Final Fantasy XVI Review

The latest installment in the widely recognized Final Fantasy series, Final Fantasy XVI, has arrived. While Final Fantasy still holds a significant place in the history of Japanese role-playing games, its impact has diminished in recent years.

However, I can attest to the uniqueness of the Final Fantasy experience, having grown up with the series and including several of the games among my all-time favorites. Ever since its announcement, Final Fantasy XVI has been on the wishlist of the series' fans and newcomers. And Square Enix didn’t disappoint any.

The events of the game take place in Ballastia, a world created with Mothercrystal that gives its inhabitants access to ether and, thus, the ability to utilize magic to improve their lives.

However, aether has started to weaken, and blight is rapidly spreading across Valisthea, transforming once-vibrant green fields into magic-devoid wastelands. This causes friction amongst the realms as they all begin to compete for control of territories that have not yet been contaminated by the blight ballast.

In addition, they have beings that are known as Eikons. Eikons are potent elemental beings that reside in humans. They are known as dominants and have the ability to call upon the powers of their symbols whenever they choose. You take on the role of Clive Rosfield, the eldest son of the Archduke of Rosaria and the firstborn of his family.

Joshua, Clive's younger brother, was the one who ended up being picked as the inheritor, despite the fact that Clive was supposed to be the Phoenix's dominating of fire. Clive, having forged a new path for himself, ascends to the position of the first Shield of Rosaria, is bestowed with a portion of the Phoenix's fire, and pledges his life to the protection of Joshua. However, at the beginning of the game, a mysterious dark Eikon known as Ifrit causes something dreadful to occur, which is when the plot begins to take off in a more interesting direction.

Initially, I found Final Fantasy XVI's story to be somewhat daunting. The various characters, the notion of Eikons, Dominant, Bearers, and Mothercrystal, and either the names of all the nations and towns, the history of Valisthea, and just generally a load of phrases can be difficult to understand at first.

When I was trying to recollect everything and put it all together in my thoughts now, there were times when I felt a bit overwhelmed. And the sheer quantity of cut sequences that I experienced took me by surprise. We're talking about eleven hours total for the duration of the game here. When I first started playing Final Fantasy XVI, I couldn't help but worry if it would be more like watching a movie than playing a video game.

But these were merely my fleeting thoughts until the game began. The narrative in Final Fantasy XVI is incredible, to say the least. Even if it was only for a few seconds, I felt resentment toward the part of me that questioned it. Almost immediately, I became emotionally invested in the story's protagonists and the connections they were forging with one another.

The mythology surrounding Eikons and Dominant piqued my interest. I liked how the game tackled some heavy topics like prejudice and payback, as well as the laws of battle. I found it quite interesting to learn about the beliefs, principles, and history that support each of the Nations. Of course, all of this information is brought together with a series of magnificent cutscenes.

Soon enough, I realized that all I wanted to do was move on to the next cutscene so that I could find out what occurred next. I believe that a lot of people are going to find the cinematic storytelling experience that Final Fantasy XVI provides to be enjoyable. And to be fair to Square Enix, they have made an effort to help players like myself who, at times, may become a little perplexed by the tale.

There is a new feature that has been added to the game called Active Time Lore. This feature allows you to pause the game at any time and read up on the lore that is pertinent to what you are currently watching, such as characters, places, terminology, important narrative elements, and so on.

When you are in your Hideout, you have the ability to examine a feature known as the State of the Realm. This provides you with a comprehensive summary of the events that have taken place during the game, as well as different versions of the characters at various periods in time.

And then there are the Thousand Tomes, which assemble even more information for the Persons of Interest, Lay of the Land, Mysteries of the Realm, and the Bestiary sections of the Bestiary.

These features are not only a dream come true for die-hard Final Fantasy fans but also demonstrate that Square Enix is making a serious effort to make this game friendly for new players. This is an essential effort, given that Square Enix has been targeting newcomers.

The two stages, or dungeons, in Final Fantasy XVI, provide the basis for the game's gameplay. These regions of Valisthea are inaccessible until a certain point in the plot, and only then after a difficult battle to get there. These levels are usually locked off and inaccessible to the player until they have completed the entire stage.

