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. Rdotsmith
    Jul 6, 2023
    7
    I'm giving this game a seven out of ten because it lacks the RPG mechanics that I've come to love in Final Fantasy games. The combat feels more like Devil May Cry than a traditional Final Fantasy game, and I think that's a mistake. They're trying to appeal to new players, but they're alienating fans of the series in the process. The story is excellent, and the characters are amazing, butI'm giving this game a seven out of ten because it lacks the RPG mechanics that I've come to love in Final Fantasy games. The combat feels more like Devil May Cry than a traditional Final Fantasy game, and I think that's a mistake. They're trying to appeal to new players, but they're alienating fans of the series in the process. The story is excellent, and the characters are amazing, but it's still missing that sense of wonder that I felt when I first played the original Final Fantasy VII. The world feels smaller and more linear, and the sense of exploration is lacking. I'm not saying that this is a bad game. It's just not the Final Fantasy game that I was hoping for. If you're a fan of Devil May Cry, then you'll probably enjoy this game. But if you're a fan of traditional Final Fantasy games, then you might be disappointed.… Expand
  2. Pogiboy
    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.
  3. Zuhri69
    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. Soken’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
  4. rrrosfield
    Aug 9, 2023
    10
    Really loved the game, especially the world building.
    All the characters were memorable. Only gripe were that some of the side-quests are boring but the main quest is amazing.
  5. ilbolza85
    Jun 30, 2023
    3
    It's a good linear action combat game, on the level of Devil May Cry 5.
    But this is not a Final Fantasy game, it has no rpg mechanics, no freedom, no side quests worth talking about.
    It's an unbearably long 60 hours cutscene with the occasional playable bit. It's boring and it's not an rpg. It's a dumbed down version of a Final Fantasy that will only appeal to fans of games that are not JRPGs
  6. Kostas_Spirou
    Aug 23, 2023
    10
    What a magnificent spectacle this game is, I'm honestly in awe.
    This was perhaps one of my most anticipated games, it looked absolutely phenomenal and I'm actually surprised how it actually lived up to the hype.
    I was a little bit sceptical at first, because the combat felt very simple, but once you get the first 3 Eikons, it feels way better, the amount of abilities you get to unlock    What a magnificent spectacle this game is, I'm honestly in awe.
    This was perhaps one of my most anticipated games, it looked absolutely phenomenal and I'm actually surprised how it actually lived up to the hype.

    I was a little bit sceptical at first, because the combat felt very simple, but once you get the first 3 Eikons, it feels way better, the amount of abilities you get to unlock as you progress throughout is kind of crazy, there are many Eikons to get by progressing the main story, and every single one has a different moveset, which makes combat feel fresh.

    Also I got to say, I was expecting the exploration to be way more restrictive but it's actually the opposite, there's a good amount of exploration, many side quests and areas to explore, and you can even hunt down monsters for materials to craft equipment. It takes a while for the game to open up though, it's very linear in the beginning, and has a lot of cutscenes that can be annoying, but once it opens up, it gets significantly better.

    The story is one of my favorite stories the series has to offer, it's pretty dark and serious, has so many twists and turns, and arguably some of the highest peaks in any game I've ever played. The cutscenes are gorgeous and the boss fights are absolutely jaw-dropping, not only in terms of spectacle but also in terms of gameplay, they're so god damn fun, probably the highlight of the entire game actually.
    Even the characters are very well written, Clive is my favorite protagonist in the series, and the side characters are very likeable and relatable in many ways. Their side stories are actually interesting, you can really tell how much love and effort was put into the story overall.

    As expected, the soundtrack is incredible, even though there's one moment in the game where the music didn't really fit in my opinion, every other track is amazing and very much fitting, I found myself either humming some melodies or even singing along to some songs as I was playing.

    What blew me away though is the Thousand Tomes, which works as some sort of a library for the game's world and lore where every single piece of information can be found there. It's honestly so important and useful, so much information and things to read so you can keep up with the story, learn about the characters, the monsters, the wars, the secrets of the world and pretty much everything the game has to offer. I actually reached the max level because I spend so much time collecting everything and it was a blast, for the first time ever in a videogame I genuinely loved reading, and finding out new information was always very exciting.

    That being said, I do have some few complaints to make, with the most obvious one being the tedious side quests, I actually did all of them yes, I spend way too much time in this game, it took me 77 hours to finish it because I did everything in the world and then finished the main story, and honestly... the side quest I genuinely liked were very few, specifically near the end of the game. Most side quests for like 80% of the game are actually kind of boring, they're not badly written in fact it's the other way around, the stories they tell are decent, it's just that all of them are somewhat the same, you go somewhere, kill someone or collect something, go back to the person you first talked to, thats it.

