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. Davja
    Jul 6, 2023
    10
    Great game, engaging story and the right type of ending for a final fantasy
  2. Jeffmello88
    Jun 24, 2023
    10
    A história é bem intrigante, te prende do início ao fim. O sistema de batalha acompanhado do design de personagens e o cenário bem desenhado te faz esquecer que esse jogo não é de mundo aberto.
  3. Timsen375
    Jul 2, 2023
    10
    Nachdem ich das Spiel beendet habe, fehlen mir echt die Worte. Final Fantasy 16 ist ein Ausnahme Titel, den wir so schnell nicht wieder bekommen werden. Der Einstieg, für jemanden der viele Action Spiele gespielt hat, ist vielleicht etwas zu langsam und die Nebenmissionen sind vom Ablauf etwas zu rudimentär, da hört allerdings auch schon die Kritik auf. Ein richtiges Party System und mehrNachdem ich das Spiel beendet habe, fehlen mir echt die Worte. Final Fantasy 16 ist ein Ausnahme Titel, den wir so schnell nicht wieder bekommen werden. Der Einstieg, für jemanden der viele Action Spiele gespielt hat, ist vielleicht etwas zu langsam und die Nebenmissionen sind vom Ablauf etwas zu rudimentär, da hört allerdings auch schon die Kritik auf. Ein richtiges Party System und mehr RPG Elemente wären noch schön gewesen, aber der Bombast der das Spiel bietet ist nicht von dieser Welt. Selbst ein God of War wird in manchen Fällen noch übertroffen, so gewaltig und episch sind manche Szenen. Stellenweise war ich echt sprachlos, weil ich nicht glauben konnte was auf dem Bildschirm passiert. Untermalt wird alles von einem fantastischen Soundtrack. Die Story ist der Wahnsinn, zwar muss man sich erst ein wenig in der Welt zurecht finden, wenn man aber mal den Durchblick hat ist es einfach nur noch genial. Das Kampfsystem selbst zählt zu einem der besten überhaupt und muss sich überhaupt nicht vor anderen Großen Namen verstecken. Final Fantasy 16 hat eine klare Vision, die konsequent durchgezogen wird. Sowas kann nur mit einer 10/10 belohnt werden! Neben God of War Ragnarök ist dass DAS Spiel dieser Generation bisher. Auch kann ich sagen, dass ist GOTY. Einzig Spiderman 2 könnte das noch ändern, aber das müsste gewaltig gut sein. Respekt an Naokida Yoshia und sein Team, für diese fantastische Arbeit!!… Expand
  4. Thrftshopper
    Jun 25, 2023
    6
    I wanted to like it, being a long time Final Fantasy fan, but hardly anything about the game feels like a FF title. It's a decent game on its own but would have been better served being its own IP.
  5. Gigachad2
    Jun 30, 2023
    10
    Sehr sehr geiles Spiel, hoffe Sony liefert so weiter und es kommen noch viele geile Games raus
  6. N00neman666
    Jul 2, 2023
    10
    Absolutely awesome. As a fan of the series for over 20 years I think this is the best Final Fantasy game in a long time. If this a glimpse at what the future of this series could be then count me in. Long live Final Fantasy.
  7. jack_the_pres
    Jul 7, 2023
    9
    There will be minor SPOILERS AHEAD

    Cons - Most sidequests are too bland - The overworld has little to no interaction, and the treasure you find while exploring will 90% be crafting materials or consumables - The job fantasy of FF isn't here, and you can issue commands only to Torgal - The cutscenes keep breaking the gameplay constantly, it would've been better if the game worked    There will be minor SPOILERS AHEAD

    Cons
    - Most sidequests are too bland
    - The overworld has little to no interaction, and the treasure you find while exploring will 90% be crafting materials or consumables
    - The job fantasy of FF isn't here, and you can issue commands only to Torgal
    - The cutscenes keep breaking the gameplay constantly, it would've been better if the game worked like God of War 2018 and Ragnarok, where the conversations happen realtime
    - The party does not comment on sidequests, only Clive talking to himself. It would be cool if the party interacted between themselves from time to time too, like FFXV
    - There is a lot of downtime, and some people may find it boring
    - Too much anime, at some moment Clive will win a fight with a super punch in the enemy face
    - I wanted more Eikon fights with more mechanics, ex: Phoenix fight and the beggning of Titan Lost
    - Give me more QTEs!
    - Make the Hunts harder!

    Pros
    - The protagonist is my favorite one
    - This is one of the best FF stories. Some may argue the final bad guy has a predictable purpose and that's fine, because the other characters make the story deep enough so you can care about what will happen to them
    - The cast is really great, with Cid being my favorite one too
    - The combat system may look flat, but there is a lot of things that you can do by combining eikonic abilities, you can weave your attacks with torgal to greatly extend combos, and is just good to hit things in this game
    - The soundtrack is simply perfect
    - There is no bad boss fight in this game, that includes eikon vs eikon battles
    - Hunts are REALLY great
    - The active time lore is one of the best resources and ideas I've seen implemented in a game with this many political parties
    - There's a lot of tools you can use to understand the world lore (that btw is really good too)

    This is in my top 3 FF list now, with IX and XII. Although there is a lot of cons, the pros are really high to me, and the story kept me engaged while playing, even if it might bore some people. If it wasn't for RE4 Remake, probably I'd have this as my GOTY.    … Expand
  8. Rafaleon96
    Jun 24, 2023
    10
    Increíble, una historia que te atrapa y jugabilidad frenética, estoy disfrutando cada minuto sin querer que acabe.
  9. WorstLantern
    Jun 24, 2023
    10
    Each and every second of it is taking my breath away. Not only does FF16 have a fantastic tale, but it also offers a magical fighting system that is both satisfying and fluid. Without a question, any Final Fantasy enthusiast should give this latest installment a shot.
  10. GensuiSakazuki
    Jun 24, 2023
    10
    A feast for the eyes, an incredible experience, a dynamic and cohesive universe filled with incredible attention to each and every detail, Final Fantasy XVI succeeds where XV had failed in bringing us a complete and heart wrenching story !
  11. qqatjapan
    Jun 24, 2023
    10
    Or the game has its imperfections, but it's certainly a top-notch game and deserves a high score.
  12. betacritic1
    Jun 24, 2023
    10
    The game is beautiful and amazing soundtrack is amazing gameplay is amazing and it never felt repetitive for me if you loved previous FF you will love this.
  13. bhattacharya17
    Jun 25, 2023
    10
    The game is truly truly incredible. Ignore the loser xbots review bombing it who have nothing going on in their lives. Definitely one of the best games I have ever played. Period
  14. nyczkazu
    Jun 25, 2023
    10
    10/10 Demo is great, story is great, the combat is great.
    This game is really enjoyable if people actually gave it a chance instead of trying to gate keep and bash on the game before even trying it.
    It has something for everyone. If you want to just enjoy the story and not worry about combat you can equip auto pilot gear for that. If you want to be more action focused you can take them    10/10 Demo is great, story is great, the combat is great.
    This game is really enjoyable if people actually gave it a chance instead of trying to gate keep and bash on the game before even trying it.
    It has something for everyone. If you want to just enjoy the story and not worry about combat you can equip auto pilot gear for that. If you want to be more action focused you can take them off.
    This is as much of a Final Fantasy game as any other. Stop calling your selves a FF fan if all you know how to complain about is that it's not a turn base. Turn base doesn't make final fantasy The Lore does. Also it's a Final Fantasy game as long as the creators says so. Stop gate keeping.    … Expand
  15. LilLehmann
    Jun 25, 2023
    7
    Final Fantasy 16 is the game I needed but didn't get completely. Story is damn good and interesting every second. The new combat system is glorious and a lot of fun. Characters are well written and fit perfectly. I love that the world is again broken up into linear sections which not only allows for nicer areas but doesn't feel as cluttered as in FFXV. Now for the criticisms. No game hasFinal Fantasy 16 is the game I needed but didn't get completely. Story is damn good and interesting every second. The new combat system is glorious and a lot of fun. Characters are well written and fit perfectly. I love that the world is again broken up into linear sections which not only allows for nicer areas but doesn't feel as cluttered as in FFXV. Now for the criticisms. No game has disappointed me as much this year as FFXVI. As a developer, how can you rave about how well the game runs and not notice that it very often has severe frame drops, even in cutscenes and very often goes down to 720p in performance mode and even then doesn't keep the 60fps .. I don't know what i would recommend to people if they want to have a next gen experience that in quality mode you have 4k(upscaled) and 30fps that is not next gen, in performance mode you have 1080p(but very often 720p) and 35-60fps that is too no Next Gen I'm really disappointed and I'm starting to wonder if the developers want to make our hobby bad for us.… Expand
  16. onioni
    Jun 27, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. There are many movies, but the story is interesting, so there is no problem
    my favorite in the FF series    … Expand
  17. ManakaKisaragi
    Jun 28, 2023
    10
    One of the best games this generation, it pushes the narrative ambitions of the franchise and the medium to new territory. With spectacular graphics, epic boss fights, deep and complex characters and a carefully crafted lore and mythology, it is worthy of the franchise's name, while taking it into interesting new directions in tone and gameplay. The superb music is no surprise either.One of the best games this generation, it pushes the narrative ambitions of the franchise and the medium to new territory. With spectacular graphics, epic boss fights, deep and complex characters and a carefully crafted lore and mythology, it is worthy of the franchise's name, while taking it into interesting new directions in tone and gameplay. The superb music is no surprise either. Strongly recommended. My favorite FF game since FFVI.… Expand
  18. Frodin28
    Jun 28, 2023
    10
    I dont get the people saying 0 out of 10, this game is a brilliant Jrpg with action elements and it does everything that pretends to be very well.
  19. Agastia
    Jun 28, 2023
    10
    The world building and game design are very good.
    All specifications are focused on the story and action, and unnecessary specifications are simplified to the extreme, making the player's experience very good.
    The visual production of the story and boss battles is particularly outstanding, and this is something we have never experienced before. The action is very flexible and there    The world building and game design are very good.
    All specifications are focused on the story and action, and unnecessary specifications are simplified to the extreme, making the player's experience very good.

