Referring to it as one of the most popular RPG franchises to emerge from the Japanese gaming scene is certainly not an exaggeration. Since the first-generation console era, Square Enix, known as Squaresoft at the time, successfully released Final Fantasy, which, as its name suggests, they made their last resort to earn money after facing the threat of bankruptcy. Ending in significant success, it grew and continues to exist until now. Each main numbered entry released under its name serves as a testament to the franchise's popularity, although not solely about its quality. After a considerable wait, the latest installment in the series - Final Fantasy XVI - has finally been launched.
There are numerous reasons to anticipate this series, and the biggest source comes from the involvement of Naoki Yoshida, who oversees Creative Business Unit III as the responsible party for this installment. Yoshida himself is often regarded as an individual who not only managed to rescue Final Fantasy XIV from decline but also propelled it to become one of the most successful MMORPG games today. He successfully partnered with the former battle system designer of Devil May Cry 5 - Ryota Suzuki, and also the composer of epic XIV music - Masayoshi Soken. As far as the eye can see, the released trailers and screenshots also showcase a remarkably matured flavor of Final Fantasy that we have not experienced before.
So, what does Final Fantasy XVI actually offer? Why do we refer to it as a high fantasy game that surpasses expectations? This review will delve deeper to provide you with insights.
Review Final Fantasy XVI Plot
Welcome to Valisthea, a world imbued with magical powers. It's a realm where colossal crystals known as Mothercrystals stand as the primary sources of energy for various kingdoms built upon them. In this world, a constant battle is waged against an unstoppable plague known as the Blight, rendering vast stretches of land uninhabitable. This is the world in which you, Clive Rosfield, reside.
Amidst the encroaching Blight's spreading predicament, many of these kingdoms are inevitably compelled to wage war against each other to seize the still arable and inhabitable lands. Yet, it's not a matter of mere aggression; each kingdom possesses a decisive weapon known as Dominants. Dominants are chosen individuals who can transform into colossal, immensely powerful monsters - Eikons - typically bound to a specific element. The Eikons' ability to effortlessly obliterate hundreds of soldiers and even level entire nations is what keeps the conflicts at a delicate balance. This leads to more behind-the-scenes intrigues to undermine each other with minimal risk. Strangely enough, Valisthea is also filled with remnants of a mysterious past civilization known as the Fallen.
You will assume the role of Clive Rosfield at three distinct points in his life, all of which begin when he is a teenage boy of around 15 years old. Living as a noble in the Kingdom of Rosaria, this conflict eventually reaches him and his younger brother - Joshua - at one juncture. A covert attack orchestrated by their enemies succeeds in taking the life of Rosaria's king and the father of Clive and Joshua - Elwin. Amidst this panicked and fearful situation, Joshua, who is incidentally a Dominants, triggers the birth and manifestation of the Eikon Phoenix. However, this marks the onset of unprecedented anomalies in Valisthea's history.
Amidst the fear that Joshua, now transformed into a Phoenix, would be unable to control himself, Clive also suddenly managed to transform into another Eikon called Ifrit, which also possessed the element of fire like the Phoenix. Throughout the history of Valistha's existence, there had never been a situation where two Eikons with similar elements shared the same world space. This transformation ultimately led to a conflict between the two, culminating in Clive's collapse and Joshua's disappearance without a trace.
Then, what fate awaits Clive and Joshua? What exactly is Ifrit, and why can it exist as the second fire-based Eikon? What kind of conflict awaits Valisthea? What is the Fallen civilization actually? Can they overcome the ever-looming Blight? All the answers to these questions will be obtainable by experiencing this upcoming Final Fantasy XVI game.
The visual presentation aspect offered by Final Fantasy XVI with the performance of the PlayStation 5 as its foundation indeed requires no further elaboration. Aside from ensuring full detailed visual quality, especially with particle effects of attacks scattered throughout the game, it also guarantees super-fast loading times, ensuring comfortable fast travel actions. You can also observe the detailed approach to character facial expressions, now reflected more effectively, whether they are excited, laughing, or sad. Square Enix is even confident enough to release a demo version to allow PlayStation 5 gamers to experience this directly.
