Key conclusions
-
Final Fantasy 16
drew heavily from
Game of Thrones
showcasing dark plot elements and political intrigue. -
FF16
The move towards more mature storylines with a focus on a single character marked a significant change in the series. -
Final Fantasy 17
can continue down similarly
Game of Thrones
-an inspired path, or follow a new vision to avoid repeating too many of the same elements.
Final Fantasy introduced a combination that recently resulted in two successful, if quite different, entries in Square Enix's powerful role-playing franchise. Final Fantasy fans received the second part of the beloved remake of the seventh title, Final Fantasy 7: Rebirthearlier this year. before that, Final Fantasy 16 launched in 2023, and with it Square has deviated significantly from a number of long-standing standards and expectations. Although some of them came as a surprise to many, and not all were immediately accepted, FF16 was one of the boldest new directions for the series, showing how the developer was trying to evolve Final Fantasy for the present.
One of the main influences on Final Fantasy 16 it was quite evident throughout Game of Thrones. With a darker plot that contains twists and turns of political intrigue, family betrayal and impending catastrophes that threaten the world, traces of George RR Martin and the adaptation of the popular HBO show can be seen throughout most of FF16presentation and world building. Producer Naoki Yoshida apparently even tasked the development team with a preview GoT to capture some of his styles and moods. How Final Fantasy looks to move forward, there's something to be said for whether the next numbered title should follow a similar path or deviate from it.
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Relatives
6 things Final Fantasy 17 can learn from Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Now that Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is out, the game does so many things right that Final Fantasy 17, when it finally arrives, should be taking notes.
Pros and cons of Final Fantasy 17 being heavily inspired by Game of Thrones like FF16
Final Fantasy 16's Game of Thrones-like feel was one of the best options
One of the most compelling aspects Final Fantasy 16 was a move towards darker and more mature storylines and characterizations than much of what the series had done before. Focusing primarily on the journey of one main character, Clive Rossfield, and the personal traumas he has endured, the FF16 with an emotional charge not really seen even in others that have ventured into this territory, such as the sensational sixth title.
In addition to being set in a stricter fantasy world that lacks the steampunk aspects seen in some of the other titles, FF16 leaned much more toward the grittier, more uncomfortable, and more morally gray areas, making it stand out among the series in that regard. Final Fantasy 17 can try to recapture that feeling and take the same approach, embracing and expanding it Game of Thrones-a similar direction to create an equally dark and nuanced experience.
Why Final Fantasy 17 might be a wise change of course compared to Vision FF16
On the contrary, as effective and memorable as Final Fantasy 16 was for drawing from the elements of Game of Thronesdoing it again definitely comes with its own risks. The series is well known for alternating primary tones, themes and settings between entries. When Square decided to follow too closely Final Fantasy 16design in the next master entry, it can stop waiting to be done retroactively FF16 seem less unique. Final Fantasy 17 be too same restoring many of FF16The beats can feel like too much of the same thing, reducing the overall quality of both.
Final Fantasy 17 is at a crossroads with how he decides to follow his heels FF16especially in his direction on the aforementioned aspects. It may well try to be a sort of spiritual sequel FF16 in terms of narrative and setting, but it will also likely require some notable differences and inclusions to avoid seeming like an uninspired copy of the previous work. There are good reasons for this FF17 iterate on the main ideas that FF16 pulled out from Game of Thrones to maximize your strength. However, there is an equally strong case for ditching them in favor of an entirely new vision to keep the franchise fresh and interesting going forward.