There ’s a lot to talk about .
The Final Fantasy serial has never been afraid to interchange up its combat between entries , from the classic turn - based adventures to the Action Time Battle systems of later installment . With Final Fantasy XV and VII Remake , the dealership was wading into the waters of Action RPG combat . Final Fantasy XVI plunk head first into this genre and is n’t afraid to say it with its whole chest .
During a intro before the demo , the team explain some of the world - construction of Final Fantasy XVI . The World of Valisthea hit its free energy from the Mothercrystals , which the team compare to tangible - reality “ Oil Fields . ” They draw ether from the domain and are the ground of the multiple nations . There are a few Mothercrystals that are not reside by one of the region and a cease-fire in place that no one can own them – they belong to the human race .
As the business leader of some of these crystals wane , it becomes a crazy flair to procure any that can keep the people animated . While this is the geo - political struggle of the world , Final Fantasy XVI focuses on our hero , Clive Rosfield , who is on a seeking for revenge against the top executive that killed his younger crony Josh .
Clive ’s pursuance for revenge will take him all over Valisthea , interacting with the other Lord , nobleman , and everyday folks of the earth .
After a little backstory , we were ease up access to the playable build .
“ This is a particular interpretation made for medium to live , and contents may differ from the final version . ”
Before getting into a deep dive on the scrap , the preview build I play ran at 30 FPS with the gesture blur crank all the way up . However , in a display , before the demo start , the team stated that they are optimistic about stimulate a carrying out way toggle switch to fly the coop that secret plan at a higher framerate at launching .
Final Fantasy XVI’s Action Combat Forges A New Path Forward | Preview
After roughly two hour with the game , I walked away unsurprised by how much combat theatre director Ryota Suzuki ’s DNA is in this plot . Previous projects of his , like Devil May Cry V are the loose comparison .
The initiative moments of the demo see Clive and Cid exploring a castle in search of Benedikta . Each room had Clive ripping through enemies in high - octane combat .
You have your standard steel swing attack that can be combo’d together with your abilities to make string , aura juggling , and everything you would carry from a hard - action game .
Your abilities are given to you by the different Eikons of the game . So for the demonstration , I was able to draw in from Garuda , Titan , and Phoenix . mix and matching the different skills to create a flow that sense tawdry and harnesses the power of these famous Eikons .
come to : Final Fantasy XVI Devs Talk about build the Bridge Between Old and New Fans
you may swap between the different Eikon abilities with a simple button press , which appropriate you to chain them together . Its clear FFXVI is designed to be a game with a low roadblock to entry , but an exceedingly high accomplishment ceiling for instrumentalist attend to sink the sentence into .
As I carved my way through this castling , I get down to really get a feel for the armed combat . It takes a piece of getting used to , but hit an enemy with Phoenix ’s wing and then ripping into them with Garuda ’s claw finger visceral and has quick feedback .
Each Eikon also extend a utility power that tally another layer of decisions to make on a second - to - second basis . Phoenix give player a phase angle hyphen similar to Noctis ’ nictation power , Garuda gives you a hook to pull enemy to you , and Titan gives you a block that negates a ton of incoming impairment .
I learned early on on that Titan ’s auction block can be used to parry , and polish off a frame - sodding counter against a chief lets you rip into them and sell massive scathe .
FFXVI also has a lurch system similar to old Final Fantasy ledger entry . Beating on an enemy enough will cause them to stagger . A Staggered enemy will take 150 % bonus damage , and this is where you need to collapse them as much as potential . arrest enemies to a staggered DoS will take a lot , but reaping the reinforcement of it is worth it .
Of course , that ’s not all the scrap propose players . You also have your trusty comrade Torgal , your dog that can attack foe and help you out in scrap . Torgal can be controlled with dewy-eyed command on the d - digs , like telling Torgal to set on the foe , you ’re targeting . While you do n’t have a full suite of moves for Torgal , it ’s a skillful via media and allows you to give quick natural process for Torgal to do in battle .
There ’s is lot kick the bucket on in any moment with FFXVI ’s combat , and it ’s cleared the team want to give players a ton of options for minute - to - moment gameplay . you may still stray famous Final Fantasy piece like Firaga , Aero , Stone , and more . Your fitted out Eikons also dictate these . So chuck spell does n’t apply time or MP ; it ’s a simple hit of the triangle push . you may hold down the button to saddle up the tour to a higher level . This gives you a constant roam ability at all times if you involve to do cow dung damage . Another body of work of Suzuki ’s past on MvC 2 .
We have n’t even talked about one of the most iconic office of the Final Fantasy series , Limit Breaks . Clive can Limit Break after satisfy up the meter , and the one we had memory access to in the preview operated not too dissimilar from Krato ’s Spartan Rage – letting you whale on foe with increased harm and the ability to reconstruct some of your wellness back . It ’s great to use on staggered enemies or even if you ’re out of healing potion and need more recovery options .
Throughout all of this , Final Fantasy XVI has not blank out it ’s an RPG . You will still be obtaining new pieces of gear , accessories , and fill out a attainment tree diagram .
The skill tree diagram in Final Fantasy XVI still focuses on each of the Eikons you ’ve unlocked , but it offers raw way to interact with them , from raw abilities that can be slotted into your loadout to buffs for charm , damage output , and more .
While we did n’t get to see more of the RPG constituent in the demo , the squad assures us they are still very present . In our interview with Producer Naoki Yoshida , he remark , “ We have a band of RPG elements as well side narration , thing to learn about the world , place to search , things to do . It ’s all there . ”
While still forging forward into the gruelling action place , it ’s empty the developers are not give up what makes Final Fantasy iconic to so many fan old and novel .
