Warning: This article contains minor spoilers for Final Fantasy 16. Proceed at your own risk.
Final Fantasy 16 marks a number of series' firsts. While the title breaks ground in a number of areas,Final Fantasy 16’s most obvious departure from the classic formula is its dark and mature take on theFinal Fantasyuniverse. Many fans were surprised when developerSquare Enix announced thatFinal Fantasy 16would be rated M, due to nudity, language, gore, and sexual themes. WithFinal Fantasy 16’s release this week, fans have been shocked to discover just how prevalent these elements are, with the title drawing a thin line between the ESRB’s M and AO ratings. In order to skirt an AO rating,Final Fantasy 16employs some clever tricks, depicting just enough of each element at a time to avoid crossing the line for too long.
Final Fantasy 16takes place in Valisthea, a land torn apart by conflicts over its greatest resource, crystals. The Kingdoms and Realms of Valisthea are situated next to immense crystalline structures called Mothercrystals, whose shards instill the world with magic. The Mothercrystals are also believed to gift unique individuals, called Dominants, with the ability to control powerful entities, called Eikons.Final Fantasy 16’s core narrative follows Clive Rosfield, Dominant of the Dark Fire Eikon, Ifrit, as he attempts to destroy the Mothercrystals and free humanity from their influence.
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Final Fantasy 16 Features Heavy Sexual Themes and Nudity
Final Fantasy 16’sapproach to dark fantasy is similar toGame of Thrones, as seen in how the title’s characters form alliances, deceive enemies, and fight to survive. Benedikta, Hugo, Anabella, Clive, Jill, and Barnabas all find themselves in sexual situations, with one or both members depicted as completely naked. Ultima deceives characters by appearing as someone they know, and, in one sensual scene with Barnabas, takes on the naked form of a variety of characters, including Barnabas' own mother.Final Fantasy 16also features multiple instances of situational nudity, including a particularly impactful moment in which Clive acquires an Eikon from his closest friend.
Despite its mature content,Final Fantasy 16avoids an AO ratingby never actually depicting sexual contact. Naked characters embrace, seduce, and taunt each other, but all contact is suggested, with acts having just happened or about to happen. Even when Clive and his Uncle Byron venture into multiple brothels on a mission, no sexual situations are depicted. Rather,Final Fantasy 16uses audio to suggest what is happening in the locations' rooms.
Final Fantasy 16 Depicts Multiple Instances of Graphic Violence
Final Fantasy 16doesn’t shy away from violencein its wartime setting. Entire cities are slaughtered at the hands of the Eikons and their Dominants, and characters are tortured and used as bait on multiple occasions. In one scene, Clive discovers that all of a town’s Bearers,Final Fantasy 16’s magic-wielding slaves, were strung up to poles and tortured to death. He discovers their bodies on display soon after, having arrived in the town to provide those very people with a means to achieve freedom. The title also depicts graphic acts of individual violence, such as a woman slitting her throat in front of her children.
While the title finds a way to shield its more mature content,Final Fantasy 16’s violence is laid bare. However,Final Fantasy 16’s acts of violence help it to tell a more grounded story than its predecessors. This characteristic helps to separateFinal Fantasy 16violence and torture from titles likeIndigo Prophecy: Director’s Cut.Final Fantasy 16’smature content and violence haven’t deterred the title from receiving both critical and commercial praise, upon release. With Square Enix’s new approach to theFinal Fantasyseries paying off, longtime fans may see future entries continue to explore the mature concepts and explicitstorytelling introduced inFinal Fantasy 16.
