User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 8567 Ratings

User score distribution:
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  1. Jun 25, 2023
    0
    Decent action game, terrible final fantasy.

    Poor level design, no exploration, repetitive combat and game structure, overuse of QTE, atrocious sidequests and the list goes on
  2. Jun 25, 2023
    0
    Caveat - there may well be a lot of people new to final fantasy or even some fans who can find the fun in this game and judge it for what it is. I, however, can't. I am judging it on what it is not. Normally I'd suggest not to do this and to judge something on its own merit. The difference here is this game is called final fantasy 16. It's the 16th game in a long running series that hasCaveat - there may well be a lot of people new to final fantasy or even some fans who can find the fun in this game and judge it for what it is. I, however, can't. I am judging it on what it is not. Normally I'd suggest not to do this and to judge something on its own merit. The difference here is this game is called final fantasy 16. It's the 16th game in a long running series that has built up a fan base built around what that series represents. But this game doesn't represent them.

    And it's biggest problem is the patronising lip service it's trying to show it's older fans. If this game scrapped the shallow and awful character upgrade system and concentrated on being an action game with no rpg elements at all it may have been better. I'll end with this. For those of use who loved final fantasy and adored the depth of its upgrade systems and strategical pseudo-turned based combat, this game is not for you. Love to you all
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  3. Jun 25, 2023
    0
    I hate this game. I waited 10 years for Final Fantasy 15, and I waited 7 years for Final Fantasy 16. How many more years do we have to wait for the next Final Fantasy? We're all in our 20s to 40s now, and how many generations of Final Fantasy can we actually play? The truth is, players have spent a long time waiting for a game they love, but when the game finally comes out, it disappointsI hate this game. I waited 10 years for Final Fantasy 15, and I waited 7 years for Final Fantasy 16. How many more years do we have to wait for the next Final Fantasy? We're all in our 20s to 40s now, and how many generations of Final Fantasy can we actually play? The truth is, players have spent a long time waiting for a game they love, but when the game finally comes out, it disappoints its name.

    "Final Fantasy 16," let's just call it "Devil May Cry 16."

    First of all, it lacks any RPG elements. The equipment system, at least, is just for show, and it has almost no gameplay value.

    Secondly, the character development is terrible, except for Bahamut. In this game, only Bahamut's character design is successful. The main character and the female protagonist are both failures. One is only focused on revenge, and the other lacks any presence.
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  4. Jun 25, 2023
    0
    This is all what Sasel said in his channel; the game should been named whatever else but it clearly isn't a Final Fantasy. Im downloading XV again.
    To add injury it is highly aggravating that it can hurt your PS5 for its overheating issues. I just spent 70ussd and next thing it can literally destroy your console.
  5. Jun 25, 2023
    0
    Removed what makes Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy... Seems like a fun action game but does not match the name of the game. Resolution and frame rate deff could use some help. Not a fan of the motion blurr.
  6. Jun 25, 2023
    0
    Graphics:
    There are some awesome and horrible scenes and locations, but in general it is simply average.
    Gameplay: It is just a movie with corridors and fights between the cutscenes. Not what I personally prefer. Battle system: All you have to do is press a single button to attack an enemy. Sometimes you have to dodge, but most of the time you can't even see that the enemy is
    Graphics:
    There are some awesome and horrible scenes and locations, but in general it is simply average.

    Gameplay:
    It is just a movie with corridors and fights between the cutscenes. Not what I personally prefer.

    Battle system:
    All you have to do is press a single button to attack an enemy. Sometimes you have to dodge, but most of the time you can't even see that the enemy is going to hit you because of the ridiculous amount of effects. Most of the combat mechanics are unusable or simply useless. Pressing a square button does 99% of the fighting.

    Optimization:
    It is just terrible. Despite average graphics, it can't even maintain a stable 40 fps. The developers are just brаinlеss idiоts. As for 2023, it is simply unplayable. Even though they released the game on a single platform, they didn't manage to give it a decent optimization.

