Final Fantasy is a series that I personally hold in extremely high regard. I spent the past few years playing through every game in the main series, along with a huge chunk of the side games, so I was coming into XVI with lofty expectations. Initially, I found the game to be a little bit of a drag, but with each passing hour the game was more and more endearing. The characters are likable and well-written, the gameplay has such depth beyond the first few hours of the game, and the overarching story (while flawed) kept me intrigued & invested throughout. There are valid criticisms to be made about this game, such as the sidequests being boring and the lack of any real RPG mechanics, but it's a game that has such heart that it was impossible for me to dislike it. It's clear that the XIV writing team has upped the ante because this game has some of the best writing in the series along with the voice acting chops to back up the script. It also has some of the highest highs of the entire franchise, with some absolutely bombastic fights and emotional moments. The future of the Final Fantasy series is extremely bright with Yoshi-P on board.