Final Fantasy XVI

 PlayStation 5
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 8567 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6,528 out of 8567
  2. Mixed: 693 out of 8567
  3. Negative: 1,346 out of 8567
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  1. auqwe
    Sep 12, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This ending broke me. I cried so hard : ( .… Expand
  2. eshmin
    Sep 11, 2023
    10
    Good story, good music, good combat- truly a rollercoaster ride.and I hope the series continues on this trajectory.
  3. bananaapp
    Sep 11, 2023
    10
    Such an amazing game from start to finish this will be a final fantasy people will talk about for a long time.
  4. Ab17
    Sep 11, 2023
    10
    Este Final Fantasy es el mejor de todos los tiempos y Clive es uno de los mejores personajes de todos los FF.
  5. Enrikenarga01
    Sep 11, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Um Game que preencheu completamente minhas espectativa, me deixou muito satisfeito principalmente sua gameplay que graças a deus não e um jrpg, graficamente incrível sem nenhum erro, ele é um pilar pra saga final fantasy e mais que um jogo, um exemplo de como fazer um jogo.… Expand
  6. FluffusMilo
    Sep 11, 2023
    9
    Even though it barely qualifies as a RPG, Final Fantasy XVI more than makes up for it with its excellent story, characters, gameplay, soundtrack and spectacle. Certainly an accomplishment that Yoshi P and his team can be proud of.

    The game set out to reinvent the wheel and redefine what a Final Fantasy title can be with its switch to a combat system resembling that of Devil May Cry. I    Even though it barely qualifies as a RPG, Final Fantasy XVI more than makes up for it with its excellent story, characters, gameplay, soundtrack and spectacle. Certainly an accomplishment that Yoshi P and his team can be proud of.

    The game set out to reinvent the wheel and redefine what a Final Fantasy title can be with its switch to a combat system resembling that of Devil May Cry. I am happy to report that it has partially accomplished its goal or atleast, where it matters the most.

    The combat system is one of the most satisfying ones I've ever experienced in a game. It depends less on weapon builds or stats, because you only have one weapon type (sword), but more on the Eikon skills you unlock after every major Eikon fight. These skills offer some of the best moves and attacks in the video game industry and it's quite easy to come up with some crazy builds and get the ball rolling. The game also features companions in the form of AI controlled NPCs that fight alongside you. (Torgal is best boy) Although, that is not to mean that they'll play the game for you, you'll still need to do most of the heavy lifting to win the fight.

    One of the biggest highlights of the game is its astounding soundtrack made by Masayoshi Soken. The quality of music he offers with his composition is a true work of art and unbeaten by any game released this year. From the instruments to the vocals, you can just feel the story hidden inside the tracks.

    The game also offers one of the best Final Fantasy stories to date, despite its dark and gritty tone. I would even dare to argue that this tone enhances the story and enables alternative, transparent ways to tell it. It's a story about the bonds of family and friendship, human nature and our will to endure every threat that stands in our way.

    Clive is also one of the best protagonists of the franchise, on the same pedestal as Cloud. The side characters are also a treat and handled like real people trying to survive in a world that wants to enslave and/or kill them. This however, does not mean that the characters act like angsty teenagers all the time. There is a very human and hopeful side to them that really shines through in the dialogue, cutscenes and gameplay. One of the best cast for a mainline Final Fantasy game in a long while.

    THE highlight of the game however, are the Eikon fights, where you turn into a Godzilla-sized Eikon called Ifrit and battle iconic summons such as Garuda, Titan, Bahamut and Odin. The sheer spectacle and outsatnding choreography included in these fights is otherworldly. Adding to that, most of the spectacle happens in-game with the player controlling Ifrit rahter than through cutscenes. At this point of the game, it also becomes very apparent that they did not save any money. They had a huge budget and they used it.

    The only drawbacks to the game however are the insignificance of the RPG mechanics and the complete removal of the traditional turn-based combat. Crafting and equipping a sword with higher numbers is as RPG as it gets and that's about it, which wouldn't have been a problem if Square-Enix hadn't marketed the game as an Action-RPG. I also believe they could have struck a great balance between real-time and turn-based combat like the FFVII remake.

