IGN FF16 review is almost like a critique of FF14's own issues

[R041]

So far I'm enjoying it because I also really like DMC and Bayonetta but as an FF I'm disappointed by the lack of meaningful discoveries and anemic side-quests. The lore is great but all I do is walk from A to B and all I find is crafting materials and 2 Gil. No secret bosses so far either. I'm sure they'll come eventually. Also, why are there no RPG elements? I wasn't too sure ... until I killed a bomb with a fire attack. Sigh. It's like XIV all over again.

I like the game, I enjoy the dark tone, the combat is great but... as an FF it's barely anything I come to love about the series. The last good FF was XII, honestly. I was hoping for something similar but with DMC but... I kinda stopped exploring. A sword that's +2 Str or crafting stuff is not worth my time.

As a game, great. As an FF... I'm very divided.

Yeah that's exactly what a lot of people are saying.. I put my FF hype down for a minute and think about what I'm playing. Realize some things just don't feel good unfortunately. Some of the game design is questionable. I can only be so excited for +5HP, 2 gil, Blood Hide, Fangs so many times.. It feels like fluff. The FF stuff feels like they're tacked on you know? Like they shouldn't really belong, so in some scenarios it'd be best to just not have them at all.

There are some high highs, but these lows and thoughts of what could have been are kinda.. Eh.. It don't feel good in the heart. Still a good game overall, but I don't think $70 is worth the gameplay when I know people would enjoy it almost just as much as if they watched it. Maybe more to be honest. Like if Jojo over here is having a blast watching it? Maybe that's the way to go. Can't be disappointed in a game only giving you 2gil for exploration if you just watch it as a movie. lol

[R041]

The moment they give more in depth rpg system yall will complain about balance.
Status ailments are absent...do you even play xiv? Like at all?
Who tf wants elemental strength in ffxiv?
Loot is an afterthought eh? I guess that's why folks are running dungeons n raids everyday for loot...oh wait...
You not wanting to explore dungeons via the feature is a you problem. I personally like going in and reading the lore of places like Ktisis n such. Overworld? I could kind of see though isn't Aether..what's it called? The orbs you need to fly pretty much your exploration?

For a game that's all style n no substance you look foolish paying for something like that monthly. Just saying

It's like you're so close to understanding the complaints, but refuse to believe that's what FF and older XIV is. lol

You know Stagger? Are you even playing the game? You know this is an XVI thread right? Anyway - These are basically elemental decision making systems. Without the elements.. You're again so close to understanding critical decision making in games, but refuse to believe they should be a thing? You make Damage oriented attacks Fire and Stagger Ice and it's basically the same thing. People just want wider variety of interaction and reaction, that's all.

You forgot FFVII:R exists and is pretty highly praised.. Itemization, Equipment, Party Synergy.. Except for the time ghosts. Fuck those guys. Combat is phenomenal and should be new gold standard.

Honestly if they made something where it was a mix of VII:R and XVI, like you hot-swap between characters and they had their own lil combos and Eikon abilities. That would be fucking awesome.

I'm not a 'purist', and anyone that acts like FF needs to be something specific is mostly wrong. I just think XVI kinda missed the mark on some great things they could've done better. It's okay to criticize this shit, and you all need to be more comfortable with criticism or we'll just keep getting garbage.

The lore system, the world building, the characters.. Most of that shit in XVI is AMAZING. Oh my god, I go talk to the lady that gives me historical details, and I can check all of the character connections with each other over the years. Then of course the live lore details. Whoever decided to make these is the GOAT.

[Lauront]

You forgot FFVII:R exists and is pretty highly praised.. Itemization, Equipment, Party Synergy.. Except for the time ghosts. Fuck those guys. Combat is phenomenal and should be new gold standard.

I'd add SoP. I've enjoyed that game's combat system a lot too. Both were neglected when XVI was on its "first true action RPG" marketing push. Of course you can caveat that "...only the mainline series", but 7R is still really difficult to ignore in that context and I think it had a better system than XVI's. I really dislike the long stagger timers in XVI. Overall I agree with your sentiment on it. It's good, but it is being over-hyped, and there's small changes they could've made to make it even better. The trash is, by and large, so bad it may as well not exist. I'd be more understanding if the hard mode was available from the outset, assuming it addresses it.

They take an average of what gamers wants. It wants to simultaneously be for action gamers who don't like command-based strategy, and for the old timer Final Fantasy players who are not comfortable with the pace of action games. It wants the lowest barrier for entry and to appeal to both western and eastern tastes.

Gaming was good when it was less democratized. When there wasn't such a big corporate structure and targets of X millions of sales. Some of those old designers just tried to make the ultimate game for their own personal tastes with little regard to how they might be received overseas, if localisation even happened.

