Bacon Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bacon Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 Also, not sure if true, but I heard there was a limited demo march 11-12 but it might be about this and not for the actual players sad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 1 minute ago, Bacon said: Also, not sure if true, but I heard there was a limited demo march 11-12 but it might be about this and not for the actual players sad Quote Final Fantasy XVI PS5 demo will be playable at The Game Expo 2023 March 11 - 12! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bacon Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 Fuck you SE Fuck you The Game Expo 😡 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser_Soze Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 5 minutes ago, Bacon said: Fuck you SE Fuck you The Game Expo 😡 A great excuse to go to Australia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bacon Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 1 minute ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said: 5 minutes ago, Keyser_Soze said: A great excuse to go to Australia Ew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercury33 Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 If it’s at Game Expo I wonder if they’ll bring it to Pax East in some form. Even a presentation would be cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xbob42 Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 3 hours ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said: So... he played 6 hours and the only thing he mentioned was fucking production values?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedarkstark Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 New zelda in May and a new proper final fantasy a month later Gonna ge a good year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bacon Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 19 hours ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said: it's fake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bacon Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 Edit 3: Actually I won't be updating anything because even after watching that, there are still too many spoilers for me personally in the bits I saw in other videos. I Edit: This confirms a lot of things players have assumed to the point where, even tho we assumed it, it still feels like major spoilers. Biggest thing to take away so far is that this is fully real time action combat, and that there are no other controllable party members. The big spoilery thing is involving the Eikons, which again, is stuff we assumed, but this hard confirms it. Oh, and there is a "story mode" and "action mode" in terms of difficulty. 11 hours of cut scenes in the MSQ No open world. There will be a prioritize frame rate mode. Complaint of it being too easy for an action game, but the demo was only 5 hours into the game, would like a hard mod. Edit 2: Someone get me a PS gift card so I can pre-order it pretty please!!!!! Edit: 4 thanks @Zaku3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BloodyHell Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 On 2/26/2023 at 3:25 PM, Xbob42 said: So... he played 6 hours and the only thing he mentioned was fucking production values?? its a random post, and they literally say they don’t want to say to much and get there friend in trouble. I mean, how many people went to japan to play a 6h demo? Be pretty easy to figure okt the leaker. And that’s if it’s even true. On 2/27/2023 at 1:48 AM, thedarkstark said: New zelda in May and a new proper final fantasy a month later Gonna ge a good year. Plus Diablo 4. Gonna be rough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xbob42 Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 5 minutes ago, BloodyHell said: its a random post, and they literally say they don’t want to say to much and get there friend in trouble. I mean, how many people went to japan to play a 6h demo? Be pretty easy to figure okt the leaker. And that’s if it’s even true. Yeah but at that point the post literally holds no value to me, lol. A Final Fantasy game with big impressive set pieces, it's like a Halo with guns! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zaku3 Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 As a PC only gamer. I can continue ignoring this until Square realizes/ or legally get cash money for this game from me? (Have a Switch but sub HD and less then 30FPS is not good in the hood in 2023) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bacon Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 5 minutes ago, Zaku3 said: As a PC only gamer. I can continue ignoring this until Square realizes/ or legally get cash money for this game from me? It is coming to PC 6 months after the PS5 launch. So, yeah, you can ignore it I think. At least until then. