User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 8567 Ratings

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  1. Jun 28, 2023
    9
    Final fantasy es un juegazo ,seguro que no merece un 10 , pero menos aun merece esta reviuw bombing de unos troles que ni lo an jugado.un cordial saludo a los amantes de los videojuegos.
  2. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    ff16 is an amazing game but It feels some RPG elements could have been better.
    Fidelity mode is the best way to experience the game especially if you are using a big screen or 4k monitor but I expect there will be patches to improve performance, a locked 45fps would be way better.
  3. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    This is the best Final Fantasy among the new ones! Exciting battles, pretty graphics, and interesting story.
  4. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    A wonderful return of a legendary saga.
    Ottimo lavoro a Yoshida e a tutto il team eccezionale di Final Fantasy XVI!
  5. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    Final Fantasy 16 is by no means perfect, but with the gripping narrative, combined with stellar combat and a beautiful and well realized world, i dare say it’s pretty darn great.

    The emotional beats of the story, coupled with the rather well thought out political aspects of FF16’s world, kept me engaged and had me keeping up to date with the various in-game lore systems until the end of
    Final Fantasy 16 is by no means perfect, but with the gripping narrative, combined with stellar combat and a beautiful and well realized world, i dare say it’s pretty darn great.

    The emotional beats of the story, coupled with the rather well thought out political aspects of FF16’s world, kept me engaged and had me keeping up to date with the various in-game lore systems until the end of the campaign and beyond. Similarly, i never grew tired of the combat mechanics as the game constantly offered me new tools to experiment with, and new interesting bosses to fight (My god the boss fights are epic).

    All in all, the game is quite good. Though there are numerous side quests that are boring and repetitive combined with the story suffering from some pacing issues at times, the positives highlighted above simply outweigh these short comings for me personally. As a long time final fantasy fan, this game delivered unto me most of what i wanted, and in some areas such as the boss encounters, even exceeded my expectations.
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  6. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Eikon battle is amazing.
    I personally like the characters as well.
    I played it 60 hours in 4 days and enjoyed it a lot.

    The only downside for me is I want to see the scene that Clive return to Jill, instead of only implications.
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  7. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    Pathetic to see people review bombing a game just cause it ain’t on their platform. I enjoyed every second with this game the boss fights were all spectacular the story was interesting the ending left me a bit sour though could’ve been presented better. Combat was great many intense moments. Cast and the voice acting were all amazing too. probably going to be my Game of the Year.
  8. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    A fantastic and beautiful game, the story and the world is amazing FF meets GoT so it's definitely not for the faint hearted. Slick action that is easy to pick up but difficult to master, an excellent addition to the FF family
  9. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I was a nonbeliever in the changes making this an action oriented game and after playing the demo I was outraged. now however after playing the game up to the killing of Garuda I am a huge fan of this new direction.
    no need to worry about the changes though since each final fantasy offers a unique combat system there may be a switch to a fully controllable party in the next installment of final fantasy.
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  10. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    Why is this game getting review bombed? Don't listen to the BS the game is great. Perfect, no but the most fun I've had with a FF title in a long time. Get a life people, and let normal folks enjoy stuff. Freaking haters
  11. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    O jogo possui uma narrativa incrível, combate muito bom. Deixa a desejar na parte de exploração e missões secundarias. Sem duvidas um dos melhores jogos de 2023!
  12. Jul 21, 2023
    9
    Not done with the game yet (45+ hours in atm) but the visuals and the voice acting are spectacular. Sure there’s a lot of cutscenes in the beginning but that’s always been one of my favorite things. Yes it’s more of an adventure game than any other FF entry but it still has a lot of things that make it true to itself. But the best part of this game is the fact you actually get to fight asNot done with the game yet (45+ hours in atm) but the visuals and the voice acting are spectacular. Sure there’s a lot of cutscenes in the beginning but that’s always been one of my favorite things. Yes it’s more of an adventure game than any other FF entry but it still has a lot of things that make it true to itself. But the best part of this game is the fact you actually get to fight as an aeon/eikon. The story is so truly final fantasy especially towards the end. Expand
  13. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    The game play is good but the story is vague.
    The country setting feel crude and fleeting in the story. World map is beautiful but lack of interaction and exploration. Running in the world map is boring.
  14. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    Very good game with a nice story ! À lot of sensation ! -1 for the framerate
  15. Jul 15, 2023
    9
    I've been playing Final Fantasy games for over 2 decades and I thought this game was amazing, really loved the story. Are there things that could have been better? Sure, but the overall experience was everything id hoped the game would be. Definitely will be replaying this for years to come!
  16. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    This game is amazing, it is one the best Final Fantasy games out there, the battle system is a bit tough getting used to, but fun either way. Definetly Final Fantasy is back with a great story line, Im having so much fun with it. Recomended 10 out of 10....
  17. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    This is the best Final Fantasy game since X in my opinion. The story, world building and characters are immense combined with amazing combat. Is it a perfect game? No game is, but this is essential gaming for the causal or die hard Final Fantasy fan.
  18. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    First modern final fantasy I’ve played on release (non-FF7). The story and characters are captivating and the setting is charming!
  19. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    Having a lot of fun with this game. Looks amazing, battles are incredible. cut scenes are abundant! You knew that coming in thorough but once it opens up there’s plenty to do. 100% recommend.
  20. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    If you like good stories, play it. If you like great graphics, play it. If you like amazing gameplay, play it. If you are a gamer, and own a ps5, you owe it to yourself.
  21. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    So far I am 15 hours into the game. The new combat system, music, character designs are all very well put together. I can't give the game a perfect score due to the lacking RPG/gear elements and performance.
  22. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    Amazing story, great characters, great music, crazy battles, crazy abilities, warning: will blow your dick off!
  23. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. In short, this game is great with a very entertaining combat, epic soundtrack and good story. However, there were some parts of the story did not give the feeling of the moment (e.g. you feel that the characters are emotionless). Expand
  24. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    Great visuals great combat, story wasn't a super big hit for me. The music was really good. Felt the game needed more weapon choices to spice up combat as well but all in all one of my favorite releases this year.
  25. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    Yoshi P and the team have done an amazing job putting this story together. There are a ton of Easter eggs and reference to other final fantasy games, the voice acting is spectacular. I'm impressed with the writing, the conversations, the back and forth is so well written isn't riddled with cringey meta dialogue. The OST is so good you'll want it on vinyl and perfectly complements theYoshi P and the team have done an amazing job putting this story together. There are a ton of Easter eggs and reference to other final fantasy games, the voice acting is spectacular. I'm impressed with the writing, the conversations, the back and forth is so well written isn't riddled with cringey meta dialogue. The OST is so good you'll want it on vinyl and perfectly complements the battles with do nothing but ramp up 100 times with each one leaving your jaw on the floor. Expand
  26. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    A revolution of the concept of Final Fantasy itself, it’s good, except for side-quest that are too shallow…. But are passed many years from the last time that I cried for a game. Absolute one of the best game of this year!
  27. Jul 3, 2023
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Think the last time I enjoyed Final Fantasy game was 13 trilogy back when I first started in 2020 during the lockdown.
    I played both old-school turn-base FF and newer ones, I like both but the newer hack-n-slash lessen the burden of grinding by ALOT, and for that, I like the newer ones more.
    The game plot kinda similar to Final Fantasy - Lightning Returns, but it pumped up the level and the story-telling.
    The soundtrack? No need to say more. Absolutely Perfect.
    Jill best girl.
    The casts are all great, it build up gradually.
    The only thing I can think of that I don't like is that they need more back story for Jill and Joshua.
    Granted Clive is the main character but I don't mind knowing more about Jill and Joshua. At this point, I don't even mind if they release DLCs for those two, I'll buy it.
    The graphics: Say no more.
    Play on Frame-rate mode though, mind you.
    The ending left me desire to want to know more about Jill and others.
    More items slot to wear would be nice, but then again, doesn't change that much.
    The Environments, the details design are perfect.
    Overall, a great game with great story, teared me up multiple times. The plot touches a difficult aspect of history but they did it well merging along together with Fantasy.
    Can't wait to see if there are any DLCs coming, and can't wait to buy it again on PC.
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  28. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    Amazing story, great characters, and the music is some of the best in all of gaming. A true Final Fantasy experience.
  29. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    Great ff game, been playing ff games since ff7 and the graphics and deep story telling just keep getting better. Every time I am doing the scenario or even boss fights I think to my self Damm that has to be the best of the best the game has to offer, but no it keeps breaking my expectations about everything. Also the music goddamn is like one of if not it has to be the best music that myGreat ff game, been playing ff games since ff7 and the graphics and deep story telling just keep getting better. Every time I am doing the scenario or even boss fights I think to my self Damm that has to be the best of the best the game has to offer, but no it keeps breaking my expectations about everything. Also the music goddamn is like one of if not it has to be the best music that my brain has heard ever, it gets hype but it can also get nice and chill, but dammmm can it make a grown ass man cry too lol. So yeah this gets a 9 from me :) Expand
  30. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    Almost everything about this game is absolutely amazing. The combat feels gritty and flashy while the story is gripping and the music is incredible as always.
  31. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    Gameplay amazing graphics phenomenal the perfect blend of story and action future final fantasy games should follow the footsteps created by XVI the cut scenes are engaging never a boring moment all and all a great game and a great action rpg story video game
  32. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    Great game - gets better as you play on. Feels like a better FF12. Stylistically it feels like it will age well. Hopefully they create DLC.
  33. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    FFXVI is a fantastic direction to take the FF series. Every FF game has tried to do something new, and XVI continues that trend. The combat is excellent, graphics are gorgeous, and the story is very good including the side quests. If you want an excellent single player adventure that actually engrossed you in it world and makes every boss battle truly epic, FFXVI is the game for you
  34. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    I’m really enjoying the game, the music, the characters, the boss fights and combat in general is fun, I’m not given a 10/10 because of the motion blur and the inconsistency in performance mode, is playable and enjoyable but not acceptable for an exclusive, hopefully will be fixed soon.
  35. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    Some want to say this game is bad but it isnt. It has great graphics, a fair and unique ability system that lets you try many builds with jo penalty. There’s no super overwhelming build that can carry you and then you want to forget everything else. You can with anything if you just put points into the magic type. I found the cinematics and cutscenes nice but maybe dull more often than notSome want to say this game is bad but it isnt. It has great graphics, a fair and unique ability system that lets you try many builds with jo penalty. There’s no super overwhelming build that can carry you and then you want to forget everything else. You can with anything if you just put points into the magic type. I found the cinematics and cutscenes nice but maybe dull more often than not when I was normally engaged in other FF games. But they give you so many surprises and fights i never had imagined they make them go certain ways. All in all its a worthwhile time. Expand
  36. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    This game is beautiful. I love it. It’s engaging. It’s visually stunning. Flawless music. The combat is where the game’s heart is. It may seem odd for a Final Fantasy to be action oriented, however, it fits perfectly for the future installments. Landing combos may be a bit hard but this game is always about learning. Side quests aren’t always the best in recent FFs as they are long andThis game is beautiful. I love it. It’s engaging. It’s visually stunning. Flawless music. The combat is where the game’s heart is. It may seem odd for a Final Fantasy to be action oriented, however, it fits perfectly for the future installments. Landing combos may be a bit hard but this game is always about learning. Side quests aren’t always the best in recent FFs as they are long and boring and they slow the pacing of the game. There are very few that’s interesting and engaging. In order to complete the game or 100% the game, might as well force yourself. There’s also some weird facial animations that doesn’t quite fit character emotions and the dialogues that are being spoken. There’s nothing much to do in the “open world” besides collecting useless material and defeating enemies as I wish for dungeons. I also do wish there was more than one role as a swordsman. But it’s whatever I guess as Clive only knows how to wield a sword and go super saiyan with his abilities. However, the game’s Eikon Battles, main story, cinematic immersion and music make up for these gripes. Expand
  37. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    Final Fantasy XVI is the most enjoyable title in the mainline series (excluding FFXIV).
    Combat and Eikon's fight are epic and impressive.

