User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 8567 Ratings

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  1. Jul 19, 2023
    10
    Square Enix did not disappoint.

    Just reach level 100 and platinum it. Yup it's not the usual final fantasy but it was great, much better than I'd have expected! I rate it as a 9.9 because it was very close to perfection. However I think it deserves a overall 10 because it is an extremely polished experience. Yes I have watch those video and read those articles condemning it, and maybe
    Square Enix did not disappoint.

    Just reach level 100 and platinum it. Yup it's not the usual final fantasy but it was great, much better than I'd have expected!
    I rate it as a 9.9 because it was very close to perfection. However I think it deserves a overall 10 because it is an extremely polished experience. Yes I have watch those video and read those articles condemning it, and maybe there are some tiny minor issues but overall, especially in hindsight of completely mastering the game, this game is gooooooood.

    ESPECIALLY IN A TIME WHEN SO MANY GAME FAILED TO LIVE UP TO THEIR HYPE. Maybe it's because i have been playing alot of action game in recent years so this game play experience is engaging for me and amongst the best!

    Characters: 9.5/10
    Story: 9.0/10
    Design: 9.7/10
    Gameplay: 9.9/10
    Depth: 9.2/10
    Replayability: 11/10
    Fun: 11/10

    Overall = 69.3/70
    Which is 9.9/10!

    The various arcade mode Replayability and Fun is just so addictive!!!
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  2. Jul 19, 2023
    9
    FF XVI is in many ways a completely new way to play a Final Fantasy game, while providing one of the most FF stories ever. The new action gameplay brings in fresh air, while the story beats, characters and story telling stay extremely true to what makes a FF a FF game.

    The best parts about the game are the main story and the characters. The main plot starts of with political issues,
    FF XVI is in many ways a completely new way to play a Final Fantasy game, while providing one of the most FF stories ever. The new action gameplay brings in fresh air, while the story beats, characters and story telling stay extremely true to what makes a FF a FF game.

    The best parts about the game are the main story and the characters. The main plot starts of with political issues, wars because of ressources, a world on the brink due to the Blight, a plague that destroys the land. It gets a lot more supernatural as time goes on and what starts as something we can compare to Game of Thrones, turns into one of the most Final Fantasy stories, not unlike what VI or IX did. The main story is strong, not convoluted, well explained and well written. A great experience from start to finish.

    The characters and their character development is also extremely strong. Main characters have a lot of depth, but also side characters like Gav or even our dog Torgal get a lot of backstory. There are some misses, like Vivian, which has no character arc at all and is just the walking wikipedia of the world.

    The combat feels fast and fresh, overall there are 8 different Eikons, each giving you one basic, three medium and one ultimate skill that you can combine as you like. This offers a lot of combo potential. The combat is definitely more on the fun/power trip side than being hard.

    One of the best features of the game, as in almost every FF, is the soundtrack. It has absolutely amazing arrangements, emotional and powerful parts, some of the best tracks in all of FF.

    On the negative side, we have the quest structure and the RPG systems. There are 70+ sidequests and all of them have the same structure. Talk to quest giver > go to place A (B, C) > random fight > ending dialog. While the writing is great and the substories give a lot of character and world building, having so many of them all gameplay wise being the same and extremely bland feels bad. The same applies to some parts of the main story, where you also do some random fetch quests from time to time. Quest design feels super bad from a gameplay point of view.

    Regarding the RPG systems, they are barely there and it feels like they added them just because they HAVE to be in a Final Fantasy. The sword and armor is basically just โ€žnumber go higherโ€œ without any actual value or system. Either go full action RPG and scrap that completely, or take a system like FF VII Remake, where you get a weapon from each Eikon, you can power up that weapon to make that Eikons abilities stronger, for example.

    Overall an amazing game and a top 5 FF for me!
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  3. Jul 19, 2023
    4
    Muy repetitivo el juego dura 50 horas de las cuales hay como 20 horas de cinemรกticas. El combate se resuelve todo apretando cuadrado y R1 a veces y si quieres ni eso. No vale la pena su jugabilidad es horrible.
  4. Jul 19, 2023
    10
    Game is fantastic.
    The story is really good although the side quests can draw the game out too much.The combat is fun albeit a tad easy, but thats okay because its still fun.

    Overall its a nice departure from the same boring turn based and I hope all the FF games are like this,Im over 100 hours in and havent even beaten the main story yet!
  5. Jul 19, 2023
    10
    Amazing game. Story is good. Combat is fun. I would recommend it for anyone to try.
  6. Jul 19, 2023
    10
    GOTG

    THIS GAME IS A MUST-BUY. THE STORY, AND THE ACTION GO BEYOND DELIVERY. THE GAMEPLAY IS FUN AND YOU WON'T GET BORED FROM IT. THE STORY IS GRIPPING ( THE ACTORS AND ACTRESSES ARE PHENOMENAL WITH THEIR DELIVERIES ). THE SOUNDTRACK IS ABSOLUTELY JAW-DROPPINGLY MESMERIZING. THE WORLD FEELS ALIVE ( THIS IS DUE TO THE AMAZING GRAPHICS, VOICE ACTING, AND OVERALL STORY ). THE SIDE QUESTS ARE
    GOTG

    THIS GAME IS A MUST-BUY. THE STORY, AND THE ACTION GO BEYOND DELIVERY. THE GAMEPLAY IS FUN AND YOU WON'T GET BORED FROM IT. THE STORY IS GRIPPING ( THE ACTORS AND ACTRESSES ARE PHENOMENAL WITH THEIR DELIVERIES ). THE SOUNDTRACK IS ABSOLUTELY JAW-DROPPINGLY MESMERIZING. THE WORLD FEELS ALIVE ( THIS IS DUE TO THE AMAZING GRAPHICS, VOICE ACTING, AND OVERALL STORY ). THE SIDE QUESTS ARE FUN AND WILL HOLD YOUR INTEREST AND FURTHER HELPS IN DEVELOPING THE STORY. THE GAME ITSELF IS SO FUN AND HAVE ENDLESS REPLAYABILITY WITH ITS MULTIPLE MODES. AGAIN, THIS GAME DESERVES YOUR MONEY AND SHOULD BE ON EVERYONE'S LIBRARY. MUST-BUY. GAME OF THE YEAR!!!!!
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  7. Jul 18, 2023
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As a huge fan of the series, this entry was yet another letdown. I'll try to go through it as short as possible as pros and cons:

    The pros:
    -Very good graphics, although performance isn't great. I'd recommend going for the 'graphics' mode, since the 'performance' one can't hold a stable framerate to save your life. It's really jarring to look at.
    -Stylish combat, although it does get pretty repetitive by the half-point
    -A lot of "content" (which is also a con, more on the quotation marks on the 'cons')
    -High production value, with decent voice acting. You can tell the game was made with good hardware and talented people.
    -A few memorable boss fights

    The cons:
    -The story. It's actually quite interesting when you look at the setpieces, but the execution simply doesn't hold up. The pacing is very poor, and after fairly surprising first good two hours the story takes a backseat, and all the filler content starts taking place. Also, the game pulls a massive "your princess is in another castle" by capturing the female lead not one, not two, but three freaking times. It got old the second time.

    -The music. I didn't expect to be so disappointed by FF soundtrack, but I honestly cannot remember any tracks of this game, and music was always very important part for me about these games. The music is simply not memorable nor particularly noticable, but rather that epic orchestra which is just backing up the fights and the scenes.

    -The content. There is a lot to be had, with the main story easily taking close to 20 hours. Add another 20 for all the hunts, side-quests and another playthrough with possibly harder difficulties. The issue here is that the content is mostly not interesting. The side-quests are often XIV-style (you know, the MMORPG of the series) styled fetch quests with plots that actually don't provide for interesting stories to tell, but rather VERY generic stuff.

    -The dialogue. This one is probably related to the content as well, but the dialogue is written in a manner where everything has this weird, very slow pace which seems to question the intelligence of the listener. This goes as far as to have some incredibly cheesy, corny lines (which isn't that unusual in the series, but here they went way overboard). The dynamic between characters is like something generated by two robots without any real emotions, other than the biggest emotional parts of the game, which are at least voice acted well.

    -The UI is XIV copy.

    -The fighting. It actually feels like a lot to take in at first when they start introducing new Eikon abilities, but after getting a grasp of it all the battles run exactly the same without any real strategy. Despite being flashy, it feels almost as like a step up from FFXV: you do actually have to put more consideration into your inputs, but it simply isn't too interesting once you actually figure it out.

    -The Eikon battles. Now, I actually enjoyed the parts where you fight the Dominant before they turn into Eikon, but these battles seem to go on forever. You literally "slay" (the game even says so) the same boss 3 times. I get that these are supposed to be the main pull of the game, but surprisingly fighting as your own Eikon is pretty much the same stuff you do as Clive: but simply on a bigger scale. The principle is exactly the same.

    -The antagonist. There are quite a few, but only a single major one. The problem is that none of these have enough impact on your journey to actually make them interesting, and the game has a weird refusal to do unexpected things and kill off characters when they most definitely should have died. The antagonists simply are too weak, and I'm getting massive FFXII vibes here (and they are not good).

    -The leveling/character upgrades. The loot system is absolutely pointless, as you get the good upgrades regardless via gil that you get automatically (of which amount is also greatly inflated), and the upgrades are also extremely minimal (we're talking about a few %, which means like a couple of actual hits in a fight). The abilitiy upgrading is also doing very little to enhance the gameplay or give actual weight to the customisation. It is by far the simplest FF in regards to this.

    -The ending. I mean, it ended pretty much the way you expected from the very beginning of the game, but I was still expecting it to subvert these expectations. It actually ended up being even more simple form of the ending that was very predictable. It's a little bit emotional, but it fails to deliver on those high emotional notes the game is supposed to hit.

    Considering I was very disappointed with XII, XIII, XV and XVI, I feel sad to say this may have been the last time I buy FF title on launch. Call me nostalgic old fool, but the magic, the emotion, the joy and the fantastic atmosphere of the old dames is long gone. I believed the reviews, but after 100%'ing the game, I cannot believe the game has scored as high as it has
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  8. Jul 18, 2023
    9
    iโ€™m still reeling in the post-game depression. loved the story and characters a whole lot!! i really appreciated that the story-driven mode was genuinely easy to play (i hate being stressed out during combat lol). honestly deserves a 10/10 for being the only game with clive rosfield.
  9. Jul 18, 2023
    10
    That ominous prelude at the end is always phenomenal. Can't wait for the OST to release alongside XVI.
  10. Jun 23, 2023
    10
    The best FInal Fantasy by far. The graphics, story and game play are just out of this world. I love it!!! Ignore the review bombing from the jealous Xbots who don't have a PS5 to play it.
  11. Jul 18, 2023
    10
    Final Fantasy has been one of my favorite franchises all my life, and Final Fantasy IV (then II) was probably one of my primary motivations to learn to read as a very small child. That being said, I havenโ€™t always been the hugest fan of each game or the direction they seemed to be going but the franchise would always be near and dear. There is such a huge variation of reasons as to whatFinal Fantasy has been one of my favorite franchises all my life, and Final Fantasy IV (then II) was probably one of my primary motivations to learn to read as a very small child. That being said, I havenโ€™t always been the hugest fan of each game or the direction they seemed to be going but the franchise would always be near and dear. There is such a huge variation of reasons as to what people like about the Franchise which creates an unsurprising variety of favorites amongst fans. One of the things I love most about RPGs are the stories and the characters, which I think explains why FFIV is so special to me.

    I absolutely love Final Fantasy XVI, and while I donโ€™t know where to place it on my personal list, it is far up there. Final Fantasy Tactics (non-numbered, I know) has been my number two so it shouldnโ€™t be surprising how much I adore the game. I do have some expectations with Square Enix when it comes to the development of the series mothership titles. I know that they always strive to continuously evolve the games, from stylistic choice, the type of stories they choose to tell or how they choose to tell them, to the combat. Final Fantasy XVI does make some huge leaps and itโ€™s almost like it specifically catered to me haha The combat through the series in particular is somewhere I have seen much consistent change. I could see for years that SE have been trying to achieve something both immersive and cinematic and I felt like they achieved it in this game. The combat can be remarkably subtle if you choose to embrace it. I find it so much fun to play and pleasing to look at. But itโ€™s not to say I havenโ€™t enjoyed other combat systems either. FFIV and FFT are two of my most replayed games in my life. While I enjoy it, I look forward to see where they take the series next in 17.

