s possible that they will have to either be defeated or befriended as part of the story. While not confirmed, the game could be setting the stage for a summon-versus-Eikons showdown, where the latter can be controlled by players. The incredibly neat soundtrack certainly adds to the intensity and high-octane action as well.
Interestingly enough, the footage only shows protagonist Clive Rosfield on the battlefield without any companions. FFXVI could thus potentially become the first in the series to not feature a party, which would mark a pretty huge departure from the core gameplay mechanics.
Set in the fantasy of Valisthea, FFXVI follows three main characters: Clive and Joshua Rosfield, who come from a noble family of Dominants, superpowered humans who can control the Eikons, and Jill Warrick, who was adopted by their family to end the conflict between warring nations. Six of them have been mentioned thus far.
FFXVI will be launching sometime in Summer 2023, and is currently listed as a PS5 exclusive, though the initial trailer seemed to suggest otherwise.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
