Spoilers for Final Fantasy 16 Echoes of the Fallen DLCAs the next generation iteration in the landmark RPG series, Square Enix’sFinal Fantasy 16captivated many audiences. In a bold move for the franchise,Final Fantasy 16broke many traditions, surprising (and in some cases polarizing) longtime fans with its change in design and bringing in newcomers who were intrigued by the change in direction.FF 16eschewed the active time party-based system as a core mechanic, and instead pivoted toBayonetta-style third-person action in real-time, with an array of flashy special abilities adding a layer of spectacle to its fast-paced combat.
While this aspect was certainly a big shakeup,Final Fantasy 16still remained true to its roots in a sweeping story that featured some of the series' darker moments, putting its own spin on similar modern fantasy epics likeGame of Thrones.Recently,FF 16’sEchoes of the Fallen DLCwas shadow-dropped during the course of The Game Awards 2023, and in keeping with one of its traditions, the DLC sees a well-known super-boss that featured in many previous entries make its return.
Developers originally stated there were no plans for additionalFF 16content. However, this was reversed withEchoes of the Fallenand the upcomingRising TideDLCs.
Final Fantasy 16’s Echoes of the Fallen DLC Brings Back a Super-boss
RPG Super-Bosses and Final Fantasy’s Omega Weapon
Not limited toFinal Fantasyby any means, super-bosses have been an RPG mainstay going back to the genre’s earliest era. Players must usually go through a complex series of hoops or scour the world for hidden areas that house these unique and incredibly powerful enemies. These behemoths are often stacked with stats and abilities rivaling or outright outclassing some of the main story’s endgame encounters.
One of these super-bosses, theOmega Weapon, first appeared inFinal Fantasy 5, and has been subsequently included in multipleFFtitles and media since, sometimes being retroactively added to updated or remastered versions ofvariousgames.
The Omega Weapon in Final Fantasy 16’s Echoes of the Fallen DLC
Echoes of the Fallensees players undertaking aclassic RPG mission typeas Clive Rosenfield and his allies explore a ruined Fallen tower called the Sagespire. Within it, they discover that the bygone civilization had been meddling and experimenting with creating their own variants of the crystals that form the crux ofFinal Fantasy 16’s plot, producing distorted replicas and grafting them onto living creatures. As players ascend the Sagespire, an AI-like voice spouts increasingly ominous warnings about its final defense system.
At the top, the party must battle a construction designated an “Eikonoclast,” the Omega Aionios,FF16’s version of the Omega Weapon. The Omega Weapon is usually depicted as a massive spider-like robotic war machine, and this design remains the same inEchoes of the Fallen. Aionios is an absolute beast, utilizing many of its iconic devastating attacks, including Wave Cannon, to present a challenge rivaling some ofFinal Fantasy 16’s hardest Notorious Mark bounty hunts.
Omega Aionios is an intense super-boss fight in true classic fashion, with multiple stages and attack patterns requiring players to balance patience and precision. Following conventions, defeating it also rewards a large amount of experience as well as a unique crafting item that can be used to forge one ofFinal Fantasy 16’s best new weapons, an extremely powerful sword bearing the monstrosity’s name. The entire encounter is a salute to Omega Weapon’s past in the series, reworked to fit intoFF 16’s style and gameplay as an epic and satisfying super-boss.
