Final Fantasy XVI: No spoilers! On pain of death by Ifrit

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Best Eikon
	Phoenix
	Titan
	Garuda
	Ramuh
	Shiva
	Odin
	Bahamut
	Ifrit

Terper: Jun 26, 2012

RELEASE DATE: JUNE 22 2023
PS5 ONLY (right now)

Finally, Final Fantasy... XVI! Or 16, if you're bad with roman numerals. Where our previous Final Fantasy 15 was about modern-day boys on a chill roadtrip, FF16 goes waaay back in the series' history to focus on a more medieval fantasy setting. Castles and knights, swords and sorcery, and ruins of ancient civilizations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCtElEqdTBM

STORY

quote:

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 Eikons are the most powerful and deadly creatures in Valisthea. Each resides within a Dominant�a single man or woman who is blessed with the ability to call upon their dread power. In some nations these Dominants are treated as royalty in admiration of this strength�in others they are bound in fear of it, and forced to serve as weapons of war. Those who are born as Dominants cannot escape their fate, however cruel it may be.

TRAILERS
Trailer 1, Awakening
Trailer 2, Dominance
Trailer 3, Ambition
Trailer 4, Revenge

CHARACTERS

quote:

Clive Rosfield
The firstborn son of the Archduke of Rosaria. Though all expected him to inherit the Phoenix's flames and awaken as its Dominant, destiny instead chose his younger brother Joshua to bear this burden. In search of a role of his own, Clive dedicated himself to mastering the blade. His practice pays off when, at just fifteen years of age, he wins the ducal tournament and is dubbed the First Shield of Rosaria�tasked to guard the Phoenix and blessed with the ability to wield a part of his fire. Alas, Clive's promising career is to end in tragedy at the hands of a mysterious dark Eikon, Ifrit, setting him on a dangerous road to revenge.
Joshua Rosfield
The second son of the Archduke of Rosaria and Clive's younger brother by five years. Joshua awoke as the Dominant of the Phoenix soon after his birth. Despite his noble upbringing, Joshua treats all his father's subjects with warmth and affection�none more so than Clive, whom he deeply admires. Joshua often laments that it was he, the frail and bookish younger son, who was granted command of the firebird's flames, and not his stronger, braver brother. While Clive will gladly throw himself into any danger, Joshua quails at the sight of a carrot on his dinner plate. But carrots become the least of his concern when he, too, is swept up into the tragic events that change Clive's life forever.
Jill Warrick
Born in the fallen Northern Territories, Jill was taken from her homeland at a tender age to become a ward of Rosaria. The Archduke insisted that she be raised alongside his sons, and she became as much a part of the Rosfield household as Clive and Joshua. Alas, fate was not finished with her yet�it saw the three torn apart, and the bone-chilling power of the Eikon Shiva awaken within her.
Torgal
Another outcast from the Northern Territories taken in by House Rosfield, Torgal was found alone in a snowfield during one of Archduke Elwin's expeditions to the freezing north, and gifted to his sons upon his return. After somehow surviving the disaster that nearly ended the Rosfield line, he was reunited with Clive over a decade later, and now serves his master with the same fierce loyalty he did when he was but a pup.

Other Dominants and many other characters inhabit the land of Valisthea, but you can either find out about them in-game or read more on the main site.

GAMEPLAY

Final Fantasy 16 is not an open world game. It has 4 very large zones with different outposts, towns, cities and dungeons that you are bid to explore as the story progresses. Clive has a main base that he returns to after longer story segments, from which you then set out from to either continue the story or return to older areas to do sidequests or monster hunts in. As the story progresses and time marches on, the world and characters will change in turn. Once you've beaten the game, you unlock NG+ and Arcade Mode, with higher difficulty that allows you to replay stages and get high scores and compete in leaderboards online.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0Uy3kZVZ54
Final Fantasy XVI is a full-on action RPG, with combat that can be compared to Dragon's Dogma or Devil May Cry. You play as Clive, and only Clive�other characters join your party and fight by your side, but you cannot control their actions or equipment. The only exception is Torgal, who you give actions to and can combo with, as seen in the above video.

