10 gorgeous images from the Final Fantasy XVI trailer
Square Enix's next major entry in the JRPG franchise has finally been revealed, and while the mysteries abound, it looks like an awesome collision of Dark Souls and Game of Thrones.
The trailer opens on some kind of battle between two kingdoms, and you know it's Final Fantasy when you see a soldier riding a yellow Chocobo.
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One of the game's two protagonists is told by his commanding officer to target "Shiva's Dominant." Shiva is a classic Summon in Final Fantasy, and "Dominants" are a new kind of human Summoner.
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Shiva's Dominant — referred to as "she" in dialogue — does summon the ice queen for battle. These devastating creatures and their Dominants are high-value assets.
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Shiva uses her ice elemental magic against Titan, a massive Icon with earth elemental powers who's also summoned for the battle.
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The young Joshua, son to an Archduke, is a Dominant connected to the Phoenix Icon.
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Joshua's protector (the other protagonists), is a young knight that the boy endows with magical Phoenix powers. The other playable character has a similar relationship with Titan.
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In one dramatic moment from the trailer, Joshua seemingly summons both Phoenix and Ifrit, another classic fire Summon from the franchise. A random knight is shocked!
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It's unclear what this means without more context, but the conflict between Phoenix and Ifrit looms large, especially when it's the focus of Final Fantasy XVI's logo.