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. Linkinslide
    Aug 14, 2023
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Definitely did not have the feel of a JRPG as have previously installments of Final Fantasy. The only reason I completed this was because I paid over $100 dollars for it and wanted to get my money's worth. XIII had its flaws but was better than XVI. XV had issues but was better than XVI. Who exactly was XVI aimed for? Certainly not long time FF fans, clearly. I struggled so much to complete this boring game by the time I finished, I was angry. The ending was a joke just like the story. The characters were ridiculous and probably would not have been if SE explored in detail the time periods of each of them rather than doing time skips or having players have to read in some history archive about pivotal parts of the story, terms, places, etc. Why could we not learn what exactly Clive went through where the demo leaves off or Jill for that matter or how about some better insight into Kupka and Benedikta? Explore all of these characters so we can actually get to know them especially Dion and Barnabas. Or how about SE introducing these vast kingdoms and lands but only allowing exploration to the outskirts or abandoned broken down places? Just a lazy way of doing a game. The treasure boxes scattered around were a joke. Nothing of value at all rather crafting supplies instead of actual potions, or armor/weapons. I got to the point where I just skipped some of them because more often than not there was a goblin coin inside. There was no party. No matter what anyone says, having Jill or anyone else "fighting" in battle was laughable. You can only control Clive and have the dog fight by commands but any others just walked around occasionally doing some useless attack and were otherwise just as much helpful as looking at paint drying. This is some medieval game that just so happens to have some magic sprinkled in and the Final Fantasy name packaged on it but it ain't FF.… Expand
  2. realfire23
    Jun 24, 2023
    5
    I would have voted a 7 but score is getting too high.
    1. hardest diffcult 0 times died. Just pressed X and dodge 98% of the time. Very unsatisfying combat only for ADHS people who like button mashing
    2. It tries to mimic western rpg like witcher but even witcher 10 years older is better in almost every perspective 3.90% of the side quests are an insult. fetch x y 4. Its way too dark, in    I would have voted a 7 but score is getting too high.
    1. hardest diffcult 0 times died. Just pressed X and dodge 98% of the time. Very unsatisfying combat only for ADHS people who like button mashing
    2. It tries to mimic western rpg like witcher but even witcher 10 years older is better in almost every perspective
    3.90% of the side quests are an insult. fetch x y
    4. Its way too dark, in terms of brightness. Even brightest settings Iam often unable to recognise anything on the tv
    5. some people call it game of thrones of rpg. lmao… after 1-2 hours everything is clear and predictable 6. Customisations/RPG are minimal
    7. No groups … I miss party management
    8. It made me like ff15 … which was already a desaster


    pro

    the story is well told and I like it. German Translation / voice acting is very good.    … Expand
  3. Catombomb
    Aug 11, 2023
    4
    unfortunately i didn't have that much fun with the game. The character design and the world feels very generic and lifeless. Maybe next time Square Enix
  4. Andyo
    Aug 10, 2023
    1
    It's such a shame to see Final Fantasy go in the direction it has. Nothing good about this game except the story.

    It might pass as a good game but it is a terrible Final Fantasy game.

    Will not be pre-ordering again.
  5. Reipzx
    Jul 3, 2023
    10
    Amazing. There isn’t another word to describe this game. It’s a PS5 must play!
  6. Lawlieto55
    Jul 3, 2023
    10
    Absolutely fantastic game.
    I have ever had faith in CBU3 and they did not disappoint.
    Albeit I do have some critic points towards the game, they have not prevented me from overly enjoying this Journey. I just personally wish that "Spoilers" SE and FF Devs would stop it with ambigious endings. I hate them, as much as they push my creativity, I just dont want them. Give us a clear and    Absolutely fantastic game.
    I have ever had faith in CBU3 and they did not disappoint.

    Albeit I do have some critic points towards the game, they have not prevented me from overly enjoying this Journey. I just personally wish that "Spoilers" SE and FF Devs would stop it with ambigious endings.
    I hate them, as much as they push my creativity, I just dont want them. Give us a clear and proper ending to hour long Journey we have been on with the Characters. For the love of Jill, please. Learn and accept that ambigious endings are not satisfying in the grand scheme of things.

    Other than that I have a little bit of a issue with the lack of Enemy variety. I wish that every story boss fight was a unique experience and that copies of bosses were saved for difficult A and S Rank Hunts. More Hunts would have certainly not hurt the game either. Replacing Mob hoards in side quests with actual Bosses with adds perhaps wouldve done wonders too.
    Over all I feel like the game has certainly lacked some key enemies from the FF series. And perhaps has also missed the opportunity to create new memorable enemies for future Final Fantasy Titles to pick up.

    The Leviathan plot hole is also a little bit of a headache creator. Perhaps the Eikons absence makes the ending make a little bit more sense, with Mythos or rather Logos not being a perfect vessel after all. However, if you exclude a Eikon in a story that is very much reliant on the Eikons to make sense, its absence is indeed noticeable. Perhaps all in plan for a DLC and a non ambigious ending? One can only hope.

    So to summarize:
    Love the game and everything it stands for, with some minor critic points with especially the ending having left me with a little bit disappointment.
    FF16 DLCs, whatever form they may have if being created are definitely welcome. Wether its just more side content as new enemies, hunts, a boss rush mode or something more ambitious like non ambigious ending would most definitely be appreciated.
    Other than that, let the wait for FF17 begin.    … Expand
  7. Pickle43
    Jun 24, 2023
    5
    A Final Fantasy with gorgeous environments and fun combat marred by ugly npc models, questionable world building and a predictable story.
  8. Eeman123
    Jul 9, 2023
    9
    A great game. One I strongly recommend. Has the best boss fights in the final fantasy franchise and has a very heartfelt and emotional story. The M rating of he game allowed devs to go more in depth on topics like genocide and Slavery.

    Its definitely a final fantasy game. The only downside is that AI partners aren't as provocative as I would like. Definitely GOTY
  9. jaggerjacks
    Sep 5, 2023
    5
    Final Fantasy 16 has honorable qualities. But I feel it's the most overrated game of 2023. Most of its flaws (and it has many) would never have been tolerated on a game called "Fall of Crystals" and designed by a random studio.

    I love the work that Noaki Yoshida and his teams have done on Final Fantasy 14, but my admiration for them shouldn't blind me to criticism.
  10. LeopardKishin
    Aug 11, 2023
    0
    Basically a baby first time action game
    It's set as one of the easiest action games I've ever played
    And the whole esthetic of the game environment is low graphics, especially in the texture, where you can clearly see texture that comes directly from the PS3 era But the worst sin made by this Final Fantasy 16 is, copy game of thrones badly, just for the sake of the rating. There's    Basically a baby first time action game
    It's set as one of the easiest action games I've ever played
    And the whole esthetic of the game environment is low graphics, especially in the texture, where you can clearly see texture that comes directly from the PS3 era
    But the worst sin made by this Final Fantasy 16 is, copy game of thrones badly, just for the sake of the rating.
    There's multiple ways to create a serious plot for a story, but here in FF16 it feels all artificial and not engaging at all.
    It's like you see some of the most predictable scene of a movie, and you are just there for see if the plot move in other ways, but it don't.
    For a game like this that point mostly on his story, build a predictable and generic plot made the whole things just pointless to follow, especially when you see how the whole plot fells flat and that doesn't evolve.
    In conclusion, this game trade the Final Fantasy feelings for build something to attract new audience with a budget DMC clone gameplay and a bunch of game of thrones stuff putted together with the glue, and obtaining a terrible mix
    An heavily disappointing experience    … Expand
  11. lazerblade10
    Jun 24, 2023
    3
    Just beat the game today. It's ok.
    - The camera angles are a little weird at times, hard to see what's going on
    - Spells effects can be overwhelming to where you cant see the mob attacking you while it's in a tornado - Combat can sometimes feel repetitive or fights feel a little too long - Boss fight cutscenes are amazing, explosions and monsters, like a HIGH, but once it's over you    Just beat the game today. It's ok.
    - The camera angles are a little weird at times, hard to see what's going on
    - Spells effects can be overwhelming to where you cant see the mob attacking you while it's in a tornado
    - Combat can sometimes feel repetitive or fights feel a little too long
    - Boss fight cutscenes are amazing, explosions and monsters, like a HIGH, but once it's over you experience a low just talking to a shop keeper    … Expand
  12. tensioly
    Jul 12, 2023
    9
    Final Fantasy XVI es un juegazo y un gran Final Fantasy. Con este juego han conseguido un sistema de combate adaptado a los tiempos actuales y que se aleja bastante de los turnos de otras entregas, con una jugabilidad propia de los hack and slash tremendamente divertida y que le sienta como anillo al dedo. Si a esto le añadimos que los combates gozan de unas animaciones y de una puesta enFinal Fantasy XVI es un juegazo y un gran Final Fantasy. Con este juego han conseguido un sistema de combate adaptado a los tiempos actuales y que se aleja bastante de los turnos de otras entregas, con una jugabilidad propia de los hack and slash tremendamente divertida y que le sienta como anillo al dedo. Si a esto le añadimos que los combates gozan de unas animaciones y de una puesta en escena buenísimas, hacen del mismo uno de los mejores apartados del juego. La epicidad de los combates también se puede aplicar a las escenas y distintos momentos del juego y han logrado transmitir una intensidad y un éxtasis a la que muy pocos juegos llegan. Todo viene acompañado por una magistral banda sonora compuesta por Soken que me parece de lo mejor que se ha hecho estos últimos años sin ningún tipo de duda (está a la altura de las composiciones de Uematsu y Shimomura). La historia es muy redonda, está muy inspirada en juego de tronos por sus conflictos políticos y ambientación medieval cruda y muy adulta y está llena de momentos inolvidables. Sin embargo, tras la mitad del juego baja algo el ritmo de la narrativa, pero consigue mantenerte enganchado hasta el final. Al sobresaliente argumento hay que añadir los fantásticos e interesantísimos personajes de los que hace gala el juego, la mayoría con arcos sorprendentemente buenos. También me han sorprendido para bien muchas misiones secundarias ya que te contextualizan de una forma muy cercana a la situación del mundo de Valisthea y a sus personajes. En cuanto al apartado gráfico, es de lo más puntero que he visto en la nueva generación, pero es cierto que en modo rendimiento es bastante inestable, por lo que lo he jugado en modo fidelidad (30 fps), que mantenía bastante mejor la tasa de imágenes salvo en momentos muy concretos. El apartado artístico si que me parece espectacular, con escenarios sobrecogedores y un tono medieval que me ha gustado mucho. Debo mencionar también un NPC que me ha parecido interesantísimo ya que te permite acceder a información y resúmenes de personajes y acontecimientos que han ido surgiendo a lo largo de la historia que pueden aclarar muchas cosas que no hayas terminado de entender o que se te hayan olvidado, y me parece un gran añadido. Como puntos negativos debo destacar la pocas recompensas que hay por explorar el mundo, que algunas misiones son algo tediosas y la carencia que hay de elementos RPG, que se ha perdido bastante en esta entrega y aunque haya variabilidad en cuanto al uso de las habilidades podría haber sido algo más elaborado. En conclusión, Final Fantasy XVI está a la altura de los mejores de la saga y lo recomiendo a todos los que queráis gozar de una gran historia. 9,2/10
    (07/2023)    … Expand
  13. kataclysmicmind
    Jul 1, 2023
    10
    Great game, good story even if predictable at points, great graphics and performance, can be too easy or challenging depending on preference
  14. Tyuhjg
    Jul 1, 2023
    10
    The game is fun.Although there still flaws but it still didnt effect much.Hope we can get dlc
  15. cosguy91
    Jun 24, 2023
    2
    The game is simply boring. Bland story, bland environments, constant cutscenes. You’ll walk 5 steps then watch a 10 minute cutscene. Walk another few steps then another cutscene. Enemies have such large health bars that you spend several minutes spamming the attack button to defeat them and you’re only given some crafting materials. Very disappointed with this game. I regret buying it.
  16. Montiero
    Aug 10, 2023
    3
    Not a Final Fantasy game. Not at all, not whatsoever. This is Devil May Cry with another brand's label and logo, nothing more. In fact, it isn't even an RPG either. I'm about 20 hours into the game and am at the point that I just don't care to finish it. It's shallow in characters, story, combat, and systems. There's just ZERO depth or nuance that Final Fantasy is known for. But this isNot a Final Fantasy game. Not at all, not whatsoever. This is Devil May Cry with another brand's label and logo, nothing more. In fact, it isn't even an RPG either. I'm about 20 hours into the game and am at the point that I just don't care to finish it. It's shallow in characters, story, combat, and systems. There's just ZERO depth or nuance that Final Fantasy is known for. But this is the new direction that FF will probably remain in. This is not a good game and it's DEFINITELY NOT a good Final Fantasy. Shame it'll be another decade before they even make another mainline game anyway.… Expand
  17. Eremyth
    Jul 1, 2023
    9
    This game was something else, an amazing experience from start to finish, full of dark and epic moments that slow down at the right segments to do some good side questing that ties directly to the story and characters around you.
    The story was amazing and Clive as a protagonist was one of my favourites. Cid is definitely the best Cid in the series as a whole.
    The villain is alright and    This game was something else, an amazing experience from start to finish, full of dark and epic moments that slow down at the right segments to do some good side questing that ties directly to the story and characters around you.
    The story was amazing and Clive as a protagonist was one of my favourites. Cid is definitely the best Cid in the series as a whole.
    The villain is alright and serves his purpose, I've seen better.
    Combat was fun and the Music was on another level.

