Now that the dust has settled on Final Fantasy XVI, we’re left with the memories it gave us and the impact of the powerful narrative and story-driven progression. Well, that and more hype due to Square’s recent announcement of two story DLCs and the PC version of the game coming right our way! So there’s still plenty of time for you to finally decide to buy the game and play it on your PS5. However, some may still ask themselves… is it the definitive real-time combat Final Fantasy game? What about Final Fantasy XV? Worry not. I’ve made this small article to express my opinion (especially to newcomers) on which of these two Final Fantasy games is the best for you!
Is There a “Best” Final Fantasy?
First of all, I should let you know that there isn’t a “best” Final Fantasy game at all. Yes, the community may recognize some of them as the greatest RPGs ever made in gaming history. But in the times we currently live, everyone can enjoy the experience that suits them better. And with a series like FF which pretty much all of its games available for current-gen consoles, even more.
Keep in mind that the two games we’re comparing today are very different in some aspects, and very similar in some others. I will be stating objective opinions on which aspects of them are better than the other, but I refuse to pretend and say which game is objectively better since that would be paradoxically not objective at all. Instead, I will make a small verdict on which one you should play first depending on your playstyle.
FFXVI vs FFXV: Side By Side Comparison
I will not compare the stories and lore of both games because they are so great and different from each other. I think there isn’t an objectively better story in this case. However, I would like to start with one important aspect that can be analyzed in more depth, which is the narrative of each one.
Narrative
You see, the narrative is just as important as the story you want to tell. And both FFXVI and FFXV had great stories to be told. Final Fantasy XVI manages to pull it off at a slow pace while keeping the experience interesting at all times. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions and I found it very similar to some of the best shonen animes of the last decade.
On the other hand, Final Fantasy XV struggles to tell the story at a healthy pace. It is absurdly inconsistent. The game has so much side content that the development hell Square Enix was going through when they were making it is almost visible in this aspect of the game itself. It feels like you can exactly tell at which point the developers switched the director and turned the narrative experience to the opposite way it should have gone. Not to mention the ridiculous amount of pointless media that was released to expand the game’s story, which ultimately made it feel like an incomplete puzzle. The game takes itself seriously almost too late when the main story doesn’t even make sense to the player anymore.
That being said, at least narratively speaking, Final Fantasy XVI is undoubtedly a much better experience than its predecessor, which is a step forward for the franchise in my opinion.
Final Fantasy XVI is a much better narrative experience in general.
Gameplay
Gameplay-wise, it’s hard to tell which one is the best real-time combat Final Fantasy game.
FFXVI’s combat feels thrilling and highly rewarding. We have to get comfortable with a specific load-out to get the best stagger/damage relation for Clive. And when you get to that point, you feel unstoppable. There isn’t a better load-out to tackle the hardest enemies of the games than the one you’re proud (and comfortable) of coming up with.
FFXV’s combat feels more dynamic and fast-paced. You have a wider variety of weapons and spells to use and you can also switch characters from your party in the middle of combat. Also, Noctis’ teleport abilities are just way too overpowered, but it feels very awesome to use it when several enemies surrounding you.
It’s safe to say that both Final Fantasy games have equally interesting combat mechanics. XVI is challenging and rewarding, while XV is fast-paced and easy-going.
Gameplay-wise both games are thrilling, exciting, and very fun.
Characters
Despite Final Fantasy XV’s detrimental narrative, its characters have no trouble growing in your heart. The main roster especially is very loveable. It is hard to dedicate the amount of hours FFXV has to offer without feeling attached to Gladio, Ignis, Prompto, and Noctis. At the end of their journey, it almost feels like they’re part of you. And saying goodbye to them once the credits start to roll will crush your soul.
Final Fantasy XVI doesn’t fall back though. Despite Clive’s adventure with Jill, Torgal, and Cid doesn’t feel as personal as FFXV’s journey with the boys, it ultimately pays off thanks to the game’s powerful narrative. Friendship and love stories evolve significantly better in a way that makes you feel connected to the characters once they start to become relevant to the plot and important to Clive at the same time.
I have to say both adventures are quite decent regarding the characters of their stories. To summarize the differences, FFXV focuses more on friendship-oriented relationships while FFXVI adds more depth to romantic and family-oriented relationships. But they both do it great in their own way.
