Final Fantasy 16 Unleashes Astonishing Summons - Leaving FF7 Rebirth in the Dust!

Highlights

Final Fantasy 16 focuses on Eikons and their battles, which are fast, violent, and over-the-top, setting it apart from other entries in the franchise.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth offers a different approach by putting less emphasis on summons, creating a more deliberate and tactful RPG experience. With every installment, the Final Fantasy series explores different ways to incorporate summons, showcasing its versatility in storytelling and providing distinct gameplay encounters.

Now that Final Fantasy 16 has been out on the PlayStation 5 for a few months, fans are eagerly awaiting the release of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Despite both games belonging to the same franchise, recent previews have highlighted significant differences between the two. FF16 is primarily a linear character action game centered around its protagonist Clive, while FF7 Rebirth will be a semi-open-world action RPG featuring a diverse ensemble cast as the player's party. Another notable contrast lies in how each game incorporates the franchise's summonable entities.

Summoning has been a crucial aspect of the Final Fantasy series since its third installment, with the lore and purpose of each entity varying from game to game. This includes well-known summons like Ramuh, Shiva, Ifrit, Phoenix, Odin, Titan, Bahamut, and Leviathan, which have made appearances throughout the franchise. These summons establish an aesthetic connection between different Final Fantasy games. Although Final Fantasy 7 also includes some of these entities, they do not take center stage. In Final Fantasy 16, however, the world is profoundly impacted by these powerful beings referred to as Eikons.

Eikons Are The Focus of FF16

In Final Fantasy 16, the destiny of a world is shaped by its magic and the dominants, who are the most powerful wielders of magic. Clive, as the dominant of Ifrit, possesses a unique ability to absorb elemental powers from other dominants known as Eikons. These Eikons can harness their powers and even transform into them. A distinct feature of Final Fantasy 16 is that players can directly control Ifrit and engage in battles against other Eikons. These epic battles surpass anything previously seen in the franchise; they are fast-paced, intense, and impressively extravagant.

The Eikon battles in FF16 are integral to its identity and set it apart from other installments. The Eikons and their dominants play pivotal roles in the world's politics and the ongoing wars that shape the backdrop of the story. The game's action mechanics enable these battles to be swift and unrefined, deviating from the deliberate strategy often found in other Final Fantasy games. The relentless focus on Clive as the main protagonist ensures that these grand battles remain engaging even without the involvement of the rest of the cast.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's Use of Summons Will Be A Step Back

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth handles summons differently compared to Final Fantasy 16. While summons exist in the game, they play a less prominent role in the main story and the lore of the world. Rather than being scripted set-piece battles, summon attacks in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth are presented through animated sequences. This departure from FF16 is actually beneficial because the epic Eikon battles of FF16 would not align with Final Fantasy 7's storyline and would detract from the party-based combat. Additionally, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, being an RPG, emphasizes a more methodical and strategic approach in combat, which goes against the grand scale battles of FF16. Despite the difference in summon usage, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth aims to deliver a unique story and gameplay experience. Final Fantasy games often diverge from each other in terms of summons and overall focus, so it comes as no surprise that each game offers varying gameplay mechanics and storytelling. For fans who prefer the summon-centric gameplay of FF16, it is worth noting that Final Fantasy 16 DLC is currently in development.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth will launch on February 29, 2024 on PS5.