LogFAQs > #966188757

17. Final Fantasy XVI

PS5
Summer 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA1C9mghADo

Man, I struggle with my feelings on this one. For a long time, I was the biggest Final Fantasy fan around, during that 1990-2005ish time period. I've beaten all those games numerous times and I've done unhealthy things in most of those games, whether it's solo runs or level 1 challenges or playing 130 hours of Final Fantasy X-2.

But everything from 2010 and on, just doesn't feel like FF to me. FF13 is basically FF10 with a bad story, but I still enjoyed my time with it. FF13-2, though. I played 2 hours of that game, put it down in disgust and haven't played one since (well, besides Remake). Never touched 13-3 and never even considered playing 15. The bro road trip aspect of it never appealed and, I don't know, I just feel like a scorned fan.

But FF16 looks good! Well, it hits the notes you'd want at least. It's still this high budget, glossy thing with its Ifrits and Bahamuts all over the place. Its presentation looks nice, almost like FF: Game of Thrones edition or something but with huge summons as the core of its story.

But even as it looks nice, there's just something that doesn't feel like Final Fantasy to me. It's the heavy action style and the overly flashy visuals. FF was always flashy, right? It made its presence known with its flash -- but it didn't feel overwhelming and alienating in quite the same way. I think I just want the old style back.

Most likely it's because I haven't played a new one of these in almost a decade and I might just need to jump back in and get immersed. Big trailers with lots of fancy cuts can make these games feel like it's an Uncharted game or something like that. Who even knows what one of these are now? I really want it to be good because the FF team at this point just feels like it can't do anything more than FF7 and I'd like to see them move past it.