I've always been fascinated by the Final Fantasy series, but growing up, I never had the means to play them. Because of this, the series wasn't able to solidify itself in my memories as it did for many other people.

I dabbled with the original FF7 at a later date and then played the remake when it came out. I know this isn't a FF7 review, but playing that game and experiencing the way Square gave a beloved game new life was the catalyst for my excitement over FF16.

To start off, the music and combat of this game are the stars of the show. The combat is engaging and can be unpredictable. Despite this, you're able to use any of the Eikonic powers you obtain to cater to however you want to play. You want to focus on staggering an enemy? The options are there. You want to deal massive damage and make many fights be over before you take a few breaths? You got it.

The hack and slash genre is known for being chaotic. FF16 delivers that with the awe and flash of a firework show. The particles from Eikon abilities dance like lights in the distance while you activate each ability. You can even choose Eikons whose colors complement each other if you're looking to boost the aesthetic even more. The game is beautiful at base, and all the FX work that was done to it accentuates that even more. The environments are heavily detailed for what seems like no reason, but I love looking at them. Each arena matches its fight as well.

The boss fights are some of the most colossal and magnificent instances I've ever played in a game. You're skating around the arenas as a human or a Kaiju, trampling the planet. I have a hard time thinking of any game I've played that is comparable.

With all these fights comes the soundtrack. Orchestral, haunting, and most notably, inspirational, each song is catered to the moment perfectly. You feel powerful as a wielder of the flame. You feel immovable as a Dominant. Awards aren't everything, but this game truly deserves recognition for the amazing soundscape that was crafted.

As for the story, I loved the themes and characters. It takes you on a journey of pain love, redemption, and many other notches along the rollercoaster. I loved the relationships between the characters. Nobody felt hollow. I think that has a lot to do with the voice acting as well. I give a 5-star performance across the board for the whole cast.

My only gripe with the game is that the story has a few lulls between the main moments, which is why I took off half a star. Normally, I wouldn't care too much, but when a game like this has such massive highs, those extended low points bring your momentum down. I also wouldn't mind if those moments were a bit more interesting. Regardless, each slow moment makes all the climactic ones doubly worth it.

I loved this game. It made me smile and brought tears to my eyes. I can't want for the next game. It can't be a fantasy to believe this isn't Square's final game in the franchise.

CLIVE GAMING

This game was phenomenal from start to finish and I loved everything about it. Such fun combat met with some of the best boss fights EVER and amazing visuals to back it up. The soundtrack is awesome, always playing the right track at the right moment and hearing Kenshi Yonezu at the end was peak I tell ya.

The ending hit so much harder after doing all the side quests, they take the character writing, storytelling and world building to the next level so definitely don't sleep on those because there are gems in there!

Absolutely kino, that is all.

Heartwarming story, fun platforming, and great visuals.

Although I enjoyed Ori and the Blind Forest, the movement isn't as accurate as I would like it to be; and having to rely on enemies for some sequences can be frustrating. But the poor save system was my only real complaint. If you run out of energy cells, it can really shoot you in the leg.

Overall, I recommend Ori and the Blind Forest. 7/10

What an amazing game. A truly upgraded experience compared to the first game. All my issues with the first game were resolved. The addition of an actual combat system is probably the most notable upgrade and being able to customize your load out is a nice addition. The awful save function from the first game has been removed and the new movement abilities, alongside the old ones, feels so much more fluid and cohesive.

Overall, Ori and the Will of the Wisps is such a beautiful experience that by the end, left me in shambles.

While ABZU does have some beautiful sequences, I ended up becoming bored very quickly. Behind the spectacle of it all, this is an extremely repetitive and linear game that leaves no room for exploration in an environment that deserves it.

The story fell flat for me, not feeling in anyway compelling whatsoever. I wish there was more interaction besides pressing buttons to open doors, as I feel that it would have greatly impacted my connection to the world. Also, the controls are awful and at times it feels like swimming in molasses.

I will say the music is astounding and really adds to the elegance of the game, but overall I was left disappointed.