Final Fantasy 16 story: Do you need to play previous games?

Final Fantasy 16 has finally arrived, but do you need to play previous Final Fantasy games before you can start the game? Here’s everything you need to know.

After much anticipation, Final Fantasy 16 is here – but players may be wondering if they need to play any of the previous entries in the franchise before they pick up the latest installment.

Final Fantasy is a huge series, after all, one that has been around for over 30 years. With so many worlds, characters, and stories for fans to experience, it’s always a good idea to double-check whether or not you need to play a certain game before jumping head-first into another.

Without further ado, here’s whether or not you need to play previous Final Fantasy games before Final Fantasy 16.

Do you need to play previous Final Fantasy games before 16?

No, you do not need to play any previous Final Fantasy games before picking up Final Fantasy 16. This means you’re free to jump straight into Clive Rosfield‘s story without any prior knowledge of the franchise.

Final Fantasy 16 is a stand-alone story set in a completely new world for players to enjoy. If you’ve never played a Final Fantasy title before, 16 could be a great place to start thanks to the action-based combat system that may be more comfortable for players unfamiliar with the party-based systems found in most JRPGs.

Despite the numbering system of the mainline titles, the majority of Final Fantasy games are stand-alone stories set in different worlds with a new group of characters and a unique journey to go on.

There are of course exceptions to this rule when it comes to direct sequels, such as Final Fantasy X-2 and Final Fantasy XIII-2, but that’s not the case here.

Recurring elements in Final Fantasy

Though most mainline Final Fantasy games are not connected, most of them do have small recurring elements. For example, Chocobos – fluffy yellow bird-like animals that players can usually ride as mounts – appear in most entries.

Summons are another recurring aspect of the franchise. These are powerful creatures that can be called upon in battle to deal devastating attacks. In Final Fantasy 16, however, these Summons are called Eikons and they are elemental beings that play a major role in the game’s overall narrative.

That’s everything you need to know about whether or not you need to play previous Final Fantasy games before 16! For more content on the game, check out our guides below:

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