Swinny14
Winger
If you were just to do the main story it’s about 35-40 hours they say
Final Fantasy XVI
- Thread starter jacko100
- Start date
Ciro_DiMarzio
Winger
I always seem to take alot longer than online estimates say. Just because I'm not very good at games I suspect.
The Beautiful Game
Striker
The story is great so far but I’m not so keen on the bits in between the big moments like the corridor design or getting kicked back to the world map after a cut scene.
The boss battles and hunts are spectacular fights but I’m sick of fighting the same spiders, scorpions, plants and bees in all of the different corridor levels. Some of the traditional monsters are in the hunts or bosses like airihman or the Marlboro. There’s no strategy to fights though such as elemental strengths / weaknesses, status effects or team fights.
Feels like the final fantasy brand has been retrospectively tacked onto an action game they wanted to build to me.
The boss battles and hunts are spectacular fights but I’m sick of fighting the same spiders, scorpions, plants and bees in all of the different corridor levels. Some of the traditional monsters are in the hunts or bosses like airihman or the Marlboro. There’s no strategy to fights though such as elemental strengths / weaknesses, status effects or team fights.
Feels like the final fantasy brand has been retrospectively tacked onto an action game they wanted to build to me.
This about sums it up. Worth a play as the story and characters are stunning as is the entire lore they've crafted. A lot of love gone into that.
Side quests are dull as dishwater, worst kind of guff filler Assassins Creed esque.
Combat whilst really slick and fun lacks depth. I loved the strategy in FF7R, having to respec for each boss fight on hard with materia and using totally different strategies - sometimes you'd use Cloud as a spell caster other times a tank etc, whilst some were really challenging needing to dip into youtube to find the perfect build for it.
This is just rinse and repeat dodge and smash dodge and smash all the way through to the point its auto pilot even the big boss fights are the same they just go on longer.
The other main issue is as you said there is absolutely nothing to explore. Linear corridors with the exact same mobs. Thankfully the story/lore is interesting enough to make it worthwhile but they were so close to greatness.
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The Beautiful Game
Striker
I think the other thing about exploration even in the bigger areas is that there is no reward for exploration either. Level 30 and still picking up items like hides or 2 gil. Loads of crafting items but nothing to craft.
I’m torn a little on the side quests because some of them tell a nice story and build out the lore a little but they aren’t very interesting to complete as you say. I don’t think it helps that they’re marked on the map. If you had to just speak to all the locals to find side quests I feel like I might be more invested. Just feels a little like it’s on rails.
coyneeee
Winger
I think it's more to do with the resources the game was allocated. As explained on the very first page Square Enix were remarkably tight on the game budget and shifted over the developers from an active MMO in FF14 to do FF16, so they were tasked to develop a new game aswell create new content for an MMO. It was literally everyone from the Head Developer to the bloke who does the soundtrack.
There's a potential for an open-world Skyrim-esque Final Fantasy but they'll need to put alot more resources into the budget of the game.
The Beautiful Game
Striker
I’m not advocating open world particularly but hidden caves, ruins or buildings in these smaller open areas to encourage exploration would be great. As it is you have a local map which shows the corridors you can follow so even the bits that are off the trail are just shown to you via that and have zero reward at the end of them when you investigate.
The area around Martha’s rest is a good example. It’s a pretty big space but it still forces you down a path and you see the same monsters just in different colours / levels as you traverse it.
All final fantasies have been linear, even the overworlds in the likes of FFVII, so I’m not complaining it’s not open world. But they still had hidden villages, caves etc you didn’t actually have to visit or have to unlock and they usually had some decent weapons or items you could miss.
It's a decent enough game - but I don't think it's worthy of the initial release "OMG THIS IS THE GREATEST FF EVER" hype. Music is actually pretty meh by the standards of some of the stuff Soken can put out, there are huge chunks which feel really copy-pasted from FF14 at times and it's pretty linear for all it tries not to be. I don't like the fact you'll be slogging away through a battle and all of a sudden you'll go from nearly being done with it into a button mashing series of FMV bits or the ridiculously drawn out flying sequence battles.
On the other hand - the dog is cool, the dialogue between Clive and Cid cracked me up at points and it's got moments of visual spectacle in it.
On the other hand - the dog is cool, the dialogue between Clive and Cid cracked me up at points and it's got moments of visual spectacle in it.
coyneeee
Winger
I think it's an experimental flop. Resources stretched too thin and both products have been harmed as a result.
14 has gone from the biggest selling game of the franchise to the worst expansion it's released and 16 isn't gonna drive anyone hoping for a 16-2 anytime soon.
To be fair - a 16-2 just with Clive and Cid's sarcastic one liners would be playable as hell. Skip the rest of the world saving stuff.
BaldockMackem
Winger
Currently around 25 hours in to this and im really enjoying it, however the pacing issues are really frustrating me. One minute I feel like the story is really progressing and drags me in, and then straight after im doing main quests in the hideout and just proper kills me.
jacko100
Striker
I'm similar, am enjoying the combat, even if it is a bit one note but the cut scenes are so bloody long its getting unbearable. Also Clives constant whining is irritating as fuck. Hes like some teenage EMO kid
BaldockMackem
Winger
Completed this last night, thought it was an incredible game, thought the ending was quality, albeit a bit ambiguious which I imagine will lead to DLC. Some of the issues I had were;
- Some of the side quests are a bit long winded and unneccessary, as a completionist I had to do every side quest, but spending up to 15/20 minutes on some of them and the only thing I got for them were magicked ash was a bit of a kick in the nuts. Saying that, I loved a lot of the side quests, especially the Sophie one
- Would have liked to have seen more of
, thought they were one of the better characters but didn't see them nearly enough
- Gav saying howay at one point
- Some of the side quests are a bit long winded and unneccessary, as a completionist I had to do every side quest, but spending up to 15/20 minutes on some of them and the only thing I got for them were magicked ash was a bit of a kick in the nuts. Saying that, I loved a lot of the side quests, especially the Sophie one
- Would have liked to have seen more of
Dion
- Gav saying howay at one point
Ciro_DiMarzio
Winger
I'm possibly going to start it tomorrow. Will be gutted if I can't get into it.
jacko100
Striker
I'm into it, its just dull and repetitive IMHO of course
The Beautiful Game
Striker
You can play around with combinations of eikons and abilities which is interesting at first but once you find something you like there’s no incentive to changes and it becomes repetitive. Because they binned of elemental strengths / weaknesses and status effects there’s no reason to switch load out.
The first few hours is amazing. I reckon you’ll get into it but you’ll start to zone out. A tip for you, or anyone starting, take notice of the green side quest icons.
The regular ones with the exclamation points are often little reward other than exp. If you’re just wanting to get through the game you won’t miss anything other than ability points, Gil (which is useless in this game) and lore.
Some side quests however have a plus symbol. Make sure to do those ones because they lead to missable items or upgrades.
I only say this because if you’re a completionist who would usually complete every side quest you’re gonna get hit with a boatload of frustration when the story moves at breakneck speed then you get 20 fetch quests dumped onto the map.
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BaldockMackem
Winger
The last 10 hours or so is really good IMO. Proper Final Fantasy stuff. Howver, the issues you have with it aren't any different.