    I like straightforward storytelling, pretty much like watching long-epic dark-fantasy dramas.
  38. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    Final Fantasy XVI is a flawed game, yet it gave me some of the highest moments in gaming in recent years. A beautiful story about loss, overcoming hardships and building a better world, even if that world might be years in the future, In my heart I would give this game a 10 but I can't ignore the major flaws that pretty apparent.

    Quest design is serviceable at best, aged and mediocre at
    Final Fantasy XVI is a flawed game, yet it gave me some of the highest moments in gaming in recent years. A beautiful story about loss, overcoming hardships and building a better world, even if that world might be years in the future, In my heart I would give this game a 10 but I can't ignore the major flaws that pretty apparent.

    Quest design is serviceable at best, aged and mediocre at worst, 90% of them play the exact same and they get redundant pretty fast, during the main game it felt multiple times that a quest was added to pad the runtime, never bothered me until the ending of the 3rd quarter and by the end of the game, in the former there was a quest that literally led to me questioning my sanity given how little importance to anything it had, while in the latter... I'm not gonna go into spoilers but let just say a specific section might have been cut or shortened.

    The biggest problem with the quests however are the secondaries, all of them are the exact same and they get repetitive really, really fast. Were it not for some of the side character development and lore some of them offered I would have grown tired of them much faster, but by the end I was pretty fed up with the side quests sadly. The combat system is really really fun, it's not the magnum opus that was spoken of during interviews from a player standpoint but I think I know why they said it, it's got a lot of options and many ways to customize how you play and mawl your opponents, devil may cry this ain't, but some damn good action it sure be. (Altho it has to be said, it is on the easier side for habitual action game players, the lack of a fourth "hard" difficulty option together with the main two plus the NG+ final fantasy mode would have been appreciated. The rpg element is pretty linear, given the action game direction I don't wanna call this a flaw but it has to be said, the only real customization and rpg building will come in the form of which skills you acquire for your setup and which accessories you equip, weapons and armor are pretty linear otherwise, again, not a flaw given the context, but if you're expecting materia building, junctions or the ffx spherography, you'll be disappointed. The soundtrack is... Phenomenal, multiple times I just sat there going "WHAT THE HECK IS THIS MUSIC" and started jumping up and down in excitement. The voice acting (English) was honestly even better than I expected, every performer brought their a-game to the table and delivered one hell of a performance, I'm gonna use the main protagonist has a metric and say that yeah, they did one hell of a job. And now for the most important part arguably... The story. I have a lot to say about it but I'll start with the flaws, so that I can praise it to hell and back later. It has some very apparent pacing issues at multiple points, the worst being at the end tail of the game, it didn't detract too much from my experience (except the last part of the game, where I had to really swallow the pacing issue) but it has to be addressed, perfect pacing this is totally not. Not only that but some plotelines might be... I don't wanna say too ambitious but they might have needed some more work, it's already a complete package in my opinion but it's got some roughness around the edges.

    With the flaws put forward I will now speak from my heart, I finished the game yesterday night and these are my hot impressions about the story and it's resolution... It was everything I wanted if a bit flawed, it delivered exactly what I was hoping for, emotion, excitement, over the top final fantasy moments, it had it all for me, many times I was always left wondering "where do we go from here" or "wow... So this is the stare of the world uh?", more than one time the story made me sad, angry, happy, joyful and sorrowful, it is a flawed story from some standpoints, but I found it beautiful, flaws included. As you can see I am very subjective on this matter, I cannot give this the 10 I wanted it to deserve because the flaws are there and they are too egregious to ignore (I won't go into framerate issues, they are inexcusable but I don't wanna make a point out of them in this review), that being said, Final fantasy XVI is not a perfect game, it has some flaws spurred from some poor game design choices and the inexperience with the new direction the franchise took, however... It's an experience worth playing that hopefully will make you feel the same things I did, don't listen to review bombers tho xD. May the flames guide you all in this adventure
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  39. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    Amazing game, combat is amazing, and cinematics keep your heart racing the whole time. The side quests aren't amazing but besides that the game is near perfect I'd even suffice to say it could be called one of the best video games square enix has made to date.
  40. Jun 26, 2023
    9
    The game is amazing.

    Personally, I always get any mainline Final Fantasy game as much as possible since I am a fan of the series. Up until may playtrough, I really can say that this is better than the previous 2 non-mmorpg mainline FF (which are 13 and 15). I'm currently enjoying the battle system and story. My only problem is there are parts where the frame drops (mostly on
    The game is amazing.

    Personally, I always get any mainline Final Fantasy game as much as possible since I am a fan of the series. Up until may playtrough, I really can say that this is better than the previous 2 non-mmorpg mainline FF (which are 13 and 15). I'm currently enjoying the battle system and story.

    My only problem is there are parts where the frame drops (mostly on cutscences) but during battle, I haven't experienced this.

    Overall, CBU3 created a masterpiece and their vision of a great Final Fantasy game has come true.
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  41. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    A game that breaks with the series' past, but which interprets its classic themes in a mature key, accompanying them with direction and voice acting at levels never seen before in a Japanese production, comparable or perhaps superior to those of Naughty dog or Rockstar games. The linearity and the combat system, which at the first run does not offer a high level of challenge, cannot beA game that breaks with the series' past, but which interprets its classic themes in a mature key, accompanying them with direction and voice acting at levels never seen before in a Japanese production, comparable or perhaps superior to those of Naughty dog or Rockstar games. The linearity and the combat system, which at the first run does not offer a high level of challenge, cannot be considered a defect of the game as they are a precise artistic choice of the authors, who have focused everything on the harmony between the narrative and the gameplay. The only real flaws are the gameplay component of the side quests (not the writing, which is fine) and the uselessness of the weapon crafting system. Expand
  42. Jul 27, 2023
    9
    Beat the game few hours ago and these are my thoughts.

