2023-06-27 22:54:16
The phoenix is known for its regenerative ability, as this mythological creature has the ability to rise from the ashes of its predecessor. Always the same, always different. It is the same thing that happens with the saga Final Fantasy, a video game institution that remains mutable, since one of its few constants is continuous innovation. With its latest installment, the recently published Final Fantasy XVI once again demonstrates his ability to transform by offering a story full of action, epic and tragedy.
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Released as a PlayStation 5 exclusive, the sixteenth title of the Square Enix franchise is an excellent gateway for newcomers, but also a solvent work that will conquer lovers of this universe. Through a linear structure, a new real-time combat system and a plot clearly inspired by Game of Thrones —producer Naoki Yoshida guarantees that he asked the team to see the series—, it moves away significantly from other installments, although without losing its essence.
But what does that essence consist of when nothing lasts? For Sergio Tur, journalist and director of the video game podcast El Batallón Pluto, it lies in the fact that the franchise offers “an emotional journey with charismatic characters, dream worlds and a first-rate audiovisual ensemble that is as stimulating as it is unique.” Meanwhile, Darkor_LF, writer and editor of Todas Gamers, highlights that “success is based on telling good stories and not being afraid to innovate and experiment mechanically.”
Samuel Oliver, a collaborator at 3DJuegos, speaks along the same lines, who assures that the players know “that Final Fantasy it is synonymous with a certain quality” and that, although they always try to “save the world, each installment when it proposes an epic addresses it from a different perspective: trauma, loss, existentialism or friendship itself”.
The expected return of an icon
One of the reasons why Final Fantasy XVI is so expected is because the franchise has marked several generations. “There is a turning point in the saga and its connection with the western public that occurs in 1997 with the international premiere of Final Fantasy VII which, at the same time, was the franchise’s first foray into PlayStation”, explains Tur. At the same time, he says that on a personal level “his games of him always represent a cathartic experience” thanks to the fact that they allow him to be “witness of the hard journey of his protagonists in an unrepeatable story”.
For his part, Darkor_LF comments that he doesn’t remember his gaming life without this universe. “Final Fantasy IX It’s one of the first games I can remember finishing and obsessing over. It was a very wide world and full of secrets to discover, and it was the first time that I cried with a video game”, she expresses. In Oliver’s case, the discovery of the eighth installment marked “a before and after” in his life. “My love for the series has only increased since then. Always entranced by their stories and their worlds, but above all their characters, ”she concludes.
In the same way, the editor affirms that for her the key is also its protagonists, which is why she has even read novelizations. “Although the stories excite me and keep me attentive, in the end when I save the game what will remain in my heart are the characters,” she clarifies. But Oliver points out another differentiating factor: her ability to create very distinctive elements, as she also did Dragon Questbut supported by the “narrative load”.
Valisthea, a world of crystal addicts
In Valisthea magic rules life. This dark fantasy universe is made up of nations that depend for their subsistence on crystals that grant supernatural abilities to those who possess them. Therefore, they fight to get hold of them. However, it is also a society in which the Carriers, who do not need to resort to these artifacts to have magic, are repudiated and exploited. With the landscapes consumed by the Stygian lands, desolation reigns in a place where massive migrations are taking place. As starting point, Final Fantasy XVI part of powerful premises that resonate close to then intertwine with tropes of the genre.
Tur explains that “the great charm of Final Fantasy it is”, precisely, “that appeals to emotions and universal motives”. “Anyone who comes close to his games will verify that, beyond magic and fantasy, they are works that talk about the mourning for the loss, the sacrifices that are carried out for love, the identity issue, the environment … In short, they are titles that dialogue with the society of their time”, he relates. In addition, Oliver appreciates the medieval setting, as he believes that “a break from the futuristic aesthetics was needed after the three installments of Final Fantasy XIII and of Final Fantasy XV”. Likewise, he is pleased that for “this change in tone, those responsible for Final Fantasy XIVwhose work does not stop being awarded”.
With this combination of elements, Final Fantasy XVI offers a crude portrait of the cruelty perpetrated from power, which however is diluted at times, as it is not always capable of maintaining the level of its Shakespearean overtones story. Of course, we must not lose sight of the fact that this is, above all, the story of Clive Rosfield. As the central axis of the narrative, we follow the path of revenge, redemption and discovery of him through three vital stages. He is a tragic character who is inevitably reminiscent of Jon Snow – included by the furry company of his faithful Torgal – although this charismatic hero is luckily gaining in depth.
