A new trailer at the PlayStation State Of Play shows off 20 minutes of gameplay for Final Fantasy XVI, focusing on combat and world exploration.
The video demonstrates the continued approach to action-oriented combat that the Final Fantasy series has adopted since XV, in which Clive, the protagonist, battles enemies on the ground and wields the power of the Eikon. In Final Fantasy XVI, Eikons serve as the game’s Guardian Forces, letting players adapt encounters to suit their own playstyle.
The abilities that players can equip are organized in a massive skill tree, which allows you to reset them at any time. Furthermore, players can even have their abilities automatically picked for them.
During fights between various Eikons, encounters can play out in multiple ways, with one featuring a grappling match and another appearing as a third-person shooter. Square Enix has confirmed that the different Eikons feel unique and have their own battle systems.
With regards to world exploration, players navigate using a world map that dynamically updates with new areas as the game goes on. The map offers fast travel, giving players the same freedom they would find in other open-world games.
Square Enix debuted Cid’s Hideaway, an area where weapons and armor can be purchased, improvements at the blacksmith, and training in specific areas to compete on global leaderboards. It also offers several side quests and a full list of available objectives. Using a Hunt Board, a Moogle provides bounties for specific monsters that can be slain for rewards.
- Read more: Final Fantasy XVI “Ambition” Trailer
In terms of the narrative, the game is split between three periods of Clive’s life (similar to Ezio from the Assassin’s Creed series). These periods include his teens, 20s, and 30s. A flashback reveals how Clive acquired the ability to control Eikons.
Squad members that join the party along the way fight independently in battles, but the dog companion can be given a small handful of directions.
The main theme of Final Fantasy XVI was revealed to be composed by Kenshi Yonezu, a Japanese musician.
Final Fantasy XVI releases exclusively on PlayStation 5 on June 22, 2023.