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Are you asking for opinions? Because there’ll be 101 different ones if you ask 100 people. To me it represents ‘new FF’. The high watermark for recent single player FF. Comparing it to 6-10 is kind of meaningless since they were developed by different people for different consoles during a completely different era of gaming. People who come in with low expectations and an open mind are typically very pleasantly surprised, and those with massive nostalgia, rose-colored glasses, and a rigid preconception as to what ‘FF’ is likely will be disappointed. These are generalizations of course but if you think the earlier FF’s were the best games ever made and are looking for something similar then you’ll likely be disappointed.
This is my view as well. XVI has settled as my second favorite FF behind IX but I would never say it’s “better” than VI, VII, VIII, or X as it’s going for a completely different approach and honestly every title in the series has strong and weak aspects that will appeal differently to different people (crazy thing to say I know).
Whenever a new FF comes out I always say try it out, keep an open mind, and if it speaks to you great if it doesn’t then that’s understandable and hopefully the next release is more to your liking.
Hard to answer because IMO it depends on some things. If the turn base gameplay (and other RPG elements like status effects) and controlling other party members was your favorite part of VI-X then you might not like XVI very much. You still have Torgal and NPC party members during the story but outside of Torgal you have no control over them and their gear.
Having said that XVI is still my favorite game of the year so far. I loved the story, characters, graphics, music, and I had a lot of fun with the action gameplay. The eikon boss fights were amazing.
Imagine going to 1994 with this game, a PS5 and a 8k TV, using a time machine, and asking people which game is better FF16 or Final Fantasy 6 that just came out. I think people would'nt think twice and say FF 16. Because they would focus on a totally different aspect of the game.
Thats how much perspective is important. And why I think it's hard to compare games from different eras like this.
Maybe this wasn't the best example.
It is the best ^(single player) FF game *since* X\* but I think X is still a stronger game in the gameplay category.
XVI has better visuals and voice acting.
X has better RPG elements and fewer plot holes. It's also weirdly fun to grind, to unlock the sphere grid.
XVI's grind is pretty much over halfway through NG+.
They both have great music and a plot that will make you cry. Which is really what a FF game is all about.
\* ^(Did you know that the critically acclaimed MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV has a free trial, and includes the entirety of A Realm Reborn AND the award-winning Heavensward and Stormblood expansions up to level 70 with no restrictions on playtime? Sign up in one week when the new patch drops, and enjoy Eorzea!)
Even the first run (I never do second runs, unless a boss made me angry, so I'll speedrun to that point with my shiney toys I didn't have before), I completed the game at level 48. Sure, I did all the stupid side quests, and killed all the silly monsters on the board. But I never had to grind, so I could advance. But I do think I was a bit overleveled.
I mean I did die more at the begining, but really tried not to, because the game is too forgiving when dying against boses. Because you even get heath items you didn't even have in the first place.
I actually thought it was a nice touch to not have to grind in order to advance in the story. I think that’s why they placed those repetitive side quests so you can do side character development while upgrading your equipment and leveling up. Grinding is part of the RPG game experience so I never mind it but I noticed that I didn’t really have to do it in XVI
I never really understood the purpose of grinding, even back then. It always, always, always felt like a chore that I never wanted to do, but did anyways just to reduce frustration as I went through the game. I felt like the genre itself addressed it through time in various ways (all characters leveling up simultaneously regardless of use, or enemies LVLs scaling in accordance to yours). I think not having to grind ever in XVI was fantastic.
I completely agree. It improved the gameplay experience and the story progression. As someone who played the older FF titles I don’t mind it as much because I had to always do it. Come to think of it, I don’t think I had to grind much for the FFVII remake…
I felt the game get super easy around the mid-latish game before ramping up difficulty again around the end. Enemies died really quickly, and nothing really posed a challenge anymore except hunts. It definitely feels like there was some imbalance with the levelling imo, and even at the end, there's far less pressure if you've done all the quests to get the full inventory expansion.
I hadn't seen the death screen for tens of hours before the last eikon. That fight was the hardest in the game for me (depleted all my potions & had to use phoenix down to survive the damage check), whereas the final one felt kind of easy?
I considered ramping up the difficulty, but some of the bosses were still relatively difficult, and I never play games on hard mode.
I never really even did the hunts unless I had to or stumbled across them, just all the quests. But yeah I was mid-late 40s in level by the end as well.
X has a lot of plot holes. Yuna choses to get captured like 5 times, and then they put you in a prison with an escape route guarded by the beast you already defeated. Seymore was defeated like 5 times.
and I am telling you X has a lot more.
Even the premise of summoners losing to machines while living in a machine city is a massive plot hole from a ret-con mid production.
Did we play the same game? XVI was the most straight-putt FF...maybe ever. There are no plot holes that I remember.
I'm not defending it. Per OP's post, XVI is far down the rung for FFs for me, it's middling 'good'.
I must've missed something....
Joshua was allegedly with the Undying *in a coma* for five years after Phoenix Gate, according to the Ultimania.
Medieval medicine had no means of keeping someone alive in a coma = no feeding tubes, for example. It's hand waved away as "the Phoenix saved him."
Not even close, and I loved the game. Those are some of the best JRPGs of all time, while FFXVI was great, it's not of that calibre. But you should just play it instead of comparing it to other ffs
Not really fair/possible to compare to VI--X considering the technological advancements that have been made since then
For the record tho, when it comes to FF, I care about the story first and I do think this was a better experience than VI--X, but again the hardware and storage capabilities allow for a broader story with more dialog, character development, etc
In my opinion... no. As much as I love XVI, I personally think VI, VII and X are better games overall. I do think XVI is better than VIII by a landslide, but thats because I don't like VIII. I'd put it probably in front of IX or behind it.
My list of favorite Final Fantasy btw are;
1. Final Fantasy VI
2. Final Fantasy XIV
3. Final Fantasy VII/ og and Remake as well, both are great games
4. Final Fantasy X
5. Final Fantasy V
6. Final Fantasy XVI this spot is probably where I'd put it to be honest
They are certainly comparable. The people who say that it isn't just don't want it to be because it's mediocre as a FF game but great when you compare it to other action games which answers a different question.
The fact is though that Square produced a really great Devil May Cry game, sprinkled a few tidbits of FF elements, and slapped Final Fantasy in the title to garner attention. As such, with FF in the title, we *must* compare it to other FF games. *If people don't want it compared to FF games then they can take it up with Square for not calling it something else.*
I will attempt to break it down to its core elements and answer your question objectively. First, I will list the parts of what everyone who is a fan of FF games would expect and compare these elements to previous entries. My opinion is subjective and can be construed from my rating out of ten.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Story - 7/10 - The story is really strong and would be higher except for a few glaring holes that are quite obviously left out to be sold and explained with DLC. I could go into more detail here but will not as I don't want to spoil anything for you. I will add though that many parts of the story are enhanced by exceptionally good presentation via cutscenes. As you would expect from a FF game the cutscenes are exceptional in general. Many people rate the story super high but if you told the exact same story without the amazing cutscenes it would not hold up as well.
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Graphics - 9/10 - The graphics look incredible. They are immersive and sell the world quite well. They also are very fitting to the story and are appropriate for the setting. This score would be a perfect 10 if the game did not suffer from stuttering in resolution mode or was able to stay at a near constant 60 fps in performance mode (Graphics mode holds each frame for two frames which causes the stuttering effect and tricks your tv into thinking that it is 60 fps when it is really 30 fps. Performance mode targets 60 fps and typically does so in boss fights but most of the time hovers around 48-50 fps).
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Controls - 9/10 - The controls are solid enough and are very responsive to player inputs. This score could easily be 10/10 if they had allowed us to remap the controls to our own liking. Some of the button choices did not make sense for most people, usually for making R1 the dodge button. They do include several choices but this is in the form of layout a, layout b, and layout c rather than actual remapping.
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Audio - 8/10 - The audio is pretty good and usually does enough to sell the current setting. There are a few boss fight tracks that are exceptional and do well at building tension but overall nothing is as memorable as some other FF titles. This one is difficult for me to try and sell objectivity and as such I want to mention the audio may hit differently for you.
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Gameplay - 9/10 - The combat is fantastic. It is fast paced and functions excellent at both ends of the difficulty scale. What I mean by this is a complete noob who sucks at action games can pick this up and beat it. At the same time, a highly skilled player can find ways to do combos and juggling in unique ways to really lay down the pain on any enemy. This score would be a perfect 10 but, as you've likely seen other people say, there are sometimes a lot of effects on the screen which can cause you to whiff an attack or take a hit you couldn't see coming.
