Even though Square Enix has become noticeably tight-lipped of late on its upcoming PS5 exclusive Final Fantasy 16, the details that it's already put out into the world have excited a lot of fans. One of the reasons why the passionate JRPG community is so eager for more updates can, in-part, be attributed to the way in which the publisher has teased how it will utilize some of the franchise's iconic creations. During the game's agonizingly brief debut trailer, summons like the legendary Ifrit take up a prominent place amongst the action, indicating that they will play an even greater role in the narrative of the adventure.

Having featured throughout the franchise's long history since his introduction in 1990's Final Fantasy 3, Ifrit has established himself as one of the most important summons. Over the years, the unique anthology nature of the series has ensured that the part-Jinn, part-demon entity has changed and developed with each installment. With Final Fantasy 16 set to introduce a new and even more powerful incarnation of Ifrit, it's important to look back on the journey that has molded him so far.

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Final Fantasy 3's Ifrit

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Even though Ifrit would go on to play an increasingly important role within the franchise, the fiery entity's origins are decidedly more humble in comparison to his ultimate destiny. Introduced alongside an army of other magical Summons in Final Fantasy 3, players could simply call Ifrit into battle after they'd purchased the level 4 Magic spell Heatra. Offering much-welcome fire based damage via his signature Hellfire attack, other features like the character's demonic appearance, long devilish horns, and red-green tinted in-game skin tone, would all also become staple aspects of his future designs.

Final Fantasy 4's Ifrit

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By the time Final Fantasy 4 hit store shelves, only a year after the previous installment in the franchise, Ifrit's gameplay role had been expanded significantly. This time around, instead of featuring simply as a purchasable unlock, players have to best the demon during Rydia's Lunar Trial before they get the right to summon him as a companion. Adding this extra layer of complexity to his presence within the franchise can be seen as the act that ultimately laid the groundwork for the boss battle role he's potentially set to embody in the upcoming Final Fantasy 16.

Final Fantasy 6's Ifrit

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One of the aspects that makes Final Fantasy 6's incarnation of Ifrit particularly distinct, other than his now vivid green skin-tone, is the fact that Square Enix decided to expand the character's lore. Featuring more prominently within the game's epic narrative, aspects of his lore like his connection to the ice-based Shiva are established and explored. Acting as polar opposites to one another elementally, this dynamic would go on to play a recurring role within the history of both characters, as witnessed most recently by their appearance in the trailer for Final Fantasy 16.

Final Fantasy 12's Ifrit

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In the installments that followed on in the wake of Final Fantasy 6, Ifrit would continue to appear alongside all of the early hallmarks that had been built into his design. Beyond the fact that he gradually took on a more beast-like appearance, little else was altered about his overall design and role. Often the demon that's inspired by Islamic mythology would continue to serve as an introductory guide to the magical rules and mechanics of each Final Fantasy game. That is, up until Final Fantasy 12's arrival on the PS2 in 2006.

Technically speaking, Ifrit doesn't appear in his trademark demonic-guise within the 12th main installment of the Final Fantasy series, as the curved ram-horned Belias replaces him as the party's go-to fire-based ally. Instead, in rather comical fashion, Ifrit is the name given to a giant airship found amongst the Arcadian Fleet.

Final Fantasy 15's Ifrit

Ifrit's appearance in Final Fantasy 15 is arguably the most radically different interpretation of the character to date, for a number of important reasons. In the world of Eos the entity also goes by the menacing moniker of "The Infernian," and is the Astral god of fire. Now taking on a far more demonic humanoid visage, this Ifrit can't be summoned by the player during the course of the main game.

That's because in the lore of this universe, Ifrit was responsible for the Great War of Old, after betraying his own kind. Having grown disillusioned with humanity, his hatred eventually resulted in him being defeated and turned into a volcano by Bahamut. During the course of the game's main campaign, Ifrit still manages to find himself under the control of the antagonistic Ardyn though, and is used several times to halt the player's progress. Ultimately Noctis is able to put the deity back to rest with the assistance of Shiva, who it's implied was once romantically involved with her fire-based counterpart.

Final Fantasy 16's Ifrit

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From the details Square Enix has already shared regarding Final Fantasy 16's narrative, it looks like Ifrit's appearance within the game will incorporate a lot of familiar elements from the character's past, whilst adding some distinct new wrinkles. Appearing in both a humanoid and traditional giant beast-like form in the trailer, this incarnation of the fiery demon is said to be the Dark Eikon of Fire, and an important player in the overall direction of the adventure. Based on the sheer size of the latest version of the character, and the amount of time he's on screen within the short video, it looks like the entity will take on an even bigger antagonistic role than ever before.

Final Fantasy 16 is in development for PS5.

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