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. edreesespieces
    Jun 26, 2023
    3
    The game is below average. There are a lot of framerate issues that dropped by score by 2 points. Further, the story gets worse as you move on. Game of thrones vibe goes away in the 2nd half of the game. Depending on your taste maybe that's a good thing , it wasn't for me. RPG mechanics are dull and shallow and have no reason for existing. Epic fights are neat and the music is cool, greatThe game is below average. There are a lot of framerate issues that dropped by score by 2 points. Further, the story gets worse as you move on. Game of thrones vibe goes away in the 2nd half of the game. Depending on your taste maybe that's a good thing , it wasn't for me. RPG mechanics are dull and shallow and have no reason for existing. Epic fights are neat and the music is cool, great graphics too. Story is above average. Overall a below average game. I'm very dissapointed after the demo made it seem really good.… Expand
  2. Cyshox
    Jun 24, 2023
    3
    Final Fantasy XVI is no RPG but a cinematic action adventure with a weird story in a dull world - and it's performance is very poor.

    The Final Fantasy series has some of the best JRPGs out there but Final Fantasy XVI is not one of them. It has minor RPG elements but in a very simplified way similar to Spider-Man or Far Cry. You wouldn't call them RPGs, would you? Not everything is bad if    Final Fantasy XVI is no RPG but a cinematic action adventure with a weird story in a dull world - and it's performance is very poor.

    The Final Fantasy series has some of the best JRPGs out there but Final Fantasy XVI is not one of them. It has minor RPG elements but in a very simplified way similar to Spider-Man or Far Cry. You wouldn't call them RPGs, would you?

    Not everything is bad if course : Combat is pretty fun and at first glance the visuals are beautiful. I like the art style & the darker tone if this game The cutscenes are of high quality.

    However I can't recommend this game. The world is dull and empty, the story gets weird halfway through, MMO-like side quests aren't fun and the loot system is very questionable. It feels a bit like "Game of Thrones : Devil May Cry Edition" but it's very different from previous Final Fantasy games. This game should have gotten a different title.

    The performance mode of this game is atrocious : The exploration sequences are a stutterfest barely touching 60fps and dropping into the 30s. In combat resolution drops to 720p and the game becomes very blurry - while still not being able to maintain 60fps. The only way to enjoy this game is in 30fps quality mode.

    I should have avoided this release. All those good reviews a few days ago tricked me into giving it a try. I wonder what Square Enix spent to get such misleading scores...    … Expand
  3. LeandroB
    Jul 15, 2023
    3
    Unfortunately for me, this is an action game, it doesn't feel like a Final Fantasy...
  4. gusvar
    Aug 25, 2023
    3
    It's the more boring game I have played this year. It's good looking but an absolute yawn. The good parts are very far from one another.
  5. Killking241
    Jul 6, 2023
    3
    The story ends so bad it feels like i did so much work for nothing waste of my time I guess the gameplay is ok but still not worth it to me
  6. ScottPilgrim
    Jun 26, 2023
    3
    after five hours i have officially dropped this game, it’s so painfully underwhelming. the story and the characters are so dull and boring , it feels like a rip off of like game of thrones . but my biggest complaint is the gameplay , the combat is not strategic at all, it is just mindless hack and slash and dodging predictable single attacks that the enemy throws out every five seconds ,after five hours i have officially dropped this game, it’s so painfully underwhelming. the story and the characters are so dull and boring , it feels like a rip off of like game of thrones . but my biggest complaint is the gameplay , the combat is not strategic at all, it is just mindless hack and slash and dodging predictable single attacks that the enemy throws out every five seconds , there is no strategizing anything or critical thinking needed to best the enemies . just a boring rinse and repeat of button mashing and dodging every five seconds . the performance is also terrible , here we are in 2023 and still forced to lock games at 30 fps , why not just lessen the fidelity so we can have smooth gameplay ? also this game just feels cheap , invisible barriers around everything , no interacting with the world , side quests are an embarrassment and have nothing to do with anything at all. just mmo type fetch quests . i am so bitter right now for blindly spending 75 dollars on this game when money is hard to come by. never again am i falling into hype. final fantasy is dead to me and so is modern gaming . if SE ever wants me back, then they need to bring back turn based combat or something challenging and fun. and fun and interesting characters like precious titles. i’m done… Expand
  7. ilbolza85
    Jun 30, 2023
    3
    It's a good linear action combat game, on the level of Devil May Cry 5.
    But this is not a Final Fantasy game, it has no rpg mechanics, no freedom, no side quests worth talking about.
    It's an unbearably long 60 hours cutscene with the occasional playable bit. It's boring and it's not an rpg. It's a dumbed down version of a Final Fantasy that will only appeal to fans of games that are not JRPGs
  8. necrowizart89
    Aug 3, 2023
    3
    Definitely worst of all final fantasy games. Boring and simplified plot, no additional layers to the story, i felt no attachment to cid, whom to all of the characters seemed to be close to. It is action game in final fantasy style but it has no ff feeling. This was actually first ff game in which I skipped some cutscenes or dialogs. Not worth the price. Good graphics and a few good eikonDefinitely worst of all final fantasy games. Boring and simplified plot, no additional layers to the story, i felt no attachment to cid, whom to all of the characters seemed to be close to. It is action game in final fantasy style but it has no ff feeling. This was actually first ff game in which I skipped some cutscenes or dialogs. Not worth the price. Good graphics and a few good eikon fights tho.… Expand
  9. Rickrbrum
    Jun 26, 2023
    3
    If you don't like to play videogames, that's it.
    Press a button, watch a scene. Repeat, for 50 freaking hours! Final Fantasy it's over! And games are dying.

    It good looking. I'll give that.
  10. mima924
    Jun 26, 2023
    3
    FETCH FANTAST XVI.

    I'll be short, my heart has died today. NO GDR mechanichs, NO weapons differences, fake open map, NO drop, NO rewards, thons of fetch quests (always the same). This game should have been 20 hours long and It's 70. No more words. One more thing: I never died during the first playthrough, do you know why? The game is so easy and the normal difficulty (final fantasy mode)    FETCH FANTAST XVI.

    I'll be short, my heart has died today.
    NO GDR mechanichs, NO weapons differences, fake open map, NO drop, NO rewards, thons of fetch quests (always the same). This game should have been 20 hours long and It's 70. No more words.
    One more thing: I never died during the first playthrough, do you know why? The game is so easy and the normal difficulty (final fantasy mode) is unlocked only once you finish the game...
    RIP Final Fantasy.    … Expand
  11. WordsInAWhisper
    Aug 24, 2023
    3
    i really wanted to like this after FFVII Remake was so good, but I just hate this. it’s not final fantasy, it’s Kingdom Hearts: Game of Thrones Edition.
  12. Nerulas
    Jun 26, 2023
    3
    Visually beautiful, FF16 fails like so many other console games in terms of accessibility. Controller mapping type A, B, or C is a slap in the face to anyone who relies on mapping actions.
  13. Deplayzz
    Aug 10, 2023
    3
    o jogo nao é um final fantasy, mudaram todo o estilo querendo populaziar o game. Perdeu toda sua essencia.
  14. Aeula
    Jun 24, 2023
    3
    The game has a really top tier start but quickly falls off as it progresses. A dull as dishwater world, terrible side quests and a story that forgoes world building for the sake of being overly grim dark and edgy to hammer home points about how bad this world is that you understood ten missions ago. The main quest was insanely padded to boot with so many minor quests that felt no betterThe game has a really top tier start but quickly falls off as it progresses. A dull as dishwater world, terrible side quests and a story that forgoes world building for the sake of being overly grim dark and edgy to hammer home points about how bad this world is that you understood ten missions ago. The main quest was insanely padded to boot with so many minor quests that felt no better than the side quests.… Expand
  15. Toshi_inu
    Jul 22, 2023
    3
    Buena banda sonora, salvos unos temas contra los jefes que dejan mucho que desear, la historia es buena pero tiene errores importante como el tema del leviatán, eso si tiene mucho relleno la historia donde te hacen hacer de forma obligatoria misiones que no apartan nada y solo son una perdida de tiempo, pero no es un rpg sino un Hack and slash, ciudades vacías sin personalizar, el perro yBuena banda sonora, salvos unos temas contra los jefes que dejan mucho que desear, la historia es buena pero tiene errores importante como el tema del leviatán, eso si tiene mucho relleno la historia donde te hacen hacer de forma obligatoria misiones que no apartan nada y solo son una perdida de tiempo, pero no es un rpg sino un Hack and slash, ciudades vacías sin personalizar, el perro y jill son inmortales en las luchas y no ayuda en nada, la historia cae muy feo en el transcurso final, el jefe final su lucha es muy mala, después de odin todo va cuesta abajo… Expand
  16. Retroplayer1987
    Jun 24, 2023
    3
    Primero lo bueno: La música. Ahora lo malo: el resto, un juego generico Hack and slash muy facil.. lejos de lo que puede ser un Devil May Cry o Bayonetta en dificultad. Muy casual... y todo generico. No aporta nada al género.. además que dejó de ser un ''RPG'' para lo que es la saga FF... esto no es un real FF... solo utilizaron el número para que la gente lo comprara...en fin.
  17. Montiero
    Aug 10, 2023
    3
    Not a Final Fantasy game. Not at all, not whatsoever. This is Devil May Cry with another brand's label and logo, nothing more. In fact, it isn't even an RPG either. I'm about 20 hours into the game and am at the point that I just don't care to finish it. It's shallow in characters, story, combat, and systems. There's just ZERO depth or nuance that Final Fantasy is known for. But this isNot a Final Fantasy game. Not at all, not whatsoever. This is Devil May Cry with another brand's label and logo, nothing more. In fact, it isn't even an RPG either. I'm about 20 hours into the game and am at the point that I just don't care to finish it. It's shallow in characters, story, combat, and systems. There's just ZERO depth or nuance that Final Fantasy is known for. But this is the new direction that FF will probably remain in. This is not a good game and it's DEFINITELY NOT a good Final Fantasy. Shame it'll be another decade before they even make another mainline game anyway.… Expand
  18. mstersmith
    Jul 22, 2023
    3
    This will be my last FF game. It is probably the trashiest game I have ever played. The story is ruined by terrible gameplay and braindead flash. I am sure as well as it sold this is the state of the franchise, cash in on the braindead masses.
  19. RRrpgManiax
    Jun 23, 2023
    3
    While Final Fantasy has never been the most RPG of RPGs. It has never been so bereft of RPG mechanics until now. This game feels like a stripped down to its bare essentials rpg that was more concerned with going big on visuals and a clearly George R R Martin inspired story. None of which feels very fun to engage in. Boring fetch quests, underutilized side characters, poor pacing, boringWhile Final Fantasy has never been the most RPG of RPGs. It has never been so bereft of RPG mechanics until now. This game feels like a stripped down to its bare essentials rpg that was more concerned with going big on visuals and a clearly George R R Martin inspired story. None of which feels very fun to engage in. Boring fetch quests, underutilized side characters, poor pacing, boring combat makes for a disjointed mess of a game cobbled together trying to ride the highs of far superior action games like God of War. If you're a fan of RPGs you're gonna be disappointed. If you like over the top action games this might be intriguing? You're probably better sticking to Devil May Cry, Bayonetta, or God of War though in my opinion.… Expand
  20. Himmellaeufer
    Jul 14, 2023
    3
    Is Final Fantasy still an RPG?