Darkness, palace intrigues and misogyny
Final Fantasy XVI Bet on a frenetic cadence and temporary jumps at the beginning. But once the tone settles, it feels like the tutorial drags on too long and the stretch between big events has a more irregular pace. Fortunately, it compensates with an interesting plot that knows how to overcome the clichés from which it is born to captivate with palatial betrayals and mysteries that unfold. The abundance of profanity and explicit violence are striking, which is why the game, defined as darker and more mature, is the first in the saga cataloged as +18.
It is not surprising because, as Darkor_LF points out, “the medium has been betting on ‘seriousness’ in sobriety in stories for many years.” In turn, he points out that he has noticed “a more cynical drift regarding the role of the protagonists from Final Fantasy X, where their fate can be a bit tragic.” For Tur, it is “a basic error to consider that a dark aesthetic obeys a more mature treatment of themes.” Give the example of Final Fantasy IXwhich “with its pastel tones and designs that resemble a children’s story, starkly addresses themes such as death, the sense of duty and the family as a repressive institution in a way that no other work has reflected to date.”
“It is true that the success of television fictions such as Game of Thrones, the technological leap of consoles and the change in consumer habits have offered authors new narrative possibilities, which may lead to preferences for some themes and not others”, he reflects. In this sense, it cannot be overlooked that this, like so many medieval epic fictions, hides behind a supposed historical realism to remain stagnant in a lack of diversity that is also reflected in stereotyped female characters and a certain misogynistic aroma.
Shocking large-scale combat
Ever since it was announced that the combat style would be changing, expectations have been high. However, Darkor_LF maintains that “the switch to an action role-playing video game does not make it less Final Fantasy”, since it is a very long saga that in the last 20 years has changed a lot. In fact, he gives the example of FFX y FFX-2, which already presented differences between a leisurely shift system and one in active time. In the same way, Oliver affirms that “many people believe that turn-based combat was one of the hallmarks of the saga, and it is true that it was at the time, but I don’t think that’s where its soul resides.”
“Each installment has wanted to tell a different thing and for this it has never been afraid to modify elements of its mechanics that many considered sacred,” he continues. In this case, due to the presence of Ryota Suzuki —a veteran of the industry, who has worked on key projects such as Devil May Cry 5— As a combat director, it was easy to guess where the shots would go. The game itself has shown that the transition to real action works, since the battles are solvent and the confrontations are fun. With no turns or tactical mode, mashing buttons to link combos is the path to success.
It is true that, despite its dynamism, it can sometimes be tedious that the confrontation always goes through the same points, especially for players who value the challenge above all else. On the contrary, this has the advantage that it presents enough complexity for those who want to entertain themselves by improving statistics or choosing the right skill combinations and enough accessories and aids for those who do not have strong or main interest in melee.
The only thing that is annoying at times is losing control at key moments of combat in favor of the cinematics, although in exchange the quick time events [en los que simplemente hay que pulsar un botón en el momento justo] they are well integrated. In addition, this model allows you to enjoy impressive scenes, especially when the Eikon -huge magical creatures that inhabit the interior of a select few- enter the scene as enormous kaijus. It is then when the most impressive moments of the video game, which leave a memorable memory thanks to its powerful images, careful designs and the impressive scale, which overwhelms in its combination with the exciting soundtrack composed by Kenshi Yonezu for this occasion.
The loneliness of the hero… and of the game
Hiroshi Takai, game director, has compared Final Fantasy XVI con God of War. It is true that in its directed linearity and in the type of combat there are certain parallels, as in the tragic universe or in its dark narrative that revolves around responsibility and family. But here there are also elements of its own that show that this is a game that knows what it wants, even if it doesn’t always get it.
Faced with shallow side quests and superficial errands, which are only sometimes worth the reward, some routine encounters, and some inconsistencies in pitch variations during testing for this analysis, Final Fantasy XVI it makes up for it with beautiful settings, brilliant graphic muscle, an engaging narrative, and scenes that will stay with you. The only thing that is missing is that there is a little more emotion in its epicness, because between powerful snapshots, conflicts and betrayals, sometimes Clive’s loneliness is too strong to connect with that player who came looking for the usual camaraderie. in Final Fantasy.
But, as Darkor_LF expresses, “in the end each Final Fantasy It is a new story, a new adventure and a world to discover”. In the same way, Samuel Oliver insists that “they are not turn-based games, they are bombastic stories, they are complex characters (or an attempt at them), they are worlds to explore. And they are also crystals, chocobos, moguris, Cids and a long etcetera”, which once again have a notable presence here. Hence, as Sergio Tur concludes, “even if the form changes, the background remains unchanged”, since “Final Fantasylike life itself, is a path of self-discovery, revelations and learning.
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