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. InfinumKitsune
    Sep 12, 2023
    7
    The story was great and the mechanics were... interesting. The overall issue I had with the game is the same issue that most AAA games, especially those coming out of Square Enix lately (mind you this is my favorite studio and favorite franchise of all time), it's more of a movie than a game. There is lackluster exploration with little no reward for. Back to the mechanics, whileThe story was great and the mechanics were... interesting. The overall issue I had with the game is the same issue that most AAA games, especially those coming out of Square Enix lately (mind you this is my favorite studio and favorite franchise of all time), it's more of a movie than a game. There is lackluster exploration with little no reward for. Back to the mechanics, while interesting, they lacked any real substance. I have a love for magic in my fantasy games and there is that element in the game, but honestly it's so underwhelming. Square said they would return to their roots with this game and in a lot of ways, they did, but not enough. This cinematic beauty still leaves a lot to be desired.… Expand
  2. AutisticPS_Pony
    Sep 12, 2023
    2
    Never played it. Will pirate PC version because me so poor I can't buy to play. I will wait the RUNE or TENOKE version of the game. Thank you Sony for investing, very nice! Much love Jim!
  3. auqwe
    Sep 12, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This ending broke me. I cried so hard : ( .… Expand
  4. eshmin
    Sep 11, 2023
    10
    Good story, good music, good combat- truly a rollercoaster ride.and I hope the series continues on this trajectory.
  5. bananaapp
    Sep 11, 2023
    10
    Such an amazing game from start to finish this will be a final fantasy people will talk about for a long time.
  6. Ab17
    Sep 11, 2023
    10
    Este Final Fantasy es el mejor de todos los tiempos y Clive es uno de los mejores personajes de todos los FF.
  7. Bigboss_3zoz
    Sep 11, 2023
    7
    Square keeps playing with the formula until the game lost its identity.
    Unfortunately there is no RPG elements in the game anymore Weak exploration Weak customization Button mashing fights that are repetitive, I no more put any thoughts in the fights like a real Final Fantasy game
    Really disappointed of hoe square keeps experimenting in the game while they had the winning formula
  8. Enrikenarga01
    Sep 11, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Um Game que preencheu completamente minhas espectativa, me deixou muito satisfeito principalmente sua gameplay que graças a deus não e um jrpg, graficamente incrível sem nenhum erro, ele é um pilar pra saga final fantasy e mais que um jogo, um exemplo de como fazer um jogo.… Expand
  9. FluffusMilo
    Sep 11, 2023
    9
    Even though it barely qualifies as a RPG, Final Fantasy XVI more than makes up for it with its excellent story, characters, gameplay, soundtrack and spectacle. Certainly an accomplishment that Yoshi P and his team can be proud of.

    The game set out to reinvent the wheel and redefine what a Final Fantasy title can be with its switch to a combat system resembling that of Devil May Cry. I    Even though it barely qualifies as a RPG, Final Fantasy XVI more than makes up for it with its excellent story, characters, gameplay, soundtrack and spectacle. Certainly an accomplishment that Yoshi P and his team can be proud of.

    The game set out to reinvent the wheel and redefine what a Final Fantasy title can be with its switch to a combat system resembling that of Devil May Cry. I am happy to report that it has partially accomplished its goal or atleast, where it matters the most.

    The combat system is one of the most satisfying ones I've ever experienced in a game. It depends less on weapon builds or stats, because you only have one weapon type (sword), but more on the Eikon skills you unlock after every major Eikon fight. These skills offer some of the best moves and attacks in the video game industry and it's quite easy to come up with some crazy builds and get the ball rolling. The game also features companions in the form of AI controlled NPCs that fight alongside you. (Torgal is best boy) Although, that is not to mean that they'll play the game for you, you'll still need to do most of the heavy lifting to win the fight.

    One of the biggest highlights of the game is its astounding soundtrack made by Masayoshi Soken. The quality of music he offers with his composition is a true work of art and unbeaten by any game released this year. From the instruments to the vocals, you can just feel the story hidden inside the tracks.

    The game also offers one of the best Final Fantasy stories to date, despite its dark and gritty tone. I would even dare to argue that this tone enhances the story and enables alternative, transparent ways to tell it. It's a story about the bonds of family and friendship, human nature and our will to endure every threat that stands in our way.

    Clive is also one of the best protagonists of the franchise, on the same pedestal as Cloud. The side characters are also a treat and handled like real people trying to survive in a world that wants to enslave and/or kill them. This however, does not mean that the characters act like angsty teenagers all the time. There is a very human and hopeful side to them that really shines through in the dialogue, cutscenes and gameplay. One of the best cast for a mainline Final Fantasy game in a long while.

