Final Fantasy 16 is June 2023’s IGN First! We’ll be bringing you tons of unique content material all the way in which as much as the sport’s launch on June 22. To kick issues off, take a look at this lava-hot boss battle in opposition to Liquid Flame. “Liquid Flame awaits you on the Inner Sanctum of Drake’s Breath, a location you go to someplace mid-game,” Director Hiroshi Takai tells IGN.
For longtime followers of the 35-year-running sequence, the title Liquid Flame would possibly sound acquainted. That’s as a result of Liquid Flame is without doubt one of the most iconic bosses of Final Fantasy V, which was additionally the primary recreation within the sequence Takai labored on as a developer. Takai was not the one who determined to incorporate this nostalgic foe in Final Fantasy XVI, although, as Creative Director Kazutoyo Maehiro got here up with the concept. Maehiro additionally wrote Final Fantasy XVI’s story, and he says that Final Fantasy V was the sport that impressed him to grow to be a creator himself.
Producer Naoki Yoshida explains: “Takai was one of many authentic builders for Final Fantasy V, so it’s a title he has very sturdy emotions for. And Maehiro, nicely, he’s an actual nerd – he’s a Final Fantasy nerd, a recreation nerd, and he’s loopy about detailed situations. Just as with Final Fantasy XIV, the numerous references to the sequence’ historical past come from these two guys. It’s simply their contact.”
Explaining why he needed to incorporate Liquid Flame, Maehiro provides, “There are varied causes. First of all, I’m simply an enormous fan of Final Fantasy V. For me, Liquid Flame left an enduring impression due to how the character takes many various types and shapes throughout battle. Drake’s Breath is a volcano stage with lava as its essential idea, so for this space’s boss I assumed, ‘Who else however Liquid Flame!’”
That being mentioned, Final Fantasy XVI’s boss battle in opposition to Liquid Flame is greater than only a cool reference. According to Maehiro, there’s a strong cause for why it seems. “It’s not prefer it seems out of nowhere,” says Maehiro. “Liquid Flame has a objective of its personal. If you play the sport casually, it is likely to be not more than, ‘Oh, right here’s a tricky enemy!’, however in case you suppose it by way of you would possibly be capable of work out why Liquid Flame seems.”
Final Fantasy XVI’s boss battle in opposition to Liquid Flame is greater than only a cool reference. According to Maehiro, there is a strong cause for why it seems.
As might be seen in our gameplay video, Liquid Flame’s attribute of adjusting shapes throughout battle was faithfully carried out into Final Fantasy XVI’s real-time motion. “Sometimes it’s standing on two toes, however then it transforms right into a beast-like type standing on 4 toes, solely to vary right into a flying enemy later,” explains Combat Director Ryota Suzuki. “So sure, we’ve positively included that distinctive trait.”
“It’s an enemy with the aspect of fireside,” Suzuki continues. “When standing on 4 toes, it’ll cost on the participant with agile assaults. When within the air, it turns into out of vary and assaults protagonist Clive with a breath of flame. When it’s standing on two toes, it turns into a extra conventional melee encounter. We designed the battle in order that the participant has to react to those totally different types.”
According to Suzuki, a lot of Final Fantasy XVI’s bosses encompass a number of phases. “We’ve designed it in order that heading into a brand new section of a boss battle doesn’t solely grow to be harder, however it additionally capabilities as a change in stream that retains the participant engaged,” says Suzuki. “With cutscenes in between, the assault patterns and different traits of a boss will change, which calls for the participant struggle it in several methods and use totally different Eikon talents.”
Eikon talents are particular assaults that stand central in Final Fantasy XVI’s fight. Clive will be taught new Eikon talents over the course of his journey. The participant can equip a number of Eikon talents and change between them throughout battle. “Even in case you lose, you possibly can change your construct immediately from the sport over display earlier than you head again in,” says Suzuki. “You can be taught from the assault patterns in your first playthrough, after which equip Eikon talents accordingly. For the battle with Liquid Flame, I feel you can work out which Eikon talents are a great match.”
Suzuki says that the workforce has made certain that Final Fantasy XVI’s battles by no means grow to be so troublesome that they make you wish to hand over.
Suzuki says that the workforce has made certain that Final Fantasy XVI’s battles by no means grow to be so troublesome that they make you wish to hand over. If you might be defeated by a boss throughout one among its later phases, the battle begins from that section in your subsequent strive. This is true for each of the problem settings which you can select from in your first playthrough.
“The recreation’s essential pull is its story, and we wish our gamers to see Clive’s life by way of to the tip,” says Takai. “This is why we made certain that each Story-focused Mode and Action centered Mode – the problem settings you possibly can select between in your first playthrough – aren’t too troublesome.”
“As you benefit from the story in your first playthrough, Clive will naturally develop stronger and be taught many various strikes and Eikon talents,” says Suzuki. “We made certain that enemies aren’t so troublesome that some gamers would possibly wish to hand over, and even if you find yourself defeated we do our greatest to make it a bit extra manageable in your subsequent try. For those that are in search of tougher motion, a brand new issue setting known as Final Fantasy Mode unlocks in your second playthrough. Here, it is possible for you to to take the model of Clive out of your first playthrough with all the things you unlocked to benefit from the recreation’s motion to the fullest.”
Stay tuned for a lot of extra unique content material drops earlier than Final Fantasy XVI lands on PlayStation 5 on June 22.
Esra Krabbe is an editor at IGN Japan. He often stands on two toes.