Good Visual
The technical aspect of this visual presentation is just a small part of the captivating allure of Final Fantasy XVI, which is filled with surprises. Ultimately, what will draw you in and keep you engaged is the darker and more mature approach to its world and story, seemingly aligning with the age of the original series' fan base, which by now should largely be adults. Unlike, for instance, the era of Final Fantasy X, where massive deaths were implicitly shown amidst a sweet romance following the teenage standards of that time, Final Fantasy XVI clearly adopts an explicit approach that, it must be acknowledged, leans closer to the narrative style of Western fantasy rather than something born from the hands of Japan's creative touch.
From the very beginning of the game, you can already observe the buildup of a sexually charged atmosphere among certain characters, which will evolve into its own escalation as the game progresses. All of this is presented with animations that are fairly explicit, although nudity remains veiled within certain limits. Final Fantasy XVI also doesn't shy away from depicting the brutality and cruelty of the world of Valisthea, showcasing not only blood and death but also irrational hatred towards specific groups that subsequently leads to them being hunted, killed, and hanged like animals. This atmosphere of darkness is something we genuinely appreciate for setting the intended tone.
All of this is further enhanced by the developer team's decision to craft a script, a first in the history of the Final Fantasy franchise, where the characters aren't afraid to use profanity to express a range of emotions. The world they've built also doesn't shy away from depicting content like prostitution, for instance, which in one of the cities isn't merely an economic foundation but also serves to unify the diverse threads of society there. These seemingly small elements might sound trivial, but indirectly they contribute to Final Fantasy XVI's uncompromising presence, while establishing an identity that truly sets it apart from the previous installments in the Final Fantasy series.
World Building
The fantastic world-building they've crafted also stems from the fact that each kingdom they've constructed possesses distinct cultures and attire, going beyond just varying Mothercrystal aesthetics. An example? Each of them holds differing perspectives on what Dominants and Eikons are to one another. Take the Iron Kingdom, for instance. There, Dominants are viewed as curses that must be enslaved to prevent them from running wild and threatening their existence. Consequently, the treatment of Dominants ends up cruel, with Eikons being seen no differently than instruments of mass destruction. Meanwhile, in other kingdoms, some Dominants are revered as sacred beings deserving of leadership and the hopes of the people. Such contrasts make every exploration into new regions and kingdoms captivating, as you encounter different cultures. Naturally, much like many RPGs, each of these kingdoms also boasts distinct biomes, ranging from those existing amidst lava and deserts to dense forests within.
Not only in terms of visual and world-building, but Final Fantasy XVI also comes with fantastic audio presentation. We highly recommend you to enjoy the entire story with its captivating English voice acting, which not only feels incredibly lively and natural but also super expressive when the scenes with heavy emotions arrive at the intended moments. All of these voice actors, whether for main characters, supporting roles, or even passing ones, perform their roles exceptionally well. Kudos to all the voice actors involved in this project.
Even higher praise is also well-deserved for Masayoshi Soken, who once again lends his talent as the composer for Final Fantasy XVI. Not only does he successfully inject the kind of epic music filled with choirs that are ready to send shivers down your spine every time those significant moments arise, but he also skillfully facilitates calm and emotional instances with music quality that is equally captivating. One aspect that continues to captivate us? He seems to understand how to exceed your expectations. For instance? One of the major battle events that you might have predicted to be accompanied by gothic choir music turns out to be filled with techno music with a hint of choir in it. An unforeseen combination that surprisingly fits the situation right before your eyes.
With all the trailers and screenshots they have released so far, the cinematic sensation that Final Fantasy XVI aims to deliver remains unshaken. The camera angles in various non-interactive scenes, especially during the grand battles between Eikons that escalate into giant Kaiju-like confrontations, come with fight choreography that's ready to delight your eyes. All of this is then combined with Soken's music, which is poised to elevate that audio-visual experience to a higher level. The good news? There are so many layers to the story of Final Fantasy XVI that "cinematic" isn't the only experience you'll be getting.
