Final Fantasy XVI first impressions: Kaiju, just add royal politics
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Final Fantasy XVI is just around the corner. Square Enix’s beloved franchise is leaning heavily into thevaction RPG format. Another hallmark for the series is its complex narratives and beloved cast of characters. Recently, I played the first four hours or so of the title before its debut next month.
Unlike Mike Minotti — who dove into FFXVI’s combat — I’m not as familiar with the franchise beyond FFVII and spin-off series, Bravely Default. As a result, my impressions are from the perspective of a series newcomer. Important to note, the version I played was built specifically for this media preview so content may be different compared to the final release.
Warning — there will be some early story spoilers below!
The world of Final Fantasy XVI is set in the vaguely medieval fantasy continent of Valisthea. The politics of the realm revolve around people (dominants) that can turn into massively powerful elemental creatures (Ekions). The safety and security of each nation depends on the power of these dominants. Controlling (or killing) another country’s dominant neutralizes their military might.
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Moreover, dominants pass down their powers through families — at least that’s the case for our protagonist’s family. Clive is the oldest child of the Duke of Rosaria, but his younger brother Joshua was blessed (or cursed) with the powers of the Phoenix. As a result, Clive is skipped over for succession and Joshua is set to inherit the
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