    Overall, go play!    … Expand
  18. ako005
    Jun 27, 2023
    5
    The plot is incomplete, the characterization is lacking, and the ending is disgusting. The game system is boring and there is no desire to delve into it. Most of the funds are spent on the summoned beast battle scene, and the rest is very perfunctory.
  19. liamlo20220517
    Jul 3, 2023
    10
    25 years playing video games and this is the greatest combat experience i ever had.

    story 9/10 combat 10/10 music 10/10 graphics 10/10 boss battles 10/10 characters 10/10 side quests 8/10 ( the final batch of side quests before the final boss are all amazing) post-game content 4/10 (aside from NG+ and hardmode, severely lacking. no uber post-game bosses, dungeons, etc) biggest    25 years playing video games and this is the greatest combat experience i ever had.

    story 9/10
    combat 10/10
    music 10/10
    graphics 10/10
    boss battles 10/10
    characters 10/10
    side quests 8/10 ( the final batch of side quests before the final boss are all amazing)
    post-game content 4/10 (aside from NG+ and hardmode, severely lacking. no uber post-game bosses, dungeons, etc)

    biggest technical issue for me was too much motion blur,    … Expand
  20. JohnAxel
    Jul 3, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Great Game with great combat and story line the only issued problem is the performance mode but I think they will fix it definitively one of the must buy game of the year… Expand
  21. YoshiM8
    Aug 15, 2023
    0
    One of the worst games of this 2023
    FF16 started with high expectations, and ended up to be just another forgettable piece of crap Final Fantasy
    The action gameplay revolve around press one button endlessly, just like you playing the most braindead game. The plot start with a premise that falls horrendously dawn, becoming another boring and shallow experience. The world is flat like    One of the worst games of this 2023
    FF16 started with high expectations, and ended up to be just another forgettable piece of crap Final Fantasy

    The action gameplay revolve around press one button endlessly, just like you playing the most braindead game.
    The plot start with a premise that falls horrendously dawn, becoming another boring and shallow experience.
    The world is flat like a white piece of paper, you can decorate with all the cutscenes that you want, but if there's literally just 0 exploration around it is meaningless.

    Overall I feel scammed by Square Enix with this game. Because FF16 it's a bad Final Fantasy and an overall bad action game without redeem qualities    … Expand
  22. Anto_A2203
    Jul 4, 2023
    10
    El juego es sencillamente fantástico, en cuanto a su apartado técnico va muy bien, sus gráficos son muy llamativos y su jugabilidad va escalando conforme pasa la historia, siempre hay nuevos elementos y poderes con los que entretenerse mientras buscas tu combinación ideal que se adapte a tu estilo de juego, aparte de eso se agradece el hecho que venga doblado al español latino, las vocesEl juego es sencillamente fantástico, en cuanto a su apartado técnico va muy bien, sus gráficos son muy llamativos y su jugabilidad va escalando conforme pasa la historia, siempre hay nuevos elementos y poderes con los que entretenerse mientras buscas tu combinación ideal que se adapte a tu estilo de juego, aparte de eso se agradece el hecho que venga doblado al español latino, las voces de la gran mayoría son muy buenas... Aunque en algunas ocasiones sientes que se repiten las voces de algunos actores de doblaje en otros personajes terciarios qué si bien no serán relevantes en la historia puede que te saque de la inmersión. Las misiones principales son muy buenas, las secundarias pueden quedar a veces como algo repetitivas pero ayudan a profundizar en la historia que quiere presentar el juego y en algunos casos se obtiene materiales necesarios para la mejora de armas que no se consiguen por otros métodos. En general diría que es un Final Fantasy muy entretenido y que vale la pena jugarlo!… Expand
  23. flobv86
    Aug 15, 2023
    5
    The game is pretty poor overall. Story is interesting, and combat can be nice at times but even for combat, too many fight interuptions on important boss fights that have you lose focus while watching the lengthy cutscenes. Level design is really poor also. "open world" parts are absolutely useless. Big frame drops even on performance and graphics look more like 2013. Max 5/10 for me
  24. Romval
    Aug 13, 2023
    2
    An unfinished product. And it’s getting more and more noticeable towards the end of the game. Can’t understand the rating this high for the game that unfinished.
  25. Zarathustra11
    Aug 11, 2023
    6
    This is the most clear 6/10 game I've played in years. There are so many great ideas in the game that don't get executed as well as they could be.

    Pros: The combat is really fun in the first half of the game. The side quests really add to the world building and offers interesting dialogue. Most cutscenes are really great. As should be expected in a Final Fantasy game. The music. Yeah,    This is the most clear 6/10 game I've played in years. There are so many great ideas in the game that don't get executed as well as they could be.

    Pros:
    The combat is really fun in the first half of the game.
    The side quests really add to the world building and offers interesting dialogue.
    Most cutscenes are really great. As should be expected in a Final Fantasy game.
    The music. Yeah, everyone should know thoa by now.

    Cons:
    The combat becomes really repetitive in the second half of the game.
    There is absolutely no exploration or hidden loot.
    The world feels really empty most of the time.
    The story never hooks you and is a total snore fest in the end.

    I had hoped this would be my game of the year, but sadly it just has too many flaws to get there.    … Expand
  26. mc3027
    Jul 6, 2023
    10
    Really enjoyed this breath of fresh air to the series. The story really draws you in. After the lack of a comprehensive story and mythology in its predecessor, Final Fantasy XVI shows that there’s still life in the series after all.
  27. pablolrferreira
    Aug 10, 2023
    4
    The game has incredible graphics, but the mechanics are shallow and poor for a Final Fantasy game. Some battles are longer than necessary and make the game repetitive. The world of this Final Fantasy is beautiful, however, it’s so empty. So, I regret buying it.
  28. Vanitasdeadpool
    Jul 3, 2023
    10
    Greatest game of all time, hands down. Nothing else to say,
    other than that any negative reviews are simply from people who can't stand a game to be so legendary.
  29. Tjprez
    Aug 14, 2023
    5
    I just finished the game and honestly, it was just brutal to get through. I skipped almost all of the story cut scenes after a while because of how boring and invested I was in what was going on. Please bring back ones with open world exploration, secrets and side quest that aren't just me chasing around and collecting things. Have me unlock characters and create my own party. These gamesI just finished the game and honestly, it was just brutal to get through. I skipped almost all of the story cut scenes after a while because of how boring and invested I was in what was going on. Please bring back ones with open world exploration, secrets and side quest that aren't just me chasing around and collecting things. Have me unlock characters and create my own party. These games just aren't fun anymore and this probably my last one that I will buy.… Expand
  30. HamletArcher
    Aug 15, 2023
    5
    Beautiful graphics. Great music. Complex story. Some interesting characters but protagonist is boring. The world is gorgeous but filled with NPCs that delivered the same line like in the 90s. Side quests are forgettable. Even main line is filled with fetch quests. Combat is fast-paced a fun for a while but got repetitive. Enemies look spectacular but feel more or less the same. Gone areBeautiful graphics. Great music. Complex story. Some interesting characters but protagonist is boring. The world is gorgeous but filled with NPCs that delivered the same line like in the 90s. Side quests are forgettable. Even main line is filled with fetch quests. Combat is fast-paced a fun for a while but got repetitive. Enemies look spectacular but feel more or less the same. Gone are the days when different enemies (bombs, Marlboro, mech etc) required different strategies. The equipments had no special effect and only differed in stats. Overall not the final fantasy renaissance that I wished it would be.… Expand
  31. Kafka10
    Aug 15, 2023
    1
    Literally a shallow experience, and easily one of the worst FF released
    You wonder how Final Fantasy 16 menage to be an hugely worse Final Fantasy game than FF8, FF13, FF15, FF12 and FF2? Because it's not a jrpg
    In Final Fantasy 16 the 90% of the maps are linear and empty, and the mono-button gameplay becomes repetitive very easily considering the absence of enemies weaknesses. Another    Literally a shallow experience, and easily one of the worst FF released
    You wonder how Final Fantasy 16 menage to be an hugely worse Final Fantasy game than FF8, FF13, FF15, FF12 and FF2? Because it's not a jrpg
    In Final Fantasy 16 the 90% of the maps are linear and empty, and the mono-button gameplay becomes repetitive very easily considering the absence of enemies weaknesses.
    Another point where this Final Fantasy 16 fails it's the graphics, once upon a time the meaning of the franchise was also his wonderful graphics, but here in FF16 they have made a step back even on this, with the low poly textures, the framerates drops, and the background and NPC that feels like a PS3 assets port.
    And in the end, even the plot so much pumped ended up to be a snorefest of tediousness, especially after the first hours, like they know exactly what was the plot downsizes, and so they have decided to promote the game only accompanied by something from the first 3 hours, for this reasons the bait Demo.
    The literally only good aspect of all this mess is the OST, but I don't play videogames just for ear a song.
    And as a videogame Final Fantasy 16 is a failure
    In addition to being a bad Final Fantasy    … Expand
  32. Adgalo
    Aug 15, 2023
    4
    I don't get where dows all this praise come. Graphic wise, it doesn't look bad, but its nothing to write home about, and performance is a problem. If it looks just ok, renders at just 1440p, I should expect 60fps, and it barely maintains 30...

