Final Fantasy 16's second expansion, Rising Tide, will introduce a new take on the classic Tonberry monster, one that DLC director Takeo Kujiraoka says might be a "little creepier" when compared to its previous incarnations. It sounds like this Tonberry will be even worse than the little fiends that menaced players in Final Fantasy 8 and Final Fantasy 7 Remake.

In Final Fantasy games, Tonberry monsters are deceptively cute. They might look like they belong on The Muppet Show, but as anyone who comes across them will find out, they're hellbent on slowly closing the gap toward you and sticking a chef's knife in your side.

"The Tonberry might be a little creepier than previous iterations," Kujiraoka said to GamesRadar of this new take on the recurring Final Fantasy monster, while also adding that it has been "translated" to be a better fit for the fast-paced action of Final Fantasy 16. Fantastic, fast Tonberry monsters.

Rising Tide's big draw will be the opportunity to acquire a new Eikon, Leviathan, and wield its watery powers in battle. Kujiraoka added that players will become "even more versatile in battle" when using the abilities gifted by Leviathan, giving them new opportunities to break a few records in Final Fantasy 16's arcade mode. The director also explained that the two DLC episodes are being designed to seamlessly fit into the overarching story of Final Fantasy 16, so as to build a bigger game for veterans and newcomers alike, as well as for anyone interested in the upcoming PC release.

"We've made sure the DLC fits into the main game in a way that means newcomers can have a single, cohesive experience. There were a lot of new challenges that we gave ourselves, including from a technical perspective," Kujiraoka said. There's no release date yet for the Rising Tide expansion, but it is scheduled to release later this year.

Meanwhile, Final Fantasy fans can look forward to Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth when it lands on PS5 on February 29.