Graphics: Amazing, incredible faces, eikons, landscapes. In the boss fights, the graphics are out of this world. The only flaw is the mediocre faces of non-main characters. Beautiful cutscenes.

Gameplay: Although advertised as an RPG, it is purely action with a little RPG flair. There are several small maps and areas for linear exploration. The combat is amazing, there are no words for the battles with eikons. The best thing to appear in gaming. We're talking about an incredible epic. My complaint is that the game is very easy, you rarely lose. Overall, addictive gameplay with surprises in Clive's upgrades.

Story: This is where all the essence is. The main story is shocking, the beginning is epic. The only dark, heavy Final Fantasy, it reminds a lot of Game of Thrones in its main story, with kingdoms, conflicts, and intrigues. Of course, there is also the supernatural element that gives a different tone to the game. Flawless story. Unfortunately, there are far too many side quests, most of them completely uninteresting, just filling up the game. There are some quite good ones with the main characters of the game.

Overall: I loved it from the demo, I was shocked by the graphics, the scale in the battles with the eikons, the story, and the amazing gameplay. A stunning epic game.

Score: 10/10

Having spent quite some time since I played it and having seen the game enough and played the DLCs, I decided to write my opinion. I closed around 120 hours doing two playthroughs, one on normal and the other on hard, but skipping the cutscenes, also getting the platinum along the way. Initially, it is a quite linear game in style, mainly based on the story it has to tell, which is why there are many cutscenes and it starts slowly, giving time for the characters and the story to breathe. At first glance, someone might compare it to Game of Thrones, perhaps rightly so because it starts somewhat like the first season of the series, but around 5 hours in and a little before the prologue ends, the game takes a 180° turn and it is and always will be Final Fantasy with some elements from GoT but only to a certain extent. The tone of the story is quite serious for the series' standards, as many, even though they had serious elements, were more teen-friendly, not that this isn't, but it is more mature for ages over 16, I would say. The production team drew elements from the 40+ years of the series, wanting to show the love they have for the series. I have not played a third of the series, but seeing what is inside and how it is structured, I understood the passion that the team had for the series that many of the developers grew up with. I have not played 14 and I did not have the hype for this particular title, I got it after a discount and the good words I heard from people I know and I did not regret it. Now the gameplay is mainly action as the combat resembles more Devil May Cry and Platinum games (logical because people from these teams worked on the battle system) but to some extent I would describe it as more simplistic compared to those. It gains more depth as the player unlocks more abilities but do not expect huge differences, the whole battle system focuses on developing the stagger meter, something that was in Final Fantasy 13 and the Remake/Rebirth, by raising the meter the player manages to increase the damage to the enemy for a short period of time. Its music is truly exceptional and I found the voice acting wonderful, a lot of good work was done even on secondary NPCs, there are honest voices. The Eikon Battles are the selling point of the game, they are really well-made and top-notch in spectacle scenes. I deducted one star because there are things that I had issues with and I would like the team to improve them if they make a new single-player game. The side quests are very simplistic, following an MMO logic and mainly exist to build the world of the game. The difficulty of the game even on normal was quite easy, I had to, on the contrary, the DLCs show exactly how it should have been in terms of difficulty because compared to the main story, they have more challenge. The hard mode really gives that extra something and I would say that it should have been unlocked from the beginning of the game. The absence of companions initially bothered me because I would like to at least be able to command them to attack at the moment I want, like in Mass Effect, and not just have the moves based on AI. The absence of RPG elements I would not say bothered me very much, but it is the core of the series, so I understand the fans here, it is quite simplistic with just weapon, armor, and item changes that give additional statistics. In general, I found the game to be excellent. I wouldn't describe it as a perfect game, but it is a very good game. The performance mode had some issues and I hope they will be fixed in the future. Finally, the DLCs are worth more when discounted or as part of the future complete edition. Seeing that the studio had dealt with and saved FF14 for ten years, I saw it as a very good first attempt in single player. If I were to rate it as a game with all the DLCs, I would give it a 9/10, otherwise it's an 8.5/10. Playing it made me want to return to a franchise and play some of its games that I had been saying for quite some time that I wanted to play, but back then it was just words, now I'm putting it into action.