Both games have loveable characters and relationships.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack of Final Fantasy XV is so peaceful at times but epic when it needs to be. It doesn’t have any trouble transmitting the sensations of important (and even small) events to the player. When we talk about Final Fantasy, you will always have the best soundtrack quality that can be arranged for a videogame.
But Final Fantasy XVI is something else. The soundtrack surpasses every possible expectation you could have before playing it. The team behind this game focused on bringing a masterpiece soundtrack to connect the audience with a daring story. There is no way to describe this soundtrack other than saying it’s the peak epicness for the franchise.
While I still love FFXV’s soundtrack, I prefer FFXVI’s overall sound design. It’s the only aspect of the game where it’s really hard to disappoint anyone playing it!
Final Fantasy XVI has an impressive and hard-to-surpass soundtrack.
Graphics & Visuals
Final Fantasy XV’s graphics are still great even for current-gen consoles. It remains one of the most beautiful games I’ve ever played. It’s also safe to say that there are several graphics settings for consoles, allowing you to enjoy the game at a solid 4K quality, a smooth 60 fps rate, or a balanced quality at 30 fps. The PC version is even better, so I’m pretty sure that FFXV is a visual wonder that is still awesome to see, even for a game released in 2016.
Final Fantasy XVI has better overall graphics and character/environment details. However, it lacks frame rate stability in performance mode so I’m not particularly fond of the poor optimization the game was released with. Not to mention it’s a PS5 exclusive, which makes it even harder to understand. The game is still visually stunning though, the bad thing is that it doesn’t give you many choices regarding the graphic settings. Let’s hope the future PC version fixes that!
I think it doesn’t matter how many patches they add to fix the optimization issues of FFXVI. I believe FFXV will always be a visually superior experience. If you want to play a beautiful game with colorful environments and fun designs for your eyes, Final Fantasy XV is one of the best games out there.
Final Fantasy XV offers several graphic settings to offer a visually stunning experience for everyone.
Side Content & Exploration
The side content and exploration of Final Fantasy XV is massive. I would go as far as saying that it’s even bigger (and sometimes more interesting) than the main story itself. There are many, many optional dungeons, bosses, side quests, collectibles, monster hunts… It is very difficult to draw the finish line to FFXV’s side content. The game also does a great job motivating you to get out of the main path to start exploring and doing fun side activities throughout the whole experience.
Final Fantasy XVI, on the other hand, is a lot more linear. The game focuses so much on the story and narrative that the side exploration is minimal, at least compared to most FF games. The side content is still there though. Most of it is based on side missions and monster hunts, but it’s still fun to go out of your way to tackle them. But keep in mind that FFXVI is still one of the most linear RPGs ever made (still great though, but now what you would expect in case you’re looking for upgrades, hidden bosses, and whatnot).
Of course, Final Fantasy XV is a better game when you focus on exploration and side activities. You also have the luxurious regalia, which allows you to traverse the world of Eos through the road. You can even make it fly at one point if you find the required components. FFXV may lack a powerful narrative, but the side content is something that makes up for it.
Final Fantasy XV’s world is massive and there’s tons of activities and side quests to do.
Conclusion
After everything I’ve mentioned here… which one of them is the best real-time combat Final Fantasy experience? Like any experienced lawyer would say out there: it depends. But let’s summarize the pros of each game:
- Final Fantasy XV is a massive game with more than 120 hours of content where the main story represents probably only 25% of it. With many DLCs and other media to complete the story, the game offers a weird narrative experience, but gameplay-wise it stays with you for a long while. It’s also visually stunning, probably one of the most beautiful games in gaming history. I recommend this game to players who enjoy fighting enemies in hidden dungeons, exploring, going for a ride, and simply enjoying the view!
- Final Fantasy XVI is a more linear game with roughly 70 hours of content if you do everything it has to offer. It is a lot more dense experience with a deeper lore and narrative and an overall better story. Not because FFXV’s story is strictly bad, but because FFXVI manages to tell its own in a much more optimal way. This game is recommended if you enjoy single-player experiences with tons of cinematics and an interesting world. There may be not much to do, but the shorter experience FFXVI offers is way more significant than FFXV’s story.
I hope this article helped you to know which of these two FF games you should play first, or if you should play one of them at all! It ultimately depends on which of these aspects you enjoy more in a video game. In any case, have a nice time exploring the world of Eos and Valisthea!