    - No status effects - No puzzles - Almost no more RPG mechanics available! - No tactical commands for party members (Torgal does not count) - Linear gameplay - A lot of cutscenes (felt at least 50% of the game) - Loot not balanced, sometimes very bad and not well thought out - Eikons/Espa powers are only visually very chic, no effects on opponents    Is Final Fantasy still an RPG?

    - No status effects
    - No puzzles
    - Almost no more RPG mechanics available!
    - No tactical commands for party members (Torgal does not count)
    - Linear gameplay
    - A lot of cutscenes (felt at least 50% of the game)
    - Loot not balanced, sometimes very bad and not well thought out
    - Eikons/Espa powers are only visually very chic, no effects on opponents whether ice, wind or fire is used.
    - Very often (bosses) confusing because too many effects on the screen.
    - Secondary characters are not illuminated enough, very superficially or not at all
    - Only one weapon can be used, upgrade pointless since a better weapon is found 15-20 minutes later.
    - Equipping items has been greatly minimized. A weapon, a belt, a bracer and three rings/chains. Unfortunately there is nothing more.
    - side quest bad! Very much help person x, search herbs y tasks. No comparison to old FF side quests or even a witcher!
    - No mini games
    - sometimes long ways
    - Few enemy types, no variety, often repeated
    - At times the stylish Eikon/Espa fights are too long, unnecessarily long

    Reminiscent of the gameplay of EA's last Jedi Games, a Devil May Cry (yes, I know Ryota Suzuki) or a God of War.

    Despite all the negative comments, I love the soundtrack, the main character Cliff and the very beautiful world of Final Fantasy 16. I have strong vagant story vibes with a pinch of FF9.

    Unfortunately, Final Fantasy is no longer Final Fantasy. It's now just an action-adventure game that's far from its former strengths. The claim of a role-playing game has been severely restricted or completely lost.    … Expand
  21. Magnuz7
    Jul 3, 2023
    3
    Near the end of the game and it was a struggle. Only still playing because there isn't a Final Fantasy that I've not finished.
    If I was to review this one in one word it would be "Shallow".
    There is no depth in most of the game. No interesting systems whatsoever. Very repetitive gameplay loop and no incentive gameplay mechanics to expand on and keep me going. Just.. plain.
  22. IDlkcvjasd
    Sep 1, 2023
    3
    Boring as hell. Meaningless cutscenes dragging the length of the game and too many pauses.
  23. Gamm0n
    Jun 24, 2023
    3
    Always liked the final fantasy games growing up. 10 being my favourite... for Blitzball. But this just didn't feel like FF to me. It's like they had enough of what made the series great and half assed it. Maybe it'll grow on me but I doubt it.
  24. Playisgod
    Jun 25, 2023
    3
    Terrible optimización que tiene el juego, realmente se me sobrecalentó la consola 3 veces apenas llevado poco más de una hora de juego, no se si esto lo puedan arreglar pero es lamentable que esto suceda en un juego que debe tener como prioridad un ecosistema.
    A nivel jugabilidad está bien pero no se nota dificultad, literal te lo puedes pasar con solo oprimir un botón en los combates asi    Terrible optimización que tiene el juego, realmente se me sobrecalentó la consola 3 veces apenas llevado poco más de una hora de juego, no se si esto lo puedan arreglar pero es lamentable que esto suceda en un juego que debe tener como prioridad un ecosistema.
    A nivel jugabilidad está bien pero no se nota dificultad, literal te lo puedes pasar con solo oprimir un botón en los combates asi que se torna nefasto    … Expand
  25. Xanos12
    Jun 23, 2023
    3
    FFXVI is more movie than game.
    No other FF game comes close to how little gameplay there is.
    It feels like nothing is progressing, many, many sequences, lots of meaningless chatter. As mentioned here before: the exaggerated action scenes conceal the lack of substance, and I find them very unspectacular. There was one sequence that somehow got to me, but then this fight is abruptly    FFXVI is more movie than game.
    No other FF game comes close to how little gameplay there is.

    It feels like nothing is progressing, many, many sequences, lots of meaningless chatter. As mentioned here before: the exaggerated action scenes conceal the lack of substance, and I find them very unspectacular.

    There was one sequence that somehow got to me, but then this fight is abruptly interrupted without any further explanation, and everyone just goes their separate ways?

    Everything seems to be running smoothly, no one clashes with anyone else, there is hardly any interaction between them, just... somehow completely boring chatter. Honestly, for me, it's unfortunately exhausting. If it weren't for Final Fantasy being at the top, I would have already turned off the game and watched the story in a short 5-minute YouTube video; that's all it would be.

    The atmosphere barely grabs me, and despite the beautiful design, the landscapes are... meh, I simply don't feel anything. They can't even make the clouds move :~P. Even with a day/night cycle, it seems they had to cut corners.

    The combo system feels like it's only progressing slowly. I'm still using the same effective combo, but now there are two Esper abilities with long cooldowns added, much like MMORPGs such as FF14.

    The character Clive himself is also so boring and doesn't convince me at all. Apparently, it's normal for him to duel head-to-head with Espers (without abilities), while on the battlefield, all the soldiers are instantly massacred (by the way, the Domini can destroy an entire army instantly... why even have cannon fodder? Because of action and stuff?). It's nice that he has noble combat training, but as a player, that doesn't convince me why he has to throw himself into every melee without fear (and is convinced he will win? Espers are not an issue, but with a Dragoon, we have to catch our breath). I'd prefer useful and logical abilities that are more immersive than him already being a 'machine' instantly, and everyone finds it normal with Clive, blessing or no blessing.

    The world hardly invites exploration, the things you find couldn't be more uninteresting, and even the item system itself is very limited. There isn't much choice, not much to try. Instead of getting new things, everything is just +1, +2, +3, which seems to save resources, time, and creativity.

    Oh yeah, after an important story progression, the main quest tells me to get new armor from the old lady... but due to said progression, I already have the best armor (even purple rarity) available, and the old lady doesn't have anything even remotely better.

    The fact that you can only play as one character makes the gameplay itself unfortunately very monotonous, and did it really take so much time to develop just around one character? The locations are enclosed areas, scripted, and even on the ground, Clive's animation sometimes looks very clunky.

    The enemies seem uninteresting and interchangeable. The side quests are the same old rubbish as every mediocre RPG these days. What Ubisoft dominates with its 1000 markers on the map, meaninglessly completing incomprehensible side quests is the dominant feature of RPGs without exception.

    And the most important thing that has been missing since FF13: an outstanding soundtrack. A big part of the FF series was always its magnificent soundtrack, which one nostalgically listens to even today and fondly remembers the old parts. Music is an absolute component of a game if it wants to be remembered for a long time    … Expand
  26. BluesGP
    Jun 25, 2023
    3
    I had a lot of faith in this game but again final fantasy disappoints. Incoherent graphics, poor narrative (it's a game that tells a story, it's the most important aspect and they throw it overboard). The gameplay is boring, repetitive and not very involving, except for a few moments. This game leaves me with the feeling that Square Enix wanted to put a sick dose of sugar in cinematics andI had a lot of faith in this game but again final fantasy disappoints. Incoherent graphics, poor narrative (it's a game that tells a story, it's the most important aspect and they throw it overboard). The gameplay is boring, repetitive and not very involving, except for a few moments. This game leaves me with the feeling that Square Enix wanted to put a sick dose of sugar in cinematics and other key moments in the story, while the interludes (side missions, gameplay, walking corridors, etc.) became absolute garbage. A pity, and it is the last time I play a final fantasy of this new generation.… Expand
  27. BreatFR
    Jul 2, 2023
    3
    after 2 days of intensive play, here is my feeling:

    - graphics / ost: 10/10 - outfits: 4/10 - story: 7/10 - secondary quests: 1/10 - combat system: 2/10 25/50 -> 5/10 to this I will add: - fights based on one thing: yes, dodging -> -1 - world map: not visitable, only teleportations -> -1 - slow, soft, repetitive game: yes -> -1 - if we remove the primordials and put    after 2 days of intensive play, here is my feeling:

    - graphics / ost: 10/10
    - outfits: 4/10
    - story: 7/10
    - secondary quests: 1/10
    - combat system: 2/10

    25/50 -> 5/10

    to this I will add:

    - fights based on one thing: yes, dodging -> -1
    - world map: not visitable, only teleportations -> -1
    - slow, soft, repetitive game: yes -> -1
    - if we remove the primordials and put lambda monsters instead we have the same result, I haven't currently felt the "magic" of final fantasy -> -1
    - ff10, ff15, ff16: same face hero design, square-enix can't make new one?

