Summary
Final Fantasy 16was one of 2023’s most memorable action games and a significant landmark for the long-running franchise. The previous two single-player mainlineFinal Fantasygames,FF13andFF15, were heavily criticized by fans and critics alike.FF16marked a true return to form for the mainline series, paralleling the greatness of theFF7remake trilogy that is in progress. WhileFinal Fantasy 16was a return to form in many ways, it was also a huge departure for the franchise. The title abandoned many long-held traditions in the name of imagining a new type ofFinal Fantasygame. One of the casualties of this change was the party system.
TheFinal Fantasyname has long been synonymous with the JRPG genre, butFF16decided to take a different approach. The game utilizes a lot of the series' iconic imagery but trades in its usual RPG systems for action combat.FF16feels a lot more likeDevil May Crythan it does the early entries in theFinal Fantasyseries. This new combat system is accompanied by changes to storytelling as well. Rather than focusing on an ensemble cast, the game is primarily aboutClive Rosfield. Clive is at times joined by various companions, but the player is only ever given control over him and, to a far lesser extent, his dog, Torgal.
Final Fantasy 16 Was A Compromised Success
The’Character Action' gameplay ofFinal Fantasy 16works to make it stand out from previous entries and is a strong fit for the game’s story. Clive has the ability to take the form of Ifrit, a massive Kaiju-like monster. Given the chaotic nature of many ofFF16’s fights, abandoning the RPG genre for something faster-paced and more aggressive makes a lot of sense. This also works well given the game’s focus on Clive as a near singular protagonist, allowing for his gameplay to feature a tremendous amount of depth. In spite of the success found inFinal Fantasy 16’s changes to the series formula, it comes with some downsides.
Final Fantasy 16’s Characters Suffered Due to its Action Gameplay
Clive controls more fluidly than any otherFinal Fantasyprotagonist, but he is the only character that the player can take control of. Commands can be issued to Torgal using the D-pad, but his abilities are limited. The lack of a party system and the game’s relentless focus on Clive means that other characters like Joshua, Cid, Dion Lesage, andJill Warricknever get much time to shine. Jill, in particular, is severely underdeveloped and often feels like she is there solely as an accessory to Clive. When compared to other supporting characters from the series, like Tifa and Aerith inFF7, the extended cast ofFinal Fantasy 16is painfully underutilized in both gameplay and storytelling.
Final Fantasy 17 Can Have the Best of Both Worlds
The next mainlineFinal Fantasygame has the chance to double down onFF16’s switch to action gameplay and make up for its shortcomings in doing so.Torgal’s D-Pad controlscould be expanded to other characters and made more intricate, allowing the player to use both their character and a companion in crafting combos. Making more characters controllable in this manner would give combat more depth and let players feel more attached to them. This gameplay change could be implemented hand in hand with substantial side-content for important characters besides the protagonist, allowing them to feel more like the party members of previousFinal Fantasygames.
With the success ofFinal Fantasy 16and the tremendous amount of hype behindFF7 Rebirth, the series is enjoying something of a modern renaissance.The development ofFinal Fantasy 17is still in its earliest stages, but even after the release ofRebirth, fans will have a secondFF16DLC and theDawnbringersexpansion forFF14to look forward to later this year. WhenFF17’s time has come, however, there is a clear way for it to expand onFinal Fantasy 16’s action combat while still honoring the series' much-beloved party system.