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 8 hours ago, Bacon said: It is coming to PC 6 months after the PS5 launch. So, yeah, you can ignore it I think. At least until then. Yeeeeaaaahhh - about that... Naoki Yoshida says Final Fantasy 16 won't be on PC 6 months after release | PC Gamer WWW.PCGAMER.COM We thought so, but we're still sad about it. Quote We'd heard that Final Fantasy 16 is a six-month timed exclusive on PlayStation 5, but Square Enix has been frustratingly vague about a PC version. In a post on Playstation's Japanese blog (in Japanese), producer Naoki Yoshida said that though he would like to release a PC version it simply wouldn't be ready in just six months. The entire team has been focused on optimizing the PS5 version. "I've caused a bit of a stir with my remarks the other day, but I'd like to touch on the PC version. First of all, it is true that FINAL FANTASY XVI is a six-month limited time exclusive on the PS5 platform. However, it is a completely different story that the PC version will be released in half a year. I will make it clear, but the PC version will not come out in half a year," said Yoshida, via machine translation. Buck up though, kiddo: This is effectively acknowledgement by Yoshida that a PC version will likely happen, even if it's not six months after release. That's a big step forward from a month ago when he was pretending it wouldn't exist. "This is because we spent a lot of time and money optimizing the PS5 platform to deliver the best gaming experience. Of course, I would like to release a PC version at some point so that everyone can play as many games as possible. However, even if we start optimizing the PC version after the PS5 version comes out, we won't be able to optimize it in half a year, so it won't come out in a short span of half a year. I would like to release it eventually, and I think I will, but I am not at the stage where I can say when," continued Yoshida. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bacon Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 Dang bro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 Here are today's previews: Preview: Final Fantasy XVI is a bold new direction for the series ARSTECHNICA.COM From action-RPG combat to narrative design, Final Fantasy XVI marks a new era. Quote In so many ways, Final Fantasy XVI wants you to abandon everything you know about the franchise. It’s an action RPG with a heavy emphasis on the “action” part, built around only one playable character. It’s a darker, more violent story that, by the developers’ own admission, draws more from fantasy blockbusters in the West. And it’s seemingly trying to deliver the type of game a modern audience expects. While each entry in the series has tried something new, Final Fantasy XVI is arguably the biggest departure thus far. After getting a hands-on with a preview demo—and talking to the creative business Unit III development team about the story, structure, and content of the game—the series diehard in me is starting to make out the vision being constructed here. Final Fantasy XVI is a bombastic, aggressive spectacle with prestige-level production values and a striking, self-serious vibe. But more than anything, the playable demo has me largely convinced that this new gameplay formula is actually the right move for the franchise. Quote As a longtime player of Final Fantasy XIV, I revere the team largely responsible for this upcoming entry in the franchise. I’ve laughed, cried, and had personal revelations through my time with the critically acclaimed MMORPG, which I consider the pinnacle of the franchise today. And I’ve been hyped to see what the team could do outside of it. After experiencing a demo firsthand, part of me looks at Final Fantasy XVI and sees it as trying to change the series by being like everyone else. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing because if the series’ long history and the development team’s past work are any indication, I’d be willing to bet on Final Fantasy XVI genuinely doing things its own way. It’s wild how a brief hour-and-a-half demo can tell you so much about a game yet leave you with many more questions than answers. I’m now sold on the shift to stylish-action-RPG and can’t wait to explore every corner of Valisthea. But of course, I’ll need to see much more of its story before reaching a conclusion, which we can all do when the game launches on June 22 this year exclusively on the PlayStation 5. Final Fantasy XVI eschews youthful exuberance for a darker, gritter game - The Verge WWW.THEVERGE.COM Clive’s out. Quote I understand the desire to do something different, something that feels more rooted in reality, but I feel like I and a lot of other fans come to Final Fantasy specifically because we want the series’ signature brand of youthful optimism (child soldiers and all). I want chocobos and airships and a huge open world in which I can get lost all while listening to the comforting sound of the newest iteration of the “Prelude.” And while I was assured by the developers that the RPG and story elements that fans have loved about Final Fantasy for 35 years are still in FFXVI, I worry that Square Enix’s attempt to appeal to everyone will end up pleasing no one. I enjoyed the demo, and I look forward to seeing the full game when it releases in June. I just wish that the parts I did see felt like a Final Fantasy. Final Fantasy 16 is shaping up to be one of the best in the series WWW.EUROGAMER.NET Disclaimer: This is a special version made for media to experience, and contents may differ from the final version. A l… Quote From what I've played Final Fantasy 16 is surely set to deliver. Its intense battles escalate to an outrageous sense of scale; exceptional cinematics weave seamlessly into battle to truly showcase the power of the PlayStation 5; and Yoshida and his team exude confidence in their vision. What I want to see next are the quieter moments. Peacefully riding a chocobo around that sumptuous world. Tender moments from Clive so we can empathise with him as the protagonist. If this demo showed the peaks, what's in the valleys? I'm excited to explore further and find out. Oh, and for music fans, this time the iconic battle fanfare has lyrics sung by a choir. It's awesome. Final Fantasy XVI Goes Full-On Action Game Spectacle, And It Rules - GameSpot WWW.GAMESPOT.COM After dipping its toes for years, the next Final Fantasy finally flips the RPG-to-action ratio. Quote For more than a decade, Final