    The visual production of the story and boss battles is particularly outstanding, and this is something we have never experienced before.

    The action is very flexible and there are tons of combo routes.
    Responses and character movements are very smooth and highly exhilarating.    … Expand
  20. NeisanKun
    Jun 30, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I have played for almost 60 hours and finished the game. Best game ever made.
    Never cried so much from a fiction.
    Masterpiece.    … Expand
  21. RAGNRXK
    Jun 30, 2023
    10
    This is the first review I've done on meta critic but was compelled to write this just because of how epic this game is. The visuals, story, and gameplay are amazing. Although the combat is more similar to games like DMC this I think it is a good thing. The boss battles are jaw dropping. It is worth it to buy a ps5 just to play this game! This is definitely a big improvement over finalThis is the first review I've done on meta critic but was compelled to write this just because of how epic this game is. The visuals, story, and gameplay are amazing. Although the combat is more similar to games like DMC this I think it is a good thing. The boss battles are jaw dropping. It is worth it to buy a ps5 just to play this game! This is definitely a big improvement over final fantasy xv. Ignore the haters and see for yourself this is the best final fantasy yet!… Expand
  22. Zogs
    Jul 1, 2023
    10
    Um Final Fantasy diferente e refrescante, como todos deveriam ser! Excelente narrativa e combate! Que este franchising nunca pare e que agrade diversos tipo de players!
  23. Aseminos
    Jul 1, 2023
    10
    I love every second of this game. Characters have "soul". Story keep you in constant pressure for what gonna be next. And fighting system is very satisfying
  24. AlishaApril
    Jul 2, 2023
    10
    I've not been emotionally invested in a Final Fantasy game since X and XVI brought all those feelings back, it's truly a masterpiece!
  25. All_Lucky_7s
    Jul 2, 2023
    10
    Die-hard Final Fantasy fan here. I might be biased but to be honest, I did not like 8,9,12, and 13. That being said, I realize my bias and can honestly review this game as being really good. It hits like XIV but that is to be expected coming from Yoshi P. All I can say is without giving any spoilers up, this game has an excellent story, good pacing, the best boss fights I've ever played inDie-hard Final Fantasy fan here. I might be biased but to be honest, I did not like 8,9,12, and 13. That being said, I realize my bias and can honestly review this game as being really good. It hits like XIV but that is to be expected coming from Yoshi P. All I can say is without giving any spoilers up, this game has an excellent story, good pacing, the best boss fights I've ever played in a game, and great graphics (There are some frame rate issues here and there). It's nice to see a Final Fantasy mainline entry that is for mature audiences too. Playing FFXVI is such a relief after being let down a bit by FFXV. GREAT GAME!… Expand
  26. cordelialear
    Jul 2, 2023
    9
    I was initially going to give this game an 8, but it's stayed with me so much that I bumped it up to a 9. This is a great game with a number of flaws that I think could have been easily fixed for a better experience.

    I didn't love the side quests. The majority of them seemed nothing more than fetch quests that added little to the story and often didn't even add to the lore or setting.    I was initially going to give this game an 8, but it's stayed with me so much that I bumped it up to a 9. This is a great game with a number of flaws that I think could have been easily fixed for a better experience.

    I didn't love the side quests. The majority of them seemed nothing more than fetch quests that added little to the story and often didn't even add to the lore or setting. Most of them seemed tedious with little payoff when I've played other games with side quests that are legendary. I wish they'd put more work in those quests. There *are* some interesting side quests, but often they should have been in the MSQ! I like bonuses and easter eggs, but quests that are absolutely crucial to character development and even fully understanding the ending should be in the MSQ. Fortunately, there aren't too many quests like this, but it further reveals the weakest part of the game.

    I wish there'd been more character development with some of the secondary characters, though that's probably a preference rather than a weakness. I can imagine some people saying they like the mystery.

    The pros, though I can't list them all:

    Soken's score. Holy everything that's holy. Once again, he does not disappoint!!

    The eikon fights. I think these fights will be this game's legacy and be what people most remember in ten years in the most positive of ways.

    Clive's quest--his quest and motivation are quickly revealed and they are as natural and sympathetic as anything in the series, making him a character you almost immediate cheer on.

    Clive's relationships with the people closest to him--fantastic. They seemed more real and more human than almost anything from any of the previous games in the series. Helps you relate with him and the others more.

    The plot--slow in some places, but overall great and I especially like how the endgame plays out.

    The ending (non-spoilery)--I would have liked more details, but it has stayed with me a lot. I think that's the mark of a good ending and a good story.

    If they announce DLC or a sequel, I'll pre-order immediately. There's far more about it I liked than I disliked and I may play through it again and see what I missed the first time around.    … Expand
  27. NoGameshahaha
    Jul 2, 2023
    10
    FF16 has been perfect so far. Characters are possibly the best I've ever seen in a FF game since FF15. It's dark, fun, and looks fantastic. Cannot be anymore happy with it.
  28. retai3580
    Jul 2, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. THE BEST GAME I HAVE PLAYED FOR A WHILE All the boss fight and especially Titan and Bahamut was amazing.
    The dialogue is amazing I really liked the conversations with the mom and Benedikta.

