Final Fantasy 16 won’t have the element that made Final Fantasy 7 Remake great, and changing part of the franchise’s formula might not be a good move. FF16 will follow its protagonist, Clive, and his dog, Torgal, in a world that has Dominants who can summon Eikons, which are incredibly powerful beings. While Clive wasn’t initially a Dominant, but seems he gains control of Ifrit, a staple Final Fantasy Summon, which appears to be a darker force than the other Eikons.
As the game following Final Fantasy 15, which saw many issues and setbacks during development, FF16 might be feeling pressure to make up for those downfalls. With a focus on combat and Eikon battles, Final Fantasy 16 shows that it’s willing to be different from other games in the franchise. However, some changes in FF16 risk taking away what made other Final Fantasy games great: the party members.
Final Fantasy 16 Won’t Feature Classic Party Members Like FF7 Remake
Clive will receive help from characters along the way, but his only permanent companion will be his dog, Torgal. Because of this, Clive might have a lot of responsibility when it comes to carrying the plot on his own. It also means that the dynamics between him and other Final Fantasy 16 characters will be fairly different from the party dynamics that players see in games like Final Fantasy 7 Remake, where they have the potential to make the games more memorable.
FF7 Remake Is Character Driven, But Final Fantasy 16 Might Not Be
From Crisis Core Reunion to FF7, the story of Cloud, Zack, and their companions creates an emotional experience with a corrupt world as its background. The focus on the party members in the FF7 universe and its remake is part of what makes particular moments in the games heart-wrenching and bittersweet. By not having a traditional party system in Final Fantasy 16, the game could miss opportunities to set up emotional moments and character growth that comes from overcoming obstacles with companions.
As a franchise, Final Fantasy has taken many different directions with its games. While some games have seen more success than others, there are elements that seem to exist across most titles. It might be one of the biggest PlayStation games releasing in 2023, but the lack of party members could end up hurting Final Fantasy 16 if it results side characters written weaker than those in Final Fantasy 7 Remake and the PlayStation classic it adapted.
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