In September 2020, during the presentation of the PlayStation 5, Final Fantasy XVI became one of the "pearls" of the future console. Then the developers showed the first (and only at the moment) trailer, which reveals the main plot, characters, and the combat system of the future game. This time, the main character will be a young knight named Clive Rosfield, who sought to protect his younger brother Joshua, until a mysterious tragedy forced the hero to take the path of revenge.
Square Enix has also launched an official website for the game, where you can watch the trailer and explore the Final Fantasy XVI universe and its characters. Interestingly, the upcoming sequel is being developed by the Creative Business Unit III - you might not have heard of it, but the fact that they are behind the development of the MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV speaks volumes. Recall that immediately after the release, the MMORPG was criticized due to insufficient elaboration of the universe, however, the lead project manager, Naoki Yoshida, "revived" the game, continuing to improve it already in the new version - Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. It was this version that was praised by critics, and some gaming publications called it "game of the year." Now, Yoshida will be producing the all-new Final Fantasy XVI. The project manager is Hiroshi Takai, author of another Japanese bestseller from Square Enix, the video game The Last Remnant.
What else do we know about Final Fantasy XVI?
Release date
"I promise the wait is worth it," Hiroshi Takai stated during the game's announcement. Undoubtedly, we want to believe him, but the developers do not provide any more accurate information. At the moment, the release is already scheduled for this year, although some skeptics say that this is too short a time for such a large-scale project. Whatever it was, the game can be developed for at least several years, and therefore - 2021 can be a very realistic date.
Final Fantasy XVI at E3?
The E3 game show is already underway, but it is not known if Final Fantasy XVI will appear on it. On June 13, the game's developer studio, Square Enix, will hold its own presentation, however, most likely, this presentation will be occupied by releases from the subsidiaries of Square Enix. Will the developers give us an unexpected surprise? Unknown. Producer Naoki Yoshida stated in one of his interviews that this year we will definitely learn more about Final Fantasy XVI - we'll see if it happens at E3.
Will the game be a PS5 exclusive?
Yes, so far on the official website it is indicated that Final Fantasy XVI will be an exclusive of the next generation console from PlayStation, but it is already known that this exclusivity will be temporary. Does this mean that the game can go to PC or Xbox? Well, at least the trailer for the game itself was made on PC, as evidenced by the warning in the video itself. Obviously, immediately after release, the release will be available exclusively on PS5, but who knows how long it will last.
Trailer details
The trailer for the game is really very detailed - in 4 minutes it reveals the main plot, characters, and a colorful combat system. You can find out even more on the official website.
So, the plot tells about the political conflict between the six kingdoms, in the center of which is the story of the so-called "dominants", people with special abilities. The protagonist, the knight Clive Rosfield, discovers the power of the dominant in his younger brother Joshua. Together with him you will go a long way, from a young lively knight to a gray-haired veteran who has experienced many dramatic events. At first, Clive vows to protect Joshua from his own power - however, judging by the trailer, the younger brother accidentally kills someone very important, so the main character has to take revenge and stop Joshua. Besides Clive and Joshua, we also see a girl named Jill Varrick who is related to both brothers.
In the trailer, we also see intense battles - it seems that the possession of a "dominant" significantly changes the balance of power in the kingdoms, and Joshua, having awakened this power in himself, has absolutely no control over it. In addition, we recall that in the Final Fantasy universe there are so-called Mother Crystals with powerful magic that prevents the spread of Filth.
Also, the logo of the game itself tells us that the conflict between Rosfields and Ifrit (the opposing force in the game) will become central to the plot. It seems that in this part, the possession of the so-called "dominant" will become much more important than in other games in the franchise.
Gameplay
The trailer showed us an intense combat system that is close to Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn - unsurprisingly given the shared producer of both games. The main character Clive can use the power of fire, as well as fight in a straight line with his sword. It is difficult to say how exactly the control will take place, since the user interface was not shown in the trailer. However, it is known that the same person who was previously responsible for the battles in Devil May Cry 5 was responsible for the combat system - and this promises a truly exciting action.
As a reminder, you can find more information about the release on the official website of Final Fantasy XVI. Unfortunately, it is not yet known when the pre-orders will open - however, we will be watching closely for updates.
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