The Rising Tide DLC for Final Fantasy 16 does not impact the game's original ending, despite speculation fueled by prerelease teasers and rumors. The DLC introduces new features such as unlocking Ultima's powers and a special epilogue quest, but these do not alter the main storyline. The game's ending remains open to interpretation, with developers intentionally leaving it ambiguous, although certain in-game dialogue and lyrics suggest a grim fate for the protagonist, Clive Rosfield.
Naoki Yoshida and Takeo Kujiraoka, producers of Final Fantasy XVI, reflect on the game's reception, lessons learned, and the upcoming DLC. They discuss the positive reception of protagonist Clive Rosfield, the challenges of developing for the PlayStation 5, and the satisfaction of creating the game despite some areas for improvement. They express gratitude to fans and look forward to applying their learnings to future projects.
Ben Starr, the voice actor for Final Fantasy XVI's protagonist Clive Rosfield, revealed on Twitter that he has been reading fans' explicit fan fiction about his character. With over 80 works of Clive-related fan fiction, some of which are labeled "explicit," it's likely that Starr has come across some steamy content. This follows a trend of voice actors in popular video games being exposed to thirsty tweets and fan fiction about their characters.
The Final Fantasy XVI theme song, "Tsuki Wo Miteita - Moongazing," by Kenshi Yonezu is now streaming in Japan, with the cover art featuring Clive Rosfield's companion, Torgal. The game is an action-heavy entry where players control protagonist Clive as he confronts various Dominants, humans cursed with the power to become Eikons. The game's producer, Naoki Yoshida, describes it as akin to his experience with the first Final Fantasy, with a comprehensive support system in place for players who aren't too confident with action games.
Final Fantasy XVI's protagonist, Clive Rosfield, can unlock and upgrade various abilities by channeling the magical power of the Eikons, which are enormous and powerful magical entities. The abilities range from summoning a tornado to calling down a bolt of thunder. The most important and best abilities to unlock and upgrade ASAP include Phoenix Shift, Rising Flames, Gouge, Rook's Gambit, Pile Drive, Titanic Block, and Raging Fists.
Ben Starr and Susannah Fielding, voice actors for Clive Rosfield and Jill Warrick in Final Fantasy 16, discuss their roles in the game and the pressures of being part of such a huge series. They also talk about the reimagining of the name Clive and the importance of finding the humanity in the characters. The actors reveal that the game is messy and emotional, with no light and dark, and that the team has put a lot of love and care into the 16th entry in the franchise.
Sony State of Play showcased Final Fantasy 16, revealing more about the game's world, Eikon battles, combat, base camp, and more. The game features epic battles between Eikons, which can be anything from a "3D scrolling shooter" to a "heavyweight wrestling match." Players will only play as Clive, but will have companions controlled by AI. Clive's hideout is a base camp filled with characters, side quests, shops, and more. Final Fantasy 16 will be released exclusively for the PlayStation 5 on June 22, 2023.