Fantasy has been gradually shedding parts of its turn-based RPG roots and embracing a more action-oriented direction. It was only a matter of time before that focus on action took precedence over the role-playing elements, and it appears that Final Fantasy XVI is finally the moment the ratio has flipped. As a longtime fan of the traditional Final Fantasy games, I wasn't quite sure what to think of this development. The turn-based classics are still some of my favorite gaming experiences of all time. But after an extensive hands-on with the game, I've come around on this direction for the series, or at least this entry in it. If Final Fantasy is an action franchise now, at least it's shaping up to be a damn good one. This isn't to say that the game lacks fantastical elements like mythical beasts and magic spells, but those are used to complement the story and action, rather than as a layer of menu abstraction. In the fictional, high-fantasy world of Valisthea, an extremely small number of mortals are innately gifted as Dominants--hosts for supernatural Eikons, which longtime Final Fantasy fans will recognize as summoned creatures like Ifrit and Ramuh. Eikons are essentially weapons of mass destruction, and the various nation-states use their Eikons as symbols of their power and culture. The Dominants are respected, feared, and sometimes even exploited by their respective nations as the implied threat of the Eikons keeps other nations in check. The protagonist Clive's brother, Joshua, was given a place of honor as the Dominant of Phoenix, the aspect of fire. Clive's journey is one of revenge, as an attack from an invading army and a mysterious, previously unseen Eikon left his younger brother dead. Quote This new focus on action combat does come at a price, though. Square Enix has already stated that Final Fantasy XVI doesn't use an open-world structure, which may remove some of the expansive scope and awe of a traditional Final Fantasy game. My play session consisted of a fairly straightforward level design with only brief side-paths to discover some treasures and then proceed along the main path. The producers noted that the full game has wider spaces, which should provide a sense of exploration, but I didn't experience them for myself. A narrower level structure may just be the nature of this genre shift. As Final Fantasy XVI crosses the threshold into full-fledged action spectacle, some aspects are bound to feel different than RPG fans have grown accustomed to. For this RPG fan, though, the change of pace is welcome. Who knows what the future holds for Final Fantasy, but I'm convinced that this is the right direction for this entry in the franchise. I went in as a doubter, and I came out as a true believer, eager to experience the ride. Final Fantasy 16 Hands-On Preview - IGN WWW.IGN.COM Final Fantasy 16's combat is shaping up to be an explosive homage to anime warfare. Quote Playing through three very different boss fights, as well as carving my way through dozens of regular soldiers, has left me with a lot of hope for Final Fantasy 16. But this demo was purely combat focused, meaning I’ve yet to see much of its RPG credentials. This demo’s generic medieval castle setting barely had any exploration opportunities, feeling mostly like a stonewalled route toward the next boss. But as previously mentioned, the contents of the demo may differ from the final version, and so I hope when more is revealed we’ll discover it has environments that are much more compelling to explore. Because should the story, exploration, and characters live up to what I’ve seen of the combat so far, then Final Fantasy 16 will be a JRPG worth being excited about. Final Fantasy 16 is a fascinating mix of Devil May Cry and Game of Thrones WWW.POLYGON.COM Square Enix’s new Final Fantasy is a pure action game with the necessary drama Quote Where Final Fantasy 16 feels unapologetically, well, Final Fantasy, comes from its boss-battle pageantry. My 10-minute encounter with a Garuda-powered Benedikta was full of extravagant action and violence, with my opponent pulling huge clumps of the tower apart and launching them at Clive. This was all intercut with melodramatic dialogue and Benedikta’s evolution from well-dressed woman to winged, green-glowing monster. But the real spectacle was saved for another scene, separate from the other section I played, when Clive summoned the full strength of the Eikon Ifrit and grew to skyscraper size for a battle with Garuda, now a six-armed, four-winged giant. This was an Eikon-versus-Eikon battle — officially called an Eikon Clash — in the scope of a Neon Genesis Evangelion Angel attack, with two massive monsters hurling fireballs and huge chunks of earth at each other. There were body slams, limbs torn from their bodies, and a vicious pummeling that ultimately resulted in Clive’s Ifrit summoning forth Hellfire to burn Garuda alive. It was a laboriously long Final Fantasy summon spliced with a 3D fighting game, complete with top-of-screen health bars. It was the kind of visual dazzle that will enrapt you even if you aren’t the one playing. As Yoshida made clear at the beginning of his pitch for Final Fantasy 16 at the preview event, his team’s new game is a thrill ride, with a focus on action and massive battle centerpieces. Of course, there’s a grand story to be woven in there, but based on the hours I spent with FF16, the spectacle is already enticing enough. Hands-on with Final Fantasy XVI – new gameplay details BLOG.PLAYSTATION.COM Firsthand info on massive Eikon battles, real-time combat, streamlined difficulty, and developer insights. Quote One thing is certain, Final Fantasy XVI has assembled a stellar line-up of creators, each