Final Fantasy XVI is a game I feel like should have been something up my alley, but ended up feeling a bit half baked despite all the clear effort that went into it.
The game of thrones inspired setting and tone doesn't bother me in terms of the story it wants to tell. My issue is rather how small the big world spanning conflict feels when just about every human in the main cast are british white people. Honestly I think Tales of Arise, despite my own issues with its story, was able to handle its global slavery conflict better in terms of making each territory's culture feel distinct.
I was actually curious if the action in this game would appeal to me given someone from the Devil May Cry V team apparently worked on this. Sadly it just felt like a watered down Devil May Cry due to the combat toolset feeling limited in comparison to other beloved character action classics like Bayonetta or The Wonderful 101. Overtime more options are made available, but I don't feel like enemies in the game make you feel the need to try out multiple combat strategies to keep my brain and my fingers at the ready.
As for the cast of the game, I didn't really like any of the characters all that much. It's fitting there's a lady named "Mid" in here, because that's really all I have to say about just about everyone in the game.
I don't believe Final Fantasy needs to be a certain type of game. I want the series to feel free to experiment and try out different storytelling vibes and gameplay genres. For me, this experiment just didn't feel fully cooked.
The game of thrones inspired setting and tone doesn't bother me in terms of the story it wants to tell. My issue is rather how small the big world spanning conflict feels when just about every human in the main cast are british white people. Honestly I think Tales of Arise, despite my own issues with its story, was able to handle its global slavery conflict better in terms of making each territory's culture feel distinct.
I was actually curious if the action in this game would appeal to me given someone from the Devil May Cry V team apparently worked on this. Sadly it just felt like a watered down Devil May Cry due to the combat toolset feeling limited in comparison to other beloved character action classics like Bayonetta or The Wonderful 101. Overtime more options are made available, but I don't feel like enemies in the game make you feel the need to try out multiple combat strategies to keep my brain and my fingers at the ready.
As for the cast of the game, I didn't really like any of the characters all that much. It's fitting there's a lady named "Mid" in here, because that's really all I have to say about just about everyone in the game.
I don't believe Final Fantasy needs to be a certain type of game. I want the series to feel free to experiment and try out different storytelling vibes and gameplay genres. For me, this experiment just didn't feel fully cooked.