I have played almost all, if not all, of the Final Fantasy games. This particular one made me remember why I loved this franchise. I don't hate like many do the 13 and 15 (On the contrary, I love Lightning's Return and 15). However, the 16 made me adore it, whether it's the lore, the world that reminds me a lot of The Witcher at the beginning, or the incredible soundtrack! What can I say, this game kept me hooked until the end. The turn-based combat mode may have been completely lost, but those are personal preferences. Personally, I like the turn-based style, but I didn't fall in love with Final Fantasy just because of that. As for the duration that some complain about, it's definitely not as long as The Witcher or Horizon, but the duration is still satisfying! At least, for me, it's better for them to invest in fewer but higher quality side quests rather than repetitive go-kill-return quests (although, to be honest, that's how the side quests in this game are). Another negative aspect is the quite poor equipment accessories part, etc. However, overall, Square Enix presented a nice piece of work that was what we loved!

The writer is a huge fan of the Final Fantasy series, as it is his favorite game series that has given him wonderful moments, stories, and emotions in fantastic worlds. As a fan of the RPG genre in general, and as a dedicated player of the MMORPG FFXIV, which the team is behind the development of XVI, this particular game was one of the two most anticipated releases for me this year, along with Baldur's Gate 3, and it is also the reason why I bought a PS5. So, was it worth the wait?

For TL;DR purposes, I will mention now that the game overall is worth it, it met most of my expectations, and I had a great time. It is not a perfect game, some elements could have worked better, but it lays a good foundation for the return of the single-player mainline games in the series, after many years of missteps. And that's why I chose to write these impressions now, when to some extent, the hype I had has faded, as I have completed it.

Gameplay and mechanics:
Perhaps the most "divisive" aspect of the title and the one that definitely influences the opinion of most people. Personally, although I am a fan of turn-based games, I don't mind action combat in general, so I will judge it for what it gave me as an action game. I was very satisfied with the combat. Although it seems quite repetitive at first, as the player progresses, they unlock more and more abilities with the acquisition of eikons (summons). Each eikon has different skills and focuses on a different playstyle (e.g., Titan is more defense-oriented, Odin is more speed-oriented), and in the active build, the player can have up to 3 active eikons. The ability points are not enough to acquire all the abilities, so the player is called to choose the way they prefer to play more and also to experiment, as there is the possibility for respec without limitations. Although the game is relatively easy, this does not mean that it can be completed mindlessly spamming the attack button, and the use of dodges and all the basic battle mechanisms is important. In other words, the more one experiments, the more depth they observe in the battle, regardless of the difficulty level. However, it would be ideal if the Final Fantasy mode was unlocked from the beginning. Something that personally I do not agree with is the greater departure from the RPG element of the series. The automatic level up that raises all stats, the overly simplistic equipment system where you change equipment when "you see the number go up," the absence of customizable party members, and the lack of any character customization, apart from the choice of skills and eikons, are indications of the clear action-oriented direction of the title. Although the team had made it clear that this would be the direction of the title quite early on, personally I consider the departure from the RPG genre as a small flaw of the title for my tastes as a fan of the genre, as I believe it distorts some important elements of the series' identity. For this reason, personally, I do not consider this game as an action RPG, but as an action game with RPG elements. For a non-traditional fan of the series, this particular aspect may not even be a problem, as it does not make the game worse in any case. In any case, judging it for what it is, I believe the game manages well and the combat is 100% high-quality, polished, and enjoyable.

Map and Questing:
Final Fantasy XVI is not an open-world title and focuses on providing open areas for exploration as well as more linear dungeons (stages) that are not accessible from the map, only when the story requires it. Personally, as a title with the main focus on the central storyline, I agree with this choice as it eliminates a lot of unnecessary time wasting (which we have seen in many open-world games) and helps the player to focus where they should. The side quests in the game are a double-edged sword, as they unfortunately rely on the classic repetitive objectives that we usually see in most side quests in games, which can tire some players. However, they are an improvement compared to the more recent FF titles, as they provide fully voice-acted stories that develop the main NPCs with whom the player interacts and enrich the worldbuilding of the game. Personally, I recommend engaging with them, even if they may seem tedious at first, as I believe they greatly contribute to the overall narrative experience without disrupting the pace, as they are quite condensed in number and do not overcrowd the map in any way. The last optional feature of the game is some additional mini boss fights (hunts) for those who want more action, materials, etc., as well as some intense battles. However, from a certain point onwards, the patterns of these enemies repeat, so if someone does not fully master the battle system and does not want to acquire the best equipment in the game, it is better not to engage with them. In short, this specific section of the game is where the MMO nature and experience of the development team are most evident, with all the good and bad that entails.

