2 Hours In, and Final Fantasy XVI’s World-Building Has Already Blown Me Away

On the subject of the primary two chapters of Closing Fantasy XVI, there’s loads of materials that might get individuals excited for the remainder of the expertise.

Along with offering a stable have a look at the gameplay that gamers can anticipate, these early hours are filled with motion, intrigue, and story. The title’s trademark Eikons conflict in over-the-top battles with titanic ranges of destruction, characters scheme and vie for extra political energy throughout nations, and the driving consider protagonist Clive’s quest for revenge is proven plainly.

And but, regardless of all of those parts being entrance and middle, none of them have been the components which drew me into Final Fantasy XVI and had me extra excited than ever to dive into the sport’s world. As a substitute, it was a small a part of a short cutscene that almost all will in all probability overlook about shortly after it occurs.

So what may this scene be which outdoes all of those different parts? Easy: It’s a cutscene the place a handful of characters put together to drink and smoke.

As representatives from two allied nations talk about how help can be offered in an ongoing battle, a moderator indicators a servant to refill their wine. They accomplish that, however as an alternative of bringing over a bottle, they use a crystal which produces new wine through magic. That is instantly adopted up by a girl lighting the tobacco in her pipe utilizing her personal magic powers, and barely anybody bats an eye fixed at both motion.

It’s goofy and even a bit pointless. In spite of everything, we’re speaking about pouring wine and lighting a pipe. Neither are duties which require using historic primordial energies, and in loads of different situations it could be excessively lazy.

Plus, it’s not even supposed to be the main target of the cinematic enjoying out. The characters current are speaking about what their subsequent transfer can be in a pivotal battle which may decide the destiny of a number of nations. Their dynamics and true intentions are additionally hinted at, with two particularly partaking in one of many steamier romantic interactions from any Closing Fantasy title up to now.

However I couldn’t assist however focus in on these small, seemingly pointless components of the scene, and the way a noticeable quantity of effort went into making Closing Fantasy XVI gamers focus in on them as they occur. They have been meant to be observed, and to convey the way in which magic is used on this world. It isn’t only for decimating armies or lighting monsters up with fireplace, frost, or lightning within the warmth of battle; it’s one thing that can be utilized for fairly actually something.

It confirmed a transparent take care of build up the world across the gameplay, and for establishing the significance of magic within the characters’ lives. Extra importantly, although, is that it exhibits the sport may tackle a difficulty from the final mainline installment within the collection.

Whereas Final Fantasy XV was removed from a failure, it nonetheless bore the telltale indicators of a recreation that was put out too shortly. It was host to loads of enjoyable concepts and ideas, however various felt like they hadn’t been honed in a manner that allowed them to shine as brilliantly as they may have. Although possibly not the largest subject, the sport’s worldbuilding — and particularly the way it constructed up its magic — was amongst these imperfect facets.

To make sure, there was clearly some thought put into this side of the setting: Although it may not have been a readily current side of the world obtainable to all of its characters, a driving issue of the plot was to assist Noctis use the magic reserved for his royal lineage to avoid wasting the world. He may likewise make use of his distinctive affinity for this power in order that others may make use of it by means of Elemancy, creating small containers filled with the facility of Hearth, Blizzard, Thunder, and different spells.

Magitek even made its return through the antagonistic Niflheim Empire, with their troopers, airships, and different army know-how all using equipment powered by magic properties and Daemons.

And but, there was a transparent disconnect in how the sport made use of magic from scene to scene or second to second. Regardless of its longstanding existence and its clear utility in quite a lot of conditions, it was primarily utilized in battle by means of using objects and for plot-centric functions. In every single place else, it felt like an afterthought in the remainder of the sport’s design. Individuals weren’t utilizing Magitek automobiles and automobiles frequently, they usually couldn’t use harnessed bits of the Caelum household’s energy for on a regular basis functions.

Was this a game-breaking flaw? In no way. However the truth that this consideration to element wasn’t there saved the sport from being all it might be. It saved the sport from totally enveloping me in its mythology, and saved me from being drawn into the world the way in which I in any other case may have.

The truth that the builders of Closing Fantasy XVI thought sufficient about magic’s significance to the world to incorporate the scenes they did — and as early as they did — makes it really feel all of the extra full as a story and an expertise. I’ve already bought a transparent idea of how magic is used within the recreation’s world, and the position it may play on this planet as I discover extra locales and delve deeper into the title’s sprawling environments.

Time will inform if this stays true by the top of the sport, however for now, I couldn’t be extra excited to dig into the remainder of the sport. Closing Fantasy XVI clearly has an distinctive quantity of care put into it, and will present gamers with a magic-filled world the likes of which they haven’t been capable of expertise in a good-long whereas.

Concerning the creator

Keenan has been a nerd from an early age, watching anime and enjoying video games for so long as I can bear in mind. Since acquiring a bachelor’s diploma in journalism again in 2017, he has written 1000’s of articles protecting gaming, animation, and leisure subjects galore.