Final Fantasy XVI confirms hard mode and New Game+, how long will it last?

Final Fantasy XVI advances slowly but surely. Square Enix's new game still has no concrete date, but the company's title has set next summer as a launch window. In several interviews, director Hiroshi Takani has not only confirmed that development is 95% complete, but has also revealed some interesting details, such as the length of the campaign or the inclusion of a hard mode and a New Game+ mode.

"The truth is that during the campaign, there will be plenty of optional content to explore as early as the first playthrough. You will be able to experience most of these without having to complete Final Fantasy 16 first”, said the director in statements to the Italian magazine EverEye. The story itself, according to Takai's own estimates, will last between 35 and 40 hours.

New modes

"We have also included quite a lot of content suitable for difficulty lovers" which will lead to these players having to squeeze their skills at the controls. There will be a higher difficulty mode, with more powerful enemies. As if that were not enough, Square Enix is preparing a New Game+ mode, which will give us the opportunity to start the campaign again and carry over the character's level and skills. Another confirmed option is the story mode, designed for less skilled players to enjoy the storyline.

Final Fantasy XVI will be released in summer 2023 for PS5 and PC, although they expect the specific date will be revealed before the end of the year.

The title will abandon classic turn-based gameplay to embrace an action-focused gameplay style. According to Naoki Yoshida, its producer, this decision has been made taking into account that younger generations shy away from this kind of classic system. As for the storyline, the studio intends to tell a more mature story, within a fantasy world with realistic touches.

Source | Gaming Bolt