FINAL FANTASY XVI (PlayStation 5)

Hands down my favourite Final Fantasy since 10. I recommend this game to anyone who like good storytelling , pacing and battle system. Plus there is a dog , but not just any dog, a magic dog!! and the graphics are amazing.It's reasonably long like most FF games so if you prefer shorter games this one might not be your cup of tea.

Great game had my attention all the way through, reminds me abit of game of thrones it’s a must have game to play well worth the money

I've played a LOT of Final Fantasy over the span of decades and remember the days of FF vs Phantasy Star. My favourite in the franchise has always been FFVI.FFXVI has managed to weasel it's way into my second best spot purely because of great story telling, voice acting, stellar protagonist and cast of characters and quite honestly, one of the best video-game soundtracks of all time. One song was so good I was convinced that it was for Soken what Dancing Mad was for Uematsu.Where the game will fall short for people (though I loved the world building) is in it's side quests, the world is gorgeous and ready to be explored but there aren't meany reasons to explore it thoroughly due to a very linear upgrade system and side-quests are most certainly built around fleshing out characters and the world as opposed to being fun side-pursuits that offer unique or potentially interesting rewards.Some will sit there and groan about difficulty, but I'll be honest with you, no Final Fantasy game save for MMOs and their end-game content have ever really been difficult outside of maybe one, perhaps two encounters. I will however empathise with the idea that "Final Fantasy" mode should have been unlocked from the get-go. I don't think it's right to lock difficulty options behind NG+ as first impressions matter to people. If people thought the game was too easy and that was a barrier to enjoyment, why would they complete and replay it just to get their "intended" experience?It also bugs me that the game set very strong, heavy stakes from the get go, only to offer up Saturday morning cartoon like resolutions at the end of the game, by having side-quests which screw with the urgency of the pacing as well. It's just such a stark contrast from the first half of the game, and I suppose, maybe they wanted to offer some levity in true FF fashion? But even then, for spoiler reasons that come after, I can't say why I think doing that is silly.Anyway, the things that were "bad" or not as good as the rest of the game weren't enough to bring down the entire experience for me, and it's managed to cement itself as my second favourite FF without question.

This is only my second Final Fantasy game so I have no special attachment to the franchise or game mechanics.It didn't take long to notice the quality of this game, graphically, story and gameplay but what surprised me the most was the music, it was a stand out success for me.The game is heavy on the cutscenes which may not be for everyone.This game has both a fidelity and performance mode, the picture quality in both were excellent and in performance mode, the frame rate was smooth for 99% of the game.The game is live action rather than turn based which is a change for the franchise, Final Fantasy 7 remake seemed to have tested the waters here before, by having real time with turn based still present but this entry is live action all the way, personally I was happy with it but long term fans may not be.No spoilers will be present for the story, I will say though that I had times when I was keen to continue to see what happens next. Unfortunately the main quests, what I would consider story is sometimes paused for what feel like side quests / busy work in the main campaign, which I would have preferred to be kept seperate. The game has side quests, so not sure what the idea was behind this, other than to slow down the story or extend the game length.This game includes what I would call accessibility options, rings which will automatically dodge attacks for you or use healing items when needed, I think these are great additions and allow people more choice in how you play whilst also giving others the chance to enjoy the game if they are less skilled.The progression is farely regular so not too long for new abilities to try and keep the game fresh also the better abilities do come later in the game.The main story can be completed in just over 30 hours, then side quests and new game plus is available for those that want to spend more time in this world.Finally bugs, I didn't encounter any bugs, no crashes, no performance issues or other concerns. This was a well polished and finished game, I wish all games were released in this state.A final verdict would be 4.5 out 5 for me.

I’ve never been a huge fan of the turn based battles in Final Fantasy games, and started enjoying them more when 13 released, and the fights became more free to move around.I really enjoyed 15, but that was more open world, whereas 16 is right on the mark for what I like in a game (though hardcore FF fans may disagree). It’s a much more linear path, with side quests popping up in the towns you pass through on the journey, which are sort of small fetch quests, and not as interesting as some you’d find in other games.The fighting is very action heavy, and I’d say almost tilting towards stuff like bayonetta, where theirs a lot of visual effects when using the various magic attacks that Clive has.Story is nice, and we’ll paced, and there’s a really handy instant lore feature, where you can pause during any cutscene or conversion and you have options to click on that give back story to certain events or locations that are being talked about so you can fill in the blanks for yourself.Overall a really nice game, and I’d say give it a try even if you’ve never played a FF game before.

The reason I bought my PS5. Been an FF fan since 1998 and had to get this installment. Its stunning, great story, amazing characters and a beautiful soundtrack. Definitely in my top Final Fantasy games.