In doing so we got some wonderfully weird and unique games that added to the fabric of gaming culture. They are now working at a scale where they cannot afford for any mainline FF to be a failure so it's built to mitigate risk. Quite a safe and bland game (apart from over-the-top cutscenes).

That's the distinctive impression I get, too. Feels like design by the numbers. You can tell which games/series it's taking inspiration from (at least I can from the ones familiar to me) and blending together. It's not a bad game, by any means, and I am enjoying the grittier vibe of the plot (could've been a bit bolder, but it's fine for what it is), but even if I neglect the combat system, the story elements themselves feel a bit under-developed. Still, it does excel when it comes to cinematography and music. The Bahamut fight, for example, was really memorable.

[JamieRose]

https://www.ign.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-review

"RPG elements feel a little underdeveloped"
"Status ailments are basically completely absent"
"there’s no real system of elemental strengths or weaknesses very little in the realm of buffs and debuffs"
"loot seems like an afterthought"
"I never once felt incentivized to explore either the corners of the linear main levels, or the more open fields of the interconnected overworlds."

Much like modern FF14, FF16 dazzles and bedazzles, but it is all style, no substance. Much like modern FF14, FF16 uses its story to cover up its uninteresting RPG systems.

You can't spell ignorant without IGN!

[Atelier-Bagur]

Yeah that's exactly what a lot of people are saying.. I put my FF hype down for a minute and think about what I'm playing. Realize some things just don't feel good unfortunately. Some of the game design is questionable. I can only be so excited for +5HP, 2 gil, Blood Hide, Fangs so many times.. It feels like fluff. The FF stuff feels like they're tacked on you know? Like they shouldn't really belong, so in some scenarios it'd be best to just not have them at all.

There are some high highs, but these lows and thoughts of what could have been are kinda.. Eh.. It don't feel good in the heart. Still a good game overall, but I don't think $70 is worth the gameplay when I know people would enjoy it almost just as much as if they watched it. Maybe more to be honest. Like if Jojo over here is having a blast watching it? Maybe that's the way to go. Can't be disappointed in a game only giving you 2gil for exploration if you just watch it as a movie. lol

I would have to disagree with some points made here, especially the FF stuff. Without the iconic well....eikons and aether and crystals then the story wouldnt really work.

Remember, how come its completely ignored how the most popular game in the franchise....that being FFVII which arguably has more merit to be the less of an FF game is being argued as a "true FF" game than the more fantasy elements of FFXVI? You can seriously try to argue this point. What? Is it because of how its gameplay is still the same as the other games?

Now I agree that the solo character experience with only playing as Clive is very jarring in a series rooted in playing a cast of characters and its not a design choice I wouldve taken. But everything else about it such as your abilities, limit breaks, skill system is still intact with what came before.

I will also somewhat agree with the loot system being uninteresting but the numerous crafting materials you get from shinies and chests contributes to your gear upgrades which at least in spirit it serves with character progression.

Also people who argue about the 5gil drops ooooooooh boy let me tell you about a little game called FF2 where most of the treasure is littered with trash just like that. How about try finding only 1 gil in a treasure chest in that game!!!

Yeah know your series history my man.

[R041]

I would have to disagree with some points made here, especially the FF stuff. Without the iconic well....eikons and aether and crystals then the story wouldnt really work.

Remember, how come its completely ignored how the most popular game in the franchise....that being FFVII which arguably has more merit to be the less of an FF game is being argued as a "true FF" game than the more fantasy elements of FFXVI? You can seriously try to argue this point. What? Is it because of how its gameplay is still the same as the other games?

Now I agree that the solo character experience with only playing as Clive is very jarring in a series rooted in playing a cast of characters and its not a design choice I wouldve taken. But everything else about it such as your abilities, limit breaks, skill system is still intact with what came before.

I will also somewhat agree with the loot system being uninteresting but the numerous crafting materials you get from shinies and chests contributes to your gear upgrades which at least in spirit it serves with character progression.

Also people who argue about the 5gil drops ooooooooh boy let me tell you about a little game called FF2 where most of the treasure is littered with trash just like that. How about try finding only 1 gil in a treasure chest in that game!!!

Yeah know your series history my man.

Yeah I'm not talking about the actual story/setting FF stuff. Sorry what I said was super broad, what I mean is with how the crafting and loot works - Sometimes I feel like it'd be better off just not providing that as a game system because a weak version is worse than no version. Me finding 2gil over and over is worse than me finding no gil. You know? And crafting having almost no value is worse than no crafting.

It's got FF. The Eikon stuff totally works, the story and setting is great, I've been saying it's great and FF as fuck. I think it could've been done with party members instead of your main character having it all. BUT - I also understand from a story perspective, it'd get real weird and they couldn't.. Harm your party. But that's also kind of FF. I don't know, THAT part is a super grey area and it'd suck to lose an Eikon element because a party member died.

