Final Fantasy 16 is releasing in a packed year for AAA games. From The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom to Marvel's Spider-Man 2, 2023 is shaping up to be something great, but even with those titles in place, the Square Enix-owned IP is still one of the giants of the industry that will demand a lot of attention. The sixteenth mainline game is scheduled to launch in June, and with it, Final Fantasy's legacy of excellence (with some notable hiccups) will hope to continue. At the recent PlayStation Showcase, it was given more time to shine with a trailer that gave fans the biggest glimpse into Valisthea yet.
The medieval setting, warring houses, and Rosfield family that seems to be at the center of it all give Final Fantasy 16 major Game of Thrones vibes, but this could be to its benefit. Being more grounded could ensure that it is a platform for a more compelling story, but weaved into the quieter moments of the aforementioned trailer are iconic moments that present the game's version of Primals/Summons/Espers/etc., with returners including Phoenix, Ifrit, Shiva, and Bahamut playing a key role. However, too much reliance on the Eikons could be problematic and upset the foundations of the story, and therefore a balance has to be struck.
Final Fantasy’s Summons Are Effective When Used Sparingly
The series' best entries use Summons in a way that helps massively in battle and provides narrative flourishes, but they never hang around for too long. Final Fantasy 7 and even Final Fantasy 14 know when and where to have them, and putting them on the screen for too long is a quick way to make Final Fantasy feel like a glitzy, over-aesthetic, and confusing affair, whereas focusing on other elements like characters and story is something that is tried, tested, and effective at bringing fans back to each new Final Fantasy game.
Too much of something special can be the cause of its downfall, and Final Fantasy 16 has to understand this to keep its Eikons fresh. Implementing them in a way that makes sense for the story will be a challenge as the tale seems to be a personal one for Final Fantasy 16's Clive and Joshua Rosfield, and it's vital to ensure that the majesty and wonderment of the Eikons doesn't reduce the human political tensions to feeling like petty squabbles in the grand scheme of things.
Character Interactions Have Always Been at the Heart of Final Fantasy
Interactions compose the fabric of so many of the best Final Fantasy experiences, from the memorable opera house scene in Final Fantasy 6 to more recent examples like the temporary (though well-handled) rift between Noctis and Gladiolus in Final Fantasy 15. The nuances of each character and their conversations with others are where the best moments in Final Fantasy are often found, rather than in spectacle-laden sequences that are stunning to watch or play.
Final Fantasy 16 has been showing all the right signs of life and quality, and its somewhat smooth development cycle (unlike its predecessor) could be indicative of the game being something great. Final Fantasy 16 looks to be taking cues from Game of Thrones for details that concern its world-building, such as each nation having its own identity. But it would perhaps be wise to let that side of Final Fantasy 16 shine the most with its Eikons taking a backseat in the narrative. Otherwise, an oversaturation of them could quickly render the story as a convoluted tale of unrelatable ideas that argue for it being more style than substance.
Final Fantasy 16 launches on June 22 for PS5.