    Pros : - Best looking game this year so far, everything is extremely detailed and look great. - Mature storyline and dialogue, great voice acting from the cast as well. First time I choose to play in ENG VO - Awesome gameplay, if you like DMC gameplay then this is pretty much in your alley. I would say it's much more easier to
    Beat the game few hours ago and these are my thoughts.

    Pros :
    - Best looking game this year so far, everything is extremely detailed and look great.
    - Mature storyline and dialogue, great voice acting from the cast as well. First time I choose to play in ENG VO
    - Awesome gameplay, if you like DMC gameplay then this is pretty much in your alley. I would say it's much more easier to execute certain combos, parries than DMC5 itself.
    -The boss fights
    -The Music

    Cons :
    - Uninspired early side quests, but it gets slightly better towards the end game.
    - Some performances issue or maybe the PS5 is just not powerful enough to carry the game , framerate drop in gameplay/combat are barely noticeable.
    - Equipment upgrades / weapons are pretty much too simple. Not much RPG-ness to it.

    Closing statement :
    The good outweighs the bad at the end. I hope Yoshi P and his team would direct the next FF17 as we all could see the production value and passions that have been put into the game itself.

    If Yoshi P or any FF16 team member is reading this, Ignore the trolls. They can't recognize a good game even if it's in front of them. I hope you guys could make a DLC/Story expansion for Clive to give him the Geralt treatment in Blood & Wine.
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  43. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    This game is one of the best FF that I have ever played.

    Story, Action, Cutscene, etc..., all is high quality.

    Though I can't go around the world freely, the way prepared by devlopers gives me an great experience.

    Thank you.
  44. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    i give it as 9/10 as the characters, story, music, world building, easter eggs, side quests and rewards, RPG elements were top notch!
    the only thing stopping from giving it a perfect 10/10 was the combat, while i love the DMC style of combat the game has, it feels lacking in a sense, personally the FF7:R combat system had the perfect blend of action and turn based combat.
  45. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    As a series hard fan, I’m trying to put my expectation aside. Otherwise it will be another score.
    Undoubtedly it is a great game. Well polish. Heavily focusing on story as it is heavily loaded with cut scene, ATL, librarian, Map and history board trying to let player understand the story to the fullest extent. On the combat system which failed me on this part a bit as the producer claimed
    As a series hard fan, I’m trying to put my expectation aside. Otherwise it will be another score.
    Undoubtedly it is a great game. Well polish. Heavily focusing on story as it is heavily loaded with cut scene, ATL, librarian, Map and history board trying to let player understand the story to the fullest extent. On the combat system which failed me on this part a bit as the producer claimed that this is his greatest work of all time but it is actually fatigue more than fun. Combat are somewhat deep but lacking of variety as we only control one character. Fighting every bosses and mini bosses feel the same way as the loop of breaking and spamming ability after successfully break them goes on and on. As a good action game player need to be clearly sees what happen so player can response in time but for FF16 their is not totally failed on this point but player can be blind by so many special effect resulting in failure to response properly.
    Exploration and undiscovered the secret is no more. Poor level design. Just a plain beautiful field that we almost cannot react with it. Straight path way leading from point A to point B.
    Storytelling can be hard to digest as the world is setting in heavily political driven. Character is great but party member interaction is lacking. Only Clive and Jill go save the world. Even FF15 doing better on this part. How can we forget the last camp fire scene on previous title even so many years later?
    Feel like the producer put so many budget on story telling and cut of exploration, level design, and playable characters part. But still, it is a great game.
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  46. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    Excellent addition to the franchise. Beautiful graphics, fun story and most importantly, amazingly satisfying gameplay.
  47. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    I have been really astonished how good this new final fantasy is. These bad reviews have not given it a chance. I have always been a steadfast rpg fan, but the story, gameplay, characters, environments, everything in this game is top notch. Congrats to the developers!
  48. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    It's a great game.

    Combat system is amazing. Eikon battles are sick af. Music is god tier.
    Some side quests are not interesting. But there are still some amazing side quests.
    (Sorry for my poor English)
  49. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    This is the first Final Fantasy game I’ve ever played I’m about 12 hours in and I love it with all of my being. Will update score when I finish the game but right now it is a solid 9. In a recent single player gaming world where most of the new releases are open world games that are completely empty with nothing but dull side quests and the same activity to repeat, this game was theThis is the first Final Fantasy game I’ve ever played I’m about 12 hours in and I love it with all of my being. Will update score when I finish the game but right now it is a solid 9. In a recent single player gaming world where most of the new releases are open world games that are completely empty with nothing but dull side quests and the same activity to repeat, this game was the freshest breathe of air ever. The linear kinda railroaded experience and focus on story is absolutely stunning visually and heartbreaking emotionally. I love this game and if you enjoy fantasy or just good story telling in general you will to. Also the combat designed by the guy who designed Devil May Cry’s combat is just a plus to what is already an amazing game. Play it! Expand
  50. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    Awesome Game, but motion blur sucks and framerate is not stable. Gameplay gets more interesting the further you get.
  51. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    Final Fantasy XVI is my first Final Fantasy and I think it's great. I'm gonna explain to you why that's the case with a pros and cons list.

    Pros: - it looks magnificent (I think it's crazy what 3 year old hardware can do if it is used to its limits) - the combat system is just great and you can do so many different things - the cutscenes are beautiful - the soundtrack fits perfectly and
    Final Fantasy XVI is my first Final Fantasy and I think it's great. I'm gonna explain to you why that's the case with a pros and cons list.

    Pros:
    - it looks magnificent (I think it's crazy what 3 year old hardware can do if it is used to its limits)
    - the combat system is just great and you can do so many different things
    - the cutscenes are beautiful
    - the soundtrack fits perfectly and drags you in this great fantasy world

    Cons:
    - the side quests are often quite boring because you mostly run from one npc to another, but sometimes the stories, that they tell you, make up for it. - performance mode doesn't give you stable 60 fps (the world and view make up for it and the fps seem to rise once you get in a fight)

    Conclusion:
    The game is overall really great and the story is beautifully written. I couldn't list cons without there being an upside to them so i think that says something. I'd recommend this game, also to anyone who hasn't played a Final Fantasy game before this one. Great game 9/10!
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  52. Jul 6, 2023
    9
    After having played the game with all the additional content, it has been 60 hours of play.

    Pros The most remarkable thing about this game is the story and its narrative, there are points in the game where the narrative meets a powerful audiovisual section, which without a doubt can elevate it to one of the most epic moments in the video game industry. Its cooldown-based combat
    After having played the game with all the additional content, it has been 60 hours of play.

    Pros

    The most remarkable thing about this game is the story and its narrative, there are points in the game where the narrative meets a powerful audiovisual section, which without a doubt can elevate it to one of the most epic moments in the video game industry.

    Its cooldown-based combat system is fun and snappy, though you end up getting so powerful that the later stages of the game are a walk. However, the game has an extra difficulty for those who want a greater challenge.

    One of its negative points was the high blur motion that the game presented, it has been recently fixed.

    cons

    The secondary missions are poor, some give you good lore, but at the level of execution it is the simplest of the saga. That causes the game's rhythm to be broken by those moments where Clive becomes an errand boy, it is a point that overshadows the moments that he reaches excellence.

    As a personal request I have found extra content missing such as: chocobo races, card minigames... It has been something that has been present in many FF and gave them duration and magic. In this game the only mechanics are fighting or running errands.

    Conclusion: one of the most epic stories of recent years overshadowed by an unambitious design of missions and extras.
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  53. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    Things I like: The central protagonist is down to earth and relatable. The combat is fast paced, engaging, and almost never boring. The Eikonic battles feel like my very beloved kaiju fights. It’s a visually stunning presentation with a world that feels real and lived in. The voice acting is excellent with a lot of emotional high points that don’t feel forced or cringey. Things I don’tThings I like: The central protagonist is down to earth and relatable. The combat is fast paced, engaging, and almost never boring. The Eikonic battles feel like my very beloved kaiju fights. It’s a visually stunning presentation with a world that feels real and lived in. The voice acting is excellent with a lot of emotional high points that don’t feel forced or cringey. Things I don’t like: While it doesn’t bother me as much as others the lack of diversity is still an issue but it doesn’t ruin the game. Diversity is good as long as you’re not doing so because you’re just trying to check off all the boxes. The side quests can be a mixed bag with some being kind of dull to others leaving your jaw dropping or shaking your head in disgust (in a good way).