    25/50 - 5 = 20/50 -> 4/10

    please square-enix come back to good rpg and not action/rpg to create next good final fantasy.

    after 3 days:
    too much thing to remember ff14

    after 2 weeks:
    story: 6/10
    lenth: 1/10

    25/60 - 5 = 20/60 -> 3/10    … Expand
  28. Onur84
    Jun 24, 2023
    3
    Grafik Story und Charaktere sind super ...
    Aber .. Das ist kein Final Fantasy mit taktischen Tiefgang..
    Dafür ein scheiß Tasten-bashing .
    Das ist eher ein Devil may cry im Final Fantasy Universum..

    Ich hab mich bei keinem final fantasy mehr gelangweilt wie hier . (kampfsystem )


    Zum Schluss wird es mit den nebenquests nur noch zur Qual R.I.P FINAL FANTASY
  29. lazerblade10
    Jun 24, 2023
    3
    Just beat the game today. It's ok.
    - The camera angles are a little weird at times, hard to see what's going on
    - Spells effects can be overwhelming to where you cant see the mob attacking you while it's in a tornado - Combat can sometimes feel repetitive or fights feel a little too long - Boss fight cutscenes are amazing, explosions and monsters, like a HIGH, but once it's over you    Just beat the game today. It's ok.
    - The camera angles are a little weird at times, hard to see what's going on
    - Spells effects can be overwhelming to where you cant see the mob attacking you while it's in a tornado
    - Combat can sometimes feel repetitive or fights feel a little too long
    - Boss fight cutscenes are amazing, explosions and monsters, like a HIGH, but once it's over you experience a low just talking to a shop keeper    … Expand
  30. ostojiy
    Jul 27, 2023
    3
    Combat is decent but the game is a slog to get through thereafter. Progression is basic, traversal is slow/clunky, and the story is dull.
  31. SirFaram
    Jun 23, 2023
    3
    I had big expectation for this game but it turned out such a disappointment, beside the particles effects game is just a copy paste of everything famous already seen, plus its genre has to be somehow defined like a wannabe action with some poor rpg elements and lots of sponge enemies with 1 kk hp yet with 0 difficulty. Sidequests are mostly just a waste of time, characters very boringI had big expectation for this game but it turned out such a disappointment, beside the particles effects game is just a copy paste of everything famous already seen, plus its genre has to be somehow defined like a wannabe action with some poor rpg elements and lots of sponge enemies with 1 kk hp yet with 0 difficulty. Sidequests are mostly just a waste of time, characters very boring and they all look like game of thrones which was a nice series but kind of annoying when you see they cannot come up with something innovative and fresh. There s no room for custom/strategy since you only have to smash the same buttons and skills and ofc you control only the main character. At this point they should better stop with the fantasy series, few summons flashy battles doesnt make a game a good one worth 80 €
    Characters movements are also so fake its hurts    … Expand
  32. Jenovatrick
    Jun 23, 2023
    3
    Final Fantasy game 16, marketed as a more mature entry in the franchise, explores a darker narrative and deviates from the traditional atmosphere associated with the series.

    Atmosphere: Diverging from the established Final Fantasy ambiance, the game ventures into a notably darker tone reminiscent of the Devil May Cry series. While attempts are made to infuse the experience with    Final Fantasy game 16, marketed as a more mature entry in the franchise, explores a darker narrative and deviates from the traditional atmosphere associated with the series.

    Atmosphere:
    Diverging from the established Final Fantasy ambiance, the game ventures into a notably darker tone reminiscent of the Devil May Cry series. While attempts are made to infuse the experience with familiar Final Fantasy elements through the use of music, it is evident that the game falls short in capturing the essence of a Final Fantasy atmosphere. The absence of the series' signature blend of light and dark, coupled with a scarcity of humour, is a departure from the established norm of what many expects. To sum it up, this game is just dark. While this is not a problem on it’s own, I think it’s worthwhile to mention that if you look for a balance between light and dark you will not find it here cause the innocence and humour is long gone.

    Exploration and Side Missions:
    Regrettably, the game's exploration aspect lacks the depth and intrigue found in its predecessors. With a predominantly linear structure, any opportunities for open exploration are fleeting and fail to captivate players. Engaging in side missions yields little satisfaction, as they lack substance and fail to provide a meaningful contribution to the overall narrative. This lack of depth in both exploration and side missions detracts from the game's overall appeal and hampers player immersion.

    Gameplay:
    Despite carrying an 18+ age rating, the game suffers from an unfortunate simplification of gameplay mechanics. Players may find themselves disappointed with the diminished challenge as combat devolves into repetitive button-mashing. Even after disabling various automated features, the game remains surprisingly easy, undermining the potential for a rewarding and engaging experience. Notably, the inclusion of a respawn system that grants substantial advantages upon failure further exacerbates the issue, trivializing encounters and undermining the sense of achievement.

    Conclusion:
    While marketed as a Final Fantasy title for a more mature audience, the game struggles to maintain the intricate balance between light and dark that has defined the series. Departing from the franchise's established atmosphere, it falls short in incorporating the depth, exploration, and engaging side missions that fans have come to appreciate. The oversimplified gameplay mechanics, coupled with an overly forgiving respawn system, diminish the challenge and overall satisfaction derived from the game. As a result, one may question the decision to attach the Final Fantasy name to this installment, as it fails to authentically deliver the hallmark elements expected from the renowned franchise. Because of this I feel this descision was economically driven.    … Expand
  33. OvanEsther
    Jun 25, 2023
    3
    There is a clear demarcation between games and movies. Gameplay is the most important part of a game, accounting for about 60% of the score, while external graphics and music can only score 40% at most. These 3 points are for cutscenes and animations.The gameplay is terrible, I give 0 points.
  34. Pepinor
    Jun 24, 2023
    3
    The story is bland, the dialogue and characters are generic, they tried to be Game of Thrones without understanding Game of Thrones.
    The combat is too simple it becomes repetitive and the lack of challenge in difficulty do not helps.
    The graphics are good. The art design is good. The music is good, not as good as other FFs, but good. Is a low mid game which for some reason is called    The story is bland, the dialogue and characters are generic, they tried to be Game of Thrones without understanding Game of Thrones.
    The combat is too simple it becomes repetitive and the lack of challenge in difficulty do not helps.
    The graphics are good.
    The art design is good.
    The music is good, not as good as other FFs, but good.
    Is a low mid game which for some reason is called final fantasy, but it does not have its essence in the slightest    … Expand
  35. Maclab
    Jun 25, 2023
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game feels like a 25 hour movie with interactive parts where a movie would haven't the action you can control the character. The biggest letdown it throughout all the cutscenes the story isn't that good with you being on a fetch quest being taken to locations and not having to discover where to go.… Expand
  36. radien
    Jun 25, 2023
    3
    This game is a major disappointment. Combat is extremely repetitive and you have very little agency outside of your special abilities; use special skills, wait for cooldown, repeat. Oh and just dodge around between all that so you don't get hit. It doesn't feel strategic at all. There's no feeling of progression, customization, itemization, nothing. God of war has WAY more RPG elements,This game is a major disappointment. Combat is extremely repetitive and you have very little agency outside of your special abilities; use special skills, wait for cooldown, repeat. Oh and just dodge around between all that so you don't get hit. It doesn't feel strategic at all. There's no feeling of progression, customization, itemization, nothing. God of war has WAY more RPG elements, which is insane to say considering Square are a company famous for JRPGs.

    Side-quests are a total waste of time and unrewarding because there's no gear system to funnel these reward materials into. Nothing at all.

    No party system; no elemental weaknesses; no buffs/debuffs; no meaningful progression; no itemization; no RPG AT ALL for a FF game. It really sucks that they've ripped out all these components that make these games historically special and replaced them with a dated game design of: battle arena -> corridor -> cut-scene.    … Expand
  37. AdBot1443
    Jun 25, 2023
    3
    I was hoping for so much more than this. The graphics are gorgeous but the motion blur is legitimately nauseating. This game is barely an RPG, let alone an RPG befitting of the Final Fantasy franchise. I get its rated M (which was a stupid choice anyway) but the deaths are egregious. This game does not illicit any kind of hope and it's weird that they decided to focus on stigma, biases,I was hoping for so much more than this. The graphics are gorgeous but the motion blur is legitimately nauseating. This game is barely an RPG, let alone an RPG befitting of the Final Fantasy franchise. I get its rated M (which was a stupid choice anyway) but the deaths are egregious. This game does not illicit any kind of hope and it's weird that they decided to focus on stigma, biases, and racism without actually including any other races.… Expand
  38. damedame
    Jun 25, 2023
    3
    Not a fan. For some background, I loved the FF games on the super nintendo way way back in the day. Things have changed. This game is plagued with poor framerate, and crazy excessive camera blurring which ruins the overwise lovely visuals. I don't like the new direction they're taking, I didn't enjoy FF15 much either. The linearity (especially at the end of 15) is such a bore and turn off.Not a fan. For some background, I loved the FF games on the super nintendo way way back in the day. Things have changed. This game is plagued with poor framerate, and crazy excessive camera blurring which ruins the overwise lovely visuals. I don't like the new direction they're taking, I didn't enjoy FF15 much either. The linearity (especially at the end of 15) is such a bore and turn off. Go here. Get key. Go here now. Get key. It feels wrong. I want the amazing world of wonder I explore and be amazed just looking around. I keep wanting to play them as a hope they can revive the fun I remember as a kid playing and loving every final fantasy that came out.… Expand
  39. RealKackstift
    Jun 27, 2023
    3
    Das Spiel ist wirklich gut und ich würde gerne eine 7 oder 8 geben allerdings ist es mir nicht möglich das Spiel weiterzuspielen da sich meine PS5 dauernd wegen Überhitzung selbst abschaltet. Haben die das Spiel in einer Kältekammer getestet? Echt Schade um das Spiel.
    Ich würde btw alle 0 und 100 Bewertungen ignorieren da diese komplett belanglos sind.
  40. Critya
    Jun 27, 2023
    3
    30 hours in and nearing the final section of the game I have to say it's not a Final Fantasy game.

    Combat is fun for the brief moments you get to play in between the massive cutscenes, but even that gets old after so many repetitions. There is no strategy, no party, no elements, (de)buffs, weapon choice, gear choice, stat choices, open world or over world, items to find, dungeons,    30 hours in and nearing the final section of the game I have to say it's not a Final Fantasy game.