    All in all, Final Fantasy XVI is a game that I will remember for a very long time, due to its outstanding story, excellent characters, unforgettable soundtrack and satisfying gameplay.    … Expand
  7. Manquele
    Sep 11, 2023
    10
    9, pero toca darle el 10, porque metacritic tiene un sistema de mierda dejando que par de cavernicolas tanto de revistas como de casa puedan poner sus notas sin criterio, me hare 16 cuentas mas para darle un 10, par de revistas de mordor dando notas pesimas, ni saben donde se sientan a cagar
  8. MTMPX
    Sep 11, 2023
    10
    It’s one of my favorite FF games! music and combat is so good!! .
  9. glossR
    Sep 11, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A good ending is always nice but in my opinion this ending fits good to the game because its dark and like evil.… Expand
  10. Gogonotime
    Sep 10, 2023
    10
    This game so good! music is amazing! my GOTY!!!! .
  11. JUICE__
    Sep 10, 2023
    9
    FF 16 is really good but not my favorite of the year. The fact that BG3 has both a higher critic score and user score than FF 16 and TOTK (which isn't affecting this review) is honestly mindblowing and somewhat rigged. Thank you, Square Enix. Also, most of the "zero" reviews on FF 16 are fake (just like most games really) so ignore them
  12. stipex
    Sep 10, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Będąc szczerym to jest jedna z najlepszych gier w jaką kiedykolwiek grałem walka w tej grze jest unikalna w porównaniu do wielu innych tytułów fabuła i świat są świetnie napisane tak naprawdę do niczego się nie mogę przyczepić zakończenie nawet najtwardszych umie przełamać gra jest zdecydowanie 10/10… Expand
  13. LJfriedChiken
    Sep 10, 2023
    10
    This game seems to have a charm about it. The story and the combat flow smoothly and most - not all - side quests are pretty interesting; they can give a dive on the past of some of the side characters. As the news comes that they are in the works for DLC, I’ll, with no doubt, come back to this game in the future.
  14. vincent-Morgan
    Sep 10, 2023
    10
    I bought the game without seeing any trailers or gameplay and now that i completed the game i must say what a game, The dark fantasy the characters are really good!!!!
  15. iMustang
    Sep 10, 2023
    8
    Final Fantasy XVI is truly an experience, even if an incomplete one. With a M rating and a near fully voice-acted game, XVI quickly solidifies itself as one of the boldest entries in the series to date. Taking inspiration from Game of Thrones this world and it’s politics are clearly laid out from the beginning creating immediate interest and investment into our cast of characters. With theFinal Fantasy XVI is truly an experience, even if an incomplete one. With a M rating and a near fully voice-acted game, XVI quickly solidifies itself as one of the boldest entries in the series to date. Taking inspiration from Game of Thrones this world and it’s politics are clearly laid out from the beginning creating immediate interest and investment into our cast of characters. With the focus on eikons (summons) and the dominants they inhabit, XVI quickly creates some of the most unique and memorable characters in the series history, as well as by far the best and most impressive boss battles in video game history. The gameplay with its flashy nature and multiple styles of play was almost always charming to me and a welcome direction for the series. Mix these pretty visuals with great characters and add in another legendary soundtrack, and from the beginning XVI hooks you.

    However, like most Final Fantasy games, this one is far from perfect. With a very straightforward story I would not normally complain about it’s linear nature, but the biggest missed opportunity is most of the landmarks spoken of in the game are ones you never visit. The capitol cities have big designs and we’re clearly detailed by the artists, but you only see them in cutscenes or at most briefly see pieces of them during story segments. This is really disappointing from a game with so much setup in the first act of the story, which leads to the second major disappointment, the story. XVI peaks nearly two-thirds into the adventure and never recovers. What started boldly with intense drive and conviction falls flat after a major threat is addressed, then overstays it’s welcome with a bland final act. The icing on the cake, the ending seems missing. With two DLC expansions on the horizon, I am completely convinced Square Enix is saving the true ending behind a paywall. While I’m excited even now to see how the story concludes, I’m disappointed that Square continues to do things like this with the franchise. There is always a chance I’m wrong about this, and if I am, then I would go so far to say this is one of the weakest endings in the series history.

