Final Fantasy 16 was one of the most anticipated games of the year prior to any big reveals, but the recent State of Play showcase really solidified its place as a huge mark on the 2023 gaming calendar. It was the biggest glimpse into Final Fantasy 16's world of Valisthea that players have received yet, and while story beats were somewhat absent, a lot of tonal clues were given about the setting to show it would be a more grounded, medieval-inspired affair with the flashy presentation that later games are known for.
The showcase gave fans a lot to process, and searching through the footage for details will be part of the fun ahead of its June launch. One such idea nestled into a quieter area of the game is a strong indicator that Final Fantasy 16 is going to take advantage of a popular mythology to give its world, characters, and story more life. It's something the series has done for years with various inspirations, but Greek myth could have the biggest impact on the franchise this time around.
Final Fantasy 16 Could be Leaning on an Interesting Mythology
Final Fantasy has taken ques from plenty of mythological ideas and concepts in the past, including Masamune in the original game, Caladbolg in Final Fantasy 10, and the naming of Midgar and Nibelheim in Final Fantasy 7. It's a franchise that is unique in many ways and has inspired plenty of others to excel in the JRPG genre, but it wears its own inspirations on its sleeve. For the most part, the mythological references are integrated well and don't fundamentally change the story of each game.
It's not a stretch to assume that Final Fantasy 16 is doing something similar. In the trailer shown at the April 2023 State of Play event, Square Enix showed more details about the game, including the Hideaway where Clive can pick up quests, reinforce armor, hone his combat skills. The shop there is titled Charon's Toll, a reference to the ferryman who transports souls to the underworld in Greek mythology. It's a small, but significant inclusion that reinforces the developer's interest in global myths, and it could be a canary in the coal mine for more references through the story.
Greek Mythology Has a Prominent Place in Gaming
While God of War may have abandoned its original homeland in favor of Norse myth, Greek lore is going strong in gaming with Immortals Fenyx Rising, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, and Hades each using the mythology to enhance their presentation and story. The latter uses Charon as a shopkeeper on every run in the underworld, potentially offering a similar source of inspiration as the storefront in Final Fantasy 16's Hideaway. The characters on Mount Olympus and beyond are easily identifiable, and their defined roles can provide presentational and narrative flourishes to the 2023 Square Enix game.
Greek mythology is a setting that offers so much story potential, and though the next mainline Final Fantasy game will hope to be something unique, it could be gearing up to borrow more anecdotes than just the store in the Hideaway. Charon's Toll could be nothing more than a throwaway name, but as Final Fantasy 16 has been in the pipeline for years, it's hard to believe that anything in the main campaign is not carefully placed.
Final Fantasy 16 launches on June 22 for PS5.
