During the event where Sony revealed the price and release date of the PlayStation 5, Square Enix dropped a surprise, though heavily rumored, reveal trailer for Final Fantasy XVI. While no release date or concrete details were given about the project, the video shows a lot more than one expects from an announcement of a particular game in the long running franchise.
While the game looks to significantly change up what fans have to come to expect from the franchise, it is still unmistakably a Final Fantasy adventure, thanks to the series staples present in the trailer, the ten most notable of which are listed below.
10 Chocobo
Instead of horses, most games in the series utilize Chocobo, fictional giant birds players often ride on at least once during the journey. The animal is heavily on display in the most recent trailer, even being used during an intense battle sequence. Given the action-packed look of the combat, one wonders if they will be utilized during battles in some unique ways.
9 Summons
Summons are not always called by this moniker, but they do always make an appearance in Final Fantasy. The reveal trailer heavily showcases this series staple, implying them to play a huge role in the narrative, which also would not be a first for the series. Four of these creatures are displayed prominently in the video: Shiva, Ifrit, Phoenix, and Titan. Whether they will all be playable is a mystery, but they all tower above players and look more beautiful than ever.
8 Malboro
Numerous types of enemies show up in almost every Final Fantasy. During the trailer, one sees a character take on a Malboro in what looks to be gameplay. This classic enemy is known for inflicting status ailments on characters with its signature move, Bad Breath.
Depending on the game, its difficulty and frequency of appearance changes. In Final Fantasy VII Remake the enemy was reserved for the battle arena, because Malboro are not traditionally found in the Midgar slums.
7 Dragoons
While dragoons are not exclusive to Final Fantasy - they show up in most high-fantasy stories - their appearance in the trailer does remind one of some of the series' most iconic characters. Kain from Final Fantasy IV was a dragoon. Cid from Final Fantasy VII did not have the attire, but his move set and spear all mimicked the class. In Final Fantasy XVI, the dragoon appears to be an adversary.
6 Crystals
Ever since the first game in the series, crystals have always played some sort of role in the plot. Even in Final Fantasy VII Materia could be seen as a stand in for the objects of mystical power. Crystals once again make an appearance in Final Fantasy XVI, with one character stating "the legacy of the crystals has shaped our history for long enough," implying characters will be fighting against destiny or the natural order of things.
5 Imperial Army
Upon defeating the dragoon in the trailer, the characters comment about an imperial army. While recent stories in the franchise have shied away from the concept, those who played the older NES and SNES titles will remember an empire of some sort often playing a huge role in the plot. This can be attributed to the influence Star Wars has had on the series, especially Final Fantasy II.
4 Coeurl
Malboro are not the only enemy making a comeback for Final Fantasy XVI. The catlike creatures with extremely long and deadly whiskers will be familiar to anyone who has played just about any game in the series. Coeurl often paralyze enemies with their deadly stare, possibly a nod at how cats intimidate in real life by staring into the eyes of their adversary.
3 Magic
This is probably the least surprising one on the list. Being an RPG, one would expect magic to come into to play in one form or another. In addition to the summons, some of the brief glimpses of gameplay appear to show a character utilizing magic spells. If it is RPG set anywhere except for a post-apocalyptic wasteland, one can expect magic to show up. It is still a mystery how it will factor into battles and how MP will work, however.
2 Medieval Setting
Starting with Final Fantasy VII, and even showing traces of it in Final Fantasy VI, the series strayed away from medieval settings, an understandable move considering five mainline entries had already passed using the same aesthetic.
After a long time away from it, Final Fantasy XVI appears to be once again embracing some of the look of a Tolkien-inspired look. It would not be surprising to still see some steampunk elements pop up, most notably an airship.
1 The Final Fantasy Main Theme
Music is just as important of a factor in game design as anything else. The sounds of Final Fantasy were established by legendary composer Nobuo Uematsu, and the trailer showcases a beautiful new arrangement of the franchise's main theme, which was written all the way back in 1987 for the original Final Fantasy. No doubt the final game will feature more rearrangements of iconic Final Fantasy music.