    Combat is fun for the brief moments you get to play in between the massive cutscenes, but even that gets old after so many repetitions.

    There is no strategy, no party, no elements, (de)buffs, weapon choice, gear choice, stat choices, open world or over world, items to find, dungeons, hidden bosses, or character building for friends.

    There are brief nods to chocobos, a moogle, some of the classic music, names of FF enemies/summons, and crystals. This was about all the Final Fantasy that was included in the 16th installment of Final Fantasy.

    There is only combat and cutscenes. The gameplay loop is simply watch a 20-30 minute cutscene, walk through a narrow corridor of some type, kill 3 enemies, kill 3 more, fight a boss, watch 20 -30 minutes more of a cutscene. At best this is a weird Final Fantasy spinoff game. At worst it's the future of the franchise and 15 was the last mainline Final Fantasy game that retained any DNA from the last 30 years of the franchise's existence.    … Expand
  41. Lyu_
    Jun 28, 2023
    3
    Final Fantasy XIV Shadow Bringers was so great that I bought this one. What came out was a reboot of A Realm Reborn.

    It's not even a footnote to HEAVENSWORD, why Joshua was using a false name, why the Dominants were born that way, how Clive was treated for 13 years, and that is not told at all. Don't you realize what was wrong with FF15? Moreover, even the main quests were made to do    Final Fantasy XIV Shadow Bringers was so great that I bought this one. What came out was a reboot of A Realm Reborn.

    It's not even a footnote to HEAVENSWORD, why Joshua was using a false name, why the Dominants were born that way, how Clive was treated for 13 years, and that is not told at all.

    Don't you realize what was wrong with FF15? Moreover, even the main quests were made to do stale errands like the three most important delicacies, and they were nothing but a painful experience. I don't like Artema's motives, like shifting the blame, and I don't feel the need to have more than one Artema.

    Not talking about it is not always a good thing, in fact, FF10, which explained everything, is still talked about as a masterpiece, and Final Fantasy when Sakaguchi was around told all story.

    I think it's time to research once again why those works were so popular back then.

    And The music is too classical, which kills the original battle background music of FF.

    Final Fantasy should have hot progressive rock battle music, like Nobuo Uematsu's, and fixed battle music, and FF14 does that.

    Why didn't it? They said, "We made it classical to fit the worldview of Game of Thrones homage"? Don't ficking kid yourself, even FF11 even came out with a progressive block in the assault area! The only ones that didn't are Tactics and 12.

    As for battles, they are exhilarating, but there is no freedom of strategy. In that sense, it feels very monotonous. Where is the variety of black magic? Why can the enemies use Cure and Protect, but not Clive?

    The UI is also hard to look at and doesn't fit Final Fantasy.

    It fits because of the game design of Bayonetta and Devil May Cry.

    However, it is not all bad. The direction of the action is not bad, and I hope that the ATB of Final Fantasy 7 Remake and the action of this game will be combined well. That is what I think is the perfect Final Fantasy battle system, and the command elements should not be discarded.

    There were some good parts, I enjoyed it until the midway rush, then it stalled after Artema came out. It's sad, Yoshida, because I had very high hopes for it.

    I love your Final Fantasy 14 very much and still enjoy playing it. Why didn't you ask Natsuko Ishikawa to do it? You knew that Maehiro's A Realm Reborn scenario was not well received.

    He shines because he is a planner and battle designer, I don't want you to adopt his narrative.

    Yoshida, Takai, and Maehiro should leave Ivalice.    … Expand
  42. RanDum8
    Jun 30, 2023
    3
    Played it all the way through.

    Gameplay: The first of the Final Fantasy series to be a Character Action Game instead of an RPG, that's not bad but it tries to masquerade as an RPG still and these elements clash alot leaving gameplay shallow for a game of either genre. The Story: The story start pretty strong, it's incredibly cutscene heavy but story beats are good and voice acting    Played it all the way through.

    Gameplay:
    The first of the Final Fantasy series to be a Character Action Game instead of an RPG, that's not bad but it tries to masquerade as an RPG still and these elements clash alot leaving gameplay shallow for a game of either genre.

    The Story:
    The story start pretty strong, it's incredibly cutscene heavy but story beats are good and voice acting and animation is on point enough to keep you engaged. The issue comes in the last 10m I won't spoil anything incase you're foolish enough to buy this trash can of a game, but the last 10m invalidate the last 30hours of game so play at your own risk, I would not recommend this to anyone.    … Expand
  43. Drabblestein
    Jul 1, 2023
    3
    Broken and borderline unplayable.I pre-ordered and installed this immediately upon release expecting a competent, refined game. It is not a competent game. It's especially unrefined.
    I fail to see why the development team felt okay about their statements regarding the extreme amount of polish this game apparently went through before release.
    The game looks like a PS4 title. The frame rate    Broken and borderline unplayable.I pre-ordered and installed this immediately upon release expecting a competent, refined game. It is not a competent game. It's especially unrefined.
    I fail to see why the development team felt okay about their statements regarding the extreme amount of polish this game apparently went through before release.
    The game looks like a PS4 title. The frame rate is offensive.
    The stutter and technical issues are reminiscent of low budget titles from the PS3/360 era.
    As far as story and game feel/mechanics etc?
    They seem okay but, as it is I couldn't make it past the first few hours due to the severity of the technical issues.
    First pre-order I've made for a title.
    Last pre-order I'll make for a title.

    Final Fantasy died when Sakaguchi left.

    This should be an offence.    … Expand
  44. Skye47
    Jul 1, 2023
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. My review is delivered at 25 hours play time, as that is when I finally gave up hope that Final Fantasy XVI could turn it around.

    This is a bad game, plain and simple. There are some positives, but not nearly enough to outweigh the negatives.
    I do not agree with the 0 ratings being doled out as Final Fantasy XVI is not unplayable; however it does not deserve the 9's and 10's either.

    My main problem with this game is the story which is supposed to be the heart of Final Fantasy. The story is a complete downer. After the first hour or so it's just death and depression and everyone hates you and everything sucks and it doesn't deviate from that path. I prefer mature stories but this one is just depressing.

    Spoilers here:
    Literally everyone dies, and when you get the faintest glimmer of hope everyone dies again.

    The story is also poorly told. It's broken up, the supporting cast is not fleshed out at all and the whole time skipping thing is just lazy. It removes any chance the game could have had to develop backstories or give you any opportunity to care about what's going on.

    Sidebar; time skipping / time travel in video game stories is the ultimate hallmark of bad writing.

    The combat is a massive disappointment, as it had so much potential. There's just so much more that could have been done with it. It's all one note; there's no complexity whatsoever. Were the devs afraid that any shred of depth would send the masses of brainwashed weebs running for the hills at the first sign of an elemental weakness?

    Spoilers again as I am going to get specific:

    Ifrit is done dirty in this game. For all the hype around Ifrit and the fact that Clive is his Dominant, all you get for him is 2 crappy abilities and Limit Break which just gives you a strength boost. You don't even get a third ultimate like Judgement Bolt or Tornado; yes you read that right-- no Hellfire for Clive. It would have been so much better in my opinion if Limit Break activated an ultimate ability for whatever Eikon you were using. It would have made them special.

    I did mention positives so I will say that the cutscenes are beautifully rendered and soundtrack / voice performances are excellent. It's a true shame that they were all wasted on this lackluster game.

    Now lets get to the straight up lies. "RPG"; nope. This is not an RPG, this is Game of Thrones the action game wearing a few bits of Final Fantasy's decaying flesh as armour. "Adventure" is a word used to sell this game; nope. There is no adventure here. There is a linear slog through an awful story with nothing to discover in the world aside from the odd chest or item pickup that gives you either 2 gil or some more useless crafting material.

    I'll rapid fire the rest as I am ready now to forget this game ever took my time and money so here we go.

    The sidequests are pathetic, the crafting / gear system is a joke, and the Performance mode is terrible.

    I will close by saying do not be fooled by the demo; I was. It's all downhill after that first hour.    … Expand
  45. Amidatelion
    Jul 1, 2023
    3
    I came in hoping the action combat would be the only thing they changed, but it just isn't a game that reminds me of Final Fantasy. No party, very little management, linear pathways, etc. Some say the story is what makes FF, but that would mean any game with a good story is FF. There has to me more to the equation. Fans of tactical RPGs, do your research before you play this. Make sureI came in hoping the action combat would be the only thing they changed, but it just isn't a game that reminds me of Final Fantasy. No party, very little management, linear pathways, etc. Some say the story is what makes FF, but that would mean any game with a good story is FF. There has to me more to the equation. Fans of tactical RPGs, do your research before you play this. Make sure it's for you, before spending that large sum.… Expand
  46. Operatic
    Jul 3, 2023
    3
    The game's biggest downfall is it's identity crisis. Anyone who isn't familiar with this series, all it takes is looking at videos of the older games. It is very obvious how drastically different this installment is. Even if you say "Final Fantasy has always been changing", the argument falls apart when you see just how little of the previous series is left. No game in the series hasThe game's biggest downfall is it's identity crisis. Anyone who isn't familiar with this series, all it takes is looking at videos of the older games. It is very obvious how drastically different this installment is. Even if you say "Final Fantasy has always been changing", the argument falls apart when you see just how little of the previous series is left. No game in the series has changed this much, comparing it to the games released before it. It is wild how intense some of the 10/10s are getting, if the game is critiqued at all. I'd be suspicious of a perfect score on literally any game. As for the identity crisis, it's a valid and hefty critique. What genre is this game? It may be technically an RPG, but it's RPG elements are poorly implemented, and so timid, that it's like they put the bare minimum in. I understand if you like the game, but pretending it's something it's not, is only adding to that identity crisis. It's not Final Fantasy, and it's barely an RPG. That's my personal opinion. If Square Enix branded this a new IP, and didn't try to force the game to be a poorly implemented hybrid of genres, some of the higher scores would be better warranted.… Expand
  47. Eversoul
    Jul 5, 2023
    3
    This game was a huge disappointment for me. The first half was pretty great, but then I got to the halfway mark and just kept asking myself "is this all there is?"