    Overall this is probably the best Final Fantasy I’ve played since X and maybe in the top 3 of all time. That remains to be seen as I finish this and will update my thoughts on this later.
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  54. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    I think this is one of the best Final Fantasy games out there right now. Top 3 easily for me. The heart of the game is the history itself. Awesome characters, plot and action sequences. Awesome music. God the music...
    The only thing that could do better was the ítems that you can use and grow, there is no much you can do to improve your gear, there isn't so many options.
  55. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    Giving this game a 9 out of 10. Genuinely some of the most fun I've had with a game in a while. You can definitely tell the amount of love and care that went into this game. It speaks volumes considering Final Fantasy 15 came out incomplete (took two years for all the FF Royal content to come out). This feels like a very complete experience and I couldn't be happier. The combat has beenGiving this game a 9 out of 10. Genuinely some of the most fun I've had with a game in a while. You can definitely tell the amount of love and care that went into this game. It speaks volumes considering Final Fantasy 15 came out incomplete (took two years for all the FF Royal content to come out). This feels like a very complete experience and I couldn't be happier. The combat has been absolutely fantastic, the gameplay, the characters, and the story are all engrossing. If you love action and plot heavy games this is for you!
    Now I will say, the cut-scenes can be long. I dont have a problem with them personally because I find the story very enjoyable, however I could see why some people may have a problem with that. The performance mode definitely needs to be optimized. However, if you play on graphics mode it holds pretty steady.

    Definitely a fantastic game. It may not be for the more traditional final fantasy fan. But if you can get past that, you are in for one heck of an experience
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  56. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    Amazing battles, gigant enemies, gigant crystal, superb combat. The only reason why is not a 10 is because the side quests are boring and the gearing system is too basic would love more gear/builds options.
  57. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    Final fantasy 16 is one of the greatest final fantasy games ever made. The story is gripping and interesting from start to finish, the combat although not as intricate as devil may cry is great and done well to ease new players to the action style of combat in. The characters are among the best in the whole series. The boss battles and the pure specticle of them are a high point in theFinal fantasy 16 is one of the greatest final fantasy games ever made. The story is gripping and interesting from start to finish, the combat although not as intricate as devil may cry is great and done well to ease new players to the action style of combat in. The characters are among the best in the whole series. The boss battles and the pure specticle of them are a high point in the game, getting to levels never thought imagined for a fan that has been invested in the series since the og games. The only real issues I had were the tedious side quests at the start of the game, combat maybe being too easy and lack luster rpg elements that felt a bit tacked on. Even with these gripes the game is a must play and a return to form for the franchise. We'll done SE. Expand
  58. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. We all there allot of haters of the game because ATB. But i thunk they need to grow up a pare and look beyond that! I for instant grow up with ff6, chrono trigger and other ATB games. But mine consern and mostely important one is the story and the story is great! The dark lore the loses the grief and hatered of characters in the story is well done. The first time also on lipsynce on the english adiaunce. Keep in mind the game is no near perfect and no game is. But anough talk about ff16 haters. This game is really good because the combat allways put me on the edge of my seat. The party IA is good because when you do damage they do also allot of damage aslong you do allot of damage. I kill 3 mobs they killed 2 of the others the same time on the battlefield. Graphics is great even the motion blurr is hard to delete. Except for 2d games. Music is great composed by Soken and i can see that made the game with there heart and soul. Remember the eikonic battles are for more fun then it is in the normal battles. A nice twist now and then. The weird part i dont understand about the ff16 haters that i dont get is this they didnt complain about ff7 that is not a ff because of the crystals. There is none in ff7 but the lifestream. My take in ff games is the story and that is my highest priority in ff games with the iconnic beast like moogle chocobo etc...
    We just need to look beyond the scale of it time in gaming and not looking the past. Who knows maybe the next installment will be ATB again.
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  59. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    A mi al principio no me llamaba tanto este FF pero cuando probé el demo quedé impactada xd y fue el motivo por el que lo reserve de inmediato y no me arrepiento ♡

    Hasta el momento me está gustando mucho, llevo 26 horas y es increíble. Me ha gustado el desarrollo que han tenido los personajes y quiero mucho a Torgal. ♡ Las misiones secundarias no son tanto de mi agrado xd También me ha
    A mi al principio no me llamaba tanto este FF pero cuando probé el demo quedé impactada xd y fue el motivo por el que lo reserve de inmediato y no me arrepiento ♡

    Hasta el momento me está gustando mucho, llevo 26 horas y es increíble.
    Me ha gustado el desarrollo que han tenido los personajes y quiero mucho a Torgal. ♡

    Las misiones secundarias no son tanto de mi agrado xd

    También me ha parecido que es algo fácil ;( aún quitando los anillos, pero ya veremos en el NW+.
    y me hubiera gustado intercambiar entre personajes como en el FF7 REMAKE.

    Por el momento para mi es muy buen juego♡
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  60. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    Awesome. This is one of the best things I've ever seen in my life in terms of history. Each boss fight seems like a Holliywood production and the entire soundtrack surpasses Bloodborne soundtrack. Graphics are true next-gen. Map/exploration was not a problem to me since FFXII is my favorite and XVI is similar in this aspect but I understand some critics.

    9/10 cuz I only give 10 to games
    Awesome. This is one of the best things I've ever seen in my life in terms of history. Each boss fight seems like a Holliywood production and the entire soundtrack surpasses Bloodborne soundtrack. Graphics are true next-gen. Map/exploration was not a problem to me since FFXII is my favorite and XVI is similar in this aspect but I understand some critics.

    9/10 cuz I only give 10 to games where gear/visuals can be changed. (Only sword change here)
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  61. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    Ignore the haters and read some real reviews! Gameplay is a lot of fun in this game and I'm a big fan of the story! If you love swords, magic and dogs then here's your game! In all seriousness, the fighting system is excellent, if your familiar with 7 remake and 15 then you'll pick it up in no time. The use of a dog partner to team with you is awesome as he can help you juggle enemies orIgnore the haters and read some real reviews! Gameplay is a lot of fun in this game and I'm a big fan of the story! If you love swords, magic and dogs then here's your game! In all seriousness, the fighting system is excellent, if your familiar with 7 remake and 15 then you'll pick it up in no time. The use of a dog partner to team with you is awesome as he can help you juggle enemies or give you a heal when you need it. I'm not done with the game yet but so far i feel that I've already gotten my money's worth. The graphics are beautiful, however there are moments where it feels like it's almost too much in the faster cut scene battles. The mechanics of some of the cut scenes where you button mash feel kinda redundant, like not very important even though I know its to help immerse you into the gameplay, so maybe it will be built upon as the games go on. I highly recommend this to FF fans, and don't let these haters throwing shade for no reason discourage you from purchasing this game. Expand
  62. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    Square Enix proves one again they have the magic to make an amazing gaming experience like no other developer. This is an epic adventure that will have you on a roller coaster of emotions and fun battle system that makes you question if you ever really liked turned-based games. My only complain is that the performance mode was not ready to launch, hope they do something about it in future updates.
  63. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    So far i am 15 hours in. Its really good. Some of the battles are adrenaline packed. The story seems good and the characters are interesting. Could be a 10 if they had more side quests that were more interesting than merely fetching an item or rescuing a person from a creature. Also some glitches like being able to walk right through a killed creature. Much better than 15 so far.
  64. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    This game was amazing, just minor performance issues hold it back from being perfect for me
  65. Jul 19, 2023
    9
    This was my first final fantasy game so i don't have the "its not a final fantasy game" complaints. Firstly, it's an AMAZING game with some minor flaws. Playing as clive the protagonist who isn't just some edgy and all cool dude, he's real soft deep inside and he feels most human than any other video game protagonist.

    Pros : The first half was addicting as hell, not saying it fell of
    This was my first final fantasy game so i don't have the "its not a final fantasy game" complaints. Firstly, it's an AMAZING game with some minor flaws. Playing as clive the protagonist who isn't just some edgy and all cool dude, he's real soft deep inside and he feels most human than any other video game protagonist.

    Pros :
    The first half was addicting as hell, not saying it fell of at the second half but just wasn't at the same level as the first. First, The SOUNDTRACK I can't begin with how good it is literally 10/10. Orchestral music and choir is always good.

    GAMEPLAY is fun 10/10 and once you get all the abilities it just gets better. I finished the game but I still want to play again to try out a different build. It gets boring a bit but that's because I was trying to 100% the game so it kinda feels repetitive at the end (like every other game). The eikon battles are one of most cinematic boss fights I've ever seen in a video game. Better than any fromsoft games or GOW and that says a lot. The boss fights are literally the reason u should get this game. Dungeons are kinda bland like each dungeon has 3 mini bosses and 1 major boss. Dungeons are kinda small and all look the same the loots are crappy no reason to explore at all other than a THOUSAND of the same crafting materials that u probably won't use. And 2 gil(the currency). Crafting sucks here cause you'll probably only craft the purple gear cause their materials come from boss drops while they give u a lot of green gear recipes which are usually crappy.