    If you ever get the chance play it!    … Expand
  29. thefanofgames
    Jul 2, 2023
    10
    Absolute art of a game, its my GOTY and its even better then zelda.
    Amzaing music, eikon battles are epic.
    GOTY 2023!
  30. Josh9999
    Jul 3, 2023
    10
    this game is probably amazing .
    Story: 9
    Gameplay: 9
    Music: 10
    UI: 10
  31. Andjeyka
    Jul 3, 2023
    10
    Possibly the best I've ever played on PS5! Had more fun with both parts of GoW. Dynamic and varied combat system,
    A very interesting story that is fun to watch. This is the kind of game worth buying a PS5 for. Worth walking past only if you don't like epic fantasy.
    P.S. I played in quality mode, the last time I felt such comfort at 30 fps was in TLoU 2 (on ps4pro)
  32. HatersLostlmao
    Jul 6, 2023
    10
    This game sold over THREE MILLION COPIES, Haters lost, REAL Final Fantasy fans won, end of story : )
  33. masaf
    Jul 19, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is excellent!!!
    I love some characters, like Gav,Torgal and Byron.    … Expand
  34. Turrix
    Aug 18, 2023
    0
    Not a decent action game
    And not even a decent Final Fantasy game
    If I had to describe my experience with this game the word Disappointment fit my description of the game Final Fantasy 16 trying to put a major point on the plot side, but it failing to actually deliver on the context side. Because the writing is pretestuose, and often it's it don't make sense at all, just for emphasize    Not a decent action game
    And not even a decent Final Fantasy game
    If I had to describe my experience with this game the word Disappointment fit my description of the game
    Final Fantasy 16 trying to put a major point on the plot side, but it failing to actually deliver on the context side. Because the writing is pretestuose, and often it's it don't make sense at all, just for emphasize the cinematic story of the boring main character turning all the others in the corner of the whole thing. The gameplay is a mono-button gameplay. It feels like they try to build the most easy action game ever. And the technical side is still clunky, especially when you notice the pop up textures at the end of every single cutscenes of the game.
    Overall I was expecting much more from the development team choose by Square Enix for this, and instead we facing another game that don't deserve to be called Final Fantasy.
    And as a longtime fan this is a huge disappointment    … Expand
  35. Migass
    Jun 23, 2023
    0
    This game sucks on many levels
    A tremendous experience from the first hour to the cringing last one
  36. neilmagic
    Jun 24, 2023
    0
    Sorry, but you take away the traditional combat, you take away the legacy and you ultimately get a zero rating. Stop butchering legacies such as Final Fantasy by turning them into dumbed down generic hack and slashes, we have enough of that.

    Battle system is critical! You simply don't mess with the core structure of this,it's what made FF stand out as it utilised tradition and made it    Sorry, but you take away the traditional combat, you take away the legacy and you ultimately get a zero rating. Stop butchering legacies such as Final Fantasy by turning them into dumbed down generic hack and slashes, we have enough of that.

    Battle system is critical! You simply don't mess with the core structure of this,it's what made FF stand out as it utilised tradition and made it modern in all other aspects, this is a compliment to the games not a detriment and tearing that out leaves it as a nothing, zero!    … Expand
  37. neohpgfra
    Jun 27, 2023
    0
    La vérité éclate enfin malgré les fanboys sonyais qui se relayent à coups de multi comptes pour mettre des 20 !
    Ce jeu est une daube infâme, FF est mort après le FF X !
    Ce FF XVI regroupe tout ce qu’on peut faire de pire dans un jeu : - un gameplay simpliste, assisté à outrance (imposé par Sony pour aider les casual) - une difficulté PEGI 3 risible - des quêtes annexes FedEx    La vérité éclate enfin malgré les fanboys sonyais qui se relayent à coups de multi comptes pour mettre des 20 !
    Ce jeu est une daube infâme, FF est mort après le FF X !
    Ce FF XVI regroupe tout ce qu’on peut faire de pire dans un jeu :
    - un gameplay simpliste, assisté à outrance (imposé par Sony pour aider les casual)
    - une difficulté PEGI 3 risible - des quêtes annexes FedEx inintéressantes au possible - des combats de primordiaux avec des QTE des années 2000
    - pas de vraie mécanique RPG
    - pas de loot / craft d’armes et de tenues dignes d’un RPG
    - des cinématiques Netflix faisant passer Kojima pour un réalisateur de court métrage ! Rien que la démo c’est 1h15 de cinématique sur 2H de démo !     … Expand
  38. MisterBurkes
    Jul 10, 2023
    10
    This is probably the greatest Final Fantasy game I've played since the FF6 through FF10 block of games and I think deserves a place in the Top 4 of all Final Fantasy titles. Great narrative, memorable protagonists and villains, iconic boss battles that will blow your mind, incredible OST, and a fun new gameplay system that surprisingly works. Required playing for any RPG fan.
  39. HMourad
    Jun 30, 2023
    10
    The game surpassed any expectations I had. I only have a small issue with the difficulty being a little bit too easy, other than that the game is sublime.
  40. RivalGrimReaper
    Jun 26, 2023
    1
    16 was by far the worst FF I have played to date, the story was boring, the side quests were predictably dull. the ending was absolutely appalling, no thought at all, so predicable and I genuinely didn't care for any of the characters other than Jill. combat was okay, but ridiculously easy, full playthrough of all content including hunts and side quests in 32 hours, and didn't die once.16 was by far the worst FF I have played to date, the story was boring, the side quests were predictably dull. the ending was absolutely appalling, no thought at all, so predicable and I genuinely didn't care for any of the characters other than Jill. combat was okay, but ridiculously easy, full playthrough of all content including hunts and side quests in 32 hours, and didn't die once. that's not me gloating, its just so easy to overkill everything with the summon abilities, and the story was so dull, I have zero interest replaying the game on the harder difficulty. waited years, and I am so disappointed. I actually enjoyed 15 far far more. Hopefully 7 part 2 makes up for this absolute **** show of a game.

    Weakest point is the story, which for a final fantasy game is absolutely horrendous news. no spoilers, but this game has so may plot holes it would make an excellent sieve. and the end game story is just awful, explains nothing, and leaves you wondering. Honestly, this is the most disappointed I have ever felt finishing a Final fantasy game out of the entire franchise, and it gives me zero ambition to want to play through it again on the game plus mode. I have played every final game since 4, and I am bitterly disappointed in this game.    … Expand
  41. Cenofgravy
    Jun 26, 2023
    4
    While it’s not the final fantasy I grew up on in the slightest bit. It is definitely the style final fantasy should run with if they choose to not ever make a turn based Final Fantasy again, the story, characters, THE MUSIC! THE BOSS FIGHTS!!! easily in my top 3 of final fantasy games ever
    .
  42. Taser9001
    Jun 23, 2023
    9
    Brought to you by Creative Business Unit III, the latest in Square Enix's flagship series, Final Fantasy XVI, does not disappoint. It may be different from previous entries, but what's new with that in a franchise that has evolved with every new game?

    The story is a tragic drama, filled with friendship, honour, love, and betrayal. It is a fantastical return to Final Fantasy's strongest    Brought to you by Creative Business Unit III, the latest in Square Enix's flagship series, Final Fantasy XVI, does not disappoint. It may be different from previous entries, but what's new with that in a franchise that has evolved with every new game?

    The story is a tragic drama, filled with friendship, honour, love, and betrayal. It is a fantastical return to Final Fantasy's strongest days with its writing, with moments that will make you cry and fill you with despair, and yet, it still has that Final Fantasy sense of humour at times, and times its brief moments of hope well.

    The world is absolute gorgeous. Whilst the game is fairly linear, most areas are also large, with plenty to explore for fights and hidden items whilst going from point a to point b. Whilst open worlds are nice, an open world never feels needed whilst trekking across the lands of Valisthea, and each area feels like part of the same world, instead of feeling disjointed and separate as seen in other games before.

    The combat is pretty fun. newcomers to character action games need not feel intimidated as it is fairly beginner friendly, especially with optional accessories that give accessibility options to ease the combat. Hardcore fans of character action games such as Devil May Cry 5 may find the combat a little basic, but it is fluid, and opens up with every new ability you unlock. Both ground combos and aerial combos are available to players, with plenty of ways to mix things up a bit.

    Should the combat prove too easy for the hardcore character action fans, they may find some solace in New Game Plus. New Game Plus will allow players to replay the game, carrying everything over, including the likes of gear, abilities and items, and will let players take on the Final Fantasy difficulty level, a setting that unlocks for New Game Plus with much more challenging enemies, changes some enemy placements, and replaces some of the more formidable enemies with even nastier ones.

    The main part of the combat that returning Final Fantasy fans will likely feel a little let down by is the distinct lack of elemental damage. Elemental weaknesses and resistances have been a staple of the series since its inception, so it is weird that a game centred around its iconic, elemental summons would take this out entirely.

    The other gripe some fans may have is the lack of interesting gear. Previous entries, such as Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy VII Remake, have weapons and the such with special abilities, so no weapon is truly the best; rather, they are situational and build specific. Weapons and armour in Final Fantasy XVI are straight upgrades, and even plot given equipment is likely to be outclassed not long after obtaining it. Accessories do at least offer some interesting buffs and boosts, so not all is lost on that front.

    The side quests, and some story quests, do make the game feel a bit like Creative Business Unit III's other massive Final Fantasy title, Final Fantasy XIV, in that the nature of some quests is very similar to many quests from the popular MMO. Your objectives get listed to the side on screen, so you don't need to fear forgetting them.

