Final Fantasy XVI Reviews
Final Fantasy XVI dares to offer a new direction for Square Enix's legendary franchise, and the result is an unmissable title that gets almost every crucial aspect right. Now in its definitive version on PC, Clive Rosfield's journey gains a new chapter that even the occasional slip-ups in the adaptation work can't compromise. In the end, like a certain Eikon of fire, here is a flame bright enough not to be easily erased from memory.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Final Fantasy XVI, which follows a different path from the series' usual path, has been properly ported to the PC platform and made available to more players, and we recommend it with peace of mind.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
A complete package, with all DLC packed in, Final Fantasy XVI Complete Edition lives up to its name. The performance on a wide variety of hardware speaks to a lot of optimization work, and mods make the skies the limit. This is the ultimate way to experience this fantastic entry to the series.
Putting the side quests aside, Final Fantasy XVI can be considered a truly great game with its new theme and epic gameplay.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Perhaps a bit too divergent from the Final Fantasy formula, but rich characters and spectacular combat still make it an impressive sequel.
The PC version of the sixteenth Final Fantasy chapter is the best currently available, but leaves a bitter taste in the mouth due to a barely sufficient quality of the porting and some unexpected shortcomings in a saga that had always represented excellence on a technical level.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Overall I’d reckon that Final Fantasy XVI’s PC port IS a good one, albeit with the caveats that it has some beefy requirements to run at higher frame rates and resolutions. It’s a phenomenal game that is now available to a wider audience, so I’d highly recommend checking it out if you’ve got the hardware.
While not everyone agrees that Final Fantasy XVI is the best entry in the series, it was certainly one of the standout games of 2023. With its absorbing narrative, memorable characters, great acting, and engaging real-time action combat, Final Fantasy XVI brings to the PC a thrilling experience that does nothing but improve an already stellar game.
The PC version of Final Fantasy XVI is very demanding, with mid-range computers being the worst. But if you have a team to match, this is undoubtedly the best way to play Square Enix's action title.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Though Final Fantasy XVI departs from the franchise formula, it still maintains so much of what makes Final Fantasy such a beloved franchise. It has easily become one of my new favorite entries in the series. The game does its own thing, and while I do miss some classic Final Fantasy RPG elements, I certainly enjoy the cinematic action Final Fantasy XVI has to offer.
A handsome action-RPG with rad fights and even radder bossfights, shackled to a slow and not-very-satisfying hero story with a lot of filler.
Final Fantasy XVI feels absolutely at home on PC. With excellent optimisation that’s bolstered by impressive Frame Generation technology, it’s a relatively smooth sailing experience if you have the hardware to handle it.
Final Fantasy XVI Complete Edition is easily the definitive way to experience Square's latest epic for those who can push the game to its limits on PC.
To sum up, I’ll quote myself from a tweet I posted when I happily traded the game in after finishing it. “Bloated beyond any resemblance of fun, unlikeable characters and incoherent pish for a story.”
Final Fantasy 16 is as good as it is not because it strays from what has come before it, but because it embraces its roots. Everything the series has done, gameplay-wise, over the last few mainline releases, has all set up for what FF16 pulls off with its fantastic-feeling combat. For all the focus on its maturity and shocking narrative, the things that FF16 does with its impactful story have been present in games all throughout the series. And by letting a team like Creative Business Unit 3 take the reins, the best aspects of Final Fantasy 16 feel like pieces of one of the most beloved games in all of the franchise: Final Fantasy 14. I won't deny the series is heading in a new direction, but have no fear, the ways in which Final Fantasy 16 succeeds are deeply rooted in the series' greatest traditions.
Final Fantasy 16 ticks plenty of boxes – fluid combat, epic boss battles and an engaging story – but for every win, there’s a spectacular fail, be it the bland semi-open world devoid of much to do or the uninspired fetch quest-style side quests. It’s a game at its best when its focus is narrowed, but that doesn’t happen often enough.
Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Final Fantasy XVI does what it needed to do – breathes new life into a series that had fallen from its once lofty position at the pinnacle of RPGs. The story returns Final Fantasy to its roots as a true medieval era inspired fantasy adventure with dark and mysterious undertones. While not flawless, Final Fantasy XVI’s strong points overshadow its minor shortcomings, solidifying its place as a must-play entry for both fans and newcomers alike.
Final Fantasy XVI is the JRPG of the year, and maybe even of the next five years. It's hard to imagine any game in the genre that could measure up to it.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Final Fantasy XVI admittedly isn’t what I’m accustomed to when it comes to mainline Final Fantasy games, but it’s still strong. Though it can get in its own way from time to time with overly long and interruptive cutscenes, the gameplay, story, and characters ensure this is an overall enjoyable entry to the Final Fantasy series.