After 45 hours of playing this game, I think I am ready to fully talk about this game. I won't spoil the game here so no worries.
I'll begin with the bad before I go with the good parts. Thankfully, the bad stuff this game does are not inherit fundamental issues with the game that ruin what makes this game's strengths insanely good but they are noticeable enough where an eyebrow can be raised at them.
First things first, the performance. During a lot of my playthrough, the performance especially on performance mode was very choppy at best. It wasn't a huge deal breaker but for a game that they allegedly spent 1 year extra optimising, it does seem very peculiar indeed. However, a new patch dropped on the day of this review so the performance might be fixed now. Take this part with a grain of salt as this was written pre-patch.
Second of all, there is a noticeable lack of RPG elements in this title (except increasing numbers every level up/upgrade) which is lame coming from the franchise that is seen as one of the major big boys of the RPG genre. However, I don't think it's as big of a deal as people make it out to be because the combat system is so good that I feel it makes this issue very negligible to me. However, I do understand if people are scared off this game for this reason.
And then there are also small issues with the narrative of some characters not getting enough spotlight in the story/narrative and one or two aspects of the story that I want to see explained more, but I hope maybe DLC can rectify all of this if it happens. These narrative qualms are not deal breaking enough to ruin what is a fantastic story to me.
Also the level design/dungeon design is very non memorable and basic for a Final Fantasy game. There isn't much incentive for exploration either. However again, the combat is so fun that I don't really get bothered by the level design/lackluster exploration much.
There are other nitpicks I have but those three are my main issues with the game. Now to get onto the good stuff which I have a lot to say on.
Firstly, the music. Masayoshi Soken delivers an outstanding soundtrack with FFXVI (for the record, I never played FFXIV) which varies from beautiful melodies as you journey through Valisthea to incredible battle themes in the major boss fights of this game. Definitely a soundtrack I will be remembering for a while.
The combat in this game is amazing and it gets better overtime with more Eikon abilities and more ways to absolutely obliterate enemies and stagger them. For the record, I love DMC and especially loved V so this really falls in line with my tastes. Again, I wish there were more RPG elements in this system and that there were more basic moves but I feel like after 20 years of Square experimenting with combat systems, they have something in their hands that can be improved, perfected and used to create one of the greatest combat systems a game can offer.
The worldbuilding and the lore in FFXVI is also incredible and made extremely easy to access and follow through the active time lore mechanic. I think other games did this before but FFXVI perfected this mechanic and I hope that every big RPG does this from now on, it's a must have now. Through this mechanic and the intriguing political fantasy that this game presents that involves nations fighting for their own interests through wars, this game immersed me in this world unlike any game these past few years.
Finally the story and characters are great (for the most part). Clive is an incredible protagonist who undergoes many trials and tribulations that develop him and his perception of the world and make him an extremely compelling yet humanly flawed character to follow. This, the highly intriguing political fantasy and the great worldbuilding makes this story great from beginning to the end to me. But what is a great story without great characters? Besides Clive, you have so many likable characters in this game from Jill to Cid to Gav and many more I can't really talk about without spoiling the game. It's very rare that I would care for the supporting casts of this game but FFXVI did make me care which is a strong bonus.
Finally since this review is getting a bit too long for my liking. The Eikon fights are some of the best boss fights I've ever fought in a video game. Two of them made my jaw drop because they are actually so batshit insane it's crazy. Makes Asura's Wrath look like Leap Frog in comparison.
There are probably more things I can praise this game but this review is getting too long so I'll finish it off here. Final Fantasy games were once considered generational, iconic experiences that were lauded all over by people that played them. For the past few years, I think Square has struggled to replicate what made the old games so special. The beautiful set pieces, the great music, emotional and captivating storytelling and iconic battles/events. I don't think the older games were perfect but they were special. I think Yoshi-P and CBU3 have managed to recapture for the most part that old identity the series once had while bringing it to new areas. FFXVI will probably be one of the most divisive games in the series I imagine due to how it deviates from the formula, but I think it sits well in the podium of the great FF games personally.
