Final Fantasy XVI

I had a dream last night that Final Fantasy XVI got announced. The game itself was inspired by Final Fantasy XII & XIV - an MMO inspired single player experience.

The battle system played like XIV, but party members were set to be controlled via gambits.

XII wasn't my favourite FF by any stretch of the means, but I think that's due to it being the first FF that took a completely different direction in terms of battle mechanics. I enjoyed the single player elements of FFXIV but I wasn't keen on dungeons due to being utterly terrible and judged by other people.

A mixture of the two with an epic single player story could be great though. What would you like to see from Final Fantasy XVI?

My wishlist for XVI would be:

• single player
• More swords and sorcery, not that there can't be any sci-fi elements (aliens robots, or space stuff) but let it be more reserved and in the background.
• Job System or Class system for individual characters with heavy customization options. Most of all, I would prefer a game that is a bit more equipment focused than stat focus as FF is typically bad about those styles of systems. Equipment should also be static in design. No weapon customization systems because again, FF has a bad track record with making those feel meaningful.
• A more balanced story to gameplay ratio. I don't want to feel like I'm watching a movie, but I also could do without cutscene starvation as well.
• ATB battle system. Gambits are optional, but I feel SE needs to get over their stigma of "turn base combat isn't immersive" and just give it to us. Persona 5 made it work, so can FF.
• An explorable world with strong and concise dungeon design. It doesn't mean open world, but every location should feel like it has meaningful structure and not just be copy paste assets that are either glorified wallpaper with no substance or just open space with nothing to do but filled with boring fetch quests.
• Fewer but more meaningful sidequests. No fetch quest BS. Give me an optional dungeon or an in town story quest with a party member. I don't want to be saddled with 100+ missions that can be summed up as "go here, kill this, bring back item to quest giver" that's immersion killing.
• A likable cast with actual good dialogue.
• A plot that doesn't hinge on several plot holes or faulty logic to make any sense. I'm tired of villains and even allies who need you to do "but thou must" crap when logically there is always an easier way to get what they want. I need a plot with a solid and consistent logical foundation to its own rules and setting.
• An ending that doesn't feel like an overly contrived Deus ex Machina.

Remember Final Fantasy IX?

Like that but with VIIR's combat system.

Battle system back to turn-based/regular ATB. Basically similar to anything from FF - FFX (not using FFII's growth system though). Not saying it shouldn't bring something new to the table. It should have as much originality as any system for one of the games I mentioned was at its time, but stay in the confines of turn-based/ ATB style. Not an action RPG.

Basically everything Wolf Kanno said, but I’m easy as far as gameplay goes. They could go turn-based, ATB or full action, if it’s well-executed I don’t mind which.

Like others said I'd like an expansion of the turn based, system, be it ATB of FFX's.

Considering we haven't heard a word about it yet, it's probably at least a decade away from release.

Just give me a game with charm that's fun to play.