Critic Reviews
Attack of the Fanboy - Diego Perez - 5 / 5
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 that permeates every aspect of Final Fantasy XVI, and it’ll end up becoming a lot of people’s favorite Final Fantasy because of that.
But Why Tho? - Kyle Foley - 10 / 10
In a world full of games trying to stand out, Final Fantasy XVI has no problem rising above the rest. Wonderfully fun combat and beautiful presentation help make the excellent story even more impactful in an adventure well worth the price of admission.
DASHGAMER.com - Dan Rizzo - 10 / 10
Final Fantasy XVI proposes a new foundation for finding a masterclass of perfection in action role-playing, and cements a prime legacy founded on past iterations, capitalising on a formula that’s seen inarguable successes throughout its years in this medium, and has promulgated an establishment of extravagance that will indeed be hard to surpass.
Digital Trends - Giovanni Colantonio - 3 / 5
Final Fantasy XVI delivers on the “action” side of its action-RPG formula. A fierce and fast-paced combat system makes for the series’ most exciting stab at real-time swordplay yet, while its blockbuster Eikon fights rank among some of gaming’s most awe-inspiring battles. But there’s a general flatness surrounding those exhilarating highs, as shallow RPG hooks and dated design leave a promising evolution for the series stuck in the past.
GGRecon - Harry Boulton - 4.5 / 5
Despite the weight of expectations from a series full of gaming hallmarks, Final Fantasy 16 stands tall as an outstanding experience that you won’t want to miss out on.
Game Informer - Wesley LeBlanc - 8.5 / 10
When I look back at my time with Clive, his friends, his enemies, and Valisthea, it’s those highs that I vividly remember. FFXVI is very different from its predecessors, but in many ways, very familiar; And it’s still a Final Fantasy, through and through, reminding me why I love this series so much.
Gamer Escape - Josh McGrath - 9 / 10
Stellar and surprisingly customizable combat, a masterfully written and engaging storyline, and a beautiful audio visual presentation. It’s nearly a complete package, but with a few annoyances that keep it from being a perfect game. That said, even with those frustrations in mind, Final Fantasy XVI is an absolute return to form for the mainline franchise, and easily a reason to get yourself a PlayStation 5 if you’ve yet to.
Geek Culture - Wong Si Jia - 9.3 / 10
Final Fantasy XVI is a lot of things. It’s ambitious, gritty, and beautiful, but more importantly, it dares to dream. A sobering tale disguised as a dazzling visual spectacle, the almost-masterpiece presents a nuanced, clever take on all-too-familiar elements, and turns them into fresh experiences that devastate as much as they delight, before delivering the biggest reward – a well-executed emotional payoff.
Multiplayer First - James Lara - 9.5 / 10
Regardless if FFXVI is your first Final Fantasy game or you’re returning to the series, Square Enix’s latest game in the franchise lives up to the hype. Forget about JRPG’s or how action-RPGs nowadays need an open world, side quests that last for ages, co-op or whatever gimmick. FFXVI just throws all that out of the table and proves a tightly woven narrative-driven game –when built right — can make up for all those.
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 manages to make it matter without being overly preachy about it.
Those looking for the series’ return to glory, rejoice! Final Fantasy XVI is that game, and this is one fantasy you’ll want to make sure you’re a part of.
Noisy Pixel - Bailey Seemangal - 9 / 10
Final Fantasy XVI is an action JRPG polished to an iridescent sheen. Its well-designed combat system and enemies, outstanding character writing and worldbuilding, and consistently stellar side content make it a standout entry in this legendary franchise. Even when accounting for the weak villains and a lukewarm conclusion, this was a journey that truly gripped me from beginning to end. This is a must-play game of the year and a Final Fantasy adventure you won’t forget.
PSX Brasil - Thiago de Alencar Moura - Portuguese - 100 / 100
Inspired by the past but modern at every turn, Final Fantasy XVI is the overhaul the series needed with unparalleled quality. Driven by a fantastic story and charismatic characters, built on accessible, exciting gameplay and impressive graphics on the PS5, it consolidates itself as one of the best games in the franchise history.
PlayStation Universe - Timothy Nunes - 9.5 / 10
Very little gets in the way of the success that Final Fantasy XVI creates. The strength of combat on top of a compelling, deep narrative steal the show. Despite little need for world exploration and the occasional lower resolution texture, Final Fantasy XVI stats true to the namesake while forging its own path forward.
PowerUp! - Adam Mathew - 9 / 10
I could barely put my controller down during my 57 hours with Final Fantasy XVI. It represents a huge milestone for this franchise, thanks to its bold shift to more adult story-telling (and language), addictive real-time combat, and gargantuan VFX spectacles that are best in class. Marry all that with what the series is already known for — epic orchestral OSTs and phenomenal world-building — and Final Fantasy XVI is nothing short of a must-own.
Prima Games - Jesse Vitelli - 9 / 10
Final Fantasy XVI’s grander narrative takes wild turns, evokes plenty of heartfelt emotions, and has given me a new cast of characters to fall in love with all over again. It’s a bold direction that Creative Business Unit 3 has taken the franchise, but one well worth the journey.
Sirus Gaming - Noel Lontoc - 9 / 10
Final Fantasy XVI may offer daring adjustments, but it is in this spirit of creativity that the genre flourishes. The game is not perfect, yet Naoki Yoshida, the game’s director, held faithful to his promise to deliver a compelling experience and bring Final Fantasy back to the must-have games again.
TechRaptor - Andrew Stretch - 9.5 / 10
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.
Twinfinite - Hayes Madsen - 5 / 5
Final Fantasy XVI is a bold and ambitious new vision for the franchise, that succeeds on almost every level.
As soon as they announced battle passes in diablo 4 it was a hard pass for me. I just knew they were gonna nickel and dime every loyal fan to the very end. FF16 at least seems to be a complete game with no battle passes or seasons, no “surprise mechanics” or buying power, just a standard off the shelf video game made by people who create games for the love of the craft and not to milk you like a cow.
That’s more than fair. I am just refusing to interact with the shop or battle pass and it’s going fine so far, though I will admit, I didn’t get as immediately hooked on it as I did with Diablo 3. Then again, I bought D3 years after launch, so a lot of the shittier aspects had been fixed by then.
I like the gameplay of Diablo4, but the environments and world are just so BLEAK… it’s hard for me to want to keep spending time in the world. I feel like the previous 3 games were a lot more hopeful, with towns that had people just living their lives, not too worried about things.
D4, it’s like everyone is oppressed and depressed and just barely scraping by to survive, and just… I feel sad any time I think about going back in.