    Admittedly, I hope they keep the quality and style of the storytelling and expand on it! (Also the high fantasy setting, itโ€™s just my vibe.) But whatever comes, will. For now, I LOVE the **** out of this game.

    Some things I liked:
    -Story (obviously, I said that)

    -Characters (some of my favorite characterizations in the franchise - and the acting, holy ****)

    -Art direction (as an artist, I found this game absolutely beautiful and to my taste - I wish I made it)

    -Side Quests (unlike so many RPGs, I felt like the side quests held meaning. They often served to flesh out side characters and your organization or what you character has been doing in between story beats. I have never gotten teary-eyed at any side quest in any game I played until this game)

    -Romance (I love the subtlety of the relationship growth, I love that it didnโ€™t in some way take control of the main story but added to it, I was rooting for it the entire time. When I replay, I admire it even more.)

    -Side characters (I love these characters sooo damn much, holy cow. Even some I didnโ€™t think Iโ€™d ever care about, I eventually came to cherish them.)

    -World Building (I absolutely love some of the concepts and the directions they chose to take this world. FF series games worlds always change incredibly dramatically - FFI and FFIV were high fantasy complete with dwarves and elves reminiscent of D&D - more of the recent ones go full sci-fi. Thatโ€™s an overstatement - all of them have elements of both. This world has so much depth and I am more interested in medieval fantasy settings that modern or futuristic settings, personally)

    Something I didnโ€™t like.
    - I wanted more. There were definitely areas where I wish there could be more but not so that I feel it detracts from the overall experience. Sometimes I wanted more just like how I want more after finishing a book - book hangover. I want to feel it all over again right from the start. Itโ€™s going to be difficult to find another game that is going to check all the marks for me like this.

    Hope you all give it a chance and enjoy! Skol!
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  12. Jul 18, 2023
    10
    Jogo incrรญvel, com grรกficos, jogabilidade, enredo... tudo crocante!! Aconselho comprar a mรญdia fรญsica, porque no futuro vai valer ouro.
  13. Jul 18, 2023
    10
    Jogo mais รฉpico que jรก joguei na minha vida!

    Histรณria รฉ muito fascinante, a gameplay รฉ supimpa, amei os personagens e as batalhas contras os Eikons sรฃo de CAIR O QUEIXO!! Mundo aberto e as missรตes secundรกrias podem ser decepcionantes, mas todo o conjunto bom do jogo, com adiรงรฃo dos belos grรกficos e com boa fluidez, se torna para mim o melhor Final Fantasy e, com certeza, um dos
    Jogo mais รฉpico que jรก joguei na minha vida!

    Histรณria รฉ muito fascinante, a gameplay รฉ supimpa, amei os personagens e as batalhas contras os Eikons sรฃo de CAIR O QUEIXO!!

    Mundo aberto e as missรตes secundรกrias podem ser decepcionantes, mas todo o conjunto bom do jogo, com adiรงรฃo dos belos grรกficos e com boa fluidez, se torna para mim o melhor Final Fantasy e, com certeza, um dos MELHORES JOGOS QUE Jร JOGUEI NA MINHA VIDA!!
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  14. Jul 18, 2023
    10
    The best final fantasy has been in a while. Characters voice acting is top tier and what a spectacle this game was.
  15. Jul 18, 2023
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I went in expecting to be disappointed because of how much Square-Enix has been dropping the ball the last 15ish years, but I was hooked right away with the demo. The main story, characters, voice acting, graphics, and core gameplay are all incredible. I haven't been this invested in a game in years, and I'm still depressed with how the end of it all came about, but in a good way!

    The gameplay is fantastic with how it allows you to mix and match whatever skills you want to adapt to any scenario or fit any gameplay style that you like, and the fact that it requires keeping a certain tempo to complete combos rather than just mashing the button sequences allots for a fun challenge; I can't say how many times I got into a panic and lost my rhythm just to shoot myself in the foot with, which is fun because it feels like I'm actually immersed in the fight itself. That, and the voice acting is phenomenal. The actors really knocked it out of the park; every region had its own dialect, every character their own voice ticks, and so on. That, and they caught every emotion perfectly; they actually got tears out of me during the most intense parts. As for the story, it was sublime. They made every event relevant and left no loose ends, nor did I catch any plot holes. They didn't even pull that typical JRPG crap where they set up the big bad at the beginning and then have him trounced to only be a puppet of an even bigger bad at the very last second; no, this time around they introduce him from the beginning, and it makes him all the more menacing. They do this for every single villain in the game, big or small. They also had a pleasant amount of subtle easter eggs referencing past games, like how they even brought back the hunter's board from FFXII and even hinted at it with the Rogue Tomato being the icon for it.

    The only complaints I have are in regard to the side content. Every talking sequence not directly related to the main quest/story is very poorly animated. The fact that they had voice acting for most of it but didn't bother to sync the lip animations was incredibly distracting and shook me out of the experience every time; it took me hours to get over it. That, and the majority of the side content was all just boring fetch quests. Fetch quests can be fine if there is some variety, but I can't tell you how many times I loathed having to go back to the same location just to get whatever new obscure thing some NPC wanted. Granted the side stories were mostly interesting with how they developed the core cast, but there were more than a few that were cringy, if not because they were poorly written but also poorly animated. To make matters worse, there were at least two instances where they forced this kind of content, and if you want the real nice gear in-game, then you have to do all of it.

    All in all, it was an amazing experience and worth every penny I used to purchase it.

    Gameplay: 9/10
    Story: 10/10
    Characters: 9/10
    Voice Acting: 10/10
    Graphics: 9/10
    Side Content: 5/10
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  16. Jun 26, 2023
    8
    This game is nothing short of a resurrection for the final fantasy saga.Heavy on fast paced and deep combat and somewhat light on the RPG component (which is by design) After all is said and done, when enough time has passed that trolls and envious gamers have lashed upon another exclusivity this will be recognized as one of the best entry in the Final Fantasy franchise.
  17. Jul 18, 2023
    10
    Avid gamer for of all genre. I have been every type of game for over 30 years. I have never ever reviewed anything but I feel compelled to.

    Honestly, 16 has a few stress points here and there but Iโ€™m so confused by the lack of scores. The gameplay is solid and leaves you wanting more, the story is great and so is the music and world building. Honestly, point me in the direction of an RPG
    Avid gamer for of all genre. I have been every type of game for over 30 years. I have never ever reviewed anything but I feel compelled to.

    Honestly, 16 has a few stress points here and there but Iโ€™m so confused by the lack of scores. The gameplay is solid and leaves you wanting more, the story is great and so is the music and world building. Honestly, point me in the direction of an RPG that is going as far as 16? There are a few out there but few and far between. Anything under a score of 9 to me seams like there are other agendas or people are just wanting to be part of the โ€œhate on the new thingโ€ club. I am very much reconsidering which media sites I will visit. How could IGN rate this as an 80? Whatever compass they are using to rate games must be extremely off balance. Itโ€™s a crime against the game industry. Either people have forgotten how to have fun or or something shady is going down.

    Honestly, great game. 100% would recommend to anyone on the fence. Iโ€™m confident you will enjoy it. If you canโ€™t trust me on this, try googling RPG for the last 5 years and see what comes up. By no means is this game anything less than a 9.
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  18. Jul 18, 2023
    8
    A masterpiece of a story filled with outstanding moments and epic characters, other major titles throughout the past 10 years wish they had such a material. However the game does lack in its โ€œopen worldโ€ elements by giving you segments and vast areas to go to with 0 exploration, secrets, and repetitive respawns and enemies it feels like a 16 bit open world than a modern one, so donโ€™tA masterpiece of a story filled with outstanding moments and epic characters, other major titles throughout the past 10 years wish they had such a material. However the game does lack in its โ€œopen worldโ€ elements by giving you segments and vast areas to go to with 0 exploration, secrets, and repetitive respawns and enemies it feels like a 16 bit open world than a modern one, so donโ€™t expect anything similar to tears of the kingdom, elden ring, and heck even its predecessor FF15, the open world in FF16 is terrible and the game shoulve stayed a action adventure game instead, just like FF7 remake. Side quests only become interesting after the mid section of the game and especially very meaningful and memorable by the ending. Combat and gameplay is a very interesting take the i love actually, its a hybrid of the new god of war games and DMC making it very hack and slash with cool animations and epic abilities, tho it does lack a bit when it comes to mini bosses and bosses cuz who ever made that stagger meter so high and spongy did a terrible job at that.
    I am overall in love with this game! I will play it again after i managed to digest and wipe away all my tears after that sad and epic ending. Be prepared for an experience you never had before with final fantasy.
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  19. Jul 18, 2023
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I want to love this game so much but there are some issues we need to talk about. I have played all the main entries of FF games and I enjoyed every single one since FF7, however despite having moderate expectations, FF16 falls a bit flat in important bit while it shines in big moments.
    This review is only about the first run (i don't have the motivation for the New Game Plus)

    Starting with Pros:
    - Almost every single cinematic moment is an absolute master class in direction.
    - The music is another huge highlight (except the music during Titan fight, that felt off for me). For me music is really important when being used in a story background and they don't miss here.
    - The combat feels really good, specially in a long run when you unlock more eikon powers that help stun, special dodges, etc, during fights.
    - You can use different abilities from Eikons to see the best combos you can use.
    - Eikon fights are visually amazing.
    - Character design feels more contained, compared with many FF titles but each character is well designed and easy to identify.
    - The story feels more mature than usual, I am glad they made a more adult story.
    - Game design is phenomenal, the visuals are another big highlight, I can't count how many times I stopped the game to take a screenshot.
    - Cid is probably the best Cid iteration we have ever had even if the character didn't reached the end of the game.
    - Monster design feels grounded but I think it's good.
    - High rank monsters feel like good challenges.
    - Best characters: Benedicta, Anabelle, Cid, Kupka, Gav.

    Now the Cons (this is going to hurt):
    - Gameplay, I kid you not, you can literally fight enemies with one hand and win, just use attack and dodge.
    - First part of the game is good since it teaches you about the world, world rules, characters, and life changing moments at the end of First Act.
    - Second part of the game is almost unnecessary, you continue your journey through the world with the story more focused on saving bearers. Some side quests are good but in general it just felt the same over and over with no impact in a long run.
    - Third part of the game felt much better as a closing act, however there is no closure for a game of such magnitude. All the work done around, secondary characters is worth nothing, Bearers have zero impact and in the end there is zero explanation of what happened to the world. You have a small epilogue and that's it. WTF?
    CHARACTERS! Holy s*** this is my biggest issue. You have characters like Cid, Dion, Joshua, even Byron, Wade and Gav. You can't use a single one of them. They could have made the same system like Torgal but no, sure you have Torgal but it's so basic and his abilities are the same from beginning to end.
    -Jill survives the whole game and could have easily been used as a secondary playable character. So much potential lost in terms of gameplay and story, she literally feels like a female token npc. Even Benedicta or Anabelle are more complex and interesting.
    -Barnabas, I literally skipped his dialogue whenever he appeared, I couldn't handle the way they made the character speak like he's reading Shakespeare the whole time. This character felt important at first but in the end it was just a big empty fart when it came to character building.
    - Dion could have been managed in a better way (big potential as a playable character).
    - Do not play in Performance mode because the frame drops are quite distracting, locked 30 fps makes it more bearable and still I had drops below 20 even in dialogue moments. It shows that the optimization isn't very good.
    - There are ZERO mini games or any kind of puzzle mechanic. Not even Chocobo racing, nothing.
    All side quests are all FETCH Quests, at some point it bored me to death. The only side quests that have real impact are the upgrade ones (potions, recipes for weapons).
    - There almost no magic to use, the world exists around magic but Clive can only use little balls of fire, or wind, etc, from little to no impact in gameplay.
    - Rpg elements are almost non-existent, don't expect to see special stats on weapons or accessories, it's just the basic stats and that's it.
    - The customization in Clive is just the sword, nothing else is visible in your character. You have one playable character and you can't even change the look of armor, bracelet, not even the story items given by npc's are visible.
    - I used my first Potion at the big Bahamut fight, I'm not joking. The game is very easy and the potion system is almost useless.
    - Second Hideway, There are too many Npc's that only give you information that is literally useless. Sure you can learn about characters and the state on the world but there is zero substance. The area it self is so big and forces you to walk so much to reach characters.
    - Maps are big despite being semi-open but they just feel so empty, some map areas like the region next to Dragon Talon just feel bland and rushed.
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  20. Jul 18, 2023
    7
    Fini en 27h avec toutes les quรชtes annexes, contrat d'รฉlite et autres dรฉfis, ce qui fait quand mรชme trรจs peu pour un RPG type FF.
    Pour rรฉsumer FF16 n'est pas un RPG avec une dose de combat type DMC, mais bien un jeu Devil May Cry avec une pincรฉe de Final Fantasy.
    Ici pas de gestion d'inventaire (du moins minimaliste), pas d'exploration libre mais des zones dรฉfinies, pas de grandes
    Fini en 27h avec toutes les quรชtes annexes, contrat d'รฉlite et autres dรฉfis, ce qui fait quand mรชme trรจs peu pour un RPG type FF.
    Pour rรฉsumer FF16 n'est pas un RPG avec une dose de combat type DMC, mais bien un jeu Devil May Cry avec une pincรฉe de Final Fantasy.
    Ici pas de gestion d'inventaire (du moins minimaliste), pas d'exploration libre mais des zones dรฉfinies, pas de grandes citรฉes ร  explorer (que des villages quasi vides), des couloirs et des salles ร  l'infini jusqu'ร  la fin du jeu. C'est un pur jeu d'action teintรฉ d'un scรฉnario type RPG. Mรชme pas besoin de farmer les levels, le titre est trรจs facile.

