Final Fantasy XVI (PlayStation 5)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
- Release Date (NA): June 22, 2023
- Publisher: Square Enix
- Genres: JRPG
Game Features:
Final Fantasy has always been a series that never quite hooked me, despite my best attempts. I was much more likely to enjoy the more anime-themed adventures in Tales of games, or the focus on character-driven stories in Persona. When I think of Final Fantasy, I think of Tidus' goofy laugh in Final Fantasy X, or the incredibly weird journey to space in Final Fantasy VIII; games that never felt like they could stick the landing on their emotional moments. I was intrigued by Final Fantasy XVI's trailers, however, which promised a story that would span years of the protagonist's life, tearing through a war-torn world on a quest for revenge.
On top of that, Final Fantasy XVI was set to undergo some massive changes compared to other titles in the franchise. Its predecessor, Final Fantasy XV, was criticized for its pivot into action-based gameplay, and while XVI was set to continue the trend of action-RPG combat, PlatinumGames, along with Square Enix's Kingdom Hearts team would be brought on to assist in the game's development, while Naoki Yoshida--Yoshi-P of Final Fantasy XIV fame--would be brought on to produce the project and try to improve upon the groundwork that XV laid.
Right off the bat, you can see how these changes impacted Final Fantasy XVI; the second you take control of main character Clive Rosfield, you can feel how fluid and flashy the combat is. This is more Devil May Cry or Bayonetta than Final Fantasy, and I mean that in the best way possible. Fighting is seamless and makes it easy for newcomers to jump in, while still having layers for experienced players to really dig into. Racking up combos through chained attacks is incredibly satisfying, and there's a certain visual flair to everything that only PlatinumGames knows how to pull off.
Early on, you won't have much to work with; you're just a soldier with a sword and a tiny bit of fire magic. As the game opens up, so do your abilities, which is when you can go to town with perfect dodges, charged magic attacks, and chained special attacks of various elements. It's an addictive gameplay style that rewards you for playing skillfully, and punishes you if you're just trying to mash the face buttons. Usually, you can expect to further your attacks by equipping certain items and crafting/finding/buying cool weapons to take things further, but that's not quite the case. Yes, there are plenty of items to equip, but it always feels like a linear upgrade that you should craft, because it makes your stats better. There's not much in the way of putting together an equipment set that caters to your playstyle, or your build. There's equally little in the way of tactically inflicting status effects or buffs. In that way, it's an action game with some RPG aspects that feel quite hollow.
Final Fantasy XVI focuses on a more grounded, medieval world, eschewing the franchise's dalliances with sci-fi. It features a lot of political intrigue, very much akin to something like Game of Thrones, feeling very much more Western-inspired than a "JRPG", too. Clive, while he is born of royalty, isn't seen as such, as he lacks the power of the Eikons. The end of the prologue also sees him stripped of everything he's ever had, and while it's a little cliche, it sets up his character arc nicely for a world-spanning quest of self-discovery and growth. That being said, while it has a strong starting point, there's a lot about this game that feels distinctly unfamiliar compared to other Final Fantasy games. There's a lot to like, but I can't help but feel like in its attempts to branch out and try new things, this entry has lost a little bit of the Final Fantasy identity.
One of the most iconic aspects of Final Fantasy is the summons, and fortunately, they're back, though in a new form. Rather than exist as separate beings that various characters can call upon, in XVI, summons are referred to as Eikons, creatures that only those with a certain bloodline have access to, which the user transforms into and becomes. Initially, the only one you see having this power is Clive's brother, who has the power to turn into Phoenix, though he lacks the power to control it, while other series mainstays appear throughout dramatic moments in the story; you can expect to see Ifrit, Shiva, Bahamut, and others in your journey through the world of Valisthea. Certain story moments will also see two Eikons pitted against each other, with you controlling one of them in a massive over-the-top explosive Kaiju-esque battle. These are some of the most memorable and exciting fights in FFXVI. The huge scale of two magical beings clashing is represented well, as you ravage the land around you with ridiculous fireballs, or punch an enemy so hard that it goes flying into and destroys a mountain. It's straight-up fun, while also helping represent just how overpowered Eikons are compared to regular humans for the narrative's sake.
Disappointingly, you can only ever control Clive, and any party members that tag along during certain story missions are completely AI-controlled. Given the story's focus on Clive, and how intricate his skill tree gets, it might take away focus to have a party of characters that you could choose to play as, but it doesn't mean it's not a let down, despite that. At the very least, you have a constant companion in the form of Torgal the wolf-dog--and yes, you can pet him whenever you want--who you can issue heal or attack commands to.
While they're not playable, Final Fantasy XVI's supporting cast makes up for it by having some impressively written dialogue, matched by solid voice-acting performance. The game takes itself very seriously, with plenty of long cutscenes that either flesh out the world, the characters, or serve to tease what's to come. There's a lot going on, and the story has a lot to say about war, social commentary, inequality, and surprisingly deep topics. Nearly all of it is interesting, though it has a tendency to overwhelm you with lore, throwing out names of countries, unknown terminology, and rulers that you as the player aren't aware of. Square Enix smartly came up with the amusingly-named Active Time Lore, which is just a fancy glossary that you can refer to, chock-full of everything you need to know about the intricate narrative and effort that's been put into the world-building.
Final Fantasy XVI, much like its protagonist, is on a long journey of trying to find itself. I think that this is a much more positive step in the right direction, and an overall fantastic game, but in its efforts to correct some of its predecessor's worst flaws, it managed to go a little too far and lose some of the charm that makes Final Fantasy what it is. That being said, the strong writing and incredibly fun combat system do make this a game worth playing, but those looking for something undeniably "Final Fantasy" might be left wanting.
Verdict
- Eikon battles are super cool
- The world-building and story are top notch
- Final Fantasy finally has respectable action combat
- Stellar soundtrack
- Inconsistent framerate even on performance mode
- 90% of the side quests feel like boring padding
- Crafting/gear feels a little too basic