I'll begin with the bad before I go with the good parts. Thankfully, the bad stuff this game does are not inherit fundamental issues with the game that ruin what makes this game's strengths insanely good but they are noticeable enough where an eyebrow can be raised at them.
First things first, the performance. During a lot of my playthrough, the performance especially on performance mode was very choppy at best. It wasn't a huge deal breaker but for a game that they allegedly spent 1 year extra optimising, it does seem very peculiar indeed. However, a new patch dropped on the day of this review so the performance might be fixed now. Take this part with a grain of salt as this was written pre-patch.
Second of all, there is a noticeable lack of RPG elements in this title (except increasing numbers every level up/upgrade) which is lame coming from the franchise that is seen as one of the major big boys of the RPG genre. However, I don't think it's as big of a deal as people make it out to be because the combat system is so good that I feel it makes this issue very negligible to me. However, I do understand if people are scared off this game for this reason.
And then there are also small issues with the narrative of some characters not getting enough spotlight in the story/narrative and one or two aspects of the story that I want to see explained more, but I hope maybe DLC can rectify all of this if it happens. These narrative qualms are not deal breaking enough to ruin what is a fantastic story to me.
Also the level design/dungeon design is very non memorable and basic for a Final Fantasy game. There isn't much incentive for exploration either. However again, the combat is so fun that I don't really get bothered by the level design/lackluster exploration much.
There are other nitpicks I have but those three are my main issues with the game. Now to get onto the good stuff which I have a lot to say on.
Firstly, the music. Masayoshi Soken delivers an outstanding soundtrack with FFXVI (for the record, I never played FFXIV) which varies from beautiful melodies as you journey through Valisthea to incredible battle themes in the major boss fights of this game. Definitely a soundtrack I will be remembering for a while.
The combat in this game is amazing and it gets better overtime with more Eikon abilities and more ways to absolutely obliterate enemies and stagger them. For the record, I love DMC and especially loved V so this really falls in line with my tastes. Again, I wish there were more RPG elements in this system and that there were more basic moves but I feel like after 20 years of Square experimenting with combat systems, they have something in their hands that can be improved, perfected and used to create one of the greatest combat systems a game can offer.
The worldbuilding and the lore in FFXVI is also incredible and made extremely easy to access and follow through the active time lore mechanic. I think other games did this before but FFXVI perfected this mechanic and I hope that every big RPG does this from now on, it's a must have now. Through this mechanic and the intriguing political fantasy that this game presents that involves nations fighting for their own interests through wars, this game immersed me in this world unlike any game these past few years.
Finally the story and characters are great (for the most part). Clive is an incredible protagonist who undergoes many trials and tribulations that develop him and his perception of the world and make him an extremely compelling yet humanly flawed character to follow. This, the highly intriguing political fantasy and the great worldbuilding makes this story great from beginning to the end to me. But what is a great story without great characters? Besides Clive, you have so many likable characters in this game from Jill to Cid to Gav and many more I can't really talk about without spoiling the game. It's very rare that I would care for the supporting casts of this game but FFXVI did make me care which is a strong bonus.
Finally since this review is getting a bit too long for my liking. The Eikon fights are some of the best boss fights I've ever fought in a video game. Two of them made my jaw drop because they are actually so batshit insane it's crazy. Makes Asura's Wrath look like Leap Frog in comparison.
There are probably more things I can praise this game but this review is getting too long so I'll finish it off here. Final Fantasy games were once considered generational, iconic experiences that were lauded all over by people that played them. For the past few years, I think Square has struggled to replicate what made the old games so special. The beautiful set pieces, the great music, emotional and captivating storytelling and iconic battles/events. I don't think the older games were perfect but they were special. I think Yoshi-P and CBU3 have managed to recapture for the most part that old identity the series once had while bringing it to new areas. FFXVI will probably be one of the most divisive games in the series I imagine due to how it deviates from the formula, but I think it sits well in the podium of the great FF games personally.