It is the return in style of one of the most legendary franchises in the industry. final fantasy xvi promises to return to the Olympus of video games to a saga that has not come up with the exact key for several installments. Square Enix promises a fabled JRPG journey through Valisthea to learn a story full of politics, action and a lot of mystery that will debut on PS5 and PC.
Release date
One of the best news about final fantasy xvi is that we already have a release window for the JRPG. It will be in the summer of 2023 when it reaches our screens, although the specific day for it has yet to be specified.
Development News
The first time we learned of the existence of final fantasy xvi It was in the year 2020 thanks to a spectacular trailer during the PlayStation Showcase. It was at that moment that the master lines of the work were established, introducing us to characters, brushstrokes of combat and even the eikon.
Although we received information that the basic development had been completed and that the project produced by Naoki Yoshida It was still going strong, at the beginning of 2022 we received some bad news. The game had been delayed by half a year due to the effects of the pandemic.
In addition, the person in charge confirmed that it is intended to recover the favor of the most veteran fans of the saga, at the same time that the work is already in its polishing phase. Finally, during the State of Play in June 2022 we saw the second preview and this time with much more gameplay.
This time it was revealed to us that in the summer of 2023 it will be when we have the game in front of us. On the other hand, Square Enix wanted to share the main names that make up the development of final fantasy xvi.
world and nations
The world of final fantasy xvi It receives the name of Valisthea and represents the return to the medieval setting for the saga for several installments, ignoring the Final Fantasy XIV MMO. This universe feeds on energy of the Mother Crystals, huge crystals that offer ether to each of the nations.
Therefore, the population is able to make use of magic and prosper into the future. However, political tensions will be a key part of the story, since the Stygian lands will test a peace that seems to be on the verge of breaking.
Grand Duchy of Rosaria
We can find this group of provinces in the western area of Valisthea and the government of the place is exercised by the Dominant of the Phoenix, who rises as archduke at the age of majority. His Mother Crystal is located on a volcanic island in the Iron Kingdom and has the name Dragon’s Breath.
Holy Empire of Sanbreque
Religion reigns in Sanbreque and, of course, the Oriflamme capital that is located around Dragon’s Head, the Mother Crystal of this state. The emperor of the region is treated as a authentic divinity, since it is believed that it is the incarnation of the true god. The Dominant directs the armies when it is necessary to impart his justice.
Kingdom of Waloed
In the eastern part of Valisthea we find the Kingdom of Waloed, which has all of Cenicia under its domain. It is unknown which Dominant reigns in the region, but his power is such that he ended the battles against orcs and creatures that devastated its inhabitants. The Mother Crystal, the Dragon Column, grants a unparalleled military power which is a constant threat to the rest of the kingdoms.
Republic of Dhalmekia
Unity is strength and this is the basis on which Dhalmekia was established with the union of five different states. To coordinate actions between them is the Council, which has the advice of the Dominant of Titan. The south of Valisthea is under his dominion thanks to the ether emanating from the Dragon Fang Mother Crystalhidden in a mountain range.
iron kingdom
We move away from the main areas to enter the Archipelago of Tormentia, west of Valisthea. Due to its geographical location, diplomatic relations with the rest of the continent have been almost non-existent. The Dragon’s Breath is his Mother Crystal, so the disputes with the Grand Duchy of Rosaria have been constant.
The implacable doctrines dominate in the kingdom, as the iron bloods have their own language and end up executing the Dominants who are born in their territories. According to them, its origin is impure.
Crystal Domain
In the center of Valisthea we find the Tail of the Dragon, which is recognized as the most important Mother Crystal. There have always been wars to take control of the area, although a armistice ended disputes. The government of the place is made up of each of the nations and does not have any Dominant.
Story and characters
The story of final fantasy xvi It will put us in the shoes of Clive Rosfield in a medieval fantasy context. After being relegated from the position that destiny entrusted him to lead, our adventure will take us through all the kingdoms of Valisthea as we seek revenge. However, the political background and the breakdown of peace between nations will be an equally important threat.