    Il y avait tellement mieux ร  faire....Si seulement il y avait plus d'interractivitรฉ avec le joueur. Par exemple, ร  un moment dans l'histoire vous avez accรจs ร  une carte complรจte du monde avec tous ses enjeux politiques, sociaux et les stratรฉgies de la guerre. Si au moins on avait laissรฉ le choix au joueur d'attaquer le royaume qu'il veut dans l'ordre qu'il souhaite, qu'ensuite cela impactait le monde, les autres royaumes et changeait les stratรฉgies, รงa aurait รฉtรฉ gรฉnial. Mais non, on doit suivre ร  lettre le scรฉnario รฉcrit.
    Ne cherchez pas non plus d'autres libertรฉs, tous les objectifs sont indiquรฉs sur la carte, mรชme les PNJ ร  qui parler. Absolument AUCUNE libertรฉ.

    Heureusement le jeu a quand mรชme quelques beaux atouts comme un gameplay de combat bien maรฎtrisรฉ et simple ร  prendre en main, d'excellents boss, un scรฉnario sympa (mais pas aussi sombre que je l'aurais voulu), une OST excellente, un doublage VF bien travaillรฉe et, un "mรฉchant" charismatique.

    Dernier point sur la technique, le jeu alterne le trรจs beau avec le trรจs moyen en permanence. Le pire รฉtant la modรฉlisation des personnages (hors persos principaux) qui font peine ร  voir pour de la next gen. La PS5 peut faire largement mieux, le jeu aurait pu รชtre cross Gen.

    Un bon jeu qui aurait mรฉritรฉ un peu plus d'ambition dans sa partie level design, libertรฉ donnรฉ aux joueurs
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  21. Jul 18, 2023
    9
    ะ˜ะณั€ะฐ ะฟะพะฝั€ะฐะฒะธะปะฐััŒ. ะœัƒะทั‹ะบะฐ ัˆะธะบะฐั€ะฝะฐ, ะบะฐั‚ัั†ะตะฝั‹ ั‚ะพะถะต ะบั€ะฐัะธะฒั‹ะต. ะ“ะตะผะฟะปะตะน ะฒ ั†ะตะปะพะผ ะทะฐ 32 ั‡ะฐัะฐ ะฟั€ะพั…ะพะถะดะตะฝะธั ะฝะต ะดัƒัˆะธะป. ะ”ะฐ, ะพั‚ะบั€ั‹ั‚ั‹ะน ะผะธั€ ะฝะต ะพัะพะฑะพ ะธะฝั‚ะตั€ะตัะตะฝ, ะดะฐ ะธ ะดะพะฟะพะปะฝะธั‚ะตะปัŒะฝั‹ะต ะบะฒะตัั‚ั‹ ะฝะต ะฟั€ะธะฒะปะตะบะปะธ. ะ”ะฐ, ะธะณั€ะฐ ะปะธะฝะตะนะฝะฐั ะธ ะผะตัั‚ะฐะผะธ ะพะดะฝะพะพะฑั€ะฐะทะฝะฐั. ะะพ ะฒะฟะตั‡ะฐั‚ะปะตะฝะธะต ะพัั‚ะฐะปะพััŒ ะพั‡ะตะฝัŒ ะฟะพะปะพะถะธั‚ะตะปัŒะฝะพะต. ะะต ั‚ะฐะบ ะผะฝะพะณะพ ะธะณั€ ั…ะพั‡ะตั‚ัั ะฟั€ะพะนั‚ะธ ะดะพ ะบะพะฝั†ะฐ, ะฝะพ ัั‚ะฐ ะพะดะฝะฐ ะธะท ะฝะธั….ะ˜ะณั€ะฐ ะฟะพะฝั€ะฐะฒะธะปะฐััŒ. ะœัƒะทั‹ะบะฐ ัˆะธะบะฐั€ะฝะฐ, ะบะฐั‚ัั†ะตะฝั‹ ั‚ะพะถะต ะบั€ะฐัะธะฒั‹ะต. ะ“ะตะผะฟะปะตะน ะฒ ั†ะตะปะพะผ ะทะฐ 32 ั‡ะฐัะฐ ะฟั€ะพั…ะพะถะดะตะฝะธั ะฝะต ะดัƒัˆะธะป. ะ”ะฐ, ะพั‚ะบั€ั‹ั‚ั‹ะน ะผะธั€ ะฝะต ะพัะพะฑะพ ะธะฝั‚ะตั€ะตัะตะฝ, ะดะฐ ะธ ะดะพะฟะพะปะฝะธั‚ะตะปัŒะฝั‹ะต ะบะฒะตัั‚ั‹ ะฝะต ะฟั€ะธะฒะปะตะบะปะธ. ะ”ะฐ, ะธะณั€ะฐ ะปะธะฝะตะนะฝะฐั ะธ ะผะตัั‚ะฐะผะธ ะพะดะฝะพะพะฑั€ะฐะทะฝะฐั. ะะพ ะฒะฟะตั‡ะฐั‚ะปะตะฝะธะต ะพัั‚ะฐะปะพััŒ ะพั‡ะตะฝัŒ ะฟะพะปะพะถะธั‚ะตะปัŒะฝะพะต. ะะต ั‚ะฐะบ ะผะฝะพะณะพ ะธะณั€ ั…ะพั‡ะตั‚ัั ะฟั€ะพะนั‚ะธ ะดะพ ะบะพะฝั†ะฐ, ะฝะพ ัั‚ะฐ ะพะดะฝะฐ ะธะท ะฝะธั….
  22. Jul 18, 2023
    9
    Amazing graphics, Exciting free-flow combat and Breathtaking Eikon boss fight... Despite many shortcoming, it's still a enjoyable Final Fantasy game.
  23. Jul 18, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Che regia, che emozioni.
    Uno dei finali emotivamente scritti meglio che abbia mai visto, per non parlare delle bossfight.
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  24. Jul 18, 2023
    6
    Final Fantasy 16 has been a bit of a roller coaster ride with absolutely incredible ups and absolutely incredibly boring put you to sleep downs. I haven't completed the entire game yet but have played a lot of the game and feel I've played enough to know what this game is.

    PROS Combat - The thing that stands out the most in this game is the combat and the boss fights. I give the
    Final Fantasy 16 has been a bit of a roller coaster ride with absolutely incredible ups and absolutely incredibly boring put you to sleep downs. I haven't completed the entire game yet but have played a lot of the game and feel I've played enough to know what this game is.

    PROS

    Combat - The thing that stands out the most in this game is the combat and the boss fights. I give the combat a solid 10/10. The combat resembles Devil May Cry style combat but it's much easier to pull off crazy combos in this game than it is in DMC which I think is great. The boss fights are absolutely epic and very fun!

    Visuals/Art style - The visuals are incredible and are actually pretty breathtaking, which has been the norm for FF games for the longest time but this game just adds new elements visually that I don't think have ever been in FF games.

    Music - GODLIKE!! Nothing left to be said.

    CONS

    Performance Issues - This game hurts my eyes just playing it and walking around. There seems to always be this constant jittery vibration on the screen that just ruins the experience of just walking around in non-combat gameplay. Sometimes in games that look amazing and have cool sceneries to look at, I enjoy just walking around and looking at how far video games have come. I did it with RDR2, Ghost of Tsushima, Demon Souls and others but in this game the constant nonstop performance issues are so distracting and takes away from the immersive experience in a huge way. The performance is great in combat but most of this game is spent not fighting which I also think is a problem.

    Pacing - The game has incredibly bad pacing. There will be moments where I think HOLY GOD this is the greatest game of all time while I'm fighting some crazy boss battle and then immediately after I find myself about to fall asleep from having to do some fetch quest where I go and pick berries or listen to some common folk talk about something that adds absolutely no value to the engagement of the story or anything for that matter. The prizes for doing side quests are useless and there is no motivation or incentive to do them at all.

    Upgrade Systems/RPG elements - This game has new items you can buy or forge but it's all based on the game's progression. When you get to the next part of the story there usually is a new item for each weapon or accessory and nothing else. You can't even see what the item looks like. I absolutely despise this type of upgrade system, it gives no incentive to work towards something, it's a scaling effect and the stat system is absolutely terrible and meaningless. As you get stronger, NPCs also get stronger and there doesn't seem to be any point where you feel like you're progressing in terms of how strong your character is.

    Dialogue/Cutscenes - This game is plagued with HEAVY amounts of cutscenes and constant snooze inducing dialogue that for one, is incredibly uninteresting and two, super awkward in the way body movements and the angles in which people interact with each other play out. It's like they're AI robots trying to be humans but are malfunctioning at times and the interactions just seem so unnatural in those moments and there are ALOT OF THESE MOMENTS and it makes me want to shut off the console and put the game away in storage and is a big part of why I haven't finished the game yet.

    No run mechanic - This game doesn't allow you to run on command, it only allows you to run in very specific moments. I am absolutely confident that the game doesn't allow to run because of how bad performance issues are. It makes no sense why they won't allow you to run. Adding the run mechanic would've made combat even better and the long distance traveling you have to do in this game would be more bearable.

