Final Fantasy XVI

 PlayStation 5
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 8567 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6,528 out of 8567
  2. Mixed: 693 out of 8567
  3. Negative: 1,346 out of 8567
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  1. MoistMelon
    Jul 2, 2023
    8
    Hours Played: 50
    The story, dialogue, voice acting and the characters are absolutely fantastic. The combat is also fantastic. It is easy to grasp but hard to master. The open zone design is beautifully implemented, but unfortunately, the game does not give you a lot of incentive to explore these open zones. Enemy variety is also unfortunately lacking, which is disappointing considering    Hours Played: 50
    The story, dialogue, voice acting and the characters are absolutely fantastic. The combat is also fantastic. It is easy to grasp but hard to master. The open zone design is beautifully implemented, but unfortunately, the game does not give you a lot of incentive to explore these open zones. Enemy variety is also unfortunately lacking, which is disappointing considering the Final Fantasy series has a massive range of monsters in the series. Between the main scenario plot points, the game gets you to carry out tasks for your team mates and associates in the game which just feels like padding which can make the pacing of the game feel very off at certain parts of the story. Performance is unfortunately not great. The boss fights and Eikon battles are some of the most draw dropping scenarios I have seen in a video game and are extremely fun to play and visually gorgeous. I wish I could score FF16 higher, but despite it's amazing highs, it has quite a few lows which takes from the experience.    … Expand
  2. Duncra
    Jul 7, 2023
    2
    ● PRO: beautiful graphics ● PRO: cool cut scenes

    But: ● CON: poor ability to customize or meaninfully character build. ● CON: piss poor crafting system. ● CON: unengaging button smash combat system. ● CON: no meaningful choice and consequence system. ● CON: boring side quests. ● CON: terrible voices acting. ● CON: no good party dynamics. In sum, Square Enix has failed again in my    ● PRO: beautiful graphics ● PRO: cool cut scenes

    But:

    ● CON: poor ability to customize or meaninfully character build.
    ● CON: piss poor crafting system.
    ● CON: unengaging button smash combat system.
    ● CON: no meaningful choice and consequence system.
    ● CON: boring side quests.
    ● CON: terrible voices acting.
    ● CON: no good party dynamics.

    In sum, Square Enix has failed again in my opinion at another main title. The first 13 (XIII) was its last good single player... perhaps the studio should sell the rights to Final Fantasy to another studio than can actually make an RPG not just a movie with cut-player actions.    … Expand
  3. Cariono
    Jun 24, 2023
    9
    The Final Fantasy series has been in a lull for me since 13/15. This one finally feels like it has a coherent story again. Soken has stepped up and the music sounds incredible, as does the voice acting. I still would have preferred more of turn-based game. I don't hate the switch over to action - I've played a ton of DMC / Bayonetta, however and it can feel a bit easier in comparison ifThe Final Fantasy series has been in a lull for me since 13/15. This one finally feels like it has a coherent story again. Soken has stepped up and the music sounds incredible, as does the voice acting. I still would have preferred more of turn-based game. I don't hate the switch over to action - I've played a ton of DMC / Bayonetta, however and it can feel a bit easier in comparison if you're familiar with the genre.… Expand
  4. Soulsweeper
    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.    … Expand
  5. abowman
    Jun 26, 2023
    9
    Final Fantasy is one of the main video game series that got me interested in video games more than 30 years ago. I have played every Final fantasy to date. There have been lots of good games, and lots of mediocre ones. Final Fantasy 16 is one of the best Final Fantasies in the series to date.

    I know a lot of people are probably disappointed that final fantasy has moved pretty far from    Final Fantasy is one of the main video game series that got me interested in video games more than 30 years ago. I have played every Final fantasy to date. There have been lots of good games, and lots of mediocre ones. Final Fantasy 16 is one of the best Final Fantasies in the series to date.