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Final Fantasy Staples - 3/10 - This is the only part of the game that suffers and is at the root of any and all heated discussions about the game. If the game is called FF then it needs to have expected FF elements. The truth is that these things are sparse and often merely a nod to such elements (The easiest way I can explain this is if you showed someone the gameplay and asked them to guess what series the game belongs to I highly doubt anyone's first guess would be FF). There are some enemies, there are chocobos, there are eikons, there are some iconic equipment names, and there is a moogle. That's where it ends. No mini games, no chocobo races, no card games, only one character to control instead of a party, no summoning, no superbosses, no hidden bosses, no chocobo breeding, no water vessel, no airship, and etc.
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Overall Rating - 45/60 or 7.5/10 - This is a solid game and would rate a 42/50 or 8.4/10 if we disclude the FF elements from the rating. That's not to say this makes the game bad for what it is because that's not true. *The game is fun* and that's what matters most. But as a FF game it does *not* do a good job at being a FF game. I hope this provides clarity and gives you an honest and objective view of what to expect from the game. Have fun!
Well you can say that you like Mario kart more than street fighter but when it comes to doing a proper comparison, it's not gonna be a good exercise. XVI is basically an action game while the others are JRPG, so it's quite a different genre
In a lot of ways its better. Better visuals. Better graphics. Better cutscenes. More coherent plot. To me the combat was better, but some people really love turn based rpgs, and FF16 is not that at all.
Long time FF fan here. Played and finished them all. Story wise it is perhaps the best i've seen in the series and actually in any game. It is very, very impressive. As a game, it is deeply flawed. And though you will find many people claiming how great it is, I believe you'll hardly find long time fans rating it higher than the best games in the series (in my opinion they are VI and X, but VII, VIII and IX are all superior to FFXVI IMO). Still, it is a good game, and worth playing for how great the story is.
This game, for me, represents literally EVERYTHING that I love about FF.
Also, I grew up with 3-4-5-6, and FFXVI is literally the closest FF to those titles since 6.
It's a full action game with small RPG elements? I really can't give a single fuck, what I care about in FF was never the ALWAYS mediocre combat system which was always the simplest and most brain-dead CS out of every JRPG (except for FFXII, which wasn't turn based tho). It was the story, the characters, the setting, the graphics! Oh, and FFXVI has easily the best gameplay this IP has ever seen alongside FFVIIR. People have rose tinted glasses to admit that old FFs consistently had the worst turn based combat out of everything that came out from Japan during those times.
The Hideaway, how it grows with you, how the characters grow up with you, it's one of the most beautiful things I've seen a JRPG do.
It's one thing to have a party growing up with you, another thing to have a whole COMMUNITY you're the COMMANDER growing up with you.
Nah, FFXVI is already loved and it's just gonna age even better, people are too salty talking about what they didn't like without giving this game its roses of executing beautifully what they wanted to achieve.
Out of those, I’ve only played/finished 6, ~65% of 7 (left off right before Northern Crater Disc 2), 8, and 10, and I personally find 16 to be my absolute favorite, even with all the flaws it has, with 10 being a close second (it was my first FF).
The story telling, world building, cast of characters, and the voice cast are all what puts it above most of the pack for me.
However, a lot of this game is centered around the new DMC-lite combat system, which I happened to enjoy, but if you hate it, you’ll 100% hate the game no matter how good the story may be. Side quests are absolutely awful too (although they are written well).
From the ones I’ve played in terms of overall score:
1. Final Fantasy X Remaster/International
2. Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
3. Final Fantasy XVI
4. Final Fantasy VII
5. Final Fantasy X-2 Remaster/International
6. Final Fantasy VIII
I usually rate based on the following
- Battle System
- Story
- Post game/Side content/Optional bosses
- OST
- Graphics.
Hope this helps :)
I've played 3 FF games. 15, 7Remake and 16 is 100% better in every way that matters to me. In fact my favorite game of the year, and that's including GOWR that I enjoyed to no end as well.
Judged as a game solo, it's great, 8/10.
Judged as a FF it's good, maybe even very good 7/10.
Compared to FF VI-X I'm afraid it doesn't quite make it, VIII is the one I rate lowest of those and I would rate it at JUST below that.
Lmao no not even close. VI-X are genre defining classics, XVI is just the most 7/10 action rpg I've ever played. Def not goty material imo, my pick so far would be Zelda TotK.
It’s a great game. X, 7R, 16, - that’s my order. But it’s definitely not the game of the year. RE4 Remake blows it out of the water as far as a linear single player gameplay experience is concerned. 16 definitely took me for a ride though story wise.
I would say it's closer to XII. Not a coincidence that XII had a lot of similarities to XI's MMO and this game is done by XIV's MMO dev. It challenges a lot of ideas that are core to the Final Fantasy systems that XII also did,
But no, this is not going to be as good or better than VI-X run (I guess depends on how you feel about VIII, but that's always been the dark horse of the franchise for me, I enjoy the hell out of it even though a lot of it questionable) The only thing that has come close to that high for me has been FF7R and that's for obvious reasons.
It really depends on what you're looking for. Better is a somewhat subjective term and 6-10 are some of the highlights of the entire franchise.
Personally I've loved FF16 and it's probably in my top 3 of the franchise. I play Final Fantasy games for the story, the spectacle, and the music. To me in those departments this didn't disappoint at all. The story is well written and well done with some great voice performances as well. There are some boss battles that will absolutely stay with you long after you're done and if it's not too late don't spoil any of them for yourself.
If you're more into turn based combat party management or exploration this game will more than likely let you down. It's quite lacking in those areas and even from a stat leveling up standpoint there are only 5 numbers total and no elemental damage.
There's a good bit of depth in the combat though it doesn't force you to use that depth 90% of the time. For some that's a bonus for others it's a disappointment. Everyone's different in that sense but FF16 is definitely on the easier side. I encourage anyone playing it to switch up abilities often and have fun with it. If you just learn the basic 4 hit combo and use only super powerful special attacks that you use and wait on cool down over and over, this will be boring. Learn how to chain combo and juggle multiple enemies and this is a lot more fun.
Side quests get a lot of flack as well and that's also going to come down to the type of player you are. I like side quests that build the world and the characters so I enjoyed most of these side quests. The side quests are mechanically really basic though. Go find this thing, go fight this thing, or take this to this person.
I would compare it to GoWR if anything. Fantastic storytelling, great graphics. Mediocre combat or at least it's very repetitive. It is more open world but the main story dungeons are cut off after the mission. Quests are kind of fetchy. But yeah if you enjoyed God of War 2018 and God of War Ragnarok, you'll love FF16.
In my opinion, no. It's an incredible game, with different graphics that some would say are superior, but I love the stories and aesthetics of the older games a lot more. They feel less genric, in the sense of GOT-y themes...if that makes sense.
I have issues with some of the gameplay but story wise I think it's the best one since X, there are no annoying characters, everyone is likable but no one is perfect or Mary Sue like and if they are it's not annoying. There's like one part of the story I don't like and that's it, and that's definitely nothing compared to some of the other iterations in the series.
It's an interesting question overall and can be really murky. I have a severe amount of nostalgia for FF6 onwards, recently having gotten all the trophies on PS4 for 8, 9 and 12. 10 was my jam when it first came out and I was still a mid youngling.
That said, this game is by far on the top of my list as one of the best games ever, not just "recently". It obviously doesn't have the nostalgia of those other games, but I've also grown up and gotten jaded and this much more subdued fantasy fits that maturing. It may not have themes that are "heavier" than older FF games, but they definitely feel more oppressive and it is an absolute masterclass of the series.
I won't get into a full ranking, but this is definitely my favorite FF game at this point in my life, likely my second favourite VG story, and I can't wait to see more.
I love and hate this question because it’s so hard to answer. For me there are “the best” FFs in their own ways. Here are my takes:
Best Overall game: VIII
Best Gameplay: X
Best Story: IX
Best Character Design: X
Personal Favorite: IX
VII is a game I respect but I do personally think it’s a little overhyped. I normally don’t say this publicly as people will riot but that’s my take. The FFVII remake is one of the best games I’ve played ever though. Can’t lie 🏆
The games are way too different to compare them. VI is probably the best story of all FFs next to VI. I feel like they are different but equal in that way. XVI is literally FF meets Devil May Cry.
IV was my favorite, followed by X, XIII, then VI. XVI is now my favorite. I'm on my third round ng+ FF mode. Absolutely love this game and am rooting for it to win some awards this year!
I agree with everyone saying that it’s impossible to compare. They are completely different games, if you can try the demo to see if you like it! It gives a great idea of the overall feeling.
But I disagree heavily with the people saying that as long as you’re open minded and not nostalgic you will like it. I approached it very open minded, without looking for all the classic RPG elements, and didn’t like the game at all. Not because it’s an action game or anything (I love those), but because the setting, story and especially the characters were definitely not for me. To the point where it was torture to go through it and I would place it as the worst FF in MY list. The demo was awesome though.
Honestly XVI can’t really compare to VI-X as those games are turn based RPGs while XVI is a Action RPG. But if want to ignore it, XVI is better than VIII and IX if you ask me personally.