    I am disappointed with this game and I really was looking forward to it more than any other game this year. Hopefully FF7 makes up for that.
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  25. Jul 17, 2023
    9
    Amazing story. Amazing gameplay. Amazing cast and characters.
    Side quests could be better.
    Exploration wasnโ€™t bad but it wasnโ€™t the best either and couldโ€™ve been to be more rewarding. Having played other entries in the series I couldnโ€™t help but compare XVI to the others so I am trying to review this game from the perspective of a newcomer (which I might add was not easy). That being said
    Amazing story. Amazing gameplay. Amazing cast and characters.
    Side quests could be better.
    Exploration wasnโ€™t bad but it wasnโ€™t the best either and couldโ€™ve been to be more rewarding.
    Having played other entries in the series I couldnโ€™t help but compare XVI to the others so I am trying to review this game from the perspective of a newcomer (which I might add was not easy). That being said I noticed many common mechanics were missing like elemental weakness, secret bosses, secret challenges, etc, which left me wanting more by the time I finished the game and all of its side quests.
    All in all the game is amazing for what it is and I enjoyed the experience.
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  26. Jun 29, 2023
    10
    Final Fantasy fanboys.......calm ya'selves down! You want turn-based combat then go play Persona or Dragon Quest. FF16 has some of the best, most polished, clean, sexy combat I've seen in years, and measures up to the likes of Devil May Cry. Awesome story, great combat, gorgeous graphics, wild adult/mature themes, lots of gore, amazing Eikon battles, and the best part of all.......is thatFinal Fantasy fanboys.......calm ya'selves down! You want turn-based combat then go play Persona or Dragon Quest. FF16 has some of the best, most polished, clean, sexy combat I've seen in years, and measures up to the likes of Devil May Cry. Awesome story, great combat, gorgeous graphics, wild adult/mature themes, lots of gore, amazing Eikon battles, and the best part of all.......is that it's a PlayStation 5 console exclusive.......the TRUE most powerful gaming console to have ever existed!!! Expand
  27. Jul 17, 2023
    5
    The story was so hard to get through and I miss the more traditional RPG elements. Wonโ€™t be preordering this series anymore.
  28. Jul 17, 2023
    10
    I'm 38 grown ass adulte. Whene i finished the game and saw this scene i broke into tears. No little tears i mean genuin flood gates where open.
  29. Jul 17, 2023
    8
    In Final Fantasy XVI, the combat is incredibly enjoyable, featuring fluid mechanics that keep players engaged. The graphics are stunning, immersing players in a visually captivating world. While some cut scenes may have been lengthy, they still managed to entertain to some extent. However, there were certain story plots that felt unnecessary, seeming to solely prolong the overallIn Final Fantasy XVI, the combat is incredibly enjoyable, featuring fluid mechanics that keep players engaged. The graphics are stunning, immersing players in a visually captivating world. While some cut scenes may have been lengthy, they still managed to entertain to some extent. However, there were certain story plots that felt unnecessary, seeming to solely prolong the overall narrative. Despite these occasional dull moments, the game is undeniably impressive. The character development for Clive is particularly noteworthy, effectively establishing a strong connection with players and allowing them to empathize with his goals and emotions throughout the journey. Expand
  30. Jul 17, 2023
    10
    Final Fantasy XVI is an excellent character action-RPG with unforgettable boss fights, a tight & fluid action-combat system & an amazing story that quickly proves itself to be more than just Game of Thrones-lite & brings its own distinct feel separate from anything that came before it in the Final Fantasy franchise while still feeling like a Final Fantasy game (especially if you got intoFinal Fantasy XVI is an excellent character action-RPG with unforgettable boss fights, a tight & fluid action-combat system & an amazing story that quickly proves itself to be more than just Game of Thrones-lite & brings its own distinct feel separate from anything that came before it in the Final Fantasy franchise while still feeling like a Final Fantasy game (especially if you got into the franchise with XIV like I did). A true testament to the flexibility & ever-changing nature of the Final Fantasy franchise. Shame about the lacking difficulty & bad early-game side quests thoughโ€ฆ

    Ratings

    Creative score (story, gameplay, voice acting, art direction): 9.5/10

    Technical score (graphics, audio, performance)): 8.5/10

    Business Practices score: 6/10 (points mainly detracted for the whole PS5 timed exclusive thing)

    Overall score (my thoughts on a gameโ€™s overall quality, does not consider the business practices unless they are detrimental to the experience): 9.5 out of 10
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  31. Jul 17, 2023
    9
    No geral, o jogo รฉ muito bom. ร‰ o FF que apresenta momentos mais รฉpicos de toda a franquia e faz isso muito bem. O combate รฉ muito bom e divertido, a trilha sonora รฉ incrรญvel e a histรณria รฉ boa. Hรก um cuidado muito grande para que o jogador compreenda a histรณria e em certos momentos haverรก um NPC explicando exatamente o que estรก acontecendo no jogo, alรฉm de ser possรญvel consultar qualquerNo geral, o jogo รฉ muito bom. ร‰ o FF que apresenta momentos mais รฉpicos de toda a franquia e faz isso muito bem. O combate รฉ muito bom e divertido, a trilha sonora รฉ incrรญvel e a histรณria รฉ boa. Hรก um cuidado muito grande para que o jogador compreenda a histรณria e em certos momentos haverรก um NPC explicando exatamente o que estรก acontecendo no jogo, alรฉm de ser possรญvel consultar qualquer informaรงรฃo da histรณria ou personagem em um momento especรญfico se vocรช quiser. Aspectos que considero fracos: o dinheiro tem utilidade apenas para comprar as mรบsicas do jogo e comprar acessรณrios que reduzem o tempo de recarga das magias; o sistema de itens (armas, cinto, acessรณrios, etc.) e loots รฉ muito simplificado; a parte final do jogo poderia ser mais trabalhada. Mas no geral, a experiรชncia รฉ muito boa. Expand
  32. Jul 17, 2023
    9
    Otimo jogo, so esperava um mundo aberto como o XV infelzimente.
    Mas o combate e incrivel, a histรณria nem se fala
  33. Jul 17, 2023
    10
    The story and voice acting are gripping. So happy to have a good Final Fantasy game again.
  34. Jul 17, 2023
    8
    I really and truly enjoyed this game. When I first started playing it, I was convinced this might be my favorite FF of all time. That said, the more I played it, the less convinced I was.

    The story is easily the best FF has ever been. It drives you forward at every point, proving gripping over and over again with interesting characters and larger-than-life fights. The fighting is
    I really and truly enjoyed this game. When I first started playing it, I was convinced this might be my favorite FF of all time. That said, the more I played it, the less convinced I was.

    The story is easily the best FF has ever been. It drives you forward at every point, proving gripping over and over again with interesting characters and larger-than-life fights. The fighting is awesome, coming together really cleanly when you get the accessories/abilities you want all synergizing perfectly.

    That said, the RPG mechanics in this game are super light. Looking at FFVIIR, it IS possible for FF to have both action and in-depth RPG systems. FF16 is largely missing the min-max concepts that made those other FF games really stand out. The crafting also feels excessively tacked-on. In addition, as great as some of the score is, it's disingenuous to say it is all incredible, in addition to the timing of some of it actually taking away from big moments versus adding to them. A particularly emotionally impactful scene loses most of it's punch when a character theme is played over something more aware of the scenario. Even the songs that pack a huge punch have weird valleys that cut through it's peaks. Some of them hit like any you'd ever heard, but few are memorable enough to hum throughout a day like you would To Zanarkand, Aerith's Song, or Fisherman's Horizon. I even still find myself humming Blinding Light but it's hard for me to recount any in FF16 at all unless I'm actively listening to it.

    The NG+ mode, in my opinion, cements how powerful the story is, as the game itself feels tough to get through again. Now that I know what happens, I'm that much less influenced to complete another playthrough, since that was what got me through most of the initial run.

    This game ultimately feels like a single-player version of FF14, which is great in some respects, but if you don't think 14 is the best thing since sliced bread, you may feel less inclined than to platinum this one or finish all that it has to offer.

    Someone once said "this is the greatest 8.5 game I've ever played" and I think that's a really astute analysis.
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  35. Jul 17, 2023
    7
    Souhrnnฤ›, chvรกlรญm hlavnรญ pล™รญbฤ›h, svฤ›t, grafiku, souboje monster. Nechvรกlรญm, vedlejลกรญ รบkoly, zdrลพovรกnรญ na vลกech frontรกch, ฤasto divnรก designovรก rozhodnutรญ. Vลฏbec nerozumรญm, jak mohla hra dostรกvat 90-100%. To ty vฤ›cรญ fakt nikomu nevadili? Nebo tou hrou ty lidi jen proletฤ›li v hlavnรญm pล™รญbฤ›hu?
  36. Jul 17, 2023
    8
    I want to like this game, but, unfortunately, I can't. For all its spectacle and presentation, it has some very glaring flaws. The high are very high, but the lows are very low.

    Pros: When the game ramps up, the spectacle is captivating. The game is load, bombastic, and phenomenal. You feel the power fantasy the game is striving to deliver. This game is what God of War used to be,
    I want to like this game, but, unfortunately, I can't. For all its spectacle and presentation, it has some very glaring flaws. The high are very high, but the lows are very low.

    Pros:

    When the game ramps up, the spectacle is captivating. The game is load, bombastic, and phenomenal. You feel the power fantasy the game is striving to deliver. This game is what God of War used to be, what the new installation of GoW should have been, not the lame duck it has become.

    The cast of characters is likeable. Clive, Jill, And Cid are phenomenal characters. I liked spending time with them. I didn't mind not being able to control them. I didn't mind not always having them in my party. The story is very much Clive's story, and Clive is strong enough to carry the narrative on his own.

    The game looks amazing. I played it on Frame โ€œRate modeโ€ over โ€œGraphicsโ€ and it still impressed me on how visually stunning the game is. The amount of detail that went into this game makes it worth owning a ps5. This is next gen gaming, and it was about time we got a game that merited the purchase of the ps5, because after 2 years of its release, almost every title weโ€™ve had has been a ps4 port.

    Cons

    The story is bogged down with a lot of pointless filler. At first it wasn't a problem, but towards the latter half of the game the filler becomes egregious. It dampens the flow of the narrative. Every major chapter completion is mired down by a pointless fetch quest that does not add any value to the overall narrative. These moments should have been made side quests. For example, looking for a hooker has no impact on the overall narrative and should have been written out of the main narrative.

    Side quests are dull and repetitive. Many side quests are "go there, mindlessly kill a few enemies, and come back." While many games follow this formula, the stories tied to them are lackluster. There are very few side quest that had worthwhile interactions. After a while, I just ignored all the talking. I did them only to get for the few rewards they provide.

    Hunts are fun. Some of them pose a little challenge, but everything rewards you with material for a crafting system that has absolutely no value, there is little to be gained from them aside from the fun in engaging with them.

    There is a lack of enemy variety. While there is good selection of enemies to fight, the more interesting types are locked behind the campaign. The world of Valisthea is an expansive open world, but you do get some small areas to explore. However, most of these areas have the same three types of enemies: bugs, goblins, and chocobos. These enemies don't really pose a challenge. Theyโ€™re sponges, but thatโ€™s it.

    The combat system is too plain. The game can feel like a one-button smasher most of the time. I have to intentionally make it challenging for myself since most enemies aren't engaging. The only time the combat shines is when you're fighting a mini-boss or boss battle.

    The implementation of an upgrade system baffles. As you progress through the story, the game gives you the gear it wants you to utilize. It drops a lot of upgrade material, but there is absolutely no use for it. There is never a moment you need to worry about crafting or upgrading a weapon or gear. Every boss fight gives you a weapon to "craft". Once you โ€œcraftโ€ that weapon, you have no incentive to see the black smith again until after youโ€™ve killed your next boss. Since you can't upgrade these weapons and since they're the strongest weapons between every chapter, you don't have a need to see the black smith. The game should have just given you the weapons.

    The crafting system would have been more sense if none of the weapons in the game had attack values, rather different elemental properties or effects. With all weapons being on par with each other, upgrading could have been more engaging, but that leads into another issue.

    A lot of the strategy from former titles has been stripped from this game. Letโ€™s say one of the swords would have had an ice element to it. It could have been your go to weapon to fight fire type enemies. Everything is so bare bones.

    Every town in the game feels empty. There are lot of towns in the game, but despite how many npcs, there are, most of them feel empty. How difficult would it have been to add shops, smithies, and Inns to these locations? You canโ€™t even rest at an inn to heal your wounds. You either have to die intentionally, or buy potions heal, then buy more potions.

    They say there's some challenge in new game +, but new game + only works if the base game is good enough to pull me back into it.

