Final Fantasy, by and large, is a yearly franchise. Fans can count on a spinoff, port, or remaster gracing them every single year. That said, it has been quite some time since the last mainline title, Final Fantasy XV, shipped in 2015.
That game was infamous for being delayed as it originally appeared in 2006 as a companion piece to Final Fantasy XIII. This game, Final Fantasy XVI, seems to have all of its ducks in a row, which is to say hopefully fans won’t have to wait long to get their hands on this PS5 exclusive. Let’s break down and theorize what’s going on with this reveal trailer.
8 Creative Business Unit III
First of all, it is important to note who Creative Business Unit III is. It may seem like a lifeless name but there is true spirit behind it. Naoki Yoshida is the head who directed part of Final Fantasy XIV and is also a producer on Final Fantasy XVI. Why make a spinoff studio from the MMO? Of modern the modern games, Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is the highest rated sitting at a 91 on Metacritic. That may be the reason Square Enix is so sure of this bet as it were.
7 The Names
There are a lot of names and terms thrown out in this trailer so let’s go through the most important ones. Joshua is the young boy in red. In reference to Shiva, the tattooed men say they are to target her Dominant. They also mention Titan is referred to as an Icon. So, an Icon may be the new term for a Summon and a Dominant could be the term for the Summoner. They also note that each nation seems to have a Mother Crystal in order to stop a disease known as the Blight.
6 Multiple Protagonists
At the end of the trailer they show two faces which some have speculated is the same person which could mean a time skip scenario. However, if one pays attention to the trailer, both exist in the same period which more likely indicates the game will bounce around two characters. Players might also choose who to go as in the beginning of Final Fantasy XVI. Neither has a name but the younger of the two refers to himself as Joshua’s Shield. The older gentleman might be related like a brother or father, and he is distinguished from Joshua’s Shield by looking slightly more aged and bearing a tattoo on his face.
5 The Tattoos
Going back to the beginning of the trailer, the men sitting around the campfire all have tattoos. This includes the possible tattooed protagonist. It seems like this organization is after Dominants like they want to stop nations from controlling powerful nuclear like weapons of mass destruction aka Icons.
Here is something else interesting. The tattooed protagonist seems to be Ifrit. He can also channel other Icons through fighting which will later be explained. The logo has Ifrit going after Phoenix, who is revealed to viewers as Joshua, which is probably hinting at the main focus of the fiction.
4 Party Members
Besides two separate protagonists, the game also shows players will have party members. If one looks in the background of the first fight involving Joshua’s Shield and the goblin, another soldier can be seen. He may not exactly be a party member, but it at least indicates that JS will be assisted in his fights. That wolf puppy may even hint at an animal companion although that is more of a hopeful wish for Final Fantasy XVI.
3 Powers
Joshua’s Shield seems to be a more agile fighter. He can shoot fireballs rapidly like a pistol and even has a ninja like ability. His dodge creates an after image that monsters continue to swing at. His older lookalike with the tattoo has a lot more noticeable powers.
Throughout his gameplay, he is shown to have a wing and an arm sprout forth from his body that look like they belong to Phoenix and Titan respectively. One summon not shown in the trailer is the electric one he users against the giant goblin. Maybe these Icon powers will be like classes or stances.
2 The Summons
Speaking of Summons, or Icons, there are four named in the trailer: Shiva, Ifrit, Titan, and Phoenix. As it was just said though, the tattooed protagonist was channeling an electric one with green flashes and black horns. This could be Ixion as it is an electric unicorn of sorts. The black part might also not be horns at all but maybe a staff hinting at Ramuh. The point is there will be more Icons in the game.
1 The World Of Final Fantasy XVI
Will this game take place in an established universe? There is a split among fans. Because this is from the Final Fantasy XIV team, some think this may take place in Eorzea. The look is also reminiscent of that game’s style which might just be a coincidence. Another faction thinks it will be an Ivalice game due to the mature nature of the story such as the blood and political nature. Both seem plausible right now.
NEXT: Every Final Fantasy Movie & Anime Spinoff, Ranked