    While far from perfect, Final Fantasy XVI is still an experience worth playing for any fan of the series. At its core it is fun, beauiful, intense, and impactful. I have far more happy memories with this game than I ever will unpleasant ones, and my opinion can only improve with upcoming DLC. Until then I have to judge the game as it is, and even with that in mind, what we have is still pretty dang great.    … Expand
  16. Ruvik90
    Sep 10, 2023
    10
    Flipas loco!!!junela que me maten patos laos pegando palos!!te quedas to pillado!
  17. cracc
    Sep 10, 2023
    10
    Incredible game, best ff games !! my GOTY in 2023!! .
  18. spaghettiwest
    Sep 10, 2023
    10
    fantastic game. the fights are spectacular, the story is fantastic and epic. the music stays with you and you hear it inside your head while you sleep or while you eat.
  19. VincentValen
    Sep 10, 2023
    9
    Final Fantasy 16 to me is a Masterpiece. Right up there with FF7. This game hurt me with the loss of.... You know if you know... All the sacrifices the characters made. The story, the gameplay. Amazing. I just wish that you could play as the other characters. I feel that was a huge missed opportunity. I put 80hrs into this game before I could give my review and I'm glad I waited. The lastFinal Fantasy 16 to me is a Masterpiece. Right up there with FF7. This game hurt me with the loss of.... You know if you know... All the sacrifices the characters made. The story, the gameplay. Amazing. I just wish that you could play as the other characters. I feel that was a huge missed opportunity. I put 80hrs into this game before I could give my review and I'm glad I waited. The last 20% of this game was the best. Is it really a Final Fantasy game if it doesn't break your heart?… Expand
  20. Linktrifuerza
    Sep 9, 2023
    8
    Final fantrasy XVI es difícil de describir, sin dudad se trata de un gran titulo muy divertido y épico pero llega a ser algo inconsistente en su historia principal, aun así vale completamente la pena si cuentas con un ps5, un imperdible.
  21. Sylphrena1
    Sep 9, 2023
    10
    Character- 10/10
    Story - 10/10
    Gameplay - 10/10
    Music - 10/10
    Graphics - 10/10
  22. GyattHunter
    Sep 9, 2023
    10
    I've played since the first final fantasy and haven't truly enjoyed myself to this degree since 10
  23. Haannss
    Sep 9, 2023
    8
    This game is a huge Final Fantasy, one of the best, most adult stories of the saga, with relatable characters (main and secondary) and memorable moments scattered all over the game.

    The gameplay changes from previous versions, being now a hack 'n slash with some (few) RPG mechanics. That, which isn't necessarily bad, has led to one of the biggest opinon diversity around the game. In y    This game is a huge Final Fantasy, one of the best, most adult stories of the saga, with relatable characters (main and secondary) and memorable moments scattered all over the game.

    The gameplay changes from previous versions, being now a hack 'n slash with some (few) RPG mechanics. That, which isn't necessarily bad, has led to one of the biggest opinon diversity around the game. In y opinion, the game is really enjoyable as it is, but it's true that can be a little bit repeatitive at the beggining, when you lack a range of abbilities and everything is about pressing square and triangle plus evading. Later on, that range of abbilities will give diversity to some extent. Anyway, I did miss some more RPG mechanics: some altered status and elemental affinities and weaknesses would have been nice, maybe not as many as in the previous games, but a shortlist of them would have been possible to implement on a hack 'n slash game. When it comes to the difficulty, no: it's not a difficult game. Just as FF I, II, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XII and XV weren't difficult. After leveling up and farming a little bit, you could destroy any enemy with a single attack, except for Weapons, Dark Eons, Omegas and wathever secret enemies. Ff franchise has never been a franchise of difficult games. They never had to. I died in the original FF VII only facing Emerald and Ruby Weapons, not before. So don't pay to much attentions to those saying is too easy. I feel they have never played a Final Fantasy before.

    The art direction is very good regarding character design, but even better with the enviroments, giving the world of Valistea its own personality. Graphics are just amazing when it comes to visual effects and lighting, while music is just superb. Negative points come, however, for the spanish dubbing, lacking Spanish from Spain.

    And the biggest cons of the game in my opinion: one, it lacks some more secondary missions, with better rewards or material motivations to follow them, like weapons or whatever. The economy system of the game is broken, being pieces of music the most expensive item you will buy. And finally, the game also lacks secret content: that is a foundamental of every Final Fantasy, and this one is empty of it. Maybe they keep it for future DLCs, but it always has been a core of every FF (except for the XV that doesn't even count for me). Some huge secret enemies apart from the hunts, secret eikons, weapons... That os what I really missed out. Much more than a turn based combat, much more than anything, because it was really enjoyable going for all that hidden content to make your team over powered.

    Anyway, in the end a Final Fantasy is about walking side by side with your character through a wonderful story. And this one is one of the games that has made me feel more emotions of the whole franchise. That's all I was asking for.    … Expand
  24. AGreeNer
    Sep 9, 2023
    8
    Final Fantasy 16 captivated my heart with its enthralling narrative, intriguing characters, and breathtaking visuals. Let's delve into the highs and lows that influenced my score.