    I know a lot of people are probably disappointed that final fantasy has moved pretty far from its original roots as a JRPG. I'm not one of those people. While there is some work to be done with this new direction, I do feel it has breathed new life into the series.

    The combat is absolutely phenomenal. In my opinion, It's probably in the top 5 combat systems of all time. Ryota Suzuki called FF16 his masterpiece, and boy oh boy does it show. I don't think I have had a larger smile across my face during some of the fights in this game. It's visceral, it flows well, and it FEELS good.

    The story and characters are also fantastic. As someone who couldn't relate as well with the last few protagonists of the final fantasy series, Clive, Cid, and many other characters were EXTREMELY relatable. The world and characters are complex, dark, grim, and MATURE. This is probably the best aspect of this new Final Fantasy and its a HUGE step in the right direction. I hope they continue down this path with future releases.

    Now, the bad. I agree with a lot of complaints regarding the overall "corridor" feeling that this game has. This game is MAJORILY on rails. There is SOME side quests in previous areas that you've visited, but you will almost always be experiencing the game exactly how everyone else is. This is where both FF16 and the FF7 remake suffer, and its where Square Enix needs to put their attention next.

    As someone who loves open world games, Final fantasy doesn't need to be open world. The game doesn't need to be fully open world. It does, however, need to FEEL LIKE A WORLD. Final Fantasy 16 feels like a series of corridors and scripted events, one after another. I think a system like Dragon Age 3, where you have maps of semi open world environments, would work well for Final Fantasy. This is absolutely where the game suffers the most. Square Enix needs to find better ways to break up the corridors.

    Overall I am loving this game. It's a huge step in the right direction and It will attract a wider audience. I'm hoping we see more mature Final Fantasy games in the future.    … Expand
  6. Rene69
    Jun 25, 2023
    10
    Juegazo de 10,que pena que la gente ande con tonterías dando 0 porque si...,lamentable son como bebes.
  7. Mikireq
    Jun 24, 2023
    10
    Llevo 15 horas y es espectacular. La trama te envuelve como si vieras Juego de tronos, el combate es adictivo, gráficos alucinantes, como si vieras una peli de CGI en muchos momentos del juego y su sistema RPG es intuitivo q más a más del sistema de información de la historia, personajes y lore en general hace q no te dejes nada por el camino. Desde FFX el mejor final fantasy
  8. celfhelp
    Jun 26, 2023
    9
    exceptional game. i had hefty expectations of CBU3, and they surpassed all of them

    nothing in this game is ‘lazy’ or ‘for the sake of it’; everything has weight and purpose, including the more seemingly boring side quests. everything contributes to the world and the story in a way that few teams manage a bold shift for the franchise but not one that’s done carelessly. no one loves Final    exceptional game. i had hefty expectations of CBU3, and they surpassed all of them

    nothing in this game is ‘lazy’ or ‘for the sake of it’; everything has weight and purpose, including the more seemingly boring side quests. everything contributes to the world and the story in a way that few teams manage

    a bold shift for the franchise but not one that’s done carelessly. no one loves Final Fantasy more than the people behind this game, and it shows. excessively at times

    you’d do well to avoid any opinions coming from people whose job it is to *review* games, as ‘game reviewers’ are on the same path that games journalists traveled; it’s just the nature of the beast when you’re not being paid to simply play a game

    if you’re a fan of JRPGs strictly for their turn-based combat or loot/party kitting, you will not like this game; however if you’re a fan of JRPGs for their soul and message(s), you’ll love this game like all the others

    Final Fantasy XVI is a bigger success than GoW 2018 in my opinion when it comes to redefining a franchise while keeping the soul in tact

    this game is incredible for many reasons, and while you may not love every single aspect, it is a must play for anyone other than turn-based purists    … Expand
  9. MetaKritiker90
    Aug 11, 2023
    10
    Absolutely amazing game. Spectacular Eikon Fights, some of the best music that you'll ever hear in any medium (God bless Soken
  10. Edupmor
    Jun 27, 2023
    10
    Exceeded my expectations. Amazing game! After playing the demo I was surprised by the quality of the game, and just gets better as the gameplay progresses.
  11. jm89
    Jun 25, 2023
    10
    Really love the more action focused combat, i think it's a nive change of pace of the series.