    THE highlight of the game however, are the Eikon fights, where you turn into a Godzilla-sized Eikon called Ifrit and battle iconic summons such as Garuda, Titan, Bahamut and Odin. The sheer spectacle and outsatnding choreography included in these fights is otherworldly. Adding to that, most of the spectacle happens in-game with the player controlling Ifrit rahter than through cutscenes. At this point of the game, it also becomes very apparent that they did not save any money. They had a huge budget and they used it.

    The only drawbacks to the game however are the insignificance of the RPG mechanics and the complete removal of the traditional turn-based combat. Crafting and equipping a sword with higher numbers is as RPG as it gets and that's about it, which wouldn't have been a problem if Square-Enix hadn't marketed the game as an Action-RPG. I also believe they could have struck a great balance between real-time and turn-based combat like the FFVII remake.

    All in all, Final Fantasy XVI is a game that I will remember for a very long time, due to its outstanding story, excellent characters, unforgettable soundtrack and satisfying gameplay.    … Expand
  10. WithFieryTruth
    Sep 11, 2023
    4
    I tried to post an in-depth review for this game, but the coding on the Metacritic website is as bad as always and gives me a 403 error whenever I try to post it. I guess I'll make a shorter one and hope it's accepted.

    The story, characters and soundtrack are all great, but the combat system is one of the worst I've ever had to endure throughout my life as a gamer, mainly for one    I tried to post an in-depth review for this game, but the coding on the Metacritic website is as bad as always and gives me a 403 error whenever I try to post it. I guess I'll make a shorter one and hope it's accepted.

    The story, characters and soundtrack are all great, but the combat system is one of the worst I've ever had to endure throughout my life as a gamer, mainly for one reason: enemy HP.
    Basically, every enemy in the game has a ridiculous overabundance of health, especially the bosses. It doesn't really add to the challenge of the game; it's just there to artificially prolong it.
    The situation is so bad that the button mashing that is required makes my hand physically hurt to the point where I deliberately have to take breaks from playing just to recover from the pain. This is the first game I've played since Track & Field on the NES where this has happened, and that should say something about how awful it is.

    Do yourself a favor and just watch a Let's Play of Final Fantasy XVI instead of playing it yourself.    … Expand
  11. Manquele
    Sep 11, 2023
    10
    9, pero toca darle el 10, porque metacritic tiene un sistema de mierda dejando que par de cavernicolas tanto de revistas como de casa puedan poner sus notas sin criterio, me hare 16 cuentas mas para darle un 10, par de revistas de mordor dando notas pesimas, ni saben donde se sientan a cagar
  12. eclesis
    Sep 11, 2023
    0
    An extremely mediocre game that manages to be boring for almost 50 hours non stop.
    The gameplay is simplistic and does not even compare to its sources of inspiration: Devil May Cry, God of War etc…
    The game is far too easy and even boss fights are stacked with checkpoints so that you can restart mid-fight in the unlikely case you would die. Fighting is boring and ultra repetitive. The    An extremely mediocre game that manages to be boring for almost 50 hours non stop.
    The gameplay is simplistic and does not even compare to its sources of inspiration: Devil May Cry, God of War etc…
    The game is far too easy and even boss fights are stacked with checkpoints so that you can restart mid-fight in the unlikely case you would die.
    Fighting is boring and ultra repetitive.
    The gear system and abilities system are jokes and are not interesting.
    The item system is useless and you can breeze through the game by using only potions.
    There is no strategy in fights, you just damage, damage, and damage. No status, no magic, nothing… And there are so many explosions of lights that you can not see enemies attacking.
    The pacing of the game is horrible with extremely long cutscenes for the main story where people walk slowly, talk slowly, stare, and repeat the same things over and over. Every motion is slow, taking a quest, giving an item to an NPC, displaying the reward screen. And most of the time you can not speed it up, it’s either skip it or endure it.
    The main story is extremely simple and always repeats the same pattern: The bad guy of the hour appears, side quests to solve to go to the bad guy lair, fight with the bad guy, repeat over and over until the end. The villain of the game is revealed extremely early and from there there will be almost no twists. Everything that happens is easy to anticipate. The relationships between people are strange and very cringy. Even the romance between Clive and Jill is not good. The characters that accompany Clive are dull and uninteresting. Their clothes and designs are so devoid of color and originality that they look like any other random NPC. And since you do not control them, it does not feel like they are part of the adventure. The story is also an uninspired copy/paste of Game of Thrones and Witcher 3 in so many ways that it’s impossible to find a shred of originality in it.
    The side quests are a complete disaster and just MMORPG like side quests, devoid of any interest and impact on the story. You could just skip them and be the better for it. Their pacing and fetching pattern is also horrible.
    The game has 2 lore characters that are here to give the impression that the story is complex and ends up telling you most of the time nothing: One of them tells you: The king will probably do something soon. How is that even smart?
    There is no exploration, no map with free movements. It’s corridor after corridor after corridor.
    The chocobos are nice because they make you gain time. Otherwise they are useless. Same for the Mog.
    The main villain looks like an alien version of Marilyn Manson and does not inspire fear.
    The main character is a little interesting at the beginning but becomes very dull as the adventure goes on.
    Also the power scale does not make sense in this game, with simple thieves challenging your character to fight when he has god-like powers.

