The month of E3 2021 has finally arrived, and the whole game industry is abuzz with excitement for the incoming flood of announcements. E3 may be concentrated in the middle of June, but there's going to be a lot more news spread throughout the month. It's an energizing time, and some fanbases are feeling it more than others. One in particular with a lot to look forward to is Square Enix fans, who already have a ton of games coming down the pipeline:Â NEO: The World Ends With You is just around the corner, Forspoken is due for next year, Final Fantasy Origin may be announced, and perhaps most importantly, Final Fantasy 16 will likely receive new information.
There is a lot that the public knows about Final Fantasy 16, but so much more that it doesn't. The desire to make this entry a hardcore action game in the vein of Devil May Cry is quite clear, but the specifics of how that will manifest are not. Much has been learned about the major nations of Final Fantasy 16's world, and the crystals they house, but there is so much left to learn about the intricacies of the land's politics and people. There's the protagonist Clive Rosfield himself, along with the character arc he goes through that seemingly spans several years. There is plenty that E3 2021 could reveal about the game, and fans are hoping the world for it.
More About Final Fantasy 16's Gameplay
A big unknown right now is the true extent of Final Fantasy 16's combat. Judging by both the small amount of gameplay seen thus far, and statements made about the game, it seems like Final Fantasy 16 will be a greatly refined version of Final Fantasy 15:Â Sporting similar ground and aerial combat but tuned up to be more responsive and dynamic. There also seems to be some sort of style-switching system going on with Clive's elemental arms. With that said, that's all fans know right now. While the base combat seemed fairly far along in the reveal trailer, it's not known what the exact mechanics that go into it are. An E3 demonstration could remedy that.
Another question many have had is one regarding party members. Other characters seemed to be present around fights in the reveal trailer, and Clive is certainly not without allies both as a knight and a mercenary, but their impact on gameplay is not yet known. Parties are a tradition in Final Fantasy, so it seems odd to diminish them so much, even if this style of gameplay seems very focused on a single, high-powered character. It could again be a refinement of Final Fantasy 15 where, in the initial release, only Noctis was playable. Seeing more characters, and standout character designs, will probably help clear up the confusion over how this is handled in-game.
More About Final Fantasy 16's World
Final Fantasy 16 has hardly released any information about its setting yet either. The story looks to be intensely focused on the political struggles between a number of world powers that dominate corners of the planet, with their control over massive crystals, all while some sort of plague looms in the background. The cultures and laws of these nations already look to be impressively distinct, and sometimes particularly dark for a Final Fantasy game. How these nations play into the story, and Clive's place in it, has been a driving question that fans have held onto since Final Fantasy 16's announcement. Hopefully, they can finally get a few answers at E3.
Those answers shouldn't just be about the different nations as participants in the story. Gameplay ramifications of different factions and regions must also be considered. The open world Final Fantasy 15 used its technologically advanced empire as a justification for random battles, with mechanical troops being airdropped onto roads and fields. With Clive on a comparatively very different journey, Square is going to need to make the hard choice of whether it wants to try another open-world mainline Final Fantasy, or go for something more linear. If more information comes at E3, how exploration and encounters are handled will hopefully be addressed.
More About Final Fantasy 16's Characters
Of course, it wouldn't be a Final Fantasy game without some charismatic characters to follow and fight. One of the most important members on any roster is the lead, and Clive seems to fill the role well enough. He looks to be a decent vehicle for the player with easily understood motivations, an interesting set of abilities, and a decent design. That said, it's not been shown exactly how he interacts with other characters yet, and what sort of main hero tropes he embodies. Also unknown is exactly how his story will play out after the time skip, and how that will change his personality, motivations, and interactions with others.
Speaking of which, while a fair bit about the nations they come from is known, much of the full game's cast is not. The community has only been given the faces and names of a few characters key to the beginning of the game, and even then their roles are enigmatic. The powers of the Dominants are also vague, even after a demonstration of Joshua Rosfield's healing power and other summoned Eikons. Jill Warrick is also a seemingly important character on both personal and political levels, but not much is known about her yet.
All in all, there is a ton of room to find out more about Final Fantasy 16's cast and watch them grow, but Square Enix needs to provide the opportunity first. With any luck, E3 2021 will be just the opportunity everyone is looking for.
Final Fantasy 16 is in development for PS5.