As a fan of Final Fantasy games, this is the game that made me hunt down and grab a Playstation 5, even when they were nearly impossible to find in stores at the time.
A JRPG becomes an Action RPG
For people who are fans of the Final Fantasy series but did not play the last few installments of the modern Final Fantasy games (such as Final Fantasy XV), playing Final Fantasy XVI may feel like playing something that is not a Final Fantasy game.
Final Fantasy XVI has decided to drop the job and class system and has fully become an action RPG. The game now has no turn-based system and everything is purely action-based, where speed, dodging, and parrying become the more important parts of playing the game.
Now, for those who were expecting a turn-based experience, this game will definitely disappoint you in that regard. However, what it does as an action-based game, it does really, really well. Everything feels very crisp and responsive, and the animations when you successfully parry, dodge, and hit your opponent feel very, very satisfying.
Even if you are a turn-based player, I feel it would still be worth giving this game a try.
I did not know this at the time, but it comes as no surprise that Square Enix got help from the creators of Devil May Cry to polish the action part of the game, which is why the combat feels great. If you are already a fan of Devil May Cry and are looking for more of that DMC-style slashing action, then you already know what is coming.
…But it is still Final Fantasy
With that said, what Final Fantasy XVI does not change is the story and the ambience of the environment.
Even though the gameplay has changed greatly, when I played the game I still felt, “Oh, this is so Final Fantasy.” So for those of you who simply love the stories in Final Fantasy games, strap in for one of the rides of your life.
They have kept the emotional storytelling that Final Fantasy games are known for, which in my opinion is what makes a Final Fantasy game truly feel like Final Fantasy.
At the same time, they merged the classic Final Fantasy storytelling with modern technology and modern tropes, which pushes the genre further.
And yes… there are chocobos, people!
Awesome Graphics
Final Fantasy XVI definitely uses the Playstation 5 platform to its full potential.
When you start the game, it immediately lets your eyes feast on a battle between Ifrit and Phoenix, showing you the kind of spectacle that awaits you later in the game. Seeing the giants (in FFXVI, they are called Eikons) battle while orchestral music blasts in the background is one of those moments that will give you goosebumps.
When the game wants to deliver spectacle, it really delivers. All those Eikons battle? Holy **** they are all a bunch of hype machines!
You know how some games and movies show crazy eye candy at the beginning just for the quality to drop later on? Nope, not here. What the game shows you at the beginning stays consistent throughout the entire game — and in some cases even becomes better as the story progresses.
This game definitely delivers visually.
Crazy Music
Another thing that makes Final Fantasy games memorable is the music. Who could ever forget Sephiroth’s theme, right?
Final Fantasy XVI handles its music incredibly well. The orchestral pieces really come in clutch when you see Eikons clashing with each other. You just get pumped up watching Clive battle enemies while those horns blast in your ears.
Of course, the game also handles the cheerful and emotional tones really well. Just walking around the base, listening to the theme, and simply hanging around feels great.
Only eye candies?
But no, Final Fantasy XVI does not rely only on eye candy.
The story is really, really good, and I feel that the first two hours alone will hook you if you are the type of person who enjoys Final Fantasy storytelling, especially with the political elements happening everywhere.
I prefer not to spoil anything because the story contains some very big spoilers. So if you plan to play this game, absolutely do not open any guides. Just play the game.
What I can say is that the story feels closer to Final Fantasy Tactics, with a strong focus on a medieval setting. There is a lot of politics in this game, and those politics are one of the major forces driving the story.
However, unlike Final Fantasy Tactics, the politics are not too convoluted since the story focuses more on Clive rather than the overall nations.
In terms of character personalities, I feel they are handled somewhat similarly to the characters in Final Fantasy VIII. Clive is no Squall, of course — but I mean the way the characters are written and presented.
Come on, there must be places where it sucks?
Yes, unfortunately Final Fantasy XVI is not perfect, and there are definitely areas where it feels like less time was spent (or where features were shoehorned in). Players who love the deeper RPG aspects of Final Fantasy may or may not have problems with this.
The first obvious one is the weapon system. Final Fantasy games are known to have somewhat sophisticated weapon systems, where just because a weapon is weaker does not mean it should be thrown away. Many weapons have their own effects, and how you equip your party determines how useful a weapon can be.
However, in Final Fantasy XVI it is clear that the developers chose to focus more on the action combat instead of weapon strategy. Because of this, most weapons simply act as placeholders until you find the next stronger weapon.
The second part would be the party system. Unsurprisingly, there is no traditional multi-character party in this game since you pretty much only control Clive.
So there are no more job systems, healers, mages, vanguards, carries, etc. You just pick up your sword, equip your Eikons, and slash away.
This may be a negative for players who enjoy filling those roles, but I can see why the developers decided to remove them since it would have taken focus away from the action combat.
Another weaker area is the side quests. The side quests do help build the overall message of the story, but there is a clear difference in quality when comparing them to the main quests.
That difference is understandable — the main quests contain the core story after all — but I still could not shake the feeling that after finishing a main quest and jumping into a side quest, it sometimes felt like I had suddenly alt-tabbed into an MMORPG.
Judge, Jury?
If you are already a fan of Final Fantasy, this is a definite buy if you are open to trying the action RPG genre. Just be aware that this is a very different game compared to the traditional turn-based Final Fantasy titles.
If you are new to the series, I feel this is also a good entry point. It is accessible enough for casual players but still challenging for gamers.
Just expect a full-on action game rather than a relaxing turn-based experience.
