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Final Fantasy XVI | Review Thread

What scores do you think Final Fantasy XVI will get?

  • 0 -10%

    Votes: 6 1.2%
  • 10-20%

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 20-30%

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 30-40%

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 40-50%

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 50-60%

    Votes: 1 0.2%
  • 60-70%

    Votes: 5 1.0%
  • 70-80%

    Votes: 20 3.9%
  • 80-90%

    Votes: 188 36.7%
  • 90-95%

    Votes: 243 47.5%
  • 95-100%

    Votes: 49 9.6%

  • Total voters
    512
  • Poll closed .

PanzerCute

Member
I haven't come close to FFXVI, but I am not sure it is. XC3 is amazing - but the repetitious nature of having to constantly go back and search for new side quests in old areas, the ease of which it was to get super OP and have the agme become mindless for very long stretches (especially from around CHapter 4 onwards), and its plot being very, very slow to really get going? It felt like the weakest of the Xenobalde Trilogy.

But the big difference between the two on RPGSite is that they are two completely different reviewers and one had a lot more criticisms with FFXVI than the other did with XBC3. Hence the different review scores. Having actually *read* both reviews (which clearly the person you quoted didn't do), you can tell where they are coming from and it wasn't some ideologically disposed trash review like The Guardian or Eurogamer.
The guy you are answering to probably never played FF16, don't waste your time. This is just some childish "my plastic box is better than your plastic box" post.

And to be fair, comparing XC3 to FF16 to me is like comparing Titanfall to Far Cry: it's irrelevant. They are in the same genre, but they have completely different goals and design philosophy.
 

RoboFu

One of the green rats
yeah I’m playing and I still don’t see anything but the cinematic and music being great.
It’s linear and with super shallow mechanics.

At least some reviewers are being honest. No way is this game close to a 10 unless all you care about is cinematics in games. Even FF8 shits all over this as a FF game when comparing the series and I very much disliked 8.

It’s sad but this may be the last FF I play if they continue this route and I might not even finish this one. 😢
 

GymWolf

Member
What a clowns.

FzJ4OaXXoAUnCPv

FzJ4OISXsAMn1AL
Modern journalism activism ladies and gentleman.
 
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checkcola

Member
yeah I’m playing and I still don’t see anything but the cinematic and music being great.
It’s linear and with super shallow mechanics.

At least some reviewers are being honest. No way is this game close to a 10 unless all you care about is cinematics in games. Even FF8 shits all over this as a FF game when comparing the series and I very much disliked 8.

It’s sad but this may be the last FF I play if they continue this route and I might not even finish this one. 😢

Yikes, but I figured it was a hollow husk of a FF skin on something else.
 

James Sawyer Ford

Gold Member
yeah I’m playing and I still don’t see anything but the cinematic and music being great.
It’s linear and with super shallow mechanics.

At least some reviewers are being honest. No way is this game close to a 10 unless all you care about is cinematics in games. Even FF8 shits all over this as a FF game when comparing the series and I very much disliked 8.

It’s sad but this may be the last FF I play if they continue this route and I might not even finish this one. 😢

Wow a linear game like god of war, souls, and most final fantasy games

And those super shallow combat mechanics made by DMC lead designer

Nice 2 minute hot take
 

RoboFu

One of the green rats
Wow a linear game like god of war, souls, and most final fantasy games

And those super shallow combat mechanics made by DMC lead designer

Nice 2 minute hot take
The combat is nothing like DMC. It’s super simple .

And FF is not a linear game series.

So let’s look at it objectively

- it’s a dumbed down and much way easier DMC

- A very linear game for an rpg with very rpg lite mechanics. ( in one of the largest most prestigious jrpg series ever) 😵‍💫

- Unstable frame rate dropping below 30 fps.

- Very low to mid resolution scaling.

10!
 

James Sawyer Ford

Gold Member
The combat is nothing like DMC. It’s super simple .

And FF is not a linear game series.

So let’s look at it objectively

- it’s a dumbed down and much way easier DMC

- A very linear game for an rpg with very rpg lite mechanics. ( in one of the largest most prestigious jrpg series ever) 😵‍💫

- Unstable frame rate dropping below 30 fps.

- Very low to mid resolution scaling.

10!
Yep!

Super simple!

Just mash square!

U da best fam
 

Phalk

Neo Member
The combat is nothing like DMC. It’s super simple .

And FF is not a linear game series.