On its face, the combat is simple: X is Jump. Square is attacking with your sword for a 4-hit combo. Triangle shoots magic. Alternate the sword and magic buttons to weave different combos. Hold Attack to do a guard breaking attack, hold triangle to charge up your spell, Press Jump and Attack at the same time to do a lunge, or downward slash if you're in the air. You can also give commands to Torgal using the D-Pad.

The meat of the combat comes in the form of your Eikonic powers: Clive can have up to three Eikons "equipped", or junctioned, at a time. These change what your circle button does, as well as which skills you have access to.

When you're junctioned to Phoenix, the circle button becomes Phoenix Shift, which is similar to the Warp Strike of FF15, or a stinger if you're more used to action game terminology. If you're junctioned to Garuda, it instead brings enemies closer to you, and with Titan, it becomes a block. By pressing R2, the Square and Triangle buttons give you access to different skills depending on which Eikon you're junctioned to. An Eikon has more skills than you can have equipped at a time, so you have to choose which two to equip. Clive can have up to three Eikons equipped and can shift between them in the middle of combat by pressing L2. Three Eikons with three abilities each, means that you'll be constantly shifting between the different Eikons and their abilities and trying out new combinations of skills.

For a more in-depth look at combat, please watch this video.

FAQ
16?! I've never played a Final Fantasy game before! Can I start with this one?
Final Fantasy is an anthology series�no mainline game has any story relevance to any other. You can start just as well here as you could anywhere else in the series. Go for it!

I'm confused about something they just referred to in a cutscene!
Don't fret, that's what ATL is for! Active Time Lore can be used inside or outside cutscenes by holding down the Touch Pad button. This brings up a couple of text entries relevant to the scene that is going on, such as the location you're in, places in the world they're talking about, and the characters themselves. It's very useful and updates as you move through areas and get to different points in cutscenes, so feel free to check in on it whenever!

I'm not good at action games. Can I still play it?
When you start up the game, you can choose to play in either "Action-Focus" or "Story-Focus". Apparently, there is no difference in damage numbers regardless of which option you choose. Instead, if you start on Story Mode, you get immediate access to a set of accessories that can help alleviate or automate specific parts of the game. These accessories are:

The Ring of Timely Focus, which temporarily slows time before enemy attacks connect, providing more time to react and dodge.
The Ring of Timely Evasion, which auto-dodges most attacks.
The Ring of Timely Strikes, which executes combo attacks by simply pressing the attack button.
The Ring of Timely Assistance, which automatically issues commands to Torgal.
The Ring of Timely Healing, which automatically uses potions to keep your health topped up.

You can mix and match these accessories to help alleviate the stress of combat however you'd like. These accessories are still available if you play on Action Mode, but you have to progress in the game to get them.

I'm an expert at action games. Is there a hard mode?
FF16 has a higher difficulty mode, but it is only available in New Game+. This mode changes enemy group configurations and AI to make the game much more difficult. As mentioned, you can also aim for high scores and compete on online leaderboards to see if you're truly the best Final Fantasy gamer. If you want a harder time immediately from the start... uh, don't upgrade your gear, I suppose.

Who are these "Yoshi-P", "Koji Fox", "Soken", and "Suzuki" I keep hearing about?
Naoki Yoshida, better known as Yoshi-P, is the Producer of FF16, and is known in the community as the savior of FF14, the MMO that you've probably heard about before. On its original release, FF14 was in a terrible state, and Yoshida was brought in to take command and help salvage it�and it is now one of the most celebrated games in the series, one of the biggest MMOs on the market, and a true comeback story. During Heavensward, the first expansion to FF14, he was tasked with leading the team that would make FF16, and so he's been in charge of both of those things for a long time now. Man's busy!