    Conclusion:
    It is a pity that nowadays developers dare to release such low quality gаrbаgе. Maybe the story is much better than the rest, but now I doubt I will finish the game.
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  7. Jun 25, 2023
    0
    Se siete fan di vecchia data evitate questo final fantasy come la peste.
    Di gioco di ruolo non ha quasi più niente, vi basti pensare che non esistono più le alterazioni di stato e i danni elementali sono inutili, se attaccate con il fuoco un nemico dello stesso elemento farete danni!
    Il design dei protagonisti è veramente squallido, il level up è praticamente inutile e potrei andare avanti
    Se siete fan di vecchia data evitate questo final fantasy come la peste.
    Di gioco di ruolo non ha quasi più niente, vi basti pensare che non esistono più le alterazioni di stato e i danni elementali sono inutili, se attaccate con il fuoco un nemico dello stesso elemento farete danni!
    Il design dei protagonisti è veramente squallido, il level up è praticamente inutile e potrei andare avanti per ore ad elencare difetti, il gioco è semplicemente un clone di Devil May cry con qualche aggiunta di gioco di ruolo.
    Se il futuro della serie è questo spero vivamente di non vedere mai il capitolo successivo
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  8. Jun 25, 2023
    0
    too many cutscenes
    too much battle effect
    too old hairstyle
    Wouldn't it have been better to make it into an animation rather than a game?
  9. Jun 26, 2023
    0
    If you adore the early final fantasy games (even the newer ones like FFVIIR) then this game isn't for you. The RPG elements are just an illusion and the game feels like a DMC ripoff that you can easily purchase for way less money. The Devs promised that there would be no boring side quests but they are all just your typical fetch quests that you find in any other game without the heftyIf you adore the early final fantasy games (even the newer ones like FFVIIR) then this game isn't for you. The RPG elements are just an illusion and the game feels like a DMC ripoff that you can easily purchase for way less money. The Devs promised that there would be no boring side quests but they are all just your typical fetch quests that you find in any other game without the hefty price tag. The only thing close to being true final fantasy game is having previously known summons now fulfill a role equivalent of Dante's weaponry from DMC3. Expand
  10. Jun 26, 2023
    0
    I got baited by the demo, which was by far the best part of the game. It seems like the game took the worst parts of FF14 which are the endless mind numbing fetch quests and threw them into FF16. Go talk to that guy and go bring this to this guy/girl. Some boss fights are great but some others are way over the top.

    Also where are the RPG elements in this game, where are the choices?
    I got baited by the demo, which was by far the best part of the game. It seems like the game took the worst parts of FF14 which are the endless mind numbing fetch quests and threw them into FF16. Go talk to that guy and go bring this to this guy/girl. Some boss fights are great but some others are way over the top.

    Also where are the RPG elements in this game, where are the choices? Everything is linear. There is very little customization. This is a hack and slash game with some RPG elements. There are much better ARPGs out there, God of War and Witcher come to mind witch much better systems all around. This game was a huge disappointment.
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  11. Jun 28, 2023
    0
    After completing the game, i was left somewhat pleased, but ultimately left wanting due to certain points i felt the game failed to provide, bearing the boastful title of a final fantasy game.

    - upgrading system is a complete disappointment. weapons, bracers, belts all provide strictly vertical upgrades to defense and attack, no effects or passives or anything decision making, and are
    After completing the game, i was left somewhat pleased, but ultimately left wanting due to certain points i felt the game failed to provide, bearing the boastful title of a final fantasy game.

    - upgrading system is a complete disappointment. weapons, bracers, belts all provide strictly vertical upgrades to defense and attack, no effects or passives or anything decision making, and are really easy to make, pretty much all the materials you need are spoonfed to you just playing it casually. may aswell not have it in the game at all.