So let’s look at it objectively

- it’s a dumbed down and much way easier DMC

- A very linear game for an rpg with very rpg lite mechanics. ( in one of the largest most prestigious jrpg series ever) 😵‍💫

- Unstable frame rate dropping below 30 fps.

- Very low to mid resolution scaling.

10!

What?
1. it’s a dumbed down and much way easier DMC.
Unequip the rings.

2. A very linear game for an rpg with very rpg lite mechanics. ( in one of the largest most prestigious jrpg series ever) 😵‍💫
Wtf? Have you ever played any FF game before XV?

3. Unstable frame rate dropping below 30 fps.
Non-issue.

4. Very low to mid resolution scaling.
Non-issue. Watch the DF video.
 

RoboFu

One of the green rats
Yep!

Super simple!

Just mash square!

U da best fam
That’s literally all you have to do for 99% of the battles. Bosses you have to dodge a little. I put some points into a few heavy skills for when a boss gets staggered.. but that’s all I’ve needed. And that’s just so the damage sponge bosses will only take 30 mins and not an hour. 🤷‍♂️
 
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GymWolf

Member
It's a way of balancing out their guilt over how easy they had it. They think if they fight on behalf of others who cant, it means they are justified in continuing to live their life of extreme comfort - they don't have their own struggles to talk about so they adopt other people's.
They're all fucking idiots, of course.
I love how you think that these cunts even remotely do what they do moved by "positive" intentions...
 
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decisions

Member
....But Xenoblade 3 is an absolutely brilliant RPG??

What are you trying to say here? FF isnt as good as an RPG as an incredible one...sounds about right...FF XVI Is an action game.

Come on dude. FFXVI looks like a CG cutscene half the time and it still is getting criticism for visuals/performance not being good enough. XC3 looks like a PS2 game and it doesn’t get docked any points for it?

XC3 probably is a great game, but it’s obvious to anyone that Nintendo games get a free pass in a lot of categories. Meanwhile other games have to excel in all the same categories plus story, cinematography, visual fidelity, performance, etc.

If I was a graphics dev I would just be so pissed that I spent several years fine-tuning my game’s visuals and was still met with harsh criticism, meanwhile Nintendo games come out looking and performing like absolute shit and yet still get 10s.
 
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Phalk

Neo Member
Come on dude. FFXVI looks like a CG cutscene half the time and it still is getting criticism for visuals/performance not being good enough. XC3 looks like a PS2 game and it doesn’t get docked any points for it?

XC3 probably is a great game, but it’s obvious to anyone that Nintendo games get a free pass in a lot of categories. Meanwhile other games have to excel in all the same categories plus story, cinematography, visual fidelity, performance, etc.

If I was a graphics dev I would just be so pissed that I spent several years fine-tuning my game’s visuals and was still met with harsh criticism, meanwhile Nintendo games come out looking and performing like absolute shit and yet still get 10s.

XC3 problem is not about the graphics or it's systems. Those are really well polished. The setting and the story are boring, underdeveloped, not explained very well and the ending makes everything look even worse.
 

Nankatsu

Member
Come on dude. FFXVI looks like a CG cutscene half the time and it still is getting criticism for visuals/performance not being good enough. XC3 looks like a PS2 game and it doesn’t get docked any points for it?

XC3 probably is a great game, but it’s obvious to anyone that Nintendo games get a free pass in a lot of categories. Meanwhile other games have to excel in all the same categories plus story, cinematography, visual fidelity, performance, etc.

If I was a graphics dev I would just be so pissed that I spent several years fine-tuning my game’s visuals and was still met with harsh criticism, meanwhile Nintendo games come out looking and performing like absolute shit and yet still get 10s.

One of the advantages of having weaker hardware is exactly this.

Look, TotK is an amazing game, but graphically? Boy, it gets such a free pass. Same as XC3.
 
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DenchDeckard

Moderated wildly
Xenoblade 3 sucks. It's the worst of the 4.
You are on crack! I've literally just played through them all. XC 3 is the best. Best combat, best squad. Best story. Best game.
Come on dude. FFXVI looks like a CG cutscene half the time and it still is getting criticism for visuals/performance not being good enough. XC3 looks like a PS2 game and it doesn’t get docked any points for it?

XC3 probably is a great game, but it’s obvious to anyone that Nintendo games get a free pass in a lot of categories. Meanwhile other games have to excel in all the same categories plus story, cinematography, visual fidelity, performance, etc.