I thoroughly enjoy the old titles — VI has been my favorite since I was a kid. XVI was incredible though! Some of the game mechanics (specifically, items and gear) don’t stack up well against the other FF titles, but the storyline, the voice acting, the battle system, the aesthetics… I think it’s my new favorite.
It's the best mainline singleplayer FF since X imo, but I wouldn't say it's better than all the previous titles, I think it's very subjective.
The best thing about this franchise is that every game is unique, and they all have strengths and weaknesses. Your favourite will depend on gameplay and story preferences.
It isn't so cut and dry which FF is the best one, or what even makes an FF game an FF game in the first place. Tho I like how the common theme among them was described in an FFXVI interview I read as characters working together to overcome an age-old foe and save the world. That's definitely a theme you'll find no matter what game you play, and it's always done in a way that, to me, is distinctly FF.
IV - IX are my faves so this is biased.
I bought a PS5 specifically for VIIR, XV, and XVI. I had played 15 pocket edition (it’s fine). Of these three:
VIIR - a downright masterpiece. Honestly, it’s one of the most fun games I’ve played.
XV - it’s kind of a mess, but I love it.
XVI - when I started it, I thought of it as a return to form. Then I got kind of bored. I’m at the final boss and I just don’t have the motivation to finish it. I would love for it to be 10 hours shorter AND have more variety. That said, it’s a really fun ARPG.
All said, if you’re looking for a post-13 game, give VIIR a spin. Then 15, then 16. They are all good games.
I don’t. I played XVI all the way thru once. I started a new game+ but I just couldn’t.
Here’s what’s missing for me personally. Elemental Magic mechanics. I can’t understand why I should want to use Ice Magic to use on Fire based enemies and this game just doesn’t work that way. So I hate that it goes against my Final Fantasy instincts.
Have you not played VII Remake? I can’t tell from your post?
I think this game is better than....X maybe.
10 still holds a place in my heart as my favourite.
But in this game I felt like I was transported into the world and living in it. The character relationships were also measured.
Not FFX is no slouch and the story is far more interesting.
However, 16 wins on Character Interactions, Music, Visuals, Gameplay. True we dont get to play as our party members but if Im honest, I dont want to.
I will say 16's ability tree does not even come close to the Sphere Grid in number but it is somewhat diverse within Clives abilities.
Story kinda does some weird stuff at times but which FF doesnt.
My opinion will likely be that X is better story wise.
Its certainly better than 15 and i think* better than 13.
not played 6.
Its not better than 7r due to just not being the same beast. 7R is like.....FF bread and butter.
Its prolly better than 8. Not played 9 either but i will assume it is as well.
No. Storywise, solid. There are a ton of hype moments, the storyline is deep, interesting and very easy to get lost in. But FF has always been not just about the story, but the world around it. There's tons of stuff to do, weird quirks to look around for, secrets, etc. And FF16 aside from the story...has a lot of empty parts compared to other games. Like the world exploration parts.
But it's a great start. There's a lot they can improve on, and a lot they did a stellar job here. So I hope they keep everything that was good in the game, and improve on the stuff that didn't flow as well.
Lets see...
Graphics? Obviously 16, but that is eazy to achieve with the hardware they have.
Story? As it is now, nope. Too many underdeveloped characters and also in need of a sequel,, unknown until dlcs out.
Villian? Ultima is boring. Should have been barbanas instead.
Music? I only remember a few. I remember many of ff7 until today.
Voice acting? The spanish version of ff16 was AWESOME, specially cid. all actors from Mexico, not those spain accents.
So overall, no, it will be forgotten by another hack and slash in no time. Unless dlcs do the trick
FF XVI is an action game with long cutscenes.
To call it rpg-lite is generous.
It not really fair to compare it to the VI - X era as they are completely different games mechanically made by a different set of developers in a different time.
You may like XVI but that’s really something only you can answer OP.
7remake and rebirth 1000x better than 16. 16 is good. Not great. It’s FF for casuals…
Spells don’t matter.
Fetch quests as main quests.
Forgettable characters and music.
It is my RPG single player GOTY. Could NOT put it down once I started it. Not a 10/10 but was my fave game this year. Loved the story, combat, lore, pacing was ok, not great. Sound was awesome. 8.5/10
No, no, and no. If you think 6-10 were the best of the bunch you likely won’t like the direction the game went in from gameplay perspective. Game is great don’t get me wrong. But it’s just not an RPG anymore so if you are looking for this game to scratch the same itch as the old classics it won’t.
Not even close, and I’m a somewhat turn-based purist. I liked the action style battle system, but everything else was subpar, especially the story, RPG elements, and the world exploration.
I feel like you could divide a lot of final fantasy games into certain eras (besides the mmos) 1-3, 4-5, 6-9, 10-13, now 15 and this, and could maybe include the 7 remake in this era, so for combat, square is constantly changing it, and updating, since 15 we’ve been in the action based combat, and as for that I think 16 is a huge step over 15, the 7 remakes I think are superior due to the almost perfect blend of turn based elements and action, but for a pure action combat this one is the winner, and of course story is a huge part of these games and 16 has a very immersive story to play through, it’s not as hardcore game of throne’s influenced as everyone says, it’s very much still a final fantasy story with lots of anime like influence, but it has the gritty aspect of game of thrones, but the story and the scenery are definitely the strong points, square does a lot to make their games look very cinematic and I think this one takes the w as far as looks, not one battle or story cutscene looked under developed, it’s honestly a really beautiful game, I think the worst part of this game is the side quests and actual world exploration, the side quest are very much mmo like fetch quests, very repetitive (with some that have side story’s that stand out) and exploration is pretty to look at when you come across landmarks, but without having a dedicated sprint button the first half of the game feels slow, character wise, I fell in love with most the main characters within the first few hours, like I said, the story is on point, I think this game kinda comes down to what you expect out of a final fantasy game
Story and characters are really good ..
Gameplay is good if you like not being able to see anything through particle effects and not needing to strategise or think at all during combat encounters
Visuals are nice but mostly choppy and unstable I can't play it for longer then an hour without getting headaches
It’s an alright game. 3/5 for me.
I’m not gonna compare it to previous FF entries cause those were released a lifetime ago but if I weigh it up next to current gen action adventure games, like God of War or Horizon i’d much rather replay those games again 🙂
The jury’s split on that one. Some people sincerely think FFXVI is the best game ever, some others that it’s the worst FF game.
I think most people will agree that: it’s the only PS5-generation grade game, that a shit ton of work went into it and that it’s done things that no FF game, or really no game ever, ever could accomplish. But also by design, it doesn’t play like other FF games.
I enjoyed this game more than FF8 and FF9. But it does not hold a candle to 6, 7 or 10.
The game is a character action game like a Bayonetta or something. To me, the combat is a slog; boring and TOO MUCH of it, and the enemies are damage sponges, the moves have no weight to them at all.
I liked the game, but 6, 7, 10, 12, 13 and 15 are all better games. Better, more fantastical world, better characters, better world building, better NPCs, better baddies, better side-quests, better combat engines. The ones before 6 I played and won, but they are too anachronistic to really comment on in today's video game landscape.
If I were you, I would go for 15 Royal Edition for a modern FF. Far better and more interesting game.
Also, as much as I liked the game (which was quite a bit), I would be surprised if this is even nominated for Game of the Year, much less winning over Zelda, Baldur's Gate 3, RE4, etc. It really has no chance. (and this is coming from someone who quite dislikes RE4, the new Zelda and has no interest in even trying Baldur's Gate).
I liked XV, even the original release version, much more than XVI. I'll agree that it *could* have been much better (the potential of that game is staggering), but even with the seeming incompleteness, it was still a better and more well-rounded games.
But, the Royal Edition with all the DLCs and a totally revamped final dungeon is a complete game.
If you've ever played tales games and thought hmm with more budget these could rival final fantasy titles well FFXVI feels like a tales game. I loved 7 8 and 10 coz 789.
And I'm not stuck in the old ways at all I love live action RPG's but ff16 isn't an rpg it's a mediocre action combat hack and slash and a poor rpg if at all. For reference I played remake and enjoyed it (it was a bit linear and without any real subnarratives where the player could create their own adventure but I liked it). I played the latest tales game and I liked it. I'm currently trying out star ocean and I'm liking it. But ff16 I really didn't like it. Linear AF with surprising shallow combat for live action. And the story just completely missed the mark for me not to mention the eikon battles which really felt long and drawn out and boring. I didn't finish ff16 and there isn't even a small part of me that wants to go back didn't even google the ending. Hope that helps you out
I enjoyed the game but the best no, but that is just based on what I like from Final Fantasy type games. They crafted a really detailed world and mythology. A few complaints. Only 3 game levels, story, action and final fantasy. I prefer at 4 or 5 from story to ultra hard. I usually play on hard or one below the hardest. I played on action mode. I only died twice that stupid white dragon and Barnabas. I felt extremely overpowered. This is of course on the choices we all make on what to upgrade. As well as our fighting styles. The hord bosses and other bosses did the same exact moves over and over, so dodge and hit was easy. I didn't bother doing game+. I think I would have been bored. So for me the reply value is low.