Story, Presentation, Artistic and Technical Aspects:
To avoid spoilers, I will not extensively mention details of the story and will simply say that the game does not disappoint at all and ensures a complete, well-written, epic, and pure traditional Final Fantasy story (primarily of the pre-VII era) with all the elements and "clichés" that accompany it. However, everything is appropriately placed to serve the whole and harmoniously function. We mostly encounter well-written and fully fleshed-out characters, political power games, epic battles, and deities that fans of the series will be familiar with. Traditional and yet modern, the XIV team once again proves their skill in storytelling, while the technique and structure they use are the same: the game devotes enough time to build up to each climax. If someone desires constant action, they may not find it here, but this approach is necessary for the epic moments to properly impact the player. The overall presentation of the story also contributes to this, with spectacular cinematic cutscenes and chilling (English) performances. It is generally recommended to play with the English voices, as they were the original recording and embodiment of the characters, and they manage to fit perfectly with the game's setting. The game has several cutscenes that may tire those who are not accustomed to the series and to such story-driven games, but if the story and the world captivate you, you will be rewarded. This is also aided by the Active Time Lore, which is a feature where the player can access the game's lore at any time on the pause screen and read important information about the scene they are currently watching. However, the main story can be understood even without the use of ATL, which serves as an optional tool for those who desire further immersion in the current lore referenced in each scene. The sound design and music are at a very high level, with Soken delivering award-winning music that beautifully complements both the battles and the calm moments. In terms of technical aspects, although the overall performance is at a high level and the game remains comfortably playable, during the launch when I played it, there were some minor frame drops and stutters, especially in the performance mode, while the graphics mode had intense motion blur. Personally, I had the game on performance mode and did not encounter any serious issues, no lag or crashes, aside from some occasional frame drops that did not affect the experience. However, various patches have already been released that improve performance and provide the option to adjust or disable motion blur. Therefore, the game is already in a much better state than at launch, and I recommend it without hesitation for those who are interested.

Conclusion:
For me, Final Fantasy XVI is a highly commendable addition to my favorite game series. With a strong storyline and action gameplay, it is worth checking out for all fans of story-driven games, especially Sony first-party exclusives. It may not be perfect, and some gameplay and narrative choices may not please everyone, but along with the recent notable releases (XIV, VII REMAKE), it contributes its own piece to the return of the historic series with good and anticipated titles every year. For the loyal fans, see you in February and then in June!

Pros:
- Well-written and epic Final Fantasy story and characters with a beautiful love story and high presentation levels
- Satisfying duration without overwhelming you with too much unnecessary content
- Award-winning music and performances
- Well-crafted, deep, and enjoyable battle system...

Cons:
-...slightly limited by the low challenge
- The departure from RPG mechanics will disappoint fans of the series (including myself, obviously)
- Side quests, although improved compared to recent titles in the series, still have a typical and shallow structure.
- A mini-map would have been helpful, Square! But it's a minor flaw!

Square Enix returns with another Final Fantasy title that brings the action to a very dark FF, with a very interesting story, very good and improved combat, beautiful graphics and fantastic sound and music, the music truly gives it pain.

I have had it for 4 days now, I am enjoying the game very much, it has very good elements, but it also has its negatives.

In terms of negatives, I would say the performance needs work for those who want 60 fps, this mode in exploration drops the performance to around 50 fps, and in combat it stays steady at 60, which also lowers the resolution quite a bit to maintain the 60 fps.

I am playing it on quality, I find it ideal and very enjoyable for this particular game because it offers a very cinematic experience with the eikons and the scenery it provides, I would recommend playing it there if you don't care as much about performance, which I hope they fix in a future update.

Also, the lip sync in the Japanese voice is bad, there is no proper synchronization, which affects the experience of the Japanese voice acting.

On the very positive side, the sound and music are amazing, flawless, as well as the English voice acting, which for the first time I would say is very close to the Japanese, usually Japanese performances are the only way to go in these games but here the English has become an excellent choice with great performances.

Now it is an action RPG game that has implemented a very nice combat system with abilities and magic without worrying about MP.

The atmosphere of the game is magical with very beautiful magical landscapes, I didn't expect anything different from a FF game.

I would like to write more, but it will become too long and tiresome, an exceptional game that I recommend because you will have a lot of fun and enjoy it!