New Final Fantasy 16 trailer doubles down on the grandeur of epics like Elden Ring

techradar.com:

Set to release June 22 on PS5, Final Fantasy 16’s latest trailer shows off the game’s varied and breathtaking environments, demonstrating once and for all that the upcoming action RPG from Square Enix is doubling down on a high-fantasy aesthetic. 

The trailer treats us to a range of gorgeous vistas, many of which would not be out of place in Elden Ring. Over the course of two minutes of footage, we are taken across bright deserts, foreboding ravines, lush forests and dingy towns. What all these locales have in common, however, is their stark contrast to the visuals presented in previous single-player Final Fantasy titles. 

Final Fantasy 15 had its share of vibrant, open-world locations, but it was always framed through a more modern lens. Noctis and his crew toured the countryside in a flying limousine, after all – a far cry from the gritty medievalism of Final Fantasy 16. Final Fantasy 13 also offered something very different, its locations and set pieces festooned with the trappings of future fantasy, with magitech constructs and airships being the order of the day.

Despite being visually anachronistic, it seems like Final Fantasy 16 marks a new direction for the series, rooted in more grounded fantasy trappings reminiscent of the likes of The Witcher 3 and Dragon Age. 

Of all of Final Fantasy 16’s predecessors, it looks like the upcoming RPG has the most in common with MMORPG Final Fantasy 14. Given that Square Enix’s Creative Business Unit 3 is responsible for both titles, they share a common creative heritage. For instance: Naoki Yoshida, director, and producer of Final Fantasy 14, is also serving as producer of Final Fantasy 16.

Both titles make liberal use of gorgeous, high-fantasy locales to frame their stories.