Seemingly understanding the complexity that might arise while enjoying the story, which inherently involves numerous kingdoms with their own policies and perspectives, Final Fantasy XVI also offers a feature called "Active Time Lore," accessible at any point during a cut-scene using the pause button. Active Time Lore promptly provides various categories of information about terms that might confuse you, and its content will continuously update based on the progress of the main storyline. Because it must be acknowledged, the narrative movement of Final Fantasy XVI won't simply provide you with an exposition of what's happening in its world, making this feature essential. For instance, concepts like "Bearers" in Valisthea won't make sense to you until you allocate time to read and understand the information provided here.
One of the biggest challenges of Final Fantasy XVI is, of course, providing you with relevant information regardless of the fact that you will play as Clive in three different age periods, which, as anticipated, will be presented in the form of time skips. Fortunately, by utilizing the available NPC characters at your main headquarters, you will continuously be injected with information about the dynamics of inter-kingdom relationships in Valisthea, visualized in an incredibly simplistic style reminiscent of a war strategy table. Through this, you will come to know which parties are currently involved in conflicts, the positions of the existing Dominants, and, of course, details about the areas you will visit next.
However, the decision to ensure your understanding of what's happening isn't the best choice from Final Fantasy XVI's narrative perspective. As we discussed earlier, the allure comes from the narrative perspective and uncompromising atmosphere that makes sure you understand Valisthea isn't a peaceful and colorful world. Even for side quests, you will encounter many situations like this. For example, there's a quest that involves a father and a young child as quest givers, asking you to eliminate a group of terrifying wolves. Upon investigation, this quest turns out to be a mere "hoax." Both the father and the young child intentionally instructed a group of slaves to fight these wolves, leading to their deaths, which is then considered as entertaining for them. Stories like this are poised to make your blood boil.
Story Telling
What's even more fantastic? The storytelling delivered by Final Fantasy XVI feels complete and coherent. Despite the vast movement of the world map and the kingdoms within it, you'll still understand Clive's intentions, his next targets, and, of course, his relationships with the NPC characters at the headquarters, each of whom will have their own storylines through side quests you can pursue. Another aspect that has captured our hearts? There's still room for creativity. Square Enix has even managed to inject an unconventional "storyline" perspective from an insignificant character who interacts with so many characters, providing insights into the narrative from an unforeseen viewpoint. The execution is so remarkable that it's not difficult to make you angry or even shed a tear when those story moments arrive, something that certainly happened to us.
As for the cinematic aspects? Final Fantasy XVI comes with an approach that, in our view, can even rival what Hideo Kojima achieved with Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding. Enjoying the story presented in various passive cut-scenes makes it feel like a high-budget fantasy film you've long awaited. What's intriguing? This approach is also adapted into an active combat system based on QTE (Quick Time Events), which fortunately, instead of being disruptive, makes your battles feel even more cinematic and contextual at the same time. Some scenes even distinctly evoke the sensation of something you'd enjoy in a popular shonen manga/anime.
With all the presentations they've showcased before, it seems impossible for you not to understand that the gameplay structure of Final Fantasy XVI has now completely transformed into an action RPG. It's not taken lightly; they've enlisted the talent of Ryota Syuzuki, a veteran Combat Director from Capcom who previously worked on Devil May Cry 5 and Dragon’s Dogma, to take charge. The good news? It emerges as an action RPG that successfully embraces two concepts: satisfaction and flexibility simultaneously.
Gameplay Mechanic
Satisfaction arises from the combination of triggered movements, ensuring that feeling. For example, among the small enemy attack timings, there's a certain satisfaction in executing regular melee attacks, ranged magic attacks, a combination of both, stronger charging melee attacks that are also enhanced with unique adaptive trigger vibrations in the DualSense controller, Eikon attacks or their combinations, and even triggering a Limit Break if desired.
