Audio Logs is back for another eye-opening episode! This GameSpot show is where the people behind the games you love tell the untold stories of how they were made. This week we’re joined by Square Enix’s Naoki Yoshida and Hiroshi Takai, producer and director for Final Fantasy XVI respectively, to discuss how the fiery Eikon Ifrit was made.

In this episode, the duo discusses how Ilfrit started with not-very-cool origins, dressed in lackluster leather, before going on to talk about how the concept for the Eikon evolved, culminating in the larger-than-life, over-the-top battles we love. Additionally, Yoshida talks about how the idea to turn Final Fantasy XVI’s characters into Eikons was inspired by a visit to a packed Tokyo Game Show.

In GameSpot’s Final Fantasy XVI review, Michael Higham gave the game a 9/10, writing, “Having seen FFXVI all the way through, I’m happy to include it alongside some of my all-time favorites in the series. It’s heartening to see that this bold approach to both story and gameplay is now part of that legacy, expanding the definition of what a mainline entry could be. It may fall short in some respects, but it should be celebrated for its most stunning moments and the characters who embody them. FFXVI succeeds and earns its place within the Final Fantasy pantheon as one of the great entries, and does so on its own terms.”