    First off I love action combat in RPGs, but the fighting is so shallow and easy in the game a gnat couldnt drown in it. Enemy variety is abysmal and you stop running into new enemies before the halfway mark and they are all    This game was a huge disappointment for me. The first half was pretty great, but then I got to the halfway mark and just kept asking myself "is this all there is?"

    First off I love action combat in RPGs, but the fighting is so shallow and easy in the game a gnat couldnt drown in it. Enemy variety is abysmal and you stop running into new enemies before the halfway mark and they are all fought exactly the same. No strategy other than depleting a stagger bar then using a couple of big moves and repeat it ad nauseum. Thats egregious for a 20 hour long game

    The world itself utilizes ps3 era design philosophies and feels either extremely lazy or low budget. No dungeons to explore. no meaningful gear to find. no puzzles to solve. no character to build. no party to control. The games side quests feel worse than most korean free to play MMOs. They offer no meaningful rewards or content to do and only try to shove the games main plot point down your throat incessantly in bite sized chunks. There are way too many of these as well and they always pop up in horrible spots totally ruining the pacing of an already weirdly paced story. There are a few things I did enjoy about the game though like some of the characters and a few of the boss fights werent terrible. I also appreciated the grounded approach to story telling, but that almost is fully abandoned by the end with what I can only describe as the "god is the badguy" cliche and you have to prove to him humanity can survive. It really feels out of place in what was a somewhat intriguing political fantasy tale although it did rely on game of thrones tropes too often. All in all I dont HATE the game, but it honestly feels like several steps back from FF12 which is what it seems to want to emulate. It feels watered down and the budget feels like it was only placed in visual fidelity rather than actual game design. Ill say its a personal 7 out of 10 for me.    … Expand
  48. suffrmouth
    Jul 7, 2023
    3
    Generic Hack and Slash in a Final Fantasy costume.

    It's designed to be fun enough up front to scoop up good reviews from lazy critics, who won't care in the long run that the game has no further depth than cribbing off Game of Thrones visuals, paint by numbers political plot, and a series of fetch quests for meaningless loot. Game is fine for what it is, but it would have    Generic Hack and Slash in a Final Fantasy costume.

    It's designed to be fun enough up front to scoop up good reviews from lazy critics, who won't care in the long run that the game has no further depth than cribbing off Game of Thrones visuals, paint by numbers political plot, and a series of fetch quests for meaningless loot.

    Game is fine for what it is, but it would have been better off not using the Final Fantasy name to get it sold.    … Expand
  49. jtrade
    Jul 14, 2023
    3
    Weak as a RPG with a lack of systems and worthwhile loot. Weak as a character action game with its lack of combat options. Piss easy difficulty throught the first playthrough. Squandered potential in its story as it nosedives into tonedeaf JRPG tropes. All in all it was a slog and would not recommend.
  50. si357
    Jul 17, 2023
    3
    Story and cinematic scenes are epic to say the least. Acting is great but there are unnatural and awkward pauses throughout the entirety of the game. Gear is borderline irrelevant as you just craft the next pieces that correspond to the story and guaranteed material drops from bosses. Combat lacks variety as you can just rotate the same skills for maximum DPS, stagger, and damage immunity.Story and cinematic scenes are epic to say the least. Acting is great but there are unnatural and awkward pauses throughout the entirety of the game. Gear is borderline irrelevant as you just craft the next pieces that correspond to the story and guaranteed material drops from bosses. Combat lacks variety as you can just rotate the same skills for maximum DPS, stagger, and damage immunity. There has been a long cry for the mainline series to return to turn-based or ATB at the very least and XVI’s gameplay and combat (or lack there of) have hit this home harder than ever. Trying to be a generic, action RPG won’t get Square Enix there. The heart of the original FF was a party based game similar to Dungeons and Dragons and XVI walked completely away from that. Character diversity is seriously lacking as well. Movies don’t assume the viewer is uneducated and video games shouldn’t either. If you're bad at action games and want something super easy then this is the game for you. Outside of knowing what skills cause the enemies stagger to go down faster it doesn't really matter what combination you choose. Just spam moves and dodge and you'll never see a game over screen. I am ashamed I purchased this game new just adding to undeserved sales numbers. At least we know this game won’t be in contention for GotY.… Expand
  51. Albertozaton
    Jul 19, 2023
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Normally in real life I am paid to run errands. I paid 70USD buying this game and I have the feeling that most part of the game is about going from A to B to speak with someone or get something and then return to A to finish the quest with and extremely bad designed npc (those faces, those movements when leaving tbe conversation...)
    I'm a die-hard FF fan. Where are the magics? Where is the looting/item customization? Why the only freedom I have to make Clive stronger is to go after any quest to the blacksmith and buy the mandatory sword? I'm an almost at the end of the game but it is taking effort to turn on the PS5 and keep playing. I think I have died once so far so where is the challenge? In my mind FF games where about leveling up, finding better gear, exploring, using magics and state ailments. I understand the new direction, more action focused, but not at any price. It is 2023 and I had to download FFVI to play it at the same time because 16th makes it really difficult to be motivated. I got to the point that if it was possible I would kill all those people in the hideaway. All of them. All of them so woke, so good people. Come on.

    Benedikta and Kupka where very nice villains, but they leave very quickly. The eikon battles are like a film, you mostly do not need to do anything at all. The world is stunning, that is true. And the story as well, credit where is due    … Expand
  52. tacotime1234
    Jul 19, 2023
    3
    Terrible game. Bought PS5 because I watched playthroughs of the demo and I thought the story hook was pretty good. The game was a complete let down. The story is a complete bungled mess with bland characters. The game has zero fun locations or environments, just overcast gray grasslands and desert. You can't even explore the cities or castles that it shows in the cutscenes.

    Exploration    Terrible game. Bought PS5 because I watched playthroughs of the demo and I thought the story hook was pretty good. The game was a complete let down. The story is a complete bungled mess with bland characters. The game has zero fun locations or environments, just overcast gray grasslands and desert. You can't even explore the cities or castles that it shows in the cutscenes.

    Exploration is non-existent, the devs outright lied about the story dungeons being "expertly-crafted" when they're literal hallways. RPG elements are barely even present at all and the combat simply revolves around spamming your cooldown abilities as much as possible. The difficulty is insultingly easy to the point where you have to actively be trying to die in order for story bosses to kill you.    … Expand
  53. vincentyu0226
    Jul 20, 2023
    3
    An empty game. Gorgeous graphics, but that's the only good thing about the game. The battle system is terrible. It is the worst battle system I've ever played. Equipment system is terrible. The story is fascinating at first, but it also feels unappealing in the end. A lot of stories are missing.
  54. moonNight
    Jul 24, 2023
    3
    The game plot is so childish. All the villains are stupid. Very disappointed. The character design is good but not get enough supported in the plot. It is not RPG but I am ok with it.
  55. Tombanner
    Sep 7, 2023
    3
    This game is far from a Role Playing Game, unless you’re defining it in a literal sense. At times it’s barely a game. Final Fantasy 16 is plagued with long, boring cutscenes and 1 dimensional gameplay with little to no challenge. The story is somewhat decent although if you want to compare it to the rest of the series it’s easily one of the weakest.

    The only redeeming qualities is the    This game is far from a Role Playing Game, unless you’re defining it in a literal sense. At times it’s barely a game. Final Fantasy 16 is plagued with long, boring cutscenes and 1 dimensional gameplay with little to no challenge. The story is somewhat decent although if you want to compare it to the rest of the series it’s easily one of the weakest.

    The only redeeming qualities is the voicing acting, Cid and the world building, but unfortunately none of that outweighs the negatives.    … Expand
  56. Megalomani
    Sep 9, 2023
    3
    No es final fantasy, animaciones de los npcs como los del final fantasy x, escenarios vacíos y estáticos, historia aburrida y lenta ,solo por dos momentos lo demás es puro relleno cansino y absurdo, lineal y sin complejo sistema de combate, un juego indi tiene más mecánicas que ofrecer vaya castaña ni de lejos esta a la altura de final fantasy 7 remake
  57. dani3po
    Jun 28, 2023
    2
    The game is nice, but technically I expected more. Also, it's so easy that it's not challenging at all. It's like a Devil May Cry for little kids.
  58. Gizlo
    Jun 24, 2023
    2
    I thought just the beginning of the game would be slow with the whole “walk forward for 2 seconds then watch a cutscene, then walk forward for 5 seconds and watch another cutscene” thing, but that’s what most of the game is. If you like sitting around and watching a movie, you’ll love this. The actual GAME part of FFXVI is as bare bones as you get. The combat could’ve been interesting butI thought just the beginning of the game would be slow with the whole “walk forward for 2 seconds then watch a cutscene, then walk forward for 5 seconds and watch another cutscene” thing, but that’s what most of the game is. If you like sitting around and watching a movie, you’ll love this. The actual GAME part of FFXVI is as bare bones as you get. The combat could’ve been interesting but the battles are so easy that all the flashy stuff doesn’t matter because most enemies sit back and let you wail on them without trying to fight back, or you just need to throw in a few easily timed dodges and continue button mashing to win. After that, you’ll be greeted with more walking and cutscenes and walking and cutscenes. I made it about 15 hours into the game before I had to uninstall and be mad at myself for buying into the hype. I wish I liked this game, I love Final Fantasy games. It’s truly a terrible video game if you’re looking for an engaging experience. Even the boss battles, while very epic and beautiful, aren’t really that engaging. 2 giant monsters battle on your screen while you press one button for a QTE. If you’re looking to watch a pretty movie with mediocre writing, then I guess you’ll like it. I did not.… Expand
  59. Darkautumn911
    Jun 28, 2023
    2
    The game has the gameplay depth of Space Invaders or Monopoly.
    Only the story is good
  60. klkevinkl
    Jun 24, 2023
    2
    This is an action RPG that feels like it's afraid to commit to the action or the RPG. Weapons are just there for stats, not for variety. Combos are encouraged, but damage multipliers for doing so barely go up, so it's better to just button mash short combos. Many side quests feel repetitive and might offer something lore rewarding, but usually not. Many of those "come walk with me andThis is an action RPG that feels like it's afraid to commit to the action or the RPG. Weapons are just there for stats, not for variety. Combos are encouraged, but damage multipliers for doing so barely go up, so it's better to just button mash short combos. Many side quests feel repetitive and might offer something lore rewarding, but usually not. Many of those "come walk with me and talk" style cutscenes. Yet, no party members. The world might not be as empty as FF15, but still feels quite empty and doesn't help distract from the sense of linearity. Cutscenes are excessive and are definitely huge problems in the Eikon transitions. It's made worse by the QTEs in said fights. It looks amazing, but the style over substance makes for poor gameplay.