On the defensive side, you have a variety of tools at your disposal to survive. You can perform a parry with a slow-motion effect if you successfully cancel an enemy's attack, there's a dodge button that, when executed with proper timing, grants you a chance for a counter attack with reasonably effective damage, and the ability to manually command your canine companion - Torgal - using a separate button for executing specific actions. In essence, Final Fantasy XVI provides you with a plethora of options in combat that lead to both strategic and satisfying experiences simultaneously.
Flexibility? As you gain more Eikon powers for Clive to wield, you'll also receive a range of new "tools" for battling against numerous enemies, mini-bosses, or large bosses. What's even more interesting? Each new Eikon power doesn't merely offer the same attack with a different elemental aspect. Each Eikon power possesses its own specific characteristics that require distinct handling techniques during combat, which indirectly influence your playing style, considering you can only choose three Eikon powers to bring with you.
The distinctive characteristics of each Eikon power are indeed not to be taken lightly, both in terms of the basic circular motions that you can access at any time and the set of attack skills that you can unlock and access from the skill tree later. For example? With its teleportation ability coupled with a damage-focused attack set, Phoenix comes across as a more straightforward Eikon power. However, when you delve into Shiva's Eikon skill set, almost 2 out of the 4 skills she offers are based on Crowd Control, effectively immobilizing groups of enemies. As you delve into Bahamut or Odin's powers? They focus on charging-based abilities that require time but deliver devastating effects upon execution, whether we're talking about Megaflare or Zantetsuken. Whose power you choose will significantly shape your playing style.
Flexibility then comes from the fact that Final Fantasy XVI doesn't entirely "lock" these Eikon powers in place. By utilizing the available skill tree and Ability Points obtained from various battles and missions, you can level up each skill to the "Master" level, which naturally requires a substantial investment. Once the master level for a skill is unlocked, you can equip it anywhere regardless of the Eikon you've chosen. This means that even if you select Garuda's Eikon as a foundation, for instance, for the circular motion that can pull smaller enemies down, you can pair it with two attack skills from Titan as long as you've raised those Titan skills to the master level. This concept further opens up the potential for combining Eikon powers, which naturally expands your gameplay style options. Trust me, there will be a point where you feel you've found the right combination, as happened to us.
Combining these various Eikon attacks becomes essential because almost 70% of the enemies you'll face here will turn into mini-bosses or bosses with significantly high HP levels, making it nearly impossible to rely solely on regular combination attacks. Strategy will heavily depend on your efforts to deplete their Stagger bar to 0, which then puts them in a "Staggering" state, immobilizing them for a significant period. During this Staggering process, enemies will take increased damage, up to 1.5 times if executed effectively. Our strategy? Always focus on using all the Eikon attacks we have, making sure they aren't on cooldown, activating the Limit Break for extra damage during the Staggering condition for maximum damage.
What's even more intriguing? Final Fantasy XVI is not a game that can be easily counted as simple. Even though most of the challenging enemies that you face, from mere hordes to larger groups, can be dispatched with relative ease, the mini-boss and boss battles are not something you can breeze through. With a variety of mini-bosses and bosses, some even divided into multiple phases with new attack patterns introduced in each phase, you'll be demanded to stay vigilant. Especially since you are only allowed to bring a limited amount of healing items – Potions and High-Potions – into battles, though it's helpful that you don't have to go through specific animations to use them.
Apart from dealing significant damage and showcasing new attack variations when transitioning between different phases, which are supported by the bosses' hefty HP that tests your patience, Square Enix has also come up with animation designs for boss and mini-boss attacks that we find quite ingenious in bewildering you. One example? Consider three variations of mini-bosses wielding the same weapon, each with a distinct timing. Let's say all three mini-bosses wield giant hammers as their main weapon, and you encounter them in three separate instances. Boss A has a quick swing with a brief recovery period, which leaves a unique muscle memory. However, when you face boss B, who wields a similarly large hammer, their attack timing involves a prolonged recovery period, disrupting your dodge timing and exposing you to damage. And when you confront the third brute-type boss? They exhibit combination attacks and projectiles. Moreover, the same monster type, whether serving as a mini-boss or a special monster you can hunt, has a different moveset.