    -No party system. get used to playing as the same guy from start to finish. With the "exception" of...the next point im going to make, the dog.

    -The pet dog torgal barely has any interaction. he gets a stat screen but you get no say or option to affect it in any way? not even food or other means to decide how he fights and gets stronger? big missed opportunity.

    -While the story is fairly impressive, and a less-then-wide cast of lovable and memorable characters, there are many segments that felt rushed and not fully realised, and suprisingly felt more like a means to answer questions quickly, There are also segments where the pacing becomes a bit too slow, and honestly. kind of boring. being forced to help npcs in a town hardly stays fun for long.

    -Virtually nothing else to do in the game except fight. fight, and more fight. most final fantasies have minigames of some kind to world build and overall add to the variety of experiences, and also rewards to go with it.

    -sidequests are the epitome of uninspired. there is some effort to make them connect to the main plot but you could skip all their cutscenes and it wont impact your view on the main story at all. also the rewards for sidequests are often underwhelming, and not worth the time in the grander scope of the experience, although they begin to pay out better by the time you reach the endgame.

    -No robust character customization. final fantasies are known for this. your only form of "customization" comes in the form of 3 accessory slots that in most cases slightly impact your moveset damage and cooldowns.

    -your combat abilities come in the form of Summons (eikons in this game) that provide you with cooldown attacks which is very thrilling visually, althought limiting it to just cooldown attacks and 1 passive function left me desiring more. A party system could have strongly helped in this department.

    -Music, sound design, effects and graphics or any other "superficial" aspect of the game where all top notch.

    conclusion:

    If you want a water-downed action rpg with impressive flashy visuals that dont challenge your mettle in any way with a decent/solid story, this is worthy of buying it used or on sale.
    on the flipside.....
    If you are planning to buy it, thinking you are going to get the true final fantasy experience, expecting that will get you lost in all of its depth and many facets of gameplay systems...... i cant recommend it in the slightest as you will be left wanting for somthing a bit more. I said all this without complaining that its not turn-based gameplay. Honestly, it was the furthest thing from my mind when i was playing this, final fantasy isnt about how the combat is, but more how it moves its genre to new levels, and makes you feel immersed in every way possible. The combat in this game did not redefine anything, its just the DMC combat director moving all of his usual stuff he does into a final fantasy action game.

    Final Fantasy is way more then this. its not just about fast, flashy gameplay and long-winded storytelling. It's that, plus much, much more. This is not final fantasy.
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  12. Jun 26, 2023
    0
    Absolutely nothing about it is innovative, the story is regurgitated and pretty much trying to ride the success of Game of Thrones and other epic shows which are "meta" right now.

    Gameplay is worse than some 2005 games and calling it an ARPG/JRPG/RPG is an insult. Even DMC3:SE was far superior. Graphics are a joke for a PS5 game, putting a lot of effects in the screen is not synonym
    Absolutely nothing about it is innovative, the story is regurgitated and pretty much trying to ride the success of Game of Thrones and other epic shows which are "meta" right now.

    Gameplay is worse than some 2005 games and calling it an ARPG/JRPG/RPG is an insult. Even DMC3:SE was far superior.

    Graphics are a joke for a PS5 game, putting a lot of effects in the screen is not synonym to good graphics, specially if you can't even keep 60 FPS consistently.

    Ah! And can't forget, the crystals and a billion pointless garbage side-quests to artificially inflate the size of the game to justify charging full game price for a 20 hour experience which is what made some parts of FF7R mediocre on what could have been an overall amazing game and got people worried about the sequels.

    I remember the days when Final Fantasy was synonym of trailblazing and doing things that no game had done before, this game was another nail in the coffin of mediocrity that is the current state of Square.

    Final Fantasy XVI is literally the cookie cutter of games, exactly what was expected of a game directed by Yoshi-P. Did not disappoint in that sense, the most run-of-the-mill, vanilla, mediocre game with zero memorable features. It was either that or doing what he does for most of XIV which is recycle old Final Fantasy content.