with a proven track record of delivering unforgettable gaming experiences. Leading the project is producer Naoki Yoshida, widely regarded as one of Square Enix’s most beloved figures and the mastermind behind Final Fantasy XIV, which he transformed into a massively successful title. Yoshida has brought with him key members of his XIV team, including Masayoshi Soken, the composer responsible for XIV’s soaring score, who will create the soundtrack for XVI, and Michael-Christopher Koji Fox, the mastermind behind XIV’s intricate lore, who will oversee localization, writing, culturalization and lore for the title. Ryota Suzuki, the Capcom veteran responsible for Devil May Cry 5’s satisfying combat, heads the combat department, while art direction is provided by Hiroshi Minagawa, whose credits include Final Fantasy XII, Tactics, and XIV. At the helm of this all-star team is Hiroshi Takai, a Square Enix veteran known for his contributions to the SaGa series and The Last Remnant. With such a talented group of creators, Final Fantasy XVI promises to be an unforgettable gaming experience that fans won’t want to miss. Preview: Final Fantasy 16 Is Shaping Up to Be a PS5 Game of the Year Contender WWW.PUSHSQUARE.COM Hit maker - Quote Whisper it, but Square Enix may have an absolute zinger on its hands. There will be some long-time fans who will likely take issue with Final Fantasy XVI’s broadly action-oriented approach, but after approximately an hour of play during a recent preview event, we walked away with our jaw on the floor. If this extraordinarily high budget adventure can stick its landing, then it’ll be a Game of the Year contender for sure. We got the impression that the Japanese publisher is confident in what it’s put together, and during a meaty presentation prior to our gameplay session, director Naoki Yoshida was in side-splittingly good spirits. In a swanky Shoreditch hotel, he – along with lead localiser Koji Fox, who was on translation duties for the day – joked through an extensive presentation, which offered a crash-course on the world of Valisthea, and the political intrigue that engulfs it. Quote All in all, we got the sense Final Fantasy XVI will divide the most hardcore franchise faithfuls: it’s clearly got Western consumers in its crosshairs, and it’s channelling the spirit of hugely popular franchises like The Witcher and God of War. But there’s enough Final Fantasy in it to set it apart, and the production values are off the scale. If the full game can strike the same kind of tone as our demo, then this is comfortably shaping up to be a Game of the Year candidate. Final Fantasy XVI Media Tour: Hands-On Impressions | RPGFan WWW.RPGFAN.COM Thanks to the lovely people over at Square Enix, I attended a Media Tour Event for Final Fantasy XVI to get some hands-on time with the game. Quote Overall, I would say I really enjoyed the combat system and the demo. I am a fan of action combat and am no stranger to games with quick and fun combos. Final Fantasy XVI will definitely appeal to fans of these types of games, but I also think they took a good approach to appeal to everyone. I was already sold on the game before this, but this only added to my hype. There is more information released in the developer interview, which I suggest you read to supplement these impressions. I want to once again thank Square Enix, their PR team, and Creative Business Unit 3 for inviting me to the event and allowing me to experience this game for myself. I can’t wait for June 22nd to play the whole thing because to quote Yoshi-P himself, I am looking forward to it. Final Fantasy XVI Media Tour: Developer Roundtable Interview | RPGFan WWW.RPGFAN.COM To wrap up the Final Fantasy XVI Media Tour, I had the privilege of a roundtable interview with the developers of Final Fantasy XVI: Creative Business Unit 3. Quote To wrap up the Final Fantasy XVI Media Tour, I had the privilege of a roundtable interview with the developers of Final Fantasy XVI: Creative Business Unit 3. This is part of a three-part feature that includes written hands-on impressions of the playable demo and an in-depth video on the battle system. There is some unique information in each part of this three-part feature, so if you want all the possible information, read and watch all three parts. Joining us from the development staff was Producer Naoki Yoshida (who commonly goes by Yoshi-P), Main Director Hiroshi Takai, Combat Director Ryota Suzuki, and Localization Director and translator for the media tour and this interview Michael-Christopher Koji Fox. You may recognize Naoki Yoshida and Michael-Christopher Koji Fox from their stellar work on the critically acclaimed MMO Final Fantasy XIV, but the other two names may not be as recognizable. Hiroshi Takai also works on Final Fantasy XIV, but you may notice more of his work from Final Fantasy V, SaGa Frontier, and The Last Remnant. Ryota Suzuki, however, is a newcomer to Square Enix but brings with him years of experience working over at Capcom. He has worked on Devil May Cry 5, Dragon’s Dogma, and Marvel vs. Capcom 2. Final Fantasy XVI hands-on — Action for everyone VENTUREBEAT.COM Quote Final Fantasy XVI looks to have the makings of a great action game. If it's RPG elements can deliver, this should deliver one of the most exciting — and accessible — experiences that the franchise has ever offered. A lot of its success will likely come down to the execution of its story. This is, after all, what has made Final Fantasy XIV such a special experience for me and so many others. From my demo, I was impressed with the quality of the voice acting and character animation. The potential for a memorable story looks strong. Going into 2023, Final