    Another issue is the amount of fetch quests specifically in the middle of the story, from 40% all the way to 60%, the pacing slows down and there's just a lot of random fetch quests that actually feel like filler content.

    Other than that, even with the issues I have, I'm in love with this game, playing it for the first time felt like a dream come true. What a beautiful experience, It's just so close to being a masterpiece.

    Final Rating: "Excellent" ~ 9.5/10.    … Expand
  7. Jgiron28
    Jun 24, 2023
    10
    An absolute masterpiece story is amazing and this game really hits the feels too it has everything any gamer could ask definitely GOTY contender with out a doubt one of the best games in 2023
  8. Bboymad
    Jun 23, 2023
    8
    I have never owned a PS home console in my life... until now. After intense consideration to splash the cash, I caved and purchased the PS5 with FFXVI bundle solely to be able to play this game as well as eventually all of the rest of the modern FF released in the last 15 years or so.

    I have just 2 words for my experience so far... Kyrie Eleison! The graphics, art-style and    I have never owned a PS home console in my life... until now. After intense consideration to splash the cash, I caved and purchased the PS5 with FFXVI bundle solely to be able to play this game as well as eventually all of the rest of the modern FF released in the last 15 years or so.

    I have just 2 words for my experience so far... Kyrie Eleison!

    The graphics, art-style and cinematography is absolutely stunning! My jaw dropped wide open just watching the intro cut scene. Crisis Core on the Switch, I think, prepared me with an insight as to how the combat mechanics would work and, more generally, all of the newer mechanics and systems this game provides.
    These are all certainly a huge change from the turn-based and conservative FF JRPGs I'm so heavily used to by now, but I am incredibly entertained and do not see it taking away from my experience whatsoever.

    I am currently playing on game on action mode, as I am also a fellow masochist that always plays any game on the most difficult mode from the start, and I am thoroughly enjoying the rewards of being challenged in battles. My only critique yet is the lack of a "nightmare" or "souls-like" mode of difficulty from the beginning, only because I consider myself a veteran in the ARPG / multitasking-reaction-battle category and I imagine, like most games that don't involve player skill as its core mechanic, the game will only become easier as I don't think there is a player-skill ceiling to master once I optimise my equipment. I may yet be surprised, however, but for now this is the only thing holding me back from giving this a 10. You think I'm being unfair? Because difficulty is not of the essence of the franchise? Go cry in a corner, peasanty square-smasher.

    In terms of actual performance, my expectations were incredibly high as I viewed (as an outsider) the PS series as the gold-standard of performance hardware alongside PC. Gratefully, the 60 FPS HD promised to me has definitely been delivered and I haven't yet noticed any visible frame drops on performance mode. I will admit that the FPS drop is noticeable on the max. graphical mode, but as I do not own any 4K output, there's no reason for me to use this setting!

    With everything considered, I can completely see why Sony decided to showcase FFXVI with a console bundle. This is 100% what a flagship software title should live up to.

    I've never experienced the endorphin tingles for 30 minutes straight without being on cocaine before, and I have FFXVI to thank for that.    … Expand
  9. mlhope0
    Jun 23, 2023
    7
    The combat is fun, but it's held back by on-rails RPG progression. It's also spaced out by chunks of fetch quests and long dialogue cinematics that are often uninteresting and padded with awkward silence between "cuts."

    Still, the teams behind the hero cinematics and Eikon battles deserve a lot of praise for making up for the game's shortcomings.
  10. Aquila9
    Jul 8, 2023
    0
    Not a FF game, maybe a good action game.
    I think newcomers can like it but for old FF fans this game is terribile.
    I quit FF16 after 30 hours and play just some hours FF 7 (1997 version) to make my heart happy again!
  11. Earendil1x
    Jun 23, 2023
    10
    Good combat system, cinematic eikon fights, engaging story.
    Lots of similarities to Final Fantasy XIV
  12. Slappyjigg
    Jun 26, 2023
    10
    This game is astounding, and really has the soul of Final Fantasy in it. The story is riveting and complicated (especially if you like diving deep into lore and the nuances of different nations and characters, their relationship to the story and to each other). The music is phenomenal as well, thanks to Mashayoshi Soken (the composer of the fantastic score of Final Fintasy XIV). He evenThis game is astounding, and really has the soul of Final Fantasy in it. The story is riveting and complicated (especially if you like diving deep into lore and the nuances of different nations and characters, their relationship to the story and to each other). The music is phenomenal as well, thanks to Mashayoshi Soken (the composer of the fantastic score of Final Fintasy XIV). He even wrote the music while in the hospital battling cancer! the visuals are, of course, top tier, and as usual Final Fantasy is looked at to set the bar of what's possible in gaming currently, and what the current gen systems are capable of.

