Final Fantasy XVI: Echoes of the Fallen

Echoes of the Fallen is short but sweet, offering a final exciting dungeon with an increased, satisfying difficulty spike. For everyone who absolutely loved the regular combats of Final Fantasy XVI, this DLC is a must-have and just a little taste of what to expect from the next piece of additional content.

Final Fantasy XVI is crammed with narrative momentum. Which is amazing, until it’s time to do things like sidequests and DLC. Then the guillotine of the climax hangs over your head, impatient and sharp. In other words, it’s hard for me to get as invested in the DLC as I’d like. The combat is terrific, the new dungeon is beautiful, but it feels like I’m spinning my wheels. At the same time, I’ll take any excuse to spend more time with this game. Echoes of The Fallen is a great addition to a perfect Final Fantasy Experience.

Echoes of the Fallen is a gorgeous addition to Final Fantasy XVI’s main campaign. At most, it brings new vicious enemies that offer new levels of challenge to the player with motivating rewards waiting in the wings for those that take it on. While the story does add more intrigue to who the Fallen might have been before Clive was a gleam in his parents’ eyes, the DLC seems to be more focused on the game’s action and beauty rather than a deep storyline.

Echoes of the Fallen is a good expansion for Final Fantasy XVI, bringing more details about one of the least covered points in the game's lore and more challenging combat sessions than seen in the base game. Even though it seems more like an appetizer, it will please those who want a little more of Final Fantasy XVI.

I liked Echoes of the Fallen. It adds a fun endgame dungeon for those looking to extend their stay in Valisthea, and it delivers some challenging new encounters to sink your teeth into. It’s over in just a few hours and doesn’t do much narratively, but it’s a fun ride for what it is. Whether it’s worth the money is up to you, but if you’re looking for more Final Fantasy XVI, this DLC pack certainly delivers. Echoes of the Fallen is not a must-have, but it is worth having.

Final Fantasy XVI: Echoes of the Fallen isn’t going to blow your socks off, but it does expand the lore ever so slightly and introduce a beloved franchise antagonist. This is essentially a two-to-three-hour long mission going from room to room, clearing out baddies and taking down raid-approved bosses. The rewards for endgame players not looking to go into new game+ are worth it, and the adventure along the way is compelling enough to keep our attention. It may be formulaic and overly straightforward, but it doesn’t stray too far from the fantastical formula the main campaign established. The only major thing missing is an eikon fight. In the end, Echoes of the Fallen is a solid adventure that will keep you entertained for an evening.

Whilst it doesn’t exactly raise the bar for an expansion, as far as this first-parter goes, it still has us excited for what comes next.

Final Fantasy XVI Echoes of The Fallen serves as a refresher into the realm of Valisthea, bringing with it increased level cap, new gear, and some new bosses. It doesn't last long, clocking in at around two hours, but it does just enough to keep you curious for what comes next.

If you weren’t a huge fan of Final Fantasy XVI, Echoes of the Fallen isn’t going to change your mind. While it introduces some new things, it doesn’t address most people’s concerns with the base game. Even I was slightly disappointed with the story; I hope the next DLC, The Rising Tide, delivers more on that front. But if you love FFXVI‘s combat and want to fully engage with it while partaking in some of the best boss fights the game has to offer, you’ve come to the right place. I can’t wait to run through it again in Final Fantasy mode. It’s going to be an absolute blast.

There may not be a lot to say about Final Fantasy XVI Echoes of the Fallen, but that doesn’t necessarily signify a lack of quality. Its few hours of gameplay offer an enjoyable dungeon experience with memorable enemy encounters that rival and even surpass those in the base game. While the narrative may not be the main attraction, it does set the stage for The Rising Tide DLC, which has been confirmed to be a more substantial experience. Ultimately, Echoes of the Fallen is a worthwhile addition for fans, while those who are more hesitant should exercise caution.

Final Fantasy XVI: Echoes of the Fallen is very light on story, but provides some of the most fun combat scenarios in the game. If you enjoy the battle system, this is more of that at its heights. It’s not the most impressive or interesting DLC out there, but it’s very fun and provides a lot of spectacle.

Ultimately, Final Fantasy XVI: Echoes of the Fallen DLC is just another FF16 dungeon, albeit a fun one. There's a bit of scattered lore and a thin story to justify the exact events, but you're paying $10 for one more dungeon with a cool boss fight. If you were hoping for something a bit meatier or delves into some of the mysteries of the setting, you're probably going to be disappointed. Echoes of the Fallen feels more like fan service and a precursor to the upcoming The Rising Tide DLC.

A new dungeon with some trimmings, only the new boss fight truly impresses. The rest offers some fine though non-essential worldbuilding. [Issue#36, p.77]

Clive & Co’s first adventure into the world of DLC is good, and if you like the game, then you’ll almost definitely enjoy venturing into the Sagespire. There’s absolutely no denying that. But, given that it’s an extension of Final Fantasy XVI, it needs to be great—and I’m not quite sure that it reached that status. While there’s no denying that Echoes of the Fallen features a unique premise and a new stage to explore that’s every bit as challenging as it is breathtaking, you wouldn’t really be missing out on anything if you decided to skip it. Hopefully, the next piece of DLC will bring about a little bit more excitement.

The work of Creative Business Unit 3 is once again reflected in a short experience that leaves us wanting to see much more of what's to come next year. Echoes of the Fallen is more of Final Fantasy XVI, with its hits and misses. Let's hope that Naoki Yoshida and his team will display more of the possibilities that this world has to offer in its next release.

Solid, if somewhat short, expansion. The highlight is the massive boss fight at the end.

Echoes of the Fallen takes the best of Final Fantasy XVI in a linear and perhaps too short experience, but full of epic combat and some nice additions that leave us looking forward to the next DLC.

Echoes of the Fallen is another dose of more Final Fantasy XVI. It's not a game changer and it's very short, but if you liked the main game, here you will find an extra chapter with the same level of spectacle and epicness.

Final Fantasy 16: Echoes of the Fallen offers some high-octane boss fights and a gorgeous environment to explore, but the exploration remains as linear as ever. Those looking for something more substantial in terms of story may want to wait, but there's plenty for combat fans to enjoy.

Echoes of the Fallen by itself isn’t anything incredible, but it finished strong and had me excited for the next expansion pass installment. If you loved Final Fantasy XVI, then this is a great way to revisit those characters. If you’re on the fence, then wait until The Rising Tide launches before making a purchase.

The Echoes of the Fallen DLC revolves around one idea and one idea only: to add the "endgame" component to Final Fantasy 16, which was sorely missed at the time of the original launch. Its four hours of content serve as a pleasant supplement to Clive Rosfield's adventure, but they have no intention of bringing about revolutions or introducing major innovations, leaving the strengths and weaknesses of the original work unchanged. The design, music, lore, and staging are sensational, but the overall experience architecture remains untouched. It is unlikely that the expansion will change the minds of early critics, but it will be a very welcome surprise for those who have yet to experience the sixteenth chapter.

All in all, Echoes of Fallen feels like little more than another chapter in Final Fantasy 16's story — but it's a good one, especially in terms of action. Oh, and it might just feature the most insane boss encounter in the entire game, if you can believe it.