A recent PlayStation blog post revealed new details about Final Fantasy 16 (FF16), including its gameplay, story, and availability on PC.
The PlayStation blog recently released articles about FF16, one in English and another in Japanese. Both of the blog posts showed off the game's gameplay. This included fights between the player and other humans, as well as fights against the Eikons. The blog posts also tackled the game's story, which they described as a “narrative landscape of high fantasy and political intrigue.” Near the end of the Japanese blog post, Naoki Yoshida, the game's producer, talked about the game's availability on PC. We'll be going through each of these in turn.
FF16 Gameplay
As mentioned before, FF16 gameplay will be taking a more hands-on approach when it comes to combat. Ryota Suzuki, the person responsible for the satisfying combat of Devil May Cry 5, is overseeing this game's combat. As such, the game is more similar to Devil May Cry's fast-paced combat than the more methodical combat the Final Fantasy series is known for.
The various gameplay footage that was available in the blog post showed Clive using the powers of the game's various Eikons in his fights. While we saw this already in previous trailers, the footage emphasized it even more. In particular, the footage involved Clive beating up the Eikon Garuda using a mixture of skills and attacks they learned from the other Eikons. It showed Clive using Garuda's quick claw attacks, as well as Titan's slow but powerful fists. This extends even to fights against other humans and monsters.
They also brought up that the game will not have an easy, normal, or hard mode. Instead, there will be an “action-focused” mode and a “story-focused” mode. Enemies in both modes are the same in terms of difficulty. However, those who choose to play in the “story-focused” mode gain access to five accessories. These accessories each help out in one aspect of the gameplay, making things easier for the player.
- Slowing down time to make perfect dodges easier
- Fully automates control of Clive's canine companion Torgal
- Automates potion usage when health is low
- Automatically dodges incoming attacks
- Automatically do combos and finishers using only one button
These accessories aren't meant to make the game trivial. Instead, it will make the game more accessible to more players who might find one or two of the mechanics too difficult. They also mentioned the game's New Game+ mode, named Final Fantasy. This mode gives players an extra challenge by increasing enemy strength and numbers, as well as changing up their attack patterns.
As for party members, the player will have party members to travel with. However, these party members are all AI-controlled. As such, the player can just focus on playing as Clive.
This only covers the combat when the player takes control of Clive. The other half of the game's combat system involves the Eikon battles, which are large-scale fights where the player takes control of Eikons. Think of it as Pacific Rim-scale battles.
FF16 Story
Now, let's talk about the FF16's story. FF16 goes back to the franchise's roots, drawing inspiration from medieval Europe. The game's setting, Valisthea, has various nations, all of which can be seen in the game's Ambition trailer. Each of these nations formed around a Mothercrystal, a staple in the Final Fantasy franchise. However, as the aether in these crystals drains, tensions rise between the nations, threatening to tear them apart. Players take control of Clive, who embarks on a journey of revenge. Thankfully, he will not be alone in this journey.
Yoshida had this to say with regards to the game's carious characters:
We have a vast ensemble cast. Each character is unique in their backgrounds and motivations, and each has their own unique arcs that play out through the story. And while the main focus of this story is on Clive Rosfield, as he seeks vengeance for the loss of his family and nation. Through his journey, players will witness the fates of many other characters as well.
They also talked about the brand-new system they are calling Active Time Lore (ATL). This system lets players pause at any time during the game, even during cutscenes, to receive tailored lore prompts. This, partnered with the 1500 years of history the team made for the game, will help players stay up-to-date with the game's lore. Michael-Christopher Koji Fox, the person in charge of the game's localization, writing, culturization, and lore, mentioned that the ATL has “hundreds of entries available.” However, it is optional, and “players can choose to ignore them to enjoy the game without feeling bogged down.”
FF16 PC Availability
Now to the part that players have been asking about: will FF16 have a PC release? FF16 is a timed exclusive, meaning that after its six-month exclusivity period, it will become available on other platforms. However, Yoshida mentioned that the game's PC version will not come out after six months.
In the Japanese blog post (translated using DeepL), Yoshida mentioned that the team spent time and money optimizing the game for the PS5. They wanted to make sure that they would deliver the best gaming experience possible. He also mentioned that they want to release the game on PC eventually so that more people can play it. However, if they started optimizing the game for a PC release as soon as the PS5 version comes out, it will take more than six months. At the moment, they cannot give a timeline as to when the PC version will come out.
Yoshida closes this section of the blog post by saying that he hopes people will enjoy the PS5 version of the game, without saying “I won't buy the PS5 version because the PC version will be released in six months anyway.”
That's all the information we have from the blog posts about FF16's gameplay, story, and PC availability. FF16's release date is this year, on June 22, 2023. For more gaming news from us, you can check out our gaming news articles.
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