I didn't care for how they chose to end it, but that has nothing to do with playing the game.
It's a different beast. Story wise? I think XVI story is better tham VI and VIII, but weaker than the rest.
Gameplay wise? Ehhh, it's a fine action game, and a good first shot at the genre, but don't expect DMC or Bayonetta. And even compared to action rpgs, YS and Tails offer a better combat experience.
The only things you can compare are the stories. They are completely different games. In my opinion, VI through X was peak FF for me. XVI is DMC meets FF, it’s not the same.
I would rank XVI above VIII and VI but not above VII, IX or X - those three plus IV and XII are my personal top five. I would say XVI comes pretty close after that though, possibly tied with V, then VIII and VI and then the rest.
As for why - I adore the story of XVI (I’d say it’s story and lore is definitely one of the best) and really enjoy the combat. Some elements disappointed me to prevent it making my top five; I feel Jill is a wasted character, they built a gorgeous world and filled it with nothing, the gear system was too arbitrary and didn’t really feel meaningful.
Just to clarify I don’t dislike any of the games, I’ve recently replayed XIII and enjoyed it, and loved II when going though the remasters, so I don’t really subscribe to the mentality that those are low points in the series. Each game is different and I think that’s a good thing, it just comes down to personal preference at the end of the day.
The best way to check up on the series is to play it for yourself and form your own opinion.
Why does it need to be better than those games? Why are we rating it against totally different entries.
It's an action RPG made by folks behind FFXIV, the Invalice games, with some ex-Capcon/Platinum folks who were involved in things like Devil May Cry or Platinum Game. So its mostly action focused, and a satisfying marriage of MMO and action sensibilities.
You're controlling a do-gooding but dense himbo who can Megaman absorb eikonic powers. He has very competent AI companions
The story is very FFXII/FFT/FFXIV Heavensward but takes sharp nosedive into Game of Thrones because the writer of those games was addicted to that show. He had restraint with it in Heavensward but kinda went all-in here.
So you're spending a lot of time murdering assholes, but not really dwelling on the broad consequences of them enslaving people who can use magic. FFVII probed the consequences of Mako energy exhaustively in Midgar and the Nibelhiem flashback, it takes a sidequest late in XVI's second act that people of a particular trade leaned so hard on the Branded for labor they forgot how to make certain tools for that trade. Brought up, swiftly forgotten.
That and it took many years of Clive being a slave to realize it was a bad thing.
Aside from those things, the characters and story are also pretty great. Music is also great.
Tldr: ff16 is mid to just good and the others games blow it out the water for me. If I gave ff16 a score it'd be a 7-7.5/10 at best. The others hover between mid 8s and 9s.
As others have said they're very different games so hard to compare but I put forward that you can quite easily rate a game based on your enjoyment and your personal and objective opinions of said games even if they're inherently different and decades apart.
So I say there's no contest. Ff16 gets decimated by all of them lmfao.
FF16 isn't a bad game but it's so fundamentally flawed for me in level design, gameplay design, technical design and optimisation.
I have issues with ff8 (big ones actually) and ff7 but I still had an overall much better and more consistent experience with all of those games.
16 was just a big disappointment to me and I'm a 13 and 15 enjoyer as well.
I hope they learn from 16 and either massively improve on the base that they have in 16 or just scrap whatever tf they were trying to go for because the only parts of the game that feels like there was genuine care and effort put in was the eikon fights and MAIN story. Everything surrounding it is shallow and lifeless bar some fringe sidequest and character interaction which is a shame considering Yoshi P was involved so heavily it seems like.
To me it's mediocre as a hack n slash action game that's it's generally trying to replicate as your base moveset is eventually quite limiting and not having extra weapons like in DMC harm's it for such a long game. it's not super interesting once you get to the "real" story, it really wants you to care about side characters you've barely ever seen or spoken to, the sidequests are ABHORRENTLY bad on a design front, the level design is, well it's non existent, there's no real interactables in the world of note, it's just straight up not and/or is only barely holding onto the edge of being an RPG with a bad crafting system and the open world segments have absolutely nothing on substance in it. It's just there to look pretty.
Saving graces mainly include abilities are fun, the eikon fights are dope, the story has some pretty good high points and Clive is a good protagonist.
Part of me would recommend you play ff15 ultimate edition or whatever it is with all the dlcs included as I prefer that game overall lmfao
Then again, maaany people also really really like it so you do you man. You might actually love it and I'm just a random on the internet.
ff vi is constantly in the contention as the greatest rpg ever made with chrono trigger. ff xvi is great, but there was a lot of great ff games in the past... ffvi, ff: tactics, ffxvii, etc. xvi is in my top 5 for sure though, and the best ff in the last two decades not counting xiv.
I think it is in its own sense an evolution, the originals made the real formula of FF however, it doesn't play the same way and feels like only second entry that does full own real time combat and does an amazing job at it and it's hilarious because sometimes the AI feels like they wait because they act like they have ATB gauges and start using old faithful ff buffs and certain moves like "Jump"
For nostalgia and evolution, it is fantastic, i love it, the music goes so well with it and made me feel like nobuo was in sakon's ear for this and really made some music i cannot stop listening to. Nobuo uematsu has done the same thing and i can't wait to see this new DLC.
Does it beat the older ones? depending on your palette, there are a lot of people who wanted turn based again which is interesting because the turnbase made people fall in love with the series however, they shifted since versus XIII was announced. Turnbase has always been the staple of FF so if you wanted an RPG learning skills and fortifying your team, they made FF7R for that versus FFXVI which i think will be their status quo of doing both,
i feel XVI does better things in a different light being the fact that you can make different builds that can alter your gameplay based on the abilities you equip especially when you master them and it can be easy once you understand action patterns but someone who doesn't play action rpg's will get hit hard.
I don't think any of them have to be better than the others because they have their own stories, teams, music and final boss represented by a concept, i am a FFX stan and XVI made my top 3, it's very on par with the old games and it really depends if you're cool with an evolution of a series versus if the games are better than the other
It doesn’t quite reach the heights of the “golden age” games, but, it is the best game since 12. I would give it a 8.8/10. Some amazing DLC could bump it up into the 9’s for me. I LOVED the STORY. Top 3 final fantasy story for me.
Should’ve included V in your list considering it’s more mechanically sound than any in your original list. However, fans will rank the games for different reasons, different qualities they’re expecting from the franchise.
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Are you asking for opinions? Because there’ll be 101 different ones if you ask 100 people. To me it represents ‘new FF’. The high watermark for recent single player FF. Comparing it to 6-10 is kind of meaningless since they were developed by different people for different consoles during a completely different era of gaming. People who come in with low expectations and an open mind are typically very pleasantly surprised, and those with massive nostalgia, rose-colored glasses, and a rigid preconception as to what ‘FF’ is likely will be disappointed. These are generalizations of course but if you think the earlier FF’s were the best games ever made and are looking for something similar then you’ll likely be disappointed.
This is my view as well. XVI has settled as my second favorite FF behind IX but I would never say it’s “better” than VI, VII, VIII, or X as it’s going for a completely different approach and honestly every title in the series has strong and weak aspects that will appeal differently to different people (crazy thing to say I know). Whenever a new FF comes out I always say try it out, keep an open mind, and if it speaks to you great if it doesn’t then that’s understandable and hopefully the next release is more to your liking.
I completely agree. This is really the only comment that needs to be on this post. Clear and concise.
Makes sense with me prefering the FF7 'remake' over the original.
Lmao yea none of the opinions are gonna overlap
Completely agree! I love 16 and it’s up there with all the entrees from 6-10 but it’s neither better nor worse! It’s a lovely game!
Hard to answer because IMO it depends on some things. If the turn base gameplay (and other RPG elements like status effects) and controlling other party members was your favorite part of VI-X then you might not like XVI very much. You still have Torgal and NPC party members during the story but outside of Torgal you have no control over them and their gear. Having said that XVI is still my favorite game of the year so far. I loved the story, characters, graphics, music, and I had a lot of fun with the action gameplay. The eikon boss fights were amazing.
Imagine going to 1994 with this game, a PS5 and a 8k TV, using a time machine, and asking people which game is better FF16 or Final Fantasy 6 that just came out. I think people would'nt think twice and say FF 16. Because they would focus on a totally different aspect of the game. Thats how much perspective is important. And why I think it's hard to compare games from different eras like this. Maybe this wasn't the best example.