    Voice acting is ok, but lipsync is really bad and the characters look really stiff and cheap animated during conversations. The soundtrack contains    I don't get where dows all this praise come. Graphic wise, it doesn't look bad, but its nothing to write home about, and performance is a problem. If it looks just ok, renders at just 1440p, I should expect 60fps, and it barely maintains 30...

    Voice acting is ok, but lipsync is really bad and the characters look really stiff and cheap animated during conversations. The soundtrack contains some good compositions, and some important bosses have their own epic track. Problem is, for every other moment of the game, a generic song is used, without any kind of dynamic adaptation, and a lot of times, the music doesn't fit what is happening...

    Story is mediocre. There are a lot of characters, and when you start the game many of them look like may be important, but all of them end their participation in the game without any real development or weight in the narrative (there's just a couple of exceptions, and even then, they are not that well developed).

    Gameplay... See, I don't mind change and experimentation with combat, and this one starts being funny and looking espectacular. This doesn't last long, as you end up smashing attack button and spamming the Eikon abilities. You can dodge and block enemy attacks, which adds a little bit of flavor, but combat ends up being terribly repetitive. Eikon combats look espectacular... and that's it.

    Sidequests are an absolute chore. Fetch this and combat that ad nauseam, without any kind of real narrative involved. Some of the latter one contain more story and throw some light over some characters, but they look and feel cheap nevertheless.

    A half assed game, that starts strong and quickly becomes boring... Everything in it screams mediocrity.    … Expand
  33. CriticoDubioso
    Sep 8, 2023
    10
    Game of the year! Would support and purchase any future DLC! Phenomenal eikon battles and cutscenes. Story and characters are great and better than FF15
  34. Talbis
    Jun 27, 2023
    7
    Is it a bad game? No, hell no, it's a good game, great even! It just doesn't feel like Final Fantasy... The core of FF games is the characters, the party and here we don't have a party. We're solo so much and supporting characters pop up here and there, but they're not always with you, so there is no building bonds between the characters... or between you and the characters. The mainIs it a bad game? No, hell no, it's a good game, great even! It just doesn't feel like Final Fantasy... The core of FF games is the characters, the party and here we don't have a party. We're solo so much and supporting characters pop up here and there, but they're not always with you, so there is no building bonds between the characters... or between you and the characters. The main character therefore isn't being challenged, he doesn't evolve or change or grow as a person... He's the same at the end as he was at the start. Then there's the loot. The loot is boring. It's the most barebones stat increase (your +5 to attack). There's no fun there, no elemental effects, no flair... a sword is a sword, nothing more. Then the whiplash effect of the storytelling and gameplay is separated. There is no blend of story and gameplay. The story is given to you as cutscenes and gameplay is a whole other thing. That's the old-school way to approach storytelling in games and it just doesn't work. The game takes away the control from the player so often and in such a jarring way... The gameplay itself is amazing, fighting feels great! The thing is, this is like Devil May Cry more than Final Fantasy! I like both, I like Bayonetta too... I... I just want my jRPG to be a jRPG... Levels are pointless, gear is pointless, and everything I expect from a Final Fantasy is just an afterthought.

    It's really a phenomenal game, really worth playing and the price tag! Just be aware that it's not a jRPG title, this is a character action game. If you go into it like me, expecting an epic jRPG game, you will come out both disappointed and satisfied at the same time. Final Fantasy is changing... and I am not sure if I'm allowed to love it, I am unsure if the future of the franchise is bright. I mean, I was harsh on Bethesda for gutting Fallout 4's RPG mechanics... so I should be critical here too, it's just fair... but this one is so damn good... Ehhh...    … Expand
  35. cntrl
    Aug 29, 2023
    10
    Really great game and a proper evolution of the series. The battle system in the predecessor (FF 15) wasn't that great to be honest, but in FF 16 they hired the right people and did a really, really good job. As someone who loves to have some more strategic and turn-based functionalities, I was very skeptical initially, but the developers convinced me that a Final Fantasy game can workReally great game and a proper evolution of the series. The battle system in the predecessor (FF 15) wasn't that great to be honest, but in FF 16 they hired the right people and did a really, really good job. As someone who loves to have some more strategic and turn-based functionalities, I was very skeptical initially, but the developers convinced me that a Final Fantasy game can work well without turn-based combat system.
    Although it's very different compared to the previous titles, it definitely feels like a Final Fantasy game and is a good example of how a game can evolve and change up important elements in a way that doesn't lead to total alienation.

    Mostly due to all the attention to detail (great story explanation, stunning visuals, immersive world, superb voice acting) it deserves the full score of 10/10. There are minor things I'd wish were different (e.g. using Ambrosia feels a little clunky), but they are mostly subjective and don't have a negative effect on the overall score.

    Thanks for this great experience!    … Expand
  36. Gaaroth
    Jul 30, 2023
    9
    This game had a clear idea in mind and on that notes is truly a masterpiece.
    Story, characters, world building are the one of the best in the franchise: real, mature, credible; a couple of soft "holes" but nothing breaking.
    The combat system has the incredible property of being easy to pick up but a ton of mastery is required if one wants to dig deeper; unfortunately true difficulty only    This game had a clear idea in mind and on that notes is truly a masterpiece.
    Story, characters, world building are the one of the best in the franchise: real, mature, credible; a couple of soft "holes" but nothing breaking.
    The combat system has the incredible property of being easy to pick up but a ton of mastery is required if one wants to dig deeper; unfortunately true difficulty only comes up in NG+ or arcade mode. Still it's deeply satisfying.
    The OST is as usual godly, Soken is quickly ascending in my personal pantheon of musicians.
    The graphics are nothing mind blowing but the artistic direction is incredible.
    And this was the goal, a good and satisfying story, relatable characters and fun combat: a complete hit.
    Final Fantasy 16 falls flat, unfortunately, on mainly two other aspects: side quests and RPG systems.
    Side quets are not overall "bad": they do what I care the most, the world building, and they do it perfectly. In fact I highly suggest to do them, because they expand the world a ton. But they are mechanically uninteresting. A minigame or something different from the usual game play would have a huge impact.
    The RPG systems instead are a complete failure in my eyes. There is a levelling system and stats, they have impact sure, but you don't have control over them, there is no choice to be made and thus no consequences. An example: on the "offense" side you have "attack" and "stagger" as stats, but ALL weapons have the same value for both, this means I'll always equip the best weapon available and I cannot "build" a "heavy attack" or "heavy stagger" Clive. Same idea goes for belts and bracelets regarding HP and defense. The accessories, on the same vein, do not impact stats heavily, so you end up equipping the ones that give extra XP, AP, etc. This, by consequence, kills the utility of crafting and looting/exploring, especially because you naturally get the best equip by simply playing the story.
    Fortunately this is an easy fix since is mostly dependent in on tweaking stats, and I hope CBU3 makes a balance pass on items.
    The RPG part basically comes down to Eikon and skill selection: all are different and interesting, but without other layers like elements or statuses, they do not have the impact they could have had in a more complex system.
    This is not a dealbreaker but with better systems in place, the game would ascend to the masterpiece level.
    Given the quality of the main goals the dev had in mind, it would be criminal not to still give 9 to this title: I enjoyed the ride very much and it landed in my top#3 FF tier list easily. If you pick this up, just do not expect deep RPG systems and you'll enjoy it too.    … Expand
  37. MAFIAxMaverick
    Aug 28, 2023
    8
    Probably one of my favorite Final Fantasy games in terms of the story. I also love the action-oriented gameplay. The world looks beautiful, the character models look beautiful. The Digital Foundry deep dive on some of the technical elements of characters and world interaction was phenomenal. From a technical perspective, I think FFXVI is a 10/10. I also love the build variability and thinkProbably one of my favorite Final Fantasy games in terms of the story. I also love the action-oriented gameplay. The world looks beautiful, the character models look beautiful. The Digital Foundry deep dive on some of the technical elements of characters and world interaction was phenomenal. From a technical perspective, I think FFXVI is a 10/10. I also love the build variability and think there are a lot of viable builds to use for Clive.

    My two biggest gripes are - 1. Doing away with status effects. I feel like it really dumbed down the gameplay. 2. There are some amazing side quests - but the side quests in the first half of the game are weak, overall. The amount of fetch quests, I think, will deter people from picking up side quests later in the game and some of the late game side quests provide some of the best storytelling in the game.

