We are finally there, after a quick but exciting look, let's go back to talking much more deeply about Final Fantasy XVI, thanks above all to the interesting amount of information that has been released in the past few hours. The focal points are tied to the characters and the game world, introducing the user to the politics and geography of the kingdom. Before going to find out all the details revealed, the site once again reiterates as the title Square Enix will be released exclusively for PS5, without the slightest hint of a temporary nature or agreements with an expiry date.
A kingdom to discover
First of all in this new Final Fantasy XVI we are presented with the game world, that is the background on which our adventure will be staged. the story takes place in a land called Valisthea, surrounded by colossal mountains of crystals called Mothercrystals.
However, such a great power cannot be left alone, so over the years there have been several wars for control of these Mothercrystals. These feuds have led to the rise of several nations: the Grand Duchy of Rosaria, Holy Empire of Sanbreque, Kingdom of Waloed Dhalmekian Republic and the Iron Kingdom, each with their own culture, politics and ideology. The ongoing skirmishes have forged a restless peace between these nations, but with the emergence of a new and ruinous plague, that fragile peace is beginning to deteriorate.
The Grand Duchy of Rosaria is made up of some small independent provinces of Valisthea who in the past decided to join forces. After years of prosperity, the duchy is forced to face the crisis of the Plague, which is now spreading through the ruined kingdom. Rosaria extracts her aether from the Dragon's Breath, a mother crystal located in the center of a volcanic island. Herald of the Phoenix, or the owner of the Eikon of Fire, is crowned archduke as soon as he comes of age.
The Holy Empire of Sanbreque is the most powerful force within Valisthea. oriflamme, the capital, was built around the Head of the Dragon, or a Mother Crystal that emanates its ether to all surrounding provinces. The people benefit from his power, living in comfort and safety under the wing of the Holy Emperor, revered as the embodiment of the one true divinity. Although we don't know what his Eikon is, we can deduce from the kingdom symbol that it will likely be something that resembles a japanese dragon. The herald serves as a champion, going to battlefields to destroy enemies.
The Kingdom of Waloed, on the other hand, claims the entire eastern half of Valisthea as its domain, or Cinéria. The kingdom's control over the entire continent has been severely tested by both orcs and the infamous beastmen, hideous creatures that inhabit these lands. The Harbinger, however, the current ruler, managed to overcome these difficulties thanks above all to the power of his Mother Crystal, the Back of the Dragon. This regent has formed a new and powerful army, with which he intends to threaten the neighboring kingdoms. Also in this case we do not know what the Eikon of this land is, but from the banner we can guess that it has the likeness of Ixion.
The Dhalmekian Republic holds a very special place for balance, already quite precarious, Valisthea politician. First, the whole nation is divided into five states, from which the members who form the central government come from. The Mother Crystal is there Dragon's Fang, and is half hidden in the heart of a vast mountain range. The republic obviously controls full power, so as to ensure the obedience of all southern Valisthea. The Eikon of this kingdom comes from the earth, and his Herald controls Titan: in the internal hierarchies the Herald acts as a special adviser in the parliament, and is endowed with a strong decision-making power.
The Kingdom of Iron, on the other hand, is the most cryptic one to decipher, but basically it is a kind of fanatics. Located in a small archipelago off the coast of Cyclonia, or the western half of the twin kingdoms of Valisthea, the Crystal Orthodox thrive, followers of an extremist faith that worships crystals. The Iron Kingdom expands its power thanks to the Breath of the Dragon, Cristallo Madre disputed with the Grand Duchy of Rosaria. They do not present any Heralds, since for their doctrine these are nothing but abominations to be eliminated. They are so closed that they speak their own language, and have nothing to do with the kingdoms of the mainland.
To connect it all there is an area called The Crystalline Dominion, located in the heart of Valisthea and extending around the Tail of the Dragon, the highest of the Mother Crystals. Although it is only a patch of land, it has been the scene of atrocious battles due to its strategic importance. The struggles, however, led to nothing, forcing an armistice between the rival factions. The peace treaty provides that the islands surrounding the Dragon's Tail are an independent domain, led solely by a council of representatives from neighboring nations, benefiting in equal measure from the power and ether of the Mother Crystal. Precisely because of this, no Herald resides in this kingdom.
Who are the characters in the trailer?
Square Enix has answered this question, albeit not in a particularly exhaustive way. The protagonist of Final Fantasy XVI will be Clive Rosfield, eldest son of the Archduke of Rosaria. Although he should have been the Herald of the Phoenix, fate would have it that this prestigious task was given to his younger brother Joshua. Unable to become the Herald, he decides to devote himself body and soul to the art of the sword. The training bears fruit and everything culminates in the victory in the ducal tournament, taking on the responsibility of protecting the Phoenix, consequently leading it to wield some of the power of the flames. from the trailer it is easy to understand, however, that Clive will fail in his intent, since Ifrit, mysterious dark Eikon also coming as a Phoenix from the flames, puts an end to Joshua's life. The young Clive has failed, anger and resentment will push him to take the path that leads to revenge.
The second character we got the most information about is the one already mentioned Joshua, second son of the Archduke of Rosaria and younger brother of Clive. The young man was born to be the Herald of the Phoenix and, despite its noble origins, it tends to support the poor citizens as much as possible. Being the youngest, he enjoys a strong admiration for his big brother, so much so that he does not understand why he was chosen by fate to inherit the Eikon: Joshua is more studious and shy, totally the opposite of Clive who is not afraid. you're welcome.
The last character we found out about is Jill Warrick, a little girl who appears next to Joshua always in the announcement trailer. She comes from the fallen Northern Territories: torn from her native land still in swaddling clothes, she was placed under the protective wing of Rosaria, ensuring peace between the two factions. At the beginning of the events narrated the girl will be 12 years old, and will be considered a Rosfield as much as Joshua and Clive. The girl, although not endowed with some particular task, he plays the role of "confidant" of both brothers.
This was all the latest information regarding the world and characters of Final Fantasy XVI. Although there are not many yet, we have learned how much more complex and stratified cosmology is than in the past. Square Enix seems to want to aim for much more political plots than in the past, winking a lot at the court intrigues seen in Game of Thrones. As has been widely repeated in other venues, the whole project sees you as a producer Naoki Yoshida, the savior of FF XIV, and as director there will be Hiroshi takai, he too is very close to the fourteenth fantasy and many other projects. If some old, burnt-out fan thinks of getting closer to the saga, maybe the right time has come. If you want more information on the game, we refer you to our in-depth special.