    There's also A LOT of parallels to .hack//G.U that I cannot unsee.    … Expand
  61. mikegh1994
    Aug 28, 2023
    2
    This game is the worst thing a game can be - boring. Got near the end but I just couldn't push through. Super boring MMORPG quest structure. You lose nothing by just watching a video of the cutscenes on youtube.
  62. Maugaran
    Jun 28, 2023
    2
    Character art is ugly, too many Cinematic less Gameplay, bad Sidequests, no Exploration, no Puzzles, no RPG mechanics
  63. alahrav
    Jul 7, 2023
    2
    Solid combat, incredible Eikon battles, mostly terrible everything else: poor writing, sloggy quest design, largely uninteresting characters (save a couple standouts). The game ping-pongs between highs and lows with disorienting regularity. If not for the disaster that was FFXV, this would be my least favorite FF.
  64. rampantrabbit
    Jun 26, 2023
    2
    More akin to a visual novel than ARPG.
    When fighting multiple enimies screen is filled with too many effects to actually be able to strategically battle.
    Spam square, hit power, wait for cool down, repeat. The odd R1 dodge.
    Eikon battles are taken away from you half way through and turns cinematic?
    All a bit boring.
  65. QueDuBonheur
    Jun 23, 2023
    2
    I got the game a early so I had time to finish it, thinking about it and sorry but this is not a good video game for me. I'm a bit sad of what Final Fantasy have become and I hope this is not the future for the serie.

    I'm a huge RPG fan and a huge action games fan but the game fail both at a RPG level and at an action. A DMC combat system doesn't mean automatically a good game, there's    I got the game a early so I had time to finish it, thinking about it and sorry but this is not a good video game for me. I'm a bit sad of what Final Fantasy have become and I hope this is not the future for the serie.

    I'm a huge RPG fan and a huge action games fan but the game fail both at a RPG level and at an action. A DMC combat system doesn't mean automatically a good game, there's too much time between unlocking a new power and only 6 skills can be equipped at the same time. No hard mode so it's piss easy from start to finish, the parry is binding on the attack button and the dodge window is so huge there's no reward for the player.

    While I was ok with no playable party members, I didn't knew the'll be absent for the story either. It's just Clive story and my biggest disappointment is Jill.

    The game try too hard to be too serious, no mini-games and such but side quests are the worst I've seen in ages. It's fetch quests.

    My next point is the rythm of the game, it's terrible. You have these hype moments and after that is several hours of boring stuff, there's also nothing to explore or discover. If you want to do an action just go all-in on the action.

    The game really feel dated outside of combat and cinematic too. I expected way better for a mainline entry, it's crazy to me Stranger of Paradise is a better action game AND a better RPG.    … Expand
  66. AmazinGamer
    Jun 24, 2023
    2
    Game mechanics are SO basic and way too much automatized, optimization and perferormance are horrible, Game crashes a lot, didn't like the Game i SO grey on many scenarios, i liked some songs.
  67. Landsharkfl1
    Jun 24, 2023
    2
    Sadly I didn't enjoy this game, performance issues really make you lose the feel of the game. Final fantasy has always been ground breaking even ff14 with it's open world map. Unfortunately I dont see mich that has improved with this title and the motion blur makes it hard to look at. I think the story was decent but I am having a hard time adjusting to the performance of this game whichSadly I didn't enjoy this game, performance issues really make you lose the feel of the game. Final fantasy has always been ground breaking even ff14 with it's open world map. Unfortunately I dont see mich that has improved with this title and the motion blur makes it hard to look at. I think the story was decent but I am having a hard time adjusting to the performance of this game which in my opinion is not playable to the full extent yet. I think this game came out to early, hopefully doc can help in the future to bring this game to the final fantasy standard.… Expand
  68. fatezeroart
    Jun 25, 2023
    2
    This is just a light action game with FF14 style, the more you play it, the more boring it becomes, there is really no rpg element and game map exploration in this game, I prefer FF15 over this, If you like JRPG and ARPG, you should play some game like Ys VIII: Tears of Dana instead.
  69. cosguy91
    Jun 24, 2023
    2
    The game is simply boring. Bland story, bland environments, constant cutscenes. You’ll walk 5 steps then watch a 10 minute cutscene. Walk another few steps then another cutscene. Enemies have such large health bars that you spend several minutes spamming the attack button to defeat them and you’re only given some crafting materials. Very disappointed with this game. I regret buying it.
  70. Stan_a
    Jun 25, 2023
    2
    Doesn’t play like a true Final Fantasy game IMO. Bring back turn based combat….
  71. foxmulder34
    Jun 24, 2023
    2
    Combat is not great also performance mode is so bad i didnt pay $500 for 720p
  72. lman
    Jun 24, 2023
    2
    Combat is very basic, simply press square to win. The characters are boring, and it tries and fails to draw inspiration from Game of Thrones. This game is only an RPG in name. If you want to watch a movie while simulating playing a game, then this is for you. It also includes quick time events.
  73. Schmuel
    Jun 26, 2023
    2
    FFXVI might be a good game and it could have been beautiful but its image reconstruction turned out extremely ugly and the game stutters as hell. In 2023, there are too many great games running smoothly out there, so there is no need to play such a stutter fest. I will sell it again. Too bad.
  74. Litomaikel
    Aug 20, 2023
    2
    El 25% de las misiones principales están muy bien. Es una lástima que el otro 75% sean puro relleno. Las misiones secundarias son 100% puro relleno.
    El juego con más relleno al que he jugado.
    Las batallas con los jefes tienen secciones en las que controlas al Eikon en el aire. Pura basura. Lo poco bueno que tiene es un plagio de Tales of Arise. No soy ningún hater pero no comprendo cómo    El 25% de las misiones principales están muy bien. Es una lástima que el otro 75% sean puro relleno. Las misiones secundarias son 100% puro relleno.
    El juego con más relleno al que he jugado.
    Las batallas con los jefes tienen secciones en las que controlas al Eikon en el aire. Pura basura.
    Lo poco bueno que tiene es un plagio de Tales of Arise. No soy ningún hater pero no comprendo cómo un juego así puede tener tanta crítica positivas. Creo que no volveré a jugar un Final Fantasy.
    Le pongo un 2 porque tiene partes decentes al inicio.    … Expand
  75. Trond_MC
    Jun 26, 2023
    2
    The pros:
    - pretty graphics
    - fantastic music
    - good sound effects and voice acting
    - pretty cutscenes (a good thing in this movie game for sure)

    The cons:
    - WAY too many cutscenes/movieclips
    - combat is childlike easy
    - loading/popins
    - super boring repetitive side quests
    - uneven frame refresh in open world
  76. elysia1047
    Jun 26, 2023
    2
    As soulless as it is beautiful.

    Best Graphics. Great Music. Good main story. sometimes. the world and everything else is soulless the combat is repetitive and pointless. especially the world combat. the side characters jill, torgal and others are hollow and soulless as well. the world is the most disappointing thing. this is not a jrpg by any means. let alone a main line final    As soulless as it is beautiful.

    Best Graphics. Great Music. Good main story. sometimes.

