The "Final Fantasy XVI" demo finally reignites my hype for the game

I love the Final Fantasy series. I've at least played every title in the main series, most of them all the way through. However, when Final Fantasy XVI was announced in September 2020, I couldn't get excited about it at all. "My" game series seemed too much like a copy of western role-playing games such as "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" or "The Witcher" trilogy.

As more and more details about the game came out over time, that slowly changed. However, I still didn't really want to play it. But the idea of crossing "Final Fantasy" with "Game of Thrones" piqued my curiosity. The latest trailers and, above all, the enthusiasm of Youtubers like Primalliquid, who had already been able to play the prologue, got me hooked.

The demo released on 12 June is just that. I have now played it and was not disappointed. "Final Fantasy XVI" has the potential to build on the glorious Playstation 1 years of the series. It looks and plays fantastic. Nevertheless, despite all my enthusiasm, I am also sceptical. Here are my five reasons why I'm so excited and two reasons why I'm still rather sceptical.

Spoiler warning: I'll go into the content of the prologue for the points. If you want to experience it for yourself, then do so before you read these lines. Or you can let yourself be spoilt, your choice.

"Final Fantasy" meets "Game of Thrones"

In the demo, you see rulers deciding the future of Valisthea. While they debate and scheme, a brutal battle breaks out outside in which the subjects fall like pawns. The best "Game of Thrones" style - including scenes that are explicit by "Final Fantasy" standards. So the developers didn't take the prescribed dose of "Game of Thrones" for nothing. "Final Fantasy XVI" is clearly inspired by the work of George R. R. Martin. I like that; the game series can take more dirt.

Realism

Which brings me to the next point: The game world shown in the demo is dirty. Not that it wasn't the same in other parts of the series. But everything seemed childish and polished in the previous titles. That's not the case here. When I talk about dirt, I don't just mean the game world - that's dirty too. But the swamp in particular reminds me of "The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings". I mean that nothing in the game is artificially prettified.

When you mowed down horde after horde of enemies in previous Final Fantasy games, their deaths didn't really have any consequences. The bodies simply disappeared. In the latest instalment, blood spurts when throats are cut. "Final Fantasy XVI" is much closer to reality - and that's good for the series.

But blood is not the only manifestation of realism. In the demo, it becomes clear that slavery will be a central part of the plot. This conflict is introduced in the first few hours of the game with a short scene that gets under my skin. That's how I like it.

Eikons

In the latest instalment, the calls/summons are called "Eikons". These are mythological creatures or beasts that have immense power. They look simply fantastic and engage in epic battles. "Final Fantasy XVI" begins with one of these.

Ifrit and Phoenix give each other a good thrashing. You control Phoenix. Yes, you read that right: You're piloting the Eikons. Gone are the days when you selected the call and then sat back. You have to hit the keys. According to various trailers, the other Eikon battles differ in terms of gameplay. I can't wait to fight the giant critters again.

Battle system

I shouldn't actually like the battle system. I'm a fervent advocate of the active-time-battle system. I like giving orders and watching the characters carry them out. This is rooted in my history: I used to spin joints and eat chips while playing. But I have to admit: The battle system of "Final Fantasy XVI" has won me over so far. Sure, it's not new. It reminds me of "Star Wars Jedi: Survivor".

In the prologue demo, you only see the basics of the combat system. Once you have completed this, you can unlock a combat demo. Here you control Clive, who has significantly better skills and equipment. This gives you a better feel for the combat system. It's simply epic and I can't get enough of it. I'm already looking forward to grinding.

Dragoons

The Dragoon job is one of the most iconic in the Final Fantasy series. Dragoons are characters that specialise in physical combat. They have a spear as a weapon and perform jump attacks. In the "Final Fantasy XVI" demo, you don't control a dragoon, but you do fight one. The combat is incredibly fun and I would love to control a Dragoon. The visual realisation of the character is also brilliant.

Dragoons were commonplace in the early "Final Fantasy" parts and the character class was good. In later parts, he became more and more of a caricature - looks cool, but is bad. In "Final Fantasy Tactics" the job is simply unplayable. Hopefully this battle won't be the last encounter with a Dragoon.

Pathos

While I'm on the less good side. "Final Fantasy" has always been known for its exaggerated characters. Since the style of the series hasn't been as realistic as in Western role-playing games, this has never bothered me. The new style is a different story. When characters make their speeches with extra pathos, it seems almost ridiculous. The best example of this is the mother of the main character, Anabella Rosfield.

When she overprotects her younger son Joshua and looks disparagingly at Clive, it comes across as ridiculous in places. I had to laugh once or twice because the scene is so over the top. Anabella is a bad copy of Cersei from "Game of Thrones". And Cersei is already one of the weakest characters in the "Song of Ice and Fire" series.

Characters

Which brings me to the characters. The main character Clive and his brother Joshua are as likeable as a board in the first two hours of the game. Clive is simply too perfect, always wants to please everyone and therefore has no personality. He is boring and interchangeable. The same applies to Joshua, who simply has to serve as a weak, privileged whipping boy.

Admittedly, this is the case with many characters in great works at the beginning. Thorfinn Karlsefni is also a boring, one-dimensional character in the first arc of the manga "Vinland Saga". It's only over time that he develops into a person you can identify with. Hopefully Clive will undergo the same kind of development.

After the demo, I'm really excited about the game. If you want to play it too, you can find it in the Playstation Store. Incidentally, you can transfer the demo score to the final version.

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