    Congratulations, you created the single player version of Final Fantasy XIV. Canned tuna with the budget and quality of a studio that should deliver caviar.
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  13. Jul 21, 2023
    0
    I guess anything passes as a Final Fantasy these days. This game goes to prove people will buy crap as long as a big name is attached to it. Shocking performance, story pacing and side quests. The gameplay is so shallow and easy that they might as well have made it an interactive movie experience. Turd of a game, don't care if Yoshi-P name and CBU3 made it.
  14. Jun 27, 2023
    0
    I thought I might not play FF anymore due to the very poor performance of the previous title, but after seeing the PV of the latest title, I had very high expectations, so I bought it. But after seeing the PV of the latest game, I was very excited and decided not to buy it. The screen is dark, the characters are not very attractive, the battle is monotonous with only button-pushing, andI thought I might not play FF anymore due to the very poor performance of the previous title, but after seeing the PV of the latest title, I had very high expectations, so I bought it. But after seeing the PV of the latest game, I was very excited and decided not to buy it. The screen is dark, the characters are not very attractive, the battle is monotonous with only button-pushing, and the story becomes boring in the middle. I am surprised that this game has a user score of 8. Expand
  15. Jun 27, 2023
    0
    I think this might be the worst Final Fantasy game in the series. The storyline is excellent and it grips you right from the start but that's all it has going for it.

    The game play is as linear as FF13 but can you believe, actually less intersting as you spend most of your time button mashing between three buttons for 1 character, and getting RSI in the wrist as a result. The only time
    I think this might be the worst Final Fantasy game in the series. The storyline is excellent and it grips you right from the start but that's all it has going for it.

    The game play is as linear as FF13 but can you believe, actually less intersting as you spend most of your time button mashing between three buttons for 1 character, and getting RSI in the wrist as a result. The only time battles have been worse would be in FF8.

    The game feels like a few easy battles getting in the way of cut scenes. Everyone that loves it seems to go on about the story ... someone needs to create a YouTube vid of all the cutscenes, as that's really all there is to the game. Everything else seems like a feeble distraction. This is not an RPG. And if you want a good action game there are far better ones out there.
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  16. Aug 9, 2023
    0
    WORST FINAL FANTASY GAME EVER
    Stay far away from this commercial mess, because it was a disaster of mammoth proportion
    Fist, it's not a jrpg, it's just an action "game" with more cinematics and QTE rather than gameplay. Second, it was a flat and repetitive action game. The kids of you can clearly see the whole pattern of the atrocious gameplay after just 2 hours. Third, it has a
    WORST FINAL FANTASY GAME EVER
    Stay far away from this commercial mess, because it was a disaster of mammoth proportion

    Fist, it's not a jrpg, it's just an action "game" with more cinematics and QTE rather than gameplay.
    Second, it was a flat and repetitive action game.
    The kids of you can clearly see the whole pattern of the atrocious gameplay after just 2 hours.
    Third, it has a generic boring plot, partially copied by other stuff like game of thrones, but without literally any kind of depth or any kind of inspiration.
    It feels like an insipid and general generic mess
    Don't waste your time with this, it isn't worth it
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  17. Jun 27, 2023
    0
    This game is Final Fantasy in name only. Absolutely nothing about it hearkens back to what Final Fantasy used to be. There are no party members, it is not an RPG and they say the F word more times than a Limp Bizkit song. Final Fantasy XIV is the last great Final Fantasy to ever be made if this is the direction the series is going.

    It would make more sense to call this game something
    This game is Final Fantasy in name only. Absolutely nothing about it hearkens back to what Final Fantasy used to be. There are no party members, it is not an RPG and they say the F word more times than a Limp Bizkit song. Final Fantasy XIV is the last great Final Fantasy to ever be made if this is the direction the series is going.