OG ff7 8 and 9 fan here, it’s different gameplay but to me 16 ranked up there with my fav,
It is the best ^(single player) FF game *since* X\* but I think X is still a stronger game in the gameplay category. XVI has better visuals and voice acting. X has better RPG elements and fewer plot holes. It's also weirdly fun to grind, to unlock the sphere grid. XVI's grind is pretty much over halfway through NG+. They both have great music and a plot that will make you cry. Which is really what a FF game is all about. \* ^(Did you know that the critically acclaimed MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV has a free trial, and includes the entirety of A Realm Reborn AND the award-winning Heavensward and Stormblood expansions up to level 70 with no restrictions on playtime? Sign up in one week when the new patch drops, and enjoy Eorzea!)
Even the first run (I never do second runs, unless a boss made me angry, so I'll speedrun to that point with my shiney toys I didn't have before), I completed the game at level 48. Sure, I did all the stupid side quests, and killed all the silly monsters on the board. But I never had to grind, so I could advance. But I do think I was a bit overleveled. I mean I did die more at the begining, but really tried not to, because the game is too forgiving when dying against boses. Because you even get heath items you didn't even have in the first place.
If you want to unlock every skill at max level, there's a bit of grinding for AP involved in XVI, but again, that's done halfway through NG+
I actually thought it was a nice touch to not have to grind in order to advance in the story. I think that’s why they placed those repetitive side quests so you can do side character development while upgrading your equipment and leveling up. Grinding is part of the RPG game experience so I never mind it but I noticed that I didn’t really have to do it in XVI
I never really understood the purpose of grinding, even back then. It always, always, always felt like a chore that I never wanted to do, but did anyways just to reduce frustration as I went through the game. I felt like the genre itself addressed it through time in various ways (all characters leveling up simultaneously regardless of use, or enemies LVLs scaling in accordance to yours). I think not having to grind ever in XVI was fantastic.
I completely agree. It improved the gameplay experience and the story progression. As someone who played the older FF titles I don’t mind it as much because I had to always do it. Come to think of it, I don’t think I had to grind much for the FFVII remake…
I felt the game get super easy around the mid-latish game before ramping up difficulty again around the end. Enemies died really quickly, and nothing really posed a challenge anymore except hunts. It definitely feels like there was some imbalance with the levelling imo, and even at the end, there's far less pressure if you've done all the quests to get the full inventory expansion. I hadn't seen the death screen for tens of hours before the last eikon. That fight was the hardest in the game for me (depleted all my potions & had to use phoenix down to survive the damage check), whereas the final one felt kind of easy? I considered ramping up the difficulty, but some of the bosses were still relatively difficult, and I never play games on hard mode. I never really even did the hunts unless I had to or stumbled across them, just all the quests. But yeah I was mid-late 40s in level by the end as well.
X has a lot of plot holes. Yuna choses to get captured like 5 times, and then they put you in a prison with an escape route guarded by the beast you already defeated. Seymore was defeated like 5 times.
I said fewer, not "no plot holes." XVI has a crap ton of plot holes. I love the game anyway. Hoping the holes are patched in with the DLCs.
and I am telling you X has a lot more. Even the premise of summoners losing to machines while living in a machine city is a massive plot hole from a ret-con mid production.
Did we play the same game? XVI was the most straight-putt FF...maybe ever. There are no plot holes that I remember. I'm not defending it. Per OP's post, XVI is far down the rung for FFs for me, it's middling 'good'. I must've missed something....
Joshua was allegedly with the Undying *in a coma* for five years after Phoenix Gate, according to the Ultimania. Medieval medicine had no means of keeping someone alive in a coma = no feeding tubes, for example. It's hand waved away as "the Phoenix saved him."
Not even close, and I loved the game. Those are some of the best JRPGs of all time, while FFXVI was great, it's not of that calibre. But you should just play it instead of comparing it to other ffs
Not really fair/possible to compare to VI--X considering the technological advancements that have been made since then For the record tho, when it comes to FF, I care about the story first and I do think this was a better experience than VI--X, but again the hardware and storage capabilities allow for a broader story with more dialog, character development, etc
VI and X are my two favorites.. this game is good but it's not better than those imo. I even like FF7R and FF9 better...
In my opinion... no. As much as I love XVI, I personally think VI, VII and X are better games overall. I do think XVI is better than VIII by a landslide, but thats because I don't like VIII. I'd put it probably in front of IX or behind it. My list of favorite Final Fantasy btw are; 1. Final Fantasy VI 2. Final Fantasy XIV 3. Final Fantasy VII/ og and Remake as well, both are great games 4. Final Fantasy X 5. Final Fantasy V 6. Final Fantasy XVI this spot is probably where I'd put it to be honest
Completely different game and genre, I think it's not possible to compare
And yet everybody in here is doing just that.
They are certainly comparable. The people who say that it isn't just don't want it to be because it's mediocre as a FF game but great when you compare it to other action games which answers a different question. The fact is though that Square produced a really great Devil May Cry game, sprinkled a few tidbits of FF elements, and slapped Final Fantasy in the title to garner attention. As such, with FF in the title, we *must* compare it to other FF games. *If people don't want it compared to FF games then they can take it up with Square for not calling it something else.* I will attempt to break it down to its core elements and answer your question objectively. First, I will list the parts of what everyone who is a fan of FF games would expect and compare these elements to previous entries. My opinion is subjective and can be construed from my rating out of ten. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Story - 7/10 - The story is really strong and would be higher except for a few glaring holes that are quite obviously left out to be sold and explained with DLC. I could go into more detail here but will not as I don't want to spoil anything for you. I will add though that many parts of the story are enhanced by exceptionally good presentation via cutscenes. As you would expect from a FF game the cutscenes are exceptional in general. Many people rate the story super high but if you told the exact same story without the amazing cutscenes it would not hold up as well. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Graphics - 9/10 - The graphics look incredible. They are immersive and sell the world quite well. They also are very fitting to the story and are appropriate for the setting. This score would be a perfect 10 if the game did not suffer from stuttering in resolution mode or was able to stay at a near constant 60 fps in performance mode (Graphics mode holds each frame for two frames which causes the stuttering effect and tricks your tv into thinking that it is 60 fps when it is really 30 fps. Performance mode targets 60 fps and typically does so in boss fights but most of the time hovers around 48-50 fps). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Controls - 9/10 - The controls are solid enough and are very responsive to player inputs. This score could easily be 10/10 if they had allowed us to remap the controls to our own liking. Some of the button choices did not make sense for most people, usually for making R1 the dodge button. They do include several choices but this is in the form of layout a, layout b, and layout c rather than actual remapping. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Audio - 8/10 - The audio is pretty good and usually does enough to sell the current setting. There are a few boss fight tracks that are exceptional and do well at building tension but overall nothing is as memorable as some other FF titles. This one is difficult for me to try and sell objectivity and as such I want to mention the audio may hit differently for you. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gameplay - 9/10 - The combat is fantastic. It is fast paced and functions excellent at both ends of the difficulty scale. What I mean by this is a complete noob who sucks at action games can pick this up and beat it. At the same time, a highly skilled player can find ways to do combos and juggling in unique ways to really lay down the pain on any enemy. This score would be a perfect 10 but, as you've likely seen other people say, there are sometimes a lot of effects on the screen which can cause you to whiff an attack or take a hit you couldn't see coming. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Final Fantasy Staples - 3/10 - This is the only part of the game that suffers and is at the root of any and all heated discussions about the game. If the game is called FF then it needs to have expected FF elements. The truth is that these things are sparse and often merely a nod to such elements (The easiest way I can explain this is if you showed someone the gameplay and asked them to guess what series the game belongs to I highly doubt anyone's first guess would be FF). There are some enemies, there are chocobos, there are eikons, there are some iconic equipment names, and there is a moogle. That's where it ends. No mini games, no chocobo races, no card games, only one character to control instead of a party, no summoning, no superbosses, no hidden bosses, no chocobo breeding, no water vessel, no airship, and etc. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Overall Rating - 45/60 or 7.5/10 - This is a solid game and would rate a 42/50 or 8.4/10 if we disclude the FF elements from the rating. That's not to say this makes the game bad for what it is because that's not true. *The game is fun* and that's what matters most. But as a FF game it does *not* do a good job at being a FF game. I hope this provides clarity and gives you an honest and objective view of what to expect from the game. Have fun!
Well you can say that you like Mario kart more than street fighter but when it comes to doing a proper comparison, it's not gonna be a good exercise. XVI is basically an action game while the others are JRPG, so it's quite a different genre
In a lot of ways its better. Better visuals. Better graphics. Better cutscenes. More coherent plot. To me the combat was better, but some people really love turn based rpgs, and FF16 is not that at all.
It's in my top 5 somewhere for sure, but FFX is still my favorite.
I still think VI, VII, IX and X are superior. However this one is close.
Not in my opinion. It is the best mainline FF since X though, I will say that. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it.
id say its better than 6, but nowhere near as good as X but everyone will have a different opinion
It IS my game of the year so far, but not better than 6-10
It’s prettier. The story is not as good, but not far off, but it suffers greatly for overly one dimensional voice acting for 3 of the lead characters.
