Final Fantasy XVI

Balthier: I'm afraid the jury's still out on that one.

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Final Fantasy XVI
ファイナルファンタジーXVI (Fainaru Fantajī Shikkusutīn?)
Developers	Square Enix Creative Business Unit III
Publishers	Square Enix
Genre(s)	Action role-playing
Release dates	Summer 2023
Game modes	Single player
Platforms	PlayStation 5

The legacy of the crystals has shaped our history for long enough.

Final Fantasy XVI Awakening Trailer

Final Fantasy XVI is the sixteenth main installment in the Final Fantasy series. The game is being developed by Creative Business Unit III, the developers of Final Fantasy XIV, directed by Hiroshi Takai, and produced by Naoki Yoshida.

It was announced on September 16, 2020 at the PlayStation 5 Showcase event as a PlayStation 5 exclusive. A PC version was also announced in the initial release of the trailer, but this has since been retracted. As of April 2022, the game is reportedly near the end of its development. Extended footage was seen on June 2, 2022.

Synopsis

Setting

Valisthea―A Land Blessed in the Light of the Mothercrystals.

Valisthea

The land of Valisthea is studded with Mothercrystals—glittering mountains of crystal that tower over the realms around them, blessing them with aether. For generations, people have flocked to these beacons to take advantage of their blessing, using the aether to conjure magicks that let them live lives of comfort and plenty. Great powers have grown up around each Mothercrystal, and an uneasy peace has long reigned between them. Yet now the peace falters as the spread of the Blight threatens to destroy their dominions.

• The Grand Duchy of Rosaria - Long ago, a group of small independent provinces in western Valisthea found strength in unity, and formed the Grand Duchy of Rosaria. After years of relative prosperity, the duchy now finds itself threatened by the spread of the Blight—a threat that, left unchecked, would doubtless usher the realm to ruin. Rosaria draws its aether from Drake's Breath, a Mothercrystal situated on a volcanic island off the coast. The Dominant of the Phoenix, Eikon of Fire, is enthroned as Archduke when they come of age.
• The Holy Empire of Sanbreque - Sanbreque is the largest theocratic force in Valisthea. The Empire's holy capital Oriflamme is built around Drake's Head, the Mothercrystal that blesses the surrounding provinces with abundant aether. The people happily take advantage of this, living in comfort and security under the watchful gaze of the Holy Emperor, whom they worship as the living incarnation of the one true deity. The Dominant serves as the empire's champion, taking to the field in times of war to rout its enemies.
• The Kingdom of Waloed - Waloed claims the entirety of Ash, the eastern half of Valisthea, as its dominion. The kingdom's control of the continent has oft been tested by the orcs and other beastmen who make their home there, but the current ruler of the realm—the Dominant—has succeeded in quelling their rebellions. Using the power of the kingdom's Mothercrystal, Drake's Spine, this new king has built up a mighty army, with which he now seeks to test the borders of his neighbors.
• The Dhalmekian Republic - The Dhalmekian Republic is made up of five states, from which the members of its ruling parliament are drawn. Its Mothercrystal, Drake's Fang, is half-hidden in the heart of a mountain range—the republic's control over it, and its aether, securing the obedience of the large part of southern Valisthea. The Dominant of Titan, Eikon of Earth, is installed as a special advisor to parliament and has a significant say in its decision-making.
• The Iron Kingdom - A small group of islands off the coast of Storm, the western half of Valisthea's twin realms. Here the Crystalline Orthodox, an extreme faith that worships crystals, reigns supreme. The Iron Kingdom controls Drake's Breath, the Mothercrystal that sits at the heart of one of their islands—long a source of contention with neighboring Rosaria. Isolated and aloof from the mainland nations, the Ironblood speak their own language. Orthodox doctrine judges Dominants to be unholy abominations, and any unlucky enough to be born on the islands are executed.
• The Crystalline Dominion - The Crystalline Dominion sits at the heart of Valisthea, built around the tallest of all the Mothercrystals, Drake's Tail. Many bloody battles were fought for control of this small plot of land due to its strategic importance, till the warring realms finally agreed to an armistice. As part of the peace treaty, the islands around Drake's Tail became an autonomous dominion led by a council of representatives from the surrounding nations—each realm enjoying equal claim to the Mothercrystal's blessing. No Dominant makes their home there.

Characters

Main article: Final Fantasy XVI characters

Main characters

• Clive Rosfield - First son of the Archduke of Rosaria, he is the main protagonist and playable character. As the First Shield of Rosaria, Clive is tasked with guarding his younger brother Joshua, the Dominant of Phoenix, and is blessed with the ability to wield part of his fire.
• Joshua Rosfield - Second son of the Archduke of Rosaria, he is the Dominant of Phoenix - Eikon of Fire and Clive's younger brother. Despite his noble upbringing, he treats everyone with kindness and warmth, especially his older brother. Has a dislike for carrots.
• Jill Warrick - The Ward of the Grand Duchy of Rosaria, who maintains peace between their nation and the Northern Territories, from which Jill was born and abducted from. Along with being their confidant, she was raised alongside Clive and Joshua and is very much a sister to them.
• Benedikta Harman - The Dominant of Garuda, Warden of the Wind. After a tumultuous childhood, Benedikta used her talent for swordplay and panache for subterfuge to become leader of Waloed's Intelligencers. She encounters Clive while searching for the second Eikon of Fire.
• Hugo Kupka - Permanent Economic Advisor to the Dhalmekian Republic and Dominant of the Eikon Titan. His awakening as Dominant brought him suddenly to the forefront of politics, where he amassed personal wealth through policy making and control over the armies.

Gameplay

The player will be controlling Clive who will be accompanied by AI-controlled companions who will participate in battle, as well as trade banter with Clive. Traditional summon abilities from the Final Fantasy series have been transformed into player actions, allowing real-time swapping and chaining of these abilities in battle.

Production credits

Staff

Producer	Naoki Yoshida
Main Director	Hiroshi Takai
Creative Director & Original Screenplay	Kazutoyo Maehiro
Localization Director	Michael-Christopher Koji Fox
Art Director	Hiroshi Minagawa
Combat Director	Ryota Suzuki
Character Design	Kazuya Takahashi
Composer	Masayoshi Soken

Development

Final Fantasy XVI represents a shift from the games leading up to it, breaking from a trend towards modern settings, and instead harkening to medieval Europe. Many members of Creative Business Unit III enjoyed the classic Final Fantasies and the medieval European fantasy feel, and wanted to create a game that had that feeling. When designing XVI, the developers melded the medieval European classic fantasy look with their own ideas, expressing them with the technology available to them.

The decision was also spurred by user research, where Square Enix found that many gamers were finding that recent Final Fantasy games were becoming "static in vision." As such, XVI, was a chance to try something different.

Gallery

Final Fantasy XVI - State of Play June 2022 Dominance Trailer - PS5 Games

FINAL FANTASY XVI – Awakening Trailer - PS5

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Promotional Poster

External links

• Official Japanese site
• Official English site
• Recruitment page