This article contains spoilers for Final Fantasy 16. We zoom in on Midgar as the train arrives at its destination. The …
This article contains spoilers for Final Fantasy 16.
We zoom in on Midgar as the train arrives at its destination. The spiky-haired Cloud leaps off the train, the synths chug with tension, and we’re ready to blow up a reactor. It’s time for another Final Fantasy adventure.
Final Fantasy games are known for their openings, with FF7 in particular being an iconic example. Then there’s the Squall and Seifer battle at the start of FF8 before waking up at school; waddling around Alexandria as Vivi in FF9; and those wailing heavy metal chords that initiate blitzball in FF10.
Final Fantasy 16 is no exception, as anyone who’s played the demo will know. It is the full game in microcosm: Eikon battles, melodrama, flashy combat, and a heavy influence of Game of Thrones.
Yet as much as these moments are seared into my brain (with a big dollop of nostalgia on top), my enjoyment of the series stems from its sense of adventure – a sense that only comes into perspective in the endgame. And in FF16, it’s particularly rewarding.
It happens in almost every game. Those unforgettable openings send us through linear story beats; we travel from location to location in a predetermined order, slowly getting to grips with whatever combat intricacies are in place this time; piece by piece the jigsaw puzzle of a world takes shape.
And then there’s a switch. The final puzzle piece slots in – it’s usually airship shaped – and suddenly the full scale of the world is apparent. We’re free to explore openly, the wide expanse of the world map feeling smaller and more manageable than before. We fly over previously visited locales, reminiscing on the grand journey that’s already taken place.
The game feels achievable at this point. We’re free to hoover up all those side quests, breed chocobo, complete the hunt board, collect the ultimate weapons. You’re at your most powerful here, not just in terms of RPG numbers but your intimate knowledge of the world.
