Final Fantasy XVI is going to be one of the games of the year. I’m not saying it, the forecasts say it; those who have been able to try it already say that, although the genre is quite different from previous titles in the saga as it is much more action-oriented, it is one of the best FF they have tried. And considering that the remake of Final Fantasy VII was released relatively recently, that’s saying a lot.
Square Enix has prepared the release of Final Fantasy XVI for June 22, 2023, and as far as we know it will be a much more adult and complex approach to the saga. Its story will be deeper than ever, and its world a medieval place full of darkness in which the protagonist will have to make his way. But what works have inspired this game?
From Evangelion to The Dark Knight: all the references of FFXVI
In an interview with Well-Played, the developers of Final Fantasy XVI have spoken openly about which titles have served as reference to design the video game. Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon (HBO Max) as well as all the books of Song of Ice and Fire, are the main inspirations they have taken.
This has been evidenced by Naoki Yoshida, the game’s producer. But this is not the only reference. Director Hiroshi Takai also added that God of War, both aesthetically and in terms of mechanics, has been a great inspiration for the game. And voice actor Ryōta Suzuki has also explained that he has relied on movies like Blade and John Wick to bring his character to life.
Other references Yoshida has cited are Godzilla, Ultraman and Evangelion. In addition, on a narrative level, he explained that all his works have something of Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, as they are his favorite films. He has also explained that the relationship between light and darkness of Joker and Batman has been key to the game.
