Image: Square Enix
The next mainline Final Fantasy game finally launches this week, and here’s everything you need to know before playing it.
The release of a new Final Fantasy game always feels like a big event, especially when it's the first new mainline release the franchise has seen in seven long years. Square Enix is once again reinventing the iconic RPG series with Final Fantasy 16, a game that ditches turn-based combat for fluid fast-paced action, featuring a grim story that feels a lot more grounded than previous entries - despite all the goblins and kaiju wreaking havoc around you.
Final Fantasy 16 holds plenty of appeal for fans old and new, but now might be a good time to go over everything we know about the game before it launches - from its story and setting, to the length of its campaign and release date.
The story (that we know of)
Final Fantasy 16 takes place in a fictional land called Valisthea, where several nations across the two continents of Ash and Storm are on the verge of war. Scattered throughout these continents are magical crystals known as the Mothercrystals, which are used by Valistheans to power nations and drive civilisation forward. Unfortunately, the energy harnessed by these crystals has begun to dwindle in the modern day, triggering a conflict between the nations of Valisthea who vie for control of the Mothercrystals to save themselves.
Our protagonist is Clive Rosfield, the firstborn son of the ruling family of Rosaria, one of Valisthea’s larger nations. The power these nations hold is largely decided by the loyalty of their Dominants, human hosts who can channel the power of deity-like magical creatures called Eikons. Every Eikon represents an element and since Clive’s younger brother is the Dominant of the fire Eikon Phoenix, Clive was passed over as successor. However, when he discovers his connection to a second fire Eikon - Ifrit - the balance of Eikons and Dominants gets thrown off its axis.
The story begins with Clive Rosfield as a fifteen-year-old serving as his younger brother Joshua’s bodyguard, who will one day succeed their father and lead the Grand Duchy of Rosaria. When the Duchy is attacked in a devastating battle however, a second Eikon called Ifrit manifests and leads Clive on a quest for revenge against Ifrit and their Dominant. This quest will bring Clive to Valisthea’s warring nations across both Ash and Storm continents, where power struggles and deeper mysteries complicate his journey.
Gameplay
Final Fantasy 16 departs from the franchise’s iconic turn-based combat for real-time action-RPG combat, which feels a lot closer to games like Devil May Cry 5 and God of War Ragnarok in gameplay. Clive can cast spells with the single press of a button and warp towards enemies using special Eikon abilities, stringing together combos and potions to stay alive during the toughest of battles. Some of these abilities are taken from Eikons he’ll encounter throughout the game - such as a stone fist that can be used to block attacks, or a wind ability that pulls enemies in from afar.
Much like any other RPG, Clive won’t be alone on his journey in Valisthea. He’ll make new friends while roaming the world and eventually assemble a party of AI-controlled adventurers who assist in combat, the most permanent of which is a dog named Torgal. The game follows Clive in his teenage years, then his 20s and 30s, so you’ll probably meet the same faces more than once throughout the story. The game also has a unique approach to difficulty options, with special ring accessories that can be equipped for bonuses like automatic combos and longer dodge windows instead of an Easy Mode.
Though the game’s prologue is laden with exposition and cutscenes, players will soon be given the freedom to see the sights in Valisthea at their leisure. The world is split into more open zones that can be explored with your party, and other smaller environments like towns and dungeons that have a more linear structure to them. While you won’t be able to go everywhere in Valisthea without moving the story forward first, you can take your time to pursue sidequests like monster hunts and explore zones in between story quests.
Release date and file size
Final Fantasy 16 is a PlayStation 5 exclusive, though it might hit other platforms with time. The game is scheduled for release at midnight local time on June 22, 2023, and is now available for pre-load for anyone who’s already pre-ordered the game. The game is just about as big as one might expect from a new Final Fantasy game: 91GB. A 300MB Day One patch will also launch on June 22 to sort out a few small bugs and glitches that exist in the physical edition. You’ll want to make sure you have at least 100GB of disc space before installing the game, so maybe check through your library and see if Warzone is really worth keeping around.
How long will Final Fantasy 16 take to complete?
That depends. According to producer Naoki Yoshida, the main story will take players around 35 hours to beat. If side content gets factored in however, the game could take 70 to 80 hours in total to complete. Seeing as most players will likely opt for a middle ground between doing sidequests and completing the main story, expect your playtime to fall around the middle of the spectrum. That is, unless you’re prepared to get a high rank on all the Monster Hunts and dig up the game’s best gear.