Final Fantasy XVI

Final Fantasy 16 review - easy to like, hard to adore. A smart combat system straining under the weight of a characterful but ponderous pseudo-medieval soap opera, with some of the grandest bosses and dullest sidequests in FF history. The Final Fantasy games are so-called because the very first instalment was to be Square's swansong, its last release before going bankrupt. Another way of explaining that triumphantly ironic title is that each Final Fantasy is about journeying in the shadow of t...

FFXVI is a bold shift in both gameplay and narrative, yet captures the Final Fantasy magic in stunning fashion, earning a place within the pantheon of incredible entries in the beloved franchise. Upon first impression, Final Fantasy XVI struck me with its darker and more violent tone than anything in the series' past. It's not just in the graphic depictions of bloody battles or godlike beings crushing each other to a pulp, but also in the explicit narrative threads about persecution and enslave...

Featuring fast, reflex driven, action heavy combat, Final Fantasy 16 is certainly a departure from what fans may expect out of a Final Fantasy game, but its excellent story, characters, and world building are right up there with the best the series has to offer, and the innovative Active Time Lore feature should set a new standard for how lengthy, story-heavy games keep players invested in its world. Even with 16 mainline entries and a slew of spinoffs, there's no Final Fantasy game quite like ...

Perhaps a bit too divergent from the Final Fantasy formula, but rich characters and spectacular combat still make it an impressive sequel. When you picture what a Final Fantasy game is, what does your mind jump first to? Shiny, pretty landscapes? Even prettier hair? Cute little creatures? Final Fantasy 16 really doesn't fit that mould. With high-stakes action combat and a much darker tone, FF16 flips all of your expectations upside down. The world of Valisthea feels as grubby as Game of Throne...