Square Enix’s latest addition to the Final Fantasy franchise, Final Fantasy XVI, has gone gold three months ahead of its scheduled release date. Despite this, the studio has said that development will still continue. “Mastered up today,” announced the studio on Twitter earlier this week, sharing a photograph of staff–and a Torgal plushy–celebrating the achievement.
The First Mainline Game in Five Years
The upcoming Final Fantasy XVI is the first core game to join the series since Final Fantasy XV in 2016, with only a few other releases borrowing from the series’ canon. In a statement made last year, producer Naoki Yoshida announced that the development team were entering “the finale” of Final Fantasy XVI‘s creation process. By November, developers claimed that they were 95% of the way to completion.
The game is set to be released on June 22nd and will be a PlayStation 5 exclusive for at least six months.
The Future of Combat
Final Fantasy XVI will move away from the franchise’s staple turn-based combat to adopt more action-packed battles, similar to those found in Final Fantasy XV. The game’s high-fantasy setting mixes a more action-packed approach with unique Eikon battles that focus on Dominants – gifted individuals who can wield the power of Eikons.
The Story So Far…
The world of Valisthea is at war, and Final Fantasy XVI will take players on an epic journey through a wartorn universe filled with unique creatures, magic and kingdoms. The game’s protagonist is Clive Rosfield, the firstborn son of Archduke Rosfield.
Clive’s story will be a central focus of the game, accompanied by his younger brother Joshua, who becomes engulfed in political intrigue as he becomes embroiled in a war against their enemies in the Grand Duchy of Rosaria. The brothers’ relationship is strained by the conflict they find themselves in, and players must navigate through treachery and danger in order to emerge victorious.
The Power of Eikons
In Final Fantasy XVI, Eikons are gods that can be summoned to aid clive and Joshua on their journey, with Dominants having the rare ability to summon these ancient creatures. These battles will be crucial in progressing through the game and will require strategy and planning to master.
Players will have access to multiple Eikons throughout the game, each possessing unique abilities that can alter the course of a battle. Players can also unlock new abilities for their Eikon as they upgrade, further building on their abilities to emerge victorious.
Final Thoughts
Final Fantasy XVI is shaping up to be an action-packed addition to the famed franchise, with the addition of Eikon battles adding a new layer of strategy to the game. It’s certainly an exciting time for fans of the series, with the franchise seemingly going from strength to strength, and with the announcement of Final Fantasy VII Remake’s PS5 upgrade, it seems there’s plenty of reasons tailor-made for PS5 owners to be excited.
