Final Fantasy 17 Combat Wish List

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Summary

  • Final Fantasy 17 should bring back parties and classes to add depth to combat.
  • The game should feature turn-based combat with real-time mechanics to balance tradition and modernity.
  • Final Fantasy 17 has an opportunity to reconnect with iconic battle systems for a fresh yet faithful experience.

With the impending arrival of Final Fantasy 17, fans are already pondering about the nature of its battle system. The latest installments, Final Fantasy 16 and the upcoming Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, have each introduced unique twists to the series’ combat mechanics. While Final Fantasy 16 underwent a complete overhaul of the system, Final Fantasy 7 Remake and its sequel have expanded upon what was initially established. The battle systems in the Final Fantasy series have always been subject to change, but the recent entries have veered quite far from tradition, even sparking debates among fans. Consequently, there’s a great deal of anticipation surrounding Final Fantasy 17 and how it will innovate its own combat system.

The battle system in recent Final Fantasy games has sparked intense debate, making it tough to pinpoint an effective path for the next installment. However, this discord highlights aspects that the series might have been better off keeping, even with its drive for novelty. There are traditional combat elements in Final Fantasy that could be considered sacrosanct – elements that perhaps Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth experimented with excessively, leaving Final Fantasy 17 to restore the balance.

What Final Fantasy 17’s Combat Should Look Like

Final Fantasy 17 Should Bring Back Parties and Classes After FF16

In the case of Final Fantasy 16, its real-time combat sparked debates among fans. However, it might have been the elimination of the traditional party system and character classes that stirred even more controversy. Instead of managing multiple characters during battles, players only control Clive Rosfield, a highly adaptable character who can take on multiple roles, effectively replacing the need for additional playable characters. Unlike previous Final Fantasy games where you’d control multiple characters with different class specializations, in this instance, players solely command Clive as a versatile, all-rounder character.

In Final Fantasy 16, Clive was joined by AI-managed companions such as Jill Warrick, Cidolfus Telamon, and his faithful wolf Torgal, however, these characters couldn’t be controlled directly by the player themselves.

Ultimately, while this overhaul was intended to be groundbreaking, it may not have been the wisest choice for the series. Clive Rosfield, as endearing as he is, couldn’t quite compensate for the absence of the beloved party system and character classes from Final Fantasy. Consequently, it seems that Final Fantasy 17 could benefit from returning to more familiar grounds, allowing players to tailor multiple characters individually and control each one separately during battles.

Final Fantasy 17 Should Feature Turn-Based Combat With Real-Time Mechanics

One of the primary reasons behind the decision to fully embrace real-time combat in Final Fantasy 16 was based on the assumption that current gamers favor the dynamic, fast-paced nature of real-time systems over the classic turn-based style that Final Fantasy is renowned for. However, the polarizing reception of Final Fantasy 16 has called this theory into question, and the recent acclaim garnered by Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 demonstrates that turn-based combat still holds some appeal. Even the upcoming Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy experimented with real-time combat combined with a few turn-based elements, yet this blend hasn’t proven particularly successful either.

In a different approach, maybe Final Fantasy 17 could learn from the example of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and focus mainly on turn-based battles that incorporate some real-time elements to keep things engaging. Despite the fact that the combat in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hasn’t been universally acclaimed (mainly because of its level of difficulty), its popularity demonstrates that the Final Fantasy series should not disregard turn-based combat as a viable choice.

The triumphant reception of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 indicates that the genre of turn-based combat may still have some life in it.

As a devoted fan, I’m eagerly anticipating Final Fantasy 17, as it seems poised to elevate the series’ combat to unprecedented heights, drawing from its rich past and the triumph of turn-based games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Instead of attempting a radical overhaul, I believe the next installment should rekindle the essence of what made Final Fantasy‘s battle systems so iconic. This includes adaptable party dynamics, strategic turn-based gameplay, and character-focused customization. If Final Fantasy 17 manages to strike the perfect blend between contemporary panache and classic design, it might just deliver a combat system that is both innovative and reverent to its roots.

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2025-06-03 15:06