    Overall - I don't know if this is a FF game I will come back to again and again like FFX and FFXII - but I really enjoyed my time with it.    … Expand
  38. Sicarius089
    Jul 28, 2023
    9
    Whilst the map is quite linear, this actually feels refreshing given how bland open worlds have become and how majority of developers don't understand how to create a unique open world that isn't riddled with meaningless endeavours and horrendous side quests.

    The story has some of the best character development I've seen in recent years. Side quests start of basic as you start off    Whilst the map is quite linear, this actually feels refreshing given how bland open worlds have become and how majority of developers don't understand how to create a unique open world that isn't riddled with meaningless endeavours and horrendous side quests.

    The story has some of the best character development I've seen in recent years. Side quests start of basic as you start off basically putting you in Clive's shoes to see if you want to commit to belonging, but if you do the rewards get better and better with unlocking top tier swords, increasing potion count, unlocking accessories which can be used to modify actions, moves, damage and evasion in combat, to unlocking materials for upgrading weapons. One of the biggest complaints I've seen is the claim that it's not an RPG (Role playing game) yet by definition you're playing as Clive who grows emotionally, takes on responsibility, grows in strength whilst supporting those around him, all of this takes place in the span of around 20 years. With some characters changing for the better, others for the worse.

    On top of that Eikons abilities can be upgraded and even well into the game 60+ hours I was still unlocking abilities not tied into the tier unlocks in the menu. This replaces the standard in other RPG's (Particularly in Final Fantasy games) where you unlock abilities / strengths / perks in weapons, here it's Eikon abilities.

    Music is phenomenal, I even brought the Ultimate edition that comes with 8 cds.

    There's actually a lot of content in the game from unlocking character bios, unlocking music that can be played at the hideaway, arcade mode, Eikon Challenge gateways, Hunts, side quests, tomes, observing the political landscape bios etc.

    Boss battles (Eikon Battles) are possibly the best I've seen in a long, long time and are actually rewarding.

    The story is told in a way where you can empathise with Clive's cause and want to accomplish his story so that the world is rid of the prejudices and evil that plague not, it's not just about ridding the world of the shadow evil figure. This always makes for a great story when you have to deal with the prejudice that the character has to deal with because you actually grow alongside the characters.

    Combat is amazing and has multiple variations that players can go about, some critics complained all they had to do was hold a button, whilst failing to mention that this was an accessory they had equiped.

    Progressing through the story and map, at times I'd get to a point where I think "I've seen all I have to see in this" then something new happens. The best way to explore the maps though would be when you have the green marker for a side quest show up, as discovering the full map in the areas before the side quests become available kinda makes the world somewhat empty, but once that side quest becomes available that area is given meaning.

    Definitely looking forward to what is in store for the future of FFXVI, even though I'm just over 60 hours in, I'm still be amazed at what I'm finding and seeing.    … Expand
  39. ozumakuma
    Sep 1, 2023
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Up until the part where Jill gives Clive her powers I would have given this game a 9, possibly 10 but when they completely sideline her before the final hours of the game, it didn't go down well with me at all. She and Torgal should have been there for everything in the end. Origin was just an annoying plot device ending.… Expand
  40. oriodesign
    Jul 20, 2023
    8
    I absolutely loved the fights among Eikons, the main cutscenes, the gorgeous graphic, the darker aesthetics and the fantastic soundtrack. The source of inspiration of this game is clear and it comes from other series which I love (Game of Thrones, Attack on Titan, Elden Ring...), but still maintaining a Final Fantasy identity. The combat system it's enjoyable, maybe even too easy andI absolutely loved the fights among Eikons, the main cutscenes, the gorgeous graphic, the darker aesthetics and the fantastic soundtrack. The source of inspiration of this game is clear and it comes from other series which I love (Game of Thrones, Attack on Titan, Elden Ring...), but still maintaining a Final Fantasy identity. The combat system it's enjoyable, maybe even too easy and forgiving. I also appreciated the brave choice of being a pure action game. Enemies and mechanics are often repeated, rpg elements including gear and crafting is almost absent, but I still had a good time for my 60 hours of gameplay.

    Unfortunately there are also all the problems of FFIV, with uninteresting side quests, forgettable side characters, long dull dialogues which don't add anything to the experience, but actually feel outdated, like if a modern title was padded with content from an older MMORPG. In almost every quest you are asked to fetch an object or kill a monster after lengthy tedious dialogues. Most of the characters are bland and uninspired to the point of being almost annoying for their lack of depth, especially in the side quests.

    The world is gorgeous to see and I have been particularly impressed with the vegetation richness which was probably also contributing to the framerate drop even in performance mode. I appreciate the connected locations without a proper open world which we have seen too many times, but despite the reduced size of the locations they still feel incredibly empty with no reward for exploration. Loot is practically absent and with no secrets to uncover you have little reason to explore the map. The experience feels very disconnected teleporting continuously from side quest to side quest which makes you miss the sense of journey which was so present in other titles.

    The plot has its great moments especially when confronting major opponents and the story overall is well told especially compared to FFXV. That said, the world, its characters and their motivations didn't feel believable and as soon as you look a bit deeper into the narrative it makes less sense and it's hard to feel immersed into it.

    It's a title where a player can find extremely high quality content unfortunately mixed with mediocre quests, dull characters, a world that feels empty and undercooked rpg elements.    … Expand
  41. aviralj
    Jul 19, 2023
    10
    Definitely GOTY! Wonderful game from start to finish, side-quests were mehh but who cares when the main story is so amazing
  42. vIPROLL
    Sep 8, 2023
    10
    Fantastic story, great characters, combat is fun and probably the best game I have played in a long time. I know there is a lot of competition this year for goty but this is my choice.
  43. Eriksnb
    Sep 8, 2023
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Jogo extremamente bem feito na questão de história, peca um pouco nas conversas que quebram o ritmo do jogo, mais se vc não liga pra isso é um jogão!… Expand
  44. Dibss
    Jul 29, 2023
    9
    Al netto di qualche mancanza come: danni elementali, parametria e secondarie un po' più coinvolgenti il gioco fa di tutto per farti immergere nel Regno dei gemelli. Apprezzabile l'inserimento di un npc in particolare come narratore della lore,il gioco ha boss fight incredibili che non vedevo da God of war 3 (eccetto qualcosa in God of war del 2018). Uno dei pochi titoli nel quale ogniAl netto di qualche mancanza come: danni elementali, parametria e secondarie un po' più coinvolgenti il gioco fa di tutto per farti immergere nel Regno dei gemelli. Apprezzabile l'inserimento di un npc in particolare come narratore della lore,il gioco ha boss fight incredibili che non vedevo da God of war 3 (eccetto qualcosa in God of war del 2018). Uno dei pochi titoli nel quale ogni personaggio ha una storia da raccontare,il valore di produzione e di scrittura delle cutscene è ai livelli dei giochi più chiacchierati e apprezzati del medium. Questo gioco potrà far storcere il naso ai fan di vecchia data ma offre,allo stesso tempo, un memorabile benvenuto ai nuovi… Expand
  45. VTHokies1999
    Aug 28, 2023
    9
    Loved it. Great story, incredible boss fights, and amazing combat. Some of the side quests are pretty boring and the performance mode was trash. If you are a FF or dmC fan, you'll find something to like here.
  46. Ragnar_san
    Jul 28, 2023
    10
    Uno de los mejores juegos que se han hecho nunca, Merece por lo menos que le deis una oportunidad. Solo tiene odio por ser exclusivo de PS5.
  47. StubbornStanley
    Jun 26, 2023
    7
    It's a good game, but is it really FInal Fantasy? Well, yes, because that's what it's called, that's the universe, and that's what the creators' made. BUT, to echo many other FF vets, it's really not quite a Final Fantasy game at heart. The action is way over the top. There are too many enemies in many battles, which then boils down to a goofy dance of dodge and slash and wait for coolIt's a good game, but is it really FInal Fantasy? Well, yes, because that's what it's called, that's the universe, and that's what the creators' made. BUT, to echo many other FF vets, it's really not quite a Final Fantasy game at heart. The action is way over the top. There are too many enemies in many battles, which then boils down to a goofy dance of dodge and slash and wait for cool downs with very little strategy involved. And then there's the lack of party management, lack of wonder, and lack of any semblance of strategic combat that I'd prefer from a FF mainline game.

    The graphics are hit-and-miss. There are some gorgeous creature models, but many humans have very soft/muddy overtones. That goes for the environments, as well--some look great, and some have that muddy, soft look to them.

    The story is very adult and pretty well done, but I wouldn't say it's elite by any means. Still, well above average compared to most games.

    The music is excellent. I'm hoping a real OST appears on Spotify sooner than later.

    Overall, it's about as good as FFXV for me. It's worth playing and well made. However, yes I'm firmly in that camp that disagrees with the Devil May Cry direction that they've taken the franchise. I guess they think the Fortnite/ADHD crowd can't handle anything that's not completely spastic in it's combat.

    For me, it's a play through, done, trade in type of game that I will enjoy but won't ever come back to.    … Expand
  48. Blueking640
    Sep 8, 2023
    9
    An epic adventure set in an intriguing world with solid characters, good gameplay, an amazing soundtrack and some of the most unforgettable boss fights I have played in a long time.
  49. 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.
  50. Reidyroo
    Jul 30, 2023
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As a long time FF fan and having just completed the game. Overall, I feel this game follows the franchise well but does strip away a few things which makes FF games what they are. For example, if there were no chocobo's or a moogle (which I feel they just threw in to hang around a hunt board just for the sake of it) in the game, then I would not know that this is a FF game.

    Firstly, the story is very good, the first few hours as demonstrated in the demo for me was pretty mind blowing and I was hoping it would keep this trend throughout, but it does drop and picks up its intensity once more near the end of the game.

    The combat is very Devil May Cry-esq as we were expecting. It is fun to experiment with the different variations, but I feel can get quite repetitive after a while. The fights and bosses weren't really that much of a challenge and there wasn't really a consequence if you were get to get a game over, as you just jump straight into the fight again but with full health whilst the enemies health is how it was before you died.

    The voice acting for the majority of the game is excellent. Credit to SE for getting the right people for the job.

    The music is brilliant. But then again I expect nothing less from SE. For me, they never fail to disappoint.

    There were a few things that I found a little disappointing with the game. Firstly, I find it very one dimensional with not much variety. Story - fight - story - fight and so on. I miss the relaxing side challenges; the chocobo breeding, the card games, the blitzball. It would have been nice to see something like this and would have boosted my ratings on this game for sure.

