Final Fantasy XVI Reviews
In many ways, XVI hardly resembles the usual FF experience. There’s no massive party of adventurers, no MP-based magic system, and no open world map traversal, among other things. And yet, I got the quintessential Final Fantasy experience. There’s a sweeping, epic story. The stakes are incredibly high. Clive is beset by tragedy and hardship. He experiences character growth, moments of joy, companionship, and love. The battles go from mundane to impossibly epic. Clive is given all the power, special moves, and responsibilities of a capital ‘P’ Protagonist. The game is gorgeous, the music is incredible, and the story got its hooks deep into my flesh. Despite my initial misgivings, I’ve come to love this game completely. Long-time fans, series newcomers, RPG enthusiasts, hear me now: Final Fantasy XVI is the platonic ideal of FF games. They don’t get better than this.
Final Fantasy XVI heralds in a new standard for Japanese role-playing games and while the RPG components themselves are limited by Square-Enix standards, it's the narrative and gameplay that exceed all expectations.
At its best, Final Fantasy 16 is a jaw-dropping epic of rarely seen proportions. It's pretty much the pinnacle of cinematic spectacle in modern games, and its often gripping, emotional story is only matched by its fantastic combat system. While its overall quality does dip outside of the main plot, this is still a must-play action RPG, and the best single-player Final Fantasy in over a decade.
Very little gets in the way of the success that Final Fantasy XVI creates. The strength of combat on top of a compelling, deep narrative steal the show. Despite little need for world exploration and the occasional lower resolution texture, Final Fantasy XVI stats true to the namesake while forging its own path forward.
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.
The most fundamental flaw of Final Fantasy XVI is its inability or unwillingness to delve too deeply into the machinations of inequality, but its greatest strength is how the story details the way that people march forward toward freedom. There’s absolutely no doubt that Clive believes in his home, and while he may be one of only a few to swing a sword, bringing houses and bridges and feeding those with empty stomachs is the work of many. Watching Clive’s work come to fruition and build the world for future generations may be the most powerful summoning spell ever cast in the entirety of Final Fantasy.
Final Fantasy XVI represents a major change in the Final Fantasy formula, thanks to a switch to full-bore action as well as the focus on a single playable character. It’s a switch that can be polarizing for sure but it also opens up all sorts of new possibilities for the franchise. Admittedly, the narrative, while compelling, can lose focus at times. The action, though, is quite good and the music remains top notch Final Fantasy. If you’ve never tried a Final Fantasy game before, Final Fantasy XVI is arguably the most accessible Final Fantasy game to date for newcomers.
Final Fantasy XVI for the PlayStation 5 marries iconic series elements with brutal political intrigue and intense action to create a gripping entry unlike any other in the franchise.
Final Fantasy XVI is the most ambitious entry in the saga. Luckily, the developers at Square Enix have been able to meet that challenge head-on, crafting a stellar RPG that will stand the test of time.
Final Fantasy 16 is more an evolution than a revolution. It's an ode to the license, a reinterpretation of the myth as rarely seen, and a spectacular game. It's an accomplished modern vision, an assertive turn to action with a near perfect gameplay but which has almost nothing left of an RPG. A remarkable game full of sincerity.
Review in French | Read full review
What it all amounts to is one of the most detailed and beautifully made games in the series. Final Fantasy XVI is a masterpiece. From its stellar writing, music, world-building and incredible cast, this has easily taken the mantle as my favorite Final Fantasy in the series to date.
Despite not being perfect, the way Final Fantasy XVI presents a new combat sistema and an epic story, elevates it to being one of the best Final Fantasy games and also, one of the greatest games of the year.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Final Fantasy 16 does a great job modernizing its gameplay with its combat system, but the story has weaknesses.
Review in German | Read full review
Final Fantasy XVI is an excellent continuation point for the Square Enix saga, which, after several missteps, seems to have found the right balance between the tradition of the franchise and a new unabashedly more mature ethic.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Final Fantasy XVI is a bold and ambitious new vision for the franchise, that succeeds on almost every level.
Final Fantasy XVI is everything I could have hoped for and more. Combat is fast paced and rewarding as you master combos and abilities. Eikon fights, while not as interesting to play, are gorgeous to witness. All of this is wrapped up into a deep story and fully fleshed out world that you'll want to be protecting.
Final Fantasy XVI is a new change to the highs of the Final Fantasy series with fleshed-out characters and fantastic set pieces. It can get bogged down due to its linearity and being unable to go back to certain locations but overall it is a masterpiece.
I still can’t escape Final Fantasy XVI’s world. I still think about all the events and the ending, and can’t play any other game for now. Those are the kinds of feelings that emerge after watching the greatest of movies, reading the best of books and playing the perfect games. Just wow.
Review in Polish | Read full review
In short, Final Fantasy XVI is a breath of fresh air for the Final Fantasy franchise despite its first steps into its grittiest, darkest, and most mature space yet. Its combat showcases action-forward combat held together by a backbone of RPG-similar ability management. Its highs truly showcase phenomenal displays of power in many forms, while its lows effectively strike emotional chords in the hearts of players. This might not be a Final Fantasy fans expect, but boy, it's what Final Fantasy games SHOULD be going forward. FFXVI doesn't have a strongest asset, per se, because its entire presentation is a gripping and fun compilation of the best parts of gaming without the filler and frivolity. PS5 owners, I implore you, don't miss out on what is currently my favorite game of the PS5 generation thus far.