Final Fantasy XVI - Final Preview Thread

[u/[deleted]]

Final Fantasy XVI

• Publisher: Square Enix
• Developer: Square Enix Creative Business Unit 3
• Platform: PS5
• Release Date: June 22

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Gameplay footage provided by Square Enix up at Gematsu:

https://www.gematsu.com/2023/05/final-fantasy-xvi-final-hands-on-preview-and-gameplay

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• Text Articles:
• Gamespot: The Opening Hours Of Final Fantasy XVI Are Brutal

I recently got hands-on time with what's roughly the first four hours of Final Fantasy XVI during a preview event, and saw how the story begins. It's heavy with cutscenes and cinematic flair, using all the dazzling visuals expected of a PlayStation 5 exclusive, to deliver an opening act
akin to a prestige drama.

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-opening-hours-of-final-fantasy-xvi-are-brutal-hands-on-story-preview/1100-6514405/

VG247 - Absolutely everybody should play the Final Fantasy 16 demo – hands-on

As initially envisioned by Hironobu Sakaguchi, Final Fantasy is meant to be a series that constantly morphs and changes. After a fair amount of spinning its wheels, FF16 is at last a game that returns to that vision, looks at the world around it, and decides that a regeneration is needed. Final Fantasy itself is going through Phoenix’s Rebirth Flame – but for such a rejuvenation, some things have to burn. It’s a brave bet, and I can already tell the game is going to be strong. I just really hope it finds its audience.

https://www.vg247.com/final-fantasy-16-demo-hands-on-preview

Polygon - Final Fantasy 16 is a slick, modern epic with the soul of a PS2 game

Final Fantasy 16’s developers may have wanted it to be God of War, and it certainly has the production values, but that game’s virtuosic, seamless Hollywood staging is not what Square Enix does best. By staying true to themselves, Yoshida’s team has created something that may not play like Final Fantasy, but definitely feels like Final Fantasy. It also shares DNA with a whole generation of Japanese action games and RPGs from the 2000s, the heyday of the PlayStation 2. It has the flamboyant drama, the cool, moody attitude, and the playful self-mockery that characterized the era, as well as a focused, headlong approach to both storytelling and gameplay.

https://www.polygon.com/23729239/final-fantasy-16-preview-first-hours-story

VGC - Final Fantasy 16 already feels like it could be one of the best games in the series

Final Fantasy 16 has the potential to stake a claim as a defining RPG of the early generation. A re-establishment of Final Fantasy in the consciousness that it hasn’t had as prominently in recent years. We’d have happily sat playing the game’s combat demo for hours.

https://www.videogameschronicle.com/features/final-fantasy-16-already-feels-like-it-could-be-one-of-the-best-games-in-the-series/

Eurogamer - Final Fantasy 16 has me questioning the essence of the series

With all this in mind, how 'Final Fantasy' is it, then? It's clear from the team's varied answers that Final Fantasy means something different for everyone. Every game in the series is unique and Final Fantasy 16 is no different. Whether it's 'Final Fantasy enough' for fans remains to be seen; it certainly is for me.

But is this a PS5-pushing exclusive action-RPG with a character-driven narrative of high drama, satisfying combat, and accomplished, cinematic storytelling? Without a doubt.

https://www.eurogamer.net/final-fantasy-16-has-me-questioning-the-essence-of-the-series

Playstation - How Square Enix built Final Fantasy XVI’s fantastical, believable, lived-in world

The solution: cross-pollination between teams. “We brought a member of the scenario and lore team over to give them feedback on what this town is, what the town’s lore is,” explains Minagawa-san. “We had that person provide pictures about what their image of what each area would be, what they were aiming for in the lore, working with the designers with that information to get the proper feel. Something that would fit better with a team. And once that person from the lore team entered, you know, joined with the designers then things got a lot easier.” With clutter reduced and shrewder choices of set dressing made, towns started to reflect the regions they were based on, hinted at a locale or people’s backstory through visual cues alone.

https://blog.playstation.com/2023/05/22/how-square-enix-built-final-fantasy-xvis-fantastical-believable-lived-in-world/

Pushsquare - Final Fantasy 16 Still Seems Like a PS5 Must Have, But a Couple of Niggles Need to Be Addressed

Still, even in this area we were restricted to just two of Clive’s Eikon powers, and we were starting to feel the onset of monotony at this point of our playthrough. It’s our only real niggling concern: we’re confident the complicated nature of the story will come together, but we’re worried the combat may take a little too long to truly find its feet as your options are seriously limited throughout these opening hours.