    It would make more sense to call this game something completely else because Final Fantasy it is not. Do not waste your time or your money. You can't manipulate stats to make "builds", it's extremely linear and is filled to the brim with gore. You can't equip new weapons or armor, there are no side activities, no secret bosses or anything like that. It's basically the Last of Us, everything to look at and nothing to do. I remember when one of the developers said they were concerned about the direction Final Fantasy gameplay was going. They were correct.

    Imagine taking Kingdom Hearts and doing to that what they have done to this game. Naoki Yoshida, I expected better from you.
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  18. Aug 2, 2023
    0
    Metacritic has now deleted 3 of my accounts because I called out this game for dropping to 720p and sub 30 fps. At least I now know for a fact this site is paid off
  19. Jun 28, 2023
    0
    Final Fantasy XVI is not a good game. It is representative of a cynical, lowest-common-denominator approach to game development--the ultimate expression of flash over substance.

    I've been playing FF games since the NES, and have enjoyed the development of the series over time. The recent action-hybrid system in FF7 Remake, for example, was a particularly good innovation that built upon
    Final Fantasy XVI is not a good game. It is representative of a cynical, lowest-common-denominator approach to game development--the ultimate expression of flash over substance.

    I've been playing FF games since the NES, and have enjoyed the development of the series over time. The recent action-hybrid system in FF7 Remake, for example, was a particularly good innovation that built upon the successes of the past. XVI, however, abandons the past in order to chase after an entirely different gaming audience. The developers have betrayed their own fanbase, cynically concluding both that their old fans will buy the game anyway, and the new audience will be bigger.

    The problem is that XVI doesn't even succeed at what it is trying to be. As an action game it lacks combat depth, and it is very rudimentary and simplistic. Anything even slightly challenging would frustrate the so-called game journalists and lead to lower reviews, so players are treated to the most repetitive, basic combat available in any modern action game, paired with a complete absence of difficulty. The summon battles are even more unsophisticated, playing out like a two-button rail shooter. The very basic QTEs shoe-horned in throughout the game add to the sense that the developers have no new ideas.

    In addition, the developers seem to have cottoned on to the idea that 'mature' means copy-pasting from Game of Thrones. After all, GoT is popular, just like action games. Sometimes, the blatant ripping off of GoT content is so ridiculous as to be laughable, but mostly it comes across as extraordinarily cringe-inducing. This would not be such a big deal if the game were not convinced that it is an HBO miniseries instead of a game. Be prepared to actually 'play' the game for only 15 minutes out of every hour spent with it. The cutscenes are continuous and relentless. But given how dreadful the combat is, perhaps the interminable cutscenes will be a welcome relief.

    Pacing is simply awful, and the towns themselves are reduced to linear paths with NPCs along the side, to say nothing of the dungeons which are even less interesting. There are no places to explore, no treasures to be found in hidden areas, and the sidequests are creatively bankrupt, straight out of the WoW playbook. The storyline goes to pieces in the latter half of the game, and the final boss and conclusion are ridiculous and unfulfilling. The game adds a more challenging NG+ mode after completion, but it's hard to believe anyone would voluntarily play through it again after knowing that the latter portion of the game offers nothing.

    The music and voice acting are both solid and even good in places. Neither is quite top-shelf but both are serviceable, let down by writing, pacing, and setting more than by execution. But these few bright points are obviously not enough to carry the game.

    In the end, a lot of money spent on buying favourable impressions might lead to some people buying this game unaware of just what they're going to get. But, if they've any sense, they won't make that mistake twice: this game really will be their *Final* Fantasy.
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  20. Jun 28, 2023
    0
    Como um amante da franquia Final Fantasy, estou muito frustrado com os caminhos tomados no desenvolvimento dos últimos games. A essência foi perdida e muito do que colocaram no lugar simplesmente não funciona bem, como por exemplo a fórmula de exploração e side-quests enfadonhas e datadas...
  21. Aug 18, 2023
    0
    Bad game. Bad Story, playing like an arcade game, Eikons is just arcade Sega style button mashing in a soulless caves.

