With a plethora of fantasy-related stories in movies, TV shows, and games, the connection that bothFinal Fantasy 16andGame of Thronesshare is very evident. Starting from two main characters and their motives in the narrative to themes and plot points throughout their stories, the Square Enix title andHBO serieshave a lot in common that many fans do not see as a coincidence.
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Despite the heavy level of negative reception regarding the eighth and final season ofGame of Thrones, its previous successful seasons adhered directly to its source material in George R.R. Martin’s books, and it would explain whyNaoki Yoshida’sFinal Fantasy 16seems to be taking inspiration from them.
5Mature Tone
While it is very important to note that multiple Final Fantasy games explore darker andmore graphics tones with mature age ratings,Final Fantasy 16is one to highlight when it comes down to a comparison toGame of Thrones. In the context of family upheavals and central characters being left to strive and survive alone in dire situations, the two stories are very much aligned, leaving either viewers or players wondering how their heroes will overcome adversity.
As noted in its ESRB rating, strong language, sexual themes, and partial nudity will be present inFinal Fantasy 16, and while it may not be akin to how graphic HBO’sGame of Throneswas specifically within its sexual themes' region, it appears as though this rendition within Square Enix’s franchise may be the closest to the aforementioned series compared to its predecessors.
4Betrayals And Shocking Deaths
Possibly the closest common factor so far betweenthe two narratives is the deathsand betrayals that players and viewers do not see coming. Many including those who have not completely seen theGame of Thronesseries, will be aware of the viral and shocking episode known as the ‘Red Wedding’, which involves the surprising slaughter of Rob Stark, his mother Catelyn Stark, and his wife with an unborn child.
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From the 2-hour demo available to players forFinal Fantasy 16, players witness the death of Elwin Rosfield, Clive’s father, who was betrayed and beheaded by one of his own men attempting to protect his son Joshua. While the two scenarios mentioned had different impacts, withGame of Thronesmaking these characters far more established over multiple seasons, the available prologue suggestsFinal Fantasy 16may be heading in a similar direction to shock fans at critical points of the narrative, subverting expectations for the right reasons.
3Multiple Kingdoms
WhileGame of Thrones' White Walkers and the Night King plotline lingered around throughout the series,to finally being concluded in season eight, episode three, it turns out the story of the Iron Throne and the multiple kingdoms were the most pivotal. Despite it being highly likely for George R.R. Martin to make a completely different ending, it is the definitive end and main focus of the HBO series.
WithFinal Fantasy 16, it appears as though the same level of importance on the six nations of Valisthea most with their own Dominants, as players will play as Clive Rosfield to uncover the reasoning behind the tensions and how this led to the death of his family. As aforementioned, this coincides with theGame of Thronesbetrayals and tensions in war, and while it may not specifically focus on a concept such as the Iron Throne, statuses and hierarchy appears to be prominent here.
2Magical Or Special Abilities
With bothFinal Fantasyas an entire franchise andGame of Thronesstanding as high fantasy stories, there is no surprise to see the numerous amount of abilities that characters can wield ranging from offensive duties to healing and even resurrection. With the presence ofEikons inFinal Fantasy 16specifically with the designs such as Shiva’s, fans could easily compare these to the Night King and his White Walkers, and the ability to raise the dead and pose a great threat to humanity.
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Naoki Yoshida’sFinal Fantasy 16along with many of the previous titles where Eikons were referred to as Summons, take concepts and magical-like characters that were done in the franchise previously and push them to even greater extents more than what HBO’sGame of Thronespresented, possessing multiple abilities and traits exclusive to specific Eikons.
1Brutal War
As mentioned regarding the multiple kingdoms present in both narratives, the prologue ofFinal Fantasy 16was not shy of displaying the brutality of war especially when Eikons are involved. Close allies of Clive are not protected by the plot, and there is complete chaos on display while players are able to witness a meeting between different kingdoms simultaneously.
Game of Thrones' war sequences are not only incredibly well-shot and crafted, but they often showcase the horror of war between two or more kingdoms, leading to the deaths of beloved characters, and showcasing near-death experiences for characters such as Jon Snow during the ‘Battle of the Bastards’. WithFinal Fantasy 16’s plethora of epic battles present for fans to indulge in, fans will expect to witness some brutal executions and results in their aftermath, just asGame of Thronesonce did.
Final Fantasy 16is now available on PS5.
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