In partnership with Square Enix
While Final Fantasy XVI fans are still immersed in Square Enix’s latest adventure, one thing has become clear: the world of Valisthea is brutal — and whether you’re facing off against soldiers, monsters, or even the land’s devastating Eikons, being prepared for battle is a must. To learn more about Final Fantasy XVI’s weapons, armour and combat, NME invited Matt Easton — a historical weapons expert from Schola Gladiatoria — to teach us everything he could about the game’s deadliest aspects.
As it turned out, that was a lot: much of Final Fantasy XVI’s combat gear has been drawn from real-world periods of history, from protagonist Clive Rosfield’s 15th-century longsword to Eikon-wielding companion Jill Warrick’s renaissance-era rapier. Other design choices are wider-reaching — freedom fighter Cid uses the Japanese martial art of “Iaido” in battle, while Easton uses a katana replica to point out similarities between his blade and the traditional Japanese sword.
However, much of Final Fantasy XVI is rooted in fantasy: Benedikta, the Dominant wielder of Garuda, uses a jagged “arming sword” unlike most real-world weapons, and stays lightly-armoured so that she can utilise her ability to fly in combat. Like other Dominants, Benedikta is capable of transforming into a monstrous Eikon at will — so with these powers in play, combat in Final Fantasy XVI is often unlike anything we’ve ever seen in the real world.
![Final Fantasy 16.](https://www.nme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/FFXVI-3-credit-Square-Enix@2000x1270.jpg)
“The fact there are giant creatures there obviously plays such a big part in dictating the choices of armour and weapon,” Easton points out. “In a world with these creatures…what weapons would you actually choose? I think there’s been some real imaginative choices made, and I like the unique takes on the weapons [and] some of the differences we see.”
You can watch Easton’s full breakdown to learn about Clive’s combat style, why Prince Dion is “ready for war,” and much more — though if you can’t wait to jump into battle yourself, Final Fantasy XVI is available now on PS5.
The post Watch a historical weapons expert break down combat in ‘Final Fantasy XVI’ appeared first on NME.