    Whilst one of the most polished games of the year, there are a few things that will hopefully be patched. On the performance side of things, performance mode does have some fps dips. It is, however, silky smooth during combat, so if smooth combat is a priority, you should still go with performance mode. If you prioritise consistency in your fps, graphics mode may suit you better before this is patched. The other thing that some fans may want updated is its photo mode. Whilst a small thing in the grand scheme of a game like this, the photo mode is distinctly lacking in options. Some enthusiasts may feel there is no excuse for this, when photo modes such as the ones Insomniac have utilised in Spider-Man and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart exist.

    Overall, this is a phenomenal entry to Square Enix's best known series, despite its few flaws. Square Enix described its predecessor, Final Fantasy XV, as, "A Final Fantasy for fans and first-timers," and Final Fantasy XVI carries on that torch amazingly. Whether you are a veteran fan of the Final Fantasy series or a newcomer, if you are able to play it, you should.    … Expand
  43. Majorasspain
    Jun 28, 2023
    10
    Absolutely brilliant. Yoshi p is just what final fantasy needed. He should be out on every final fantasy game going forward
  44. Merlov
    Jun 23, 2023
    0
    I was excited to play this game and bought into all the hype that surrounded it. Unfortunately it did not match expectations by a large margin.

    The game looks amazing at first but then you start seeing all the cut corners. Things in the distance are fine, but often times you'll find really low resolution textures. On the flipside this isn't even benefiting the performance, which is    I was excited to play this game and bought into all the hype that surrounded it. Unfortunately it did not match expectations by a large margin.

    The game looks amazing at first but then you start seeing all the cut corners. Things in the distance are fine, but often times you'll find really low resolution textures. On the flipside this isn't even benefiting the performance, which is unstable. There's never an excuse for a console game to have unstable performance.

    The gameplay is something different to the series, but not really anything new in the wider world of gaming. It ends up lackluster and especially early on lacks any sort of depth.

    Final Fantasy tends to have strong stories with interesting characters. This seems like the writers just watched a couple of seasons of Game of Thrones and decided to try their own hand at that, but forgot to give us a reason to care about any of it.

    The music is fitting, but extremely forgettable. Audio design in general works, but is not exceptional. There are times where the audio mixing seems to be just wildly off making me wonder if QA was rushed on the game.

    I have a hard time figuring out who this could be recommended for. I certainly would not recommend it to any fan of the Final Fantasy series so far. Perhaps fans of Devil May Cry might find the combat interesting down the line, but the rest of the game is too self-serious for DMC fans. Maybe if you like God of War you may enjoy this, but even then I would not recommend paying full price for the game. Wait for at least a -50% sale.    … Expand
  45. Snowdog84
    Jun 25, 2023
    1
    I have been playing for three hours…nothing but cutscenes and walking corridors. Fighting is automatic and if you look around while walking the blurring effect will make you sick. Characters are flat. The greatest disappointment is reading all these (I strongly suppose) fake reviews giving 10 to these orribile game. Amazing graphic and good design but I am not here to watch a movie
  46. HCAKA
    Jun 25, 2023
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Alley run, too much button smashing for my liking. Very nice scenery but that's about it. Not gonna play more than one playthrough.… Expand
  47. pjmccartney
    Jun 23, 2023
    6
    The first couple hours were great, but right after it, you encounter a slew of basic fetch quests with the most lazy dialogue and animations I’ve seen. It feels like I’m playing a F2P MMORPG at times. The inconsistency in quality and performance issues are inexcusable for being a game developed exclusively for PS5.
  48. brain123
    Jun 26, 2023
    0
    -linear and corridor-like ff13 tier level design -way WAY too many cutscenes. over half of the game is uninteractive -exploration when it finally opens up 20 hours in is unrewarding and empty -loot is terrible, -weapons, accessories, items and build progression are an afterthought. they're nothing more than stat sticks -lacking rpg…
  49. Loreandgames
    Jun 23, 2023
    6
    The tempo of the game is horrible. The side quests are a shame. The arc of some characters (especially female: Benedikta, Jill and Anabella) is incredibly bad (I don't want to make spoilers... but they don't matter at all in the story).
    Combat is fun and technically it's nice... But it has ZERO, NADA, NIENTE RPG in it... NOTHING...
    The history it leaves a lot to be desired. It doesn't    The tempo of the game is horrible. The side quests are a shame. The arc of some characters (especially female: Benedikta, Jill and Anabella) is incredibly bad (I don't want to make spoilers... but they don't matter at all in the story).
    Combat is fun and technically it's nice... But it has ZERO, NADA, NIENTE RPG in it... NOTHING...
    The history it leaves a lot to be desired. It doesn't feel like a final fantasy at all.    … Expand
  50. Jkregers
    Jun 25, 2023
    0
    A superficial experience. The itemization and progression is terrible. The action combat is pretty cool but came at the expense of so much that made the Final Fantasy series great. They can add action combat without losing dang near everything that made FF great along the way.
  51. vilkazar
    Jun 26, 2023
    0
    Bland world, boring characters, too many cutscenes, lack of any challenge. They made this game using a ff14 formula with the summoner class as a action class now. Literally the same engine but tweaked , therefore you get choppy empty landscapes, crappy ui, with cutscenes taking over 90% of the gametime and boring, dull sidequest. It's really not a final fantasy game at all, more like aBland world, boring characters, too many cutscenes, lack of any challenge. They made this game using a ff14 formula with the summoner class as a action class now. Literally the same engine but tweaked , therefore you get choppy empty landscapes, crappy ui, with cutscenes taking over 90% of the gametime and boring, dull sidequest. It's really not a final fantasy game at all, more like a spin off title like 13, 15 another bad final fantasy game.… Expand
  52. DreamCastGuyy
    Jun 24, 2023
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Said it would be 60fps and it can hardly run it at 60 and the game dips down to 720p when playing at times and gets like 30fps. Like how can you even play this crap like that. And don’t get me started on the cut scenes cause that’s over have the game right there. Love, DreamCastGuy… Expand
  53. Dalob
    Jun 23, 2023
    0
    Boring linear maps, a overall badly written plot, flat characters and 0 exploration
    This isn't what I'm expect from a Final Fantasy game
    So, as a Final Fantasy, FF16 Fails
    As action game is too easy and weak
  54. NicoCC
    Jul 5, 2023
    0
    If you love Devil May Cry, this game is for you. If you love Final Fantasy games, this game is NOT for you. I've literally played all previous FF games and I love the RPG games in general. So here are my reasons for giving it a zero:

    1. The story is terrible and terribly written. 2. It is absolutely NOT an RPG game. 3. Dialog is very boring. 4. Characters are forgettable. 5. Side    If you love Devil May Cry, this game is for you. If you love Final Fantasy games, this game is NOT for you. I've literally played all previous FF games and I love the RPG games in general. So here are my reasons for giving it a zero:

    1. The story is terrible and terribly written.
    2. It is absolutely NOT an RPG game.
    3. Dialog is very boring.
    4. Characters are forgettable.
    5. Side quests are boring.
    6. Battles are very easy.
    7. Item and weapon pallet is small.
    8. Crafting is terrible, you collect a ton of things that you have nowhere to use.
    9. You can't buy back items, so don't sell anything because you will miss an opportunity late in the game without warning.
    10. Music is not on par to previous titles.
    11. Some aspects of the game design are very unnecessary.
    12. OVERALL: this is a complete failure as a "Final Fantasy" title. As a "Devil May Cry"-type title, it works. Graphics are nice too. But the most important aspects of the game are terrible.