    Final Fantasy 7 remake in the other hand is a masterpiece.
  22. Jul 1, 2023
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is not a RPG, there are no party members, the only different roles are what skills are equipped which is used in any type of action/adventure game these days, Square Enix has lost what made Final Fantasy special which can be seen by it losing ground to other less known brands like Monster Hunter, Persona Series. Those games have focused on gameplay and being innovative instead of graphics and being like everyone else cough Devil May Cry cough. Also did not enjoy all the needless cutscenes which should only be there for the major story elements, for example this game has over 20 hours of cutscenes vs FFX's 6 hours which did it alot better and more meaningful. Expand
  23. Jul 4, 2023
    0
    Eu gostei muito de Final Fantasy VI, até hoje acho que não joguei nenhum RPG que chegasse próximo da experiência que aquela obra prima da Square me deu. De fato um dos melhores jogos já feitos, mas aqui fica a pergunta, será que vou voltar a jogar um RPG desse desenvolvedora? Porque aqui em Final Fantasy XVI não será infelizmente, aqui é apenas mais um hack n slash como tantos outros.
  24. 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!
  25. Jul 26, 2023
    0
    The worst Final Fantasy ever, slow, boring and with characters without character and sympathy. Unattractive plot and with a repetitive and unoriginal combat system worse than any hack and slash. Beautiful only the graphics even if not very fluid.
  26. Jul 28, 2023
    0
    This is not a game, it's a movie.I got bored after about 10 hours and could not finish the game. The fights, especially with the summons, are tedious and awful
  27. Jul 29, 2023
    0
    Regretting purchasing this game, poor frame count, poor combat experience, poor side quests, poor ending, and the gameplay made people feel sleepy.
  28. Jul 31, 2023
    0
    I finished the game but can't get myself to do NG+, but I will do it anyway since I already paid for this game.

    I'm happy that this is catering to the vast majority whose standards are low. At least Square-Enix will thrive. But for anyone with even an inkling of having a critical eye, it's not difficult to see that this game has deviated so much from what the whole franchise was all
    I finished the game but can't get myself to do NG+, but I will do it anyway since I already paid for this game.

    I'm happy that this is catering to the vast majority whose standards are low. At least Square-Enix will thrive. But for anyone with even an inkling of having a critical eye, it's not difficult to see that this game has deviated so much from what the whole franchise was all about. Sure, I did get excited when you got to the new hideaway, and when a certain uncle went with you. But that was all the takeaway. The high-octane battles and "story" that everyone else were praising were really lackluster to me. I give it a zero the same way unjustified 10s are being thrown in this utter disrespect to the legacy of Final Fantasy.

    If they really cared, they should look at what the negative comments are highlighting (there's already so many valid points raised) and publicly address whether they're justified or not.
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  29. Aug 3, 2023
    0
    One of the worst Final Fantasy games ever played
    It's not even a jrpg anymore, because the development team are too busy to copy game of thrones and make flashy cinematics for a QTE game.
    Biggest disappointment of the year
  30. Aug 10, 2023
    0
    As a die-hard Final Fantasy 7 Remake fan, I had high hopes for Final Fantasy 16, but it falls short of capturing the same magic. The story lacks the depth, the characters feel one-dimensional and fail to leave a lasting impact. The combat system, while flashy, lacks the strategic depth and tactical options that made the Remake's battles so thrilling. Additionally, the graphics and worldAs a die-hard Final Fantasy 7 Remake fan, I had high hopes for Final Fantasy 16, but it falls short of capturing the same magic. The story lacks the depth, the characters feel one-dimensional and fail to leave a lasting impact. The combat system, while flashy, lacks the strategic depth and tactical options that made the Remake's battles so thrilling. Additionally, the graphics and world design feel uninspired. 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]