Games Happy

We at the moment are perilously near a serious second in video video games and RPGs – the discharge of a brand new main-line, numbered Ultimate Fantasy sport. This has as but solely occurred fifteen instances in thirty-six years – so it’s a second. 

In current weeks, Alex and James each had the chance to take a seat down and play a very good six hours of Ultimate Fantasy XVI. This near-final construct was constructed particularly to present the media one final hands-on expertise earlier than launch – and so when you can learn ideas from James alone in his full FF16 preview and in addition hear Alex solo over on VG247, it solely appeared proper that the pair sit down to match notes and briefly discover their emotions on the intensive hands-on.

Right here’s among the chat, which has been edited and condensed for readability:

Alex: So, I do know you additionally wrote the principle preview, and I do know I additionally performed the sport first, a few weeks earlier than you – however I’m going to make you go first right here, too. ‘Cos I can. So… what did you suppose?

James: If I’m being trustworthy, I wasn’t fairly positive what I anticipated from the sport heading in, and even after having performed a very good portion of it I’m nonetheless unsure how conventional sequence followers will really feel about it. Ultimate Fantasy XVI is unquestionably an Motion RPG; however any precise RPG parts really feel virtually like an afterthought.

Alex: But it surely’s fairly nice, proper? I feel that’s what I primarily got here away from it considering – that this sport goes to be fairly rattling nice, but in addition that on an expert degree it’s going to be fascinating to see if Sq. Enix can discover its viewers. I feel they have to know – inevitably – {that a} portion of the ‘commonplace’ FF viewers received’t be into this sport. Not all of them, however some. However they stand to achieve much more, proper? If they’ll discover that new viewers. 

It feels to me just like the form of daring change Ultimate Fantasy has wanted to make for some time. The query is that if that is the precise format of change that’ll work with a wider market, and that’s tougher to reply – particularly with the way in which some followers act about all of it.

On the similar time, although, I get it. And I do agree. I feel this was offered because the ‘RPG’ beat within the promotional cycle, the second that will exhibit the sport’s RPG credentials… however I don’t suppose we noticed an excessive amount of of it, in the end. 

Like, yeah, there’s weapon upgrades, there’s a hub, there’s abilities… however what’s fascinating is that primarily based on what was proven at this occasion, that is about as RPG as the trendy God of Struggle video games – and people are the types of video games the place after we cowl them, folks yell on socials or within the feedback that it isn’t an RPG and we shouldn’t cowl ‘em. We ignore that – however it’s humorous that as a result of it is a Ultimate Fantasy, folks received’t query that as carefully. I personally nonetheless suppose Yoshida is true and this completely is a full-on motion RPG, the RPG chops are there… but in addition, perceive that for higher or worse that is clearly the least RPG that any main-line FF has ever been.

James: That’s undoubtedly true, on each counts; the motion fight is new to the sequence, sure, however in follow it feels nice to make use of. You may completely really feel the eye that was put into the sport to make sure that it feels nice to manage Clive. Personally, I cherished the fight – however I do wish to see the way it evolves later into the sport.

It’s onerous to get a learn for the rest; whereas we did ostensibly get to play about 6 hours of the sport, we weren’t precisely at free reign to discover the sport’s aspect content material, and to actually discover the sport at our leisure. It’s onerous to not get the sensation that was intentional – however it does make our jobs a minimum of a little bit bit tougher to try to get a sense for the sport’s RPG parts, I suppose. It’s onerous to assuage these fears that sequence followers might need.

Alex: I feel there was some right here to ease some fears and stoke some hype, although. I imply, I wish to begin out with – I’m so impressed with the story supply. It’s very completely different – they’ve clearly watched numerous Sport of Thrones when it comes to its tone and timbre of its presentation – however the execution is so tight, so sturdy, that I feel this has each probability to be the all-time FF story, relying on the place they go along with it. The execution is definitely there.

And to come back again to the purpose earlier than – whereas they did exhibit numerous RPG bits and items like weapon upgrades, the hub, aspect quests, and so forth – once I requested [FF16 Producer Naoki] Yoshida about what he’d say to RPG followers, his reply really actually centered down on the story. He was speaking about how there are expectations of a sure degree and depth of storytelling in RPGs, and that FF16 delivers on that and a few, which I took because the implication he feels that it’s going to assist to essentially set it except for motion video games. As a word, he additionally appeared actually excited for folks to expertise the story particularly; they’re clearly very happy with it.

James: Completely, and I can perceive why. I wouldn’t say that the darker tone is totally new for the sequence – the opening moments remind me of Ultimate Fantasy IV’s story. On a aspect word, I actually appreciated the function the place you may pause any scene and get an inventory of subjects to learn in regards to the characters inside it, the international locations they hail from, and the placement that the scene itself is going down in. It jogs my memory of that Amazon Prime Video “X-ray” function and I felt it was a neat contact to supply some extra details about the sport’s world and its characters.

It is clear {that a} ton of affection and a focus to element was positioned with the sport’s characters and setting; so above all else, I can not wait to see what the sport’s aspect content material can do to flesh all the things out. I am positive on the very least the place it involves the narrative is the place RPG followers could have one thing to like in regards to the sport come launch. A part of me needs we had only a bit extra time to deal with a few of that aspect content material ourselves, however having such a protracted session for a preview is already irregular as it’s..

Alex: Yeah, that speaks to confidence, I feel. It was a prolonged hands-on, although I want the part from the later little bit of the sport, with a full group of adventurers (although solely Clive is playable, bear in mind) and a extra open zone to prod round – I want we’d had extra time with that space. Although I acquired the impression if we’d prodded an excessive amount of there we might’ve stumbled into spoilers, so maybe for one of the best.

What was your precise gameplay spotlight? With out stepping into the spoilers of who it was in opposition to, I actually preferred the boss battle in opposition to the form of super-powered character who’s form of ‘primed’ however not working at full energy but. That was tense, and extra fascinating to me than the fights in opposition to large, brawling creatures. Like a strong, tense one-on-one which actually rewarded good blocking and dodging abilities. 

Once more, although, the vibe right here was undoubtedly extra Satan Might Cry Dante vs Vergil or one thing like that. I used fairly just a few potions there – which, by the way in which, I used to be shocked to see potions capped at like 5! That’s low; you received’t have the ability to brute drive by way of encounters with therapeutic, although it’s good that it auto-uses extra potions while you decide them up whereas exploring when your well being isn’t full.

James: That was most likely my spotlight as properly – although the battle in opposition to a Dragoon Knight early on was additionally a robust contender. Actually, the sport felt it is best while you had these “Dante vs Vergil” type encounters, although fights such because the Morbol had been enjoyable too. I am positive there can be many fights like these afterward within the sport, so I am undoubtedly excited to seek out them come launch.

Which implies the preview did its job, after all; each of us are excited to see the place the sport goes from right here, to be let off the leash and afforded the possibility to discover what the world has to supply. The style we acquired of XVI might need been a big one; however it’s merely a “style” nonetheless. We cannot really understand how all the things comes collectively till we get that probability to play all the things put collectively in the long run.

Alex: Yeah. It in the end left me about the identical degree of pleasure I used to be earlier than, I feel. It’s not a preview beat that significantly answered my questions, particularly in regards to the depth of these role-playing credentials – however it did totally cement that I do know that is going to be a very top quality, polished sport – and one thing I can’t wait to play. I’m simply left interested by precisely what kind of sport it’ll actually be in full. However I suppose that received’t be a thriller for an excessive amount of longer!