In the event you’re searching for a wide ranging blockbuster, Last Fantasy XVI isn’t it. Sq. Enix’s newest entry within the long-running RPG collection is commonly messy, oddly paced and frustratingly restrictive in its imaginative and prescient. Extra continuously, although, it’s subtly good, with a daring and bold narrative, nuanced character growth and among the style’s finest localization and voice work. It’s a major departure for the collection and one which pays off, regardless of a number of missteps alongside the best way.
First, although, you need to get via the prologue, and Last Fantasy XVI makes a poor first impression in most of that. After a quick battle scene, it begins within the Duchy of Rosaria, a location that might’ve come from “Game of Thrones,” T.H. White’s “The Once and Future King,” or any medieval fantasy. There’s a smart ruler, his merciless spouse who prefers considered one of their sons over one other, a band of brash and constant knights, and a smattering of joyful peasants who serve all of them.
The prologue shakes itself awake on the finish, culminating with acts of stunning violence and emotional upset, after which when issues lastly decelerate for a quick second, Clive finds himself at The Hideaway with its chief, Cid. The Hideaway is a haven for Bearers — magic customers reviled as second-class residents and trapped in a system of chattel slavery — and the tavern proprietor asks Clive to assist hand out meals. It’s a easy act of kindness that forces Clive out of himself and makes him acknowledge folks he in all probability would’ve ignored in any other case, individuals who would’ve served his father as slaves, and it has a altering impact on him.
That second lastly let me glimpse Last Fantasy XVI’s coronary heart, the purpose of all this darkness and violence and a touch of the message that Inventive Enterprise Unit III seemingly wished to get throughout. Last Fantasy XVI is a number of issues, together with a meditation on guilt and atonement, however on the heart of all of it is a narrative about tearing down social prejudice and constructing a free and equitable society.
A really messy first act shortly swallowed that message for a number of hours, nevertheless. Clive embarks on a collection of raids and escapades with Cid with little probability for reflection or character growth, and all of it ends with some questionable growth involving Benedikta, a villain who featured prominently within the recreation’s advertising and marketing.
It settles into one thing rather more balanced and fascinating after this primary six hours or so, as the primary story and character motivations lastly begin turning into extra obvious. By roughly the center of the sport, Last Fantasy XVI balances not less than 4 main plot threads — together with large-scale conflict and political insurrection — with a number of character tales and even vital growth for lesser characters.
For all of the magical giants and speak of aether and live-giving crystals, Last Fantasy XVI treats its heavier subjects with a dose of realism that units it other than video games with comparable themes, similar to Bandai Namco’s Tales of Come up. Whether or not it’s the social and political buildings that permit institutionalized “othering” to occur or a nuanced depiction of how folks deal with grief, remorse, and atonement, Last Fantasy XVI lives as much as the promise of delivering a “mature” RPG.
One of many quieter methods it fulfills that promise can also be one of many extra impressively executed from a story perspective. Your understanding of Valisthea, Last Fantasy XVI’s setting, regularly adjustments as Clive’s personal does, remodeling from a sheltered view seen via the lens of a duke’s son to one thing extra dynamic and unafraid to face the world’s ugly aspect instantly. Not that Clive willingly adjustments, not less than not initially. He and Jill ultimately acknowledge their privilege and vow to create a world the place all can reside in freedom — however solely after a strong-minded tavern-keeper forces them to confront uncomfortable truths.
Last Fantasy XVI doesn’t draw back from the truth that folks in positions of energy received’t simply alter their views and assist these in want with out some outdoors assist. There’s a quiet undercurrent of social leveling that runs alongside the primary story, and it’s a powerful complement to Cid’s imaginative and prescient of making a world that’s protected for everybody.
That imaginative and prescient could sound a bit trite, and typically Last Fantasy XVI is trite. In the event you’ve performed any Last Fantasy after Last Fantasy III, and particularly Last Fantasy XIV, you’ll work out the reason for the Blight, the explanation Bearers are reviled, and who the mysterious Eikon depicted in historic ruins is with little problem.
Even with these drained ideas, nevertheless, Last Fantasy XVI nonetheless manages to forge its personal id — with a aspect quest that makes the world and its folks appear a bit of deeper, for instance, or a cutscene that attracts out the character’s feelings and lends weight even to among the extra predictable moments.