    the world and everything else is soulless
    the combat is repetitive and pointless. especially the world combat.
    the side characters jill, torgal and others are hollow and soulless as well.
    the world is the most disappointing thing.
    this is not a jrpg by any means. let alone a main line final fantasy game.
    Biggest disappointment I've had in a very long time.
    M rated for what? the f bomb and blood? this game is shallow as shallow can be.    … Expand
  77. penmumble
    Jul 21, 2023
    2
    Incredibly boring. I played for 6 hours and it felt like 20. The amount of lag and number of loading screens is just unforgivable for a PS5 game in 2023
  78. Dioronmybody
    Jun 23, 2023
    2
    Leaving turn-based combat behind was the single worst mistake ever, if I want to fight bloated HP bosses who don't react and just let me pound them id play god of war or some **** what a disappointment.
  79. bockwurst-mutti
    Jul 23, 2023
    2
    This is not a final fantasy! Mindless button mashing with no need to ever change the skillset. Open areas are dull and empty. For me it seems like the game is split in half. Epic main story battles and the rest of the game as afterthought. Even the graphical difference between those to aspects are huge. It feels just as empty and boring as Valkyrie asylum and forspoken. CharacterprogessionThis is not a final fantasy! Mindless button mashing with no need to ever change the skillset. Open areas are dull and empty. For me it seems like the game is split in half. Epic main story battles and the rest of the game as afterthought. Even the graphical difference between those to aspects are huge. It feels just as empty and boring as Valkyrie asylum and forspoken. Characterprogession has nothing to do with an rpg. Numbers in damage output barely change the whole game. Sidequests are as boring as the possibly could be. As if someone at square thought of it as „how to make the least final fantasy game ever and than slap the 16 on top of it!“ Those good review scores are just mindblowing to me and not understandable! Just as bad as 13! Square, maybe you should stick with the remakes and remasters of older games. There are at least good and worth the money. Or even better bring sakaguchi back or someone with his mindset. Ff16 is a terrible game for longtime fans and does not deserve the Name final fantasy!!… Expand
  80. Alec_Anuqan
    Jun 23, 2023
    2
    Game has optimization issues, causing units to overheat, not stable framerates in performance mode. I'd have waited for a PC release but Yoshi-P has been flip flopping on if one will release or not. Refunding physical.
  81. secondclass1776
    Jun 26, 2023
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I have been playing FF games since NES. I finished the main quest line on the Sunday after it released. I am so disappointed in this game I don't know where to start. I guess I will just tell you what you won't get. First you won't get a fleashed out story that doesn't contradict itself. In the earlier parts of the game Joshua traps Ultima in his own body. But it doesn't matter that he did because there are like 10 Ultimas. It is the cause of his death. Another big one is in the middle of the game you're on the ship the Enterprise (which you never get to explore and yes the name did not escape me)You get a cut scene where Lord Byron is saying goodbyes because he is leaving (you watch him row away) to get an army for your coming up battle. Then ten minutes later you're talking to another person and they say Lord Byron stayed with the ship to keep it safe. Later you get a cut scene where he is talking to some Lord and asks to borrow his men the Lord is refusing and in comes Dion who just destroyed his entire empire and killed his father and evil half brother and killed probably hundred of thousands of people and offers the dragoons and everyone is like thanks pal. There were others eventually I quit trying to keep track of them all.
    Next there isn't any real exploration you can see all the pick ups from across the area pretty much. 99% of the linear maps are small and you can run around the entire area within 5-10 minutes. This is because of the linear style game play. Which wouldn't have mattered to me but you don't get to explore the cool places or the big cities you get a hideout the refugee camp, some dirt huts a town that all your families old slaves went to with like 4 houses. You won't get a party that you can outfit or that you can control.
    You get eikons which are just summons only you turn into them and your a God of some sorts.
    In an article the director is telling ign how they are fans of Game of Thrones, Clive is basically Jon Snow, Olivier is Robin Arryn, there are other ones too. There is even white walkers. A lot of the doors you have to press X then hold R2 just so Sony could show off their trigger feedback function.. You get a jump button that is basically useless. A lot of QTEs. The crafting was just handing over whatever thing you got from your last boss battle that you beat with QTEs. And then get a sword crafted. If you want to max out the magic you are forced to play the fetch quests that add nothing of value to the world, and a good portion of the main quest could have been more interesting as side quest and made no sense as main quest. This isn't an RPG. This is an action adventure game with little nuggets of FF in it. The most memorable Final Fantasy part about this game is the name. This was a huge disappointment and I really wanted to like the game. In the end though it felt like a chore to play. The creative director is from FF14, and a lot of the design reminded me of it (the map, and the quest icons) and I am not a huge fan of MMORPGs. All in all this game is a mess it doesn't know if it is FF, Game of Thrones, the devil may cry or something else entirely. To each their own you may like the game me I won't be buying anything after FF VII remake.    … Expand
  82. Darkerasu16
    Jun 24, 2023
    2
    Final Fantasy XVI, uma das franquias mais icônicas e reverenciadas da indústria de jogos, tem sido conhecida por suas histórias cativantes, personagens complexos e gráficos impressionantes. No entanto, com o lançamento de Final Fantasy XVI, fica evidente que o jogo não conseguiu atender às expectativas em termos de jogabilidade desafiadora e gráficos atualizados. Nesta crítica exploro asFinal Fantasy XVI, uma das franquias mais icônicas e reverenciadas da indústria de jogos, tem sido conhecida por suas histórias cativantes, personagens complexos e gráficos impressionantes. No entanto, com o lançamento de Final Fantasy XVI, fica evidente que o jogo não conseguiu atender às expectativas em termos de jogabilidade desafiadora e gráficos atualizados. Nesta crítica exploro as principais falhas do jogo, incluindo a jogabilidade fácil e os gráficos que deixam a desejar, lembrando até mesmo os visuais do PlayStation 2.

    Jogabilidade fácil:
    Uma das maiores decepções em Final Fantasy XVI é a jogabilidade excessivamente fácil. A série Final Fantasy sempre foi conhecida por seus desafios estratégicos e combates envolventes, mas neste novo título, o nível de dificuldade é simplesmente insatisfatório. As batalhas são extremamente simplificadas, exigindo pouca estratégia por parte do jogador. A falta de desafio tira a sensação de conquista e progressão, deixando os jogadores com uma experiência tediosa e sem emoção.

    Gráficos desatualizados:
    Outro aspecto notável que prejudica a experiência de jogo em Final Fantasy XVI são os gráficos desatualizados. Considerando os avanços tecnológicos na indústria de jogos, esperava-se que o jogo apresentasse visuais de alta qualidade, imersivos e deslumbrantes. Infelizmente, os gráficos deste jogo lembram os visuais limitados do PlayStation 2, uma geração de console bem anterior. Os personagens e ambientes parecem desprovidos de detalhes e texturas realistas, o que resulta em uma experiência visual decepcionante e desatualizada.

    Impacto na imersão:
    A jogabilidade fácil e os gráficos desatualizados de Final Fantasy XVI têm um impacto direto na imersão do jogador. A falta de desafio e a simplicidade dos combates retiram a sensação de estar em um mundo fantástico e épico, reduzindo a motivação para continuar jogando. Além disso, os gráficos desatualizados prejudicam a capacidade do jogo de transportar os jogadores para um mundo rico e visualmente envolvente. A imersão é um elemento crucial em qualquer jogo de RPG, e é lamentável que Final Fantasy XVI falhe nesse aspecto.

    Conclusão:
    Em suma, Final Fantasy XVI não atende às expectativas dos verdadeiros fãs da franquia e não consegue manter o alto padrão estabelecido por seus antecessores. A jogabilidade fácil e a falta de desafio tiram a emoção e a satisfação da experiência de jogo, enquanto os gráficos desatualizados comprometem a imersão e o envolvimento do jogador. Esperava-se muito mais de uma franquia lendária como Final Fantasy, mas infelizmente, este jogo não alcança o patamar de excelência estabelecido pelos seus predecessores. É uma decepção para os fãs da série e para a indústria de jogos como um todo.    … Expand
  83. jonathasfg
    Jun 23, 2023
    2
    Its not a final fantasy game, its a devil my cry copy, really.... is more good devil my cry note 2 becasuse is good. but -8 because not a FF. dont have soul
  84. Liliana95
    Jun 23, 2023
    2
    I’m not having at good time at all. The lack of motivation for explorations because there’s literally nothing to discover, the lack of RPG elements and pre-battle preparations, the embarrassingly designed fetch quests, the underwhelming character progression (you can’t feel any progression really), the repetitive combats. Wow. Nothing about these is fun.

    Not to mention the generic    I’m not having at good time at all. The lack of motivation for explorations because there’s literally nothing to discover, the lack of RPG elements and pre-battle preparations, the embarrassingly designed fetch quests, the underwhelming character progression (you can’t feel any progression really), the repetitive combats. Wow. Nothing about these is fun.

    Not to mention the generic medieval European’d world. It’s just not captivating like past Final Fantasies. Praying and hoping no future Final Fantasy would miss the mark this badly. I’ve had much more fun with FF15 and I’m not exaggerating. And FF15 was like my least favourite Final Fantasy.

    2 points for expensive cutscenes I guess. Flashy without substances.    … Expand
  85. JosephKry
    Jun 24, 2023
    2
    FF4, FF6, FF7, FF8, FF9, FF10 where art thou?
    How I miss those days of greatness, where those games where deep with story, mechanics, magic, items and lore. Opening every treasure box was exciting. Will I get a new armor, weapon, maybe a new magic?
    And this, what is this? FF16 has nothing of the above. I agree, the graphics are good and some of the battle music is excellent, but where    FF4, FF6, FF7, FF8, FF9, FF10 where art thou?
    How I miss those days of greatness, where those games where deep with story, mechanics, magic, items and lore. Opening every treasure box was exciting. Will I get a new armor, weapon, maybe a new magic?
    And this, what is this? FF16 has nothing of the above.

    I agree, the graphics are good and some of the battle music is excellent, but where is the game?
    No party, no weapon selection, no armor, no magic, no strategy, juts walk around, see cutscenes, find useless loot, evade and kill.
    Yes, the boss fights look epic, but deep beneath, I can kill any HP bloated boss by just clicking the attack and evade buttons.
    Square Enix said that with FF16 they are returning to the roots and getting all veteran fans excited. I prefer playing FF6 for the 10th time and not this.
    In my country I paid $90 for the base game.
    I will finish the game because I paid so much, and the story is interesting enough, but the game, where is the game?
    I created a Metacritic account just to show how disappointed I am and warn other FF veterans to stay away from this game.    … Expand
  86. allynhamilton20
    Jun 24, 2023
    2
    This is unfortunately the end of a legendary jrpg series, on the surface this is a ok, if somewhat tedious western arpg, bit it is a far cry from the heights of the series
    Devil may fantasize 16 is the result of corporate trying to make more money using established franchises and taking a jrpg and turning it into the more profitable warpg, goodbye old friend we had fun
  87. ihaha
    Jun 24, 2023
    2
    It's a mediocre action game. Not bad but nothing special either. It falls flat where it matters though, hence my score. I expected a good RPG game, not the best, but at least a decent attempt. Sadly this game went in a different direction and I didn't like it. The graphics are alright, but it's better to play it in fidelity mode. Performance mode drops to high 20s which is unacceptable.It's a mediocre action game. Not bad but nothing special either. It falls flat where it matters though, hence my score. I expected a good RPG game, not the best, but at least a decent attempt. Sadly this game went in a different direction and I didn't like it. The graphics are alright, but it's better to play it in fidelity mode. Performance mode drops to high 20s which is unacceptable. I'm not a new gamer. I've played games that failed to run at a consistent framerate, but experiencing often drops from 60fps to something like 42 and even 29 is where I draw the line. Sadly the image quality suffers too, from the very aggressive dynamic resolution implementation, the image appears blurry and muddy. As a long time FF fan, I say skip this one. I regret not refunding it when I still could… Expand
  88. axub
    Jun 24, 2023
    2
    The scenario was good until the middle part, but the scenario afterward was trash. Especially the scenario, direction, and combat in the final battle were garbage. I rate it 2
  89. Circa1980s
    Jun 24, 2023
    2
    Gameplay is remedial. Itemization is virtually non existent. Party system...where are you? Also, why on earth is it so poorly optimized? Isn't that supposed to be the benefit to only developing for one system? Cut scenes - PLENTY. Is that good? Not to me. Maybe it is for others. I like to play my games and this game feels like its playing me. Door opening mechanics (no notGameplay is remedial. Itemization is virtually non existent. Party system...where are you? Also, why on earth is it so poorly optimized? Isn't that supposed to be the benefit to only developing for one system? Cut scenes - PLENTY. Is that good? Not to me. Maybe it is for others. I like to play my games and this game feels like its playing me. Door opening mechanics (no not lockpicking)...ummm why?!