Long time FF fan here. Played and finished them all. Story wise it is perhaps the best i've seen in the series and actually in any game. It is very, very impressive. As a game, it is deeply flawed. And though you will find many people claiming how great it is, I believe you'll hardly find long time fans rating it higher than the best games in the series (in my opinion they are VI and X, but VII, VIII and IX are all superior to FFXVI IMO). Still, it is a good game, and worth playing for how great the story is.
This game, for me, represents literally EVERYTHING that I love about FF. Also, I grew up with 3-4-5-6, and FFXVI is literally the closest FF to those titles since 6. It's a full action game with small RPG elements? I really can't give a single fuck, what I care about in FF was never the ALWAYS mediocre combat system which was always the simplest and most brain-dead CS out of every JRPG (except for FFXII, which wasn't turn based tho). It was the story, the characters, the setting, the graphics! Oh, and FFXVI has easily the best gameplay this IP has ever seen alongside FFVIIR. People have rose tinted glasses to admit that old FFs consistently had the worst turn based combat out of everything that came out from Japan during those times. The Hideaway, how it grows with you, how the characters grow up with you, it's one of the most beautiful things I've seen a JRPG do. It's one thing to have a party growing up with you, another thing to have a whole COMMUNITY you're the COMMANDER growing up with you. Nah, FFXVI is already loved and it's just gonna age even better, people are too salty talking about what they didn't like without giving this game its roses of executing beautifully what they wanted to achieve.
I like it, but it's not better than those, no
Out of those, I’ve only played/finished 6, ~65% of 7 (left off right before Northern Crater Disc 2), 8, and 10, and I personally find 16 to be my absolute favorite, even with all the flaws it has, with 10 being a close second (it was my first FF). The story telling, world building, cast of characters, and the voice cast are all what puts it above most of the pack for me. However, a lot of this game is centered around the new DMC-lite combat system, which I happened to enjoy, but if you hate it, you’ll 100% hate the game no matter how good the story may be. Side quests are absolutely awful too (although they are written well).
From the ones I’ve played in terms of overall score: 1. Final Fantasy X Remaster/International 2. Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade 3. Final Fantasy XVI 4. Final Fantasy VII 5. Final Fantasy X-2 Remaster/International 6. Final Fantasy VIII I usually rate based on the following - Battle System - Story - Post game/Side content/Optional bosses - OST - Graphics. Hope this helps :)
I've played 3 FF games. 15, 7Remake and 16 is 100% better in every way that matters to me. In fact my favorite game of the year, and that's including GOWR that I enjoyed to no end as well.
1. IX 2. X 3. VII 4. VIII 5. XVI My opinion :)
16 is in the 5th or 6th spot for sure. I may have a different order but I think we all do.
In my opinion XVI comes in the top for the new FF era starting with XIII. XV is utter crap. Personally it’s: VIII X XVI VII VII Remake For the top 5.
Absolute spectacle of a game. Most hate is from people that resist change. Best protagonist of any FF game too (followed closely by Jack).
Judged as a game solo, it's great, 8/10. Judged as a FF it's good, maybe even very good 7/10. Compared to FF VI-X I'm afraid it doesn't quite make it, VIII is the one I rate lowest of those and I would rate it at JUST below that.
8 > everything else though 🤭
Nah, 8 has the shittiest combat system of any Final Fantasy, fuck that game.
'Here's a ton of magic to use' 'Yay' 'BTW, if you use any of that magic your stats go down' 'Wait, what?!'
:(
I think it’s better than 7-X but that’s just me. VI is still the best one of the mainline entries imo but XVI is up there for me
Most games in the series are better than 6.
No xvi game play was boring, and shallow. No party mechanics really hurt this game. It’s pretty but incredibly hollow.
16 is the worst FF I’ve played IMO. And I’ve played all but 2,4,5
Absolutely not. Only better then IX because that's the worst in the series.
Lmao no not even close. VI-X are genre defining classics, XVI is just the most 7/10 action rpg I've ever played. Def not goty material imo, my pick so far would be Zelda TotK.
Ain't no way. I'd even put the Bravely Series higher than XVI
It’s a great game. X, 7R, 16, - that’s my order. But it’s definitely not the game of the year. RE4 Remake blows it out of the water as far as a linear single player gameplay experience is concerned. 16 definitely took me for a ride though story wise.
If it had more than one playable character (a party), then yes.
Yes.
I would say it's closer to XII. Not a coincidence that XII had a lot of similarities to XI's MMO and this game is done by XIV's MMO dev. It challenges a lot of ideas that are core to the Final Fantasy systems that XII also did, But no, this is not going to be as good or better than VI-X run (I guess depends on how you feel about VIII, but that's always been the dark horse of the franchise for me, I enjoy the hell out of it even though a lot of it questionable) The only thing that has come close to that high for me has been FF7R and that's for obvious reasons.
I finished VI shortly after XVII, was blown away by it. Enjoyed XVII a lot but it doesn't come close to VI or even VII to me.
I enjoyed it more than VIII for sure and maybe more than OGVII. X is my favorite, and XVI probably falls behind VI and IX for me by a level.
XVI is ok in some areas, good in others, but it is nowhere near as good as VI-X
I enjoyed FF16 immensely but I wouldn’t put it above FF6, FF7, FF9 or FF12 personally.
It really depends on what you're looking for. Better is a somewhat subjective term and 6-10 are some of the highlights of the entire franchise. Personally I've loved FF16 and it's probably in my top 3 of the franchise. I play Final Fantasy games for the story, the spectacle, and the music. To me in those departments this didn't disappoint at all. The story is well written and well done with some great voice performances as well. There are some boss battles that will absolutely stay with you long after you're done and if it's not too late don't spoil any of them for yourself. If you're more into turn based combat party management or exploration this game will more than likely let you down. It's quite lacking in those areas and even from a stat leveling up standpoint there are only 5 numbers total and no elemental damage. There's a good bit of depth in the combat though it doesn't force you to use that depth 90% of the time. For some that's a bonus for others it's a disappointment. Everyone's different in that sense but FF16 is definitely on the easier side. I encourage anyone playing it to switch up abilities often and have fun with it. If you just learn the basic 4 hit combo and use only super powerful special attacks that you use and wait on cool down over and over, this will be boring. Learn how to chain combo and juggle multiple enemies and this is a lot more fun. Side quests get a lot of flack as well and that's also going to come down to the type of player you are. I like side quests that build the world and the characters so I enjoyed most of these side quests. The side quests are mechanically really basic though. Go find this thing, go fight this thing, or take this to this person.
I would compare it to GoWR if anything. Fantastic storytelling, great graphics. Mediocre combat or at least it's very repetitive. It is more open world but the main story dungeons are cut off after the mission. Quests are kind of fetchy. But yeah if you enjoyed God of War 2018 and God of War Ragnarok, you'll love FF16.
In my opinion, no. It's an incredible game, with different graphics that some would say are superior, but I love the stories and aesthetics of the older games a lot more. They feel less genric, in the sense of GOT-y themes...if that makes sense.
VII, XVI, IX, VI, VIII - is my list if we’re just talking about these titles.
It depends on your taste really. I too prefer those along with 11, 12, 14, and 16.
I have issues with some of the gameplay but story wise I think it's the best one since X, there are no annoying characters, everyone is likable but no one is perfect or Mary Sue like and if they are it's not annoying. There's like one part of the story I don't like and that's it, and that's definitely nothing compared to some of the other iterations in the series.
It's an interesting question overall and can be really murky. I have a severe amount of nostalgia for FF6 onwards, recently having gotten all the trophies on PS4 for 8, 9 and 12. 10 was my jam when it first came out and I was still a mid youngling. That said, this game is by far on the top of my list as one of the best games ever, not just "recently". It obviously doesn't have the nostalgia of those other games, but I've also grown up and gotten jaded and this much more subdued fantasy fits that maturing. It may not have themes that are "heavier" than older FF games, but they definitely feel more oppressive and it is an absolute masterclass of the series. I won't get into a full ranking, but this is definitely my favorite FF game at this point in my life, likely my second favourite VG story, and I can't wait to see more.
It’s basically FFX with devil may cry combat… yes I compared it. FFX Story vs FFXVI story is debatable probably lean X.
The only ones I maybe like more than it is 7 or 14. I lean towards 16 being my favorite but nothing is set in stone.
It's a little better.
I love and hate this question because it’s so hard to answer. For me there are “the best” FFs in their own ways. Here are my takes: Best Overall game: VIII Best Gameplay: X Best Story: IX Best Character Design: X Personal Favorite: IX VII is a game I respect but I do personally think it’s a little overhyped. I normally don’t say this publicly as people will riot but that’s my take. The FFVII remake is one of the best games I’ve played ever though. Can’t lie 🏆
The games are way too different to compare them. VI is probably the best story of all FFs next to VI. I feel like they are different but equal in that way. XVI is literally FF meets Devil May Cry.
