Summary
Whenever a new game arrives as part of theFinal Fantasyseries, especially a mainline entry, it’s a huge deal within the video game industry.Final Fantasy 16, which was released in June of this year, was certainly no exception to this. With a huge budget behind it, the first game in the franchise to release on PS5 arrived with the expected amount of fanfare and hype surrounding it. However, despite delivering a highly polished game with fast-paced combat and a multi-layered narrative that fans of the series have come to expect,Final Fantasy 16controversially turned its back on many of the traditional RPG elements it’s known for, such as class identity. Whether this will be the norm for mainline entries now remains to be seen, but with a franchise as big asFinal Fantasy, these elements should eventually return in some form.
The originalFinal Fantasywas released way back in 1987, so it’s no surprise that the series has had to evolve consistently over the years to keep itself fresh. For the most part, it has done an admirable job of this, with landmark turn-based RPG titles in the series such asFinal Fantasy 7andFinal Fantasy 10underlining its dominance in the RPG genre. As the years have gone on, there’s been a shift towards action-focused titles withFinal Fantasy 15andFinal Fantasy 7 Remake, as despite retaining many of the series' classic elements, both are classified as real-time action RPGs.Final Fantasy 16takes this a step further, dropping almost all the RPG elements in favor of a heavy focus on action and set-pieces.
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Final Fantasy 16 Took the Series in a Bold New Direction
Final Fantasy 16is mainly centered on one man: Clive Rosfield. The brooding protagonist embarks on a quest that eventually takes on world-ending significance, and in stark contrast to the dozens of memorable party members made available over the series' previous installments, Clive is the sole member of the party. A couple of friends drop in to help along the way, but none are controllable, and their actual value is questionable at best. Not only is there no party for the player to choose and customize, but there are no class options for Clive either. He can upgrade or change his sword, but this feels largely rudimentary. He cannot focus on magic, or particular defensive or offensive options. Abilities exist, but almost all of them are exclusively focused on dealing damage.
The linear nature of the game, and the lack of meaningful side content, including some of theoptional super-bosses thatFinal Fantasyis well-known for, round out the major changes. These omissions allowFF16to focus on its action, by unleashing a fun, fluid combat system for players to enjoy. It accomplishes this goal, and the giant Eikon battles are truly a spectacle to behold. For fans of the previous installments, though, it undeniably feels a little alienating for so many of the key elements to be missing, and many will wonder what this means for the series' future.
Final Fantasy 16 may not be the traditional RPG that many expected, but that’s not to say the series couldn’t produce another one further down the line.
Thankfully, spin-offs such asFinal Fantasy Type-0andFinal Fantasy Theatrhythm Final Barhave shown just how diverse the franchise is when it comes to experimenting with different genres.Final Fantasy 16may not be a traditional RPGlike many expected, but that’s not to say the series couldn’t produce another one further down the line. The gaming world is bracing itself for the release ofFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthin early 2024, but it seems entirely possible that developer Square Enix will stick toFF16’s formula with further mainline entries, but future projects could take on many shapes and forms, and it will be interesting to see where the series goes next.
Final Fantasy 16
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An epic dark fantasy world where the fate of the land is decided by the mighty Eikons and the Dominants who wield them.This is the tale of Clive Rosfield, a warrior granted the title “First Shield of Rosaria” and sworn to protect his younger brother Joshua, the dominant of the Phoenix. Before long, Clive will be caught up in a great tragedy and swear revenge on the Dark Eikon Ifrit, a mysterious entity that brings calamity in its wake.