However, if you have missed any objects or simply wish to explore the region again, you can do so after completing the stage. These levels are visually distinct, of varying sizes and lengths, with a wide variety of set pieces and challenging bosses, with an emphasis on combat.

Ultimately, I believe that Final Fantasy XVI benefits much from its design of multiple open zones and certain precisely paced and organized stages, partly because these don't typically suffer from the problems that plague open-world games. Problems, such as having an excessive amount of side content that doesn't contribute anything to the game's story or gameplay.

You'll have a core mission you need to do to advance the story despite the game's open environment being completely empty of anything to do, as has been implied at every stage. But at regular intervals, you'll unlock optional side quests that might provide a welcome diversion whenever you need it.

Combat in Final Fantasy XVI is an action-oriented role-playing game, and it has both melee and magic-based bass assaults. I am aware that some people have referred to it as a straightforward "hack and slash" game; however, to tell you the truth, this description is in no way accurate. Clive is equipped with a wide variety of additional weapons in addition to his standard close-range strikes with his sword, all of which can be used against you if you want to be successful.

You have the ability to complete combos, escape the counterattacks of adversaries, and cast magic spells; you also have the ability to employ items like elixirs and tonics on the fly to provide you with a variety of boosts. In addition to attacking foes and healing you, your companion dog, Torgal, also possesses a number of special powers that can be deployed in certain situations.

Clive will be able to gain a variety of Eikon powers throughout the course of the game, each of which can be utilized effectively in battle. Each Eikonic Ability comes with a corresponding Eikonic Feat, which are more straightforward moves such as teleporting to an adversary, stopping assaults, or focusing on adversaries from a distance.

On the other hand, you also have Eikonic Abilities, which are effectively your super moves but deal a significantly greater amount of damage. You have access to a selection of different skills for each Elemental Eikon, and for each icon in your collection, you can make use of two of those abilities. You also have the ability to rapidly switch between the various Eikon powers at any point during the fight.

The combat mechanism in Final Fantasy XVI is the facet of the game that stands out from the competition, especially when compared to other role-playing games in its genre. As was the case with the previous installments in the Final Fantasy series, Square Enix ultimately decided to hire one of the combat directors from Devil May Cry 5, and to tell you the truth, it is Ryta Suzuki who makes the game shine the brightest.

Even the game's combat director has called it a "masterpiece," which is indeed highly praised. When you are in one of the specific levels or when you are running over wide fields, you will encounter adversaries pretty much wherever you go. You have complete freedom in how you approach these enemies and the combat interactions that you have with them.

The fact that this game places such a strong emphasis on player involvement is likely what makes the game's fighting system appear to function so smoothly. By simply timing your attacks and dodging with more precision, you can earn a variety of rewards, some of which include enhanced damage and decreased time required for skills to cool down.

This provides you with an incentive to truly think about what they are doing rather than simply smashing the button over and over again. You have the ability to freely switch between numerous skill sets that may be customized in real-time, giving you the opportunity to express yourself in the manner in which you choose to eliminate the antagonists.

A lot of people are going to want to compare this to Devil May Cry, and while the two games do share some genetic material, they are very different experiences. Regardless of the fact that these are two very different monsters, the action role-playing game fighting system is without a doubt one of the greatest that I have seen in a very long time, and in my opinion, it is right up there with some of the very best.

Square Enix is aware of how well this combat system has been fine-tuned since it allows you to progress through various stages using an Arcade mode, in which you are literally ranked on how well you battle against specific encounters. Square Enix understands precisely how well this combat system has been fine-tuned.

There is also a mode called Final Fantasy, which is the game's difficult difficulty. In this mode, the adversaries are significantly more difficult, their aggression is significantly higher, and the enemy encounters themselves have been completely reimagined to keep you on your toes.

Overall the battle system in Final Fantasy XVI is a lot of fun, and it features a diverse assortment of foes as well. The controls are simple to use, and more significantly, they do not involve monotonous repetition. You will need to make split-second judgments and plan out your strategy in order to prevail in combat.

