Final Fantasy XVI is the first dark fantasy action role-playing game in the mainline Final Fantasy series, developed by Square Enix and released exclusively on PlayStation 5 in June 2023. The game presents a tragic story set in the world of Valisthea, where nations compete for control over magical energy sourced from the Mothercrystals – giant crystals that are gradually weakening due to a mysterious phenomenon called the Blight.

The player will embody Clive Rosfield, the eldest son of Duke Rosaria and the First Shield assigned to protect his younger brother Joshua – the Dominant of Phoenix. After witnessing his homeland being devastated and his family killed by the Eikon Ifrit, Clive begins a journey of revenge, while uncovering dark secrets about the world he lives in.

The game features a fast-paced real-time action combat system, allowing players to perform dazzling combo attacks combining swordsmanship and magic skills. Clive can collect and use powers from various Eikons such as Phoenix, Titan, Garuda, each Eikon bringing unique skills to customize the fighting style.

Valisthea is divided into 6 separate kingdoms, each with a Dominant – those who have the ability to summon and control powerful Eikons. The game world is designed diversely with many vast lands ranging from dense jungles to arid deserts, bustling cities, or ancient fortresses. Players will explore these locations while completing main and side quests to expand a deep storyline about revenge, friendship, and sacrifice.

The game offers two main play modes: Story Mode helps automatically dodge attacks and easily activate combos so players can focus on the storyline, and Action Mode allows full control over Clive's actions. The diverse skill upgrade system can be automatic or customized as desired, allowing players to unlock and enhance many new sword techniques as well as magic spells.

Accompanying Clive is Torgal – the loyal dog who can assist in battle by attacking enemies or healing the main character. The game also features grand boss battles between Eikons, delivering epic confrontations worthy of the Final Fantasy series' reputation. Additionally, the game addresses many social issues such as discrimination and the enslavement of magic users.

The basic version of the game includes bonus content which is the Onion Sword weapon that can be obtained upon reaching the main quest "A Chance Encounter". This is a game not to be missed for those who love action role-playing games with a deep storyline and top-notch gameplay.





