Final Fantasy 16is following in the footsteps of a very long history of different games, animations, and other projects. It’s common for the different games to have interconnected themes despite having sometimes vastly different worlds and stories. Some of the games share more in common than the others, like the Ivalice world inFinal Fantasy 12andFF Tactics. Another project in that vein has seen a lot of missteps since its inception, but might end up being redeemed to a degree whenFinal Fantasy 16eventually releases.
After the release ofFinal Fantasy 13, Square Enix released plans for a full collection in the style ofCompilation of FF7.FF13kicked off the Fabula Nova Crystallis collection. It was originally planned as a series of interconnected games that would include the now-infamousFF Versus 13that eventually becameFF15. As one of the very few games in theFinal Fantasyfranchise to receive true sequels,Final Fantasy 13was supposed to kick off a major event for Square Enix. But other thanFF Type-0, none of the side projects really came to fruition.
RELATED:Final Fantasy 16’s Quiet Development is a Double-Edged Sword
How the Fabula Nova Crystallis Collection is Connected to the Larger Franchise
Part of the issue centered around Square Enix veteran Tetsuya Nomura and his attention being split between the mainlineFinal Fantasygames andKingdom Hearts. Development of the first major game in the Fabula Nova Crystallis ended up in over a decade of limbo before its attachments to the project were scrapped in favor of becoming the mainlineFinal Fantasy 15. Looking to the future and the scant clues fans have received so far, it seems likeFinal Fantasy 16could end up being more relatedto the project than not.
The key ideas of theFinal FantasyFabula Nova Crystallis collectionwere initially built around some of the same key concepts the franchise has dealt with since the beginning. Originally starting as a fairly straightforward adaptation ofDungeons & Dragons, albeit with a healthy dose of Japanese culture, it quickly blossomed into the more unique franchise that fans recognize asFinal Fantasy. A core idea of most games in the series, and specifically with the Fabula Nova Crystallis project, was the importance of crystals and of fate. These are themes seen throughout the franchise, and have impacted everything from mainline games to spin-offs likeKingdom HeartsandBravely Default.
Final Fantasy 16seemingly continues to focus on those themes, albeit with some important twists. Nomura’s emphasis on the importance of fate is clear in both the groundwork forFF15and the new version ofFF7. It’s also important inKingdom Hearts. It seems likeFF16may be more similar toFF7 Remakein the sense that the protagonists will be attempting to defy that fate, along with the power of the crystals.FF16is following a lot of series' trends, especially the ones related to Fabula Nova Crystallis.
Crystals are very often important inFinal Fantasygames, but to different degrees. InFF7for example, this is represented by materia. Materia is a form of crystallized knowledge and energy that players can utilize to equip characters with different magic and other abilities. In the main story, the critically important materia are only Meteor and Holy, which are twists on classicFinal Fantasyspells, but otherwise the crystals act as a mechanical device. WithFF16the crystals are tied directly to summon monsters, which is another common mechanic in the franchise that’s pushed to the foreground of the narrative again in the new game.
RELATED:Final Fantasy 16 Appears to be Breaking a Big Promise
Connecting Final Fantasy 16 to Fabula Nova Crystallis
InFF16, each of the game’s nations are home to a Mother Crystal, which is in turn tied to a specific summon creature, called Eikons this time around. The Mother Crystals are also hinted at being the source of magic and technological might in each nation. One thing from the Fabula Nova Crystallis project that feels similar to this idea was actually a tech demo from back in 2012. CalledAgni’s Philosophy, the demo featured a clash between a military group and a religious one guarding a large magical crystal. Much likethe Eikons inFF16, the crystal is used near the end of the tech demo to summon a giant creature that somewhat resembled previous iterations of Bahamut.
That tech demo was intended to help showcase both the technical prowess of Square Enix and a glimpse at the “fantasy based in reality” concept teased withVersus 13and the Fabula Nova Crystallis at large. That does bring up one of the key differences between the other games in the project and what’s to come inFF16. After decades of sci-fi and steampunk elements mixed in,Final Fantasy 16features a very traditional medieval fantasy worldwhen compared to other games likeFF7. That being said, there’s some clear aesthetic parallels between the aforementionedAgni’s PhilosophyandFinal Fantasy 16. It’s worth mentioning that this could be entirely coincidental, though, as it may be something to chalk up to the general aesthetic ofFinal Fantasy.
It’s hard not to compareFF16to other games in the Fabula Nova Crystallis project,specifically withFinal Fantasy Versus 13. The ideas brought up in the reveal trailer point to some very key parallels with the approach to how important crystals and fate will be to its world. Main protagonist Clive has sworn vengeance against the Eikons, and as such the Mother Crystals themselves. He has also seemingly joined up with a group that shares the same goal, to the point of seeming like zealots. This sets up a lot of similar conflicts between religious and state institutions that were seen inFF13andType-0.It’s unlikely to be just a coincidence.
To step purely into the domain of conjecture, it’s possible thatFF16could serve as a prequel of sorts to the later Fabula Nova Crystallis games. It isn’t hard to imagine that the strict separation of humanity from nature and fear of the l’Cie seen inFF13was spurred on because of a major conflict between humanity and the Eikons that could be built up inFF16. This could be an interesting way to tie the games together, and fulfill the original promise of the collection. But even with its common core concepts, it’s also possible thatFF16could buck series' traditionsand chart a new course for the series altogether.
Final Fantasy 16is in development for the PlayStation 5.
MORE:Every AAA PS5 Game Rumored or Confirmed to be in Development