Fortunately, for gamers who feel apprehensive and hesitant due to their lack of proficiency in action games, Final Fantasy XVI provides excellent facilitation. First and foremost, a slew of accessories named "Timely.." automates certain actions, such as combo attacks, item usage, and evasive maneuvers. Given that they occupy your character's accessory slots, the compromise you face is the absence of opportunities to utilize other accessories that might offer more enticing effects. Second? The game incorporates a checkpoint system in dungeons and boss battles. So, if you happen to perish at a specific point in a dungeon, you won't be forced to start from the beginning. The same principle applies when battling bosses with multiple phases; if you die, you'll be brought back to the last phase where you perished. In certain instances, the game even replenishes your Potion and High-Potion count for extra protection.
Aligned with the dynamic narrative, you'll also relish Final Fantasy XVI through the thrilling lens of battles against the Eikons, presented in various distinct formats. Some unfold with an active combat format, wherein, much like when controlling Clive, you continually attack, dodge, and employ special strikes to deplete the enemy Eikon's HP bar as swiftly as possible. Yet, there are also encounters that feel more scripted, wherein you actually control the Eikon itself in formats akin to Dragon Panzer, or battles predominantly filled with QTEs, offering a cinematic and fantastical experience. However, regrettably, you won't have the chance, from start to finish, to manually transform Clive into, for instance, Ifrit when in a tight spot. All Eikon-based abilities and battles are always tied to the existing storyline.
The experience of Final Fantasy XVI as an action RPG game truly stands at the pinnacle, with nearly all necessary action elements provided and presented to ensure swift combat action while maintaining its unique flexibility. Nevertheless, it must be conceded that it doesn't prioritize the RPG components to the same extent. There are several concepts and potentials left unexplored, giving the action aspect a stronger presence than the RPG essence.
Of course, this doesn't imply that it entirely forsakes all RPG aspects. For instance, Final Fantasy XVI still introduces an array of side missions that you can initiate and complete with commendable quality. Some of these quests are straightforward, while others are designed with intricate and continuous narratives, intertwining the fates and conflicts of various characters throughout different segments of side missions and the main story. Some of these side missions even culminate in offering buffs and permanent features, such as gaining access to Chocobo mounts for exploration, enhancing potion effectiveness, and expanding crafting options. On account of their engaging stories and worthwhile rewards, these side missions are certainly worth pursuing.
Still not enough? Final Fantasy XVI also introduces the Hunt Board feature, which presents a variety of special monsters ready to offer you extra challenges and a plethora of rewards that, once again, are worth pursuing. This special monster hunting system employs a concept akin to that of Final Fantasy XII, wherein it's divided into various different classes indicating the level of difficulty they offer. Special monsters at the highest level will be categorized under Grade "S," always accompanied by a significant level difference, devastating damage, and mysterious locations that you must discover on your own rather than being readily provided. Hunting monsters of this grade is always engaging, tense, and exceptional, especially considering the substantial EXP rewards they promise.
However, as mentioned in the subheading above, Final Fantasy XVI presents an RPG concept that unfortunately still falls somewhat short. We certainly won't impose the issue of decision-based "role-playing" and consequences that are almost impossible to expect from a narrative-driven Japanese RPG, much like this series. This sentiment arises from the fact that several RPG elements have been omitted from it.
Firstly, this sentiment stems from the equipment system it employs. While you are indeed supported by three accessory slots that can offer buffs to specific stats or even enhance the damage of your Eikon attacks or reduce their cooldown time, a vastly different situation occurs with the three main weapon slots – sword, belt, and bracer – that you utilize. Divided into various levels of rarity, including some positioned as legendary weapons, Final Fantasy XVI doesn't inject anything that makes these weapons truly special. Remarkably, some of these weapons can only be accessed through crafting processes, which notably require you to acquire materials that can only be obtained from side missions or the Hunt Board. Imagine our disappointment when we discovered that these "legendary" weapons merely offered stat increases, such as damage, without bringing any special and unique effects that would make them feel exceptional.
