To mark this week’s launch of Final Fantasy XVI on 22nd June, Square Enix has leant into the Medieval England vibes of their latest RPG and partnered with the Royal Armouries at the Tower of London to display a recreation of Clive’s sword, Invictus.
Over the coming month until 19th July, the Final Fantasy XVI sword Invictus will be on display on the first floor of the White Tower, the infamous castle keep that is at the heart of the Tower of London. This will be the first time that a video game sword will be displayed within the museum, featured alongside the real world armour and weapons of the kings and queens of the United Kingdom’s past.
The sword has been crafted over the course of several months by swordsmith To Todeschini, who used a variety of metal working techniques, both traditional and modern, to capture the details of the sword. The lower part of the blade was ground from solid steel before a steel peg was welded on for the pommel. The upper part of the blade is then two hollow shells, with all of the fine detail then spot welded in place.
“I knew from the very start, this was not going to be an ordinary sword and challenging in every way,” Todeschini said, “but I’m very pleased with the finished sword and proud that it will be available for the fans to view alongside the Royal Armouries collection in the Tower of London.”
It’s a pretty cool looking sword, though I’ve no idea how practical it would be in an actual medieval battle. Thankfully it won’t be used in reality, and everyone’s going to be leaping into battle in Final Fantasy 16 with magical powers backing them up! Either way, the Beefeaters definitely had a bit of fun with it.
Coming out exclusively on PlayStation 5 this week, Final Fantasy 16 delves into the epic dark fantasy world of Valisthea, a land that is blessed by the gigantic Mothercrystals and their magical power, but that is threatened by war between the kingdoms that have built up around them.
You’re cast as Clive Rofield, the First Shield of Rosaria and protector of the Dominant of Phoenix, Eikon of Fire, who just so happens to be his younger brother. However, it’s not long before tragedy strikes and he is plunged into a world of mercenary warfare on a quest for revenge against the Dark Eikon Ifrit.
A playable demo for Final Fantasy 16 is out now, featuring the game prologue and special battle demo. We also went hands on with the game for several hours last month, with Nic saying, “On the face of it, Final Fantasy 16 seems to be taking the franchise in a bold and refreshing new direction, jumping wholeheartedly into the realms of an action RPG. However, so much of what makes a Final Fantasy game remains. There are Moogles and Chocobos, a friend named ‘Cid’, and the protagonist, Clive, is a gruff, moody git with a tragic backstory. With its blend of the old and the new, it’s shaping up to be one of the best Final Fantasy games yet.”
