Final Fantasy XVI finally drops tomorrow (June 22) after being announced in 2020 – and six and a half years later Final Fantasy XV came out first.
Each main entry in the long-running franchise is vastly different, and XVI may be the biggest departure to date. The series’ move into action-RPG territory has been pushed further than ever thanks to the devil may cry And the dogma of the dragon Ryota Suzuki alumni, and FFXIV boss Naoki Yoshida also pulled the story and moved away from anime influences and straight into Game Of Thrones territory.
Are these changes for the better, though? Overall, yes.
At the time of writing, FFXVI sits a very strong 88 on Metacriticwhich takes all the ratings from the reviews and calculates an average.
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The combat and visuals were praised across the board, while many reviewers applauded the mature and impactful storylines.
Others found the plot and characters to be one of the game’s weaknesses, while the fetch quests that make up secondary content were removed more often.
Here’s what some reviewers said:
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” To his favorite, Final Fantasy XVI is a breathtaking epic of rarely seen proportions. It’s pretty much the pinnacle of cinematic spectacle in modern games, and its often gripping and emotional story is matched only by its fantastic combat system. Although its overall quality dips outside of the main plot, it’s still a must-play action RPG and the best single-player game. Final Fantasy over a decade.”
IGN
“It’s not a perfect mix – while the combat is phenomenal for an action RPG, it’s admittedly lacking a bit compared to the greats of the character action genre – but even an imperfect mix is powerful enough when it is associated with FFXVI’epic story of more than 50 hours. It’s packed with unforgettable characters, exceptional world-building, an incredible soundtrack, and jaw-dropping spectacle moments the likes of which are rarely seen in a game.”
Twinfinite
“A thoroughly moving opening sets the stage for an emotional story that emphasizes a dynamic cast of characters, and it becomes clear from the start that narrative is a huge focus of Final Fantasy XVI. This style of dark fantasy does a great job of getting you invested in the world, before the second half of the game takes some wild fantasy leaps that put the story squarely in the fantasy and sci-fi wheelhouse the series is on. is built.”
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Easy allies
“Fight in Final Fantasy XVI is probably the biggest question mark in most people’s minds because it looks more like a character action game like the devil may cry than a traditional Final Fantasy. However, despite some initial reservations, XVIThe battle system is one of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences not only for a Final Fantasy game, but also for action games. It’s simple to understand, but as your suite of abilities expands, battles really start to highlight the variety and flexibility of combat, and how it can adapt to multiple playstyles. .”
VG247
“When it’s excellent, it’s really, incredibly, incredibly good. When it’s bad, it’s mildly frustrating at best, and pretty miserable at worst. Overall, the good vastly outweighs the bad. wrong, and so it’s an incredibly easy game to recommend despite its flaws. It’s also the best entry point and starting point for Final Fantasy newcomers for decades.
game bible
“Final Fantasy XVI is truly an epic adventure. It has a fantastic story, over-the-top character performances, a sublime soundtrack, epic boss battles, and it looks gorgeous to boot. Seriously, what’s not to love about this game? It doesn’t matter if you’re a series veteran or a newcomer like me, Final Fantasy XVI is one of the most brilliantly outlandish adventures of 2023 and a surefire contender for game of the year.”
Eurogamer
“There are also a few enjoyable side quests, which give you a chance to chug along with other key characters and flesh out the personality dynamics hinted at in the cutscenes. But the majority of those side activities are hopelessly boring, a chorus of complaints about obscure cooking ingredients, missing people, and item deliveries that lead to even more filler battles, with minimal narrative structure and few surprises.Sometimes all you have to do is walk through a courtship to talk to someone else, and you can practically smell the smoke pouring from the ears of the writing staff as they struggle to cultivate some intrigue.”
Final Fantasy XVI
Final Fantasy XVI
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“The pivot to high fantasy pays dividends and is a welcome return to the series’ roots. i.e. fickle monarchs or docile peasants more than happy to bend over backwards to help Clive. Final Fantasy XVI relentlessly draws us into its history. We often witness, fight, and then solve problems as some kind of glorified factotum, which makes it hard to feel like we have a say in Clive and the larger story. It rarely relents, sending you back and forth at a breakneck pace from one seismic, awe-inspiring climax to the next. It all drags on and leaves you wondering if Clive’s story could have been condensed into something shorter.”
The Guardian
“Clive, who may seem taciturn at first, is probably the most balanced, loving and emotional character since FFX’s Tidus, except this time around players can really like it. Final Fantasy thrives on likable protagonists and their relationships with each other, and Clive, who makes lots of friends over the course of the game, is the perfect blend of cool and affable.”
Final Fantasy XVI releases June 22 on PlayStation 5.
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