Without a doubt, Final Fantasy XVI is one of the most-anticipated games of the year, especially for those PS5 owners who will get it before everyone else. Sorry, PC gamers. The title marks a serious change in how the game looks, the story’s tone, the combat system, etc. They’re throwing everything they have at this to showcase that they’re not making the mistakes of the past or simply “banking on what works.” Today, many gameplay previews and hands-on footage dropped, including from Gematsu. They released 45 minutes of footage for fans to gawk at, and there’s plenty to experience.
For example, one of the gameplay videos focuses on your characters going through a dungeon keep early in the game. Thanks to the in-game prompts that pop up when you do certain things or get key items, we believe it’s early in the game. This section shows how the characters interact with one another, how battles are done, some of the puzzles or QTEs you’ll do, and more. We also get general information about the game via the text at the bottom of the video.
In the second video, we get more of a look at the cutscenes and how the character interactions play out. Again, you’ll notice how high-quality the character models are and how the interactions go much deeper than your typical dialogue conversations. We also learn about some of the characters we meet in the game, so don’t be afraid to pause and watch the text as it scrolls past!
Once the talking inevitably ends, we see the transformations of the “Dominants,” a new part of Final Fantasy XVI that will be one to pay attention to. As you’ll see, it’s quite striking, and an intense battle starts.
Eventually, Clive gets into the mix, and we learn more about how combat will happen with him and his allies:
There was also a shorter video that showcases the support accessories that you can use in a “timely fashion”:
As you can see, the game will look, sound, and play much differently than past titles, which isn’t bad. The team has admitted to trying to make something dark, fresh, and focused. That’s why there won’t be an open world in the game, and the characters you play as will be more layered than past entry parties.
So check out the gameplay videos and see if you’re excited about what is coming later this year.