    If this is the direction SquareEnix is going with Final Fantasy, then Final Fantasy as we knew it is dead.    … Expand
  55. Zelt
    Jun 24, 2023
    0
    La exploración es pobre, por no decir inexistente.
    Apenas hay elementos rpg(apenas hay equipo donde elegir, vulnerabilidades inexistentes, subir de nivel apenas es necesario).
    El juego consiste en ver cinemáticas y avanzar en línea recta pulsando un par de botones. Eso si, con muchas lucecitas para que parezca menos malo de lo que es, digno de un juego de móvil.
    No tires tu dinero.
  56. OvanEsther
    Jun 25, 2023
    3
    There is a clear demarcation between games and movies. Gameplay is the most important part of a game, accounting for about 60% of the score, while external graphics and music can only score 40% at most. These 3 points are for cutscenes and animations.The gameplay is terrible, I give 0 points.
  57. talha900
    Jun 30, 2023
    10
    Loved the graphics, the story is interesting, love the characters, too many cutscenes but love the combat wish there was block button though. I rather play this than legend of Zelda even though im a Nintendo fan I couldn't get into that game because its too big and overwhelming things to do get side tracked to the main plot its overrated. The main plot of FFXVI is sad and want to figureLoved the graphics, the story is interesting, love the characters, too many cutscenes but love the combat wish there was block button though. I rather play this than legend of Zelda even though im a Nintendo fan I couldn't get into that game because its too big and overwhelming things to do get side tracked to the main plot its overrated. The main plot of FFXVI is sad and want to figure out Clive's fate and what his family went through. Love the entire mature theme made for adults.… Expand
  58. Associated
    Jun 23, 2023
    10
    FFXVI is not without issues, but dang is it fun. It would be better with a motion blur toggle and some performance fixes, but everything else is fantastic. If you like action RPGs this is a must buy.
  59. Dannymarz
    Jun 26, 2023
    4
    I’m not happy with the performance mode. Story is pretty bland too. Wish they’d stick with turn based style combat.
  60. Christflaco
    Jun 25, 2023
    1
    La historia muy floja, el juego se ve borroso, y no parece un final fantasy.
  61. Giuliano-FR
    Jul 1, 2023
    10
    Épico, Fantástico.
    Jogabilidade, gráficos, enredo marcante e cutscene que enriquecem a história do jogo.
    Ficando um gosto de "quero mais", fico no aguardo das DLCs.
  62. Galbro
    Jun 24, 2023
    10
    to be honest, i‘m not the soulslike-gamer, so i am not a big fan of the fighting system. still:

    - i love the story telling, and the zillions of additional background infos.
    - i love running through the game and just look the stunning graphics.
    - i would have eated wirh. 9 but to balance the worthless 0-ratings i‘ll give it a 10

    thanks

    br
  63. OldManLav
    Jun 29, 2023
    10
    Seriously engrossing story, characters that stick with you long after the credits roll, a gorgeous fantasy setting with console showcasing-level visuals (I'll take the limited FPS to *finally* get to play a game that actually looks next-gen) and a masterful soundtrack. To me, that's the ingredients to a great Final Fantasy game. And to the crybabies who are bashing the combat without evenSeriously engrossing story, characters that stick with you long after the credits roll, a gorgeous fantasy setting with console showcasing-level visuals (I'll take the limited FPS to *finally* get to play a game that actually looks next-gen) and a masterful soundtrack. To me, that's the ingredients to a great Final Fantasy game. And to the crybabies who are bashing the combat without even giving it a chance: get over yourselves. The game is a whole lot of fun to play.… Expand
  64. IMO_
    Jun 26, 2023
    4
    4 might be generous. Poor performance on fps mode makes game hard to see because it’s so choppy. Boring exploration and combat. Empty world, nothing interesting to find and no reason to explore. Enemies are sponges, battles are way too long for no reason. I found myself running away from encounters because they are so boring. The side quests are so bad not sure why they even bothered. This4 might be generous. Poor performance on fps mode makes game hard to see because it’s so choppy. Boring exploration and combat. Empty world, nothing interesting to find and no reason to explore. Enemies are sponges, battles are way too long for no reason. I found myself running away from encounters because they are so boring. The side quests are so bad not sure why they even bothered. This game make 15 look like a absolute ff masterpiece. So disappointing they didn’t stick with FF7 remake combat system. I’m not a turn based fan but this is not engaging action combat. I wish I could get my money back and I’m mad at myself for supporting this new direction for FF.… Expand
  65. Irkieran
    Jun 25, 2023
    9
    Excellent game. Combat is fast-paced and exciting— definitely a step up from previous entries. Voice acting is great and the character design and environments are beautiful. You can definitely see the inspiration from FFXIV in the game, especially in battle and it makes it familiar but also exciting. The equipment and weapons could use a bit more depth; a more realised crafting systemExcellent game. Combat is fast-paced and exciting— definitely a step up from previous entries. Voice acting is great and the character design and environments are beautiful. You can definitely see the inspiration from FFXIV in the game, especially in battle and it makes it familiar but also exciting. The equipment and weapons could use a bit more depth; a more realised crafting system would be amazing, but overall it doesn’t detract from the experience. Super dynamic and interesting entry into the series and I’ve absolutely loved it.… Expand
  66. RealKackstift
    Jun 27, 2023
    3
    Das Spiel ist wirklich gut und ich würde gerne eine 7 oder 8 geben allerdings ist es mir nicht möglich das Spiel weiterzuspielen da sich meine PS5 dauernd wegen Überhitzung selbst abschaltet. Haben die das Spiel in einer Kältekammer getestet? Echt Schade um das Spiel.
    Ich würde btw alle 0 und 100 Bewertungen ignorieren da diese komplett belanglos sind.
  67. Fleebee
    Jun 27, 2023
    2
    This should have been a 5/5. The franchise has had enough time to mature and there have been enough heavy hitters from other studios to show what works .
    But it takes RPG and Hack and Slash and jumps between being either as a scale goat depending on which one it’s failing at satisfying . The demo is the best it gets and the quality , specifically with little things like lip syncing and npc    This should have been a 5/5. The franchise has had enough time to mature and there have been enough heavy hitters from other studios to show what works .
    But it takes RPG and Hack and Slash and jumps between being either as a scale goat depending on which one it’s failing at satisfying . The demo is the best it gets and the quality , specifically with little things like lip syncing and npc interactions take a nosedive as soon as you’re roped into the full version.
    2 gil    … Expand
  68. Desic
    Aug 20, 2023
    0
    Forgettable
    Soulless
    Disappointment These three sentences describe perfectly how I feel about this Final Fantasy 16. A Final Fantasy game that basically miss everything about what should be a Final Fantasy game. Building a disappointing action game for newbies, with a forgettable plot that stands out only for his cringe dialogues, and a bunch of bad characters badly written and badly    Forgettable
    Soulless
    Disappointment
    These three sentences describe perfectly how I feel about this Final Fantasy 16.
    A Final Fantasy game that basically miss everything about what should be a Final Fantasy game. Building a disappointing action game for newbies, with a forgettable plot that stands out only for his cringe dialogues, and a bunch of bad characters badly written and badly used.
    Missing any kind of exploration, missing post game content, and missing any trace of soul.    … Expand
  69. Elory
    Aug 21, 2023
    1
    Unfortunately Final Fantasy 16 is a monotonous game
    - story without depth and mostly without evolution from beginning to end
    - the gameplay is BAD, too easy, without strategy, and highly repetitive - secondary characters supplanted by Clive, and Clive is one of the worst protagonists of the series - the hunt quest are all easy - all the side quests are trash tier, and pointless - 0    Unfortunately Final Fantasy 16 is a monotonous game
    - story without depth and mostly without evolution from beginning to end
    - the gameplay is BAD, too easy, without strategy, and highly repetitive
    - secondary characters supplanted by Clive, and Clive is one of the worst protagonists of the series
    - the hunt quest are all easy
    - all the side quests are trash tier, and pointless
    - 0 party, and 0 equipments (only swords and QTE accessories)
    - 80% of battles are made up of QTEs and cutscenes
    - the world is linear, empty, and mostly useless
    - linear and repetitive dungeons
    - practically 0 JRPG items

    This is not what I wanted from a Final Fantasy game    … Expand
  70. Jasea88
    Aug 21, 2023
    0
    FF16 is a fake Final Fantasy game, and a bad action game.
    Right now I speak as a lover of action games and as a former fan of the Final Fantasy franchise.
    This "game" bases its main core all on the little lights of the show, but without substance. It doesn't offer choices to the player, but only long cutscenes connected by QTEs and fake battles with 0 strategy inside them. I finished    FF16 is a fake Final Fantasy game, and a bad action game.
    Right now I speak as a lover of action games and as a former fan of the Final Fantasy franchise.
    This "game" bases its main core all on the little lights of the show, but without substance. It doesn't offer choices to the player, but only long cutscenes connected by QTEs and fake battles with 0 strategy inside them.
    I finished this game without ever using any healing items and without ever changing weapons, since I never needed them and the game doesn't even offer any options to customize the protagonist.
    The story smacks of already seen, generic as hell and trivial in every second. With ridiculous and stereotypical characters, cringe dialogues, bad lore, bad dungeons, Bosses that you defeat with QTEs, a hideous villain and a generic ending.
    Can I give you some advice?
    Avoid Final Fantasy 16.
    Because like Final Fantasy it is ridiculously poor in content and in every element of the series, except the names.
    And as an action game it's just bad.
    At this point if you are looking for action games, play Bayonetta 3, DMC5 or Nier Automata, which are 1000 better than this Final Fantasy 16 trash    … Expand
  71. armada91
    Jul 17, 2023
    8
    I really and truly enjoyed this game. When I first started playing it, I was convinced this might be my favorite FF of all time. That said, the more I played it, the less convinced I was.