Fantasy XVI was my most anticipated game of the year. After my demo, I still feel that way. With Final Fantasy 16, the PS5 generation finally truly begins WWW.VG247.COM Gorgeous visuals, seamless transitions, and a masterclass in mocap and performance, Final Fantasy 16 proves the series can still be cutting edge in 2023. Quote Final Fantasy 16 does. Whether it’s in the combat or the sublime graphics, Square Enix’s latest game feels like the new generation that we were promised a lifetime ago, back before the days of Covid, when we were all poring over spec sheets and leaked concepts of the new consoles, wondering what the hell Sony and Microsoft were thinking as they assembled these unsightly monoliths. In some of the most impressive facial mocap I’ve seen in a game, in battles that somehow thread the line between Hollywood-level action setpiece and Devil May Cry boss fight, in environmental rendering that makes even Elden Ring look old hat, Final Fantasy 16 is truly one of the most promising games out there at the moment – the sort of game that makes me actually thankful I got a PS5 from a scalper on eBay back at launch (look, I had a job to do, OK?) Quote Final Fantasy 16 needs to be seen to be believed. It’s the PlayStation 5 game I have been waiting on for the past few years, and then some. The trailers and screenshots and videos don’t do it justice – you need it in your hands to feel it, to understand the promises of Square Enix, at least from what I’ve seen so far, are all being delivered on. Final Fantasy is back, and it might be better than ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 Gematsu's extensive preview coverage: Final Fantasy XVI gameplay - dungeon, mid-boss, boss, Eikon battle, and Timely accessories - Gematsu WWW.GEMATSU.COM As part of today's Final Fantasy XVI global media tour coverage, Gematsu presents over 45 minutes of gameplay footage from the Final Fantasy XVI demo that press went hands-on with earlier this month. Final Fantasy XVI - interview with producer Naoki Yoshida, director Hiroshi Takai, and combat lead Ryota Suzuki - Gematsu WWW.GEMATSU.COM Earlier this month, Gematsu sat down with Final Fantasy XVI producer Naoki Yoshida, director Hiroshi Takai, combat lead Ryota Suzuki, and localization director Michael-Christopher Koji Fox as part of… Quote Earlier this month, Gematsu sat down with Final Fantasy XVI producer Naoki Yoshida, director Hiroshi Takai, combat lead Ryota Suzuki, and localization director Michael-Christopher Koji Fox as part of a roundtable interview to discuss the next mainline Final Fantasy title during its global media tour. Final Fantasy XVI - a detailed breakdown with producer Naoki Yoshida - Gematsu WWW.GEMATSU.COM Earlier this month, Square Enix held a global media tour for Final Fantasy XVI, allowing members of the press to go hands-on with the next mainline entry in the Final Fantasy series for the first time. Quote Earlier this month, Square Enix held a global media tour for Final Fantasy XVI, allowing members of the press to go hands-on with the next mainline entry in the Final Fantasy series for the first time. Present at the event were Final Fantasy XVI producer Naoki Yoshida, director Hiroshi Takai, combat lead Ryota Suzuki, and localization director Michael-Christopher Koji Fox. Before press were sent off on their own to go hands-on with the game, Yoshida, through interpreter Koji Fox, gave press a thorough overview of the core development team, setting, characters, and gameplay of Final Fantasy XVI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bacon Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 It is so damn tempting to just indulge in all of that but I must resist. I've never wanted to be so blind going into a game. I hate how hype I want to be and all because I like ffxiv. I don't want to get my hopes up and be let down. It is clearly not ff15 tho so that is good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stepee Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 i wish square and sony could just charge me $120 up front for the pc version day and date Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser_Soze Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 Looking forward to the people hating on the QTEs in the RE thread to come in here and love the Eikon fights Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 More coverage from GamesRadar+ Final Fantasy 16 preview: Approachable action, spectacular cinematic boss fights, and Torgal the dog | GamesRadar+ WWW.GAMESRADAR.COM Hands-on with the Eikonic abilities and combat of Final Fantasy 16 Quote As a combat-focused demo session, I didn't get to see too much of the story, but it did give me the opportunity to experience how the battles play out within it. Cinematic cutscenes and fight sequences seamlessly move into the combat, with no loading times in between; a testament to the power of the PS5. The demo also allowed me to see, and more importantly, feel how each big battle is distinctly different. As Clive, I faced enemies both big and small, from the garrison soldiers on more equal footing, to two large scale blockbuster battles, and a mini boss fight. All told, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the real-time action combat system in Final Fantasy 16. The influence of Ryota Suzuki - who previously worked on the likes of Devil May Cry 5 and Dragon's Dogma - and how he's helped to shape the feel and style of Clive's battle system is clear, as is how development for the PS5 has allowed for grand, cinematic battles designed to hook you in. Throughout my time with Final Fantasy 16, though, what I appreciated the most was the effort that's gone in to make the action