    Some of the musical pieces are good, especially during boss fights (except a very strange techno music that is the most horrible thing I have heard in an RPG). But others themes are just copy-paste of older FF music ( FF VIII, FF XIV) that do not have their place in this game.
    The only thing this game has going for it is that it is quite beautiful. But this is often diminished by having a lot of dark and dull environments. This makes the world dull and everything but a fantasy world.

    Also some of the Dominants fights and the last fight are quite epic. It’s such a shame that they are so easy and simple. It removes all sense of stakes and dread.    … Expand
  13. MTMPX
    Sep 11, 2023
    10
    It’s one of my favorite FF games! music and combat is so good!! .
  14. glossR
    Sep 11, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A good ending is always nice but in my opinion this ending fits good to the game because its dark and like evil.… Expand
  15. Gogonotime
    Sep 10, 2023
    10
    This game so good! music is amazing! my GOTY!!!! .
  16. JUICE__
    Sep 10, 2023
    9
    FF 16 is really good but not my favorite of the year. The fact that BG3 has both a higher critic score and user score than FF 16 and TOTK (which isn't affecting this review) is honestly mindblowing and somewhat rigged. Thank you, Square Enix. Also, most of the "zero" reviews on FF 16 are fake (just like most games really) so ignore them
  17. stipex
    Sep 10, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Będąc szczerym to jest jedna z najlepszych gier w jaką kiedykolwiek grałem walka w tej grze jest unikalna w porównaniu do wielu innych tytułów fabuła i świat są świetnie napisane tak naprawdę do niczego się nie mogę przyczepić zakończenie nawet najtwardszych umie przełamać gra jest zdecydowanie 10/10… Expand
  18. Lukishere
    Sep 10, 2023
    7
    I love FF from the very beginning, don't get me wrong - I like this game BUT sometimes feels empty and the copy pasted sidequests are really a issue... I love the story, lore and music! I hope in the future with the DLCs they could improve performance and add more value! :)
  19. LJfriedChiken
    Sep 10, 2023
    10
    This game seems to have a charm about it. The story and the combat flow smoothly and most - not all - side quests are pretty interesting; they can give a dive on the past of some of the side characters. As the news comes that they are in the works for DLC, I’ll, with no doubt, come back to this game in the future.
  20. vincent-Morgan
    Sep 10, 2023
    10
    I bought the game without seeing any trailers or gameplay and now that i completed the game i must say what a game, The dark fantasy the characters are really good!!!!
  21. iMustang
    Sep 10, 2023
    8
    Final Fantasy XVI is truly an experience, even if an incomplete one. With a M rating and a near fully voice-acted game, XVI quickly solidifies itself as one of the boldest entries in the series to date. Taking inspiration from Game of Thrones this world and it’s politics are clearly laid out from the beginning creating immediate interest and investment into our cast of characters. With theFinal Fantasy XVI is truly an experience, even if an incomplete one. With a M rating and a near fully voice-acted game, XVI quickly solidifies itself as one of the boldest entries in the series to date. Taking inspiration from Game of Thrones this world and it’s politics are clearly laid out from the beginning creating immediate interest and investment into our cast of characters. With the focus on eikons (summons) and the dominants they inhabit, XVI quickly creates some of the most unique and memorable characters in the series history, as well as by far the best and most impressive boss battles in video game history. The gameplay with its flashy nature and multiple styles of play was almost always charming to me and a welcome direction for the series. Mix these pretty visuals with great characters and add in another legendary soundtrack, and from the beginning XVI hooks you.

    However, like most Final Fantasy games, this one is far from perfect. With a very straightforward story I would not normally complain about it’s linear nature, but the biggest missed opportunity is most of the landmarks spoken of in the game are ones you never visit. The capitol cities have big designs and we’re clearly detailed by the artists, but you only see them in cutscenes or at most briefly see pieces of them during story segments. This is really disappointing from a game with so much setup in the first act of the story, which leads to the second major disappointment, the story. XVI peaks nearly two-thirds into the adventure and never recovers. What started boldly with intense drive and conviction falls flat after a major threat is addressed, then overstays it’s welcome with a bland final act. The icing on the cake, the ending seems missing. With two DLC expansions on the horizon, I am completely convinced Square Enix is saving the true ending behind a paywall. While I’m excited even now to see how the story concludes, I’m disappointed that Square continues to do things like this with the franchise. There is always a chance I’m wrong about this, and if I am, then I would go so far to say this is one of the weakest endings in the series history.

