Unleashing Epic Battles: How Final Fantasy 16 Takes Combat to New Heights

With Ryota Suzuki, a renowned developer known for his expertise in high-intensity combat in video games, being a part of Final Fantasy 16's development team, fans of Final Fantasy and Devil May Cry have set their expectations for the game's combat system exceptionally high. For those unfamiliar, Suzuki has an impressive track record, having worked as a designer for Devil May Cry 5, served as the Design Lead for Dragon's Dogma, and received credits in numerous fighting games. Now that players have the opportunity to experience Final Fantasy 16 firsthand, it is time to determine if the game's combat truly lives up to the standards set by Devil May Cry.

Disclaimer: These comparisons are just for fun, the combat systems in these two games are very different from each other with different goals.

8 Higher Graphical Fidelity & Visual Clarity

To put it plainly, Final Fantasy 16 stands out as a visually stunning masterpiece among games in the current generation. Despite a few performance hiccups that have led certain players to lament their PS5's apparent meltdown, the sheer visual quality of this epic, reminiscent of the acclaimed television series Game of Thrones, remains unmatched. This is particularly remarkable for a game built on fast-paced and immersive character-driven gameplay.

7 Enemies In The Staggered State Are A Blast To Test Combos On

That being said, in terms of visibility during combat, both Devil May Cry 5 and Final Fantasy are pretty much on par. Both games heavily utilize particle effects, which can sometimes make it challenging to grasp the action during intense combat sequences. However, where Final Fantasy 16 takes a slight lead is in its attention to detail in the user interface. It is incredibly helpful for players to be able to anticipate the enemy's spells or attacks beforehand, thanks to the on-screen display of the spell/attack names. This is just one example of the numerous thoughtful UI elements present in the game.

In Final Fantasy 16, the combat is designed to enhance the storytelling and provide players with a captivating moment-to-moment experience. Unlike the Devil May Cry games, which prioritize combos as the primary source of player satisfaction, Final Fantasy puts a greater emphasis on the narrative, with combat serving as a means to progress the story.

But, interestingly enough, the Staggered state that Clive puts the majority of 'important' enemies into by depleting their Will during battle serves as a valuable combo-practice tool. It subtly encourages players to optimize their actions and master the most effective usage of each ability within a combo. While Devil May Cry games also feature ways to 'stagger' enemies or bosses, their mechanics do not create as much vulnerability for opponents as Staggering does in FF16.

6 Clive Can Actually Move & Fire At The Same Time

In these games, players cannot constantly engage their opponents in close combat, incessantly slashing away at their formidable health bars. There will be instances when players will need to maintain a safe distance while evading enemy attacks, particularly against certain types of enemies or when confronted with multiple adversaries.

And, during those moments, DMC players have consistently had access to some form of alternative long-range option to utilize, with the majority of them being firearms (though these can also be used up close during a combo). Dante wields Ebony and Ivory, Nero possesses the Blue Rose Magnum, and just like his counterparts, Clive possesses various magical projectiles corresponding to the currently active Eikon that he can unleash. However, while Nero and Dante are typically confined to a stationary or walking animation while firing their guns, Clive retains the ability to move freely while unleashing his magical attacks.

5 There's A Lock-On Setting

The Devil May Cry franchise has always required players to keep the 'Lock On' input held down to concentrate on a specific enemy, rarely offering the option to toggle it on and off. While this approach does make some sense, considering the fluid and intricate combat mechanics of the DMC games, which can sometimes be hindered by locking onto enemies, it would still be preferable to provide players with a choice in this matter.

4 It's More Approachable While Also Less Complex

The elephant in the room is that many people are strangely reluctant to admit that Final Fantasy 16's combat is a simplified version of DMC5's. However, this intentional decision by the developers is not necessarily a negative aspect. In fact, it makes FF16 more accessible to a broader audience than Devil May Cry 5 ever was.

Plus, if the combat proved too challenging and intricate to grasp, players would ultimately experience fulfillment once they mastered it. However, this would only occur after encountering obstacles in the form of intense boss fights or minor skirmishes, resulting in these pivotal moments in the storyline potentially losing their impact upon victory. Taking into account that FF16, along with similar games, places a greater emphasis on storytelling compared to the Devil May Cry series, the combat system was meticulously crafted with this objective in mind.

3 It Has A Low Skill Floor But A High Skill Ceiling

Contrary to the initial impression, Final Fantasy 16's combat may appear to be simplistic and straightforward, based on the aforementioned entries. However, this is far from the truth, as the combat system only gives off that illusion initially, concealing a plethora of complexities beneath the surface.

Basically, FF16's combat exemplifies the concept of 'low skill floor but high skill ceiling', signifying that it is effortless to grasp and grasp the fundamentals, but attaining mastery of all the intricate systems is an entirely different realm. It is only when players begin employing abilities like Heatwave to counteract magic, Rook's Gambit to counter physical assaults, and implementing Stomp to 'animation cancel' their attacks that they genuinely commence their journey towards mastering the game's intricacies.

2 Fewer Inputs But A Similar Output

The character action fans, especially those who are fans of DMC, have always shared 'joke posts' and community jokes regarding the rapid input complexity that can wear out player controllers. The numerous buttons, triggers, bumpers, and more that players have to press within a short time frame to pull off incredibly stylish combos in these games can easily cause a controller to start sparking and emitting smoke.

And, while FF16 also expects its players to have similar skill levels, it does not require them to input an extensive list of button presses like a shopping list. The combat mechanics in FF16 are intentionally designed to be less complex, but the resulting combos and damage output are on par with those in DMC5. This is intended to allow players to feel just as stylish as they would mastering DMC5, but with less overall effort. Additionally, the inclusion of the NG+ 'Final Fantasy' mode in FF16 provides ample opportunities for players to test their skills in exciting and new scenarios.

1 Limit Break & Devil Trigger Regeneration

Let's now discuss Devil Triggers, which have been present in the first Devil May Cry game. They can be described as a Super, an Ultimate, or a temporary Transformation, depending on the player's familiarity with different game genres. When Dante activates his Devil Trigger, his appearance undergoes a change, his damage output increases, his speed is enhanced, his attacks become swifter, and he gains access to new moves that are typically exclusive to the Devil Trigger state.

In Final Fantasy 16, Clive has a version of Devil Trigger called Limit Breaking. When he enters his Eikonic state, he gains similar bonuses to Dante, Vergil, or Nero when they activate Devil Trigger. However, players can use the Limit Break ability more frequently than Devil Trigger, as it is easier to fill the bars, especially at higher levels. Final Fantasy 16 is currently available for PS5.