Final Fantasy games never fail to concoct nuanced worlds with dense lore, and it’s become abundantly clear by now that the upcoming Final Fantasy 16 is going to be no different in that regard. Square Enix is promising a sweeping story with oodles of lore and layers, and those who want to dive into its nitty gritties will have the option to do so courtesy of the new Active Time Lore system.
As explained in a preview published on the PlayStation Blog, the new Active Time Lore system will essentially be a compendium featuring “hundreds” of lore entries on in-world history, characters, events, and more. Players will, of course, have the option to completely ignore it should they wish to do so, but those looking to enrich their narrative experience will want to dive in with both feet. Active Time Lore will be accessible at any point, which means players can pause during gameplay as well as cutscenes to read up on its contents.
“Our story is deep and focuses on the characters, but we wanted to make the world feel alive and give reasons for why things are happening,” explains localization director Michael-Christopher Koji Fox. “We created a history that goes back over 1500 years, which influences the story.”
“We have hundreds of entries available, but players can also choose to ignore them and enjoy the game without feeling bogged down,” he added.
Several other details have also emerged on Final Fantasy 16 thanks to its most recent round of hands-on previews, including its New Game Plus mode, how it approaches difficulty, its cutscenes, and much more. This is in addition to a bevy of new gameplay footage.
Final Fantasy 16 launches on June 22 for PS5. A PC version is also on the cards, but won’t be launching anytime soon, according to Square Enix.