    Secondly, other than Clive and Joshua, I didn't fully connect with a lot of characters. I was thrilled to hear that Clive's sidekick would be a dog. But I honestly felt nothing for Togul, he didn't have any sort of personality which I felt would have been easy to put in with just little things, most of the time I forgot he was with me. All the other interesting characters were soon killed off, so they never had a chance to be fully memorable.

    The ending. I'm not into these 'open for interpretation endings'. I get that it gets people talking about the game further. But come on, at least give us closure on something we've dedicated hours to playing.

    Overall, I enjoyed this game and it was well worth my time. However, I just hope the franchise can return to it routes a little more and not continue to create games that aim for the wider audience. I get from a business perspective that doing this brings in the ££. But don't forget the fans that loved the previous games for what they were and have given the platform the franchise has today.    … Expand
  51. Bubulao7
    Jul 23, 2023
    9
    Não sou muito fã de Final Fantasy mas esse game ficou muito bom, jogarei mais vezes com certeza
  52. FlippinFlippo
    Jun 27, 2023
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game is very good, gameplay and graphic wise, Im loving this game very much!… Expand
  53. random-dude
    Jul 22, 2023
    8
    I wish I'd liked this as much as I was hyped before release. The story and combat are superb, but this is a game that truly suffers from lack of a wider world to explore.
  54. Haannss
    Sep 9, 2023
    8
    This game is a huge Final Fantasy, one of the best, most adult stories of the saga, with relatable characters (main and secondary) and memorable moments scattered all over the game.

    The gameplay changes from previous versions, being now a hack 'n slash with some (few) RPG mechanics. That, which isn't necessarily bad, has led to one of the biggest opinon diversity around the game. In y    This game is a huge Final Fantasy, one of the best, most adult stories of the saga, with relatable characters (main and secondary) and memorable moments scattered all over the game.

    The gameplay changes from previous versions, being now a hack 'n slash with some (few) RPG mechanics. That, which isn't necessarily bad, has led to one of the biggest opinon diversity around the game. In y opinion, the game is really enjoyable as it is, but it's true that can be a little bit repeatitive at the beggining, when you lack a range of abbilities and everything is about pressing square and triangle plus evading. Later on, that range of abbilities will give diversity to some extent. Anyway, I did miss some more RPG mechanics: some altered status and elemental affinities and weaknesses would have been nice, maybe not as many as in the previous games, but a shortlist of them would have been possible to implement on a hack 'n slash game. When it comes to the difficulty, no: it's not a difficult game. Just as FF I, II, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XII and XV weren't difficult. After leveling up and farming a little bit, you could destroy any enemy with a single attack, except for Weapons, Dark Eons, Omegas and wathever secret enemies. Ff franchise has never been a franchise of difficult games. They never had to. I died in the original FF VII only facing Emerald and Ruby Weapons, not before. So don't pay to much attentions to those saying is too easy. I feel they have never played a Final Fantasy before.

    The art direction is very good regarding character design, but even better with the enviroments, giving the world of Valistea its own personality. Graphics are just amazing when it comes to visual effects and lighting, while music is just superb. Negative points come, however, for the spanish dubbing, lacking Spanish from Spain.

    And the biggest cons of the game in my opinion: one, it lacks some more secondary missions, with better rewards or material motivations to follow them, like weapons or whatever. The economy system of the game is broken, being pieces of music the most expensive item you will buy. And finally, the game also lacks secret content: that is a foundamental of every Final Fantasy, and this one is empty of it. Maybe they keep it for future DLCs, but it always has been a core of every FF (except for the XV that doesn't even count for me). Some huge secret enemies apart from the hunts, secret eikons, weapons... That os what I really missed out. Much more than a turn based combat, much more than anything, because it was really enjoyable going for all that hidden content to make your team over powered.

    Anyway, in the end a Final Fantasy is about walking side by side with your character through a wonderful story. And this one is one of the games that has made me feel more emotions of the whole franchise. That's all I was asking for.    … Expand
  55. Killshotroxs
    Jun 26, 2023
    5
    Final Fantasy PS5 Review:

    If someone's here just for a number then here is it Rating 5/10, kindly take it and leave. For those who wants an unbiased review of a Game... not the franchise but simply FF16 from a viewpoint of a player who has never touched another FF game then here it is... read on my Friend: Summary: The Game is an orgasmic dish for those who want beautiful    Final Fantasy PS5 Review:

    If someone's here just for a number then here is it Rating 5/10, kindly take it and leave.

    For those who wants an unbiased review of a Game... not the franchise but simply FF16 from a viewpoint of a player who has never touched another FF game then here it is... read on my Friend:

    Summary:

    The Game is an orgasmic dish for those who want beautiful cutscenes, a decent story, some Thrill (Press Square to activate though), and moments of decent Boss Fights, But as a Game it lacks an Unifying character which will never soothe your soul while playing, in one line.... "It's always Lacking Something no matter where u are in the Game".

    Gameplay:

    The way Devs only gave 2 modes of difficulty and locked the most difficult mode behind approx. 40Hrs of gameplay felt brutal just after about 5 hours into the game, the game seems to never challenge you, and that's saying after trying almost all Rings, Bands, Swords, Spells and Abilities with all boss fights and High Tiered Enemies even some Arena Fights (sage fight is a must) in the span of whole Tiresome Gameplay.

    Here's an Example: The very first few things you get unlocked in the quests are rings: They have many abilities one such is Timely Evasion: After about 10mins in and i knew something was wrong.... the ring Literally Evades all the attacks of even Boss Fights ( Lowest point of the Gameplay ), even a 6yr old kid with one hand could have played this game by just doing Button smashing and he still would have been able to finish it without any Help... I wouldn't be surprised if there's an Youtube vid out soon with a person achieving something same after challenging themself to do it.

    For a challenged gameplay i replaced the evasion Ring with increased defense rune which still didn't make the gameplay worthy of your full involvement, and at this point it will hit you that you have been playing a game which lacks a major core part of it... The Gameplay, For those of Y'all still wondering why go on then? why not just give up and get rid of it and be done with it? Because That's when the good part comes in.... The PLOT, as anyone who has finished the game by now would agree... also what disappointed me more was that when you’re not spamming your Eikon abilities, you’ll be smashing your default sword attack until the charge meter goes full or atleast one of Ur abilities recharge.... speak about Tiresome, even if they do all recharge.... they all contain almost same amount of Damage so this FF game basically took away your choice to strategize.... I may be New i know but isn't that why this Franchise was famous for?

    Plot:

    The only thing that Studio may have pulled off perfectly is the Plot, It keeps on Rewarding Just a Little to get you through to a Mid Gameplay that you don't leave it in the Middle and makes you Anticipate what the next part in the story would be.... Now if you're a movie buff and regularly see Suspense Thriller movies then even you too will see some plot twists coming from a mile away but the Story elements and Suspense laid with Electrifying Cutscenes somehow weirdly makes you wanna play and get to the End to know how it unfolds...

    There will be cutscenes where you will be Like DAMNNN and there's a perfect soundscore playing in the background which will make your soundbar go nutss and the added mystery component plays it's part well too but the political themes in game are not that intriguing and have the potential to tell a powerful story about injustice, war, and personal strife, However, the game fails to live up to its potential because its exploration of these themes is shallow. The game's lectures on the horrors of slavery are little more than superficial and do not have a significant impact on the protagonist or the overall story.( Literally gonna Ignore the part where a Bearer and even a Dominant is slave to normal Humans?? )

    Lore and Characters:

    It's hard to understand the Importance of characters who popup after like 40% of the gameplay and the role they playing in Protagonist's Story. There are various factions divided in the Vlaisthea some foes and some friends ofcourse but even the leaders of such factions get little to no intro and after you're done with the first quest in the area, there's a hard chance you will even want to talk to them, there were a few ofcourse but not motivating enough for a gamer to do this with every Important Figurehead with a sidequest.

    It is the Game's responsibility to grip it's users to the Game as much as it is of a Gamer's to play it..... if you don't have that going for you then it's a Losing battle for any title.

    Rating 5/10
    Final Fantasy 16 presents itself as an Cinematic antiquated encounter, almost trying to resemble and old RPG gameplay from the past that fails to grasp the essence of appeal to any gamer of any Level. Consequently and Sadly it offers no significant value.    … Expand
  56. YFA
    Jul 4, 2023
    8
    The game was amazing from gameplay to graphics and story, everything was beautiful. but, my only nitpicks are: the game has way too many cutscenes, some are not even important or relevant to the story, like I take 2 steps ahead then there is a cutscene every time, i know this game is very story oriented but it's still a game and not a movie, though i don't mind the cutscenes much because iThe game was amazing from gameplay to graphics and story, everything was beautiful. but, my only nitpicks are: the game has way too many cutscenes, some are not even important or relevant to the story, like I take 2 steps ahead then there is a cutscene every time, i know this game is very story oriented but it's still a game and not a movie, though i don't mind the cutscenes much because i love them, but some people get annoyed with that so i thought i could share it, my other nitpick is that the game is very easy even on normal difficulty (there is no hard difficulty from my understanding -> story = easy, action = normal) so i hope they'll add a new difficulty in the future because the combat would be way more fun if it's actually challenging. The game is so worth it though, … Expand
  57. DinboNomad2z2
    Jul 30, 2023
    8
    I did enjoy playing the game. Very mature set of tone compared to their predecessor and loved it.
    Story wise, it was interesting while the game was building it's momentum of the story. After the character arc ends half way into the game, it gets pretty stale. This is pretty much an issue with every recent Square Enix title. The rest is this is how it suppose to be because we told you type    I did enjoy playing the game. Very mature set of tone compared to their predecessor and loved it.
    Story wise, it was interesting while the game was building it's momentum of the story. After the character arc ends half way into the game, it gets pretty stale. This is pretty much an issue with every recent Square Enix title. The rest is this is how it suppose to be because we told you type of game. There is no dept to it other than it's main story. Everything else feels like a chore.