If I was a graphics dev I would just be so pissed that I spent several years fine-tuning my game’s visuals and was still met with harsh criticism, meanwhile Nintendo games come out looking and performing like absolute shit and yet still get 10s.

Come the funk on.....its all relative. The switch can't do graphics like a ps5 but a game like 13 sentinels can absolutely come out on a ps4 and be an amazing 10 out of 10 game. Its not about graphics its about gameplay and story and design.

Just because square decided years ago that graphics matter to final fantasy and crazy cg cutscenes that's on them.

Xc3 is a brilliant game. An amazing rpg.

Square could make an amazing rpg like octopath traveller 2 and release it on ps5 and it would still be a 10 out of 10.
 
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Go_Ly_Dow

Member
Such a silly comparison or debate.

I love XC3, it's one of my fav games of all time. There are areas for me XVI does better, like characters, writing, combat, visuals/presentation. Then there are areas where XC3 or XC in general is better than FF, like map design, exploration, side quests. One reason I'm excited for FF7 Rebirth is that the map design gave me XC vibes in the trailer.

Story, art direction, music both series are fantastic and simply depends what you're in the mood for.

In an industry filled with monetisation, addictive online games and GAAS shite, I'm grateful we still have studios pumping out big budget JRPGs emphasising story.
 
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The bolded is you adding extra sauce to the conversation. If they didn't want to buy the game because it hasn't piqued their interest, then they should just say that. But no........they are saying they aren't buying it because it received a 89 on Metacritic and not a 90.

I love MC and OC personally, but only buying 90+ scored games is stupid. 99% of gamers would agree with me on this. And I believe you agree with me too. So I'm not sure what we are actually discussing here.
Ok sorry I won’t add extra sauce to it.



They’re not that interested in the game.


End of story.
 
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yeah I’m playing and I still don’t see anything but the cinematic and music being great.
It’s linear and with super shallow mechanics.

At least some reviewers are being honest. No way is this game close to a 10 unless all you care about is cinematics in games. Even FF8 shits all over this as a FF game when comparing the series and I very much disliked 8.

It’s sad but this may be the last FF I play if they continue this route and I might not even finish this one. 😢
This is the one entry since 1997 that omits full CGI cutscenes, and instead opted for scenes that have tons of CGI effects (I’ve seen footage of some scenes that basically look like the character is in front of a green screen) while retaining the middle-of-the-road in-engine character models. So as someone that cares about FF presentation and cinematics, XVI disappoints me greatly. The washed out color palette doesn’t help at all.
 
oh, I was surprised to see they both had fallen.

OC: 89
MC: 87
Yeah the 6/10 reviews from the social thought police game "journalism" sites helped bring it down. Basically a disingenuous review bomb. But I'm sure you're already taking that into account ;)
 
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FoxMcChief

Gold Member
Yeah the 6/10 reviews from the social thought police game "journalism" sites helped bring it down. Basically a disingenuous review bomb. But I'm sure you're already taking that into account ;)
I think it would be good practice to remove the bottom reviews and the top reviews and then see what the average is. My company does something similar with customer satisfaction feedback.

Like, invalidate the 5 worst reviews and the 5 best.
 
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Phalk

Neo Member
I think it would be good practice to remove the bottom reviews and the top reviews and then see what the average is. My company does something similar with customer satisfaction feedback.

Like, invalidate the 5 worst reviews and the 5 best.

Let's try it:

106 reviews on Metacritic. Current score: 88

Scrapping the top 5% and bottom 5%

Reviews excluded:
Daily Star - 10
Digital Chumps - 10
Malditos Nerds - 10
Game Rant - 10
TRPG -10
Gaming Bolt - 10
Digital Trends - 6
Eurogamer - 6
The Enemy - 6
Metro - 6
Well Played - 7
VideoGamer - 7

New Meta Score (94 reviews - no weighting): 90
 
holy shit Metro gave it a 6, didn't expect that.
From their review:

"It’s also weird and uncomfortable (given how the game’s cast is solely white European, despite many of the villages clearly being based on African and Middle Eastern architecture) how much of the early plot revolves around slavery, and Clive’s incredibly slow realisation that maybe it might be a bad idea."
 

phant0m

Member
From their review:

"It’s also weird and uncomfortable (given how the game’s cast is solely white European, despite many of the villages clearly being based on African and Middle Eastern architecture) how much of the early plot revolves around slavery, and Clive’s incredibly slow realisation that maybe it might be a bad idea."
Wow. Did they really just imply that “everyone from a time period 600 years ago should have been as quick with their progressive, enlightened thinking as me”?
 