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

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

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

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

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

    Someone once said "this is the greatest 8.5 game I've ever played" and I think that's a really astute analysis.    … Expand
  72. Dafuzz
    Jul 14, 2023
    10
    I love absolutely everything about this masterpiece. I love the characters, gameplay, writing - literally everything is just wonderfully designed. You can really feel how much love and polish went into this production. Final Fantasy 16 is not only my GOTY, but the best game I have played in years. That all said, can we gave some DLC Square Enix? Or better yet, how about a sequel? :)
  73. TuffinUp
    Jun 28, 2023
    9
    Even as someone who's favorite games are turn based rpgs this game really has its hooks in me. I havnt been this stoked on a final fantasy story line since the glory days of the series. The music and character are all epic. If you are a final fastasy fan i implore you to ignore the nay sayers and give this entry a try, you will not be disappointed.
  74. casifer999
    Jun 28, 2023
    9
    Fantastic game, my only complaints are sometimes the frame rate drops and in some areas the graphics looked out dated. Other than that phenomenal game. 9/10
  75. pif
    Jun 25, 2023
    7
    This is an action combat game with Final Fantasy music / setting etc. The RPG elements are minimal, especially for an FF game, it is heavily linear, and has a lot of cut scenes. That being said, the graphics are nice and the story is good. Its just not a breath taking game changer of an FF game.

    I see a lot of people calling the combat easy, but this hasn't been my experience. If    This is an action combat game with Final Fantasy music / setting etc. The RPG elements are minimal, especially for an FF game, it is heavily linear, and has a lot of cut scenes. That being said, the graphics are nice and the story is good. Its just not a breath taking game changer of an FF game.

    I see a lot of people calling the combat easy, but this hasn't been my experience. If you play this without any of the hand holding items equipped that literally dodge, combo, heal you, and so on (so like actually play the game) then it is not 'easy'. I would describe it more as annoying. If you try to approach this like a souls game, dodging attacks and finding damage windows on bosses, you will be annoyed. The dodging is just kind of crap. Its unforgiving in an annoying way, where you just take hits that it feels like should have been perfect dodges. i don't know how else to put it. Anyway, the combat isn't about playing perfectly and more about getting hit less often, but understand that you are just going to get smacked around and knocked down from time to time. in other words, you just trade damage alot. its just not satisfying.    … Expand
  76. Fletchr
    Jul 11, 2023
    8
    In a nutshell: FF16 is very enjoyable, it has its issues with writing, pacing, and gameplay - but it is a fun experience worth playing through.

    In a bigger nutshell: I am a big FF fan, and while I missed a lot of what previous FF's had, and which people are giving the game a low score for, ultimately this is a new direction for FF and it is what it is, whether you like it or not. The    In a nutshell: FF16 is very enjoyable, it has its issues with writing, pacing, and gameplay - but it is a fun experience worth playing through.

    In a bigger nutshell: I am a big FF fan, and while I missed a lot of what previous FF's had, and which people are giving the game a low score for, ultimately this is a new direction for FF and it is what it is, whether you like it or not. The series is known for its evolution.

    For clarity, I have recently completed the game and have some content left to do in side missions and hunts.

    Positives:
    - Graphics
    - Worldbuilding
    - Voice Acting
    - Combat is great but can get repetitive
    - Spectacle
    - Some great characters
    - A fantastic set of villains
    - Decent amount of builds for Clive

    Negatives:
    - Poor writing in places
    - An over-abundance of relying on the player to seek out information that should be presented to them as part of the narrative
    - Side-quests aren't great and can be tedious.
    - Overall pacing
    - Lack of any meaningful item progression
    - Interactions during cinematics may as well not exist
    - An ending that ultimately gives no closure to the player and is open to interpretation, which I dislike

    Mixed:
    - Story - While good, it is a story that has been told before in FF14, with tweaks.

    I give the game an 8.5. Sadly, It is not in my top 5 FF's. I could be convinced to place it 6th!    … Expand
  77. sugarpixel
    Jul 8, 2023
    10
    Absolutely fantastic all across the board. The best boss fights I’ve ever seen, insanely good music, and a beautiful story about how love makes us stronger. I very much recommend this game.
  78. pipechile
    Jun 27, 2023
    10
    Excelente regreso de jna sagaque nos trae nostalgia de cuando éramos niños... gráficamente espectacular, su banda sonora increíble...y que mejor su personaje lleno de carisma... juegazoooolo
  79. Biubiu
    Jun 26, 2023
    6
    I bought this game because of its title, Final Fantasy. Final Fantasy is known by most people as the best JRPG, with its rich RPG elements and a highly diverse world view that always brings a refreshing experience in each of its successor to the series. However, Final Fantasy 16 lacks what I was expecting. the game have very weak RPG elements that even the leveling, equipment, and skillI bought this game because of its title, Final Fantasy. Final Fantasy is known by most people as the best JRPG, with its rich RPG elements and a highly diverse world view that always brings a refreshing experience in each of its successor to the series. However, Final Fantasy 16 lacks what I was expecting. the game have very weak RPG elements that even the leveling, equipment, and skill systems in the game can be completely removed without having any significant or even negligible impact on the gameplay. the story telling and the story itself is also terrible. Additionally, as a true successor to the Final Fantasy series, the game lacks features such as mazes, fishing, cooking, affection levels, and even the presence of materias. For a Final Fantasy fan, this game is very disappointing. I acknowledge that the game has stunning visuals and impressive summoning animations, but as a Final Fantasy game, I simply cannot give it a high score. The game's optimization and frame rate also fall short of stability.… Expand
  80. mituki_T
    Jun 30, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Great game, Bahamut was the best and I enjoyed it over and over again. PlayStation's best content!… Expand
  81. Saijax05
    Jun 28, 2023
    10
    So much good game, I don't like anime or ff series, but ff16 it's fkn masterpiece game.
  82. user_unknown2
    Jul 8, 2023
    10
    This is by far my favorite game of all time. I've played many games throughout my life, but this was a phenomenal experience, combining EVERYTHING that I like about games. The graphics are stunning, it runs well enough and there haven't been any game reading bugs that I, at least experienced. If you own a PS5, you should buy it - 30 hours of beautiful, engaging action and heartwarming (andThis is by far my favorite game of all time. I've played many games throughout my life, but this was a phenomenal experience, combining EVERYTHING that I like about games. The graphics are stunning, it runs well enough and there haven't been any game reading bugs that I, at least experienced. If you own a PS5, you should buy it - 30 hours of beautiful, engaging action and heartwarming (and breaking) story at the same time. Good job, square enix, I hope you continue moving in this direction!… Expand
  83. shuiyi
    Jun 28, 2023
    10
    After finally completing the game and exploring it in depth, I can say this game is a masterpiece. It is very different from the common "marvel" approach of all action without any meaning, it is a game that rewards the players that decide to learn about its world and to think about the themes it proposes, as well as about the gameplay mechanics.

    The combat is amazing: it does not punish    After finally completing the game and exploring it in depth, I can say this game is a masterpiece. It is very different from the common "marvel" approach of all action without any meaning, it is a game that rewards the players that decide to learn about its world and to think about the themes it proposes, as well as about the gameplay mechanics.

    The combat is amazing: it does not punish the failure but it rewards the excellence. What I mean is that it doesn't kill you if you fail a dodge like a souls game would, but it gives you the feedback that you fail (the enemy interrupts your attack) and if you do a timely dodge to the attacks you get the flashy animations and counterattacks and extra score. And the challenge is there for whomever wants to look for it, the ultimania mode is quite crazy in terms of difficulty.

