Final Fantasy 16's Rising Tide DLC is the next DLC expansion for the latest mainline installment in Square Enix's Final Fantasy series and will take players to the new location, Mysidia, where they will eventually face the legendary sea serpent Leviathan. Final Fantasy 16 is known for its epic boss battles, so it's likely the fight with Leviathan will continue that trend.
However, the DLC will introduce other enemies as well, including a boss called "Timekeeper," a challenging foe known as "Thalaos," and a series staple that longtime fans of the franchise should know all too well. Tonberries are a recurring enemy in the Final Fantasy series, and now they are making a comeback in Final Fantasy 16's Rising Tide DLC.
However, those who may think they're familiar with the deceptively cute enemy may need to keep their wits about them this time, as Rising Tide's Tonberries to no longer be the miniature foes they once were. Instead, just as it has upscaled almost everything else, Final Fantasy 16 has transformed the series' Tonberries into something of a monstrosity.
Even so, regardless of how dangerous these enemies may look, Rising Tide needs to ensure their looks are backed up by their ability, even if it means giving players one of the game's toughest challenges. Final Fantasy 16's Tonberries are much more menacing in their appearance than they ever have been in the series.
Traditionally, Final Fantasy's Tonberries are small and quite adorable, but their cuteness ends once they are engaged in battle. Tonberries make slow, deliberate movements, and they have been known to instill a sense of dread in those they encounter, specifically on account of their reputation of being difficult to defeat.
More than likely, Final Fantasy 16's Tonberries will still be just as challenging as ever (if not more so), but their appearance has changed to better suit the game's more mature and much larger themes. Final Fantasy 16's Rising Tide DLC introduces a variety of Tonberries, at least one of which the Final Fantasy community is referring to as a "Bloodborne Tonberry." The reference is to FromSoftware's 2015 critically acclaimed action RPG, Bloodborne, and is obviously being made due to one specific Tonberry taking on a particularly fearsome appearance.
The Tonberry in question is the Tonberry King, which was first unveiled in the trailer for Final Fantasy 16's Echoes of the Fallen and Rising Tide DLCs. It appears players may encounter the Tonberry King on the road to challenge Leviathan, but despite not being the DLC's final boss, he nonetheless needs to be a tough fight.
Tonberries are among Final Fantasy's most annoying enemies. This is due in large part to one of their skills, Karma, which deals damage to the player based on the number of enemies they've defeated during their time in the game. It's unclear what the Tonberry King's skill set will be like, but judging by what the trailer has revealed, it appears it will be a tough fight.
The Tonberry King won't be the only Tonberry players face in the DLC, as other variations, like Tonberry Hexers, will be taking the field as well. If Final Fantasy 16 wants to maintain its reputation of having some of the series' biggest battles, it would do well to ensure its Tonberries are among Rising Tide's most challenging enemies.
Final Fantasy 16 is an action RPG developed by Square Enix. Set in the land of Valisthea, six different factions are on the brink of war due to a spreading disease known as the Blight. Much of the plot revolves around summoned monsters called Eikons, who are controlled by unique humans called Dominants.