Everything shown ofFinal Fantasy 16up until now has solidified that the next entry in the long-running franchise will decidedly break from tradition in a multitude of ways. Not only will the nextFinal Fantasyfinally fully abandon the turn-based combat associated with the series in favor of a real-time combat system, but the story and tone ofFinal Fantasy 16are aiming to be darker and more mature than any entry in the series' history. When considering where the series may go afterFinal Fantasy 16’s release, perhaps no other franchise title sheds light on that mystery more thanFinal Fantasy 5.
Released less than 18 months afterFinal Fantasy 4on the Super Famicom,Final Fantasy 5is the odd-duck of the series' 16-bit era. The game famously brought back the job system fromFinal Fantasy 3and allowed players to experiment with party composition and mixing abilities rather than having the player’s party consist of rigid, pre-defined classes, all while including a non-traditional story.Final Fantasy 16will be a massive departurefor the series in some ways while returning it to its roots in others. The nextFinal Fantasycould continue this trend by looking to the series' fifth entry for inspiration.
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Final Fantasy 5’s Job System Should Make a Series Comeback
Outside ofSquare Enix’s ownBravely Defaultseries, the classic “Job” system introduced inFinal Fantasy 3and continued inFinal Fantasy 5has long been absent from the studio’s games. While the job system is more often associated with theFinal Fantasy Tacticsspin-off series, the mechanic can trace its origins back over 30 years to the early days of the franchise. When considering how the nextFinal Fantasytitle could move the series forward while also paying tribute to its history, the job system seems like an ideal fit.
Final Fantasy 16has opted to use a real-time combat system where players directly control the game’s protagonist Clive as the sole playable character, butFinal Fantasy 17may follow a series tradition and deviate from the previous game’s formula. In that scenario, there are plenty of incentives forFinal Fantasyto return to turn-based combatas well as reintroduce the job system to give players unprecedented control over their party composition. Not only could Square Enix bring jobs back, but it could iterate on the system to haveFinal Fantasycompete with other RPGs and see fans create astoundingly creative builds for a party of heroes.
Taking the Humor and Levity of Final Fantasy 5 Into the Series' 17th Entry
One of the more prominent features ofFinal Fantasy 16that has been touted by developers is its darker storyline and mature tone when compared to the rest of the series. Given that eachFinal Fantasyessentially involves a group of heroes on a dire world-saving mission, the nextFinal Fantasyseems as if it will have more in common with thebleak narrative of games likeThe Last of Usthan with fantasy classics such asLord of the Rings.In order for the nextFinal Fantasygame to differentiate itself, developers should look no further thanFinal Fantasy 5’s deft use of comic relief and levity.
Despite featuring a similar story of four heroes tasked with saving their world from certain destruction,Final Fantasy 5’s story is decidedly lighter than eitherFinal Fantasy 4or6, with plenty of lighthearted and humorous dialogue to break up scenes of tension or sadness. The use of main protagonist Bartz playing the comedic “straight man” to Galuf’s bumbling amnesiac adds plenty of laugh-out-loud moments in a series that has become overwhelmingly self-serious in recent decades. After what will likely be the darkest game in the entire franchise,the nextFinal Fantasyshould borrow plenty from what is arguably the series' most carefree entry.
Final Fantasy 5is part of theFinal Fantasy Pixel Remasterseries and is available on PC, PS4, and Switch.
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