Title: Final Fantasy XVI
Developer: Square Enix
Genre: RPG, Action/Adventure
Released: 2023
Rating: 8/10
For centuries, the people of Valisthea have relied on the land’s Mothercrystals as a source of magicks that aid their daily lives. But as a cursed disease known as the Blight starts to spread, a group of rebels dares to ask… what if the Mothercrystals are to blame? Join Clive and his companions as they fight to free the world of its doomed fate.
Pros
Great Story and Characters
FFXVI delivers a top-tier story with unforgettable characters. This world is brutally raw with fascinating political and social structures. Similar to Game of Thrones and Jemisin’s Broken Earth trilogy, Valisthea is complex, unforgiving, and unfair. It serves as a perfect basis to instantly hook you to the story.
Along with a gripping story, the main characters are extremely well developed. I instantly fell in love with Clive and Cid. Their relationship development (and banter) was a true joy to be a part of. Dion, Uncle Byron, and Gav were also some of my favorites to interact with. Each brought a unique personality and background that tremendously added to the storyline.
Unquestionably Epic
From start to finish, FFXVI was unrelentingly epic. The Eikon and Dominant battles, the cinematic showdowns, the intensely emotional ending… this game delivered an experience that is difficult to adequately put to words.
Cons
Gameplay Mechanics
Let’s consider the combat. It is truly real-time. There’s no slow-down or pause option to choose a special ability. At first it’s manageable. But as you gather more special abilities, it is hard to keep up with their availability while also dodging and managing Torgal’s commands. It can quickly devolve into button mashing. Alongside the combat mechanics, the camera isn’t exactly your friend. Some battles were so chaotic that I didn’t know where I was, where the enemy was, and if I was hitting them or not…
Exploration
The open world moments are meager. The game relies heavily on fast travel and when you do get the option to have a more open world experience, it is limited. You see a set of stairs that you can’t climb. A set of crates that you can’t jump onto. A building that you can’t enter.
Things to Consider
Easy Mode
The developers took a different approach for adjusting the difficulty level of the game. Instead of choosing easy, normal, or hard, you get a set of rings that you can choose to equip that can make the game’s combat easier. I used the Ring of Timely Focus and Ring of Timely Assistance. But you only have three slots for accessories and by using these rings, you limit your options in the game to equip other accessories that boost your abilities.
Cinematics
FFXVI could have benefitted from the fast forward feature that we had in FFVII. The cinematic scenes are long and there are plenty of them. At times, it felt more like a movie than a video game.
Final Fantasy Feel
This game may not feel like a tried and true Final Fantasy game. There are no side games. There are very few lighter, fun moments to break up the intense storyline. It is notably more violent, serious, and mature than other Final Fantasy games that I’ve played. Was that a bad thing? No, I don’t think so. But it is something to have in mind – don’t come into this expecting a traditional Final Fantasy experience.
Overall…
Final Fantasy XVI boldly goes where no Final Fantasy game has gone before. Once I got used to the look and feel of FFXVI, I absolutely fell in love. The more mature, older characters, the flawed and epic world, and the unique approach to magic made the game an unforgettable experience. It is a bold and phenomenal addition to the Final Fantasy series.
Caroline’s Library 