feel approachable and rewarding. In such a short space of time, I was able to feel like I'd really gotten to grips with the system, and the accessories gave me support where I needed it most. I can see this being one Final Fantasy game that players of all experience levels can jump into comfortably – and with its June 22 release date now in sight, we don't have much longer to wait to do just that. Final Fantasy 16 devs on its combat: "We wanted it to be a gateway for players who aren't good at action games" | GamesRadar+ WWW.GAMESRADAR.COM In conversation with the Final Fantasy 16 devs on crafting the real-time action battle system and cinematic boss fights Quote With Final Fantasy 16, the development team at Square Enix is striving to deliver approachable action, grand cinematic battles that leverage the power of the PS5, and a story and setting that takes the series back to its high fantasy roots. With the shift away from the traditional turn-based systems to real-time action – which is partly born from the advances of new technology – Final Fantasy 16 uses what producer Naoki Yoshida describes as a "twin-tiered battle system", with two types of battles. The first sees you control Clive Rosfield and use the arsenal of abilities he channels from different summons known as Eikons. The second are large-scale battles in which Clive transforms into a huge Eikon himself, and faces off against another Eikon. From my hands-on time with the game, I got to see first-hand just how grand and cinematic the latter fights are, with multiple stages that seamlessly move into action-packed QTE sequences. As Yoshida-san explains, the idea of scaling up the battles in real-time was an ambition of his from the start. In response to diversity criticism, Final Fantasy 16 producer says the game investigates "various cultures from all around the world" | GamesRadar+ WWW.GAMESRADAR.COM Naoki Yoshida's previous comments were met with disappointment Quote Final Fantasy 16 producer Naoki Yoshida has expanded on his comments about the game's lack of diversity, suggesting that "various cultures and value systems from all around the world" are "woven" into the game, despite its predominantly white, Euro-centric cast. In a Final Fantasy 16 combat interview with Yoshida, GamesRadar+ asked whether he'd like to revisit comments made in November 2022 in which he suggested that the game's medieval, European setting meant that a cast that didn't reflect the demographics at the time would distract from the "reality" that the game was aiming for. In response, Yoshida said that "what I would like to take this opportunity to say is: we have created the world of Valisthea and the story of FF16 with a great deal of research and investigation into various cultures and value systems from all around the world and have woven them into the sweeping fantasy narrative and world with great respect and care. I would ask players to experience FF16 and see with their own eyes the diverse range of values we have included in the creation of the game." Yoshida also suggested that each person's response to his answer "may vary greatly," and that "people all have their own thoughts on the scope and their understanding of the term 'diversity'." The producer says he doesn't see that variation as a negative, but that different peoples' varying definitions will lead to different interpretations of the development team's approach. Final Fantasy 16 would “still be in full development” were it not for the PS5 | GamesRadar+ WWW.GAMESRADAR.COM The free-flowing combat especially felt the benefit of Sony’s console Quote Speaking at a preview event for the upcoming game, a group of senior developers explained how Sony’s console helped them bring their ideas to life. “If we didn't have the memory that the PlayStation 5 has and also the transfer speed, the SSD that the PlayStation 5 has, we would still be in development right now,” director Hiroshi Takai says. Going more in-depth, combat director Ryota Suzuki points to how the PS5 system helped create a sense of spectacle around the Eikons. The gargantuan summons are essential to both story and combat, though Sony’s console visually added another dimension to those elements. When Clive fights using an Eikon’s ability, you’ll get plenty of visual information to communicate whose power you’re borrowing. “So when you have the Phoenix and [Clive] grows the Crimson wing, that represents the Phoenix and feels like something very fiery like the Phoenix, but then you'll have Garuda's claw, which will create the talons that Garuda has and it has that feel of the Eikon,” Suzuki says. Suzuki goes on to explain that freely chopping and changing between each Eikon-inspired fighting style is taxing on hardware, especially when you’re going big on visuals. As it turns out, though, the PS5 is more than fit to handle that demand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 Game Informer coverage: Final Fantasy XVI Preview - Ifrit May Cry - Game Informer WWW.GAMEINFORMER.COM While we still have many lingering questions after going hands-on with Final Fantasy XVI, the game had made a strong first impression. Quote I could wax on about what I enjoyed in FFXVI. The taste of the score I heard was unsurprisingly fantastic, considering it’s coming from FFXIV composer Masayoshi Soken. The voice acting is also great, although overly medieval British, and the characters and their convictions seem enticing. I was least impressed visually, but what I played through was dark and mostly took place in a nondescript castle; I hope the final game impresses me more because graphics and how Square Enix leverages hardware technology are a big part of the series’ draw. But still, if