    Also about the sidequest, I personally loved them so much. They were what made the game a 10 for me. Of course, from a mechanical point of view they are not the most exciting but from a narrative point of view they allow the game to explore deeply the themes it proposes without making it too "in your face", so subtle sometimes that I feel reviewers didn't even understand what the game was about.    … Expand
  84. ElGranMugul
    Jul 8, 2023
    10
    La historia de este juego es increíble, los personajes están muy bien cuidados, el combate es una delicia y la banda sonora es brillante. Clive es de los mejores protagonistas de los videojuegos en mi opinión. El juego está lleno de momentos épicos, también algunos donde puedas soltar alguna lágrima.
  85. Redrain61
    Jul 8, 2023
    10
    So many hours and so much fun. I cannot stop playing this game. It is thee best game of 2023. Story, Characters, Performance, Music, Combat etc 10/10. I haven't been this happy playing as I have been with this game. Thank you PlayStation and SE.

    FYI: Not sure what Digital Trends is smoking but it affecting their Judgment.
  86. Gbc18
    Jun 30, 2023
    8
    Story: 4/5
    Gameplay/combat: 5/5
    Soundtrack: 5/5 Visuals/graphics: 3/5 (that means I think they are just "ok") Performance: 3/5 (the graphic mode is a solid 30fps, I didn't see framedrops, it's fluid but the performance mode, who is supposed to be 60fps, just reach that in battles cuz it lows the resolution of the game, so performance is just "ok" for me). I got in involved in the story of    Story: 4/5
    Gameplay/combat: 5/5
    Soundtrack: 5/5
    Visuals/graphics: 3/5 (that means I think they are just "ok")
    Performance: 3/5 (the graphic mode is a solid 30fps, I didn't see framedrops, it's fluid but the performance mode, who is supposed to be 60fps, just reach that in battles cuz it lows the resolution of the game, so performance is just "ok" for me).
    I got in involved in the story of FF16 from the beginning of the game to the end, but it's not a perfect game, some part the story could've been improved, such as exploring more Jill's character and Benedikta's past, they are more things I would like to say about the story that could've been improved but that would be spoiler. The combat system is amazing and very enjoyable with memorable boss battles, especially the Eikon battles, you can kill your enemies with style and I'm very excited to see how much they will improve this combat in a future FF17. The soundtrack being wonderful is not a surprise, it's a Final Fantasy game after all, it's a game with memorable songs. FF16 is an enjoyable experience even with some aspects of the story lacking more depth in my opinion    … Expand
  87. FlexosuarousRex
    Jun 30, 2023
    8
    I'm only part way through FF16 but will update this review if my opinion changes.

    The combat is pretty great, its definitely the focal point of this entry. The Eikkon system is a neat addition but feels a bit shallow compared to the progression systems of the past. Gear is highly dependent on story progression so character customization feels like it lacks some of the choice that    I'm only part way through FF16 but will update this review if my opinion changes.

    The combat is pretty great, its definitely the focal point of this entry. The Eikkon system is a neat addition but feels a bit shallow compared to the progression systems of the past. Gear is highly dependent on story progression so character customization feels like it lacks some of the choice that previous games had. The visuals are excellent but the frames do drop even in performance mode. The music is top tier. The main characters are great but supporting characters all sort of look the same to me. A lot of the strategy has been removed from the formula which was what initially drew me into the franchise back with FF7. Party members just sort of attack in the background while Clive strings together combos. The combat is a huge step up from FF15 but I feel the team oriented combat and character customization in FF7R is superior. The map system in FF16 is far superior to the sprawling open world of FF15 which had vast plains filled with nothing but enemies haphazardly placed throughout. With a smaller world, the vistas are more delicately crafted and have more attention given to their detail. Gear feels a bit shallow in this game as well, being highly dependent on story progression - you aren't able to go out of your way in order to find a secret chest with a super strong item like in past entries, you just sort of have to beat the next story quest and then buy it. Invisible walls are littered throughout and do break immersion a bit but I still prefer it to open world FF15. The only negative that I've been turned off by is that the side-quests are kind of annoying and mundane - they almost feel like padding, or that they are only there because they are expected to be there. The story actually takes place within the game this time and is quite good, it is definitely the biggest motivating factor pushing my gameplay forward. Ultimately FF16 is a good time and a huge step up from FF15. It lacks in some areas and excels in others. Its a good hack and slash game and a mid RPG. I think its worth your time.

    TLDR: FF16 is a step up from the previous numbered entry in almost every way. Hack and slash fans will find a lot to enjoy but old school strategy fans may be left somewhat unsatisfied; however, the flashy gameplay, gorgeous visuals, great story, god-tier music, and new Eikkon abilities do a lot to make up for what's missing.    … Expand
  88. MrGenji
    Jun 26, 2023
    7
    This game is good, regardless of the weaker aspects, which indeed should be criticized.

    First of, the pros: - combat style was refreshing, action loaded and easy to learn, not really hard to master imo ; 9/10 - scenery and setting was point on, looked amazing whether it was the outer wilds, towns or arenas of showdowns regarding boss fights 10/10 - music was very much to my liking,    This game is good, regardless of the weaker aspects, which indeed should be criticized.

    First of, the pros:
    - combat style was refreshing, action loaded and easy to learn, not really hard to master imo ; 9/10
    - scenery and setting was point on, looked amazing whether it was the outer wilds, towns or arenas of showdowns regarding boss fights 10/10
    - music was very much to my liking, captivating the atmosphere of different sceneries and events very well, fits to FF ; 9/10
    - the main story line is well fledged-out, although implying a lot of clishees, generic elements of plot progression ( like plot armor for no reason and developments where you'd be like 'yeah right, sure...' ) and some blank characters, it is an interesting one to explore with the main acting chars being well designed and individually different fitting to their role ; overall main story is a solid 8/10 for me, since it lacks in a lot of ways, feels unfinished or even at times unreasonably rushed with its development, but still an enjoyable journey
    - graphics, gameplay, UI all felt very good to me, even though without the PS5's 'performance mode' it at times would seem your console resembles a little nuclear fission reactor; 8/10
    - Voice acting was great done imo and i tested out German, English and Japanese, with each having different yet fitting approaches to giving the character more detail to their traits and behvaiour; 9/10

    Now off to the cons we go.... because there are indeed some:

    - one of the worst aspects to me was the dialogues and the facial expression of characters;
    dialogues at times are redundant, boring, not really giving much info, but seem more of a filler as to say 'just put anything, regardless of reason, character, context, emotions or logic' and this feeling was present the most with side quests, although it at times felt also present in the main story , it was way less;
    the facial expressions are something else, the emotions that should be conveyed through context of the current situation and given dialogue is just lost (!), unfortunately this is present in every aspect, for example: Main Character (MC) has an edgy outfit and most of the time a saddened, even depressing look on his face, even when smiling it rather seems forced. Now a striking, fatal or even devastating message arrives or gets to his ears about the demise of one of his friends or something and all that happens is: His face looks like always, bc MC looks legitimately always sad. Facing in a generic and robotic his conversation partner and goes in a monotone way like ' Oh, thats sad. Sorry to hear that.' and even when the voice actors do their magic providing outstanding perormance the emotions simply get lost and instead of feeling the sympathy of loss i had to burst out laughing due to the bad acting and visualization of facial expressions and overall behaviour. Another example was a left out letter, that MC finds and hands immediately to a former a friend of the recently deceased boss and friend: The character starts crying while reading... at least thats what you hear, but due to the poor visualization there are no tears and just a small pull of his eyebrows pathetically trying to resemble someone's grief. i couldn't help but lauhgh... Now imagine FF7 and !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!SPOILER AHEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Aerith dies, you witness this moment and instead of falling alongside Cloud into despair - bc thats how good they delivered back then!!! - you burst out laughing bc of his goofy,robotic face and feel sarcastically entertained by the actual depressing statements happening at that very moment, thats how bad FF16 delivers on that part

    -Gearing did not feel satisfactory at all as there are not much aspects to go for, whether you seek for a broad deal of weapons, enchantments or greater upgrades, they are not existent; most of the stuff you could farm is a handful of items holding not much worth to it; its not horrendous or anything, but feels more like a poor version of 'God of War' itemization with very limited and not too encouraging options to explore