Michael-Christopher Koji Fox, better known as Koji Fox, is the Localization Director for both 14 and 16, though his role on the teams go beyond that. The story was penned in Japanese, localized into English at the same time, and then the Japanese script was adjusted in accordance with the localization�it is not wrong to say he is part loremaster and writer on the project in addition to leading the translation. It should be noted though that the lead scenario writer is Kazutoyo Maehiro, who is most known for being the lead scenario writer for the Heavensward expansion of FF14.

Masayoshi Soken is the main composer for FF14 and FF16, and is regarded by the community as one of the strongest composers at Square Enix, if not the entire industry. PYF FF14 tracks in this thread.

Ryota Suzuki is the lead combat designer for FF16, and is notable for being a new hire for Square Enix, as they felt they didn't have anyone on staff capable enough with action game design to make a truly good system. And so they poached Suzuki who previously worked at Capcom on games like DMC5 and Dragon's Dogma as one of the combat designers.

These four are the main names you'll hear mentioned in conversation about this game, but there is of course plenty of other experienced personnel involved in the project, like Director Hiroshi Takai, Character Designer Kazuya Takahashi, and many more.

Terper fucked around with this message at 20:33 on Jun 13, 2023

# ? Mar 22, 2023 13:08

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# ? May 1, 2024 10:21

Terper: Jun 26, 2012

https://twitter.com/finalfantasyxvi/status/1630402842535026689

Stream on Saturday with a Q&A session, and then more info on non-combat things in April sometime!

# ? Mar 22, 2023 13:11

A Concrete Divider: Jan 20, 2012; The Unbearable Whiteness of Eating

Let�s freaking go!!!

# ? Mar 22, 2023 13:12

CottonWolf: Jul 20, 2012; Good ideas generator

Here�s my favourite Soken boss theme.

https://youtu.be/hSF67DheS04

# ? Mar 22, 2023 13:25

1stGear: Jan 16, 2010; Here's to the new us.

Terper posted:

PYF FF14 tracks in this thread.

Don't mind if I do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4O5CVvwgFI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmP-1zELQZg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCj8pqVqa1M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nih4x5hv89Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guDguPQvRCQ

# ? Mar 22, 2023 13:39

Terper: Jun 26, 2012

1stGear posted:

Don't mind if I do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBIRYjP1NNM

# ? Mar 22, 2023 14:58

Electric Phantasm: Apr 7, 2011; YOSPOS

OP doesn't mention Active Time Lore 0/10

# ? Mar 22, 2023 15:43

itry: Aug 23, 2019

No Doomtrain option?

# ? Mar 22, 2023 16:14

YoshiOfYellow: Aug 21, 2015; Voted #1 Babysitter in Mushroom Kingdom

So ready to air juggle monsters with my cool dog while sick tunes from Soken play.

# ? Mar 22, 2023 16:15

Vitamean: May 31, 2012

clive

# ? Mar 22, 2023 16:16

Arist: Feb 13, 2012; _{who, me?}

Vitamean posted:

clive

how dare you

# ? Mar 22, 2023 16:30

HD DAD: Jan 13, 2010; Generic white guy.; Toilet Rascal

Kuraibu

# ? Mar 22, 2023 16:35

fridge corn: Apr 2, 2003; NO MERCY, ONLY PAIN

FF16 is gonna be real fucken good

# ? Mar 22, 2023 16:35

karthun: Nov 16, 2006; I forgot to post my food for USPOL Thanksgiving but that's okay too!

itry posted:

No Doomtrain option?

Only if you can suplex it

# ? Mar 22, 2023 16:40

BeanpolePeckerwood: May 4, 2004; I MAY LOOK LIKE SHIT BUT IM ALSO DUMB AS FUCK

fully torqued for torgal

# ? Mar 22, 2023 16:41

Ciaphas: Nov 20, 2005; > BEWARE, COWARD

didn't know this was gonna be character action until literally just now and i'm :stoked:

i wonder how much influence Koji Fox will have wrt punning us to death ("quake me up before you o'ghomoro", ay yai yai)

Ciaphas fucked around with this message at 16:51 on Mar 22, 2023

# ? Mar 22, 2023 16:48

Tall Tale Teller: May 20, 2003; Grave? Shovel! Let's go.