    STORY wise 8/10 , if you're into politics, war and slavery, you would love this game. I couldn't really follow at times but that's where ATL (active time lore) comes in. In the middle of the cutscenes, whenever you feel lost you can pause the game and activate ATL and it really helps explaining the lore. Some warning though, I've heard a few who said ATL spoiled some major part of the story which shouldn't have happened yet. I guess a developer oversight. In between major boss fights are quite boring main quests. I understand its for the world building and the lore but I find myself getting sleepy with the dialogue which u probably shouldn't skip. I wanted to just get it over with and just rush to the next boss fight.

    Cons :
    The side quests 4/10 - Oh boy, there were some sleep inducing side quests. Just talk to npc A then B then to C. You kill some monsters and u go back to A. They never really stray from this formula even until the end of the game. Especially where they literally gave 10+ of these kinds of quests before the final boss. I was trying to 100% the game but I couldn't really bear the sleep inducing quests anymore and was just skipping through the dialogue. But there are really some emotional ones where u get to know more of the main characters. Some tearful moments too.

    The world 5/10 - Kinda empty? In the beginning you couldn't really venture out aside the main quest locations but it does open up quite abit further in the game but not too much. There were not any memorable locations here cause they feel kinda samey idk.

    The CHARACTERS are 7/10 some main characters they really should have fleshed them out more. Other than Clive, the characters feel a bit bland? The party members are real quiet in battle and they disappear during non main story quests. Some side characters like the leaders of each town were just downright boring. I hated doing their quests but you can't skip these cause they're main story quests.

    Overall 9/10. I LOVE this game the boss fights are just the best in video game history. Thats probably the reason u should play the game. Some cons but the pros outweighs the cons immensely.
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  66. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    Clearly a game that should have had its edges trimmed, non combat gameplay expanded, exploration, RPG elements and non cutscene animations reworked. However the absolute fun factor, the high octane thrill ride of each Eikon boss fight, and flashy combat system still make this game an iconic entry in the Final Fantasy Compendium. It’s really hard to explain how polished yet how unbaked thisClearly a game that should have had its edges trimmed, non combat gameplay expanded, exploration, RPG elements and non cutscene animations reworked. However the absolute fun factor, the high octane thrill ride of each Eikon boss fight, and flashy combat system still make this game an iconic entry in the Final Fantasy Compendium. It’s really hard to explain how polished yet how unbaked this game is. With that said, this positives far, far out way the negatives. I think Square Enix is really close to cracking the code in creating the ultimate action RPG. Until then, this game is an excellent stepping stone and an exciting entry. Expand
  67. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    Long time fan of the series.

    While the combat system and framework of RPG customization mechanics may be an even further departure from even the 7 Remake games (both combat systems being fine with me), I feel the overall package of this game is an excellent entry in the series and deserves acknowledgement as a legitimate entry in the series. Combat feels fresh and the customization
    Long time fan of the series.

    While the combat system and framework of RPG customization mechanics may be an even further departure from even the 7 Remake games (both combat systems being fine with me), I feel the overall package of this game is an excellent entry in the series and deserves acknowledgement as a legitimate entry in the series.

    Combat feels fresh and the customization of how you use Clive's Eikonic abilities, in addition to the use of Torgal gives an avenue of player skill expression into how one approaches the game. There is a base level where unfamiliar players can execute basic actions, utilizing abilities on cooldown, and allow the AI to maintain your pet companion. Players desiring to expand their mastery over these systems may look to devising ways to effectively reduce Stagger Bars, timing pet commands mid-combo in ways to debilitate enemies from reacting or extending their combos into impressive strings of aggressive follow-through, culminating in devastating assaults on will-broken enemies. There is room for all types of players with this iteration of a Final Fantasy battle system to enjoy nuance as much as they would like to.

    The story maintains a high level of polish for almost the entirety of the playthrough before falling on to some very standard tried-and-true Final Fantasy story beats. The opening of this game and the implementation of the ATL system has allowed me to introduce the series to other players that have never given an FF game a try due to the perception that the stories are complex fantasies with terminology not clearly defined for players without extensive research into data-logs/bestiary entries.

    Voice acting and localization is probably the highest quality its been since XII, but that game is a favorite entry of mine. All main characters and adjacent are well written and voiced, making more believable character interactions. This is probably one of the most organic romances I have seen in a final fantasy game in a long while. Side Quest NPCs having an unexpected amount of additional voice acting/cutscenes was also a welcome surprise and I will be expecting this to expand further in future entries.

    Soundtrack and sound quality are also on levels that are laudable. Soken did an excellent job with this OST, with tracks during certain sections of the game really lending to the high energy spectacle on screen with genre swaps that will catch you off guard. They fit the scenes they occur in and succeed in shaking up the feeling of the game. The audio design of combat, abilities, and general gameplay are all top-notch quality and expertly delivered.

    Visual spectacle in a Final Fantasy game is a no-brainer, from the grim, dark, turbulent world the characters live in, the beautiful and varied vistas you are able to navigate, to the over the top action set pieces, expectations of a feast for the eyes will not be found lacking.

    I appreciate CBU3's first outing in a non-MMO mainline game for the series, with their dedication and reverence towards the series found in FFXIV really showing in their presentation of FFXVI. While there are fans that will not accept any other iteration not purely deferential to the original roots of the series, I believe the continued evolution and spirit of the franchise is clearly presented in this game and is worthy of top marks from me. I can only hope that the general reception to this entry is as appreciative as I am towards it, to allow the developers to continue working their craft in future FF games.

    9/10- an excellent games for fans with minds open for change as well as newcomers that would like to start somewhere in this wonderful 36-Year expanse of stories and experiences that old veterans of the series vocally cherish.
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  68. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    Truly the most kino video game in my life. Story is powerful and touching, the execution of it is just spectacular. Love every second of worldbuilding via sidequests. Combat is fluid and amazing, I've never been this excited to an action game for a long time. The things that could've done better from this game— for me— is its gearing system and needed more party interactions. The fpsTruly the most kino video game in my life. Story is powerful and touching, the execution of it is just spectacular. Love every second of worldbuilding via sidequests. Combat is fluid and amazing, I've never been this excited to an action game for a long time. The things that could've done better from this game— for me— is its gearing system and needed more party interactions. The fps problem is a minor issue to me for it's barely affecting my gameplay, though visually it could be a little jarring but I hope they'll be fixing that. CBU III really do cooked Expand
  69. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    O puro mix de tudo que existe de bom em um jogo de RPG e ação.

    FFXVI mistura elementos clássicos ja da franquia junto a outros elementos de outras, como Gow, Tales of, xenosaga e até Nier. Sua historia é madura e bem desenvolvida, é o perfeito exemplo de como se faz um épico medieval, cheia de referencias a outras obras como O Hobbit, Senhor dos Aneis, e o obvio Game Of Thrones. É um
    O puro mix de tudo que existe de bom em um jogo de RPG e ação.

    FFXVI mistura elementos clássicos ja da franquia junto a outros elementos de outras, como Gow, Tales of, xenosaga e até Nier. Sua historia é madura e bem desenvolvida, é o perfeito exemplo de como se faz um épico medieval, cheia de referencias a outras obras como O Hobbit, Senhor dos Aneis, e o obvio Game Of Thrones. É um prato cheio para todos que se sentem atraídos por contos medievais.

    Seu combate é um diamante, depois da frustração que foi o XV, Ryota Suzuki entra na equipe do XVI e ali desenvolve sua obra prima. Tudo funciona muito bem, os combos, skills, as diversas ramificações de combos/habilidades é perfeita. A dificuldade é balanceada na sua primeira jogatina, entretanto, não subestime seus inimigos pois seus erros não serão perdoados, principalmente quando o inimigo for um sub-boss ou um boss.

    Seguindo para a trilha sonora, Soken é genial, o "substituto" perfeito do grande Uematsu criou canções inimaginavelmente lindas e emocionantes, é praticamente impossível você não "bater cabeça" nas linhas mais pesadas e complexas de guitarra e cordas ou simples lacrimejar igual uma criança nas belas e emocionantes linhas "simples" de violão e piano. Todas ost´s trabalham junto das incríveis atuações, cenários, personagem e batalhas(principalmente na batalha contra o Bah****).

    Seguindo para o final, quero destacar em como todo o mundo funciona de forma linda e suave e parece realmente ser algo real, algo que na nossa realidade poderia ter existido, há tempos que não sentia isso em um jogo, Takai, Yoship, Koji-fox e equipe conseguiram o que pra mim parecia ser o mais dificil.

