Hands-on: Final Fantasy XVI tackles darker themes and faster action

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Each of the mainline, numbered Final Fantasy entries takes a departure from its predecessors. The series maintains its thematic through-lines in its summons, its monsters, and in names like Cid; but each release, especially from the PlayStation 2 onwards, reinvents itself too. Final Fantasy XVI is certainly no different.

We got a chance to go hands-on with a build of Final Fantasy XVI, showcasing just how the next entry in the series will handle and specifically highlighting combat. And really, its combat is the thing to talk about, as it’s already been shown to be a bit of a departure from the ATB systems of yore.

Combat director Ryota Suzuki is a name you might recognize if you’re a fan of his previous work with Capcom, where he worked on games such as Devil May Cry 5, Dragon’s Dogma, and Marvel Vs. Capcom 2. I certainly felt the influence, after picking up a DualSense and starting to work my way through the demo. Clive might not have the blink-strike mobility of Noctis, but our new Final Fantasy protagonist certainly doesn’t lumber around, either.

For basic moves, Clive can strike with his sword using Square, shoot magic of his chosen element with Triangle, and dodge around with R1. It wasn’t long before I started to get the rhythm; Clive gets follow-up opportunities on a perfect dodge, so timing the action just right and attacking immediately after was key.

Some of the enemies in FFXVI hit hard and dodging can be a risky proposition. Parrying, which involves swinging directly into the attack, more so. Clive does get some help from NPC party members, and one constant companion in his dog, who can attack or support