BY IRVIN RIVERA

Square Enix’s FInal Fantasy XVI’s Demo version has just dropped and the over two hours of provided gameplay was enough to draw the players into the grounded, magical world of Valisthea and the main character, Clive Rosfield.

Set in the medieval fictional world of Valisthea, studded with Mothercystals-glittering mountains of crystals that tower all over the world, blessing them with aether. 

“For generations, people have flocked to these beacons to take advantage of their blessing, using the aether to conjure magicks that let them live lives of comfort and plenty. Great powers have grown up around each Mothercrystal, and an uneasy peace has long reigned between them. Yet now the peace falters as the spread of the Blight threatens to destroy their dominions.” -Square Enix

The Final Fantasy franchise has come a long way since the title’s first launch in 1987. It was able to adapt through the times- continuously testing the power and the bounds of any technological advancements as they hone various ways to share different themes and narratives around adventure, friendships, love, magic and more. 

Aside from its stunning graphics, this new installment of Final Fantasy promises a lot beyond style as the first few hours of gameplay will immerse you into the game’s deep lore and intricate character relationships. The warring kingdoms (The Grand Duchy of Rosaria, The Holy Empire of Sanbreque, The Kingdom of Waloed, The Dhalmekian Republic, The Iron Kingdom and The Crystalline Dominion) with their own motives, goals and power dynamics definitely adds layers of narrative sin to the whole experience.

The first few minutes of the game immerses you to a chaotic scenario, and sets the tone of the game right away. This is an adult game with a mature rating, for sure. The opening scene actually sort of reminded me of the opening scene in Ghosts of Tsushima where it just throws you in a riveting cinematic scene then takes you back to a calmer moment after a time jump. 

Anyway, having played several Final Fantasy titles (Final Fantasy VII, FInal Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy XII, Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XV, Final Fantasy VII Remake, FInal Fantasy Explorers) I’m still not an expert on the field, but Final Fantasy definitely sparked my love for RPGS (Role Playing Games). This new genre of action-based RPG Final Fantasy really hits differently. It’s not turn-based anymore, but I don't mind it at all. The combat is fast paced, (reminiscent of Final Fantasy XIII) and surprisingly more intuitive. The game’s menu, accessories customization, abilities grid, etc are all presented in fresh, yet in a very non-convoluted way. 

The gameplay itself varies as you not only control Clive (the main character) but you can also take charge in controlling various NPC’s on your quest, your loyal hound Torgal and towering Eikons of power. What’s cool are the changes of perspectives and seamless integration of cinematic scenes with gameplay that makes it so immersive. This somehow reminds me of another beautiful Square Enix title: Nier Automata where you have a variety of gameplay actions and perspectives to do as you navigate throughout the story. 

Though it’s a semi-open world game , I actually don’t mind it at all as it propels you forward to the plot and interweaving narratives of the story. Sometimes, a huge open-world game that allows you to free roam and do everything at any point (i.e. Elden Ring) makes the player occasionally forget the core story and what’s actually driving you forward. I love how this game feels very cinematic, not just in graphics but also in gameplay. I mean, the Game of Thrones and God of War references are very obvious throughout the game, and that makes it so much more interesting. 

The voice acting was top notch. They were never holding back and it makes it feel more grounded and relatable. As I said earlier, it really makes you feel like you’re part of the story and the overall lore of the game. 

You can also definitely tell that they paid a lot of attention to details, especially the music. I got chills when I heard the familiar FInal Fantasy theme, the battle themes, and the reimagining of the victory theme. 

I can’t wait to get my hands on the full game on its release and immerse myself for hours and do an in-depth take on the world of Final Fantasy XVI. Square Enix has released another matured, well developed game and it’s definitely magical, at the very least.