Final Fantasy 16 Will Not Require You to Grind, Says Producer
Final Fantasy 16 producer Yoshi-P recently revealed in an interview that the game won’t have any grinding. Players who follow the story will always feel at the recommended level, but there will be challenges for RPG-oriented players.
Final Fantasy 16 Won’t Require Grinding, Says Producer Yoshi-P
In a recent interview with Final Fantasy 16 producer Naoki Yoshida, a.k.a. Yoshi-P, conducted by Japanese outlet 4gamer, it was revealed that the game’s story will not involve any grinding. According to Yoshi-P, players who simply follow the story will always feel like they are at the recommended level, but the game will be balanced enough for RPG-oriented players who are looking for a challenge.
Yoshi-P said that it is possible to reach the recommended level just by following the story, without having to think about experience points, but it is also possible to level up beyond the recommended level by doing side quests or continuing to hunt the endless stream of enemies in the field. The game is balanced so that players can just buy the highest quality weapons and armor from the shop when they return to their base, and gil (the game’s currency) won’t really become an issue that players have to earn.
In the latest trailer, it was revealed that the protagonist Clive regularly moves between the main areas and some sort of hideout or hub. There are also facilities in this hub that players can upgrade through side quests, such as the “Mob Hunt Board,” where players can hunt rare monsters scattered around the world. This activity, along with other side elements, makes up half the volume of the entire game.
Yoshi-P emphasized that the balance between the story and side quests is important, and that side quests are scattered organically throughout the playthrough, challenging players enough to force them to craft good equipment, but without betraying the time they have already spent on the story or forcing them to go out of their way to prepare for these encounters.
The levels are designed to avoid repetitive actions like grinding or gathering certain resources like gil. There are enough potions in each level so that players won’t run out of potions or obsess about being unprepared for bosses.
Grinding has been a part of many Final Fantasy titles, with games like Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy 12 featuring particularly grindy content. However, it’s refreshing to hear that Final Fantasy 16 is aiming to avoid that kind of gameplay, offering a unified and balanced experience for both RPG enthusiasts and casual players alike. The game is expected to be released in the coming months.
Pokdepinion: It’s hard to imagine a Final Fantasy game without grinding but I suppose it will not require you to grind levels unless you have difficulties in certain sections / bosses. Perfectionists will probably still do more than what’s required to avoid situations where it might get a bit too stressful, like me.
