Final Fantasy 16 revives the magic of the franchise by changing everything

For the love of the game

Final Fantasy 16The all-star team of includes the likes of Ryota Suzuki, director Hiroshi Takai (the last rest, Final Fantasy 14), writer Kazutoyo Maehiro (Vagabond story, Final Fantasy 12) and composer Masayoshi Soken (Final Fantasy 14). But the name everyone keeps coming back to is producer Naoki Yoshida.

Through his work on reboot Final Fantasy 14Yoshida has established himself as one of the most compelling creators in gaming. Famous for his devotion and honesty towards fans, Yoshida and the FF 14 helped transform this game into this chaotic mix of world-class storytelling, airtight mechanics, floating music, a genuine sense of community, and irreplaceable moments. There are times when it seems like everything is about to fall apart, but the love and talent behind this game somehow holds it together.

The same applies to Final Fantasy 16. Yoshida joked (although it certainly wasn’t quite a joke) that he was working on it Final Fantasy 14 And 16 at the same time it cost him “sleep and his youth”, but the energy that made this incredible effort possible is all in play. FF 16 was described to us as a rollercoaster ride, and it more than lived up to that bill. It was a near-continuous onslaught of color, sound, story, and action that somehow found ways to top the craziest piece of game design you’ve ever seen just moments after that piece happened. It’s a pure declaration of youthful revolt, enthusiasm and optimism, shouted out in the manner of industry veterans with the talent and experience it takes to realize their vision of something better.

The Final Fantasy 16 Team clearly loves final fantasy. They love it so much that, in the words of Yoshida, they wanted to create something that felt real “not just to my generation, but to the younger generation as well.” You didn’t try to use a phoenix feather to animate the body of the final fantasy franchise that was. Instead, they really looked at what makes the best final fantasy games special. All of these elements (memorable characters, incredible combat, a world to lose yourself in, and unparalleled presentation) are present in the game, but they are in the game in a way that allows you to feel like how you felt when you experienced them for the first time or that you will experience them for the first time as others have done before if you haven’t had the pleasure yet.

Final Fantasy 16 will probably remind you of your favorite final fantasy game, although it’s nothing like it. I have questions about the game that the demo didn’t answer and concerns that weren’t fully addressed. Some will dismiss this game outright due to what it compares to a traditional game final fantasy title, and some may find they just don’t like it. However, it’s hard to deny that this team’s vision is worth it, that their hearts are in the right place, or that what they’ve put together isn’t one of the most exciting combinations of concepts for a single player final fantasy Game has gifted us for years.

I didn’t know what to expect Final Fantasy 16 Demo. I now know that the game is at the top of my list of most anticipated games of 2023.