    I like Final Fantasy. I want these games to success, but this is a great game to buy on sale.
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  37. Jul 17, 2023
    10
    Thank you, CBU3 at Square Enix, for this visual and auditory masterpiece. As a long time Final Fantasy fan, it's been a blast to play from start to finish. Also big thanks to great english voice acting.
  38. Jul 17, 2023
    7
    Weird game. It has so many great things and so many bad things but it has an undeniable charm and is fun to play.
  39. Jul 17, 2023
    10
    what an absolute beast of a game.
    This is one of the best games in 2023 .
  40. Jul 17, 2023
    9
    I assume that for me the 10 game doesn't exist, so I award FFXVI with a nice 9. This is mainly because the last final fantasy far exceeds my expectations as a seasoned player of the series. Fun combat, great playability, an Oscar-worthy plot, a very thick main and secondary cast. Great music and the lore of the world of Valisthea is incredibly detailed. There would be some flaws in theI assume that for me the 10 game doesn't exist, so I award FFXVI with a nice 9. This is mainly because the last final fantasy far exceeds my expectations as a seasoned player of the series. Fun combat, great playability, an Oscar-worthy plot, a very thick main and secondary cast. Great music and the lore of the world of Valisthea is incredibly detailed. There would be some flaws in the management of some role-playing elements and in the exploration that is not always satisfying due to rewards that are not up to par. Nonetheless, great Square, keep it up. I hope that FFXVI is the basis that acts as the progenitor of the new role-playing vein of this legendary saga. Expand
  41. 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 XVIโ€™s gameplay and combat (or lack there of) have hit this home harder than ever. Trying to be a generic, action RPG wonโ€™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 donโ€™t assume the viewer is uneducated and video games shouldnโ€™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 wonโ€™t be in contention for GotY. Expand
  42. Jul 17, 2023
    4
    Be aware that this is a straightforward action game with no RPG elements. The game is not great overall. There are fantastic boss fights with seamless feeling between real game and cinematics. But between these fights, the game is so boring unfortunately. horrible sidequests, no customization...Story is better than previous FF but it still far from the maturity of Games of thrones or gamesBe aware that this is a straightforward action game with no RPG elements. The game is not great overall. There are fantastic boss fights with seamless feeling between real game and cinematics. But between these fights, the game is so boring unfortunately. horrible sidequests, no customization...Story is better than previous FF but it still far from the maturity of Games of thrones or games like witcher or last of us. Expand
  43. Jul 17, 2023
    8
    Nice story. some of the issues, is it to much of an action game, it would have been more fun if it was turn based. The story is the thing that saves this game, if the story was not as good as it was I would not have finished the game.
  44. Jul 17, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Excelente.
    Nenhuma crรญtica quanto ao jogo.
    Superou as expectativas!!!!!!!!!!
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  45. Jul 16, 2023
    10
    I loved every FF game, this one makes no exception and for now itโ€™s the best Iโ€™ve played. Iโ€™m totally immersed in this world, combat (I play action mode without any rings) is fantastic, graphics (in performance mode) and boss fights are so epic. After 32 hours I donโ€™t want it to end. I donโ€™t understand why side quests have bad reviews : they allow to understand and deepen many charactersI loved every FF game, this one makes no exception and for now itโ€™s the best Iโ€™ve played. Iโ€™m totally immersed in this world, combat (I play action mode without any rings) is fantastic, graphics (in performance mode) and boss fights are so epic. After 32 hours I donโ€™t want it to end. I donโ€™t understand why side quests have bad reviews : they allow to understand and deepen many characters and aspects of this world. This game is all I love from video games. Expand
  46. Jul 17, 2023
    8
    Great story, combat, characters and world. This game is truly nearly perfect but I wish it had bit more stuff to do in the world and the RPG mechanics being more fleshed out rather then just leveling up and watching numbers go up.
  47. Jul 17, 2023
    9
    It's not perfect. Most of the side quests are pretty bland, even boring, until the endgame ones. A few music tracks are kinda bland, mostly the ambiant ones. I really missed the party banter from FF VII remake, cuz there is mostly no party banter in XVI. The craft system was mostly useless, though I religiously purchased or crafted every +5% dmg equipment as soon as it became available.It's not perfect. Most of the side quests are pretty bland, even boring, until the endgame ones. A few music tracks are kinda bland, mostly the ambiant ones. I really missed the party banter from FF VII remake, cuz there is mostly no party banter in XVI. The craft system was mostly useless, though I religiously purchased or crafted every +5% dmg equipment as soon as it became available. Some story beats are pretty "tropy", mostly during the fight half of the game IMO. I've had some trouble getting into the gameplay at first, but it really clicked well around the 40% mark.

    But as you can tell, those are mostly minor things, and ABSOLUTELY everything else was AT WORST average. AT WORST. Which means all the rest was good, or amazing. So yeah. I've played a few good games this year, and I think a few more are coming out soon... but that will def be my GOTY. The overall quality of this game is just too good : like most critics said, "it has a few boring lows, but its highs are amazing"
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  48. Jul 17, 2023
    9
    This is the game burning your PS5, incredible graphic quality, beware the overheat.
  49. Jul 16, 2023
    9
    The boss battle performance was stunning, and the combat was impressive. I recommend everyone to avoid doing side quests and skip the dialogue for less important main quests to make it more streamlined and compact.
  50. Jul 16, 2023
    10
    I cried like a baby. Beautiful story
    this game is absolutely amazing!! .
  51. Jul 16, 2023
    10
    Great game.

    Leebdary boss fights, characters and great story. What more could you want.
  52. Jul 16, 2023
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Final Fantasy XVI is a beautiful game..... until you get into the 2nd half.

    The Final Fantasy series possesses a groundbreaking collection of very balanced, rich fantasy worlds and characters with satisfying turn based combat and rpg elements. Final Fantasy XVI forgoes most of those aspects, in favor of more modern action based combat (albeit surprisingly shallow, and uninspired), bombastic actions sequences and cutscenes of immeasurable spectacle, and amazing (attempts) at storytelling and A class voice acting.

    The setup for FFXVI genuinely captured me and I was truly hoping it would deliver an experience to rival previous games, as it was a huge divergence in the Final Fantasy main title series. Where it is true, that XV, and 7re both possessed action combat gameplay, both still were grounded in some sort of resource/rpg systems. 7re with the more traditional ATB meter. Nonetheless, we are thrown into a very dramatic opening where our protagonist survives more or less a coupe, to a genocidal degree and loses both his home and nation, and thrown away as a slave to a military state. Wars are waged with titanic magical entities called "Eikons" (summons/espers in previous games), who happen to just be humans; "Dominants", granted this phenomenal power, and play the leading roles in the machinations of the political whims of their corresponding Kingdoms. All running parallel to a class struggle of "Bearers" who can attune to the trace amounts aether of the land, who are slaves to the kingdom , in the background.

    Boy what a setup. Eikons, Cid and spending an hour testing legitimate combos with Clive, where I only had access to Phoenix, and Garuda. This game showed promise. Well this is where the game made the most sense, and honestly the high point of the game, in terms of substance.

    The game all goes downhill around the time we meet Ultima, for many reasons all culminating at this critical point, and not just because we get less screen time with Cid's amazing voice actor and banter.

    The combat is actually really bad. There are dmc combos in this game that you perform with your basic attacks, that are amazing to optimize and explore....but it all is meaningless. Once you get access to 6 Eikonic abilities, you realize gameplay revolves around using all of the abilities virtually on cooldown, maybe you have 2-3 stagger breaking ones (Wicked wheel for example), then once they are staggered, you unleash a gigaflare or judgment bolt, and rinse and repeat. Your Eikonic abilities just utterly outscale the damage and even the area of effect of your normal attacks and combos, that it feels horrible to even use your normal attacks quite honestly. Coupled with the fact, that the game has zero rpg elements like enemy "weaknesses" It completely turns the game into brainlessly waiting for your abilities to come off cooldown. Limit break is also shallow as well, nothing really much to mention. Typically your limit breaks would encapsulate your "ultimate" damage abilities, so without that its more or less just a basic boring "install" mode that buffs your damage and defensive ability.

    Well the combat sucks, but the story? Surely the setup for the story is amazing. Its Game of Thrones right? Wrong. After you meet Ultima.... it turns out all of these kingdoms warring against each other, all of the turmoil and conflict between characters, even Clive losing his nation and family....is because of Ultima...so he can become a God.... Just complete and utter anime nonsense of a story, that we have to pretend like its a beautifully well put together narrative. None of the story was driven by political dealings of military expansion or running away from the blight. The background class struggle of the bearers as slaves was pointless. The Dominants were meaningless. Just everything about this game, was sorely wasted potential.
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  53. Jul 16, 2023
    2
    - Weak Characters (The main character behaves like an idiot)
    - Its not a RPG
    - The worst story I've ever seen
    - Characters animation are VERY bad.
  54. Jul 16, 2023
    9
    this is a solid Final fantasy, if you are into a political/historical story then it there, the music is second to non, the characters are fairly well written, and the gameplay for people who are into action, a must play if you ask me. side note: if you dont like doing side quests then you might not get the most enjoyment out of this game, its really heavy on the side quests and i adds alotthis is a solid Final fantasy, if you are into a political/historical story then it there, the music is second to non, the characters are fairly well written, and the gameplay for people who are into action, a must play if you ask me. side note: if you dont like doing side quests then you might not get the most enjoyment out of this game, its really heavy on the side quests and i adds alot to the story and makes you get attached to the people of this world, dont sleep on the side quests. Expand
  55. Jul 16, 2023
    1
    Hollywood tropes, missing the point, doesnโ€™t understand his own message. This is a marketing game for a specific targeted audience. Final Fantasy American edition, powered by the same Disney and Marvel mediocrity. Having a director of marketing as one of the producer was never a good idea. They are smashing non sense dialogues toward the end obliterating what they layed out in the firstHollywood tropes, missing the point, doesnโ€™t understand his own message. This is a marketing game for a specific targeted audience. Final Fantasy American edition, powered by the same Disney and Marvel mediocrity. Having a director of marketing as one of the producer was never a good idea. They are smashing non sense dialogues toward the end obliterating what they layed out in the first part of the game. The game is a missing opportunity from head to toe, the concept was good (slaves = interchangeable battery, crystal=petrol, finite world on the brink of extinction), but the game miss the point completely. Beside the bad story, the game design is just completely insanely anachronistic for a AAA premium game (and I am not talking about the linearity). It is the worst action / beat them all in the market, it looks like te game refused to incorporate years of video game literacy. It is very pretentious and almost condescending towards the user. It is not the worst Final Fantasy, but close enough. Expand
  56. Jul 12, 2023
    10
    Epic gameplay and it remembers to be fun without overcomplicating things, keeps you engaged all the way to the end, a "Must-Play" entry in the Final Fantasy series!
  57. Jul 16, 2023
    10
    Absolument magnifique. Une histoire, un gameplay et de la musique fantastiques !!
  58. Jul 16, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Final Fantasy XVI takes a lot of gameplay and story inspiration from the likes of the recent God of War games and the Devil May Cry series and it shows. The epic Eikon fights, and the hack and slash combat remind me of these games. I personally think these kind of games are fun, it reminds me a lot of .Hack as well. The characters have a lot of depth, and there are some really raw emotional scenes, and Game of Thrones-esque family and political drama. Clive's and Dion's voice actors especially really impressed me in those moments The side quests also have Clive build a lot of relationships with some important side characters that pay off a little past the halfway point in the game. The awesome boss fights and the mystery of the Eikons were exciting enough on their own for a game, but I think what I enjoyed the most was watching Clive grow as a character. He starts out as a 20 something, brooding, revenge seeking, dark hero, who feels he can only trust himself, and he grows up to understand that there are a ton of things he can't do on his own even with his magic. He builds trust and friendships through sidequests and learns that there are things that everyone can do. I thought this theme of a hero building on people's talents through his relationships and learning to accept help when he needs it subverted the dark hero trope in a really special way. I'd love to see more games set in the world of Valisthea Expand
  59. Jul 16, 2023
    10
    I clocked in a little over 70 hours at the end of my first playthrough, which includes ALL sidequests, chronolith challenges (out in the wild -- I did not do any redos back at base to "beat records" or any of the sort), and all bounty hunts. Please take this into consideration that when people say this game had too much cutscenes and not enough gameplay -- I believe it was estimated to beI clocked in a little over 70 hours at the end of my first playthrough, which includes ALL sidequests, chronolith challenges (out in the wild -- I did not do any redos back at base to "beat records" or any of the sort), and all bounty hunts. Please take this into consideration that when people say this game had too much cutscenes and not enough gameplay -- I believe it was estimated to be about 11 hours of cinematic cutscenes. Most reviews that are bashing this as merely watching a movie simply either didn't stick through the beginning, or chose to "skip" the gameplay.

