Final Fantasy XVI is the highly anticipated action-role-playing game from Square Enix, set to release exclusively for the PlayStation 5 on June 22, 2023. PS4 players will need to upgrade to the PS5 to play the game, as it will not be cross-generation.
The game’s reveal trailer confirmed that it will be available on PC after its timed exclusivity on PS5 ends on December 31, 2023. As for an Xbox release, there has been no official announcement from Square Enix.
Fans of the Final Fantasy series can look forward to a new dark fantasy storyline set on the world of Valisthea, with a combat system that combines both melee and magic attacks. The game features segmented open environments and familiar elements such as Chocobos and summoned monsters called Eikons.
The development team behind Final Fantasy XVI includes producer Naoki Yoshida, director Hiroshi Takai, and battle designer Ryota Suzuki from Capcom, among others. Despite being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the invasion of Ukraine, Square Enix is poised to deliver a captivating new entry in the Final Fantasy franchise.
What We Know About the Gameplay
Final Fantasy XVI offers an electrifying gameplay experience that combines action-packed combat and deep role-playing elements. Players will control the protagonist Clive Rosfield and a team of AI-controlled companions as they journey across the diverse continents of Valisthea. The game features a seamless blend of melee and magic-based attacks, allowing players to dodge, cast fireballs, and engage in close-quarters combat using their swords and warp-like abilities.
In battles against summoned monsters known as Eikons, players will have access to unique mechanics and special powers inspired by the defeated creatures. FFXVI offers two modes for players to choose from: a “Story” mode that simplifies combat and strengthens characters, and a normal mode that provides a greater challenge. The game also includes a New Game+ option that allows players to continue their journey with improved stats and equipment.
Alongside Clive, players will also be accompanied by a cast of AI-controlled party members and a faithful buddy character. The game will not feature a turn-based system, instead opting for an action-RPG style of combat that shares similarities to FFXV and FF7 Remake. The battle system has been designed by Ryota Suzuki, who was a combat designer for Devil May Cry 5 and Dragon’s Dogma, promising players an exciting and challenging experience.
While the game’s focus on action is sure to excite players, producer Naoki Yoshida has assured fans that it will not compromise the game’s story. The UI and HUD elements have not yet been revealed, with Yoshida mentioning that they have been hidden during the game’s trailers to avoid spoilers. Get ready for an epic adventure filled with powerful battles, heartwarming moments, and a captivating storyline in Final Fantasy XVI.
What We Know About the Characters and Setting
Final Fantasy XVI is set in Valisthea, a world divided between two continents, Ash and Storm. The world is powered by magical Mothercrystals that provide aether energy, though overuse can cause magic users to turn to stone. Valisthea was once dominated by a sky-based civilization that collapsed in a great war 1500 years ago and is now only remembered as a legend. The Mothercrystals have since become central to the six nations that control Valisthea.
The game features powerful magical creatures called Eikons, which are based on summoned monsters from the Final Fantasy series. The Eikons, such as Phoenix, Shiva, Titan, Garuda, Leviathan, Bahamut, Odin, and Ramuh, represent different elements and typically never fight each other. The main plot revolves around an impossible second fire Eikon, Ifrit, that disrupts this balance.
Valisthea is comprised of the Grand Duchy of Rosaria, the Holy Empire of Sanbreque, and the Dhalmekian Republic on the Storm continent, the Kingdom of Waloed on the Ash continent, and the neutral Crystalline Dominion in between. The Iron Kingdom is an isolated nation overseen by the Crystalline Orthodox and has its own language. The world is suffering from a depletion of aether known as the Blight, causing conflict among the nations.
Magic users, known as Dominants, are key players in the nations’ politics and military. Depending on where they are born, Dominants are either hailed as leaders, tolerated due to their power, or treated as weapons of war.
The protagonist is Clive Rosfield, the firstborn son of the Rosarian ruling family who acquires the power to wield multiple Eikons in combat. He is joined by his childhood friend Jill Warrick, the Dominant of Shiva, Cidolfus Telamon, the Dominant of Ramuh, and his dog Torgal.
Other significant characters include Barnabas Tharmr, the king of Waloed and Dominant of Odin, Benedikta Harman, a Waloed spy and Dominant of Garuda, Hugo Kupka, the Dominant of Titan, and Dion Lesage, the crown prince of Sanbreque and Dominant of Bahamut.
