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Whereas Last Fantasy XVI might have ended on a fairly definitive word, its DLC rollout explores way more of its world of Valisthea. The primary story hinted at a number of issues that weren’t addressed by the point the credit rolled, so the chance for added content material was fairly clear. With the primary of two DLC expansions, Echoes of the Fallen, launched in December 2023, those that have been desperate to get again into the sneakers of protagonist Clive for extra of the fashionable action-RPG fight had one thing to chew on. Nevertheless it’s the upcoming The Rising Tide DLC that can spherical out the entire package deal, letting you wield Leviathan as an Eikon energy and answering extra of the questions left behind by the bottom sport. After enjoying by means of 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 specific 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. “Now we have deliberately modified the balancing of fight from that of the primary sport. Particularly, we have boosted the general energy of the enemies within the DLC,” Kujiraoka said. This was abundantly clear within the boss battle in opposition to Omega, which was a deal with for Last Fantasy sickos (particularly of the MMORPG selection) but additionally a stunning problem that took me a number of tries to complete. It was harder than any boss you encounter in the primary story and borrows numerous complicated mechanics that jogged my memory of Last 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 group enjoying FFXVI, saying, “Partly, it’s because we had set the enemy energy somewhat low in the primary sport to make sure that as many gamers as doable would be capable of attain the ending. However, from participant reactions and streams, it appeared to me that we may perhaps push that enemy energy somewhat larger.” He additionally talked about that since each DLCs open up simply earlier than the ultimate act of the bottom sport, gamers will probably 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 participant who takes half in Savage raids, it wasn’t simply the diploma of problem that left an impression, however how acquainted the method felt in studying the way to beat the boss. There’s some resemblance to the Omega boss fights within the MMORPG that got here by means of 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’d draw from previous installments from the sequence, together with FFXIV, for inspiration on the way to visualize abilities or for naming, however these are purely homages to earlier titles and a nod to the followers. Having mentioned that, it’s stunning 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 sequence as an entire, and it is also the primary time that numerous abilities are portrayed in 3D. Maybe meaning these appearances in FFXIV may go away a very sturdy impression? And maybe FFXIV and FFXVI really feel related as a result of they share some frequent components in the way in which they add variation to how battles unfold and the way they place significance on the narrative.”
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 observe. Kujiraoka offered some perception on how music got here collectively for the DLC, and advised me, “When talking to Soken, I might at all times clarify the state of affairs the place the piece can be used, locations the place I would wish to change the music, and so forth., all while displaying him precise gameplay. At occasions, I did specify specific 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 clear 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 means of within the background theme as you ascend the dungeon the place the DLC takes place. And my suspicions have been confirmed, so it looks like Soken may be very a lot part of how these tales come throughout.
Kujiraoka mentioned, “There have been occasions the place Soken may need determined it could work finest to have one other piece [of music] inserted between the 2 that have been requested, and we might find yourself getting again extra tracks than we ordered. I belief him, so I left these varieties of selections to him.” Basically, Soken and the sound crew have been allowed to simply cook dinner. As Kujiraoka confirmed, “This was additionally the results of Soken’s personal pondering: constructing upon the environment of Echoes of the Fallen and his concept of Omega.”
Nonetheless, that is not all. On the subject of the upcoming Leviathan-themed DLC, Kujiraoka advised me, “Now we have additionally obtained the music for The Rising Tide, and every bit is incredible. You may anticipate nice issues!” Perhaps it is time to get “By 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. Relating to tying lingering narrative components collectively, Kujiraoka mentioned, “All of the free ends from the primary sport that we left ourselves to make DLC with have been picked up by the primary and second DLC, so I really assume that making anything can be fairly tough.” That might give the impression that The Rising Tide DLC can be the ultimate bow on FFXVI as we all know it, however he additionally said, “There’s the query of what you may discover on the outer isles, throughout the seas from Valisthea–that’s one thing I am fairly enthusiastic about, from the angle of a developer and as a participant myself!” So perhaps this two-part DLC arc shouldn’t be 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.
Irrespective of which manner you chop it, FFXVI tried to include some heavy narrative themes akin 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 features of the setting’s historical past, I needed to ask if The Rising Tide DLC would revisit the grim facet of its politics and messages. Kujiraoka said that he cannot say a lot for the reason that 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 individuals will stay in a world with fewer crystals or one the place they can not 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 occasions, it confirmed that the longer term 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 plenty of snippets that give a glimpse into how the world may prove after the ending of the primary sport, 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 be capable of go on residing in a world with out magic.”
Echoes of the Fallen is on the market now and is a reasonably quick, 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. Nonetheless, if you happen to’ve but to leap into the bottom sport, be sure you take a look at my Last Fantasy XVI evaluate the place I gave it a rating of 9/10 and concluded, “It could fall quick in some respects, nevertheless it ought to be celebrated for its most beautiful 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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