Final Fantasy 16 The director revealed in an interview that the upcoming RPG, scheduled to be released on 22 June 2023 for PS5, will be “like God of War”.
In an interview with two of the Final Fantasy 16The directors and its producer, Naoki Yoshida, at WellPlayed.com (Opens in a new tab), it was revealed that the game team took many inspirations from the expected to the left field. When asked which media sources inspired the game, Yoshida replied, “For me, it has to be the book series. A Song of Ice and Fire as well as the TV show Game of Thrones.”
This is obvious from even the most cursory look at anything Final Fantasy 16trailers. What’s unclear, however, is how the game’s director Hiroshi Takai added that he also “found God of War really inspiring” to make the play. Combat director Ryota Suzuki also mentioned some of his own inspirations: “that’s what John Wick moving as well Blade. You can feel it in what I do. ”
Yoshida looked back God of War later in the interview, saying: “you can compare Final Fantasy 16 closest to something like God of War. As an image of how the game cycle works, you will have a main map of the world as well God of War… In this hub, you can choose to continue the main scenario and unlock new areas. Or, you have opportunities for side quests where you go back to places you’ve already visited and have that content there.
Sweet sixteen
Although it definitely surprised me to see God of Wara real action series in the third person, so far in the list of cinematic inspirations, it certainly did not surprise me to see Final Fantasy 16The developers talk about their attempts to get a certain cinematic je ne sais quoi in their game.
It’s nothing new for a Final Fantasy title to take inspiration from cinematic touchstones. Final Fantasy 7Its aspirations are, perhaps, most confirmed by the existence of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, which uses artistic real-time combat and beautiful cutscenes to deliver on the ambition of its original name. For example: the egomaniacal villain Sephiroth was famously inspired by JawsStephen Spielberg’s classic thriller (via TheGamer).
GIVEN God of War RagnarokIts own emphasis on graphical fidelity and cinematic quality, it makes sense Final Fantasy 16The top brass will find it something worth following, especially when it comes to combat.
Raise it
Others were disappointed to see Final Fantasy 16 continue to move away from traditional turn-based battles in favor of real-time action. It’s important to note, however, that turn-based combat only exists as a proxy for cinematic combat, which, due to technological limitations, game consoles at the time could never realize. By 2023, we will no longer have these restrictions.
I love turn-based combat. The likes of Octopath Traveler 2, Brave Default 2, and Cold Steel trails is my happy place. However, I see Square Enix’s willingness to embrace modern sources of inspiration as a good thing. It speaks of a willingness to continue the series – a goal that I very much welcome.
Final Fantasy games are always at their best when they allow for organic evolution. This is, in part, why Final Fantasy 14 very successful. By showcasing the latest cinematic and narrative sensibilities, Final Fantasy 16 will only become stronger. I can’t wait to get my hands on the title.