Final Fantasy XVI Reviews
While Final Fantasy XVI didn’t meet this fan’s expectations for a new series entry, newcomers to epic fantasy and action games will be swept away by the eye-melting combat and enormous-yet-approachable scale.
My tastes have changed over the years, and I neglected certain franchise titles in that time. However, despite its missteps, I can wholeheartedly say Final Fantasy 16 managed to bring together in one title the things I loved about the earlier series’ entries, all while making most of the experience fresh and entertaining. The grim-dark tone, spectacular “kaiju battles,” and grandiose transformations with over-the-top action kept me entertained.
Final Fantasy XVI is a brave new direction for the long-running RPG series, and one that pays off. We haven’t been this engaged by a Final Fantasy title in quite some time, and we absolutely love the new action-focused combat system. Sometimes elements of the new and old Final Fantasy clash, and the story has some elements that left us scratching our heads, but overall this will be remembered as one of the greats. With stunning visuals, a rousing soundtrack, a fun combat system and an engaging politically-driven story, Final Fantasy XVI is quite simply a triumph.
PlatinumGames' influence on Final Fantasy's action combat is a massive step in the right direction. That, combined with a thrilling war epic narrative and interesting characters makes for one fantastic game.
If you like Game of Thrones-style intrigue and drama, you will like Final Fantasy XVI. It takes itself very seriously and lacks any fun diversions to mix up the experience. Final Fantasy XVI delivers a truly Westernized take on Final Fantasy with simplistic hack-and-slash combat that will appease average gamers.
Still, it is an excellent action game with perhaps one of the medium's most likeable protagonists in recent times. Final Fantasy XVI is a worthy return for an iconic franchise — that much is clear. Whether this success can light the path for future Final Fantasy games and elevate the series to its past heights, is perhaps a trickier question to answer.
Final Fantasy XVI brings the heat with a roller coaster ride if a story and a top-tier combat system.
Borrowing a lot from its Western counterparts, Final Fantasy XVI moves away from the series' classical approach to RPG and edges toward action. It seems that the series' future will also move in the same direction. If you judge FFXVI on its own merits, you will have a great time with it, but if you rather cling to the past and expect more of the same, you might be disappointed.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Final Fantasy 16 combines the flashiness of games like Devil May Cry 5 with a compelling story about family, hardship and eudaimonia. It is not without flaws, with its formulaic side missions, pacing issues, and inconsistent open-world design. However, Final Fantasy XVI is still one of the best games in the Final Fantasy series. With some of the best cutscenes and animation in the industry, along with compelling characters and mesmerizing moments, Final Fantasy 16 is undoubtedly one of the best games to play on the PlayStation 5.
While it would be easy to look at Final Fantasy XVI from certain angles and proclaim something looks rough when looked at as a single package and a sum of its whole, this is a fantastic game. The cinematic flair, crazy action combat and extremely involved story with a nice side dish of world building make this a game worth playing. This is likely to appeal to fans of most character action games but also to those who just want another cool Final Fantasy to get lost in. Absolutely get this game.
Overall, Final Fantasy XVI is a phenomenal gaming experience that I enjoyed from start to finish. With dynamic gameplay, amazing characters, and an emotional storyline, new and old fans alike will love the latest entry in the franchise.
FFXVI fulfills basic elements of the series. This is total visual feast and beatifully crafted game. If you are willing to open your mind and don't require all the stuff from the past, you are here for a treat in terms of story, characters, the world, wild action game fights and astonishing soundtrack.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Final Fantasy XVI may not be perfect, and surely some changes may not be welcomed by the fans of the older games, but these changes are necessary to push the series forward, and one day, all these new changes will be the ones that we know and love the Final Fantasy series for.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Final Fantasy XVI continues to push the series into a new direction. While it has a well-realized setting, good characters, satisfying combat, and excellent cinematic large scale battles, the slow pacing, lackluster RPG elements and barebones optional content grind the excitement to a halt too often.
Final Fantasy XVI is one of those very rare masterpieces with issues. Developed by a stellar team, the game shines when it comes to story and combat, but fails in other aspects like narrative structure, itemization and RPG elements.
This is how big-budget games should be. They should feel like they’ve had time, effort and money thrown behind them, but they should never feel like the “business” side of things is more important than the “creative” side of things. So many modern triple-A games get that completely wrong, and Final Fantasy XVI puts those titles to shame. It’s an absolutely magnificent video game, and one I hope is looked back on as a major milestone in the series.
Final Fantasy 16 is without a doubt one of the most epic video game experiences in recent years. From Great story to loveable characters and amazing combat, Final Fantasy 16 gives us ample reasons to adore it. That being said, disappointing side quests and performance issues are noticable issues that no one can ignore. Nonetheless, Final Fantasy 16 delivers one of the most enjoyable experiences of recent years.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Darker, bolder and faster than ever Final Fantasy XVI is a fantastic return to form for the series. After years of trial and error this would be the absolute outcome but some light RPG elements and bland level designs puts it a little farther from perfection. Yet mind-blowing spectacles and a memorable story makes this entry one of the best of the series in the end.
Review in Turkish | Read full review