    Honestly this game feels like it was supposed to be a completely different title and they bolted on some FF aesthetics (sorta) and some FF items (again...sorta). I feel like PS games are becoming homogenized before our very eyes. Whatever.

    Final score : Cinematic Strike out of 10.    … Expand
  90. Cintakar
    Jun 24, 2023
    2
    I am currently 55% into the story and the only parts I have enjoyed so far were the first two hours available in the demo. Everything after that has suffered from terrible pacing and it seems as if the story is just loosely put together in order to justify the Eikon battles. While the combat is fun, it isn't nearly enough to get me through the absolute slog ahead.
  91. HCAKA
    Jun 25, 2023
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Alley run, too much button smashing for my liking. Very nice scenery but that's about it. Not gonna play more than one playthrough.… Expand
  92. lolgaming
    Jun 25, 2023
    2
    Final Fantasy had the potential to be a remarkable addition to the iconic franchise, but unfortunately, it falls short due to its poor development. This review will delve into the various aspects of the game that contribute to its lackluster experience.

    One of the most evident issues stems from the game's technical performance. From frequent frame rate drops and inconsistent load times to    Final Fantasy had the potential to be a remarkable addition to the iconic franchise, but unfortunately, it falls short due to its poor development. This review will delve into the various aspects of the game that contribute to its lackluster experience.

    One of the most evident issues stems from the game's technical performance. From frequent frame rate drops and inconsistent load times to game-breaking bugs and glitches, the development team seemingly overlooked crucial optimization and quality assurance processes. These technical hiccups significantly hinder immersion and disrupt the overall enjoyment of the game.

    Another glaring disappointment lies in the narrative execution. While Final Fantasy games are known for their captivating and intricate storylines, FF fails to live up to those expectations. The plot feels disjointed and poorly paced, with underdeveloped characters and shallow motivations. The lack of depth and emotional investment in the story makes it difficult to connect with the game's world and its inhabitants.

    Additionally, the gameplay mechanics suffer from poor design choices. Combat encounters lack strategic depth, often devolving into repetitive button-mashing rather than providing engaging and thought-provoking challenges. The character progression system may feel unbalanced, leaving players without a sense of meaningful growth or customization options.

    Furthermore, the lack of post-release support and communication from the development team is disheartening. In an era where games receive regular updates and patches to address issues and enhance player experiences, the apparent neglect of Final Fantasy [Game Title] post-launch exacerbates the frustration of those who invested their time and money into the game.

    It is essential to note that this review reflects the state of Final Fantasy based on the information available up to my knowledge cutoff in September 2021. Development decisions and community feedback may have influenced subsequent updates, potentially addressing some of the mentioned issues.

    In its current state, Final Fantasy is a disappointment due to its poor development. Technical issues, a lackluster narrative, uninspiring gameplay mechanics, and insufficient post-release support tarnish what could have been an outstanding entry in the beloved franchise. Fans and newcomers alike may find themselves longing for the depth and polish that have become synonymous with the Final Fantasy series.    … Expand
  93. FrenchPouet
    Jun 25, 2023
    2
    Beautiful game and that's all. Even without taking it as a Final Fantasy, there is no rpg things. Even God of War is more complete. It's juste an average action game where you repete the same action loop. I didn't get into the story but that's my opinion. Since the xii it's getting worse and worse. Anyway... Quickly bought quickly sold!
  94. anglologan
    Jun 25, 2023
    2
    Weak story
    Weaker characters (all these FF protagonist are starting to blend together)
    Half assed DMC wannabe, but sorry Clive is no Dante
    NOT AN RPG. Cannot stress that enough this is a glorified action game they're trying to pass off as an rpg. There is no choice that matters in this game. Not in your character not in the major story.
  95. penehiko
    Jun 25, 2023
    2
    The game is not bad, the graphics are fine, the story is okay, the battle sequences are fine, and that exactly is the issue. It's not memorable at all, it's like watching a Netflix show that popped up in your recommendations that is not bad enough to stop watching, but also not good enough to tell your friends about it or get excited about a new season. Also, the fact that the STORY modeThe game is not bad, the graphics are fine, the story is okay, the battle sequences are fine, and that exactly is the issue. It's not memorable at all, it's like watching a Netflix show that popped up in your recommendations that is not bad enough to stop watching, but also not good enough to tell your friends about it or get excited about a new season. Also, the fact that the STORY mode which basically makes the game playable by pressing one button until the end without an inch of a challenge is the default option when setting the "difficulty" says enough.

    If you've never played a Final Fantasy game, you will definitely enjoy this game, but you will also have completely forgotten about it by the end of the year. If you are a Final Fantasy fan and have played most or all of the previous titles, you'll be happy that it's not as garbage as 15 was, but that's basically going to be it.

    If you've nothing better to do, this game is going to be an okay way to bridge the gap until something else comes out.    … Expand
  96. Fernicus
    Jun 26, 2023
    2
    pros - great combat, story, and music
    cons - hallway type exploration, boring NPCs, endless cutscenes, no other party members, laughable
    upgrading system, pointless crafting, pointless progression system, uninspired side quests, etc overall - The game is fine if you like this kind of story, a fan of Devil May Cry, and don't mind endless cutscenes. But that's it. Everything else felt    pros - great combat, story, and music
    cons - hallway type exploration, boring NPCs, endless cutscenes, no other party members, laughable
    upgrading system, pointless crafting, pointless progression system, uninspired side quests, etc

    overall - The game is fine if you like this kind of story, a fan of Devil May Cry, and don't mind endless cutscenes. But that's it. Everything else felt barebones or just filler. It's cutscene, fight, cutscene, rinse repeat. None of the Final Fantasy charm, characters for the most part felt boring especially the non-playable ones. It would've been cool if Jill was an official party member who you could customize and use her for different strategies. Weapon upgrades and crafting are basically nonexistent. Side quests were garbage (way worse than the FF7 Remake ones). There's just very little world building, surprise element, or sense of discovery in this game. Progression and ability page are very uninspired. Not even a freaking side activity or mini game. And even the combat which is the best part of the game is faced with repetitive enemies and strategies. Again, if you like to just watch a story with minimal control go for it. Final Fantasy 7 Remake might've upset people off with some of the story changes but at least it brought the best of what made Final Fantasy great and at the same time modernizing it. Final Fantasy 16 is not geared for fans of the series.    … Expand
  97. shidoshido
    Jun 27, 2023
    2
    The quality is low as an action RPG. Enemy patterns are easily predictable and there are not many options for my actions. There is no fun in choosing equipment. It is like an indie game with a cheesy movie attached to its surface.
  98. Fleebee
    Jun 27, 2023
    2
    This should have been a 5/5. The franchise has had enough time to mature and there have been enough heavy hitters from other studios to show what works .
    But it takes RPG and Hack and Slash and jumps between being either as a scale goat depending on which one it’s failing at satisfying . The demo is the best it gets and the quality , specifically with little things like lip syncing and npc    This should have been a 5/5. The franchise has had enough time to mature and there have been enough heavy hitters from other studios to show what works .
    But it takes RPG and Hack and Slash and jumps between being either as a scale goat depending on which one it’s failing at satisfying . The demo is the best it gets and the quality , specifically with little things like lip syncing and npc interactions take a nosedive as soon as you’re roped into the full version.
    2 gil    … Expand
  99. feathercave
    Jun 27, 2023
    2
    A game that suffers from the judgment of the creator.

    good point -Graphics are beautiful. Cons -The story is insidious from beginning to end. The player's mood is not uplifted. -The action is so boring. It just repeats routine tasks. - Summoned beast battles are so boring. It's long. Too long. -The music is not as good as the previous FF. -The character's psychological    A game that suffers from the judgment of the creator.

    good point
    -Graphics are beautiful.
    Cons
    -The story is insidious from beginning to end. The player's mood is not uplifted.
    -The action is so boring. It just repeats routine tasks.
    - Summoned beast battles are so boring. It's long. Too long.
    -The music is not as good as the previous FF.
    -The character's psychological description is inconsistent.
    - The main character's purpose cannot be sympathized with the player.
    - Sub-quests, are like MMO. Poor quality.
    -It's all about cut-scenes Half of the game is cut-scenes.
    - The lowest level of gaming experience.    … Expand
  100. Ayynats
    Jun 27, 2023
    2
    Having just finished the game, I’ve decided to leave a heartfelt review here. Combat is great. It’s clean and something new from its previous turn based system. It allows players the freedom to be creative with play style and It’s parry and dodge is satisfying as heck. The primal fights had my jaw on the floor at times and the cinematic cut scenes were always beautiful to watch. The storyHaving just finished the game, I’ve decided to leave a heartfelt review here. Combat is great. It’s clean and something new from its previous turn based system. It allows players the freedom to be creative with play style and It’s parry and dodge is satisfying as heck. The primal fights had my jaw on the floor at times and the cinematic cut scenes were always beautiful to watch. The story is great, I wouldn’t say it’s FFs best but it is much better than recent games *cough* FF15. The main character Clive has to be one of my favorite protagonists in the whole FF franchise. He’s not as much of an edge lord and actually has some wit and softness to his character which was nonetheless refreshing. Now to why my rating of this game is a two. The ending. The ending ruins everything good about this game. Take the ending of GOTs and triple it, then triple it again, and again and you have this. I have never been so disappointed in a story in all my life and if I’m honest I don’t think I ever will be again after this crap. What should’ve been a profound and bittersweet end to a long an epic story left me laughing in utter disbelief. If you really wish to play this game, I recommend skipping through the absurd amount of side quests (especially those before the main quest ‘Origin’) and going in knowing you’ll be just be left devastated and disappointed by its end. Ta… Expand
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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

All reviews »
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.
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  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]
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