    This is really one of my favorite Final Fantasy games of all time. It differs from other FF games in that it's far more action-oriented, swapping heavy stats and customizable weapons and armor for a more streamline crafting system that gives you choices but doesn't interfere too much in your performance and progression. You only control Clive, the main character, and give commands to his trusty hound, but get guest party members at different times through the story. The locales and regions you visit throughout the game are a combination of fairly large open areas to explore and story-driven corridors (not NEARLY as bad at Final Fantasy 13). Plot progression is clearly the name of the game and the driving force behind the team's decision to guide you through some simplified dungeons which lead you through room-to-room battles. Though it may seem disappointing that some area's are fairly simple in their design, the story at the end and the battles to get there definitely make up for it.

    As far as performance, I'm playing in graphics (fidelity) mode. There's a performance mode that target's 60fps, but it's far more variable and you can tell it bounces around in framerate depending on what's going on. Graphics mode is far more stable at 30fps, looks sharper and cleaner, and "shows off" the game a little more.

    My only gripe are the side quests, in how they seem to REALLY stand out in comparison to the story. All RPG's have side quests, be it fetch quests or "kill this monster and save my village", but after defeating a huge, towering God and seeing what Clive can do as he battles these massive Eikons (summons), it's a bit jarring whenyou return from one of those huge fights with ground-breaking implications on the story and have to pick up soil for a gardner who wants to grow fruit, or collect limestone to help someone make a knife. The developers try so hard to make Clive feel like a badass, and in battles and especially in the Eikon fights they succeed, but those simple quests right afterwards really put a leash on him.

    Overall, I HIGHLY recommend the game, for first-timers and old Final Fantasy veterans alike. Turn up the sound, enjoy the amazing sound effects and high-impact bass thuds of those epic fights with top-tier orchestrated music, and get lost in the world of Valisthea.    … Expand
  13. Burning_Jensen
    Jun 26, 2023
    10
    I love Torgul
    Best boy/10
    Who's a good boy? Torgul is!
    I can't wait for YoshiP and Yoshida-san to collaborate!
  14. Dexuz
    Jun 24, 2023
    10
    A Masterpiece. Se nota que esta hecho con cariño de parte de alguien que ama los videojuegos. Recomendado.
  15. hoangdvh
    Jun 24, 2023
    10
    GOTY 2023 here. Although not as good as FF7R gameplay, but the graphics, storyline and music are really better.
  16. VFB-Fan93
    Jun 23, 2023
    10
    This game is a significant evolution from previous games in the series. This game is more of a character action game than an RPG, and it focuses more on quick reflexes than on character-building RPG mechanics. The combat is described as excellent for an action RPG but is a bit lacking when compared to other character action games. The game has an epic, 50+ hour story filled withThis game is a significant evolution from previous games in the series. This game is more of a character action game than an RPG, and it focuses more on quick reflexes than on character-building RPG mechanics. The combat is described as excellent for an action RPG but is a bit lacking when compared to other character action games. The game has an epic, 50+ hour story filled with unforgettable characters, outstanding worldbuilding, an incredible soundtrack, and numerous spectacular moments.… Expand
  17. Huan_SenPai
    Jun 23, 2023
    10
    Too many good cutscenes just like an usual Final Fantasy does. xiv but it's real time action. No turnbase? this is a test of your reflexes!
    And Try Parsing
  18. moongrim
    Jun 24, 2023
    10
    One of the best Final Fantasy games of all time, so sorry Xbots I know things are really bad for you guys but you can still buy a Sony console so it's not all bad.
  19. Joel_hkg
    Jun 24, 2023
    10
    Um jogo simplesmente incrível, eu nunca fui muito fã de FF, mas esse tem um combate que realmente está me deixando animado
  20. LoeVae
    Jun 24, 2023
    10
    Im a long time FF fan and i love this game. After the intro is a bit of a slow burn with hallway corridors but it opens up afterwards similar to FF12. The writing is phantastic. I wish there would be more RPG elements but considering how great everything else is, its just a small qualm. If you dont like story driven games with a ton of cutscenes, its not for you but it should be expectedIm a long time FF fan and i love this game. After the intro is a bit of a slow burn with hallway corridors but it opens up afterwards similar to FF12. The writing is phantastic. I wish there would be more RPG elements but considering how great everything else is, its just a small qualm. If you dont like story driven games with a ton of cutscenes, its not for you but it should be expected for a Final Fantasy Fan… Expand
  21. SimonHTY
    Jun 23, 2023
    10
    Overall: 10/10
    Music:10/10 (Best of the best)
    Stroy:9/10
    Graphics:9/10
    Gameplay:9/10