Talking about FFVII, we're just bringing up setting, and you know I ain't talking about that. It IS super refreshing to have a MEDIEVAL FF again. And we know that's not super consistent, that all went out the window starting from VI, which we should be thankful for. Or we may as well be Dragon Quest.

DON'T WHATABOUTISM FF2, yeah there are way worse systems. Doesn't mean I can't have feedback and criticisms.

"Yeah know your series history my man." - You're so confidently condescending without understanding my feedback. Bad loot isn't an FF staple just because there are a few in the series that have bad loot. FF games thrive because they take what worked every iteration and push it forward, typically leaving behind worse systems. Not bring them back.

I don't know how far into XVI you are, it kinda sounds like you're not very far. 95% of the materials you get are worthless and sit in your inventory as junk. I have 400 Blood Hide, 500 Wyrrite, 200 Steelsilk, 400 Sharp Fang, 500 Magicked Ash, for what? Is this just all sell fodder? You immediately get the materials you need to craft the best weapon from beating a boss. Then any upgrade after that is a quick +5. Not 5%, +5. Coming from 200, a +5 does nothing, and +5hp when you have 2k means nothing. Especially considering I 1 shot almost all creatures anyway, I don't even bother with +5 upgrades.

Anyway - You can enjoy the game, and I believe a lot of people are fully engrossed and having a great time. Don't get so defensive folks. It's just feedback. lol

Even with these flaws, it's still probably in my top 5 FFs.

[TheDecay]

Also people who argue about the 5gil drops ooooooooh boy let me tell you about a little game called FF2 where most of the treasure is littered with trash just like that. How about try finding only 1 gil in a treasure chest in that game!!!

Yeah know your series history my man.

Your argument is literally to use FF2, which is widely regarded as the literal second-worst or worst entry among main numbered titles, as an example and something FF16 should aspire to.

https://www.rpgsite.net/feature/6530...ousands-of-you

I'm beginning to wonder whether you intend to discuss anything in good faith here.

[Hanayumi]

A thrilling story of a world and its inhabitants facing a world ending event with the all too familar bestiary, spellcraft, and gods, FFXVI is certainly just as a Final Fantasy. Now as an rpg, definitely not, there are pretty much just 2 aspects that change the functionality of your character, your Eikon abilities and what you equip for your 3 rings, thats about it... Now does this make FFXVI a bad game, no, far from it is an awesome story driven action game with a very detailed world and lore and a very fun combat system, that can be simple or insanely combo heavy. In the end your personal preference being left out of a game does NOT make the game bad, its just means its likely not a game for you and FFXVI is solidly not going everyones Final Fantasy.

[Rufalus]

N It's Easy Mode, Easy Mode with Easy Rings, and Easiest Mode, Easiest Mode with Easy Rings

They take an average of what gamers wants. It wants to simultaneously be for action gamers who don't like command-based strategy, and for the old timer Final Fantasy players who are not comfortable with the pace of action games. It wants the lowest barrier for entry and to appeal to both western and eastern tastes.

Gaming was good when it was less democratized. When there wasn't such a big corporate structure and targets of X millions of sales. Some of those old designers just tried to make the ultimate game for their own personal tastes with little regard to how they might be received overseas, if localisation even happened.

In doing so we got some wonderfully weird and unique games that added to the fabric of gaming culture. They are now working at a scale where they cannot afford for any mainline FF to be a failure so it's built to mitigate risk. Quite a safe and bland game (apart from over-the-top cutscenes).

[R041]

The more I think about it, the more I really wish Eikon energy wasn't just given to you at the start of every fight. It feels way too easy, and wrong to be able to just insta-nuke everything as soon as the fight starts. You should have to work for those abilities in the middle of your combos, but you just kinda blast them all off like they're OP oGCDs.

It doesn't feel right in an action game like this. It makes me unreasonably salty knowing that 1 thing would change so much of the pacing in the game and story. You wind me up to get mad at an enemy because they do unspeakable things, and then I don't even get to toy with them. They just disappear in an instant.

Then anything with Stagger just stays around for longer than they should. There's really no middle ground in this game. It either dies in 1 second, or takes 5 minutes. You never get to juggle anything or do sick combos because your combos are limited on Stagger enemies, and the ones you CAN juggle are just gone in an instant.

Also people keep saying "Yeah FF games are supposed to be easy" - Yes, easy. Like tactically easy. But not killing everything instantly. It's like playing all FF games on 5x Fast Forward. It messes up the whole pacing of the game and story. It feels weird.

An example people keep bringing up is "Pokemon is just as easy, it's the same thing" - No, Pokemon is a simple game, but it doesn't give you a pokemon that 1 shots everything without grinding from the start. That's how I feel here. Unreasonably OP unless I'm fighting a Hunt or Dragoon or some shit.

I know I'm whining at this point, but ugh. lol