When playing Final Fantasy 16, I couldn’t help but think about Assassin’s Creed the whole time. Not because FF16 is a slightly janky romp through history, but because it is a series that has seemingly turned its back on what players initially fell in love with. FF16 pushes the series out of JRPG mainstays like party management and moves it closer to something akin to Bayonetta or Devil May Cry. I fell in love with Final Fantasy as an idea when Final Fantasy X was released. I was blown away as a kid but never fell in love with another FF game for years.

It wasn’t until I recently reviewed the original pixel remaster collection that I really appreciated the series’ foundations, which brings me to Assassin’s Creed.

I love Assassin’s Creed. It is a series I have followed since day one, playing every entry, and when they decided to turn the games into RPGs, I believe it truly betrayed what made that series memorable and unique. I have easily played hundreds of hours of Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla, but they don’t capture the series’ magic similarly. What I can say for Final Fantasy 16 is that while it does lack as a JRPG, it still feels like a Final Fantasy game with its high-concept fantasy story, focus on incredible characters and the epic world of Valisthea. But, to longtime series fans and as someone who hoped for a rich RPG experience, FF16 will surely disappoint.

Final Fantasy 16 follows Clive Rosfield (aka “not Jon Snow”) throughout his life as he survives a family tragedy and takes on the powers that be. While the story feels very derivative of its clear inspirations at the beginning of the game (in this case, A Song of Ice and Fire, or more specifically, the Game of Thrones HBO show), it grows quickly into something gripping on its own merits. While the house bickering and betrayal get things off to a strong and surprisingly violent start, it turns into something much more enjoyable. Clive quickly gets caught up in the politics of Valisthea and their treatment of “Bearers,” the games equivalent to slaves in medieval society. While sometimes problematic in its depictions, FF16 is rarely anything but earnest and heartfelt even when it stumbles. I genuinely cared about the characters, the world, and the people in a way games rarely pull off these days.

As the story progresses, it only gets stronger, and before long, FF16 shows that it can hang with the series’ best in terms of cast and the story it is telling. A particular highlight is the Active Time Lore system, which is a goofy way of naming a contextual in-game encyclopedia. When a cutscene is rolling, some term is mentioned, or a character is on screen, you can hit a button to open a little tree that describes everything. This helps the game immensely and should be a staple in every game with massive worlds and intricate world-building.

FF16 pushes the series out of JRPG mainstays like party management and moves it closer to something akin to Bayonetta or Devil May Cry.

From the beginning of the game, Clive will be doing the same basic combo animation all the way to the end. And outside of telling Torgal (your loyal wolfhound companion) to do a few basic moves, there is no control over your party. Characters come and go and act of their own accord. You have so little control over the progression, and your party is honestly shocking. The game is sometimes streamlined to a fault, and I can’t help but feel for longtime fans.

While I believe FF16 is a Final Fantasy game at heart, with its sweeping story, amazing characters, and astounding soundtrack, its systems feel incredibly shallow. On the other hand, moment-to-moment combat feels better than anything the series has done before. I just wish there was a middle ground where Clive had a few other weapon types of mixing things up, some actual gear to equip, and some basic party management. These things would go a long way to make FF16 more like a JRPG and less like a God of War game.

As a tried-and-true JRPG, FF16 is a failure; there is no way about it.

In the end, FF16 is a fantastic game. While it makes for a poor JRPG, it is a fantastic character action tour de force. The combat is chaotic, stylish, and satisfying. And while progression feels shallow, it offers plenty compared to similar games like Devil May Cry. The story is wonderful, the boss fights are astounding in their scale and spectacle, and the world of Valisthea is unique and captivating. If anything, a game like FF16 will do a great deal of work drawing in new fans, and they will look back on the series with greater interest now that they have an entry point. I see FF16 as a gateway to Final Fantasy and JRPGs in general, which is beautiful. As a tried-and-true JRPG, FF16 is a failure; there is no way about it. But, as a story-driven action-adventure game with light RPG mechanics and a semi-open structure, there are few games up there to match the sheer quality of FF16. If you can approach the game from that mindset, you will surely have an incredible experience.

Pros:

• Incredible aesthetics and presentation

• Amazing visuals

• Fast, frenetic, and satisfying combat

• A gripping story

• Quality side quests

• A satisfyingly open game without the bloat

Cons:

• Stiflingly linear at times

• Barely any real character progression

• No party management

• Little control over playstyles

Score: 9/10

Reviewer played on PlayStation 5; review copy provided by Square Enix

Final Fantasy 16 is available now for PlayStation 5.