Final Fantasy XVI Review

Introduction
Final Fantasy XVI is a long-awaited game by many fans, promising an exciting twist to the classic Final Fantasy story, much like Stranger of Paradise attempted to. While not perfect, it is a beautiful, vibrant game limited by some mistakes in design choices and is a phenomenal entry in the series.

Control and Map Design
The game of combat starts simple and tedious, but as I progress through the story, I notice that the more mechanics and abilities one has at their disposal, the more complex it becomes. Layers are added as builds require some clever thinking and timing to shine genuinely, and the satisfaction of pulling out insane combos during staggers is excellent!

That being said, the balancing leaves a bit to be desired. Enemies can be straightforward regarding AI, with most foes standing quiet and attacking slowly, save for hunts and bosses. Meanwhile, Eikon's abilities are all over the place; some can be extremely useful, such as Odin's and Titan, while Ramuh and Garuda feel useless overall. Some commands, like Pile Drive, are a waste of a slot as it's worse than all other skills in the game, and I would have appreciated more creativity in that aspect.

Regarding the map design, Final Fantasy XVI is a linear game. Years ago, Final Fantasy XIii was criticized over linearity, but with a public spent on open worlds, XVI adds a refreshing take. While arenas on themselves don't present a particular tone gameplay-wise, they have an identity visually that makes you feel a part of a bigger world. Aoe's and other attacks require careful attention to the battle areas.

Strong Points
The strong point of this title is the graphics of it. One of the best-looking games to date, Final Fantasy shows a fantastic spectacle to the eyes during Eikons that rival blockbusters films. Add that to the game's scope and how much content there is, that one must question how they manage to fit so much while looking superb. You did a fantastic job visually.

[h1]Sound, Replayability and Performance[/h1]
The sounds in the game are well done, with combat abilities having their sound effects. Voice actors did a great job here as their emotions come alive on the screen, and Clive Rosfield VA channeled a loss he suffered in real life into his performance, making his acting feel incredibly real.

Replayability-wise, the game offers the FINAL FANTASY mode, which adds new content while making foes stronger and unlocking new gear. If you like to beat games and move on, this might not be for you, but if you want to revisit the game, there is plenty to discover and try out in this new game mode.

The performance hovers between 40 and 50 frames in regular combat. It is not very noticeable as you focus more on the actual action than the frames. In Eikon fights, frames run better during segmented sections such as scenes and QTE but sometimes can be lower during intense encounters going low to 30-35.

Pros and Cons

+Visually attractive and a spectacle to see on screen.
+Hunts and New Game, plus add more content on top of it.
+Amazing soundtrack by the Final Fantasy XIV team!
+Combat starts simple but is addictive by the end of it.
+An original take on Final Fantasy troupes and story.

-The best ability in the game is giving right at the end, disappointing in both fun and effectiveness.
-Some skills can trivialize combat near the end.
-Pacing can sometimes be annoying, with pacing growing extremely slow after some Eikon fights.

[h1] Conclusion[/h1]
Final Fantasy XVI is a fantastic game to play and immerse oneself in. It adds new takes on a beloved franchise and is unafraid to go out of the box with some of its ideas. While it comes short of being incredible, it is a great base to make better final fantasy games, and it shows that sometimes, exploring a concept delivers excellent results.

If you enjoy and find the review helpful, please consider following my curator page on Steam StarsDeck! https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43679955/