In the 35-year history of the series, Final Fantasy XVI appears to be the most am***ious installment ever, as creator Square Enix aims to connect with both devoted fans and entirely new audiences. Final Fantasy 16 appears to be making the entire leap to real-time action, a brave step by an experienced developer given the series' heritage in conventional turn-based combat. The epic Eikon combat was among the additional in-game footage that Sony just showcased during State of Play. While such battles are graphically stunning, their importance in the game's plot should only be brief to prevent it from being overly dispersed among many genres. In the game, players can stock up on Final Fantasy XVI Gil.

Eikons are summons in Final Fantasy, and they've always played a relatively important role in the series' lore. Characters like Ifrit and Shiva have appeared in several Final Fantasy games over the years, and are often the most powerful weapons at the player's disposal. Final Fantasy 16 hopes to go a step further by giving players full control over Eikons at multiple points in the game as they fight each other. These massive battles look unlike anything the series has offered before.

Final Fantasy 16's Eikon battles need to be done right

Part of Final Fantasy's success is the series' ability to strike the perfect balance between story, characters, visuals, and gameplay. It has proven difficult for developers over the years to nail down all four of these important pillars simultaneously, but Final Fantasy has been doing just that since the series transitioned to full 3D in 1997 with Final Fantasy VII. Turn-based combat remains engaging thanks to challenging combat and an innovative level-up system, and many fans won't have any problem if the series continues to move forward in the same way. For Final Fantasy, however, director Naoki Yoshida continuing down the same tried-and-true path wasn't an option, as he wanted to modernize the series for younger generations.

With that in mind, even the most optimistic fan will hope that Final Fantasy 16 doesn't spread itself too thin by trying to be several things at once. Done right, Final Fantasy 16's dynamic action-based combat system can be excellent when combined with more traditional RPG mechanics, and the focus should be on making sure Square Enix sticks with that. Adding Eikon combat to the mix could backfire if it proves to be a complicated, unnecessary distraction rather than a quick, fun sideline activity before going straight back to the main game.

Minigames in the Final Fantasy series have always been fun activities, such as Final Fantasy 10's Blitzball or Final Fantasy 8's Triple Triad are hugely popular in their own right. If handled properly, Eikon's battles could soon find themselves in the same situation. Conversely, if they feel like unnecessary additions, they can hurt the game's overall impact.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake modernizes the series and manages to strike the perfect balance between more traditional turn-based combat and real-time action. The game managed to stay true to its source material enough to please longtime fans, but it also found a new audience thanks to its emphasis on action. Final Fantasy XVI hopes to go one step further, and if the game manages to successfully blend genres together, it's sure to become one of the most beloved entries in the franchise's storied history. For more game guides, please visit wmbtc.com.