    -Exploring did also not feel too interesting, if you wtinessed the scenery of arenas, cities and the outer wilds, you basically seen and explored it all as even the varying enemies at one point feel recycled; for example the executioner of Titan has a big, big axe to decapacitate. He very soon becomes recycled as a enemy in the desert with a slightly different clothing style and his big, big axe is just in a wooden optic instead of steel

    - Side quests were aside from some horrible as they felt the most generic from their setup story-wise or even from the conditions to be fulfilled, they felt useless and a waste of time just as much as the dialogue and the content to it; Running stupid from a to b makes no quest good

    Overall, this game is a good and solid entertainment and a worthwile part of the FF series to be enjoyed at least for once, even with all the flaws.    … Expand
  89. Alexron07
    Jul 3, 2023
    10
    I finished the game, the side quests are free creative and engaging. Never got board while playing the story. It is one of the best game that I played for a long time. I downloaded the whole sound track to listen to while driving around
  90. Xedmed
    Jun 28, 2023
    10
    This game is phenomenal. Game of the year I say (and yes I did complete Totk before saying that). The game is a visual marvel. It's characters are all exceptionally likeable. Plus the growth paths they go on are unbelievable. The side quest generate this amazing rich world, where you see your base grow, and the people directly benefit from your input. The combat is frantic, taking all theThis game is phenomenal. Game of the year I say (and yes I did complete Totk before saying that). The game is a visual marvel. It's characters are all exceptionally likeable. Plus the growth paths they go on are unbelievable. The side quest generate this amazing rich world, where you see your base grow, and the people directly benefit from your input. The combat is frantic, taking all the best bits of DMC5 and a few of the better action RPG's of the past 5 years. The influence of so many other games are seen in this. 10/10. I'm only 50% of the way through and can't recommend it enough.… Expand
  91. Boxcarracer
    Jul 8, 2023
    10
    Final Fantasy 16 is definitely a new direction for the series, but in some ways it's a return to form. Honestly The emotional atmosphere and story harkens back to the old days of final fantasy. vibes of 456 and even 1 in there. The combat is extremely fun, but can get a tad stale when you've gone without any new abilities for a bit. But the feeling of combat feels better than mostFinal Fantasy 16 is definitely a new direction for the series, but in some ways it's a return to form. Honestly The emotional atmosphere and story harkens back to the old days of final fantasy. vibes of 456 and even 1 in there. The combat is extremely fun, but can get a tad stale when you've gone without any new abilities for a bit. But the feeling of combat feels better than most character action games. With the disappointment of 15 this truly feels like what you would have expected after final fantasy 13. The graphics are amazing and really give off the biome you currently are in. The story is among the best the franchise offers and definitely hits the best beats of the series. (Always something otherworldly and more evil!) recommend anyone who played the originals and enjoys them to give this one a chance. Best game in my opinion in the last 20 years.… Expand
  92. MarkovIV
    Jun 28, 2023
    10
    a true return to a triumphant FINAL FANTASY narrative. Eikon battles are what i've dreamed when as a kid, watching summons blur out and shine the whole screen, finally taking place in action and unfolding before our very eyes. Also, Soken is a genius.
  93. Gurranq
    Jun 27, 2023
    10
    Stellar game, what a ride! Comes highly recommended if you like strong combat and story.
  94. Krygres
    Jun 25, 2023
    10
    Juegazo. Los que se quejan de la dificultad no saben ni a que juego entran. Por no entrar a debatir con los reviewbombing por no ser por turnos y 20 tontearías más.

    Banda sonora top, ambientación, personajes, historia, combate. Luego llorareis si no salen buenos juegos y todos son calcas de mundos abiertos y tonterias varias. Por liaros a criticar como niños pequeños esperando que os    Juegazo. Los que se quejan de la dificultad no saben ni a que juego entran. Por no entrar a debatir con los reviewbombing por no ser por turnos y 20 tontearías más.

    Banda sonora top, ambientación, personajes, historia, combate.

    Luego llorareis si no salen buenos juegos y todos son calcas de mundos abiertos y tonterias varias. Por liaros a criticar como niños pequeños esperando que os hagan juegos al gusto personal de cada uno. Acabareis por tener basuras y podréis volver tranquilamente al lol.    … Expand
  95. SaberMajora
    Jun 24, 2023
    7
    Game is great, but the performance is **** I also hate how I only play the game for like 20 mins, then a 30 min cutscene every 5 mins.
  96. Akatsubaki
    Jun 25, 2023
    7
    Yo no hago muchas reseñas enserio solo salgo hablar de un juego cuando es enteramente necesario y pienso que este es el momento, compre este video juego por que al ver el título Final Fantasy es algo que siempre me alegra, me emociona pero la verdad es que mi temor se hizo realidad este juego al igual que muchos de los últimos que pertenecen a la saga de FF no está ni cerca de ser un dignoYo no hago muchas reseñas enserio solo salgo hablar de un juego cuando es enteramente necesario y pienso que este es el momento, compre este video juego por que al ver el título Final Fantasy es algo que siempre me alegra, me emociona pero la verdad es que mi temor se hizo realidad este juego al igual que muchos de los últimos que pertenecen a la saga de FF no está ni cerca de ser un digno portador del nombre FINAL FANTASY, dicho lo anterior la verdad este video juego como Final Fantasy es malo, este juego es un fusión de Chaos Legion y Devil May Cry, no lo vean como un Final Fantasy para que lo puedan disfrutar, tiene un apartado visual hermoso, combate fluido, buena historia, la dificultad naaaaa, pero no culpen al juego si no a Squarenix, quien causo el daño, ya que son ellos quienes no entienden, que usar el nombre Final Fantasy en un juego es una carga enorme, si han de culpar a alguien culpen a Squarenix por no crear este juego como un título diferente, lo digo como un mega fan de la saga y con una opinión objetiva.… Expand
  97. AmirReza1939
    Jun 27, 2023
    10
    One of the best RPG that has been made, its gameplay is very attractive and beautiful, and it has a sad, dark and attractive story, and I really like this game.
  98. somovbiu
    Sep 2, 2023
    1
    - horrible voice acting like FFXV
    - horrible voice audio quality comparable to Google Translate, maybe sampled with 10-dollar mics?
    - the same enemy comes back again and again, so annoying, like in animes. - unnatural conversations, no human being talks that way, not even the famously weird Japanese people, let alone Europeans - horrible parry system, the last time I saw this kind of    - horrible voice acting like FFXV
    - horrible voice audio quality comparable to Google Translate, maybe sampled with 10-dollar mics?
    - the same enemy comes back again and again, so annoying, like in animes.
    - unnatural conversations, no human being talks that way, not even the famously weird Japanese people, let alone Europeans
    - horrible parry system, the last time I saw this kind of crappy parry was in Vampyr. In general the combat is too boring, clicking square and using special powers occasionally
    - horrible missions. Japanese games always have tons of filler quests, that's just plainly stupid
    - horrible graphics performance on ps5, and it's a ps5 exclusive? Frucking ridiculous    … Expand
  99. javier_bcn
    Jul 9, 2023
    10
    Lo mejor:
    Historia principal terminada. Es un juegardo y un FF de la cabeza a las patas, de chocobo. La jugabilidad es brutal, muy divertida. De los combates más épicos a los que he jugado. Me daba miedo este apartado al ser un tipo de combate más hack and slash, pero se disfruta mucho y no es tan complejo como puede parecer. La historia es muy buena, épica y bastante bien desarrollada y    Lo mejor:
    Historia principal terminada. Es un juegardo y un FF de la cabeza a las patas, de chocobo. La jugabilidad es brutal, muy divertida. De los combates más épicos a los que he jugado. Me daba miedo este apartado al ser un tipo de combate más hack and slash, pero se disfruta mucho y no es tan complejo como puede parecer. La historia es muy buena, épica y bastante bien desarrollada y narrada con cinemáticas a cascoporro, a la altura de los antiguos FF     … Expand
  100. alex99A
    Jul 3, 2023
    10
    this game is great and yes it has some problems (for example rpg elements are not 100%) but still this game is very beautiful.(even one of the best final fantasy games ever)
    some fanboys and man childs just give low ratings for no reason because they love another game much more.
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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

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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.
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  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]
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