Final Fantasy XVI

1. HerpDerp88

   Jun 30, 2023

   10

   This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. FFXVI’s gameplay is nothing short of exhilarating. Simplistic though it may begin, through progression, the combat becomes deep, complex, and extremely satisfying. Combat feels intuitive, simple, yet complex enough to offer variety. With “Devil May Cry-esque” combo style, when you finish a particular long fight with one of the Eikon’s final abilities (Mastered Flames of Rebirth being my personal favorite) you feel as powerful as Mythos should. Additionally, the game adds seamless transitions from in-game combat to cinematic combat in the form of QTEs (Dodge, Strike, and Clash) which enhance the spectacle without distracting you from the action.
   
   I played this with the Ring of Timely Focus equipped the entire time, so I can’t speak much about the difficulty save for it wasn’t as challenging as Elden Ring, but I also played it on story focused mode. I never felt underpowered or overpowered.
   
   Nothing more can be said about the writing accomplishments of the Final Fantasy writers other than they are some of the best in the industry and the writing in Final Fantasy XVI was nothing short of magnificent. Every story beat, every main quest, every side activity came with a compelling human story. Stories about slavery, prejudice, life, death, nihilism, everything in between give the story a more adult feel which is only made better with the atmosphere, characters, and score. Final Fantasy XVI is probably the first game in which the side missions felt just as important as the main questline. Even the dreaded “fetch” quests were brilliantly incorporated, and none felt like a chore.
   
   While the graphics won’t win it any awards competing with the graphical powerhouses by the likes of God of War Ragnarok, Last of Us Part II, or Horizon Forbidden West, the graphics in FF16 are a touch more improved than its predecessor FF15. Fidelity and textures aside, the environments themselves looked handcrafted and hand placed. The detail of each settlement, the topography, the atmosphere was expertly rendered making the world feel lived in, beautifully serene yet grim. From the forest, deserts, marshes, cities, hamlets, etc., the level designers have done so well with their world-building that I couldn’t help but to take a moment to admire the world around me no matter how trivial or insignificant they were to the story writ large.
   
   While much of the story has you follow open-world corridors, once you’ve run through the entirety of each territory, the map feels more akin to open sandboxes such as what Bioware achieved with Dragon Age II. But that’s not to say that this was poor design. On the contrary, the overall story benefits from the more linear paths to help players get invested in the lore of the world which by the way is a new feature during cutscenes.
   
   Amazingly orchestrated, FF16’s musical tracks perfectly encapsulate the atmosphere of the world expertly. Nothing more to say. It’s a Final Fantasy game afterall. My only complaint was the music that triggered when mounting your Chocobo which sometimes took me out of a serious moment with its goofier theme.
   
   I finished my first playthrough with a total of 64 hours of gametime. There is a New Game + feature in which you keep all your items and gear, but I haven’t embarked on that journey yet. However, I imagine that you can easily get more than 100+ hours of content out of this title which is becoming more of a rare oddity with recent RPG titles. And there are hopes of future DLC.
   
   In all my playtime, I NEVER experienced anything remotely buggy or glitchy. And as of this review, Final Fantasy 16 has not have a single update since launch and it doesn’t really need one. I should need to tell you how rare that is in today’s world.
   
   SUMMARY: This game is a masterpiece in my eyes. From the characters, the world, the story, its’ themes, its atmosphere, the musical score, the gameplay, the scale, everything just feels good, and I would hope after reading this review, you will give it a try. And if you are a fan of Final Fantasy as a whole, you must pick this up, you won’t be disappointed.… Expand

   • 1 of 3 users found this helpful
2. Kyokushin

   Jun 23, 2023

   10

   been playing for 6 hours now and this game just rocks! Haven't encountered any weak aspects yet and have just scratched the surface.

   • 215 of 340 users found this helpful
4. rwxt

   Jun 24, 2023

   10

   It's an amazing game with fascinating storytelling, epic battles, adorable characters, and especially the wonderful BGM. Thank you Yoshida sanIt's an amazing game with fascinating storytelling, epic battles, adorable characters, and especially the wonderful BGM. Thank you Yoshida san and team CBU3. I love this game and feeling so grateful for everything.… Expand

   • 3 of 9 users found this helpful
5. allowthisfam

   Jun 24, 2023

   10

   (Played: FF7 and FF8 when they were still new Late 90s/00s)
   (Enjoyed: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 15, too, though incomplete)
   FFXVI is up there(Played: FF7 and FF8 when they were still new Late 90s/00s)
   (Enjoyed: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 15, too, though incomplete)
   
   FFXVI is up there with the best.
   Ground breaking cutscenes, I'm invested in the story enough to willingly do sidequests. Has references to past Final Fantasy and popular media. Super grandiose and larger than epic world-building, characters and themes. Definitely plays Game of Thrones... and thats a positive. Mix with Devil May Cry and Witcher 3, and it actually creates something new for the series.
   
   Sure it's getting review-bombed, but this is one...
   I repeat.
   This is one of the BEST.
   9.5/10… Expand

   • 5 of 7 users found this helpful
6. NeuromancerZero

   Jun 24, 2023

   10

   I have been playing Final Fantasy since FF7 on the PSOne and have been following the numbered series ever since. Some entries in the seriesI have been playing Final Fantasy since FF7 on the PSOne and have been following the numbered series ever since. Some entries in the series were not as important or impressive as the ones I had the chance to play. However, FF16, despite setting aside some RPG aspects, returns with what has always made Final Fantasy unique. To my surprise, it's not just the RPG elements that keep this game alive to this day. It's the unique way it narrates events and presents a rich and immersive universe. Every moment of the game is wonderful… Expand

   • 8 of 11 users found this helpful
7. Brucethemoose14

   Jun 27, 2023

   9

   Ignore the haters and read some real reviews! Gameplay is a lot of fun in this game and I'm a big fan of the story! If you love swords, magicIgnore the haters and read some real reviews! Gameplay is a lot of fun in this game and I'm a big fan of the story! If you love swords, magic and dogs then here's your game! In all seriousness, the fighting system is excellent, if your familiar with 7 remake and 15 then you'll pick it up in no time. The use of a dog partner to team with you is awesome as he can help you juggle enemies or give you a heal when you need it. I'm not done with the game yet but so far i feel that I've already gotten my money's worth. The graphics are beautiful, however there are moments where it feels like it's almost too much in the faster cut scene battles. The mechanics of some of the cut scenes where you button mash feel kinda redundant, like not very important even though I know its to help immerse you into the gameplay, so maybe it will be built upon as the games go on. I highly recommend this to FF fans, and don't let these haters throwing shade for no reason discourage you from purchasing this game.… Expand

   • 4 of 8 users found this helpful
8. Pashadarkgempla

   Jun 30, 2023

   0

   Старые части били лучше, серия умерла боевку испоганили геймплей испоганили в отряде 2 члена короч для фанатов серия умерла вывод игра тупоеСтарые части били лучше, серия умерла боевку испоганили геймплей испоганили в отряде 2 члена короч для фанатов серия умерла вывод игра тупое гавно тупого гавна !… Expand

   • 4 of 7 users found this helpful

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