The recent State of Play footage for Final Fantasy 16 cemented its place as one of the biggest events on the 2023 gaming calendar. Clive's journey in Valisthea looks like it will be shrouded in tragic character moments and epic battles with some of the series' most iconic and familiar primals. It seems to strike the perfect balance between adhering to franchise norms like Chocobos, Cid, party-based battles, and conventional RPG elements while also doing something different with its setting and presentation.
One of the many components shown off was combat, being a flashy affair that seems to prioritize action-based skirmishes that reward good timing rather than good strategy needed to make it through the turn-based battles of the past. It's another evolution that the series has been building toward, and while this would be a welcome philosophy in any other scenario, the combat in Final Fantasy 7 Remake was satisfying to people of all persuasions. Fusing the two ideas would create something special that the sixteenth game could - and probably should - have replicated.
Final Fantasy 16 Doesn't Need to Reinvent the Wheel
With the next chapter in Cloud's remade story in the works, Final Fantasy 16 doesn't have to take too many risks. For the first time in a while Square Enix has two separate products running in the beloved JRPG franchise, and the pair of games have different worlds, stories, characters, and gameplay designs. This means the developer doesn't have to get too creative or risky with its ideas; it doesn't have to hit a home run with Final Fantasy 16 given Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth already has the attention of many. As such, it would have made sense to stick with Final Fantasy 7 Remake' stellar battle mechanics as a tried, tested, and almost universally enjoyed system.
The philosophy felt like a response to criticisms leveled against 15's fights, which look excellent on-screen, but took control out of the player's hands and felt like a more passive affair. It was by no means bad, but didn't strike a balance that was needed to make combat encounters something to be excited about. Moving forward, it meant that Final Fantasy had to make a change, and Cloud's return to Midgar in 2020 set the franchise back in the right direction.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake's Combat Was Modern, Yet Nostalgic
Remaking a game as beloved as Final Fantasy 7 was always going to be a monumental challenge, but even more so knowing that the property was shifting to an action-oriented affair. The combat in the final product was equal parts skill-based and strategy-focused, using components of the original game to momentarily break up its intense battles. It was sublime, and by asking players to manage menus as well as dodge incoming attacks it had enough from the PS1 classic to be recognizable.
Final Fantasy 16 not using the combat mechanics of the seventh game's PS4 remake feels like a questionable decision, as it did so well to make fights feel fluid, yet required a layer of strategy to win. Final Fantasy 15 didn't, and this makes turn-based games like Dragon Quest 11 and Persona 5 feel outdated because they don't incorporate action in some way. It looks like Final Fantasy 16 will prioritize visuals as much as mechanical prowess, which could prove costly when the remake of the 1997 original made such big strides in the right direction.
Final Fantasy 16 launches on June 22 for PS5.