Final Fantasy 16 now has an official release date
And Torgal the dog is a party member.
Final Fantasy 16 now has a release date: 22nd June 2023.
The news was announced at The Game Awards by producer Naoki Yoshida, along with a brand new Revenge trailer that gives fresh details on the game.
There's more combat, the colossal Eikons, and a glimpse of party members that includes Torgal the pet dog!
"Revenge is a weapon," says a voice in the trailer, seemingly setting up the plot.
Then: "I sometimes wonder if I am controlling it, or if it's controlling me", presumably Clive discussing his status as Dominant.
We get an even closer look at the Eikons, including Garuda, Shiva, Ifrit, and the huge battles between them.
But best of all is a glimpse of party members. Yoshida previously said Clive will be joined by non-playable party members, but now we can see who they are - and it includes Torgal the dog, who also looks to be pettable.
More flashes of combat show off Clive's moveset, from lightning-infused sword attacks and windy acrobatics, to fiery Phoenix spins and powerful quakes.
The trailer's final flourish is a breathtaking battle between Eikons.
Oh and there's chocobo riding!
Further details have also been given in a new PlayStation Blog.
Confirming Torgal is a party member, he can not only attack enemies but will mend Clive's wounds. If timed right, the two can prove a "devastating duo". The pup was "found alone in a snowfield during one of Archduke Elwin's expeditions to the freezing north, and gifted to his sons upon his return". Now, a decade later, Torgal "serves his master with the same fierce loyalty he did when he was but a pup". How very Game of Thrones.
Also joining the party is Cidolfus Telamon - yes, there's a Cid in this game! A heretic from the deadlands, he is the Dominant of lightning Eikon Ramuh. The Blog confirms that while Torgal can be ordered directly by the player, other party members are fully autonomous.
Lastly, Final Fantasy 16 will include a Story-focused mode as part of its accessibility options. In this mode, Clive will evade some attacks automatically and Eikonic combos can be triggered with simple button presses. Action-focused mode will give full control to the player.
Final Fantasy 16 looks better and better in every trailer and pre-orders are now live. I for one am very excited.