Final Fantasy 16: The Rising Tide DLC makes a splash this April

Following the release of Echoes of the Fallen in December, Final Fantasy 16 will receive its next portion of DLC in April.

Final Fantasy 16: The Rising Tide, which takes place before the end of the main game, will be released in just under a month, on April 18. This expansion will be available to purchase individually or as part of the discounted Expansion Pass on the PlayStation Store.

“An unmarked letter arrives at the hideout containing a most curious request: the Dominant of Leviathan, the long-lost Eikon of Water, needs to be rescued.” square enix mocks. “To answer this call, Clive and his companions must travel to Mysidia, a land hidden under a blue sky, where they will discover the tragic story of a forgotten people.” You can watch a new trailer for The Rising Tide below.

Final Fantasy XVI – The Rising Tide DLC Trailer | PS5 games

At launch, The Rising Tide will introduce new abilities, locations, side quests, and more. For example, Clive will be able to tame the tides and send his enemies to a watery grave, since he can drown them. Oh, and he'll be able to summon a sea serpent that's capable of “performing precision strikes.”

Additionally, The Rising Tide introduces a new mode, Kairos Gate, which the developer describes as “challenging.” This mode will task players with fighting through 20 stages, each one more difficult than the last.

“Players can plumb the depths of a virtual underworld, defeating wave after wave of internal enemies. Only with strength and strategy will Clive survive the Kairos Gate and emerge with its richest loot,” says the developer.

This mode can be unlocked once players have completed The Rising Tide and the main game's scenarios.

If all of this sounds good to you, there are some special bonuses included for those who purchase The Rising Tide or the Final Fantasy 16 Expansion Pass. These are:

• A reimagined version of the “Curtana”, the signature weapon used by the Warrior of Light in Final Fantasy 16.
• “Torn from the Heavens” and “Through the Maelstrom” Orchestrion Rolls, which will be played as background music in the hideout.

Square Enix will also release a free update for Final Fantasy 16 on the same day as The Rising Tide (which, again, is April 18). This update will include:

• Return immediately to the quest giver with the new “Quick Completion” feature
• Icon updates for important character quests.
• A new skill set feature, allowing players to save up to five unique sets of feats and skills.
• Adjusted skills and accessories for easier use.
• New “Custom” controller type allows for freely customizable button layouts
• Tone correction, screen effects and more added to Photo Mode
• Added numerous new orchestra rolls.

There is no further news yet regarding the long-awaited PC release of Final Fantasy 16. However, earlier this month series producer Naoki Yoshida confirmed that the PC version of Final Fantasy 16 is in the “final stages of optimization”.

While Yoshida couldn't give more information about the PC port at this time, he did state that a demo will be available before launch, likely within the next 12 months.