In a recent interview with Dengeki Online, the Producer of Final Fantasy 16, Naoki Yoshida, and directors Hiroshi Takai and Kazutoyo Maehiro, shared some exciting new details about the game. They discussed the reason for increasing the game’s age rating and revealed new gameplay mechanics, such as “Buddies.”
Director Takai stated that they intentionally increased the age rating of the game to expand the range of expressions available with a higher rating. The Japanese ZERO rating system is quite strict when it comes to depicting blood, injury, or violence. Yoshida mentioned that they had difficulty including some scenes in Final Fantasy XIV due to the game’s 15+ rating.
Regarding the new gameplay mechanics, the developers made a distinction between party members, who fight automatically, and “partners,” such as Torgal, the dog. Partners function like party members, but they can also receive partial orders, like “heal” or “choose from various attack options.” The game will also lack elemental weaknesses, and each Eikon and element will act as separate mechanics, allowing for different actions and movements.
Final Fantasy 16 will be released on PlayStation 5 on June 22, 2023. Fans of the series can look forward to a more mature and diverse gameplay experience with new gameplay mechanics that will make the game stand out from its predecessors.