Reviews haven't meant anything in a long while to me personally but I do feel sorry for their team. Putting out an amazing game and having it not be reviewed as a game is some new age bullshit. Pretty pathetic age we're living in. Personal opinion after having beaten RE4R, Playing SF6 for over 100 hours already, and beating Tears of the Kingdom. This game's story and gameplay is better than all of them, the parts that actually make a game a game. The only game I have enjoyed almost as much is SF6. I can't even get into Diablo 4 and have tried, 33 hours in it just doesn't click with me.

About the "narrative" surrounding the diversity in the game. I had said it before the game came out and I was right. This game uses the word slave and master a lot. I can only imagine how the "gaming media" would have reacted to people of color being put in that situation in a video game. The game is a 94+ and is being judged on criteria that should not matter. Pathetic. Anyone that rated this game below an 8 has discredited themselves as a gamer.
 

Doomtrain

Gold Member
Wow. Did they really just imply that “everyone from a time period 600 years ago should have been as quick with their progressive, enlightened thinking as me”?
And here's the real kicker: if everyone in the game WAS portrayed as having 2023 Bay Area politics, they would have complained about THAT, likely on the grounds that it "downplays the difficult reality that real slaves had to grapple with" or something. And if the game just didn't tackle the subject of slavery at all, they could still ding it for "failing to use its platform to discuss important issues."
 
Wow. Did they really just imply that “everyone from a time period 600 years ago should have been as quick with their progressive, enlightened thinking as me”?
Welcome back to the circus. Please enjoy the festivities!
The clown show is sure to be a hit with the kids, but make sure to stay for the main attraction: the high-wire juggling act. Our mental gymnists are the best around. Watch them flip and spin, all the while juggling the latest social contrivances and hot topics.
 
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Hypereides

Gold Member
Watching some footage far in... it seems like it'll be one of those games that'll grow on you. Its such a far departure from the traditional mainline FFs gameplay-wise that its pretty alienating. But, at the same time the combat system seems to have some meaningful depth to it.

Its probably going to be pretty fun on the second playthrough with new game plus.
 
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FoxMcChief

Gold Member
Let's try it:

106 reviews on Metacritic. Current score: 88

Scrapping the top 5% and bottom 5%

Reviews excluded:
Daily Star - 10
Digital Chumps - 10
Malditos Nerds - 10
Game Rant - 10
TRPG -10
Gaming Bolt - 10
Digital Trends - 6
Eurogamer - 6
The Enemy - 6
Metro - 6
Well Played - 7
VideoGamer - 7

New Meta Score (94 reviews - no weighting): 90
Pretty neat. Thanks for taking the time. 90 seems like it would make more happier around here.

Side note, of what was excluded, the average is 82. All interesting numbers.
 
I can see why the metacritic is probably lower than people expected as the design feels very dated with the linear small hubs and kind of dead old fashioned feeling world but it's honestly refreshing not to have a million map points to explore.

Have to admit I was wrong about the combat as I thought it looked like an over the top mess in the previews but it's absolutely great. Dare I say the best FF combat yet?

Not enjoying 30fps and I feel handicapped by it but I may double dip if this is a decent PC port as this combat at 120fps would be unreal.
 

Madflavor

Member
Pretty neat. Thanks for taking the time. 90 seems like it would make more happier around here.

Side note, of what was excluded, the average is 82. All interesting numbers.

Metacritic put out a poll asking people's prediction for FFXVI score, and I think it averaged out to 90.8

As more reviews come out, including Edge, I can see the game sitting at an 87. Maaaybe an 86. Those 6/10 scores just really fucked them out of a 90+. A game with a similar review aggregate would be Tales of Arise at 87. That has 76 reviews, but only one of them is mixed, which is a 7/10. The rest are mostly 8s and 9s, whereas FFXVI has a lot more 10/10s than ToA.
 

Danjin44

The nicest person on this forum
Maybe I'm terrible at video games but it's not easy.
I'm still early part of the game, i wouldn't say it crushing difficulty but it not were near brain dead easy compare to FFVIIR normal difficulty, especially the fact you only have limited healing items.
 
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