    Esse titulo novo só não leva um 10/10 pra mim devido a um pecado.

    As missões secundarias, apesar de cada uma conter uma historia por trás e muita das vezes grandes historias por trás, elas acabam pecando em algo essencial em qualquer tipo de atividade dentro de um jogo, a diversão. Raríssimas foram as Missões secundarias a qual eu me diverti, mesmo tendo as hunts (incríveis por sinal) para compensar.

    Tirando isso, esse Final Fantasy é um perfeito Action RPG e essencial para qualquer player, seja ele fã ou não de RPG. Eu como fã de longa data da franquia, finalmente consigo respirar aliviado ao ver o bom caminho a qual a serie numerada esta tomando.
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  70. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    This game is incredible, it gave me strong emotions throughout thanks to its very well written narration, its endearing characters and its very rich lore. Breathtaking cinematics and incredible panoramas. Addictive dynamic and nervous gameplay and titanic primal fights that make you forget the retina. A masterful soundtrack of exceptional quality by Masayoshi Soken, which transports usThis game is incredible, it gave me strong emotions throughout thanks to its very well written narration, its endearing characters and its very rich lore. Breathtaking cinematics and incredible panoramas. Addictive dynamic and nervous gameplay and titanic primal fights that make you forget the retina. A masterful soundtrack of exceptional quality by Masayoshi Soken, which transports us from smiles to tears. Small flat on a majority of side quests a little too classic for my taste but which make coffee. This Final Fantasy repeats the image of the license for me, I really enjoyed my trip to Valisthea. For me it will be my goty 2023. Thanks to all the Naoki Yoshida and Square Enix team. Expand
  71. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    FFXVI is a beautiful game with fun action gameplay and traditional RPG elements. Despite what Yoshida would have us believe however it does still feel like a JRPG however I'd say it is a rather unique and revolutionary take on the genre as a whole. It reminded me a lot of games like Dragon Age, DMC and Dragon's Dogma. The Eikonic battles are fantastic and the cast is awesome. You canFFXVI is a beautiful game with fun action gameplay and traditional RPG elements. Despite what Yoshida would have us believe however it does still feel like a JRPG however I'd say it is a rather unique and revolutionary take on the genre as a whole. It reminded me a lot of games like Dragon Age, DMC and Dragon's Dogma. The Eikonic battles are fantastic and the cast is awesome. You can really feel the inspiration drawn from XIV here, mainly in several of the boss mechanics and asthetic. The combat feels fluid and although you can get by just mashing square that is no fun, it is much better enjoyed doing combos and making different builds. The music is probably my biggest highlight of the game. My one complain would be that I wish the area for hunt fights was more visible. Expand
  72. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    All though I'm not much of a fan of dmc gameplay overall the game is really good once you unlock more eikon abilities. I literally made an account to give my review on this.

    Things I like 1.voice acting is top tier 2.Story is really good. 3. A very dark theme final fantasy 4. Everyone I know that not into final fantasy bought this game Things I don't like 1. Very slow start and take a
    All though I'm not much of a fan of dmc gameplay overall the game is really good once you unlock more eikon abilities. I literally made an account to give my review on this.

    Things I like 1.voice acting is top tier
    2.Story is really good.
    3. A very dark theme final fantasy
    4. Everyone I know that not into final fantasy bought this game

    Things I don't like
    1. Very slow start and take a while to get into
    2. Not much of a DMC fan.
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  73. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    Definitely a different vibe from this FF but the most fun I've had with a FF game (excluding FF7 Remake) since FFXII....maybe even since X!
  74. Jun 30, 2023
    9
    I played the game on Graphic Mode and I have zero problem with it, smooth and stable transition between gameplay and cutscenes, this is recommended setting for the game since Performance sucks by Digital Foundry. My overall experience is 10/10, but only downside is the side quest system, there are many but few of them really engaging.

    Main story is excellent! The boss fights are
    I played the game on Graphic Mode and I have zero problem with it, smooth and stable transition between gameplay and cutscenes, this is recommended setting for the game since Performance sucks by Digital Foundry. My overall experience is 10/10, but only downside is the side quest system, there are many but few of them really engaging.

    Main story is excellent! The boss fights are unspeakably crazy and satisfied, Square Enix really brought this to new level. Definitely my BEST GAME in 2023 so far!
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  75. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A fresh new direction , final fantasy future is in good hands. Master piece story telling and rich lore Expand
  76. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    No spoilers.

    Having played the game for over 25 hours, I will say the story and characters are really awesome. And the combat, especially the boss fights are really fun with the atmosphere and music and combat. I recommend manual combat without the auto combat accessories for the full experience. I would give it a 10, but there are a bit too many cutscenses, i think alot of the
    No spoilers.

    Having played the game for over 25 hours, I will say the story and characters are really awesome. And the combat, especially the boss fights are really fun with the atmosphere and music and combat. I recommend manual combat without the auto combat accessories for the full experience.

    I would give it a 10, but there are a bit too many cutscenses, i think alot of the non-significant cut scenes could have done on the move while actually traveling. (The story / action cut scenes are really really good - just the progression / storytelling ones weren't all neccessary I think)

    Also the crafting could have been done better - its too limited, wish we had more actual armor to equip and craft such as body armor and boots. FF16 is just belt, gloves, and 3 accessories. More equippable armor would have been more fun "loot" to obtain and craft and make you feel stronger.

    The early side quests aren't too great but they get better.

    Story:10/10
    Characters 10/10
    Music 10/10
    Combat (No Auto Accessories) 10/10 - for boss fights
    Combat vs trash mobs / "elite" trash mobs gets repetitive and becomes a hinderance. Sorry, but keeping it real.
    World 6/10
    Atmosphere 8/10

    The story, music, boss battles atmosphere (not neccessarily difficutly, just the scale of epicness and badassery) really bring this game up and I recommend it to anybody.
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  77. Jun 27, 2023
    9
    its amazing on its own, but it felt more like a DmC game.
    -game play wise it lacks FF series mechanics such as elemental weakness, when i first encounter a bomb in phoenix ruins i thought it would absorb fire element ( kinda useless to change element and use triangle button).
    -battling doesnt require much thinking, just perfectly dodge and spam buttons to defeat enemies stylishly like
    its amazing on its own, but it felt more like a DmC game.
    -game play wise it lacks FF series mechanics such as elemental weakness, when i first encounter a bomb in phoenix ruins i thought it would absorb fire element ( kinda useless to change element and use triangle button).
    -battling doesnt require much thinking, just perfectly dodge and spam buttons to defeat enemies stylishly like DmC
    -lacks enemy variations
    -teammate battle interaction is almost inexistent

