Final Fantasy 16's release is fast approaching, and fans can get a taste of what the game has to offer by playing the demo. The demo covers the game's opening section, introducing the protagonist Clive Rosfield, the firstborn son of the Archduke of Rosaria who is sworn to protect his younger brother, Joshua. During this chapter, players will get to know Clive's motivations a little better and get a feel for the game's combat, which represents a significant departure for the series by shifting toward fast-paced real-time action. While it can be unexpectedly fast to begin with, Final Fantasy 16's first real boss, a Morbol, or a Malboro as series veterans will know it, acts as the perfect way for gamers to quickly acclimatize to the new combat mechanics.
The Final Fantasy franchise is one of the most popular in the industry, and much of its history is intertwined with RPG mechanics and turn-based combat. Modern gaming has evolved though, and many gamers now prefer the real-time action of games like Devil May Cry over more traditional, tactical turn-based RPGs. Developer Square Enix has attempted to move the Final Fantasy franchise away from its roots in more recent outings such as Final Fantasy 15 and Final Fantasy 7 Remake, both of which are real-time action-RPGs, despite retaining elements of turn-based mechanics. Final Fantasy 16 goes one step further than this by abandoning any last remnant of turn-based combat, and the game's opening battles prove that this paid off.
Final Fantasy 16's Morbol is a Great First Boss
Traditionally, the Malboro has always been one of Final Fantasy's most annoying enemies. Its signature 'bad breath' attack spits out a lethal cocktail of negative status effects which can have devastating consequences for the player's party. Without the proper planning, gamers will usually be quickly overwhelmed and succumb to the Malboro shortly afterward. Meticulous care needs to be taken to ensure party members can negate these status effects by wearing the appropriate types of armor or using certain consumables to lessen their impact.
However, much like various other series traditions, Final Fantasy 16 flips this script on its head, instead presenting the battle with the Morbol as a lightning-fast test of reflexes. Clive dodges, parries, and hits the slimy creature with every move in his arsenal, which is somewhat limited at this early point in the game. Combat has a satisfying flow to it, and the lack of any kind of stamina meter, which is a very popular mechanic in action games, means that players can really let loose without any fear of Clive burning out. The few abilities he possesses at this stage have cooldowns, which prevent the player from spamming them, but there is no such barrier for basic attacks, dodging, or even using magic.
Final Fantasy usually gives players the choice to use magic rather than melee weapons, but this has almost always come at a price, usually in the form of MP. The sixteenth mainline entry has seemingly scrapped this though, allowing players to use magic as frequently as they like with no penalty. This adds further urgency to the game's already-frantic battles and ensures players can attack the Morbol from range if they prefer.
The Morbol's attacks are equally fast, and its bad breath can be avoided by quickly strafing aside, while everything else can be dodged or parried if the player's reflexes are sharp enough. While it isn't a particularly difficult boss, it perfectly sets the tone for the game's busy combat. Of course, it remains to be seen how some of these mechanics actually affect the game's overall difficulty in the long term. Given that Final Fantasy bosses are notoriously some of the hardest ever created, it will be interesting to see how FF16 tries to balance the scales in this regard.
Final Fantasy 16 is set to release on 22 June for PS5.