    Story is alot more darker and epic, feels more akin to ff7.
  12. SeV5er
    Jun 26, 2023
    10
    An epic game! The best Finaly Fantasy game released. The graphics are superb, the music is fantastic and it controls very well. The story and characters are very captivating. I recommend this game strongly.
  13. niladridas
    Jun 26, 2023
    9
    Incredible story with amazing boss fights. Combat is just ot of the world l,easy to learn.Only issue is the performance in Performance Mode which is not stable at 60 fps.
  14. Blackbelt2018
    Jul 15, 2023
    10
    Personally, it’s one of the best games I’ve ever played. I have never seen such an epic story like this one. I’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 don’t usually give reviews but I just completed thePersonally, it’s one of the best games I’ve ever played. I have never seen such an epic story like this one. I’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 don’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 you’ll find yourself emotionally sucked in, quick. Now I’m stuck with a video game hangover. Well done, Square Enix. 10/10. Do more of these!… Expand
  15. RealJSkeleton
    Jun 26, 2023
    9
    Final Fantasy 16 is a visual spectacle with fluid but simple combat, epic Boss fights that may be some of the best in any game to date, a masterpiece of a soundtrack, interesting characters and an interesting story/plot that spans both the political side with Empires at odds with each other as well as the magical side which dives into incredible depths of intrigue. The main character,Final Fantasy 16 is a visual spectacle with fluid but simple combat, epic Boss fights that may be some of the best in any game to date, a masterpiece of a soundtrack, interesting characters and an interesting story/plot that spans both the political side with Empires at odds with each other as well as the magical side which dives into incredible depths of intrigue. The main character, Clive, has quite the Character arc that is bound to keep you interested, as well as the surrounding Characters, each of which have their own, unique and interesting personalities.

    The game took me just about 33 Hours focusing mostly on Main Story to complete, and although there is some bloat (main quests that feel like they should have been side quests), the pay off is worth it, as the game continues to develop and lead you to the next big (and often massive) story beat and each grand Boss Fight.

    The Boss Fights alone are impressive in scale and visuals, being sure to leave you on the edge of your seat. The Boss Fights include segments that are "cinematic" in nature, having you react to a timed button press or button mashing in which you often return back to the normal combat. The combat itself is simplistic in nature, having an evade button, an attack button, a magic button, a jump button, and then combos and special ability attacks, but it works well, feels satisfying and overall was appealing.

    The game has a pretty deep ability tree to unlock new abilities as well as upgrade ones currently unlocked, and gives you the option to reset certain abilities to get some ability points back to focus on others you may use more.

