Final Fantasy XVI

Final Fantasy XVI is an outstanding achievement. Every part of it, from its characters to its combat, was put there with a purpose. Not only does it deliver satisfyingly slick action RPG combat in between masterfully directed cutscenes, but also a story with real heart. Most importantly, it's incredibly clear that a team of creative individuals was behind every decision. There's a human element th...

Final Fantasy XVI will change what we think of the franchise moving forward. It’s groundbreaking on so many levels, elevating the thirty-five-year old series to new heights. The combat is highly engaging and invites creativity and experimentation by giving players a bevy of tools to play around with. The story is beautifully written, and although it takes nods from other fantasy properties, it bui...

After every Eikon battle in Final Fantasy XVI, I kept asking myself “how can the next one be any better?” Only to be proven wrong each and every time.

Final Fantasy XVI is everything I could have hoped for and more. Combat is fast paced and rewarding as you master combos and abilities. Eikon fights, while not as interesting to play, are gorgeous to witness. All of this is wrapped up into a deep story and fully fleshed out world that you'll want to be protecting.

The minor issues the game has doesn’t detract from the incredible experience Clive & Co. bring to the table. Players will be treated to a compelling tale, stunning visual spectacles, and a fluid and fun combat system. What’s even more impressive is, Square Enix manages to make the franchise “grow up” alongside the players who grew up playing the series. FFXVI deals with more mature themes and mana...

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 o...

Final Fantasy XVI is a truly special game that, while not without its issues, had me in awe of its frequent moments of absolute spectacle and emotion.

Final Fantasy 16 is the furthest the mainline series has ever strayed from its traditional RPG roots. It's more of an action game with RPG elements bolted on than it is an RPG with action combat, but at the same time, it boasts all of the ingredients that we associate with the greatest Final Fantasy titles. Its character-driven story is grand and intoxicating, its fantastical world building is bri...

Final Fantasy XVI reinvigorates the long-running franchise thanks to its grimdark tone and engaging real-time combat. This is exactly the refresh the series needed.

Final Fantasy XVI represents a step forward for the franchise in terms of enhancing gameplay elements, but it falls short of being a truly engaging combat experience, with the otherwise fun Eikon ability system being let down by a lack of difficulty. The game thrives as a story-driven experience, with consistently spectacular scenes made more immersive by the outstanding voice acting and fine atte...

The Rising Tide works great as one last hurrah with new Eikons and a short but worthwhile adventure that shows a different side of FFXVI.

“Final Fantasy XVI delivers when it comes to spectacular action, but dated design and shallow RPG systems drag down a promising blockbuster.”