Final Fantasy The second DLC, titled The Rising Tide, launches in spring 2024. Both are paid DLCs, but players can purchase the Final Fantasy XVI Expansion Pass to enjoy both chapters at a discounted price.
Echoes of the Fallen unlocks an all-new story, battles, weapons, accessories, level up, and more. For players who have completed the required quests, this new adventure begins before the final battle of the base game, where strange and dark crystals begin to spread on the black market. Players will follow Clive and his friends during their investigation as they encounter a group of suspicious merchants, leading them to a fallen, long-abandoned tower known as Sagespire. There, they will reveal the terrible secrets that await them inside.
Special bonus items for purchasing the Echoes of the Fallen or Expansion Pass include the Buster Sword, allowing Clive to use Cloud Strife’s iconic weapon from Final Fantasy VII, and the “Away (1987)” Orchestrion Roll, which allows a tuned version of the “Away” song to play. As background music in the hideout.
The Rising Tide, scheduled for release in Spring 2024, will bring new challenges and more, including a showdown between Clive and the legendary Eikon, Leviathan.
We had an early hands-on preview with Echoes of the Fallen, and were able to send some questions to Takeo Kujiraoka, Final Fantasy XVI’s lead combat designer, who also served as the director of this DLC, to learn more.
PlayStation Blog: Omega is a classic Final Fantasy boss, appearing in many early Final Fantasy games. Can you tell us a little about the Omega releases that inspired you in its 16th incarnation?
Takeo Kujiraoka: Omega Battle is generally divided into two halves, each with different concepts and inspirations.
For the first half of Omega Battle, we took inspiration from the boss’s previous appearances in the FINAL FANTASY series, including his origin in FINAL FANTASY V, and crafted that into the action of FINAL FANTASY XVI in a way that fits perfectly. Instead of taking inspiration from a specific entry, we focused heavily on the “Omega feel” that fans of the series, myself included, are familiar with.
However, we deliberately deviate from the “Omega Feel” in the second half. We’ve put some bold twists on this iteration of Omega so that her physical characteristics and actions will convince players that this Omega is unique to XVI and leave a lasting impression. I think players will see that FINAL FANTASY XVI’s encounter with Omega is more aggressive than ever.
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The boss fight against Omega felt unique and different in terms of gameplay from the Eikons. Can you tell us a little about the concept behind Omega’s gameplay?
The production of Omega Battle actually started from the idea of having a boss battle that could be compared to an Ikon battle.
You might wonder then, if that’s the case, why it felt so unique from other Eikon battles. I like to think of this as an achievement by our team, who, during development, not only improved their skills, but remained highly motivated. Working on the main game helped them gain a deeper understanding of the XVI development environment, ultimately allowing them to create content that took greater advantage of that environment’s unique characteristics.
The final product is the result of them having the mindset to deliver a new and distinct gaming experience.
The way this battle involves the surrounding area is unlike anything in the main game, and is structured in a way that allows it to tell a story without the need for excessive cutscenes.
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In your opinion, what makes a good Ikon fight?
It goes without saying that engaging in combat (a player-controlled battle with an enemy) is essential, but I believe that the story being told through the way the battle develops – through all of the enemy’s actions – is crucial to making a good ikon. battle. I think that rather than just showing a heated conflict, illustrating the mindsets and motivations of the participants and tying these elements into combat can enhance player immersion and the overall game experience. I would say that one of the unique characteristics of Eikon’s battles in Final Fantasy XVI is the dedication to creating a one-time system in pursuit of that.
I’m okay if everything we’ve set up doesn’t show up for players, and if players feel like, “Wow, I don’t really know what’s going on, but this is cool,” that’s more than enough for me. Ultimately, these are the things I try to keep in mind as I develop.
The boss fight music was distinctive and a stark contrast to the rest of the soundtrack. Can you tell us how the music came about and what previous Omega releases, if any, inspired the theme for this new boss?
The story of this DLC focuses on the Fallen. The Fallen had a more advanced and futuristic civilization, so to speak, than the one in which Clive lives. As such, we wanted to do something completely different for the sounds and visuals than we did for those in the main game.
The music used in the main game consists mostly of orchestral pieces, so we decided to change the genre and asked the sound team for something closer to electronic rock. We also asked for it to be difficult, so that it matches the aggressive battle. And thus the track was born.
The track includes arrangements of Omega-related music from FINAL FANTASY XIV. Although this was the idea of the composer, Masayoshi Soken, there are no narrative connections to our Omega and those in FINAL FANTASY XIV.
Regardless, the final product is still very impressive and fits perfectly into the battle, so we ask that you try to enjoy it without any preconceptions.
How can you ensure that the lore and history of Sagespire brings players a new understanding of the world, even though many players will likely only experience this after finishing the game?
The first DLC focuses on and fleshes out the story around the Fallen, a theme that remained shrouded in mystery in the main game. However, one will not need to play the DLC to fully understand the main game. The content is designed to provide a deeper look into the world of FINAL FANTASY XVI, and should be enjoyable regardless of whether you’ve watched the end of the main scenario or not.
However, please note that this DLC will only highlight some aspects of Fallen, as we don’t want to confuse anyone. Think of it as filling in some of the missing pieces of the puzzle, while leaving out the others to allow room for imagination. World lore fans should have a great time delving into not only the questline, but also learning more about Valistea across the story and the thousand volumes.
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Celebrating the nominations and wins at The Game Awards, Final Fantasy XVI Discounted on PlayStation Store from December 7-11.