    Overall, though not perfect, definitely an incredible game that is a must play and gets a 9/10 from me!
    You'd be crazy NOT to play this game!    … Expand
  16. Zski
    Jul 6, 2023
    9
    After about 25 hours, I feel comfortable reviewing. This game is fantastic. I really feel like this is Final Fantasy getting back to it’s roots while simultaneously experimenting in ways to drive the franchise forward. I grew up with FF4 and FF6, and while this game clearly looks and plays nothing like those two games, it actually follows the formula quite well. It’s almost as if theyAfter about 25 hours, I feel comfortable reviewing. This game is fantastic. I really feel like this is Final Fantasy getting back to it’s roots while simultaneously experimenting in ways to drive the franchise forward. I grew up with FF4 and FF6, and while this game clearly looks and plays nothing like those two games, it actually follows the formula quite well. It’s almost as if they reimagined a 16bit FF game in a 3D world with action combat. To start on the comment, this is the main reason why I couldn’t consider giving this game a 10 score. While I have a lot of good to say about it - it’s fluid, the controls are tight, it’s flashy and rewarding, they really did a great job with it. The issue is that after about 10 hours you unlock so many abilities that it removes any amount of effort or technicality in any of the battles. They all turn into rush the largest enemy, unload one series of power moves, unload the next series of power moves, unload another series of power moves, the enemy is staggered, then use the overpower mode, and suddenly the challenging enemy is at least 75% dead. This works for almost every single enemy encounter that has a tanky enemy, and the encounters with regular enemies just feel repetitive throughout most of the game. It’s just far too easy of a game. So while the combat is great, it feels like they just kept adding layers on top of a formula that came out of the oven too soon. It would have been nice to have some control over other party members, and the wolf is essentially pretty useless. This is even echoed in the weapon system, there comes a point very early in the game where you have more Gil than you have things to spend it on. The combat is miles better than FF15 and FF7R, but there is so much refining that needs to be done. If it weren’t for the excellent story, I think this may have bored me after 15 hours to the point of putting it down.

    So about the story. It’s very busy at first, there are so many moving pieces that try to set the foundation of the lore, but once it starts to connect the dots, man is it good. They do a wonderful job of blending the individual character story lines within the overarching narrative of clashing nations. The flow is executed so well that it’s easy to shift your attention from individual characters story arcs to the overall conflict between nations because they’re both good. As the story progresses, it gets pretty convoluted, but the active time lore helps fill in the blanks, and later on you unlock a system that recaps not only character relationships, but the overall world story. It’s truly a game changer, and they put a lot of effort into it. It will help a lot of the adult gamers who can’t dump 5 hours a day for multiple days in a row by allowing them to get refreshers of what is happening. The only complaint I have about the story is that sometimes the cutscenes make it sound like you’re going on an epic journey to the next place, but then it’s like a 3 minute walk through a marsh you have walked through multiple times already. Just felt odd at times.

    Otherwise, the graphics are excellent. Sometimes they are truly breathtaking, other times they look a bit muddy. The music is phenomenal. The voice acting is good, but those dialogue cutscenes are as awkward as ever, I hope that’s the next big overhaul for them. I don’t understand the complaints about the performance, it’s barely noticeable, and yet when you do notice, it’s not a big deal at all. It’s so weird that is where people got hung up on.