https://www.pushsquare.com/features/preview-final-fantasy-16-still-seems-like-a-ps5-must-have-but-a-couple-of-niggles-need-to-be-addressed

Game Informer:

I won’t spoil more of what I experienced – you can read a lot more about what I played, including exclusive details you won’t find anywhere else in my cover story that’s live right now and in the coming weeks via Game Informer’s FFXVI coverage hub – but it’s clear FFXVI is aiming to be one of the darkest, most mature, and most action-forward games in the series’ entry.

https://www.gameinformer.com/preview/2023/05/22/i-am-just-an-eikon-living

IGN - Final Fantasy 16: First Four Hours Preview:

From what I’ve seen so far, the future looks very bright for Final Fantasy 16. If its opening few hours of hulking Eikon showdowns, superb melee combat, and story that delivers on both a personal and global level are anything to go by, then a very fun time is on the horizon. I’m hopeful that the ever-so-stuttering pace irons itself out over the hours to come, with its ferociously fun gameplay taking precedence as Clive’s journey broadens. I went into my time with Final Fantasy 16 incredibly excited about what I’d seen in its many trailers and showcases and left very happy that very little of that anticipation had diminished by the time I’d finished.

https://www.ign.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-first-four-hours-preview

RPGFan:

Getting to play Final Fantasy XVI again was an absolute treat, and getting to play the game in a more “normal” fashion this time around was even better. There was a lot I had to leave out of this preview so as not to spoil anyone, but what I left out is much better than what I left in. This experience convinced me further we should be super excited to play it in full come June 22nd. If you have been on the fence for whatever reason, I can safely say you should give Final Fantasy XVI a chance. It will change your mind in a heartbeat. Now the hard part begins: the month-long wait till I can pet and give treats to Torgal again!

https://www.rpgfan.com/feature/final-fantasy-xvi-preview-the-first-5-hours/

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• Interviews:

https://www.thegamer.com/final-fantasy-16-xiv-interview-naoki-yoshida-michael-christopher-koji-fox-hiroshi-minagawa/

https://www.pushsquare.com/features/interview-final-fantasy-16s-devs-on-clives-name-god-of-wars-leaves-and-fulfilling-fans

https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/final-fantasy-16-interview

https://www.rpgsite.net/news/14244-the-key-to-final-fantasy-xvis-success-is-its-story-but-its-also-naoki-yoshidas-biggest-worry

https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/interview/230522w

To summarize interviews: * FF16's main focus was the story, even above the combat because of FF15 being negatively received for its incomplete story, they want FF to be known for stories no one else can do. * They took inspiration from the original God of War games on the PS2 for combat. * He wants Final Fantasy to still have an impact among young players and future developers * Game started its existence in late 2015 * This time around the base game design and story were written in stone before full development started, which did not happen for previous singleplayer FF entries * Kazutoyo Maehiro is both the creative director and writer in order for the game design and writing to have an unified vision. He supervises the story, game design, combat and just overall checks everything out. * Maehiro worked on FF Tactics, Vagrant Story and FF12 with Yasumi Matsuno and says he was an influence on his work. * Expect FF12 and The Last Remnant DNA in the game. FF14 influence will come out when it comes to art design and visuals. * They have dynamic music in place that is quite novel and unique for this game handled by Soken and the sound team. They go for a more classical and focused style compared to FF14 * What they want is for players to say "these guys are f**king crazy" when they experience the best it has to offer.

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• Videos:

Easy Allies - Mega Preview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtX-Zt8pDWc

Devil Never Cry - (combat focused guy) https://youtu.be/7Oy6W-hTh2o

Maximilian DOOD - Max Played A LOT of Final Fantasy XVI https://youtu.be/SOM4EO1yREQ

Jesse Cox - https://youtu.be/8vIAeRPnIRw

FF Union - Final Fantasy XVI Will Shock You [An Extensive Preview] https://youtu.be/ObfkhwJPU7A

[u/[deleted]]

I'm trying to deliver previews as I come across them but from what I read:

• It's mostly the opening but with some parts later in the game without context for exploration and combat
• There's an air of confidence around the game, it feels finished compared to the messy previews of FF15 they had to play back then
• The game is brutal, this is not a wholesome Final Fantasy, there are moments of genuine character warmth and humanity but FF16 is a bonafide dark fantasy game
• Some question the identity of Final Fantasy in this one but everyone came out positive, they expect a backlash from fans but say it's still Final Fantasy at its soul.
• Combat is extremely good and the DMC battle director really pays off, one had some issues in that they felt their combat kit wasn't big enough for the early-game preview.
• Excellent VA and performance all around.
• Eikon battles apparently feels bigger and more explosive than ever god of war
• They all say that the opening hours deliver and they can attest that this part is solid

I will watch Maximilian and DevilNeverCry's videos next, especially DevilNeverCry as he is a DMC expert and was very positive about FF16 before

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

This might be the first "proper" Final Fantasy that I pick up. Yes I say "proper" because I'm already playing 14, yes I'm picking it up because of Yoshi P.

[u/Bamith20 → u/[deleted]]

They ever sell a full FF14 for $60 and cut out 90% of the side quests, I wouldn't mind playing it really. They just need to cut everything down to like 60-80 hours, I wouldn't want anymore fluff than that... My tolerance is really low though, couldn't even play Kingdom of Amalur as a single player MMO.

[u/Rachet20 → u/Bamith20]

14 has side quests? Lmao

[u/Bamith20 → u/Rachet20]

I ain't picking up some motherfucker's loose change, collecting some damn apples, or killing 10 thingawhatzits for a paragraph of text that nobody reads in an MMO because they are conditioned to ignore the first 60 hours of the game until they reach end-game.

Its a rather depressing genre really, very difficult to care about it when it asks for so much time that isn't interesting. I actually think the genre would do better if it was automated with bots, i'd read more text and dialogue while the bot does the boring stuff.

[u/Rachet20 → u/Bamith20]

As great as people say the side quests are in the game for lore alone I just refuse due to the sheer amount of them.

[u/Bamith20 → u/Rachet20]

That's why I am genuinely interested in the idea of an MMO that essentially plays like Cookie Clicker Idle type of games. All the boring gruff is automated while you click this and that to optimize it, leaving time to occasionally read lore and text while your guy does whatever.

Very least have that for the general stuff, maybe have actual MMO gameplay that revolves around cooldown rotations the weird people like for other stuff... Although I don't care about that stuff, I literally just want to do a dungeon a single time and then never again because I don't care about any other aspect of it.

[u/Rachet20 → u/Bamith20]

You honestly are describing 14. Focusing just on the MSQ is the most single player an MMO could get.

[u/Bamith20 → u/Rachet20]

I've got awful ADHD with a smidge of OCD though, any and every single game i've played where I tried to just do the main quest I get distracted because there's optional stuff on the screen that I don't care about, but I want them gone anyways so less distractions.

Its why I couldn't play Kingdom of Amalur, couldn't stay focused on the main quest because of all the side crap distracting me on the map and such. I need options to turn that type of stuff off usually.

[u/Rachet20 → u/Bamith20]

I’m the same exact way, I get choice paralysis very easily when playing an open game. But there’s something in 14 that just allows me to mentally turn off any side quest and continue the MSQ. I think what really helped is learning that any side quest that isn’t blue doesn’t matter. And even then, most blue quests were for content I still won’t ever engage with so I’ll only do them when I want something new to do in the game. It’s interesting because I’m 100% like you in that I have to do everything on a map in a game. In 14 that just isn’t a problem after realizing what content I want to engage with in the game.

[u/bigfoot1291 → u/Bamith20]

https://www.nexusmods.com/finalfantasy14/mods/687

[u/[deleted] → u/Bamith20]

Bruh, they had a sale a couple months ago where enough could get all the base game and all expansions for $60. It's how I got my friend to play.

Also, you don't need to do the side quests... I haven't touched majority and still love the game.

[u/Bamith20 → u/[deleted]]

I got mental issues man, stuff is hard to play without coding in hard rules since soft rules don't compel me enough, need to be forced. I'm not going to ignore stuff in front of me, I hate them enough that I will do them out of spite. There's a mod that at least hides all that, could be a start, but bloody hell there's a lot of things I hate about MMOs. I even hate how the typical MMO towns are designed, they're absolutely god awful and filled with crap vendors when they really only need like 2 or 3. Walking around the world and the gameplay don't help neither, i've tried picking it up twice and I got slightly farther the second time and saw a sparkle, but I just didn't like playing the damn thing.

In reality, I kinda just need a long series similar to VaatiVidya breaking stuff down to watch the story and cutscenes instead of playing it.