what I played is any indication, FFXVI is looking to shake up this long-running series in many exciting ways, and while I’d like to play more to see just how successful these unique moving parts work in tandem with each other, the game’s first impression is a strong one. How Square Enix Approached Accessibility In Final Fantasy 16 WWW.GAMEINFORMER.COM You won't find an easy, medium, or hard mode in the game. Quote You won’t find difficulty settings like easy, medium, and hard. Instead, there’s a story-focused mode and an action-focused mode. The story-focused mode will be easier, while the action-focused mode appears to be the default difficulty setting. And within each of these modes, there are special accessories that can be equipped to tailor the difficulty of combat to your liking. I was able to use five – I’m not sure if there are more – and I liked how easy it was to swap them in and out, and the effects on my in-game combat actions were great. It’s quick, easy to understand, and effective. Final Fantasy 16's Summons Brought The Series Back To Its High Fantasy Roots WWW.GAMEINFORMER.COM Who doesn't love a good summon? Quote During a recent hands-on preview with Final Fantasy XVI (read my thoughts about it after playing two hours here), I was able to participate in a group interview of the game’s producer, Naoki Yoshida, its director, Hiroshi Takai, and its combat director, Ryota Suzuki. One question asked was about why the game returns to the series’ high fantasy roots, and why it has such a different tone compared to recent Final Fantasy games. According to Takai, it all started with summons. Final Fantasy 14 Director Naoki Yoshida Says Developing An MMO And FF16 Isn’t As Different As You Think WWW.GAMEINFORMER.COM It all boils down to good storytelling. Quote I recently previewed Final Fantasy XVI, the new mainline single-player Final Fantasy game coming to PlayStation 5 this summer. You can read my full thoughts on what I think of the game after going hands-on with it for about two hours here. But during this preview, I was also able to participate in a group interview of FFXVI producer Naoki Yoshida, the game’s director Hiroshi Takai, and its combat director Ryota Suzuki. One facet of FFXVI’s development I was especially interested in is how Creative Business Unit III, the internal studio behind the upcoming game, is able to balance creating this new title while continuing to develop its extremely successful MMO, Final Fantasy XIV. Yoshida, who is FFXIV’s producer and director, says it’s not as different as you might think. Final Fantasy 16 Designers Discuss Why The Series Hasn’t Been Turn-Based For A While WWW.GAMEINFORMER.COM They don't rule out a return to turn-based combat one day, though. Quote The Final Fantasy series’ numbered entries haven’t been turn-based RPGs for quite some time. With each new game, the series moves further away from its classic turn-based roots toward a more action-oriented combat system. Combat has never been further from being turn-based in a Final Fantasy game more so than in Final Fantasy XVI, which is the most action-based game in the mainline franchise yet. I recently played about two hours of the game to dive deeper into the combat system’s mechanics, and you can read my preview thoughts on that here. But after playing some of the game, I spoke with the FFXVI producer Naoki Yoshida, director Hiroshi Takai, and combat director Ryota Suzuki about this continued shift to deep action and whether Final Fantasy will ever return to its turn-based roots. As for why the series has moved comfortably into action, each of these three development leads had an answer. Final Fantasy 16 Will Feature An Arcade Mode With Devil May Cry-Style Combat Scores WWW.GAMEINFORMER.COM It will feature global leaderboards, too! Quote However, for the action players that do want to see how they performed in combat, Final Fantasy XVI will have a special unlockable mode just for that. It’s called Arcade Mode and will be accessible from a special in-game hub after it’s unlocked by progressing through Clive’s story. “In this mode, players will be able to replay stages that they’ve already played, but this time with the score keeper on so you get to basically see your performance and how you’re doing and then use that as a guide of how to improve yourself in the game,” Takai says. “This…will be attached to leaderboards so players will be able to see how they stack up against players from around the world.” Yoshida follows up, adding that it was really important to keep “downers” like a big Rank C notification on-screen after combat out of the main scenario. He says it’s not just about the score, though, because “we also know that we’re going to have those players that are going to want to challenge themselves, that are going to want to see those scores, and that’s why we have this optional content that will allow players to go in there and challenge themselves and aim for these higher scores.” Final Fantasy 16: How Square Enix Balances So Many Different Combat Experiences In One Game WWW.GAMEINFORMER.COM Eikons, Torgal, bosses, oh my! Quote After previewing Final Fantasy XVI for roughly two hours, which you can read about here, I’m left most interested in the different styles of combat happening throughout the game. Clive has his own style of Devil May Cry-esque combat, party members controlled by A.I. up the ante, Clive’s dog Torgal can attack enemies, Clive can fight Eikons, and there are even Eikon vs. Eikon fights. It’s a lot for one game to juggle, and after my relatively short preview, I feel that the team is confident in this balancing act. But I wanted to learn more, so I asked FFXVI producer Naoki Yoshida, director