After what has felt like years of waiting, Final Fantasy XVI is finally here for us all to enjoy! Whether you’re a new or long-time fan of the franchise, it promises to be a huge undertaking for players, but in the best way possible. Featuring the usual Final Fantasy eclectic cast, Chocobo’s, a beautiful and interesting world and a menacing villain to dispatch of, Final Fantasy XVI promises to scratch that particular itch that fans have had. Whether the game ends up being closer to the likes of Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy X, or the lowly depths of Final Fantasy XII is yet to be seen, but like yourselves, we’ll be playing it to find out!
Final Fantasy XVI – More Linear, Less Open-World
Unlike some of it’s predecessors, primarily Final Fantasy XV, Final Fantasy XVI has been touted as a more linear experience, tightening the explorability of the world and directing players where the developers want them to go, maximising the experience and saving any downtime, it’ll at the very least be a pacier experience. Final Fantasy XV certainly had its fans, however there was widespread criticism at the time of its release due to the open world feeling sparse, empty and wasted. Clearly Square Enix heard these complaints, judging by their latest offering.
Related: The Ever Growing Worlds of Final Fantasy
With Final Fantasy XVI currently being a timed-exclusive for PlayStation 5, fans with other consoles and PCs will have to wait a little while to get their hands on it. However, for those with the right hardware, now is the time to get it downloading and involve yourself in the latest world created by Square Enix.
Final Fantasy XVI – An Epic Dark Fantasy
“…an epic dark fantasy that takes place in the realms of Valisthea – a land blessed in the light of the Mothercrystals, and where peace falters as the spread of the Blight threatens to destroy their dominions. The fate of the land is decided by the Eikons, mighty summoned beasts and their Dominants, men and women who have been blessed with the ability to call upon and 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, Eikon of Fire. Before long, Clive will be caught up in a great tragedy and swear revenge on the Dark Eikon known as Ifrit, a mysterious entity that brings calamity in its wake.”
The game’s official synopsis makes it sound like we’ll be in store for more of the traditional Final Fantasy fare, with gigantic monsters, epic tales of love and betrayal and a vibrant world filled with lore and wonder all promised.
For those unsure as to whether they want to fully commit into buying Final Fantasy XVI, Square Enix have allowed players to download the demo, giving them the opportunity to jump in and try it out – and we thought the days of gameplay demos were long dead! The demo gives players access to the opening prologue, with saved progress carrying over to the full game after its release.
Featured in the demo is the game’s opening prologue, where players will be taking on the role of protagonist Clive Rosfield as he starts his tragic adventure. Thankfully any experience points, levels, skills or abilities you obtain during your time with the demo won’t be wasted, with Square Enix announcing that any progress will carry over into the main game.
Will you be buying Final Fantasy XVI? Have you already bought it and you’re playing it whilst reading this? Let us know in the comments what you think of it!
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