The Dominants, capable of transforming into the eikon, are really special beings in the plot. His powers allow summon these beings with unimaginable forces, but that cause all kinds of sensations. Fear, contempt, admiration and indifference surround each one of them, who cannot avoid their destiny.
Clive Rossfield
He is the protagonist of the story and he is the eldest son of the Archduke of Rosaria. The expectation was high for him to become the Dominant of the Phoenix, but that role was taken by his brother Joshua. After this setback, Clive trains hard to master the sword, which brings him various rewards, starting with winning the ducal tournament.
This leads to the fact that, at the age of fifteen, he is appointed chief guard and protector of the phoenix. In turn, he is blessed with the power of it, being able to use it. Although everything seems to smile at him, things take a turn for the worse after the tragedy created by the eikon Ifrit, against whom he will seek revenge.
Joshua Rosefield
Clive’s brother and the Dominant of the Phoenix. Unlike his older brother, Joshua does not stand out for his physical abilities and at the age of ten he prefers to take refuge in books. Furthermore, he believes that he is not worthy of the power he has been blessed with, but that does not prevent him from being a noble who treats the inhabitants of Rosaria as equals.
Jill Warrick
Belonging to the northern area of Valisthea, Jill is an emblem of the peace that Rosaria breathes with the rest of the nations. She has grown up with Joshua and Clive and is considered like one more sister, besides being the best confidant from both.
Hugo Kuppa
In Dhalmekia we find the Titan, Dominant of the Council and financial adviser. His influence is immense, with unparalleled political and military ability, which has brought him good fortune. His ambition seems to have no limits and after having started as a common soldier, Benedikta will open his eyes to know what goals he can reach.
Benedikta Harman
Not exactly the kindest woman in Valisthea. Benedikta owns the eikon of the wind, Garuda, and has suffered a youth full of miseries. His sword skills are only matched by his sharp tongue, which is enough to lead Waloed’s elite spy corps. His mission is to find the second fire eikon, he will cross paths with Clive and his past will resurface from deep within.
Gameplay and game modes
To understand the gameplay final fantasy xvi, it is essential to be clear about who is in charge of this section at Square Enix. It is nothing more and nothing less than Ryota Suzuki, the same one who shaped the attacks in Devil May Cry 5, Dragon’s Dogma or Marvel vs. Capcom 2.
So we can expect a nice wealth of offensive and defensive abilities as well as a pretty big rampage in action. Of course, turn-based combat has long been left behind in the franchise and the action RPG will be the usual trend.
If we look at what we have seen in the gameplays, there are shortcut commands on screen so we can throw each other hyper potions and other consumables needed in battle. In the lower right part, some of the available skills are represented in symbols.
We can also see that there will be a good variety of situations, such as individual combat and others that are much more massive. Special attention must be paid to the titanic fights between the eikon, which seem to have a really important cinematographic component.
On the other hand, in final fantasy xvi we can expect the typical structure that has characterized the saga. Nothing has been shown in this regard, but presumably we will be able to move around practically all of Valisthea to explore, discover dungeons, meet towns, level up and get a good bag of side quests.
Minimum and recommended requirements
The minimum and recommended requirements of final fantasy xvi They have not been released yet on PC, so we have to wait until this information is revealed.
Final Fantasy XVI is an exclusive release on PS5 and PC
It is confirmed that final fantasy xvi it’s a launch exclusive on consoles for PS5, the new generation system from Sony. The truth is that Square Enix has revealed that it has no news about the work reaching other platforms. Of course, we can also make the most of the title on PC, where it will land together.
Trailers and images
There are still many mysteries to be solved final fantasy xvi, but the truth is that this installment is the most exciting in years. We want to know everything we can do for Valisthea, what is the involvement of the eikon or an exact date for the release of the Square Enix JRPG.