Hiroshi Takai, and combat director Ryota Suzuki how the team manages so many unique combat experiences. Final Fantasy 16: Clive Beats Dante, According to Former Devil May Cry Dev Ryota Suzuki WWW.GAMEINFORMER.COM Clive beats Nero, too. Quote If you’ve paid any attention at all to Final Fantasy XVI, you likely already know how action-forward this game is. It’s easily the farthest a mainline Final Fantasy game has ever been from its traditional turn-based roots, with FFXVI being easily the most action-heavy yet. That’s not surprising, though, considering the game’s combat director is Ryota Suzuki, a former Capcom developer with nearly 20 years of experience designing the action in games like Marvel vs. Capcom 2, Devil May Cry 4, and most recently, Devil May Cry 5. With such a personal connection to Devil May Cry, I couldn’t resist asking: Who would win in a one-on-one fight: FFXVI protagonist Clive or Devil May Cry 5 lead Dante? Suzuki had to answer this question with two of his bosses right beside him – FFXVI director Hiroshi Takai and producer Naoki Yoshida – so perhaps we should take this answer with a grain of salt. But I don’t know, having played both Devil May Cry 5 and two hours of FFXVI during a recent hands-on preview (read about that here), I’m inclined to believe him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 Also, whatever you do - don't call it a "JRPG"! Final Fantasy visionary Yoshi-P really doesn't like the term JRPG | GamesRadar+ WWW.GAMESRADAR.COM "It was like a discriminatory term" Quote Final Fantasy producer Naoki Yoshida, AKA Yoshi-P, isn't a fan of the term JRPG, as he used to consider it "discriminatory." Of course, having worked on series like Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy for more than 15 years, Yoshida's name is synonymous with the subtype of RPGs we refer to in the west as JRPGs. And while Yoshida recognizes that the term is generally well-regarded these days, he told SkillUp(opens in new tab) there was once a time where some Japanese developers saw it as an insult. After Yoshida became became visibly irked by a question about the state of JRPGs vs western RPGs, translator and Final Fantasy 16 localization director had this to say: "The thing that [Yoshida] wants to get across is that when we are creating games, at least with our team, we don't go into them thinking that we're going to be creating JRPGs, we just go into them thinking we're going to create RPGs." Yoshida went on to elucidate exactly why he doesn't like the term JRPG and that he isn't the only developer who'd prefer everyone to just drop the 'J' when referring to his games. "This is going to depend on who you ask but there was a time when this term first appeared 15 [sic] years ago, and for us as developers the first time we heard it, it was like a discriminatory term. As though we were being made fun of for creating these games, and so for some developers the term JRPG can be something that will maybe trigger bad feelings because of what it was in the past." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paperclyp Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 From a massive fan of the turn based games turned apathetic outside observer, I guess I’m down for something completely different. Even though it seems like people generally like 15, I never had any interest in booting it up (even for free). This I’m just like meh if it reviews well I’ll give it a go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CastlevaniaNut18 Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 This is the first one I've had interest in since 9. I hated 10, skipped 11 and 12, played 40 hours of 13 before I got too bored and gave up, skipped 13-2, didn't mess with 14, and 15 looked completely unappealing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Vic20 Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 In for Devil May Throne! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bacon Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 51 minutes ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said: Also, whatever you do - don't call it a "JRPG"! but he is wrong and dumb like the cry baby he is there are loads of _RPGs and that is for a reason it is also the reason why no one calls the souls games JRPGs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbobo Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 is there something wrong with my eyes or is the new footage excessively dark, like someone set the brightness to minimum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bacon Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 3 minutes ago, elbobo said: is there something wrong with my eyes or is the new footage excessively dark, like someone set the brightness to minimum Well most of the footage is at night and they really want to show off their magic particles. But it is also a symptom of modern day AAA. I feel like lots of games are just too darn dark at times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbobo Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 6 minutes ago, Bacon said: Well most of the footage is at night and they really want to show off their magic particles. But it is also a symptom of modern day AAA. I feel like lots of games are just too darn dark at times. I cannot make out anything in this besides a couple of lanterns and maybe the back of a sword ff16 hosted at ImgBB IBB.CO Image ff16 hosted in ImgBB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bacon Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 I can see the stairs and floor, but not well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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