    To that point, I felt the sidequests were really great worldbuilding. In fact, side quests towards the end are crucial for understanding how the story wraps up, and it is clear from reading reviews that many people who formulated their opinions simply did not do the quests. Sure the game runs linear through its chapters, but it is by nature of the type of story it's telling. I tried to pace myself to finish all sidequests available before moving on to prevent a pile-up that would cause burnout -- it was very doable for this game. The only thing I did postpone a bit was some of the hunt board, which is basically just going to find a monster out in the wild and slay it.

    Content-wise, there were moments of joy and moments of anguish; fists were clenched, and tears were shed. This is an emotional ride that left me wanting more -- and I do feel compelled to play NG+. I'm a fan of how they documented and organized lore within the game and allow you to read about different locations, history, and character profiles. The fact that NPCs change their dialogue as you walk by them through various parts of the game adds much to the immersion. The voice acting was on point.

    Where this game could improve: pls, the text can be hard to read sometimes. I was playing on a 65" tv and i'm not sitting too far from it; I can't imagine someone playing on a smol monitor. The weapon/equipment system was also lackluster, though abilities more than make up for it in that you have quite a number of combinations of skill sets to choose from -- making your gameplay unique.
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  60. Jul 16, 2023
    7
    Great game? Yes. Great Final Fantasy? Absolutely not.

    Goods - Amazing and satisfying Combat system - Great Cinematics - The Eikons are epic - Fantastic music Cons - Pacing is weird. When I play a final fantasy, I'm going on an adventure. In 16, you'll go back to a boring HQ in between every missions. - Enemies (FF have a huuuuge log of epic enemies and 16 barely uses them. - Some of the
    Great game? Yes. Great Final Fantasy? Absolutely not.

    Goods
    - Amazing and satisfying Combat system
    - Great Cinematics
    - The Eikons are epic
    - Fantastic music

    Cons
    - Pacing is weird. When I play a final fantasy, I'm going on an adventure. In 16, you'll go back to a boring HQ in between every missions. - Enemies (FF have a huuuuge log of epic enemies and 16 barely uses them. - Some of the worst side quests in the gaming history. (Fetching, back and forths, speaking with 3 npcs, saving npcs from the same 3 types of enemies, etc.) - Exploration is not rewarding. Overall, FF16 is amazing but has so much undercooked ideas it makes the game fall short. Some of the main story quests feel like chores and it sadly really breaks the pace of an amazing story.
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  61. Jul 16, 2023
    8
    While the game overall feels like a high-quality game, there are clear shortcomings in world-building and story-telling. The story has its high points, but there is an overall lack of soul and atmosphere and very few characters are likeable. For a game that seems to push for realism, it has its fair share of unrealistic progression, dialogues and animation. The combat is satisfyingWhile the game overall feels like a high-quality game, there are clear shortcomings in world-building and story-telling. The story has its high points, but there is an overall lack of soul and atmosphere and very few characters are likeable. For a game that seems to push for realism, it has its fair share of unrealistic progression, dialogues and animation. The combat is satisfying although it feels more like a hit 'em up at times and the difficulty level is very low even on action mode. The absence of weaknesses or resistance against attack types also makes all the fights pretty much more of the same old thing. The OST is forgettable, but it has a few great tracks that stand out. The frame rate is all over the place while exploring, in what the game calls "Performance mode", which is quite disappointing for a PS5 release. Expand
  62. Jul 16, 2023
    1
    For me the worst FF mainline so far for different reasons.

    - The general story doesn't impress me that much. It started good but it turns to something that feels like it wants to be something that it just isn't able to accomplish. It often remembers on FF13 on a weird way. - It also lacks of lightweight moments. I know it is suppose to be dark and mature. But this one is actually
    For me the worst FF mainline so far for different reasons.

    - The general story doesn't impress me that much. It started good but it turns to something that feels like it wants to be something that it just isn't able to accomplish. It often remembers on FF13 on a weird way.

    - It also lacks of lightweight moments. I know it is suppose to be dark and mature. But this one is actually just joyless depressive and meaningless brutal.

    - the worlddesign is quite boring. Especially compared to FF14, FF12, FF10, FF9. It doesn't feel high fantasy for me at all. It's medieval with fantasy titbits here and there.

    - It has way too many and way too long cutscenes.

    - No actual party-system, elements and buffs/debuffs, minigames. Equipment is there but it doesn't matter much.

    - The so praised summon battles are cutscenes and quick time events for the most part. FF10, FF12, FF7R handled it a lot better, imo. Cool graphics just don't impress me as much as cool mechanics. Sorry.

    - I refuse corridor leveldesign like this. It's acceptable in FFX and FF7R because the combat was fun enough to carry it. But we are at NVME-SSD's now and I'm just tired of it.

    - And to make it even worse, they weren't able to make exploring worth it, even it's that linear already.

    - The sidequests are that bad, too.

    It's basicly just an interactive movie with some hack and slash sequences, which feels way more backwards than FF13 at this point.

    One point for the music though. Square never disappoint here.
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  63. Jul 16, 2023
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. You start off 16 as a Young Clive Rosfield sworn to protect his brother the prince. But when tragedy strikes, and the kingdom falls all is seemed to have been lost for Clive. After a time jump an older Clive still haunted by his past meets Cid. There he hears a plan to destroy the Mother Crystals which provide the world with the ability to use magic. Cid explains that these Mother Crystals are destroying the world by causing the blight. A growing calamity taking over and killing the land. Can Clive escape his past and overcome his greatest regrets to save the world? Final Fantasy 16โ€™s story starts of strong and maintains that strength for itโ€™s entire runtime. While being a little cutscene heavy at times itโ€™s a story that is not only one of the best of the Final Fantasy series but overall, a fantastic story worthy of longtime Final Fantasy fans and newcomers to the series. This doesnโ€™t just go for the main story, however. The dark undertone and plot points can also be felt in some of the unique side quests. While 16 does feature a few of the ever so dreadful fetch quests here and there. 16 also features some pretty dark and overall messed up side quests that just do that much more to engulf you into this world.
    16โ€™s combat is fast paced action packed and overall fantastic. It takes the series further from itโ€™s turned based roots and instead has you stringing together powerful Eikonic moves. As Clive progresses in the story, he gains new abilities from different Eikonโ€™s allowing him to unleash devastating combos and create a truly remarkable fighting system. While playing you gain AP which can be used to upgrade and ultimately master these abilities. Once mastered you can switch them out freely and slot them where you see fit. Allowing you to potentially have multiple finishing moves from multiple Eikonโ€™s at your disposal. 16โ€™s combat makes sure you stay on your feet and ready for every fight. Not only do you have regular fights but 16 features Eikon battles. These epic battles see you playing as Ifrit as he attempts to defeat other Eikonโ€™s that he faces. While these battles are just as awesome as they are entertaining, I felt underwhelmed at times by the repetitiveness of the fights. While fighting with Clive I had so many different abilities at my disposal but as Ifrit the added ability here and there didnโ€™t make the fights feel as refreshing as I would like. Donโ€™t get me wrong I loved the Eikon battles and there are a wide variety of difference between them but with how some of the fights can feel as if they are dragging on the lack of abilities became ever more apparent.
    16s graphics are also a high point in the series, looking stunning and some of the world settings really pushing forward what we are expecting to see out of a video game. Characters look amazing and enemies are well designed.
    The music is also another huge point in the game. Final Fantasy is known for its god tier catalog of amazing melodyโ€™s and 16 adds to that catalog with some truly fantastic orchestrated songs which I believe will go into the books for some of the series best music.
    Now onto issues, the game is incredibly easy, not only did they give everyone accessibility items that help you play better. Like auto dodging and what not. Even with those unequipped the game was a breeze. Boss fights led to no real challenge. If I struggled in a boss fight and died, I would hit retry only to have the boss come back at close to the health he was when I died and with me having full potions. Uhhh where is the challenge in that. I remember the challenge in 15 defeating the Adamantoise, one small wrong move would mean hours down the drain. But in this there is no looming threat of failure which really took away from what I have always loved about Final Fantasy. That challenging aspect and the reward of saying I did it. The bestiary was another big letdown. The game features maybe 60 different enemy types and out of those 60 is at least 1 or 2 reskins of the same enemies. Also missing huge staples to the series like Cactuars and Tonberries. Seeing the same enemies over and over got repetitive. 16 combines open world and linear gameplay which at times I found to be annoying. Expecting this huge open area just to find that there is nothing to explore. No dungeons or benefit really to me wanting to branch out off the broken path. Sometimes you would see a chest filled with common crafting items or an enemy but there was no real reason for me to explore. As far as performance issues 16 runs fantastic overall I only ran into some motion stuttering in a few places Also, with action-based games like this it is hard to escape this next issue, but camera angles sometimes allow for enemies to get lost, and it seems like I am just spamming attacks at nothing. Other than these issues Final Fantasy 16 is truly a remarkable game and one I could easily recommend.
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  64. Jul 16, 2023
    10
    First Final Fantasy experience and it does not disappoint. I tried the demo and liked it, so I ended up purchasing. Easily one of the best games of the year so far. Great combat, amazing set-pieces and a good story. Highly recommended.
  65. Jul 16, 2023
    8
    First off let me say, this is a great game. But how does it hold up to the entire FF franchise? Unfortunately Iโ€™d say it still continues the faltering trend of recent modern FF games.

    The good: -Excellent gameplay. Very epic. -Plenty of areas to explore -Interesting lore -Grim and tragic storytelling -A complete and self contained story -Likeable characters -Loads of side quests
    First off let me say, this is a great game. But how does it hold up to the entire FF franchise? Unfortunately Iโ€™d say it still continues the faltering trend of recent modern FF games.

    The good: -Excellent gameplay. Very epic. -Plenty of areas to explore
    -Interesting lore
    -Grim and tragic storytelling
    -A complete and self contained story -Likeable characters -Loads of side quests -Beautiful battle music The bad: -Zero reward for exploring. There's no bonus cutscenes, quests, dungeons, or unique treasures to be found by exploring more than required. -The story is pretty predictable. And I feel like all of the epic/memorable scenes were reserved only for the big battles. Everything else kind of dragged. Not every cool scene has to be about a battle. What happened to scenes like the opera from VI, the parade from VIII, or blitzball or the sending from X? Nope. When it's not an epic battle, it's bland. And this was the first FF I can actually say how bored I was. There's sooooo much dialogue that doesn't even advance the plot. And to top it all off, they way dialogue is shot in this game feels so uninspired. Just constantly switching the camera back and forth between your character and the NPC who stands around waiting for you to approach them. It feels very lifeless and monotonous. -The story also feels very uninspired. The older FF games used to have a million unique story ideas and locations. These modern games seem to have one good idea and focus the entire narrative around that. -Even though the characters are likeable, they don't have much depth either. -There are far too many fetch quests -The most forgettable world music
    -The visuals are incredibly dark and grey. The most visually unappealing FF I've played since Dirge of Cerberus. -Finally, there were so many moments where it was obvious that the developers were trying to save money. For example, there were at least 2 dozen times where the cutscene fades to black mid conversation so that the protagonist can update the NPCs on the story. It's incredibly cheesy and lazy. I know I've complained alot here. And look, it's a great game! But it's not a great Final Fantasy game when you compare it to where the franchise once stood.
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  66. Jul 16, 2023
    2
    FFXVI manages to make a war between kingdoms using gods as super weapons so boring it will bring you to tears.

    Story: - Overwritten dialogue: I get its a fantasy game, and maybe there should be some fantastical dialogue, but some of the crap that comes out of these 2D husks is just unendurably pretentious. I found myself avoiding quests towards the end of the game just so i didn't have
    FFXVI manages to make a war between kingdoms using gods as super weapons so boring it will bring you to tears.