    All in all, the game is fantastic, but not perfect. I haven’t enjoyed a FF game as much as I enjoyed this one for multiple generations now.    … Expand
  17. cat15
    Aug 25, 2023
    10
    My favourite final fantasy so far, amazing soundtrack, good combat and a wonderful story 10/10
  18. KatanaJoe89
    Jun 24, 2023
    10
    Some of the best voice acting I've heard, cutscenes are beautiful and the gameplay had fun slick action. Loveable characters and a rich detailed world to explore with lore and interesting history.
  19. Tekpoak
    Jun 26, 2023
    10
    Un hermoso juego, con una historia oscura con personajes memorables, la mejor fantasia que puede tener un videojuego.
    El sistema de combate es lo mejor que tenemos a dia de hoy.
    Obra maestra.
  20. BigBalmore
    Aug 10, 2023
    9
    Much better than I expected it to be. I highly recommend playing FF16! Try it. You won’t regret it!
  21. Seawarrior
    Jun 24, 2023
    10
    Combat is extremely fun. Love the story. Game is gorgeous. Havent had any issues with frame rate, but slight drops or being at 30 fps doesn’t stop my enjoyment of the game. Final fantasy fans seem to be split between people enjoying the direction square is going and what final fantasy hasn’t been since 1999. Can’t wait to play on the final fantasy difficulty.
  22. bockwurst-mutti
    Jul 23, 2023
    2
    This is not a final fantasy! Mindless button mashing with no need to ever change the skillset. Open areas are dull and empty. For me it seems like the game is split in half. Epic main story battles and the rest of the game as afterthought. Even the graphical difference between those to aspects are huge. It feels just as empty and boring as Valkyrie asylum and forspoken. CharacterprogessionThis is not a final fantasy! Mindless button mashing with no need to ever change the skillset. Open areas are dull and empty. For me it seems like the game is split in half. Epic main story battles and the rest of the game as afterthought. Even the graphical difference between those to aspects are huge. It feels just as empty and boring as Valkyrie asylum and forspoken. Characterprogession has nothing to do with an rpg. Numbers in damage output barely change the whole game. Sidequests are as boring as the possibly could be. As if someone at square thought of it as „how to make the least final fantasy game ever and than slap the 16 on top of it!“ Those good review scores are just mindblowing to me and not understandable! Just as bad as 13! Square, maybe you should stick with the remakes and remasters of older games. There are at least good and worth the money. Or even better bring sakaguchi back or someone with his mindset. Ff16 is a terrible game for longtime fans and does not deserve the Name final fantasy!!… Expand
  23. Rayado80
    Jun 25, 2023
    10
    Simplemente espectacular gráficamente gracias al poder de Playstation 5, excelente historia, maravillosa actuación de doblaje, banda sonora espectacular, será GOTY seguramente!
  24. chevychiller
    Jul 24, 2023
    4
    Final Fantasy 16's greatest strength is its visuals, but it relies on them so heavily that it usually feels more like a movie, than a video game. FF16 is chock full of unnecessarily-long, constant cutscenes which break your engagement. The "gameplay" loop is 30 minutes of dialogue/fetch quests, followed by 15 minutes of action battles, and a choreographed boss fight (which also includesFinal Fantasy 16's greatest strength is its visuals, but it relies on them so heavily that it usually feels more like a movie, than a video game. FF16 is chock full of unnecessarily-long, constant cutscenes which break your engagement. The "gameplay" loop is 30 minutes of dialogue/fetch quests, followed by 15 minutes of action battles, and a choreographed boss fight (which also includes cutscenes throughout its climax). What RPG elements are present feel shallow and meaningless. There are very few customization options for equipment, or character builds. This game would have been better off as a spinoff, not a main series title.… Expand
  25. jmsbrolic
    Jun 25, 2023
    9
    I'M about 20 hours in. The game is amazing. Combat is awesome, story is great, visuals are solid, and while the side quests are simple, they really add to insight to the story / world.

    Much better than FF15! And while it is heavily combat based, I love it!
  26. Mc_Lowin1663
    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!
  27. Kadusan
    Jun 26, 2023
    10
    Um jogo incrivel espetacular, Uma qualidade sem tamanho a historia o combate mais um exclusivo do playstation feito de forma perfeita, sou grato por ter um ps5
  28. Tra_Plays
    Jun 24, 2023
    9
    So far I’m loving ff16. It feels like a fresh take on an old game series and I’m all for square enix trying out different experimental approaches to their game series. The story is engaging, combat is fun, and the characters are interesting. The action scenes are breath taking as well. Outside of some dull side quests and a bit of a rough patch concerning frame dips at times I’d say it’sSo far I’m loving ff16. It feels like a fresh take on an old game series and I’m all for square enix trying out different experimental approaches to their game series. The story is engaging, combat is fun, and the characters are interesting. The action scenes are breath taking as well. Outside of some dull side quests and a bit of a rough patch concerning frame dips at times I’d say it’s all around an excellent game.… Expand
  29. Fahren
    Jun 26, 2023
    9
    A great game with insane moments that will definitly be remembered a loooong time. The game is far from beeing perfect but the gameplay is really plaisant when mastered and i enjoyed pretty much every character.
  30. Yukso
    Jun 24, 2023
    10
    Awesome game, stunning graphics and fantastic story.
    I would give it a solid 8 out of 10, but considering how many trolls there are, who clearly have some sort of hate towards ff in general, I give it a 10.
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 146 Critic Reviews

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