These quiet moments are sometimes the sport’s strongest and shocking, and considered one of my favourite is when Clive first arrives at The Hideaway. The script prior so far is your normal excessive fantasy fare, stuffed with lords, sires, and language that clearly denotes social standing. It adjustments to one thing a bit looser as soon as Clive reaches The Hideaway, although, and that change is a refined nod to the type of world Cid desires to construct, one the place folks can do, say, and assume with out worry of oppression.
Last Fantasy XVI’s localization and use of language generally is a exceptional achievement, delivered to life by one of many strongest units of vocal performances within the style, led by Ben Starr’s phenomenal efficiency as Clive. Cutscene path and animation are equally very good, organized in such a method that even small gestures and easy moments are imbued with which means.
Intelligent modifying and insightful aspect quests don’t rescue Last Fantasy XVI from all of its unsound choices, although. Sticking so carefully to the “create a dark Western fantasy,” as Inventive Enterprise Unit III stated it did, additionally restricted the group’s creativity in some respects. We’ve seen some key plot factors and character ebats so typically earlier than already, and Last Fantasy XVI doesn’t attempt doing something with them. It’s drained at finest, and in among the extra egregious moments – utilizing a damaged lady’s demise as a catalyst to spur males into motion, for instance – are downright dangerous.
Last Fantasy XVI strikes additional away from these as the sport progresses, although they’re nonetheless tough to disregard.
Additionally tough to disregard is how considerably completely different Last Fantasy XVI’s fight is in comparison with earlier video games within the collection, although not in a nasty method, so long as you’re not anticipating a standard RPG. Clive has solely a restricted vary of customization choices, a streamlined tools system, and an emphasis on combos over rigorously deciding on the appropriate transfer on the proper time.
He wields one weapon and has slots for a number of items of defensive tools, however deciding what to purchase and equip requires little thought. Utilizing crafting supplies from key enemies to forge a brand new weapon feels extra like a option to mark story progress than an act of character constructing, and I’m tremendous with that. RPGs that aren’t primarily based on tabletop video games typically depend on the phantasm of alternative anyway, by presenting you with a number of choices when the appropriate resolution is all the time no matter gear bumps your stats up sufficient.
Deciding which Eikon talents to make use of gives some measure of character customization, and it’s deeper and extra satisfying than you may anticipate. Clive will get a handful of talents for each Eikon’s energy that he absorbs, every with a definite perform and a cooldown timer that requires some planning to make use of correctly. The ultimate Phoenix potential, for examples, burns close by foes a number of instances and restores Clive’s well being, whereas considered one of Garuda’s talents offers much less injury and vastly reduces a foe’s stagger gauge, leaving them susceptible to stronger assaults.
Battles are oddly balanced at instances, a problem that’s extra apparently early within the recreation when your assault choices are much less diverse. Coping with primary enemies is ok, and there’s a rhythm to boss battles. Fights towards elite opponents drag on for longer than they need to, although, and there’s fairly a number of of them. the problem turns into much less annoying as you progress within the recreation
You finally get entry to a number of Eikons and a decent array of talents at your disposal, with sufficient selection to construct some distinct playstyles and switch these prolonged encounters into one thing much less like drudgery. Last Fantasy XVI isn’t as complicated as one thing like Bayonetta, nevertheless it has a surprisingly excessive talent ceiling that may lend itself effectively to arcade mode and different high-level challenges Sq. Enix added within the postgame and New Recreation Plus modes.
Then there are the Eikon battles, Last Fantasy XVI’s setpiece battles the place two big monsters throw hearth, wind, and ice at one another till considered one of them dies. Regardless of the size and drama, these battles are rather more simplistic than they appear. You will have solely three assaults, and the sequences rely closely on cinematic cut-ins the place a timed button press strikes the combat ahead. They’re principally simply visually spectacular interactive story segments, although the narrative context round them means they’re nearly all the time emotionally gripping anyway – until you need to replay them, once they misplaced reasonably a number of their luster.
Last Fantasy XVI may get in its personal method at instances, however the story it will definitely tells is one Last Fantasy’s higher narratives and definitely considered one of its extra formidable. Its fight is a considerate evolution of the collection’ core ideas, and the localization and presentation are distinctive. It may not be what you’re anticipating, but when that is the way forward for Last Fantasy, it’s a promising one.
