At today’s PlayStation State of Play presentation, Square Enix gave a deep dive into several of Final Fantasy XVI’s mechanics, such as combat, exploration, gameplay systems, and more!
As the latest installment in the Final Fantasy series, Final Fantasy XVI represents 35 long years of history for the storied franchise, and Square Enix took some time today to show off several of the gameplay systems and mechanics at PlayStation’s State of Play presentation that players can expect. With a fusion of real-time action and RPG features, this entry in the series presents the first true action RPG in the game’s history.
In what the State of Play presentation called a “high-speed rollercoaster ride,” the action-oriented combat is something to behold for sure. Final Fantasy XVI uses fully-featured, real-time combat, with no turn-based elements this time around. The main protagonist learns abilities from the “Eikons” he encounters, which are the mega monsters you’ll be fighting and hunting.
Your abilities have unique characteristics based on the Eikons they’re derived from while changing and upgrading those abilities over time will allow the player to create a unique set of skills to match their play style. Additionally, for those who aren’t too fond of the switch to fast-paced combat, “timely” accessories, such as the Ring of Timely Focus or Ring of Timely Strikes, can take a ton of the guesswork out of combos and evasion tactics, allowing all Final Fantasy fans to enjoy the story.
Taking place over the span of the main character’s teens, 20s, and 30s, the evolution of the character and the friends he makes along the way are crucial to the world-building in Final Fantasy XVI. Paired with tons of areas to explore and grand mysteries to solve, getting out and seeing what the land of Valisthea has to offer will be crucial to every playthrough. Oh, and you can give your wolf companion treats—10/10.
More from the State of Play showed a hunting board that allows players to take part in grand hunts, similar to those in The Witcher series, where you can face gigantic, treacherous monsters of all shapes and sizes. The lair serves as a home base for purchasing weapons and armour and using materials to craft upgrades, and it features a training area with an arcade mode where you can rack up high scores against players around the world.
According to the State of Play, Final Fantasy XVI will launch on June 22nd, 2023, worldwide for the PlayStation 5, with tons of collector’s editions available for players to get their hands on, such as the massive one available for pre-order over at the Square Enix store at the moment.
