Cognition Dissemination: Inactive Time Battle

Square Enix and producer Naoki Yoshida took it upon themselves to largely clear up some mysteries that surrounded Final Fantasy XVI, particularly regarding its gameplay.

It was established in the first trailer that the game will have real-time battles, but despite only protagonist Clive being shown in fighting action, Yoshida confirmed that the game will have parties. Well, sort of. Characters will travel with Clive who can be given occasional orders by the player and offer input in the story. But they’ll largely be AI controlled, as the players mainly use Clive through three generations (as a 16-year-old, in his 20s, and his 30s). This sounds similar to how things worked in Final Fantasy XV prior to the patch that made the other characters playable, though perhaps it’s more identical to the Kingdom Hearts game, where it’s clear the main character is the biggest force and the others are mere assistants.

It was also clarified that the game will not be open world, though the developers are still being vague about precisely how exploration will be. It could take cues from Dragon Age Inquisition and The Witcher 3 through having large explorable zones instead of a gigantic world. Either way, it won’t be a repeat of the previous numbered game, perhaps for the better. But the battle system will be my focus here.

The need for a new turn-based single-player Final Fantasy game could not be greater, now that we know what FFXVI will be. Consider how long it’s been since the last such game in the franchise on consoles, even outside the main numbered games. Final Fantasy XIII-2 was the last numbered title that contained an even semi-turn-based system, though it and Final Fantasy XIII’s were somewhat (please note the emphasis) of an enhancement of Final Fantasy XII’s offline MMORPG-ish system in how players could only control one character at a time. Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII helped push the franchise down the path of embracing real-time combat, which it has done further and further with each installment.

All recent FF titles have contained a variation of real-time combat. In addition to the aforementioned Lightning Returns and FFXV, there’s Final Fantasy VII Remake, which, in fairness, kept elements of the Active Time Battle through its more powerful attacks and the option to use multiple characters. There’s also Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, a semi-alternate retelling of the original Final Fantasy game with wondrously goofy character designs and writing.

Now, FFXVI will have system that looks inspired by the Devil May Cry games and Dragon’s Dogma, with the combat director worked on those two franchises at Capcom, Ryota Suzuki, fulfilling the same task here. There’s nothing wrong with action games and action RPGs, nor do I have a problem with Final Fantasy embracing that. But I wish there was another option: A new turn-based game.

Square Enix has the resources to spearhead an alternative type of FF game compared to titles like FFXVI and the continuing FFVIIR series, in either a 3D polygonal or even HD-2D forms. This plan wouldn’t involve devouring too many internal resources considering such a project would be largely externally developed, like the previous FF remakes before FFVIIR and the other HD-2D games. I’m aware that the Bravely Default and Octopath Traveler franchises exist, but those only take cues from FF titles, mainly in their aesthetics. Heck, Octopath’s structure takes more from the SaGa games than FF in terms of gameplay. A new FF game with an Active Time Battle system similar to Final Fantasy X-2’s would feel notably different from those, and be considered nostalgic for old people who still play FF games like me.

As I mentioned in a previous post, it would be nice if Square Enix started a series of them. This was reportedly the original promise behind Final Fantasy IX, a title not originally planned to be a numbered game but made to kickstart a series classic-style games in the vein of the first six FF games. This was planned during a time where main numbered FF games were still turn-based, and doing such a series now would easily make them distinguishable from the current crop of action-driven games.

If Square Enix is considering any kind of future FF spinoff, they should consider a game like this instead of those like Stranger of Paradise, Dissidia Final Fantasy NT, or even World of Final Fantasy, three games that, despite their merits, only found dedicated audiences and fell off sales charts very quickly. (At least Dissidia had an arcade version that potentially made some money.) They would have little to lose with giving the go-ahead to a turn-based project if they green lit the previous projects. I’m certain a title that takes inspiration from the Super Nintendo, PlayStation, or even early PlayStation 2 titles would do better than those three.

Square Enix introduced the snazziest version of the turn-based ATB system yet with FFX-2, and proceeded to never utilize it again despite having ample opportunity to do so. There is not a better time to rectify this years-long error. There is demand for it beyond the person writing this and the maybe-two people who will get this far into the post. Square Enix won’t stop releasing FF spinoffs by the dozen, and this is one of the best ideas for one around. I’m not confident this will happen, but I’m open to being proven wrong. Your move, guys.