Final Fantasy 16 is a fascinating mix of Devil May Cry and Game of Thrones

polygon.com:

Final Fantasy 16 is set in a high fantasy cold war, where the world of Valisthea’s superpowers wield weapons of mass destruction called Eikons — known as Summons to Final Fantasy players — to maintain their political dominance. It’s an action game, very much in the vein of Devil May Cry and God of War, that cleanly breaks from Final Fantasy’s turn-based heritage. It’s also the intensely personal story of a man seeking vengeance over the death of his brother.

It’s the most fascinating mainline Final Fantasy in many years, thanks to its mashup of character-action gameplay and Game of Thrones-style political intrigue that will play out alongside Clive Rosfield’s personal journey told over the course of three time periods.

During a preview event in New York earlier this month, Final Fantasy 16 producer Naoki Yoshida likened Square Enix’s newest entry in the 35-year-old role-playing game series to a “thrilling roller coaster ride.” He brought a playable PlayStation 5 demo of the game, one that included a pro wrestling-inspired battle between two giant monsters, to back up that statement.

But first, Yoshida outlined Final Fantasy 16’s setting in great detail. He described the kingdom of Valisthea as “a realm in its twilight,” where massive Mothercrystals serve as a sacred energy source for the residents of two continents: Ash and Storm. To the west lies Storm, home to the Grand Duchy of Rosaria, Clive Rosfield’s home, and the Holy Empire of Sanbreque, a theocracy. Eastward lies Waloed, with its military might; the Dhalmekian Republic, a fierce political power; and the Iron Kingdom, an island nation where Dominants, humans who embody Eikons, are viewed as unholy. At the heart of Valisthea is the isle of the Crystalline