On Thursday Square Enix debuted a new trailer for Final Fantasy 16 while also confirming that the new RPG would be launching summer 2023. The trailer heavily focused on cinematic action, character introductions, and key plot points, like the nature of the Dominants and Eikons including Ifrit, Titan, and Garuda. Final Fantasy fans hoping for a more in-depth look at Final Fantasy 16's world are in luck, however. After PlayStation's State of Play, Square Enix released a selection of beautiful screenshots teasing Final Fantasy 16's explorable landscapes.
Eight different screenshots were shared via Square Enix's press hub for Final Fantasy 16, seemingly without explanation. The screenshots are listed under the subheading "landscapes of FFXVI" and most showcase a third-person perspective of Final Fantasy 16 protagonist Clive Rosfield in different locations. The screenshots provide a glimpse at the world waiting to be explored in Final Fantasy 16 beyond just the cinematic locations featured in the newest trailer.
Four screenshots stand out from the group overall. One of the screenshots features a fallen enemy before Clive, who still wields their gore-covered sword. This shows that fights are likely taking place in these open environments. The next two show Clive in civilization, with the first inside a city with a wagon and tall brick towers, and the second in some dark ruin and a platform surrounded by water. The fourth is particularly interesting, with Clive looking out at a massive city built into a towering mountain. These four screenshots show the potential scope of Final Fantasy 16's world.
The remaining four screenshots are environmental. Two show Clive outdoors and two don't have Clive in them at all. The first two show Clive near a stream, the sunlight beaming through the branches of tall trees, and then in a foggy locale. The next two show a campfire in front of a watery, swampy locale and a rocky locale. These screenshots show the diversity of environments available to explore.
All in all, these are still just eight screenshots. Until these areas are shown in a Final Fantasy 16 gameplay video, it's unclear if they're fully explorable or just facades covering up much more restrictive paths through the game. In other words, there's still worries that Final Fantasy 16 could end up very linear, like Final Fantasy 13.
Final Fantasy has changed dramatically since the release of Final Fantasy 10, as Square Enix shifts more toward action-based combat and away from fully explorable worlds. Fans each have their own preferences, but what matters is that Final Fantasy fans are informed regarding what direction Final Fantasy 16 has taken. With the game now launching in summer 2023, that's plenty of time for Square Enix to share more information, but the wait will be excruciating.
Final Fantasy 16 releases summer 2023 on PS5.