    Story:
    - Overwritten dialogue: I get its a fantasy game, and maybe there should be some fantastical dialogue, but some of the crap that comes out of these 2D husks is just unendurably pretentious. I found myself avoiding quests towards the end of the game just so i didn't have to listen to NPCs vomit exposition at me. It also doesn't help that more than half the game is a cutscene.
    - Unearned plot-twists: There will be several plot twists in the story that simply don't make sense with the information you have at the time. These jarring twists are often explained after the fact, which sometimes make them sensible, but very often this still is not the case.
    - Awful pacing: Abuses time jumps frequently to feign character growth and story scale, as opposed to organic character/story changes over time. Important parts of character journey that would've been REALLY interesting to see are just completely skipped over, only to be constantly referred to in afterwards. You'll get this a lot during the early game, and its really frustrating.
    - Character motives and relations are not well established, if at all. At times, established motives will be utterly countered by a characters actions, which are always nonsensical. This is to progress the story in the way the writers want it to, without a care for consistent character writing. Part of this problem is the pacing mentioned earlier.
    -Illogical lore: Eikons are basically super weapons that most kingdoms value majorly, and yet they hate other magic users. Why?? They are identical in every way other than eikons having MORE magical power. Really makes no sense to me. Eikons are also implied to be equivalent in strength through character dialogue, but this is clearly not the case in the story. Why this is so is never explained.
    - Terrible characters: A combination of dull writing, near-absent facial expression and flat uninspired voice acting (at least the English VAs) lead to a bunch of forgettable NPCs. This is particularly the case with the MC, who expresses one of 4 emotions: happy, angry, sad or very sad. It doesn't help that almost every single character has either a British, Spanish or Irish accent, making them quite hard to separate. Would have liked to see more variety.

    Gameplay:
    - Boring Action: There is absolutely no style or excitement in combat. It is just a load of button mashing with very limited ability cycling and easy dodges. Every ability and attack is something you have seen before if you have played any RPG. The game also has too much visual noise, often making combat utterly disorientating. The enemies are all just massive damage sponges, often taking minutes to kill anything bigger that a foot soldier. This is especially true in the large cinematic fights, which quickly lose their appeal when you are stuck there for 10mins fighting the same fight.
    - Useless Crafting and Currency: You are often flooded with crafting materials and Gil to pad the rewards screen of the dull combat you've just endured. These materials are hardly ever used, as crafting options are severely limited, to the point that it may as well not exist. Money also has no function outside of buying musical tracks for your home base.
    - Linear dungeons: Most dungeons have 0 branches, instead being a stroll through generic RPG settings. In the rare cases where a dungeon has a branch or two, exploring them is not rewarded, as you will either get a useless crafting item, useless currency or a potion, which you have an infinite supply of with your bottomless pockets of Gil.
    - An Empty World: Unrewarding in the same way as dungeons, with the only thing to discover being various combat trials. This open world is slowly and painfully opened up through linear missions, and really isn't worth the wait.
    - Fetch Quest Fetch Quest Fetch Quest: Every side quest to my memory is basically "Go here, kill this, fetch this back, mission complete!" Not a very interesting formula. There were some interesting stories in these quests, but they are few in number.

    Sound/Visual Design:
    -Visual: Comparing FFXVI and FFXV, I actually like the designs of the gods in FFXVI more (except for Ifrit and Bahamut). The main villain is also VERY creepy in its design and initial presentation, In other aspects, such as level visual design, the game is typically flat and uninteresting visually.
    -Music: FFXV has some tracks that I still listen too today, like Somnus etc. In comparison, 16 flaunts around generic fantasy crap that you wont remember, despite there being quite a range of tracks on the home base juke box. I played the betrayal theme in my homebase as it matched my mood playing the game and my thoughts on the games marketing. Sound is also poorly mixed, with the BGM overwhelming all other sounds, whilst massive terrifying creatures make roars that you have to strain to hear.
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  67. Jul 16, 2023
    8
    Thank you Square Enix tho I appreciate 1440P 60FPS more tho than 4K 30FPS gud but flawed nonetheless.
  68. Jul 16, 2023
    4
    Kind of shocking really. I didn't know they still made games that were (not really exaggerating) 75% cutscenes with cheesy QTEs and where the only interaction with the environment is press button to duck under or squeeze through things. The first hours are pretty excruciating with the amount of walking down hallway to next cutscene that happens. Action combat seems to be the big sellingKind of shocking really. I didn't know they still made games that were (not really exaggerating) 75% cutscenes with cheesy QTEs and where the only interaction with the environment is press button to duck under or squeeze through things. The first hours are pretty excruciating with the amount of walking down hallway to next cutscene that happens. Action combat seems to be the big selling point here, but for me it's kind of meh. Trash mobs can just be button mashed to death. Bosses and big monsters are a little more engaging, but only a little. They should probably just drop the RPG pretense entirely, since the numbers go up more or less on a set schedule and the gear is basically handed to you in an extremely straightforward way. It's not a bad system, just not enough to keep me interested if the rest of the game is me just sitting through a movie and occasionally carrying things back and forth for NPC side quests. Maybe it's my fault, but I shouldn't have played this right after Tears of the Kingdom. My immediate thought upon seeing beautiful vistas and grand environments are of how they're basically static paintings and there will be nothing to explore or discover there. I need a little more engagement than press R2 to open the door. Expand
  69. Jul 16, 2023
    9
    I have played almost every single FF game, and this one quickly climbed the ranks of my favourites! It seems to be popular to hate on the game right now, without being constructive so I'll offer this little review of mine:

    It's not for everyone. It's a dark, fairly grounded story that is an emotional rollercoaster. It more tha utilises it's mature rating, which may put some fans of the
    I have played almost every single FF game, and this one quickly climbed the ranks of my favourites! It seems to be popular to hate on the game right now, without being constructive so I'll offer this little review of mine:

    It's not for everyone. It's a dark, fairly grounded story that is an emotional rollercoaster. It more tha utilises it's mature rating, which may put some fans of the series off. But this shouldn't stop you from giving it a go, which is why the demo exists. And the tone of the demo pretty much sets the tone of the game: dark with lighthearted moments. Very much like the Witcher 3, XVI is set in a bleak, war torn world, but there is beauty to be found, and you learn to appreciate those moments when you get them.

    The combat is similar to DMC, with a dodge mechanic that's akin to Nier. It's very sharp and snappy, though I do which the base sword combat had more than one ground combo. As you progress, the Eikon abilities open up and let you perform cooler feats! But it's not a game you can have fun with by just mashing a button. You have all the tools for air combos, big finisher attacks, and a dog you can use to extend your combos. Experiment and have fun!

    In regards to turn-based vs action: no one if forcing you to play this, as they also didn't with XV and VIIR. If action is not your thing, that's fine! This is not the game for you. If like me you like action, you may find you enjoy this game like I have.

    My take of it is, play the demo. If you love that, you'll love the rest of the game. Stay away from toxic reviews, and make your own mind.
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  70. Ziq
    Jun 28, 2023
    10
    Very beautiful game, captivating story the plot twists remind the good series of the last decade , worth your money.
  71. Jul 16, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This music made the ending so much better man gave it so much emotion . Expand
  72. Jul 16, 2023
    10
    Great game! Absolutely loved everything about it. This is game of the year right here everyone. I have seen a number of people spread misinfo about this game but trust me and just play the game. This has to be the best Final Fantasy game ever made.
  73. Jul 16, 2023
    7
    After the emo boyband car journey that was FF15, 16 represents a minor improvement, with it's more gritty, heavily inspired Game of Thrones aesthetic and story arch, but it drops the ball too often with it's mediocre world building and surprising lack of an RPG 'feel' to it. Too often I'm thinking just how good FF7 Remake was in comparison rather than feel invested in this one.

    I can
    After the emo boyband car journey that was FF15, 16 represents a minor improvement, with it's more gritty, heavily inspired Game of Thrones aesthetic and story arch, but it drops the ball too often with it's mediocre world building and surprising lack of an RPG 'feel' to it. Too often I'm thinking just how good FF7 Remake was in comparison rather than feel invested in this one.

    I can see why people, at least initially, were bowled over by it - it has really good presentation, very much 'next gen' with a vast feel to the experience, but the more you play the more humdrum it gets, with the title too often descending into 'when's the next decent fight?' and 'can these characters shut up I'm not interested in what they have to say or do.'

    Also, a Final Fantasy game should never have a protagonist named Clive. Indeed, that sort of represents my overall main problem with 16; there's too much of an attempt to appeal to western audiences, to the point where it's lost a lot of what Final Fantasy is loved for. This feels like Bayonetta x Game Of Thrones rather than Final Fantasy.

    So yes, in short, it's a decent action game, at points it's great even, but not really a decent RPG. Final Fantasy in name only. It leaves a fantastic first impression but ultimately can't quite last the pace.
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  74. Jul 16, 2023
    10
    Great game! This game is DMC5 type of action(but more) with GoT inspired anime lore and i'm 100% in for it!
  75. Jun 26, 2023
    10
    a great game, definitely one of the best games of the year with breathtaking boss fights, thanks yoshi-p for this masterpiece
  76. Jul 15, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The ending absolutely broke me. I already had tears in my eyes, then when Jill, Gav and Torgal got upset I was full on ugly crying. Expand
  77. Jun 27, 2023
    10
    guys this ff was great no like really really great the combat is so goood it enters you soul and the story i cant explain how great this story was i cried and laughed and felt alot in this game its a masterpiece by all means and yeah i almost forgot to mention the boss battels and yeah they were crazyyyy as hell thanks to yoshi p and his team for this game and i don't need to say that theguys this ff was great no like really really great the combat is so goood it enters you soul and the story i cant explain how great this story was i cried and laughed and felt alot in this game its a masterpiece by all means and yeah i almost forgot to mention the boss battels and yeah they were crazyyyy as hell thanks to yoshi p and his team for this game and i don't need to say that the majority of this negative ratings are totally fake Expand
  78. Jul 15, 2023
    10
    Personally, itโ€™s one of the best games Iโ€™ve ever played. I have never seen such an epic story like this one. Iโ€™ve played a lot of FF games in the past but this one had a different impact on me than the others. I hope this style combat sticks around because it was a lot of fun and you could make some seriously crazy, powerful builds. I donโ€™t usually give reviews but I just completed thePersonally, itโ€™s one of the best games Iโ€™ve ever played. I have never seen such an epic story like this one. Iโ€™ve played a lot of FF games in the past but this one had a different impact on me than the others. I hope this style combat sticks around because it was a lot of fun and you could make some seriously crazy, powerful builds. I donโ€™t usually give reviews but I just completed the game and felt compelled to leave it a quick review. I became really invested with these characters and the voice acting was top notch. You build really close relationships with so many different characters and youโ€™ll find yourself emotionally sucked in, quick. Now Iโ€™m stuck with a video game hangover. Well done, Square Enix. 10/10. Do more of these! Expand
  79. Jul 15, 2023
    9
    I've been playing Final Fantasy games for over 2 decades and I thought this game was amazing, really loved the story. Are there things that could have been better? Sure, but the overall experience was everything id hoped the game would be. Definitely will be replaying this for years to come!
  80. Jul 15, 2023
    6
    I don't care about the weirdos giving the game 0's or 10's this game is neither. I also don't care about the "this isnt a ff game" sure it is. It just isn't a good one. It isn't even a good game in general.
    What ff16 is, is a mediocre action game by a devil may cry dev stitched together with a mmo dev that doesn't know how to make a FUN game.
    Graphics: amazing soundtrack: passable
    I don't care about the weirdos giving the game 0's or 10's this game is neither. I also don't care about the "this isnt a ff game" sure it is. It just isn't a good one. It isn't even a good game in general.
    What ff16 is, is a mediocre action game by a devil may cry dev stitched together with a mmo dev that doesn't know how to make a FUN game.

    Graphics: amazing

    soundtrack: passable but totally forgettable

    combat: flashy, but entirely button mashing no matter how much to try to spice it up. Bosses and minibosses are spongey and boring once you figure out their loop and they still have 50% health left.

    story: fine i guess, the game world doesnt really make a lot of sense and the slavery thing in ineptly addressed

    gameplay: the sidequests are unbelievably terrible, the ui is bloated mmo trash, and all the rpg elements are completely pointless. no exploration, meaningless rarities, items just make damage numbers go up, no cool effects etc.

    All in all this game is flashy and beautiful but completely shallow.
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  81. Jul 15, 2023
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. One point for Jill character design, and another point for the Devil may Cry action alike combo. Ekion fights are epic, but the rest of the game direction is so bad. Overall experience is worse than early PS2 game with a glitchy story plot twist.

