The latest in the epic Final Fantasy series has been announced. Final Fantasy 16 for PS5 brings players a brand new story and characters set amidst familiar spirits, creatures, and monsters. At this point, not much is known yet about Final Fantasy 16, and we're still in the dark on many things. Still, there are some glimmers to appreciate and study, so we here at Android Central have gathered everything you need to know before diving into this gorgeous action RPG.
A brand new Final Fantasy game launch is always a big deal, and with the team developing this game, it could end up being one of the best PS5 games available when it arrives.
What is Final Fantasy 16 for PS5?
The latest in the epic sci-fi fantasy series, Final Fantasy 16 (XVI), is a single-player action RPG coming soon from Square Enix. Announced as a PS5 console exclusive on Sept. 17, 2020, Final Fantasy 16 promises to be the most stunning Final Fantasy yet. As with most Final Fantasy games, this one will feature entirely new characters in a new world with many familiar faces in the form of summoned spirits and monstrous foes.
The game is produced by Naoki Yoshida, the director and producer of Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn, as well as chief planner of Dragon Quest X. It is also directed by Hiroshi Takai, assistant director of Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn. The Final Fantasy 16 project has expanded to include a full team, including veterans of successful games such as Devil May Cry 5 and The Last Remnant.
Final Fantasy 16 for PS5: Story
During the reveal of the game, a trailer titled Awakening was released. The trailer revealed hints of a plot centered around the bodyguard of a special child, Joshua, who's the son of an Archduke and seems to carry the spirit of a familiar summon, known as Eikons in Final Fantasy 16, within his body. After some pretty significant trauma, Joshua loses control of the Eikon within him, leading to a battle of epic proportions between Phoenix and Ifrit.
A second trailer entitled Dominance revealed the name of the bodyguard trusted to keep Joshua safe, Clive Rosfield, older brother of Joshua and the player character. He is obviously very capable, as he is given the title of First Shield of Rosaria.
Other summons have also been depicted. Titan and Shiva were revealed in the first trailer, while Garuda, Ramuh, Odin and Bahamut were present in the second. Other familiar creatures have been shown so far, including a Malboro, a Coeurl, and several Chocobo.
Final Fantasy 16 for PS5: World
Final Fantasy 16 is set in the world of Valisthea. There are six major factions with political and military power to keep track of: The Grand Duchy of Rosaria, The Holy Empire of San Breque, The Kingdom of Waloed, The Dhalmekian Republic, The Iron Kingdom, and The Crystalline Dominion. These factions depend on and revolve around huge crystals, known as mothercrystals. These structures allow ordinary people to use magick, and will surely be a source of conflict for the factions in the game.
Final Fantasy 16 for PS5: Characters
Square Enix has already revealed a few Final Fantasy 16 main characters. Clive Rosfield, eldest child of the Archduke of Rosaria, has chosen to "master the blade" and is the bodyguard of his younger brother, Joshua.
Joshua Rosfield, younger brother of Clive, is the Dominant of the Phoenix, wielding great power despite his young age and physically frail stature. This power was supposed to be inherited by Clive, but mysteriously skipped over him, to be instead wielded by Joshua.
Jill Warrick is a member of the Rosfield household who was taken from her homeland and raised alongside the two brothers. She is a good friend to both, and a ward of Rosaria. Two other characters have been introduced, Dominant of Titan and Economic Adviser Hugo Kupka, and Benedikta Harman, Commander and Dominant of Garuda.
Final Fantasy 16 for PS5: Gameplay
The recent Dominance trailer gave us a glimpse of gameplay, with protagonist Clive Rosfield engaging in fast, fluid real-time combat. Moves are slick, colorful and satisfying to watch, with the HUD providing information of what to expect during fights. Clive has access to various potions including strength tonics, while he can also fire a weapon and use abilities such as Phoenix Shift, Scarlet Cyclone and Rising Flames.
Large pitched battles are also hinted at by the trailer, with two armies rushing at one another. Fights between summons have also been depicted, with battles between the Eikons resulting in huge, cinematic moments as they perform various attacks.
What we want from Final Fantasy 16 for PS5
Seeing as Final Fantasy 16 is being produced by the same Naoki Yoshida who directed and produced Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn, players have a lot to hope for from this project. Unlike many Final Fantasy games, A Realm Reborn has persisted in both maintaining and growing its player base well after the release of new Final Fantasy games, providing a great foundation for later expansions. Although this is due in part to it being an MMORPG, the design and polish on A Realm Reborn have been widely praised by critics and fans alike.
With each addition made to Final Fantasy 14, it has earned more praise, inspiring confidence that Final Fantasy 16 will share the solid gameplay, stunning artwork, and engaging story Yoshida is known for.
Is Final Fantasy 16 coming to Xbox Series X|S or PC?
According to Piers Harding-Rolls on Twitter, Final Fantasy 16 will be exclusive to PlayStation 5 for at least six months, after which it could potentially be launched on PC. Additionally, it would remain console exclusive for at least six more months. Currently, there are no confirmed plans to release on PC or Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.
Final Fantasy 16 for PS5: Release date
While we don't yet have a specific date, the release window for Final Fantasy 16 has been announced, with the game targeting a summer 2023 release. According to Naoki Yoshida, the team is reaching their final leg of development, with the producer adding that "the game is fully playable from start to finish."
Although it was originally announced to include a PC version, currently, Square Enix has no official plans for a release outside of the PS5.