The second aspect? Final Fantasy XVI truly discards all the distinctive status effects of JRPGs and Final Fantasy games that could have been utilized for strategic purposes. This means effects like Poison, Stun, Silence, or even Sleep, for instance. Throughout the game, we encountered only two status effects: Clive briefly staggering when hit by a strong attack, requiring a split second to recover, and a specific frozen effect only from Shiva's attack. Imagine our disappointment when iconic attacks like "Bad Breath" from Marlboros failed to yield any hazardous status effects in this installment. If a game like Dark Souls can accommodate so many status effects with inventory access limitations, this is something Square Enix should have retained.
The third aspect, which isn't quite categorized as a drawback but raises its own question marks, is the limited options you have to determine the characters in your party during battles. As Square Enix previously mentioned, the lineup of your party, primarily controlled by AI, will be heavily influenced by the storyline itself. However, we didn't anticipate that this would be the case from the beginning of the story until the end of the game. Imagine our frustration when we desired a specific character to assist us in defeating a Hunt Board target, only to realize that they wouldn't accompany the party beyond the next story point.
After savoring dozens of intense, emotionally charged, enjoyable, inspiring, and exhilarating hours, Final Fantasy XVI also offers you a reason to dive back in immediately through its New Game+ feature. This post-game content will unlock a new difficulty level called the "Final Fantasy Mode," which is not as straightforward as you might think.
With additional hours of gameplay to relish, the Final Fantasy Mode elegantly escalates the difficulty level of Final Fantasy XVI. It's not merely about making enemies bulkier and dealing more damage. This mode will make you even more "suffer" by altering the combination of enemies you face. Since you carry over levels and status from the previous playthrough, the Final Fantasy Mode will position certain late-game monsters and mini-bosses in early-game locations and dungeons. Some mini-boss battles are also revamped and populated with extra mini-bosses ready to threaten your life.
Beyond the new challenge system available exclusively in the Final Fantasy Mode, it also opens up access to more equipment, including a special weapon available only here. What's more intriguing? The accessory forging system is newly introduced here. You can now meld two identical accessories obtained in your previous playthrough and in this Final Fantasy Mode to create the same accessory with enhanced effects. Pursuing a more fantastic and fitting equipment system will be one of your reasons to once again relish this elevated level of difficulty.
Although we ourselves have not fully completed this mode at the time of writing this review, the extra experience it offers so far makes this Final Fantasy mode intriguing to glance at and try out. It will provide a strong action taste, your favorite Eikon attack combinations, and a variety of tested and satisfying signature attack combinations here.
Conclusion
The ultimate fantasy that exceeds our expectations is the experience that Final Fantasy XVI has successfully offered overall. Who would have thought that after so many captivating trailers and screenshots that have delighted and pampered our eyes, the full experience would even manage to offer something crazier, more mature, more emotional, more evocative, and more cinematic at the same time. Clearly, Square Enix has succeeded in "cooking up" something truly special with this sixteenth installment, encompassing gameplay, content, story, voice acting, and even music. A quality that easily propels it to legendary status instantly, making it not only one of the best Final Fantasy installments but also in the JRPG genre as a whole.
Nevertheless, as discussed above, as a gamer who loves RPG mechanics and expects a more balanced experience, we are somewhat disappointed that the RPG sensation is somewhat "swallowed up" by its more prominent action aspect, regardless of the fact that it's exciting and enjoyable. The equipment system based on crafting and scarcity, without special effects other than status enhancements, the lack of a comprehensive status effect system, and party members who cannot be interacted with certainly leave their own disappointments.
However, beyond these shortcomings, Final Fantasy XVI successfully positions itself not only as an exceptional Final Fantasy installment but also as a fantastic RPG game that offers exceptional quality in so many aspects. A series that easily competes strongly as one of the potential Game of the Year candidates in 2023.
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