    i like ff16 on its own, but i prefer 7remake mechanics
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  78. Jun 28, 2023
    9
    The game is just fun I like. combat good story good it got platinum on it and everything
  79. Jun 28, 2023
    9
    FFXVI is a game that delivers on so many levels. The story is incredibly engaging and endearing with a flare that you can only see in the RPG genre’s penchant for the extraordinary and spectacular. It has a wide range of characters which are likeable, and are not merely black and white. Sure, you’ll hate one person or another, but you can understand their reasoning for doing so, and it canFFXVI is a game that delivers on so many levels. The story is incredibly engaging and endearing with a flare that you can only see in the RPG genre’s penchant for the extraordinary and spectacular. It has a wide range of characters which are likeable, and are not merely black and white. Sure, you’ll hate one person or another, but you can understand their reasoning for doing so, and it can feel like the world is moving whether you’re there or not, and not that the world is revolving around you that can be the case in other games.
    Combat is fluid and highly engaging, with an extremely high degree of customization available, to be able to fit to your playstyle. There has never been a combat situation in this game that was not fun.
    The side quests, which unlock as you progress through the story, are inoffensive at worst, but offer unique insights into people’s lives in the world of Valisthea, or offer some unique lore that you wouldn’t get otherwise.
    Environments are stunning to look at and are filled with things to marvel at. At some points when exploring I did note that some frames were dropped (I played on Frame-rate mode), but as I was exploring, and frames never dropped in combat where it mattered, this was a non-issue for me.
    Finally, the music, I believe, to be in a class of its own. Masayoshi Soken has knocked it out of the park with every ambient piece of music, embodying the zones overall feel. Character themes are on yet another level, leitmotifs abound and calling back to previous scenes, it is purely a joy to listen to.
    Overall, I think this is a definite recommendation, and one that I believe will stand the test of time and be remembered for years to come.
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  80. Jun 28, 2023
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view.
  81. Jun 28, 2023
    9
    It had some very high points and some low ones, but over all a very enjoyable experience.
  82. Jun 28, 2023
    9
    To be honest, I'm one of the fan of FFXIV and I just brought this game from the same director, here is my thought for this game:
    The story in this game is outstanding, I won't spoil any story or any side story from it but it made me cry, it contain happy and sad on my tear (even I'm a man xD), there is no doubt that the story really do lift up the expectation (Story 9/10)
    The combat I
    To be honest, I'm one of the fan of FFXIV and I just brought this game from the same director, here is my thought for this game:
    The story in this game is outstanding, I won't spoil any story or any side story from it but it made me cry, it contain happy and sad on my tear (even I'm a man xD), there is no doubt that the story really do lift up the expectation (Story 9/10)
    The combat I find out there are so solid in this game, It made me feel likes I'm playing DMC5 (Devil May cry 5), I can choose any skill of Eikon I want (Mostly I choose Titan and Odin) It's really smooth whenever I go into the enemies area. However the aim system is kinda hard to me which enemies do I aim to, It's made me struggle when I tried to finishing move the formidable foe with surrounding adds, but to me it's fine that the combat system is bug free, I didn't get any bug whatsoever (combat 8/10)
    Soundtrack: to me that I'm gonna say that OMG. NO doubt this is Soken's Writing Song. I love every song each part story, world and combat. It made me feel so badass, sometime sad and overjoy feeling. This is a outstanding theme I ever I heard in this game. (Soundtrack 10/10)
    Summaries: overall I loved this game, I loved how the game made by Yoshi-P because of the story, the soundtrack and the combat. If you the one who enjoy the story, combat likes i descried, this game is for you, you could wait for sale or release on PC. Because this game is the GOAT to me. I'll be happy if this game award GOTY, if not I will treasure this game in my list. And also I want to say Thank You Naoki Yoshida for delivery the best game that i ever played on all Final Fantasy Franchise.
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  83. Jun 28, 2023
    9
    I didn't stop playing the game since it came out. Reading some reviews I feared another ffxv happened but this is not the case, I breath FF, I see FF and in everything you can do you can see they put a lot of work to let the player understand what's a final fantasy.
    Of course everything is not perfect.
    From my side you have some nice PROs like: - Story, lore and characters -
    I didn't stop playing the game since it came out. Reading some reviews I feared another ffxv happened but this is not the case, I breath FF, I see FF and in everything you can do you can see they put a lot of work to let the player understand what's a final fantasy.
    Of course everything is not perfect.
    From my side you have some nice PROs like:

    - Story, lore and characters
    - World-building, yes it's not an open world and it may be more linear than others but that was the issue of the FFXV. Now that they put some maps with different structures and explorable is it the issue? Of course, the problem of exploration is another thing that I'm going to put in the cons.
    - Tempo of the game, the rhythm is high every time except when it needs to slow down and it happens only twice
    - Combat System. Yes it's an action but it's deep especially when you go against the bosses and on the next difficulty
    - It may be my favourite now since FFX
    - Side Quest: Yes there are some fetch quests or go there and kill this but for at least 70% of them even 80% there is lore and a story behind that if you don't skip the dialogue and the meaning of that it's deeper than a lot of other games and FF I tried (all of them)

    Cons:
    - RPG elements. For as much there are the numbers they could have added more status (we have paralysis/iced/death) but in the case of a Molboro that uses Bad Breath and doesn't add status, it's a bit meh. Same for the Equip, it's just a number except for the jewels; they could have added a way to give elements to the weapons/accessories in order to make it less "I find a new weapon I swap it"
    - Difficulty. They should have added from the beginning the Final Fantasy Mode; i understand they didn't because you need the best eikons but it may be too simple sometimes
    - Exploration/Secrets. As I was saying in the cons the maps are good as they are the problem of the missing exploration is that there are not many secrets...that's the issue. Secret Eikons, mini-game or similar. Yeah, we have some secrets on the lore or chests but nothing worth that much.

    But I really missed a Final Fantasy like this in a long time. Really Happy and it doesn't deserve some hate I read around.
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  84. Jun 28, 2023
    9
    This game is massive fan service to Final Fantasy veterans. Seeing Eikons (summons) on the PS5 having full cinematic fights is wonderful. The combat is much more inline with an action game but its is not pushing like Devil May Cry. The ability to choose whichever Eikons you want (and associated elemental powers) without being forced to play a "meta" of sorts is refreshing. While I wouldThis game is massive fan service to Final Fantasy veterans. Seeing Eikons (summons) on the PS5 having full cinematic fights is wonderful. The combat is much more inline with an action game but its is not pushing like Devil May Cry. The ability to choose whichever Eikons you want (and associated elemental powers) without being forced to play a "meta" of sorts is refreshing. While I would love a turn based FF entry with modern graphics, I feel like those days are over. Bravely Default and Octopath Traveler can scratch that itch.

    The world is beautiful and feels alive. You spend a lot of time walking through forests and small villages and the number of NPCs is sufficient. The side quests in the beginning are very short but it is more of a tutorial. Later side quests have a bit more story to them without being distracting. The rewards may seem small but this is a lower number RPG if that makes sense (ie XP is rewarded in 10-15XP increments for killing an enemy with 5-6 giil).

    The characters are easy to love (or hate in terms of enemies) and is so much better than the characters of FF15. It is easy to tell that Yoshie P. was brought in to help with the story and characters. Speaking of story, it is very very dark and deserves its M rating. It does not shy away from the harder topics.

    "It doesnt feel like Final Fantasy" argument is overused. To me, this is part of the third generation of FF and it feels amazing. FF 1-6 were first gen, FF7-10 were the 2nd gen venturing into 3D, with FF 12-16 being more experimental.

    Cons:
    - Wish there was a traditional 3-4 member party system vs only playing as Clive
    - Normal mode feels Easy

    Background: I was worried about how FF16 would end up until I played part one of the FF7 Remake. The more action oriented focus is here to stay and for anyone wanting turn based RPGs, play Octopath Traveler. admittedly I was not a fan of FF 12-15 but loved the story of FF14. I am also a huge fan of Devil May Cry having played all of the games (same applies to FF).
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  85. Jun 28, 2023
    9
    This game can be a masterpiece if some minor flaws were fixed. Thank you Square Enix for this game
  86. Jun 28, 2023
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. love the story
    love the character
    love the combat

    -1 cuz the ending mean now I have to wait for DLC
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  87. Jun 28, 2023
    9
    I've been a final fantasy fan since 97 with the 7th game and I love the direction the series is taking. The combat is engaging and dynamic, the story is gripping and entertaining, and I've enjoyed both aspects more in this game than in some of the previous FFs. The dialogue and voice acting is possibly the best in the series. The game would be a 10 if some of the RPG elements likeI've been a final fantasy fan since 97 with the 7th game and I love the direction the series is taking. The combat is engaging and dynamic, the story is gripping and entertaining, and I've enjoyed both aspects more in this game than in some of the previous FFs. The dialogue and voice acting is possibly the best in the series. The game would be a 10 if some of the RPG elements like exploration, gear system, and side quests were a bit deeper. All together this is my favorite FF game in quite a while and I love that we have a darker more mature installment. Expand
  88. Jun 28, 2023
    9
    Very fun game! It’s not your grandma’s FF but it’s a great story and delivers on what they were trying to do.
  89. Jun 28, 2023
    9
    Love this game, especially the fantasy fighting. Very close to DMC and GOW. If they could improve the sub-tasks and gear upgrading system, I absolutely will give 10. I have never played FF series before. I am a fan of souls like games and GOW series.
  90. Jun 28, 2023
    9
    As a long time fan of ff and long time xiv player i tried not to go in with my hopes too high.
    But once again CB3 has delivered another excellent entry.
    While the story and some side quests can be a snooze, the highs outweigh anything else. The boss fights were spectacular each felt like a final boss in itself. Soken also delivered once again on the ost and i cannot wait till it
    As a long time fan of ff and long time xiv player i tried not to go in with my hopes too high.
    But once again CB3 has delivered another excellent entry.
    While the story and some side quests can be a snooze, the highs outweigh anything else.
    The boss fights were spectacular each felt like a final boss in itself.
    Soken also delivered once again on the ost and i cannot wait till it releases.
    I am looking forward to the future of the series and any updates to xvi they decide to make
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  91. Jun 28, 2023
    9
    The side quests were boring and repetitive, map exploration was non-existent, and I missed some aspects of previous Final Fantasy games such:
    Hidden bosses
    Challenging side quests or dungeons to find ultimate weapons Character customization BUT, the story, soundtrack, and overall feeling that the game left me with after I finished the game more than made up for the negative things.
    The side quests were boring and repetitive, map exploration was non-existent, and I missed some aspects of previous Final Fantasy games such:
    Hidden bosses
    Challenging side quests or dungeons to find ultimate weapons
    Character customization

    BUT, the story, soundtrack, and overall feeling that the game left me with after I finished the game more than made up for the negative things. Now one of my favorite Final Fantasy titles if you don't compare to previous games. Eikon battles with classical soundtrack in the background is in themselves worth the price of the game.
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  92. Jun 29, 2023
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Love the gameplay, graphics and cast of characters! Just wished that the ending explored more about what happened to Jill after Clive's fight with Ultima! Looking forward to Tonberry, Cactuar and Leviathan in the future! Hoping that they consider creating a DLC. Thank you for another masterpiece Square Enix! Expand
  93. Jun 29, 2023
    9
    Beautiful graphics and slick combat. Just wish there were less cutscenes and more real time gameplay.

