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Whereas Final Fantasy XVI might have ended on a fairly definitive word, its DLC rollout explores far more of its world of Valisthea. The primary story hinted at just a few issues that weren’t addressed by the point the credit rolled, so the chance for extra content material was fairly clear. With the primary of two DLC expansions, Echoes of the Fallen, launched in December 2023, those that had been desirous to get again into the sneakers of protagonist Clive for extra of the trendy action-RPG fight had one thing to chew on. But it surely’s the upcoming The Rising Tide DLC that may spherical out the entire bundle, letting you wield Leviathan as an Eikon energy and answering extra of the questions left behind by the bottom recreation. After taking part in by Echoes of the Fallen, I had an opportunity to talk with FFXVI DLC director Takeo Kujiraoka in regards to the improvement of post-game content material and what it means for the way forward for this explicit entry within the storied franchise.
The very first thing that stood out was how participant suggestions was accounted for quickly after the sport’s launch. “We now have deliberately modified the balancing of fight from that of the primary recreation. Particularly, we have boosted the general power of the enemies within the DLC,” Kujiraoka acknowledged. This was abundantly clear within the boss struggle in opposition to Omega, which was a deal with for Last Fantasy sickos (particularly of the MMORPG selection) but additionally a shocking problem that took me a number of tries to complete. It was tougher than any boss you encounter in the primary story and borrows plenty of complicated mechanics that jogged my memory of Final Fantasy XIV‘s raid bosses, and that helped the fight system shine as soon as once more.
Kujiraoka mentioned that the crew paid consideration to the neighborhood taking part in FFXVI, saying, “Partly, it’s because we had set the enemy power a little bit low in the primary recreation to make sure that as many gamers as attainable would have the ability to attain the ending. However, from participant reactions and streams, it appeared to me that we might possibly push that enemy power a little bit increased.” He additionally talked about that since each DLCs open up simply earlier than the ultimate act of the bottom recreation, gamers will likely be experienced–though, I need to admit, it took a short while to shake off the rust from returning to the sport after months.
As a long-time FFXIV player who takes part in Savage raids, it wasn’t simply the diploma of issue that left an impression, however how acquainted the method felt in studying beat the boss. There’s some resemblance to the Omega boss fights within the MMORPG that got here by in FFXVI’s model. So, I needed to ask in regards to the potential cross-pollination, contemplating the umbrella of Sq. Enix’s Inventive Enterprise Unit III, which developed each video games.
“We would draw from previous installments from the collection, together with FFXIV, for inspiration on visualize expertise or for naming, however these are purely homages to earlier titles and a nod to the followers. Having mentioned that, it’s shocking what number of extra gamers than anticipated really feel the affect of FFXIV in FFXVI,” Kujiraoka mentioned. And I suppose that is true given the character of the MMORPG being a kind of Last Fantasy theme park–FFXIV director and producer Naoki Yoshida’s phrases, not mine. Kujiraoka continued, “FFXIV options all types of enemies from the collection as a complete, and it is also the primary time that plenty of expertise are portrayed in 3D. Maybe meaning these appearances in FFXIV would possibly depart a very sturdy impression? And maybe FFXIV and FFXVI really feel related as a result of they share some widespread parts in the best way they add variation to how battles unfold and the way they place significance on the narrative.”
![FFXVI DLC director Takeo Kujiraoka (credit: Square Enix)](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1574/15747411/4254770-kujiraoka_3.jpg)
That is not the one similarity the action-RPG shares with the MMO–composer Masayoshi Soken was in his bag with the Echoes of the Fallen DLC wherein he remixed the Omega boss theme “eScape” from FFXIV right into a chaotic, trance-like drum ‘n’ bass monitor. Kujiraoka offered some perception on how music got here collectively for the DLC, and informed me, “When chatting with Soken, I’d at all times clarify the state of affairs the place the piece could be used, locations the place I would need to change the music, and so on., all while displaying him precise gameplay. At instances, I did specify explicit moods and genres. However from that time onwards, the composition team–first and foremost Soken himself–had absolute freedom to work on the music.” Music is integral to how these worlds are constructed which is obvious from the soundtracks for all of the FFXIV expansions. With out understanding the place Echoes of the Fallen was going, I had this assured feeling it revolved round Omega judging from the music alone. The leitmotifs from the FFXIV model come by within the background theme as you ascend the dungeon the place the DLC takes place. And my suspicions had been confirmed, so it appears like Soken could be very a lot part of how these tales come throughout.