    A wonderful game of PS5
  22. valyuu
    Jun 25, 2023
    10
    - The combat is fun if you give it a proper chance, learn the combos, and utilize the different tools you're provided with. You can finish the entire game spamming square, just as you can finish any turn-based FF spamming basic attack, if you hate yourself.
    - Eikon battles are kept simple, but as the big spectacles they were advertised to be. Each one increases in complexity, they are    - The combat is fun if you give it a proper chance, learn the combos, and utilize the different tools you're provided with. You can finish the entire game spamming square, just as you can finish any turn-based FF spamming basic attack, if you hate yourself.
    - Eikon battles are kept simple, but as the big spectacles they were advertised to be. Each one increases in complexity, they are definitely not all like the first two.
    - The story is a lot less Game of Thrones and more Final Fantasy and has that feeling to its core. You only occasionally notice where the inspiration may have been incorporated.
    - Best Cid
    - Clive is an incredibly well-developed main character that I loved from the very early parts of the game through to the end.
    - Side-quests are world-building extensions. They range from fetch quests to interesting lore tidbits. Entirely skippable if they're not your thing. Some have a very good story.
    - Played through the entire game on graphics mode and it looked amazing. Can't comment on performance mode.
    - I do have nitpicks about the game, but they didn't take away any enjoyment while playing. Such as:
    - magic-system could be more expansive,
    - You have party members by your side most of the time, you just can't control them. More banter would've been nice.
    - Few incentives to explore, but it is possible to do so.    … Expand
  23. SifAstraea
    Jun 24, 2023
    10
    I consider this to be the Final Fantasy the saga needed, to move on and to grow up and be on the same level of its fans.

    The story is simply easy to follow, intriguing, enjoyable, and also keeps you in a constant cliffhanger wanting to know what will follow. Sometimes it feels predictable and it end up surprising the player. Characters are great so far, both the good ones , the villains    I consider this to be the Final Fantasy the saga needed, to move on and to grow up and be on the same level of its fans.

    The story is simply easy to follow, intriguing, enjoyable, and also keeps you in a constant cliffhanger wanting to know what will follow. Sometimes it feels predictable and it end up surprising the player.

    Characters are great so far, both the good ones , the villains and secondary neutral characters, combat is extremely fun and addicting. It should have a harder option on the base game for the action combat enjoyers, but we got new game plus for that.

    The world, graphics, art style, etc are incredibly detailed and beautiful.

    I hope Final Fantasy continue to grow in this direction, and i recommend interested people to start with this new entry.    … Expand
  24. Kameh
    Jun 24, 2023
    10
    Je suis choqué de ce jeu, il est d’une qualité rarement égalé ! Je suis sous le charme des personnages et de l’ambiance ! Merci pour ce jeu !
  25. benerio
    Jun 27, 2023
    10
    Best Final Fantasy ever. Almost every elements of this game is next level. Story is great, battle system is breathtaking (yeah don't ever use those easy-mode accessories and you're in for quite a challenge), graphics and art direction are the best I've seen. And the music...oh my, the music should win every awards.

    I've never been gripped by an FF game like this in two decades.
  26. Tedboiyo
    Jun 24, 2023
    10
    One of the best spectacle based games ever made, and a truly worthy successor to asura wrath. Don't come into this game expecting RPG mechanics worth a damn, and you will have a damn good time. Only downside I can think of is the game got filler in the main quest, so be mindful of that.
  27. Ali33
    Jun 24, 2023
    10
    Really well done game, and it's optimised really well. These review bombs are totally rubbish. Good story, good combat, great graphics.. way better than anything else on ps5 by far.
  28. WyvernWhirlwind
    Jun 25, 2023
    10
    Story and gameplay is really good. Has good accessibility options with timely accessories that the game gives you off the jump.
  29. JMMartinez
    Jun 25, 2023
    10
    Uno de los mejores juegos de final fantasy que he jugado, la historia es muy buena, además de la jugabilidad que es de lo mejor. Los gráficos son increíbles y los personajes están muy bien estructurados
  30. straubsberry
    Jul 12, 2023
    5
    The issue with diversity does unfortunately reign true in this game. However, in every other aspect, I find it truly incredible. I hope that in the future the issues of characters fitting only one demographic will be fixed, and that I can rate a wonderful game without having to make mention of an issue we shouldn’t still be having.
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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 »