I’ve recently been playing a lot of Final Fantasy XVI in my free time. The latest installment of a long-running series of RPGs that are disconnected from each other in all but the title. Each new entry introduces new worlds, characters, gameplay etc. So every new installment has the potential to deliver something wholly new and exciting to new players or long time fans of the series. Some are set in the far future with modern technology, others are set in the past with a focus on magic.
Final Fantasy XVI introduces a more bleak take on series conventions with a story that focuses on warring nations and personal loss. In the world of Valisthea, the nation is at war wielding massive monsters known as Eikons. These giant creatures are traditionally summons in the previous games but here are tools of destruction that are used to advance political ambitions. Think of them less as magical abilities and instead Kaiju nukes that destroy absolutely everything in their path. Final Fantasy XVI crafts a world that takes real life fears and tools of destruction and presents them as monsters that the world has wrought on itself.
Final Fantasy XVI also adopts an action based combat system that feels more in line with games such as Dante’s Inferno, God of War, or Devil May Cry. The combat design allows players to viciously take down their opponents in a flurry of sword strikes and brutal magical abilities. It’s hefty, it’s fast-paced, it’s violent. It’s unlike anything seen in the series before and that fits the bleak and violent tone the massive story is going for.
The game follows Clive Rosfield, a noble who grew up in a life of luxury. His father is king of Rosaria, the nation that they live in, and his younger brother is the dominant of the Phoenix Eikon. Dominants in Final Fantasy XVI are humans who have been chosen to control the Eikons of the realm. What some see as a blessing, others see as a curse. Depending on the region, Dominants are either revered as saints or feared as devils who bring destruction to the world.
Final Fantasy XVI crafts a dark and bloody world by putting Clive and his family through a tragedy in the opening hours. On the heels of a political betrayal, a new Eikon of fire is summoned named Ifrit. Ifrit is a massive fire demon who brings destruction to the Rosfield family’s domain. Realizing that his family is in danger, Joshua summons the Phoenix, a massive firebird, and goes to battle with Ifrit. Their battle results in death and destruction in the area and reaches a climax as Ifrit beats Joshua to death as he’s controlling his Eikon.
Right away Final Fantasy XVI looks to break away from traditional fantasy tropes. This isn’t the light-hearted adventure of the series’ past. The game’s events are essentially kickstarted by the bloody death of a child.
The game picks up years later as Clive is now older and forced to fight for a rival army. His identity was completely stripped away from him. Soon he hears rumors of a fire Dominant who’s been spotted around the world and he ventures on a quest to avenge the death of his brother and family. At first his journey has nothing to do with the fate of the world but is fueled entirely by revenge. He solves his problems through violent methods that often end in copious amounts of bloodshed and ends up crossing paths with other Eikons and their Dominants. These encounters with other Eikons often lead to massive destruction, such as full kingdoms being destroyed and leaving nothing but a crater where magnificent livable spaces once were. Not only does he have to contend with that but he also has to deal with an increasingly dangerous world that is being eaten alive with plague, monsters, and the blight which is withering all life from the realm and making it inhospitable. It’s an all out apocalypse in the world of Final Fantasy XVI.
This isn’t even a third of the story. Final Fantasy XVI features a plethora of surprises and isn’t afraid to shy away from its more adult themes for one second. Its tone remains consistent throughout until it ultimately reaches a jaw-droppingly violent finale featuring monsters that you could only dream of.
That’s where I think Final Fantasy XVI shines. Sure I’ve been a fan of the series for quite some time, but XVI is able to craft a more bleak world while remaining faithful to series expectations. There’s lots of bloodshed and death but there’s also hope. No matter how dark things become there’s always a beacon of light ahead. Be it Clive opening up to his companions, exposing his more human side, or tearful reunions. I know there’s a lot of reservations from newcomers about jumping into a new installment in a long running series, especially one that helped foster so many genre stereotypes, but I urge horror fans to try out Final Fantasy XVI and experience the bloody world of Gods & Monsters it creates.
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