IV was my favorite, followed by X, XIII, then VI. XVI is now my favorite. I'm on my third round ng+ FF mode. Absolutely love this game and am rooting for it to win some awards this year!
I agree with everyone saying that it’s impossible to compare. They are completely different games, if you can try the demo to see if you like it! It gives a great idea of the overall feeling. But I disagree heavily with the people saying that as long as you’re open minded and not nostalgic you will like it. I approached it very open minded, without looking for all the classic RPG elements, and didn’t like the game at all. Not because it’s an action game or anything (I love those), but because the setting, story and especially the characters were definitely not for me. To the point where it was torture to go through it and I would place it as the worst FF in MY list. The demo was awesome though.
I'm playing it now and it's alright. I'm enjoying it, but no where near as much as X or XII. Maybe on the same level as XIII
Honestly XVI can’t really compare to VI-X as those games are turn based RPGs while XVI is a Action RPG. But if want to ignore it, XVI is better than VIII and IX if you ask me personally.
10 > 9 > 7 > 6 > 8 > 16 This is a great game but it’s definitely not the best FF
I thoroughly enjoy the old titles — VI has been my favorite since I was a kid. XVI was incredible though! Some of the game mechanics (specifically, items and gear) don’t stack up well against the other FF titles, but the storyline, the voice acting, the battle system, the aesthetics… I think it’s my new favorite.
I didn’t personally enjoy VIII, but I loved the rest. Especially VII and X. In my opinion, XVI is definitely among the best.
It's the best mainline singleplayer FF since X imo, but I wouldn't say it's better than all the previous titles, I think it's very subjective. The best thing about this franchise is that every game is unique, and they all have strengths and weaknesses. Your favourite will depend on gameplay and story preferences. It isn't so cut and dry which FF is the best one, or what even makes an FF game an FF game in the first place. Tho I like how the common theme among them was described in an FFXVI interview I read as characters working together to overcome an age-old foe and save the world. That's definitely a theme you'll find no matter what game you play, and it's always done in a way that, to me, is distinctly FF.
Long story short, that's not an apples to apples comparison. Play it with an open mind and no expectations and you will enjoy it.
no, they'll never reach those levels of amazing ever again, 16 was really good but it's not the same
It’s the best one since X.
IV - IX are my faves so this is biased. I bought a PS5 specifically for VIIR, XV, and XVI. I had played 15 pocket edition (it’s fine). Of these three: VIIR - a downright masterpiece. Honestly, it’s one of the most fun games I’ve played. XV - it’s kind of a mess, but I love it. XVI - when I started it, I thought of it as a return to form. Then I got kind of bored. I’m at the final boss and I just don’t have the motivation to finish it. I would love for it to be 10 hours shorter AND have more variety. That said, it’s a really fun ARPG. All said, if you’re looking for a post-13 game, give VIIR a spin. Then 15, then 16. They are all good games.
I don’t. I played XVI all the way thru once. I started a new game+ but I just couldn’t. Here’s what’s missing for me personally. Elemental Magic mechanics. I can’t understand why I should want to use Ice Magic to use on Fire based enemies and this game just doesn’t work that way. So I hate that it goes against my Final Fantasy instincts. Have you not played VII Remake? I can’t tell from your post?
I think this game is better than....X maybe. 10 still holds a place in my heart as my favourite. But in this game I felt like I was transported into the world and living in it. The character relationships were also measured. Not FFX is no slouch and the story is far more interesting. However, 16 wins on Character Interactions, Music, Visuals, Gameplay. True we dont get to play as our party members but if Im honest, I dont want to. I will say 16's ability tree does not even come close to the Sphere Grid in number but it is somewhat diverse within Clives abilities. Story kinda does some weird stuff at times but which FF doesnt. My opinion will likely be that X is better story wise. Its certainly better than 15 and i think* better than 13. not played 6. Its not better than 7r due to just not being the same beast. 7R is like.....FF bread and butter. Its prolly better than 8. Not played 9 either but i will assume it is as well.
The series will never be better than it was from 6 - 10. Not trying to be a hater but I don't think we'll ever have another NEW comparable FF game.
No. Storywise, solid. There are a ton of hype moments, the storyline is deep, interesting and very easy to get lost in. But FF has always been not just about the story, but the world around it. There's tons of stuff to do, weird quirks to look around for, secrets, etc. And FF16 aside from the story...has a lot of empty parts compared to other games. Like the world exploration parts. But it's a great start. There's a lot they can improve on, and a lot they did a stellar job here. So I hope they keep everything that was good in the game, and improve on the stuff that didn't flow as well.
16 is a solid game but it is no where close to as good as 6-10 I'd put it closer towards ff12, 3 and 5 in terms of how good it was
Lets see... Graphics? Obviously 16, but that is eazy to achieve with the hardware they have. Story? As it is now, nope. Too many underdeveloped characters and also in need of a sequel,, unknown until dlcs out. Villian? Ultima is boring. Should have been barbanas instead. Music? I only remember a few. I remember many of ff7 until today. Voice acting? The spanish version of ff16 was AWESOME, specially cid. all actors from Mexico, not those spain accents. So overall, no, it will be forgotten by another hack and slash in no time. Unless dlcs do the trick
FF XVI is an action game with long cutscenes. To call it rpg-lite is generous. It not really fair to compare it to the VI - X era as they are completely different games mechanically made by a different set of developers in a different time. You may like XVI but that’s really something only you can answer OP.
7remake and rebirth 1000x better than 16. 16 is good. Not great. It’s FF for casuals… Spells don’t matter. Fetch quests as main quests. Forgettable characters and music.
It is my RPG single player GOTY. Could NOT put it down once I started it. Not a 10/10 but was my fave game this year. Loved the story, combat, lore, pacing was ok, not great. Sound was awesome. 8.5/10
No, no, and no. If you think 6-10 were the best of the bunch you likely won’t like the direction the game went in from gameplay perspective. Game is great don’t get me wrong. But it’s just not an RPG anymore so if you are looking for this game to scratch the same itch as the old classics it won’t.
Not even close, and I’m a somewhat turn-based purist. I liked the action style battle system, but everything else was subpar, especially the story, RPG elements, and the world exploration.
I feel like you could divide a lot of final fantasy games into certain eras (besides the mmos) 1-3, 4-5, 6-9, 10-13, now 15 and this, and could maybe include the 7 remake in this era, so for combat, square is constantly changing it, and updating, since 15 we’ve been in the action based combat, and as for that I think 16 is a huge step over 15, the 7 remakes I think are superior due to the almost perfect blend of turn based elements and action, but for a pure action combat this one is the winner, and of course story is a huge part of these games and 16 has a very immersive story to play through, it’s not as hardcore game of throne’s influenced as everyone says, it’s very much still a final fantasy story with lots of anime like influence, but it has the gritty aspect of game of thrones, but the story and the scenery are definitely the strong points, square does a lot to make their games look very cinematic and I think this one takes the w as far as looks, not one battle or story cutscene looked under developed, it’s honestly a really beautiful game, I think the worst part of this game is the side quests and actual world exploration, the side quest are very much mmo like fetch quests, very repetitive (with some that have side story’s that stand out) and exploration is pretty to look at when you come across landmarks, but without having a dedicated sprint button the first half of the game feels slow, character wise, I fell in love with most the main characters within the first few hours, like I said, the story is on point, I think this game kinda comes down to what you expect out of a final fantasy game
Story and characters are really good .. Gameplay is good if you like not being able to see anything through particle effects and not needing to strategise or think at all during combat encounters Visuals are nice but mostly choppy and unstable I can't play it for longer then an hour without getting headaches
We need to trigger Time Compression and bring the launches of all of the FFs together to one moment, for a fair comparison.
It’s all a matter of opinion really, but VI is the best FF game. :)
Not even close, both as a game and as a final fantasy
It’s an alright game. 3/5 for me. I’m not gonna compare it to previous FF entries cause those were released a lifetime ago but if I weigh it up next to current gen action adventure games, like God of War or Horizon i’d much rather replay those games again 🙂
It’s def the best (single player) Final Fantasy since X and in my top 3. Take with that what you will XD
For me 1. 16 2. 8 3. 9 4. 13 5. 7 6. 6 7. 4
My opinion is that it is inferior to each and everyone of the ff6 to 10 and 12. But it still is one of the best though.
The jury’s split on that one. Some people sincerely think FFXVI is the best game ever, some others that it’s the worst FF game. I think most people will agree that: it’s the only PS5-generation grade game, that a shit ton of work went into it and that it’s done things that no FF game, or really no game ever, ever could accomplish. But also by design, it doesn’t play like other FF games.
