If there’s one thing I’ve always said, it’s that Final Fantasy games should let us control our summoned gods and primals as if they were Godzilla and fight fellow summons in boss-like battles. Okay, I’ve never said that, but dangit, I wish I did because it looks like that’s precisely what Final Fantasy XVI is delivering.
Yesterday, Square Enix released a new trailer during PlayStation’s State of Play showcase, and it was our biggest and longest look at FF XVI yet. This nearly three-minute trailer featured fresh details on this entry’s story, extended looks at combat and gameplay, and more. It also introduced us to several new characters that appear to be central to the narrative of FF XVI who can seemingly transform into, or at least embody, primals…or summons or gods or whatever you want to call them this time around. And it looks so dope.
It’s already very cool that these characters can seemingly transform into classic Final Fantasy summons like Shiva, Ifrit, Bahamut, or Odin. Still, FF XVI seems to be upping the ante with how we’ll interact with them. Case in point, head to the 1:45 minute mark in the trailer below, and you’ll see it appears Phoenix is fighting against Eikon of Fire. What’s more, there are two boss-like health bars at the top of the screen for each respective creature. Put all of this together, and I think we’re going to control these summons as if they were Kaiju ready to fight against others. Perhaps this is just styling in the trailer, but I don’t know; I’m getting big 3D brawler vibes out of this scene and the Ifrit versus Titan one that follows. And god, I hope that’s what it is.
Not only would it be a massive shakeup for how summons work in the Final Fantasy franchise, dramatically changing the lore behind their use, but it would present a new type of gameplay for the series. We’ve had turn-based combat, tactics gameplay, action RPG combat, Final Fantasy XIII’s Command Synergy Battle combat (one of my favorites in the franchise), and more. Why not toss in some 3D Kaiju fights? Let me button mash my way to victory or strategically learn each summon’s moveset a la Mortal Kombat or Tekken. Just please don’t let these moments be cinematic quick-time events.
Only time will tell for now how these summon battles work, but I hope my speculation is correct. A new mainline Final Fantasy game is always exciting because it gives us a whole new world to play in, complete with unique combat stylings, characters, and more. Equally exciting for me, though, is the prospect of significant changes that come with each new entry, and while I didn’t have Kaiju fights on my bingo card, it’s all I want now.
While waiting to learn if I’m correct in my speculation, check out the Final Fantasy XVI trailer shown during yesterday’s PlayStation State of Play showcase, and then check out the original reveal trailer to compare the differences. Admire the beautiful landscapes of Final Fantasy XVI in these new screenshots after that, and then read about how a Final Fantasy XVI easy mode could be on the way.
What are you most excited about with Final Fantasy XVI? Let me know in the comments below!