    Combat was really satisfying to play and is what brings up from being a 7.    … Expand
  58. btl630900
    Jul 29, 2023
    9
    Amazing experience might be one if not the best character action game. In terms of an RPG it has only a few flaws which really seem like nitpicks. Story is mostly amazing minus a few pacing moments and really brings emotion and epic moments. The characters even just side ones are all so amazing. The battles and bosses in this game put alot of games to shame they really bring the mechanicsAmazing experience might be one if not the best character action game. In terms of an RPG it has only a few flaws which really seem like nitpicks. Story is mostly amazing minus a few pacing moments and really brings emotion and epic moments. The characters even just side ones are all so amazing. The battles and bosses in this game put alot of games to shame they really bring the mechanics and cinematics and are just fun to fight, with abilities all feeling great and satisfying. The world building and lore is top notch. The voice acting is amazing seriously give ben Starr an award cause it sets a precedent.. The music is beyond amazing, best soundtrack this year. Late game the Sidequests get really good though its definitely an uneven balance where some feel a little fetch quest and underwhelming. Definitely you can see how mmo it feels from Yoshi P and his team but that doesn't always go perfectly. The environments and lighting at times are amazing in this game holy crap. The rpg mechanics are a bit light but the hideaway is great and learning about world and Side content feels good. The game keeps consistent tone of dark events and finding hope its really cool, though i do think it goes between game of thrones and anime a bit for some. It all comes out well in the end for a really excellent return to form for FF spearheaded by addicting combat and amazing moments. The protag Clive is one of the best protags in FF and in gaming for me his range pathos and genuine side are so good and Ben Starr again knocks it out amazingly. This game definitely sticks to its guns and feels like an uncompromised vision and hits excellence joining some of the best FFs in a new different way. Its just AWESOME. GOTY worthy please play it!… Expand
  59. Valtheral
    Jul 27, 2023
    9
    Excellent title, phenomenal story, great combat, and a good cast. Well rounded final fantasy title.
  60. LyricalOne01
    Jul 4, 2023
    9
    The most incredible artistry from any game this year
    The most incredible story from any game this year

    Truly a fantastic experience . This is my first game into the final fantasy franchise and definitely will not be my last. This is a work of art through and through. Kudos to everyone involved. 2023 is the year of AAA games!
  61. phoenix_prjct
    Jul 28, 2023
    9
    Final Thoughts:

    Final Fantasy 16 is a fun, flashy fantasy RPG that's a little lighter on the RPG than its predecessors. With a seamless balance of player engagement and cinematic clashes, the world of Valisthea is vividly realised in all its medieval-inspired glory. Not to be bogged down by all those grey tones, however, 16 showcases some of the best visuals yet, with stunning vistas    Final Thoughts:

    Final Fantasy 16 is a fun, flashy fantasy RPG that's a little lighter on the RPG than its predecessors. With a seamless balance of player engagement and cinematic clashes, the world of Valisthea is vividly realised in all its medieval-inspired glory. Not to be bogged down by all those grey tones, however, 16 showcases some of the best visuals yet, with stunning vistas accompanied by a soaring soundtrack that hit the player right in the heart.
    For some, sadly, its hack 'n' slash gameplay is a far cry from the turn-based action of old, something that might disappoint the latter's more hardcore fans as the series sacrifices substance for style.

    For the full review and more posts like it, visit my site: https://thephoenixprjct.com    … Expand
  62. SaberOfXebec
    Jul 25, 2023
    8
    Good:
    -Story
    -Combat Abilities -Music -Epic Boss fights Bad: -Enemies are to spongy the normal ones the bosses are fine with their health I don't like the stagger system I think it would be more enjoyable not to hold out all of your abilities just to shoot it to an unmoving target -The game peaks at the 3rd. to last boss fight and i don't think its achieves its high ever again    Good:
    -Story
    -Combat Abilities
    -Music
    -Epic Boss fights

    Bad:
    -Enemies are to spongy the normal ones the bosses are fine with their health I don't like the stagger system I think it would be more enjoyable not to hold out all of your abilities just to shoot it to an unmoving target
    -The game peaks at the 3rd. to last boss fight and i don't think its achieves its high ever again making the end of the game feel kinda less epic
    -No exiting loot u cannot get gear just resources    … Expand
  63. PinkKitten
    Jul 20, 2023
    9
    Giving final fantasy 16 a 9.9/10 fantastic game great final fantasy experience, love Clive and Torgal is a very good boi, just wish you could save your ability load outs.
  64. AdoMobA
    Jul 19, 2023
    10
    Pros
    - amazingly detailed world and story
    - beautiful cutscenes that have fantastic scene direction and voice acting - the cast is brilliant, making me fall in love with characters I thought would be one offs yet they have some of the most emotional punches by the end (Dion, Gav, Byron, Tarja, Charon and I could go on) - the combat feels smooth, customizable and fun - the OST is    Pros
    - amazingly detailed world and story
    - beautiful cutscenes that have fantastic scene direction and voice acting
    - the cast is brilliant, making me fall in love with characters I thought would be one offs yet they have some of the most emotional punches by the end (Dion, Gav, Byron, Tarja, Charon and I could go on)
    - the combat feels smooth, customizable and fun
    - the OST is beyond fantastic, elevating the already enjoyable story
    - the Active Time Lore is a great QOL feature that I would love to see more

    Cons
    - side quests are largely generic and meh, the good ones being back loaded before the final mission
    - the pacing suffers at points thanks to the game inventing banal problems for you to solve (Goetz and his trader pass for example)

    This might be the coldest I've ever felt about a game before release only for it to blow me completely away. As somebody who played every mainline entry in the series, and somebody who also loves DMC, dropping the RPG genre and becoming an action game was worrying but god damn did the risk pay off.

    The combat in this game feels so goddamn smooth and looks so fantastic. What the game lost in the RPG department it gained in ability customization as you can change the way you interact with the combat by swapping your abilities and bases for those abilities at the drop of the hat. This is also helped by the fact that respecing is free of charge which encourages experimentation.

    The story… wow. Hearing how cutscene heavy this game was got me beyond excited and boy did it not disappoint. This game is not afraid to take its sweet time telling its story and allowing you to fall in love with the various players in it. And honestly, it is a stand out after stand out.

    Dion, Byron, Gav, Tarja, Martha, Quinten, L'ubor, Charon, Otto and more are fantastically designed and directed characters that will never have you confused on who they are and what they want. It truly is a testament to how strong the story is since they and their names don't end up in an incomprehensible mess in my own head.

    And when the story decides to be epic, oh once again, it accomplishes that with beyond flying colors. Supported by a heart pumping OST, from the awe inspiring Ikon battles to the quiet character moments, the game never trips up with awkward dialogue or voice acting.

    I genuinely had to try to find blemishes but by the end, two have become readily apparent. Besides the final batch of sidequests, most of the side content in this game feels quite generic. And while I get that moments of excitement have to be counterbalanced by moments of quiet respite, sometimes the game goes a bit too heavy handed and trips up its own pace by inventing unimportant trouble that you the main character have to deal with (once again, Goetz and his traders pass).

    So yeah, is this game perfect? No just like every other piece of media in existence. But is it a good time? Nope, it is a fantastic time. What a ride to finally play something that feels worthy of the AAA designation. Beautiful new step towards the future of the series.    … Expand
  65. Jim_LenisPS
    Jul 19, 2023
    10
    Un juego con una aventura bien contada, excelentes banda sonora, sistema de combates excelentes y graficos increible. Me entacanta
  66. Demostenez
    Aug 28, 2023
    10
    FFXVI is a different Final Fantasy, but it was so fun. I thought the characters were very well-written. Clive was serious, but he also had a fun side to him, which FF protagonists don't always have. The combat was smooth, and I didn't really miss having other playable characters. Overall, best FF game we've had in a while!
  67. Eddodemares
    Jul 20, 2023
    10
    Final Fantasy siempre es una alegría recibirlo. Este año 2023 es con diferencia uno de los mejores años con destacados lanzamientos. Compré la edición Deluxe a través de Amazon y no me arrepiento a la fecha de hacerlo.

    ¡La historia de FFXVI es espectacular! Empatizar con los reinos, los enemigos, tus aliados y entender la trama a través del drama, la traición y el dolor, ¡Parece una    Final Fantasy siempre es una alegría recibirlo. Este año 2023 es con diferencia uno de los mejores años con destacados lanzamientos. Compré la edición Deluxe a través de Amazon y no me arrepiento a la fecha de hacerlo.

    ¡La historia de FFXVI es espectacular! Empatizar con los reinos, los enemigos, tus aliados y entender la trama a través del drama, la traición y el dolor, ¡Parece una serie! Algo similar que sentí en su momento al jugar el FFX.

    Gran trabajo al equipo de desarrollo y NO se arrepentirán, Go for it!    … Expand
  68. Crazy_robot_gir
    Jul 4, 2023
    10
    Story has so many awesome moments and combat is very different from past ff games but it's so fun.
  69. hyperreality-
    Sep 7, 2023
    4
    The game is just a massive slog. There's like a handful of good moments, and the remaining 50 hours is just painfully boring. the side quests are trash, the story derails into nonsensical jrpg tropes mixed with a below average shonen, the side characters are neglected (especially jill), the villains are uninteresting and extremely annoying, Clive gets no development after the 10 hour mark,The game is just a massive slog. There's like a handful of good moments, and the remaining 50 hours is just painfully boring. the side quests are trash, the story derails into nonsensical jrpg tropes mixed with a below average shonen, the side characters are neglected (especially jill), the villains are uninteresting and extremely annoying, Clive gets no development after the 10 hour mark, exploration is nonexistent, combat is too easy even on FF mode, RPG systems are pathetic and tacked on, etc.

    Worst FF to me. the 4 points come from the crystalline dominion section of the game, and shiva and odin's eikon abilities.    … Expand
  70. Fealtysword
    Jul 4, 2023
    10
    Just incredible. I’ve been hooked the whole time!

    My only wish was for side quest to be more interesting, I’m not a fan of fetching side quest.
  71. migzky9
    Jul 4, 2023
    10
    As a fan of the series, I love this new installment to the series. I love all the characters design, plot, story, side quests, hunt jobs, boss fights and twist. The environment. The Music. The gameplay mechanics. Both English and Japanese dub is perfect. Even though it's too early to pick Game of the Year, but FF16 will be my first pick
  72. StarlightShores
    Jul 4, 2023
    10
    This is hands down the best game I've ever played in my life.

    Coming from someone who has never played a game with this game play style before, I found it to be very beginner friendly and forgiving. (However, there are ways to make it more challenging or even more beginner friendly. I did play it on normal difficulty without the "helper rings" and it was very fair and fun) The story was    This is hands down the best game I've ever played in my life.

    Coming from someone who has never played a game with this game play style before, I found it to be very beginner friendly and forgiving. (However, there are ways to make it more challenging or even more beginner friendly. I did play it on normal difficulty without the "helper rings" and it was very fair and fun)

    The story was incredible and the music and art direction added to every scene, every fight, without distracting from anything else.

