Final Fantasy 16's Latest Trailer Serves Up A Little Gameplay And A Lot Of Lore

Square Enix has dropped a new trailer for "Final Fantasy XVI" ahead of the game's release on PlayStation 5 next year. But instead of giving us a glimpse of the game mechanics and combat systems, the latest trailer delves deep into the plot setting and establishes the lore at the center of the game's storyline. The four-minute-long trailer is a mix of cinematic character reveals and their stunning powers in full-blown CGI glory.

Giant creatures like Ifrit, Odin, and Bahamut — all of which are inspired by different regional mythologies on Earth — make an appearance in the latest trailer. The game is set in the fictional world of Valisthea, a realm divided into six kingdoms, each reliant on giant Mothercrystals for its sustenance via the aether. However, the Blight is growing and each crystal is fading, forcing all kingdoms to find the means of survival either through cunning diplomacy or destructive warfare.

At the center of the conflict are Eikons, menacing creatures that lie within a class of human beings classified as Dominants. Needless to say, Dominants either sit on the throne or enjoy life as war champions. The latest "Final Fantasy" trailer, however, introduces two new characters. The first one is Dion Lesage, the Dominant for Bahamut, and Barnabas Thatmr, who can summon the powers of Odin. Kupka and Harman, the Dominants of Titan and Garuda, were introduced in the previous trailer.

The main character is Clive Rosefield, the son of Archduke of Rosaria, who is surprisingly not a Dominant. Instead, he assists his brother Joshua, who is capable of channeling the Eikon of Phoenix. We also get a glimpse of the hulking Hugo Kupka, who is surrounded by a yellow glittery aura as he projects the powers of his Eikon named Titan. Interestingly, the character's design appears to be a mishmash of Brian Fury and Craig Marduk from the Tekken fighting games.

We also get to see some Dominant against Dominant action in the trailer, each summoning the power of their respective Eikons during combat. The big baddie appears to be an Eikon named Ifrit, who is also the one that sets Clive on his own path, which will be explored in "Final Fantasy XVI's" main storyline. The story appears chock-full of conniving political undertones and fantastical battles with magical beasts, which is an intriguing mix and definitely something worth looking forward to.

We don't get to see a character design as iconic as Sephiroth in the upcoming game, but if you fancied the demon avatars of Dante and Virgil in the latest "Devil May Cry" installment, you'll love the Eikons duking it out. "Final Fantasy XVI" is currently targeting a summer 2023 release, but the title is apparently close to the final version. In the words of director Hiroshi Takai (via PlayStation Blog), "the team has turned its full attention to debugging and final adjustments."