What’s your first Last Fantasy recreation? That’s a standard query between online game nerds, up there with “what’s your favorite starter Pokémon?” and “what number of hours did you spend sobbing into Animal Crossing throughout COVID?”
A much less widespread however nonetheless persistent query: what was your final Last Fantasy?
Whereas I cherished the franchise for 7, 8, 9, and even 10, I slowly misplaced curiosity. Till just lately, the reply would have been Last Fantasy 12, with its glacial tempo and never-ending corridors — however after an prolonged session with Last Fantasy 16, I’m pondering I’m again.
Numerous this comes from Last Fantasy 16‘s broody protagonist Clive Rosfield. He’s straight out of the “broody however gifted” faculty of Last Fantasy protagonists, however voice actor Ben Starr provides some actual weight to his supply. He’s well-written and fascinating, scarred by some very actual trauma which means his broodiness is definitely worthwhile — versus the “I’m so misunderstood” sob tales of beloved grumpypants like Squall and Cloud Strife.
Last Fantasy 16. Credit score: Sq. Enix
Chucked into the sport’s prologue throughout Clive’s teenage years, you discover a flawed hero. Regardless of being a masterful fighter, Clive is unskilled within the reward of the Phoenix — a magic birthright that he’s unable to wield — which marks him a failure regardless of his noble blood. One Sport of Thrones-level betrayal later and Clive is stripped away from that life and discarded, prepared to start out an epic journey that feels very Last Fantasy certainly.
As a result of he’s simply an everyman regardless of his initially lofty place, seeing wars between kingdoms (and their Kaiju-esque Eikons) from his function as an infantryman provides an additional gravitas. In earlier video games you might need managed Ifrit or Shiva your self, right here you’re merely hoping to outlive their rampage, a activity that feels unimaginable due to how highly effective they’re on the battlefield.
Last Fantasy 16. Credit score: Sq. Enix
Last Fantasy 16 itself owes a variety of debt to the current success of the darkish fantasy genres. Whereas Last Fantasy 15 was all about some good boys and their automotive, it is a extra conventional sword and sorcery affair, with good writing and cracking performances to again up a extra mature tone. From what’s on provide throughout this preview, there’s nothing to be involved about with that tone, and there’s little doubt in my thoughts that persons are going to fall exhausting for these characters and this setting, with a number of recognisable voices popping up across the place.
Veering away from the story to guard the spoiler-averse, the remainder of the sport is stable too. Preventing right here is sort of a barely clunky motion recreation, with sword swings, called-in talents and even magic getting used with aplomb to take aside enemies. Fast presses of the dpad permit you to rapidly convey up objects or talents, whereas a squeeze of a set off turns the face buttons into highly effective instruments to allow you to unleash magic or highly effective talents that may reshape a battle with good use. Issue this in with blocks, dodges and each mild and heavy assaults and Last Fantasy 16 actually does really feel like an motion recreation at its smoothest, and it’s a delight to hurl round hacking at issues with a sword.
Credit score: Sq. Enix
This works finest in fast-paced fights in opposition to smaller foes, however grew to become just a little little bit of a chore in opposition to bigger bosses, who all felt like that they had 20 per cent an excessive amount of well being. Your mileage might fluctuate, however as somebody who has largely migrated from RPG video games into extra motion fight in my previous age, as soon as the assault patterns had been discovered it typically simply felt like I used to be battering a big boss effortlessly, doing chip harm to the legs and butt of an enormous baddie and ready for the cutscene that known as an finish to issues.
Nonetheless, it looks as if Last Fantasy 16 might be a winner. The one actual irritant was a boss battle that performed out extra like a QTE-filled cutscene than an actual fight sequence and left me useless – twice – with none actual idea of what occurred. Due to the quick-thinking actions of a journalist sitting subsequent to me I used to be in a position to get previous it, however with a display filled with flashing lights and hues and a really imprecise pathway of what to do subsequent, it was probably the most irritating a part of my hands-on.
Nonetheless, ignoring my frustrations with Last Fantasy 16‘s bosses, there’s no doubting the standard that’s on present right here. With one month to go till launch, Last Fantasy 16 looks like a Chocobo price betting on — and from this preview’s slice of magic, I think 16 received’t be the ultimate fantasy life has in retailer for me.
Last Fantasy 16 releases for PS5 on June 22. The preview was performed on a particular model made for media to expertise, and contents might differ from the ultimate model.