    While far from perfect, Final Fantasy XVI is still an experience worth playing for any fan of the series. At its core it is fun, beauiful, intense, and impactful. I have far more happy memories with this game than I ever will unpleasant ones, and my opinion can only improve with upcoming DLC. Until then I have to judge the game as it is, and even with that in mind, what we have is still pretty dang great.    … Expand
  22. Ruvik90
    Sep 10, 2023
    10
    Flipas loco!!!junela que me maten patos laos pegando palos!!te quedas to pillado!
  23. cracc
    Sep 10, 2023
    10
    Incredible game, best ff games !! my GOTY in 2023!! .
  24. spaghettiwest
    Sep 10, 2023
    10
    fantastic game. the fights are spectacular, the story is fantastic and epic. the music stays with you and you hear it inside your head while you sleep or while you eat.
  25. VincentValen
    Sep 10, 2023
    9
    Final Fantasy 16 to me is a Masterpiece. Right up there with FF7. This game hurt me with the loss of.... You know if you know... All the sacrifices the characters made. The story, the gameplay. Amazing. I just wish that you could play as the other characters. I feel that was a huge missed opportunity. I put 80hrs into this game before I could give my review and I'm glad I waited. The lastFinal Fantasy 16 to me is a Masterpiece. Right up there with FF7. This game hurt me with the loss of.... You know if you know... All the sacrifices the characters made. The story, the gameplay. Amazing. I just wish that you could play as the other characters. I feel that was a huge missed opportunity. I put 80hrs into this game before I could give my review and I'm glad I waited. The last 20% of this game was the best. Is it really a Final Fantasy game if it doesn't break your heart?… Expand
  26. BigKidPlays
    Sep 9, 2023
    6
    The demo was the best part of the game in hindsight. The rest of the game is so slow, with so many cut scenes, dialogues, long mission completed screens, slow traversal, etc, and it's all made worse by so much filler and useless side quests. Somewhere in here is a decent story (but with a lacklustre ending) with some fun, mindless combat but it's just bogged down in a slog of content thatThe demo was the best part of the game in hindsight. The rest of the game is so slow, with so many cut scenes, dialogues, long mission completed screens, slow traversal, etc, and it's all made worse by so much filler and useless side quests. Somewhere in here is a decent story (but with a lacklustre ending) with some fun, mindless combat but it's just bogged down in a slog of content that doesn't matter. And yes the side quests are that bad... some of the worst I've ever seen. The positives of the game just can't outdo the negatives.… Expand
  27. Patio_Brian
    Sep 9, 2023
    6
    Pros:
    - amazing graphics and cinematics
    - thrillingly epic boss battles - enjoyable, action heavy combat system - some nice music Cons: - boring world and characters - generic and predictable story - boring and repetitive missions and mini dungeons - boring artistic design with dull colour palette I was really looking forward to this new chapter in the Final Fantasy series. The last game    Pros:
    - amazing graphics and cinematics
    - thrillingly epic boss battles
    - enjoyable, action heavy combat system
    - some nice music

    Cons:
    - boring world and characters
    - generic and predictable story
    - boring and repetitive missions and mini dungeons
    - boring artistic design with dull colour palette I was really looking forward to this new chapter in the Final Fantasy series. The last game was refreshingly different but enjoyable and I hoped this new game would continue the tradition. I thought that the medieval setting and the mature rating were good signs and so I allowed myself to get my hopes up for the game. Even the early reviews of the game were all positive, so I purchased the game ready for an excellent experience.

    It started out strong with an impressive opening and I was impressed by its new action heavy battle system. But then after a few hours playing the game's incredibly dreary tone and boring characters began to get to me. I found it hard to emotionally invest in such flat characters and so the actions in the world all had less impact. Despite the game constantly showing off the horrors of its world, the dull characters prevented me from feeling the intended emotions. My hope was that if I kept playing either the tone would lighten up or at least the characters would become more interesting. But that did not happen and I finished the game feeling underwhelmed, despite a fun and epic final boss battle. This game reminded me about how important decent writing is for a game that has a play time of over 30 hours.    … Expand
  28. Linktrifuerza
    Sep 9, 2023
    8
    Final fantrasy XVI es difícil de describir, sin dudad se trata de un gran titulo muy divertido y épico pero llega a ser algo inconsistente en su historia principal, aun así vale completamente la pena si cuentas con un ps5, un imperdible.
  29. Sylphrena1
    Sep 9, 2023
    10
    Character- 10/10
    Story - 10/10
    Gameplay - 10/10
    Music - 10/10
    Graphics - 10/10
  30. GyattHunter
    Sep 9, 2023
    10
    I've played since the first final fantasy and haven't truly enjoyed myself to this degree since 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 »