    The game is definitely as long as it needs to be and I highly recommend completing all side quests before finishing the game though that is not mandatory. 90% of the side quests have character development or world development in them.

    The voice acting overall is extremely professional and well done.

    I did not encounter any glitches in the game despite me likely not helping things with my frantic play style.

    Cutscenes are seamless and the graphics are the best I've ever seen.

    This game challenges what has been the norm in the industry of "what's possible in gaming". It puts into perspective just what the PS5 is capable of and what video games are capable of these days under the right director and team.

    The last time I remember feeling this completely blown away by a game was likely when I was a small child and didn't even know what made a good game or what was possible. Yet, even as an adult with the benefit of knowledge and perspective of past experiences, I felt like I was full immersed in this world and invested in everything in it.

    I am not a person who likes things just because it's "final fantasy" or some other franchise, I'm extremely particular and picky about all types of media. But even if I didn't enjoy this game personally, I'd have to be absolutely stupid not to recognize what a masterpiece this game is.

    A true modern marvel and, in my opinion, a new benchmark for future developers to strive for.

    This was one of the few games where I played it and didn't feel like "I'm playing a game" but felt like I'm having a complete experience that was carefully crafted.

    I highly recommend this to anyone who is able to play it. It is very worth its price tag on day one and I do not at all regret not waiting for a sale to purchase it.    … Expand
  73. magicfox
    Jul 4, 2023
    10
    Game of the year contender. Some of the most epic boss fights ever in a video game. Amazing soundtrack, great story, voice acting and characters. Can’t wait to play through again!
  74. Nihlus2112
    Jul 4, 2023
    10
    I Love This Game, the Story are so nice. GotY. The Game is a experiance. The Characters are so good.
  75. TENGUzero
    Jul 4, 2023
    10
    Fácil entre mis top 3 de videojuegos de toda la vida los personajes ambientación gameplay historia es de lo mejor
  76. admiralsmurfs
    Jul 4, 2023
    8
    This game is great. Its animations, graphics and cinematic action sequences are all great and captivating. Its combos are rewarding. Its skills are varied. The combat is very fun. The action is extremely fluid. There is much to say about the amazing success from the collaboration of all the great minds that went into this game. The end game credits are nutty. They did a really great job. ]This game is great. Its animations, graphics and cinematic action sequences are all great and captivating. Its combos are rewarding. Its skills are varied. The combat is very fun. The action is extremely fluid. There is much to say about the amazing success from the collaboration of all the great minds that went into this game. The end game credits are nutty. They did a really great job. ]

    The story felt elongated towards the end which made the payoff feel less impressive. The lead up felt weakened to me instead of properly empowered by a resounding crescendo. Its high points were really high so it definitely had its peaks and valleys. The story itself is decent I would argue. Very enjoyable with great scenes and memorable lines. If Square Enix describes this game and its story as a thrilling roller coaster ride I would advise you to not lose the picture of the theme park due to one ride. Its actually a mix of rides. With lines in between of varying wait time to get back on the thrilling ride.

    The enemies were fairly easy and simple as well. I am happy they were not too hard but at times the fights seemed more necessary for prolonging the game rather than giving the player a challenge. Several I would argue were not important to the plot whatsoever. Some served solely as spoon fed XP.

    For any Final Fantasy fan I recommend playing this. I would consider this a must play. We should see, note and applaud the technical depths they went to to create a such a great combat system and see where else it can be applied in their history of games. Its different than the usual battle system but its a refreshing take on the games recurring themes via an action rpg presentation method.

    8/10    … Expand
  77. Kyloren6
    Jul 4, 2023
    10
    This is easily my Game of the year without a doubt!! To the people who complain about the combat, the future is now old man
  78. PatRiotSaint
    Jul 4, 2023
    9
    Final Fantasy XVI has exceeded my expectations, its a very enjoyable and immersive story that FEELS like a Final Fantasy game! I've always had a clear favourite Final Fantasy game in my mind but this one has me second guessing myself so I'll put FFXVI as my Top 1-2. Well done to SquareEnix and all involved in the creation of this masterpiece!
  79. zzzzogrezzzz
    Jul 21, 2023
    9
    Un juego espectacular. Hay que reconocer que las macanicas jugables se alejan de lo que suele acostumbrar la saga final fantasy pero es tremendamente divertido y tiene una historia de las que enganchan.
  80. Dartza
    Jul 19, 2023
    9
    This game has some of the highest of the high moments I have experienced in gaming. The epic scale of Eikon combat is truly incredible. The soundtrack fits perfectly with a whopping 8 discs of tracks that range from soft melodic tones to the grandest of epic boss music. All of the sidequests are voiced and there are many examples of beauty and mystery in this new world that I hope we canThis game has some of the highest of the high moments I have experienced in gaming. The epic scale of Eikon combat is truly incredible. The soundtrack fits perfectly with a whopping 8 discs of tracks that range from soft melodic tones to the grandest of epic boss music. All of the sidequests are voiced and there are many examples of beauty and mystery in this new world that I hope we can continue to explore. I would only hold this game at a 9 out of 10 for some pacing issues and the fact that in my opinion, the highest most climactic moments of the game are more centered towards the middle, making me feel ever so slightly disappointed near the end when it didn't reach the spectacular heights that I know they can deliver.… Expand
  81. M4ENY
    Jul 19, 2023
    9
    This is one of the best games I have played in recent years and one of the best among FF series.

    The game is a must play in my honest opinion for players both new to and fans of the series.
  82. BalianOfEarth
    Jul 19, 2023
    10
    Absolutely fantastic. A lot has changed, it is somehow both not the final fantasy you remember- yet more final fantasy than the last 5 entries. The absolute epic campaign, fun/rewarding side content and expansive world, intriguing cast, fantastic soundtrack and some very adult themes make this game feel like final fantasy has finally grown up. For reference- final fantasy 7, 8, 9 and 10Absolutely fantastic. A lot has changed, it is somehow both not the final fantasy you remember- yet more final fantasy than the last 5 entries. The absolute epic campaign, fun/rewarding side content and expansive world, intriguing cast, fantastic soundtrack and some very adult themes make this game feel like final fantasy has finally grown up. For reference- final fantasy 7, 8, 9 and 10 are my previous favourite final fantasy games- anything after I either didn't finish or found quite… not great. I sort of gave up on final fantasy after finding 12s story less interesting, 13s world corridor like… 15… we dont talk about launch 15. Well, you have played them..

    But then they released ff7 remake, and I fell back in love. The nostalgia mixed with epic gameplay and graphics- I was convinced square may be back in the game. After watching playstation access explain how this game had heavy game of thrones references and much more adult themes (and a fight director from devil may cry) I actually did something I haven’t done since CDProject red stole all my faith.., I preordered a game. This game. I have absolutely zero regrets. All I can say after the above is that this game gives and gives until it has no option but to end. Then it carries on. I am so thoroughly impressed with this game I have made a metacritic account to talk about it and to attract more people to this incredible game. Well done Square. Amazing job. Cant wait for FF7r2!    … Expand
  83. Luhenseok
    Jul 19, 2023
    10
    Sou fã da franquia da Square a anos, jogo desde o VI, estava um pouco decepcionado com o 13 e o 15 (mesmo o último me fazendo jogar por horas e horas), tinha receio do que o 16 pudesse não me agradar, porém, tive uma maravilhosa supresa, primeiramente pelo diretor ser o mesmo do FF 14 que eu jogo a mais de 5 anos e sou completamente apaixonado pela história, personagens e tudo mais, que oSou fã da franquia da Square a anos, jogo desde o VI, estava um pouco decepcionado com o 13 e o 15 (mesmo o último me fazendo jogar por horas e horas), tinha receio do que o 16 pudesse não me agradar, porém, tive uma maravilhosa supresa, primeiramente pelo diretor ser o mesmo do FF 14 que eu jogo a mais de 5 anos e sou completamente apaixonado pela história, personagens e tudo mais, que o mesmo já dura 10 anos.
    Pra quem é fã da franquia como eu, vai ter o delicioso prazer em ver MUITA referência dos games anteriores nele escondido, seja numa música clássica da franquia com instrumentais diferentes, ou um espantalho vestido de Vivi (FF 9), ou até a famosa música de batalha vencida a "Fanfare" só que cantada, que deu um ar MUITO bacana pra pegada do game, entre outros detalhes que só quem já jogou os games anteriores vai olhar, ouvir, e sacar na hora a referência.

    Um breve resumo, estou com 49 horas e com 87% do game concluído, e posso dizer mesmo sem ter fechado ainda (falta coragem pq está TÃO bom, que não quero acabar rsrs) o game superou totalmente minhas expectativas!

    Na questão designer de personagens, não tem o que falar, todos são muito bem detalhados, muito bem construídos (história e tal), cada um, vc sente que realmente tem uma vida ali no mundo, e não é só mais um NPC genérico como em outros games.

    Gráficos dos ambientes e mapas estão FANTÁSTICOS, iluminação, texturas, diversidade de locais, está tudo muito lindo, e percebe que realmente se teve muito carinho por cada mínimo detalhe, desde uma mega construção, até um simples livro em cima de uma mesa.

    As batalhas estão sensacionais, MUITO fluidas, diferente dos anteriores, ela é toda em tempo real e bem estilo DMC (o próprio cara q trabalhou no DMC, trabalhou no FF tbm), e pra mim, abriu um leque de possibilidades, a variedade de combos, ataques, e efeitos na tela, é surreal, é realmente MUITO divertido passar horas matando a quantidade imensa de mobs, mini Boss e Boss, em questão as batalhas entre Eikons não preciso nem falar, o nível surreal de cenas de cutscenes em tempo real pra gameplay na mesma hora e vice versa é SENSACIONAL, a unica coisa em relação as batalhas que me pegou (não literalmente como algo ruim) é não ter efeitos/reações de elemento, tipo, posso atacar um monstro de fogo, com poder de fogo que vou tirar a mesma coisa se usasse um poder de gelo, mas, talvez fizeram isso justamente pra vc montar sua build da maneira que vc gosta independente de elementos (pra isso justamente não atrapalhar ou "forçar" vc a usar elementos específicos).

    Trilha sonora, vou resumir em 1 palavra, perfeição, a franquia sempre teve uma trilha sonora de cair o queixo e deixar outros games com inveja, esse não foi diferente, trilha sonora magnífica, passo horas ouvindo elas em app de streaming.