In fact , since a lot of Final Fantasy buff do n’t get from Action RPG ground , the squad has formulate a serial of accessories for players to help accommodate their skill set . “ Timely Accessories ” propose change to the game ’s system to ease some of the burdens of managing everything .
For case , one accessory will automatically dodge incoming attacks for you , or another will use healing items when your wellness score a certain threshold . These are designed to alleviate the stress of players not acclimated to the writing style . It ’s an interesting style to tackle difficultness option in the game , since there is n’t your traditional easy , medium , and hard options .
The big Timely Accessory we saw , was the one that allows you to pull off astonishing jazz group with just the use of the square release . This auto - jazz group scheme is similar to Dragonball FighterZ or other defend game easy combo systems . It allows the histrion to do flashy and unique moves while not needing to perfectly master every system in the game .
I mess around with a lot of these in my preview , and while they are n’t my loving cup of tea leaf , it ’s incredibly exciting to see the team amount up with a solution for bringing along older serial publication sports fan for the drive .
As I go on working my room through the dungeon , I faced a confrontation between two minibosses . These wing creatures swirl around me , diva - bombardment and hitting me from every direction .
I then noticed the basis lighting up with telegraphed mark of where their next hit would strike . This is a theme that will retain on in every party boss fight . Pulling from Final Fantasy XIV , telegraphed AOE markers are common to state to the player that they need to not be standing there , and I was n’t surprised to see that mechanic work its way into XVI .
After get the better of these minibosses though a frenetic fasting , paced clash of hook , the dungeon stay on .
The keep itself was pretty straightforward . A war - torn castle with multiple routes to the top . room of enemies waiting for a fight , and Torgal and I looking for treasure in every corner and cranny . The dilapidated walls of the castle told a story of conflict , but the mission was to get to the top and find Benedikta .
I find a few treasure chest along the way with healing item and some accouterment that boosted specific attacks , like Phoenix ’s Heatwave ability , which slice up through the zephyr with fervency waves .
I make it to the top of the palace , and a boss fight against Benedikta . The fight ’s medicine is a percipient as day Masayoshi Soken certified banger . The orchestral swells and the Gregorian chant make it finger like something out of Final Fantasy XIV ’s first expansion Heavensward .
Benedikta is fast , barbarous , and the fight blends cinematic quick time events with a hardcore action at law conflict . The telegraphed AOE markers make their restitution and are an first-class room to make the fight incredibly legible for musician of all skill level .
That engagement put all of skills I spent the dungeon hone to the trial . Learning the right metre to use my magic for ranged damage , acquire to fudge Benedikta flying at me at 100 miles per hour , and make out when to go all in on my attack .
Between the music , the vista and skybox seen at the top of the castling , and the animations of Benedikta , this was well the highlighting of the demonstration .
The fight continues to step up with Benedikta using new and more herculean moves . From spawning crack cocaine to grabbing you with her talons and ripping you to smidgen . After finishing the fight , Clive absorbs some of Benedikta ’s Eikon essence , and then fall to the ground wriggle in pain . Time occlusion , and a an obscure spokesperson says “ there you are . ”
This is where the first division of the demonstration end , and the next playable part was made usable . In this discussion section , I got to fight Garuda in her true form as Clive . It ’s the large summon boss conflict you ’re conversant with in a Final Fantasy plot .
Before getting to the real fight , you control Clive as he makes his way of life through the gusting and whirlpool wind of a humbled and destroyed land . chase after a serviceman in a red hooded cloak searching for answers . You chase him to the top of a windy tip , and before you could get any answers , Garuda swoops in , knock you into the air , and a cinematic fighting shot begin . Using some quick meter upshot , you battle Garuda hurling through the darkened sky before land on a chopine for the real fight to begin .
On a small floating island , Garuda took up most of the level , and it was all about dodging her wholesale attacks and trying to do as much harm to her drumhead as possible . A unique mechanic was introduced here , allowing me to use Garuda ’s Eikon usefulness to stagger her when her meter was halfway . It was a little tricky to try and pull off , but when I did , it opened her up to a ton of scathe .
The combat blend expensive cinematics with real - clip armed combat and offer a unique set piece that was worth the price of admission .
The final division of the demonstration feature the Eikon vs Eikon battle . Clive transubstantiate into Ifrit and decide to take Garuda head - on .
This climactic battle has players endeavor to exit the distance on Garuda as she zones you out with Aero eruption . It was akin to a fighting game where one player is hear to close up the aloofness to hit a Shoryuken on a range character .
Ifrit keep in line like a hand truck and its hits a real slugfest when these two hulking beasts trade blow . It felt upstanding to seize Garuda by the head and slam her into the ground .
The best way to describe the fighting was visceral . Garuda claw out part of Ifrit ’s breadbasket , ripped arm off , and every hit felt harder than the last .
While the engagement was more cinematic than anything else , the developers explained that this is the first of many Eikon vs. Eikon battle . Each one is more complex than the last , and they take on all different literary genre and elan .
We view glimpse in a presentation that designate a Panzer Dragoon - trend fight with Phoenix , but we did not get to represent that one .
The demo roll up after the conflict , and that ’s all of the Final Fantasy XVI I see . It ’s a lot to manducate on , and fans have a destiny to bet forward to when Final Fantasy XVI establish on PlayStation 5 on June 22 , 2023 .