    I suppose though that the cutscenes are important for story progression.

    Playing the demo at the moment and hopefully the full game will arrive in the post today
  94. Jun 29, 2023
    9
    Was hesitant bc I’ve never really played final fantasy well since ff10 but I gotta say it’s an amazing game and worth every penny if you like gow or any other action adventure game with rpg elements or are just a final fantasy fan then you’re going to absolutely love this game. Must buy 9 outta 10 for me
  95. Jun 29, 2023
    9
    *MINOR SPOILERS*

    Definitely not a perfect game, I would say quite far from one, the flaws others have mentioned with I also agree with, however my rating is not a mistake - details below. Pros: - Battles: man, some of these were way over the top, in a very good way. I found myself experiencing new emotions during some of them - not knowing whether to laugh at the ridiculousness of
    *MINOR SPOILERS*

    Definitely not a perfect game, I would say quite far from one, the flaws others have mentioned with I also agree with, however my rating is not a mistake - details below.

    Pros:
    - Battles: man, some of these were way over the top, in a very good way. I found myself experiencing new emotions during some of them - not knowing whether to laugh at the ridiculousness of what I'm seeing on-screen, cry at the music, or be awestruck. Definitely had more than a couple "what the hell is this game?" moments, and needing to take a break before playing again.
    - Sound: there were absolutely some bangers and orchestral masterpieces in here. Soken has really taken up Uematsu's mantle well. Some of my now all-time favorite battle/boss themes are in this game. There was a "music producer" in the reviews talking about how combat is louder than idle music... Yes... This was by design... And the cool thing about this is that regular enemy combat music is just another louder rendition of the zone/area music that doesn't break a single beat in transitioning in/out - felt that this was really cool and added to the immersive experience.
    - Combat: don't agree with others saying that this is just hack and slash. The combat can go as deep as you want, or as shallow. Once you unlock the final Eikon, there is literally a button that allows you to do all sorts of crazy combos and another one that makes parrying slightly easier but much more rewarding. Parrying in this game is not an easy feat when you're trying to do it intentionally but it is VERY FUN and the dopamine reward is well worth the risk for players like me. But yes, you can beat the game by pressing one button, if you're into that. You can equip accessories that play the game for you too, if you're into that. Or you could actually learn the combat system and take a deep dive and find out why Suzuki says that the combat in this game is his magnum opus.
    - World building/lore: side quests could have been done better, but the good ones did really well to immerse you in the world. I was afraid of the Active Time Lore breaking immersion, but it didn't, and I appreciated the in-game lore book, which definitely ADDED to the story but is not required at all to understand what's going on.
    - VA: mostly amazing.

    Cons:
    - Story: started off strong, but ended a bit weak in my opinion, and we all know what CBU3 is capable of story-wise, so this was disappointing. Not sure if they ran out of time or what, but the latter parts of the story feel rushed and not well fleshed-out.
    - Difficulty: first playthrough is on the easier side - NG+ addresses this but I wish some of the features were in the base game, e.g. no button prompt for QTEs. A big disappointment from me is that the no-damage challenge medals are still awarded even if the player puts on all Timeless Accessories or plays on story-mode. This completely invalidates the reward for it being a supposed challenge.
    - RPG elements: they've taken the XIV approach to systems like dungeons (mobs -> boss -> mobs -> boss -> mobs -> big boss, which works in an MMO but was monotonous here), elemental weaknesses (none, though I can understand this would have been weird to balance and also for lore reasons), status ailments (none), equipment upgrades (none, this was such an EASY thing to flesh out, but they didn't), exploration almost none. I wouldn't say the game is linear - some have compared this to XIII and I would heavily disagree. However, exploration is rarely rewarded meaningfully, except to find hunts I suppose. Would have loved to see better rewards or secrets.
    - Side quests: they went with the XIV flavor for this which meant a lot of them were fetch or go here kill this type quests. Rewards were basically meaningless, but as mentioned above, some did bring more story and world/character building which was good, others... well I think about half of them could have easily been culled and some other ones could have been made less tedious. Definitely needed some work here.

    I feel like they didn't have enough time to make the story better, and wish they delayed the game and forced the original plan of having it on 2 discs instead of trying to fit everything on 1. HOWEVER, all-in-all, I am still giving this game a 9/10 purely due to how ridiculously spectacular and epic some of these fights were. Along with the music, they had me tearing up - did not know that it was possible to feel such emotion from shear epic-ness. This is, in some ways, the most FF game of all FF games, and I'm not talking about the combat or RPG elements. Some of the experiences really brought out the little kid glee in me, and would have been something my younger self might have imagined inside his head and would have LOVED to play. Definitely a must-play for any FF fan, if you can look past the flaws and see XVI for what it is - it is more (and yes sometimes, less) than a game, but it is still an EXPERIENCE that you don't want to miss.
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  96. Jun 29, 2023
    9
    A fantastic cinematic game! Every character is fleshed out and there is character development for every character. This game made me feel so many emotions. The gameplay is phenomenal and is fresh. There is a bit of a learning curve at the beginning but by the end I had a flow for all my abilities. The eikon battles are particularly spectacular. The side quests can be a bit repetitive butA fantastic cinematic game! Every character is fleshed out and there is character development for every character. This game made me feel so many emotions. The gameplay is phenomenal and is fresh. There is a bit of a learning curve at the beginning but by the end I had a flow for all my abilities. The eikon battles are particularly spectacular. The side quests can be a bit repetitive but there were still some really nice character moments that happened during side missions. The story is mature and questions the morals of the society that is Valisthea. The time skips also really help you feel how much had happened in Clive's (main characters) life and allows full character development. The relationships he builds also feel natural and genuine because of these time jumps. The story climax had me crying. On a note for those who are wary because of the review bombing I don't feel these are worthy. Yes there is less diversity in terms of skin colour in this game then perhaps in others however I don't feel this is deserved. The story and themes are what are important and those are very mature and raise social issues in their own way. Don't let review bombing stop you from playing what is a very well thought out game that has clearly been a labour of love! Expand
  97. Jun 29, 2023
    9
    This game delivers an incredibly compelling story, fantastic combat and gameplay, and a brilliant voice cast. This has game has quickly become one of my favorite games of all time. My only issue with it is the side quests they feel kind of have baked and lifeless, other than that though this game is a work of art.
  98. Jun 30, 2023
    9
    Excelente videojuego. La mejor BSO de un FF en mi opinión. Muy adulto y aire fresco de la saga. Muy recomendado.
  99. Jun 30, 2023
    9
    I loved everything about the game aside from the quality difference between the side-quests in the first half of the game compared to the quests in the last 3rd. The quests in the last 3rd were really engaging but I didn't feel the same about the other quests in the first 50% of the game. Combat is fun and has a lot of depth if you want to engage in it, the final fantasy mode is great.I loved everything about the game aside from the quality difference between the side-quests in the first half of the game compared to the quests in the last 3rd. The quests in the last 3rd were really engaging but I didn't feel the same about the other quests in the first 50% of the game. Combat is fun and has a lot of depth if you want to engage in it, the final fantasy mode is great. Story and characters engrossed me and by the end of the game I was trying not to finish the game because I didn't want things to end. Expand
  100. Jun 30, 2023
    9
    Final fantasy is the first game I've played in the series. Since the demo that released a few days prior, I have been extremely hooked on it. This game has been one of my favorite games to play this year so far and has been living up to the hype I had since playing the demo. From the characters, to the backround music, to the Eikon skills, and Boss fights, this game has truly been aFinal fantasy is the first game I've played in the series. Since the demo that released a few days prior, I have been extremely hooked on it. This game has been one of my favorite games to play this year so far and has been living up to the hype I had since playing the demo. From the characters, to the backround music, to the Eikon skills, and Boss fights, this game has truly been a wonderful experience. Even the side quests have been cool, and rewarding in some way. My only 2 complaints are how many cutscenes there are, and how long they can be at times and the motion blur is a bit disoreniting at times. Other than that, I have truly enjoyed this game.
    Easily a 9/10 for me!
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Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 146 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. 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. 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.
  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]