The producer of Final Fantasy 16 explains why the upcoming JRPG opts for action-based combat instead of turn-based.
One of the most anticipated releases for Square Enix fans in 2023 is the next feature in its iconic long-running JRPG franchise, Final Fantasy 16. There has been a lot of news about the game in recent months, giving fans a comprehensive look at the game. Final Fantasy 16‘s display at Sony’s State of Play highlighted a number of features, such as the Eikon subpoena, the story, combat and more.
The fighting style has been a bit of a sticking point for fans, with veterans seeing the series’ shift from turn-based combat and Final Fantasy 16 with a heavy focus on action-oriented gameplay. The last numbered Final Fantasy game to use a turn-based system was Final Fantasy 10 in 2001, with all the regular games that followed as action RPGs. Final Fantasy 16Producer, Naoki Yoshida, talked about the divide between turn-based and action-RPG fans, and why this game chooses the latter.
In an interview with Famitsu, translated by VGC, Yoshida explains that his team had to “reassess” the public that Final Fantasy 16 was attractive. He notes that he comes from a generation of older gamers who grew up playing command and turn-based RPGs, where some find it an immersive and engaging experience. He acknowledges that some members of the younger generation, especially those who don’t typically play RPGs, don’t find it appealing to select commands and engage in turn-based combat.
Yoshida explains that this generation gap has only grown with advancing console technology, which has seen a push toward action-based mechanics in RPGs rather than turn-based games like Final Fantasy, citing an example of how easy it is to perform actions without a command system. He adds that this is not an argument about what is good or bad, but that these are based entirely on a player’s preference and age.
Yoshida notes that he still enjoys turn-based RPGs and wants to keep working on them, but also notes that the sales forecast of Final Fantasy 16 and the impact it should have. He also touches Final Fantasy 16‘s lack of an open world, where he says he believed it would have taken him and his team 15 years to develop it. Yoshida also states that it’s possible the next game will go back to a turn-based system or even go open world, but the Final Fantasy 16 which is in development, fits within his current vision.
Final Fantasy 16 will be released for PS5 in the summer of 2023.
Source: VGC
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