Final Fantasy XVI Review (PS5)

The sixteenth major installment in the Final Fantasy series introduces a new combat system and a new narrative structure but retains some recurring features common to the franchise such as Chocobos, Moogles, and summons.

Set in Valisthea, a high-fantasy world divided between six nations who hold power through access to magical Crystal and Dominants, humans who were born to act as hosts for each nation’s Eikon. For those who’ve played a Final Fantasy game before, Eikons are the summoned monsters with godly powers.

However, unlike in the previous Final Fantasy games, Dominants turn into Eikons when they fight. Additionally, Final Fantasy XVI introduces the term of semi-prime, which means that the Dominants don’t fully prime into an Eikon but instead turn into half-Eikon forms allowing them to use their powerful abilities.

In Final Fantasy XVI, you take on the role of Clive Rosfield, the first-born son of the ruler of one of the six nations that dominate Valisthea, the Grand Duchy of Rosaria. Typically, royal first-borns are gifted with the power to host Eikons, but Clive is an exception, which pushes him toward embracing a career in the army.

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Having turned into a master swordsman, Clive ends up becoming his brother’s bodyguard. Joshua, his younger brother becomes the Dominant of Phoenix, while Clive is blessed with some power from his brother’s Eikon of Fire to help protect him.

All this sets up the events that unfold across Valisthea for the next 40-50 hours or so. Final Fantasy XVI shines when it comes to combat and narrative, but its pacing is completely off. After each heavy hitting moment, you have the choice of continuing with the main story or complete side-quests.

Unfortunately, side-quests are completely boring, at least the ones that you get in the first half of the game. What makes these fetch quest feel worse than boring is the fact that the main story is exceptionally well-written. Imagine watching an episode of your favorite TV show and then right in the middle of a big moment you get an ad. That’s how side-quests feel in Final Fantasy XVI.

I completed all side-quests in the game, and I’m pleased to say that they get better and better halfway through. My recommendation for those who just want to finish the main story is to at least try to complete the side-quests with a “+” sign because these usually upgrade some of your gear.

Although Final Fantasy XVI is described as an action-RPG, the game is very light on RPG elements. I think it’s safe to say that it’s pretty similar to The Witch 3 in that regard. The main character has attributes, but no way to customize them. They improve by default every time Clive levels up. The same goes for the HP pool.

The itemization is a bit disappointing too. Clive uses swords to fight and the only other gear he can craft/upgrade is belts, armbands, rings, and necklaces. The main issue is that you’ll be switching gear very often. It’s not worth trying to get the components for a powerful sword since it will become obsolete the next time you unlock a new recipe at the blacksmith.

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The upgrades that you’re given are meant to get you through the next segment of the game. Once that’s finished, you get a new set of items that you can craft or purchase from vendors, which are slightly better than what you have, rinse and repeat.

Final Fantasy XVI’s combat is action-oriented, so if you’re more of a fan of the turn-based party system, you’ll probably dislike it. But if you’re enjoying games like Devil May Cry, you’ll love Final Fantasy XVI because this is one of its strong points.

Clive has dozens of abilities at his disposal, which he can string together into different combo attacks. What makes the combat even more complex is that you can use up to 12 elemental abilities from several Eikons. Not to mention that these Eikons abilities can be upgraded and even mastered using ability points.

Final Fantasy XVI is an easy game but knowing how to “weave” abilities makes the game not just easier, but also more satisfying. Some abilities work better together, while others must be used in certain scenarios. Obviously, there’s no wrong way to play Final Fantasy XVI, but figuring out the best combination of abilities is part of the fun.

One of the game’s core mechanics is “Stagger,” where Clive deals damage to an enemy which builds up a stagger meter to stun an enemy for a short time and making them vulnerable to more attacks. Only elite units and bosses have the yellow stagger bar, which makes sense since they have the most HP.

Speaking of which, just about every boss in Final Fantasy XVI is a damage sponge, but that’s acceptable because otherwise you won’t be able to string too many combos and combat would be completely boring.

Some of the best moments in the game are the battles that involve Eikons. These monsters have a ton of HP, so the fights take quite a lot of time. These fights are more theatrical than strategic, so expect a lot of cutscenes and many QTEs (quick time events).

It’s hard to talk about Final Fantasy XVI’s story without spoiling anything, which is why strongly recommend playing the demo because it’s illustrative for the game.

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The Good

The Bad

Conclusion