For example, you will need to decide how to approach foes, when to employ Eikonic Abilities given that they have cooldowns linked to them, which Eikon Powers you will be switching between, the timing of your dodges when to use potions and other similar things.

You also have the ability to daze your opponents and deal a significant amount of harm to them while they are helpless. You should probably keep your Eikonic Abilities for those occasions, and if you're feeling brave, you can try to power an opponent by landing a strike at the exact same time as they do.

If you're successful, this will cause them to become more powerful. Encounters against mini-bosses and bosses are twice as much fun as regular encounters. They all have their distinctive abilities and methods of assault, which keep you on your toes and compel you to plan out your next step in the fight.

Although this is by no means a difficult game, and you probably won't die very often, it does not mean that it is a mindless hack-and-slash game. To be fair, I still have some gripes about the game. For example, Torgal seems to offer very little in the way of healing, your teammates don't do all that much damage in combat, and there could certainly be more combo diversity when it comes to melee attacks.

But those are just a few of my issues. Despite this, I believe it is a great deal of fun, particularly when you reach the gameplay areas in which you can engage in combat as an Eikon against other Dormants who have assumed their Eikonic form. These sequences have the feel of an epic fight between gigantic giants and are a sight to behold. The Quick Time Events (QTEs) are not only entertaining but also visually appealing since they allow you to perform dramatic evasions and strikes.

And if some of this seems too challenging for you, or if you just want to get started practicing right away, the game actually offers you a training mode, which is a separate chamber where you may spawn in different foes and fight them until your heart's content.

There is so much utility with this area, whether it be crafting combos or simply practicing the enemy's moveset for precise parries, and I believe that this is something that, again, Square Enix has definitely pulled influence from the Devil May Cry series.

You have the option of taking on infamous marks, often known as hunts, if you are searching for a challenge but don't want to play in Final Fantasy mode. You can discover hunts either by consulting the Hunting Board, which notifies you when new hunts have been added to the game and specifies the locations in which they can be located, or you can just happen upon them while you go about your normal gameplay.

Notorious markings frequently take the shape of one-of-a-kind iconic Final Fantasy foes who present a significant obstacle not only due to the fact that they are typically several levels higher than the enemy but also frequently due to the fact that you would not have seen them previously at that point in the game.

You are not yet used to their pattern of attack or what they are capable of achieving, and this is causing you some difficulty. This is where the power of Final Fantasy XVI's fighting comes into play. An enemy might be ten levels above you and be able to defeat you in only a few hits, but as long as you are a good enough player to avoid everything that comes your way and engage in a war of attrition, you will eventually be able to defeat the opponent.

You will see an improvement in your character's stats as you level up, and you will also have the opportunity to acquire better equipment to improve those numbers further. You may do this by either purchasing the items directly or constructing them yourself and then having a blacksmith reinforce them.

I wish there were more alternatives in the gear section; all you really have is a weapon, belt, band braces, and three accessories, but they are still helpful especially the attachments. I wish there were more options in the gear category. These include enhancing the damage that your Eikonic Abilities deal, lessening the amount of time it takes for your abilities to cool down, and even some cheese ones that make it simpler to auto-evade strikes and perform combos.

However, I believe that for the majority of gamers, these may remove some of the enjoyment that comes from combat. Additionally, as time passes, you will accumulate ability points that can be used to purchase new skills, improve existing abilities, or master existing talents.

I do believe that the game should have been a little more liberal with ability points in the early game; you won't have all that many to spend, and you will frequently be required to make difficult decisions about which talents to select. You are, however, able to respec at any time at no additional cost, which is a wonderful feature to have at any time.

In addition to making headway in the primary storyline, you can also accomplish certain objectives by completing optional side tasks. However, these quests are often quite simple, can be completed in a very short amount of time, and have a tendency to feel like they are of the "fetch quest" variety at times, such as when you have to fight some goons or retrieve a ladder, for example.