    Still it's the best ps exclusive in the last two, a little better than ghost of Tsushima. Way entertaining than HFW and GoWR for sure. But, if you're into action arpg and didn't against anime style character and story. TOA, Xenoblade are just better choice with a lower price point and more interesting combat and story.
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  82. Jul 15, 2023
    10
    All the characters were so important, excellent game, I recommend everyone to play it, impressive soundtrack, the only bad thing is having to beat the game to choose the maximum difficulty.
  83. Jul 15, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm not good at action, but I think it's great to be able to take in people like that. Expand
  84. Jul 15, 2023
    10
    A true Epic. The story and the grandiose scale of the Eikons are second to none in the franchise, and the cast of characters rival the best of them. All of the motifs that make Final Fantasy what it is are present with the franchises trademark reinvention of itself and gameplay that comes with each new entry. It might be missing some of the traditional RPG elements towards the beginning,A true Epic. The story and the grandiose scale of the Eikons are second to none in the franchise, and the cast of characters rival the best of them. All of the motifs that make Final Fantasy what it is are present with the franchises trademark reinvention of itself and gameplay that comes with each new entry. It might be missing some of the traditional RPG elements towards the beginning, but by the end of the credits this is debatably my all time favorite in the franchise (Toss up with 7). Hands down the best Final Fantasy in a decade plus, if not the best all time. This is the best Cid of any Final Fantasy game, and imo Clive is the best protagonist in the series. The mature themes are a refreshing and modern take on the franchise. My biggest issues: Elemental magic doesnโ€™t really exist in this game (fire should be strong against ice, etc. They all do the same damage regardless) and the grand amount of crafting materials you pick up throughout the initial play-through donโ€™t go to much use after the midway point of the game even though thatโ€™s the majority of rewards from chests and exploration. 10/10 game and the story is gripping and you become invested in these characters and the world. Keep in mind I havenโ€™t completed a new game+, but do have 47/50 trophies and over 75 hours played. Expand
  85. Jul 15, 2023
    10
    Sure, there are some critical points in this game ( mostly concerning the gameplay aspect ) but the story, the characters and everything else is so beautiful that i cannot not love this game
  86. Jul 15, 2023
    9
    I had been waiting for this game for a while, and it did not disappoint! Because it was the same team responsible for FFXIV, I knew we were in good hands. I love DMC-style games so I was open to the combat system, and it is quite customizable. The storytelling is phenomenal. Voiceovers are top notch. The score is perfect. The darker tone is something that I welcomed as well.

    My only
    I had been waiting for this game for a while, and it did not disappoint! Because it was the same team responsible for FFXIV, I knew we were in good hands. I love DMC-style games so I was open to the combat system, and it is quite customizable. The storytelling is phenomenal. Voiceovers are top notch. The score is perfect. The darker tone is something that I welcomed as well.

    My only gripe is the graphics settings. It seemed no matter which setting I chose (framerate or graphics), there was something off about the graphics.
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  87. Jul 15, 2023
    2
    C'est desservant de voir รงa avec peu d'heures sur le jeu mais bon je mis prendrais ร  2 fois It's serving to see that with few hours on the game but hey I would take 2 times
  88. Jul 15, 2023
    6
    A disappointing game that could have been so much more. Some of the characters, the voice acting, the fluidity of the controls, the music, visuals and the likes are all golden. However the story itself, some of the other characters, the pacing, side quests and some of the worst itemization and rpg mechanics (or lack thereof) bog down what could have been a great game down to somethingA disappointing game that could have been so much more. Some of the characters, the voice acting, the fluidity of the controls, the music, visuals and the likes are all golden. However the story itself, some of the other characters, the pacing, side quests and some of the worst itemization and rpg mechanics (or lack thereof) bog down what could have been a great game down to something barely above mediocre.

    As the dust settles and time passes, I think more people will see the game's massive flaws hidden behind it's gorgeous facade.
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  89. Jul 15, 2023
    6
    Possibly, my biggest Final Fantasy disappointment. It delivers only on the spectacle and the graphics. While those are part of the series identity, another series staple have always been the quiet moment between the characters, instances in which the characters just talk with nothing to prove. The game barely had that. And by removing the party members, they remove that part of the game.Possibly, my biggest Final Fantasy disappointment. It delivers only on the spectacle and the graphics. While those are part of the series identity, another series staple have always been the quiet moment between the characters, instances in which the characters just talk with nothing to prove. The game barely had that. And by removing the party members, they remove that part of the game. The story telling, while good on paper is terribly clumsy. While one can expect certain busy work in side quests, these busy work also crept into the main quests as well. Additionally, the quest structure of the story telling made the story feels less dynamic than usual. The combat looks and feel good. However, at a certain point, it will turn into a spam contest where you have to use all your abilities to deal maximum damage in a certain timeframe. However, by doing so, the thrill of the combat is gone. The key factor of the combat is the eikon abilities and when they are on cooldown, the combat turn into a crawl. For an action game, FFXVI has a lot of waiting in its combat. The RPG, another key factor of the series is abysmal. Even considering the combat not including elemental and status weakness, the levelling system is terribly insipid, it barely affects the combat. And the gearing and item economy is so basic, you will mostly ignore them. The game is never interested in being an RPG. The music sounds good but the tracks are not as memorable as the other entries. Sokenโ€™s penchant for repeating tracks rear its ugly head again, which made the OST sounds same-y. All in all, my biggest disappointment in the series so far. Expand
  90. Jul 15, 2023
    3
    Unfortunately for me, this is an action game, it doesn't feel like a Final Fantasy...
  91. Jul 15, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is incredible! I bought a PS5 specifically to play FFXVI, and I have absolutely no regrets.

    I was mesmerised the whole way through. The story, music, visuals, and voice acting were all so well done. The combat was super fun, and while it initially felt a little simple, figuring out new and more effective combos as I got further into the game gave it so much more depth.

    The world and the characters were brilliant - I really bonded to all of Clive's hideaway family, as well as all of the side quest characters dotted around the world, and I found myself celebrating and mourning every twist and turn of the story with them. Once I had cleared all of the side quests and hunts, and it was time for the final battle, I desperately didn't want to go. It took me most of an evening before I felt ready to leave the hideaway. But holy moly it was worth it - even with the half an hour of sobbing through the credits afterwards.

    I'm not entirely sure how I'm supposed to come back down to reality now that I've finished the game.
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  92. Jul 14, 2023
    10
    very nice game.
    It's a game you should definitely play.
    Many thanks to the developers.
  93. Jul 14, 2023
    6
    Stellar opening, amazing first part, but it didn't last long, somewhere before half of the game the story stall's, then it drags until the end, has the potential to be an epic game but sadly, it didn't.
  94. Jul 14, 2023
    9
    As a long time fan of the series, I felt like Final Fantasy was struggling to deliver for a long time now. How long? I find FFX to be the last good mainline game. Until now.

    I'm happy to say that Final Fantasy 16 puts the series back on the map. It has an amazing cast of characters, beautiful visuals, terrific music and a story that hits home. The good: 1. The characters. Just Wow.
    As a long time fan of the series, I felt like Final Fantasy was struggling to deliver for a long time now. How long? I find FFX to be the last good mainline game. Until now.

    I'm happy to say that Final Fantasy 16 puts the series back on the map. It has an amazing cast of characters, beautiful visuals, terrific music and a story that hits home.

    The good:
    1. The characters. Just Wow. The main cast is amazing and lovable; Clive feels as real as it gets (despite being an overpowered "chosen one" type), Jill is an amazing strong individual that offers a lot more than being "the female lead", Cid is the daddy we all needed, Joshua's influence is felt throughout the story despite what basically takes place during the demo segment and Dion's struggle between his duty and his sense of justice really gets you thinking. The villains are written well too, making you either understand them or enjoy to hate on them, and even the secondary characters have their own story arcs (via sidequests) and are just so well fleshed out that getting lost in their own tales is a bliss.

    2. The story: perfect world building, mostly good pacing, and the ACTIVE LORE SYSTEM is just PERFECT. Did the characters mention a place or a person you're not sure about? Hit that touchpad and read all about them.

    3. Presentation is TOP NOTCH, especially during cutscenes and Eikon battles

    4. Music is amazing. Feels right at home as Final Fantasy OST.

    5. The voice acting. I cannot stress enough how good it is.

    6. Battle system is hella fun

    7. Sidequest storylines are amazing, especially the ones in the last third of the game which provide both background for events that occur and context for the MSQ. Don't miss on them!

    The not as good:
    1. The game is TOO DANG EASY. At first it's not too bad, but by the end of the game I got so overpowered from doing side content that even the S rated hunts were a breeze, let alone the final boss fight. You do have a "hard mode" once you finish it, but WHY? Let us challenge ourselves the first time around!

    2. Animations outside of cutscenes (especially facial animations) are not good, jarring even. You can do better than that, Square.

    3. Performance is bad. I played the game on performance mode and it barely ever hit 60fps, except for combat. Sorry, Square, that is unacceptable for a next-gen only game. I would've played on quality mode if it would've kept the battles at 60fps, but it unfortunately does not.

    4. When doing side quests, party members are completely ignored. Would've added much to the immersion if they actually spoke.

    5. The map could've been bigger

    6. While side quest stories are good, most of them are basic fetch quests. Could've enjoyed some innovation.

    Bottom line, square is on a stride. First FF7R was a blast, now this. Can't wait for Rebirth, and maybe even a story DLC for 16 ;)
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  95. Jul 14, 2023
    6
    Pros:
    - One of the best Narrative i've ever seen in a Videogame.
    - Particle effect implementation and graphics overall are astonishing - Great Character and Maybe one of the best Main characters of the Whole franchise Cons: -Too linear -Shallow side quests -RPG features that are reduced to bones, and it is not negative because FF must be an RPG saga. It is negative because These
    Pros:
    - One of the best Narrative i've ever seen in a Videogame.
    - Particle effect implementation and graphics overall are astonishing
    - Great Character and Maybe one of the best Main characters of the Whole franchise
    Cons:
    -Too linear
    -Shallow side quests
    -RPG features that are reduced to bones, and it is not negative because FF must be an RPG saga. It is negative because These elements are an obstacle to the true gameplay.
    -Gameplay with a decent amount of battle option but at the end a bit "Button Smashing"
    -Creatures sometimes unispired, some of them are spongy enough and overall FF XV did a lot better on the Creature part.
    - Big Beautiful bosses but with zero to little interactivity on the gameplay side
    -Zero interaction with the world
    Ultra Cons (Horrible)
    - There are some of the worst invisible walls ever made in a videogame. Even DB: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 did a lot better.
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  96. Jul 14, 2023
    10
    For so long, I've waited for an FF game to deliver on all fronts. 15, while I still rate it among my top ff games, it dropped the ball in several areas. 16 managed to learn from its mistakes. An emotional story with the best VA I've seen in any game. Great music and gamely. This is now my favorite FF game of all time. A must Play!
  97. Jul 14, 2023
    10
    One of the best story ever told in a game, almost cried at the ending. The combat system is funny and various while the graphics are really good. Maybe some secondary missions may seems a bit boring, but others adds some little details that let you appreciate more the game and the characters. If you like fantasy stories it is a must
  98. Jul 14, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'll whent in blind and loved every second! Love the hunts, they give you a a good scare if you enter a level S fight without knowing it would happen before hand! Expand
  99. Jul 14, 2023
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Il mio voto รจ un 9 ritengo Final Fantasy XVI un capolavoro imperfetto, non sempre divertente ma vanta del combattimento la storia e direzione artistica di alto livello. Expand
  100. Jul 14, 2023
    6
    I just want to be short. This game has very good and complete world but not so good story that lack of story telling techniques and character motivation. Full of boring main quests and side quests that make you walk from A to B, kill some monsters, then watch some awful animation. There are no building up your character like other RPG only character levels and abilities really affect inI just want to be short. This game has very good and complete world but not so good story that lack of story telling techniques and character motivation. Full of boring main quests and side quests that make you walk from A to B, kill some monsters, then watch some awful animation. There are no building up your character like other RPG only character levels and abilities really affect in combat. They seem like want to do a lot in the game but they failed to done it except the summons fight. Expand
Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 146 Critic Reviews

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