Kujiraoka mentioned, “There have been instances the place Soken might need determined it could work greatest to have one other piece [of music] inserted between the 2 that had been requested, and we’d find yourself getting again extra tracks than we ordered. I belief him, so I left these varieties of selections to him.” Primarily, Soken and the sound crew had been allowed to only prepare dinner. As Kujiraoka confirmed, “This was additionally the results of Soken’s personal considering: constructing upon the ambiance of Echoes of the Fallen and his concept of Omega.”
Nevertheless, that is not all. On the subject of the upcoming Leviathan-themed DLC, Kujiraoka informed me, “We now have additionally acquired the music for The Rising Tide, and every bit is unbelievable. You may anticipate nice issues!” Perhaps it is time to get “By means of the Maelstrom” and “Blinding Indigo” from the FFXIV OST again into my music rotation.
Whether or not they be embedded in referential materials from Last Fantasy video games of the previous, FFXVI’s DLCs are very a lot attempting to flesh out Valisthea. In terms of tying lingering narrative parts collectively, Kujiraoka mentioned, “All of the free ends from the primary recreation that we left ourselves to make DLC with have been picked up by the primary and second DLC, so I truly suppose that making the rest could be fairly tough.” That will give the impression that The Rising Tide DLC could be the ultimate bow on FFXVI as we all know it, however he additionally acknowledged, “There may be the query of what you would possibly discover on the outer isles, throughout the seas from Valisthea–that’s one thing I am fairly thinking about, from the angle of a developer and as a participant myself!” So possibly this two-part DLC arc isn’t a whole finish to the world of Valisthea, and maybe leaves a little bit of a gap to search out causes to revisit the setting.
![The Rising Tide will include Leviathan as an Eikon power, showcased in the reveal trailer.](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1574/15747411/4254771-ffxvirisingtide.jpg)
Irrespective of which means you chop it, FFXVI tried to include some heavy narrative themes similar to enslavement, abolition, and rebellion, and did so to various levels of success. So, as Echoes of the Fallen is extra involved with the summary facets of the setting’s historical past, I needed to ask if The Rising Tide DLC would revisit the grim aspect of its politics and messages. Kujiraoka acknowledged that he cannot say a lot because the second DLC has not but been launched however did contact on the topic. “In each DLCs, there’s an underlying theme behind the primary tales: the query of how folks will dwell in a world with fewer crystals or one the place they cannot use crystals.”
Even within the lead as much as FFXVI’s launch, producer Naoki Yoshida likened the crystals, which grant magic talents, to fossil fuels in our personal world. Because it turned out, local weather change was an overt theme of FFXVI’s story, and at instances, it confirmed that the long run is probably not so grim with no useful resource that damages the very world you reside in. Kujiraoka echoed that sentiment, saying, “We have included numerous snippets that give a glimpse into how the world would possibly prove after the ending of the primary recreation, with out presenting a particular conclusion. As we constructed the story, I usually spoke with the crew about eager to make gamers really feel optimistic that individuals would have the ability to go on residing in a world with out magic.”
Echoes of the Fallen is on the market now and is a reasonably brief, however difficult, expertise that’ll take roughly two to 3 hours to finish. And it leads into The Rising Tide DLC, which is about to launch someday in Spring 2024. Nevertheless, should you’ve but to leap into the bottom recreation, you should definitely try my Final Fantasy XVI review the place I gave it a rating of 9/10 and concluded, “It might fall brief in some respects, nevertheless it needs to be celebrated for its most gorgeous moments and the characters who embody them. FFXVI succeeds and earns its place throughout the Last Fantasy pantheon as one of many nice entries, and does so by itself phrases.”
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