People are mad at the name Clive.

From a series with a Wakka and a Butz and a Gogo and a Fran.

# ? Mar 22, 2023 16:59

Yaoi Gagarin: Feb 20, 2014

Joshua is fuckin adorable, can't wait until he dies in the prologue

# ? Mar 22, 2023 19:39

Terper: Jun 26, 2012

Electric Phantasm posted:

OP doesn't mention Active Time Lore 0/10

Not enough info to make a segment on it yet :colbert:

# ? Mar 22, 2023 19:48

I said come in!: Jun 22, 2004

Please be good! Final Fantasy single player mainline games have not been good since FFXII, and that released in 2006.

# ? Mar 22, 2023 20:14

I said come in!: Jun 22, 2004

Terper posted:

Final Fantasy XVI is a full-on action RPG, with combat that can be compared to Dragon's Dogma or Devil May Cry. You play as Clive, and only Clive�other characters join your party and fight by your side, but you cannot control their actions or equipment. The only exception is Torgal, who you give actions to and can combo with, as seen in the above video.

This part makes me sad. Final Fantasy has been getting further and further away from having a cast of characters that work together to save the world. I want a new FF game that has a diverse cast of people with their own stories and goals, working together against an epic world ending enemy. That is what Final Fantasy is about to me, it's a core identity of the franchise.

# ? Mar 22, 2023 20:17

Terper: Jun 26, 2012

It has that (they've said). You just don't control them.

# ? Mar 22, 2023 20:23

I said come in!: Jun 22, 2004

Terper posted:

It has that (they've said). You just don't control them.

I guess it'll depend on how many characters are in your party, and if they come and go from the story.

# ? Mar 22, 2023 20:30

Terper: Jun 26, 2012

They do have those cute lil' sprite icons in the menu to show off your current party

# ? Mar 22, 2023 20:36

Yaoi Gagarin: Feb 20, 2014

imo its not necessary to actually control the other characters for it to feel like they're an important part of the story

# ? Mar 22, 2023 20:42

Terper: Jun 26, 2012

I will be buying a PS5 for this

# ? Mar 22, 2023 20:56

slev: Apr 6, 2009

Let me customize torgal

# ? Mar 22, 2023 21:05

Vitamean: May 31, 2012

Terper posted:

Not enough info to make a segment on it yet

finally googled what a barber is in this context

# ? Mar 22, 2023 21:11

Professor Wayne: Aug 27, 2008; So, Harvey, what became of the giant penny?

They actually let him keep it.

Clive Rosefield is just the fantasy version of the name Chris Redfield

# ? Mar 22, 2023 21:12

Vitamean: May 31, 2012

rosfield*

# ? Mar 22, 2023 21:15

TheHoosier: Dec 30, 2004; The fuck, Graham?!

https://youtu.be/g23XT_U_NHY

# ? Mar 22, 2023 21:15

DrakePegasus: Jan 30, 2009; It was Plundersaurus Rex's dream to be the greatest pirate dragon ever.

I want to see at least three verbatim Pawn lines from Dragon�s Dogma, Koji.

# ? Mar 22, 2023 21:17

Left 4 Bread: Oct 4, 2021; i sleep

DrakePegasus posted:

I want to see at least three verbatim Pawn lines from Dragon�s Dogma, Koji.

Their kind hate Blizzard and Fire both!

# ? Mar 22, 2023 21:32

Hellioning: Jun 27, 2008

I said come in! posted:

This part makes me sad. Final Fantasy has been getting further and further away from having a cast of characters that work together to save the world. I want a new FF game that has a diverse cast of people with their own stories and goals, working together against an epic world ending enemy. That is what Final Fantasy is about to me, it's a core identity of the franchise.

I share your concerns (especially since I had a lot of the same concerns about FFXV and I hated how that turned out). Ideally the side characters get a decent focus for being unplayable and we don't need Episodes for all of them.

# ? Mar 22, 2023 21:49