    Story & Performances: The narrative, albeit somewhat predictable, remained engaging. The journey propels players through uncharted territories; albeit linear at first, there's more exploration as the game    Final Fantasy 16 captivated my heart with its enthralling narrative, intriguing characters, and breathtaking visuals. Let's delve into the highs and lows that influenced my score.

    Story & Performances: The narrative, albeit somewhat predictable, remained engaging. The journey propels players through uncharted territories; albeit linear at first, there's more exploration as the game progresses. Sadly, these expanses lack intriguing discoveries.

    As for performances, the cast delivered impeccably. Clyde, Cid, Jill, and Benedicta showcased stellar portrayals, setting a high bar for immersion. Though the side characters could benefit further development, the primary ensemble held their own brilliantly.

    Gameplay: The gameplay was satisfying. The build and ability diversity suggest multiple play styles, keeping things fresh. Boss battles stand out, not for their complexity, but for their awe-inspiring aesthetics.

    Side Quests: Admittedly, these were a letdown. Although they occasionally provided insights into the broader world, they often felt more like hindrances than delights. A scant few offered valuable rewards, but the majority seemed like uninspired filler. For completionists, wading through lackluster side quests can be tedious.

    RPG Elements: A crucial component for any Final Fantasy title, yet they seemed underwhelming here. While Clyde's abilities offered some build variety, the armor and weaponry system felt lackluster. Armor and weapon progression tied too closely to main missions, with few exceptions, which diminished player choice. Trinket equipping introduced some depth, but its impact felt minimal.

    To end on a positive note, despite my criticisms, I truly cherished my time with FF16. It stands as a memorable title in the series, and my favorite since FF12.

    My rating suffered a slight deduction due to the trophy unlock system requiring a game replay. A note to developers: please reconsider such mechanisms. They're more irksome than rewarding.    … Expand
  25. Luisvi
    Sep 9, 2023
    8
    Buena historia con un gran combate, aunque con unos fallos de exploración y misiones secundarias propios de anteriores generaciones.
  26. ClaytonCarmine
    Sep 9, 2023
    10
    Final Fantasy XVI has become one of the best games of the year for me, right behind HI-Fi Rush and the hotly anticipated Forza Motorsport! The game is very beautiful, large-scale, epic, it is one of the most expensive games in the Hack And Slash genre, as well as just games in general, Sqare Enix outdid themselves and created a real masterpiece; I already bought a game for a piece ofFinal Fantasy XVI has become one of the best games of the year for me, right behind HI-Fi Rush and the hotly anticipated Forza Motorsport! The game is very beautiful, large-scale, epic, it is one of the most expensive games in the Hack And Slash genre, as well as just games in general, Sqare Enix outdid themselves and created a real masterpiece; I already bought a game for a piece of **** called Ps5, and now I'm waiting for the release on XBOX, thanks a lot to Sqare Enix for this monumental bible!!… Expand
  27. meetle
    Sep 9, 2023
    10
    One of the best FF game ever ,love the story and combat !! .
  28. kingoftheking
    Sep 9, 2023
    10
    Definitely the best game of the year 2023. Incredible plot, gameplay, everything is at the highest level. It's 10/10.
  29. Spencersboy
    Sep 9, 2023
    9
    Yoshi-P delivers a Final Fantasy masterpeice. Locked 60fps with beautiful visuals, and combat that puts bayonetta and Devil may cry to shame.
  30. AnaLesbiGame
    Sep 9, 2023
    10
    I've played it twice and in hard mode it's wonderful. The story of Clive and Josua is great, all the characters once again have that "magic" of the previous games. Final Fantasy is back.
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Awards & Rankings

16
#16 Best PlayStation 5 Game of 2023
1
#1 Most Discussed PlayStation 5 Game of 2023

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 146 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 134 out of 146
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 146
  3. Negative: 0 out of 146
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jan 22, 2024
    100
    Final Fantasy XVI is an excellent game in every way. If you're a fan of the series for the stories and characters, you won't go wrong here, and if you've avoided the series for, say, turn-based combat, the sixteenth installment offers the perfect opportunity to get started with this legend of the gaming industry. [Issue#329]
  2. Riot Pixels
    Oct 30, 2023
    73
    This is a solid RPG/action game. Some elements of the game are unusual and fresh for single-player parts of the Final Fantasy series, but some are too dull and rudimentary.
    Read full review
  3. PLAY
    Sep 17, 2023
    90
    New numbered FFs are good again. Stunning to look at, with new, punchy combat, and a great yarn, it is, if anything, too focussed, lacking a bit of the weird. [Issue#30, p.78]
See all critic reviews »