Final Fantasy XVI will have AI companions, and each Eikon vs. Eikon battle will be completely unique in its playstyle

In a series of interviews, Square Enix’s Naoki Yoshida has revealed multiple new details about Final Fantasy XVI. Yoshida talked about AI companions, how the combat will work for Eikon vs. Eikon battle, the game’s current state, and what still needs to be done for it before it can release.

Speaking with IGN, Yoshida revealed that Clive will be the main playable protagonist of the game, and he will be joined in his journey by one or more AI-controlled companions, which may function similar to how Noctis’ allies worked in Final Fantasy XV.

“For most of his journey, Clive will be accompanied by one or more companions. These companions will participate in battle, as well as trade banter with Clive. That said, the party members will be AI-driven so as to allow players to focus solely on controlling Clive,” said Yoshida.

Yoshida also reveals that the pup from the first trailer is named Torgal and even teased that Torgal may become a party member.

Speaking with GameInformer, Producer Yoshida explained how Eikons, giant beings with incredible powers, will work in Final Fantasy XVI. Each Eikon is based on a particular summon from past Final Fantasy games — and certain humans known as Dominants can transform into Eikons. The last few Final Fantasy XVI trailers have shown multiple Eikon versus Eikon fights. Yoshida confirmed that Eikon fights will be playable and unique, offering its own gimmick and playstyle. The producer claimed that one fight will be like a 3D shooter and another like a pro wrestling match.

Clive can also harness the different powers of the Eikons to use during normal battles. For example, he can summon a Phoenix wing from within himself to strike his enemies. Yoshida says that he and the other developers want all the action in the game to be in real-time, including when players are switching out abilities and actions.

According to Yoshida, the game is playable in its current state, but the voiceover and music have yet to be finished. The development team also wants to use the additional year time to fine-tune the game further and more playtesting. A third trailer for the game is set to release sometime in this fall.