The quality of the side quests increased as I made my way farther into the game, both in terms of the stories they told and the content they provided, but none of them particularly impressed me. At the very least, you will receive rewards for completing them, such as experience points, gold, ability points, and, eventually, Renown. These awards can be used to purchase donations from The Patron's Whisper shop.

In addition, there is something called the Hunt Board, which allows you to hunt down more deadly foes known as Notorious Mark in exchange for awards. The couple I accomplished was undeniably enjoyable and were a nice little test of my abilities.

And if you want to play through the stages again, you can do so by utilizing the Arete Stone, which even includes an Arcade Mode that gives you a score based on how well you do. Even while the main story is, without a doubt, where everything is at, there is a good deal of optional content in Final Fantasy XVI that you may participate in, and it should be enough to keep you interested.

Final Fantasy XVI's graphics are stunning, even when you ignore the cutscenes. Although it could be a little disorienting at times to go from these breathtaking movie-like sequences to the game's more traditional action, there is no doubt that the visuals in this game are impressive. The lighting is magnificent, despite the presence of some small artifacting at times.

The particle effects are superb, and the colors are nice, although I got the impression that some environments were a little too subdued. Draw distances are incredible, and character models are good; there is, in all honesty, not much to criticize about this aspect of the game, and I believe that the majority of gamers will consider the game to be a feast for the eyes.

However, there is no option to turn off the motion blur, which significantly detracts from the overall presentation. Therefore, I really hope that Square Enix will deliver that update as soon as possible and give us the option to turn motion blur off.

Final Fantasy XVI's performance is generally satisfactory. Graphics and performance can be toggled between using these options. In the Quality mode of the PlayStation 5, the resolution is upscaled from 1440p to target 4K at 30 frames per second. In the Performance mode, the resolution is upscaled from 1080p to target 1440p at 60 frames per second.

I spent most of my time with the game in Performance mode, and it ran pretty smoothly most of the time. There were undoubtedly frame drops, most of which occurred during scenes that featured a large number of characters on the screen, such as those that took place in towns; nevertheless, I never saw any other significant drops in frame rate.

Even taking into account the fact that I've never been particularly picky about how many frames a game should have, as long as everything runs smoothly, I'd still say that the game is pretty solid in this regard. When it comes to performance, my one minor criticism is that the map part on the bottom screen can sometimes make the menu a little more difficult to traverse than it should be.

This is because the map section is completely rendered in 3D, which takes some time to load. It certainly has a pleasing aesthetic. However, the movement is a little bit sluggish. It's also important to point out that, throughout my entire playing, I haven't encountered any significant bugs. There were no problems with the game crashing in any way, be it with save files or otherwise.

The discussion will also include sound and audio. I think Square Enix did an excellent job with the game's soundtrack overall. The compositions they've written for the cutscenes and boss fights make the entire experience feel majestic and awe-inspiring. I adore the music used in The Hideaway because it has some relaxing acoustic guitar sounds that just make you feel like you're in your own living room.

The fact that some of the tunes are only a few minutes long is, ultimately, the most significant criticism I have to level against the music. As a result, they will repeat quite frequently, which may cause some people to become bored relatively quickly, particularly when traveling through cities and vast landscapes.

In addition, the game tends to reuse music tracks in numerous different places, making the issue worse. Regarding voice acting, every single one of the voiceover artists gave a strong performance. However, Ralph Ineson stood out as Sid, thanks to his portrayal of the character. The video might feel a little awkward at moments, but I blamed the script for most of these occurrences.

Things were further made worse by the voice animations and lip-syncing outside cutscenes, which were nowhere near as good as they could have been. Even though I'm sure some people may find the British and Irish accents annoying, I didn't find them very distracting.

Final Fantasy XVI has been a fantastic experience overall. The narrative is mesmerizing, the gameplay is entertaining, and there are many things to do in the game, all of which appeal to new players and veterans alike. This game is excellent in every facet, from its story and pacing to its gameplay and depth, graphic quality, sound design, soundtrack, and voice acting.

If you are still on the fence about something, you should check out the demo. If you like what you see and decide to buy the full version of the game, you can import your saved data from the demo version.