    História achei MUITO boa, muito impactante, muito madura e adulta, diferente dos games anteriores, em FF 16 ele se mostra bem mais sério e ousada (em VÁRIOS aspectos), o que foi uma novidade MUITO boa pra mim, tanto a Main Quest, como as Side Quests me fizeram jogar prestando atenção, as sides mesmo que algumas bem simples, me fizeram gostar pelo fato de ter uma história, um conteúdo por trás do motivo do NPC estar pedindo pra vc determinada coisa, e isso agrega em MUITO a história pra quem gosta assim como eu.

    O lance de vc pausar as cutscenes e ver informações de local, e NPCS que estão em cena naquela hora, é uma maravilha a parte, achei super útil e interessante eles implementarem isso (hj o mesmo presente em alguns streamings) no game, deixa ele MUITO mais detalhado e conexo, caso vc se esqueça de quem é na cena, ou qual a história do local onde vc está, espero que essa função apareça em outros games.

    Sem mais, creio que esse seja meu Review, poderia falar sobre a performance que muitos falam, porém, decidi jogar em modo gráfico, e que não tive sequer 1 problema na minha gameplay até agora, tudo muito lindo e fluido, nada de quedas, aquecimento ou qlqr outro problema.

    Jogo fantástico, como qlqr outro jogo da franquia que eu mais amo, e que tive a vontade de deixar minha contribuição aqui no site.
    Espero que a Square continue com a equipe pros próximos games, futura DLC entre outros, pq eles sabiam oq estavam fazendo em todos os detalhes.

    Final Fantasy 16 é pra novos e antigos jogadores e principalmente pra fans da franquia assim como eu.

    Sem mais.
    Final Fantasy Forever.    … Expand
  84. JohnSmith7
    Jul 19, 2023
    10
    "The only Fantasy here is yours. And we shall be its Final witness!" - Clive Rosfield FFXVI
  85. drivec
    Jul 19, 2023
    10
    What an incredible game!!! .
  86. Ferem
    Jul 20, 2023
    8
    I start telling that Final Fantasy XVI is a good game and the main story can entertain you very well. Obviously the story line has ups and downs, especially when you have to obtain some item to achieve the new chapter of the story. Sometimes, but this is only my opinion, the story are predictable (I'm thinking about the end of Dion or Joshua, for me not really a twist). The main defect ofI start telling that Final Fantasy XVI is a good game and the main story can entertain you very well. Obviously the story line has ups and downs, especially when you have to obtain some item to achieve the new chapter of the story. Sometimes, but this is only my opinion, the story are predictable (I'm thinking about the end of Dion or Joshua, for me not really a twist). The main defect of this game are the level of difficulty: the fights are too easy and if you want a more challenge from the enemy, you have to wait until the end of the game.
    Another defect could be the almost complete absence of RPG elements:
    - you can't use other party member and even Torgal (the dog) are totally useless;
    - the menu are totally useless and also the equipment you give to Clive, except for the sword
    - no object to grind from specific enemy, neither particular strategy to build for challenge specific enemy
    - the word are amazing, but you can follow only a specific view whit no hidden areas to discover
    - the subquest are not so characterized, so as to become all too similar
    I prefer Squarenix tells to the public from the begin that this are an action game, without any role component, instead of giving false hope to all old fans of the saga.    … Expand
  87. yangs7688
    Jul 20, 2023
    10
    It is not ordinary FF game. I am a little bit disappointed at beginning. However the more I played, the more enjoyed it. If you are looking for a traditional JRPG experience, this is not the game you are looking for. On the other hand if you are looking for a 55 hours of great game experience, this is a solid 10/10 game.
  88. Cuboka
    Jul 20, 2023
    10
    This game is my GOTY. Bossfights are like no other, characters are memorable and worldbuilding is so captivating.

    I recommend this game to everyone!

    My only complaint is that we still don't have any confirmed DLC, but I hope it will change soon!
  89. Buddybuddy
    Jul 20, 2023
    10
    Very refreshing to have a game that’s not shoving “the message” down your throat! Cut the cinematics by 50% it would be legendary
  90. PGwojowski
    Jul 20, 2023
    10
    (No spoilers) I’m giving the game a 9.5/10 and rounding it up to 10. I finished it about a week ago, doing my second play through, and I’m still thinking about the ending. At its worst, the game has choppy pacing and is a tad easy, but as a total package, those gripes are overshadowed by excellent voice acting, absolute jaw dropping animation, and the first great cast of FF characters in(No spoilers) I’m giving the game a 9.5/10 and rounding it up to 10. I finished it about a week ago, doing my second play through, and I’m still thinking about the ending. At its worst, the game has choppy pacing and is a tad easy, but as a total package, those gripes are overshadowed by excellent voice acting, absolute jaw dropping animation, and the first great cast of FF characters in quite a long time. The game feels like a blend of Final Fantasy VI and Final Fantasy X. The plot is straightforward and cohesive. A character arc or two do fall a tiny bit flat, but it’s nothing gamebreaking nor nothing new to FF games. At the end of the day I loved this game, and honestly what an achievement for the FF16 team. Thank you for such an amazing Final Fantasy title!… Expand
  91. anthonyl
    Jul 20, 2023
    10
    Generational game. Everything about the game was phenomenally to me. The music is not only incredibly epic and memorable, it goes so well with the scenes and action that it takes the experience to a whole new level. I haven’t had this much of an experience since God of War 2018. The game does a great job of developing side quests as well. While some might seem stupid or not important, IGenerational game. Everything about the game was phenomenally to me. The music is not only incredibly epic and memorable, it goes so well with the scenes and action that it takes the experience to a whole new level. I haven’t had this much of an experience since God of War 2018. The game does a great job of developing side quests as well. While some might seem stupid or not important, I would heavily recommend doing them. You can see the progression of the side stories throughout your playthrough and they provide so much context towards the end of the story. Overall, this game was WELL worth the $70 and I haven’t even started my NG+ or FF mode. This is truly a next generation game and I believe that there will be a tough time topping it in the years to come.… Expand
  92. Mori_Katsumoto
    Jul 20, 2023
    10
    Absolutely the Game of the Year 2023! I love it!! Love it? I can't find words how amazing is this game!
  93. dnpearcy
    Jul 20, 2023
    10
    Absolutely the best game I have ever played. Final Fantasy XVI tops all of my favorite games and easily takes first place. Characters are fully developed. Graphics are amazing. Soundtrack is beautiful. Story-telling is CHEF'S KISS. I honestly can't say enough great things about this game.
  94. bbsread
    Jul 20, 2023
    10
    It’s the first time in my life that I cry in a video game,
    Masterpiece, game of the year and best ending in video game history for me.
  95. BeefCakeMan
    Jul 20, 2023
    9
    Last time i found my self lost into the lore of a world was in Spira many years ago.
    Valisthea is the first final fantasy world in years to really come close. It is a remarkable game as long as you like action RPGS. And what it does very well it does almost better than any other game on the market right now, which is story telling, music, and cinematic action scenes. If you are a fan of    Last time i found my self lost into the lore of a world was in Spira many years ago.
    Valisthea is the first final fantasy world in years to really come close. It is a remarkable game as long as you like action RPGS. And what it does very well it does almost better than any other game on the market right now, which is story telling, music, and cinematic action scenes. If you are a fan of final fantasy or want to play a well written anime, give ff16 a try.

    Cons:
    Bad itemization, uninspired loot, lack of end game content, lack of minimap, debatable pacing for plot

    Overall: the game has its short comings, but those are well made up for by what the game does well    … Expand
  96. card478
    Jul 20, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This end hits me hard. I also have a little brother like Joshua was to Clive. ):… Expand
  97. KaizokuPanda
    Jul 21, 2023
    8
    Not certain how I feel about it. Maybe an 8/10.
    No spoilers.
    I just completed the base game doing everything you can do on a first run minus the Chronoliths which are just some challenges I can get to later. Did every side quest as they became available and got all the best gear. Here are my thoughts. I liked it, it was good, but I didn't love it. I really liked most of the    Not certain how I feel about it. Maybe an 8/10.
    No spoilers.

    I just completed the base game doing everything you can do on a first run minus the Chronoliths which are just some challenges I can get to later. Did every side quest as they became available and got all the best gear. Here are my thoughts.

    I liked it, it was good, but I didn't love it. I really liked most of the characters, but the pacing and flow of the game was not great.
    The combat is fun with a lot of ways to play it differently, but the funnest builds aren't necessarily the best ones. I ended up using a sort of super power focused build where I could just play reckless and offensive, which was effective, but kinda mostly just about rotating through abilities and made any combat against groups of enemies trivial.
    The story didn't super land for me. It was good and interesting, but the emotional punches were more like emotional taps on the shoulder for me. Like I knew the moments where I should have been crying as I am apt to do in games and movie/shows, etc. but for whatever reason it never really got me.
    The structure of the game also feels very much like running MSQ on FFXIV and the side quests feel like the blue quests. Same for the camera direction in non FMV cutscenes. The short in-game scenes when talking to NPCs have like the exact same camera direction and character animations from FFXIV lol.

    I still recommend it, but it's kinda a mixed bag. I will say it is like... 70% cutscenes or at least feels like it, so if that isn't your jam, then you might not enjoy it. Its hype moments are super bad ass though, so it was all worth it to me.    … Expand
  98. Royoconelpoyo
    Jul 21, 2023
    10
    Ive never even had the Will to write a review for a game, But this game deserves it, true that ITS for occidentals, but such an amazing story worth of a TV series, graphics, combate, uuf
  99. Seylix
    Jul 28, 2023
    10
    Me giving final fantasy a second chance after my disapointment from ff15 might have been one of the best choice i made in a while. Very good story with great voice acting. This game has some flaws especially rpg wise. (lack of custom and clearly needing to play with pretty specific builds in ng+). However they are greatly surpassed by all of its qualities. For me ff16 is a masterpiece thatMe giving final fantasy a second chance after my disapointment from ff15 might have been one of the best choice i made in a while. Very good story with great voice acting. This game has some flaws especially rpg wise. (lack of custom and clearly needing to play with pretty specific builds in ng+). However they are greatly surpassed by all of its qualities. For me ff16 is a masterpiece that should be experienced at least once !… Expand
  100. AryxGamer25
    Jul 22, 2023
    10
    Its a MASTERPIECE, a true game with good gameplay, history and soundtrack.... The history behind the Aikons (Summons) is very interesting.
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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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