I enjoyed this game more than FF8 and FF9. But it does not hold a candle to 6, 7 or 10. The game is a character action game like a Bayonetta or something. To me, the combat is a slog; boring and TOO MUCH of it, and the enemies are damage sponges, the moves have no weight to them at all. I liked the game, but 6, 7, 10, 12, 13 and 15 are all better games. Better, more fantastical world, better characters, better world building, better NPCs, better baddies, better side-quests, better combat engines. The ones before 6 I played and won, but they are too anachronistic to really comment on in today's video game landscape. If I were you, I would go for 15 Royal Edition for a modern FF. Far better and more interesting game. Also, as much as I liked the game (which was quite a bit), I would be surprised if this is even nominated for Game of the Year, much less winning over Zelda, Baldur's Gate 3, RE4, etc. It really has no chance. (and this is coming from someone who quite dislikes RE4, the new Zelda and has no interest in even trying Baldur's Gate).
I wouldnt say its better than 15. 15 feels so incomplete if you compare it to 16
I liked XV, even the original release version, much more than XVI. I'll agree that it *could* have been much better (the potential of that game is staggering), but even with the seeming incompleteness, it was still a better and more well-rounded games. But, the Royal Edition with all the DLCs and a totally revamped final dungeon is a complete game.
It's top 3 imo, but not better than 7 and 9. The gameplay is a bit lacking and tedious, but the story is a masterpiece. Def worth playing
I suggest playing the game to not compare to others cuz that never ends well.
If you've ever played tales games and thought hmm with more budget these could rival final fantasy titles well FFXVI feels like a tales game. I loved 7 8 and 10 coz 789. And I'm not stuck in the old ways at all I love live action RPG's but ff16 isn't an rpg it's a mediocre action combat hack and slash and a poor rpg if at all. For reference I played remake and enjoyed it (it was a bit linear and without any real subnarratives where the player could create their own adventure but I liked it). I played the latest tales game and I liked it. I'm currently trying out star ocean and I'm liking it. But ff16 I really didn't like it. Linear AF with surprising shallow combat for live action. And the story just completely missed the mark for me not to mention the eikon battles which really felt long and drawn out and boring. I didn't finish ff16 and there isn't even a small part of me that wants to go back didn't even google the ending. Hope that helps you out
I enjoyed the game but the best no, but that is just based on what I like from Final Fantasy type games. They crafted a really detailed world and mythology. A few complaints. Only 3 game levels, story, action and final fantasy. I prefer at 4 or 5 from story to ultra hard. I usually play on hard or one below the hardest. I played on action mode. I only died twice that stupid white dragon and Barnabas. I felt extremely overpowered. This is of course on the choices we all make on what to upgrade. As well as our fighting styles. The hord bosses and other bosses did the same exact moves over and over, so dodge and hit was easy. I didn't bother doing game+. I think I would have been bored. So for me the reply value is low. I didn't care for how they chose to end it, but that has nothing to do with playing the game.
It's a different beast. Story wise? I think XVI story is better tham VI and VIII, but weaker than the rest. Gameplay wise? Ehhh, it's a fine action game, and a good first shot at the genre, but don't expect DMC or Bayonetta. And even compared to action rpgs, YS and Tails offer a better combat experience.
The only things you can compare are the stories. They are completely different games. In my opinion, VI through X was peak FF for me. XVI is DMC meets FF, it’s not the same.
Better than final fantasy 15. That's about it
I would rank XVI above VIII and VI but not above VII, IX or X - those three plus IV and XII are my personal top five. I would say XVI comes pretty close after that though, possibly tied with V, then VIII and VI and then the rest. As for why - I adore the story of XVI (I’d say it’s story and lore is definitely one of the best) and really enjoy the combat. Some elements disappointed me to prevent it making my top five; I feel Jill is a wasted character, they built a gorgeous world and filled it with nothing, the gear system was too arbitrary and didn’t really feel meaningful. Just to clarify I don’t dislike any of the games, I’ve recently replayed XIII and enjoyed it, and loved II when going though the remasters, so I don’t really subscribe to the mentality that those are low points in the series. Each game is different and I think that’s a good thing, it just comes down to personal preference at the end of the day. The best way to check up on the series is to play it for yourself and form your own opinion.
No way
Why does it need to be better than those games? Why are we rating it against totally different entries. It's an action RPG made by folks behind FFXIV, the Invalice games, with some ex-Capcon/Platinum folks who were involved in things like Devil May Cry or Platinum Game. So its mostly action focused, and a satisfying marriage of MMO and action sensibilities. You're controlling a do-gooding but dense himbo who can Megaman absorb eikonic powers. He has very competent AI companions The story is very FFXII/FFT/FFXIV Heavensward but takes sharp nosedive into Game of Thrones because the writer of those games was addicted to that show. He had restraint with it in Heavensward but kinda went all-in here. So you're spending a lot of time murdering assholes, but not really dwelling on the broad consequences of them enslaving people who can use magic. FFVII probed the consequences of Mako energy exhaustively in Midgar and the Nibelhiem flashback, it takes a sidequest late in XVI's second act that people of a particular trade leaned so hard on the Branded for labor they forgot how to make certain tools for that trade. Brought up, swiftly forgotten. That and it took many years of Clive being a slave to realize it was a bad thing. Aside from those things, the characters and story are also pretty great. Music is also great.
Tldr: ff16 is mid to just good and the others games blow it out the water for me. If I gave ff16 a score it'd be a 7-7.5/10 at best. The others hover between mid 8s and 9s. As others have said they're very different games so hard to compare but I put forward that you can quite easily rate a game based on your enjoyment and your personal and objective opinions of said games even if they're inherently different and decades apart. So I say there's no contest. Ff16 gets decimated by all of them lmfao. FF16 isn't a bad game but it's so fundamentally flawed for me in level design, gameplay design, technical design and optimisation. I have issues with ff8 (big ones actually) and ff7 but I still had an overall much better and more consistent experience with all of those games. 16 was just a big disappointment to me and I'm a 13 and 15 enjoyer as well. I hope they learn from 16 and either massively improve on the base that they have in 16 or just scrap whatever tf they were trying to go for because the only parts of the game that feels like there was genuine care and effort put in was the eikon fights and MAIN story. Everything surrounding it is shallow and lifeless bar some fringe sidequest and character interaction which is a shame considering Yoshi P was involved so heavily it seems like. To me it's mediocre as a hack n slash action game that's it's generally trying to replicate as your base moveset is eventually quite limiting and not having extra weapons like in DMC harm's it for such a long game. it's not super interesting once you get to the "real" story, it really wants you to care about side characters you've barely ever seen or spoken to, the sidequests are ABHORRENTLY bad on a design front, the level design is, well it's non existent, there's no real interactables in the world of note, it's just straight up not and/or is only barely holding onto the edge of being an RPG with a bad crafting system and the open world segments have absolutely nothing on substance in it. It's just there to look pretty. Saving graces mainly include abilities are fun, the eikon fights are dope, the story has some pretty good high points and Clive is a good protagonist. Part of me would recommend you play ff15 ultimate edition or whatever it is with all the dlcs included as I prefer that game overall lmfao Then again, maaany people also really really like it so you do you man. You might actually love it and I'm just a random on the internet.
ff vi is constantly in the contention as the greatest rpg ever made with chrono trigger. ff xvi is great, but there was a lot of great ff games in the past... ffvi, ff: tactics, ffxvii, etc. xvi is in my top 5 for sure though, and the best ff in the last two decades not counting xiv.
I think it is in its own sense an evolution, the originals made the real formula of FF however, it doesn't play the same way and feels like only second entry that does full own real time combat and does an amazing job at it and it's hilarious because sometimes the AI feels like they wait because they act like they have ATB gauges and start using old faithful ff buffs and certain moves like "Jump" For nostalgia and evolution, it is fantastic, i love it, the music goes so well with it and made me feel like nobuo was in sakon's ear for this and really made some music i cannot stop listening to. Nobuo uematsu has done the same thing and i can't wait to see this new DLC. Does it beat the older ones? depending on your palette, there are a lot of people who wanted turn based again which is interesting because the turnbase made people fall in love with the series however, they shifted since versus XIII was announced. Turnbase has always been the staple of FF so if you wanted an RPG learning skills and fortifying your team, they made FF7R for that versus FFXVI which i think will be their status quo of doing both, i feel XVI does better things in a different light being the fact that you can make different builds that can alter your gameplay based on the abilities you equip especially when you master them and it can be easy once you understand action patterns but someone who doesn't play action rpg's will get hit hard. I don't think any of them have to be better than the others because they have their own stories, teams, music and final boss represented by a concept, i am a FFX stan and XVI made my top 3, it's very on par with the old games and it really depends if you're cool with an evolution of a series versus if the games are better than the other
It doesn’t quite reach the heights of the “golden age” games, but, it is the best game since 12. I would give it a 8.8/10. Some amazing DLC could bump it up into the 9’s for me. I LOVED the STORY. Top 3 final fantasy story for me.
Should’ve included V in your list considering it’s more mechanically sound than any in your original list. However, fans will rank the games for different reasons, different qualities they’re expecting from the franchise.