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It's finally time for us to gather and talk about Square Enix's brand-new PlayStation 5 RPG, Final Fantasy XVI. Frankly, it's a complex game to dissect because it does so much, and a lot of what it does it happens to do very well. Thus, we've assembled a great cast -- Dustin, Gene Park, Rick Hoeg, and yours truly (Colin) -- in order that we might get into the very meat of what makes Final Fantasy XVI tick. From plot, to characters, to gameplay, to aesthetic, and so much more, let's get into everything we loved (and didn't!) when it comes to what will be remembered as one of 2023's best titles. And that's saying something in a calendar year packed with so much quality. So hit play, already, and accept the truth!

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Comments

joefray_

The Battle Theme has been in my head since the game came out 🥲

Angel DeJesus

Glad this is here. I'll finish the game tomorrow. Wish you had given a chance for questions to be submitted though

Tyler R

I finished my play through just in time! Can’t wait to hear everyone’s thoughts on this beauty.

Eric

Planning on beating it in the next couple of days so this is pretty good timing.

Jason Polite

I figured this would be a 3 plus hour conversation.

Zeke the Plumber

This is one of the few games where I really noticed the lower resolution on Performance mode. It still looks good but it can get really fuzzy in Performance mode. That being said, 60 fps in combat is essential

FourEyes Malone

The analysis from you all was awesome. Great pod

Kevin Padua

Does this review just spoil the game or can I listen then jump out when they are ready to spoil. I'm still playing the game and don't want to ruin it for myself. Thanks!

Shane Dohn

I’m so glad Rick brought up the possibility that Clive survives in the end. I didn’t read the ending that way at all initially, but now I don’t think the hints can be ignored. Torgal wasn’t howling in mourning, he was howling to show Clive the way back home!

Tyler Kaminski

I would say there is overwhelming evidence Clive survives if you read some of the analysis on it. I realized how great of a game this was when you 2 1/2 hours went by, and I felt like several things I wanted to hear about weren’t even mentioned. The Jill relationship wasn’t covered much, would be awesome to keep talking about this game in the coming months if and when possible. Rick was also fantastic, his analysis is top tier.

badlybrave

Felt like everytime Colin started to speak I would get super interested and then Hoeg would cut him off and change the subject to something barely related that he didn't like. I appreciate the criticism, but was really looking forward to hear Colin speak more about the game in a deep way and I feel like he barely got the chance to talk at all, especially anytime he tried to say something positive about the game. Wish he pushed back a bit more. Would be nice to have another discussion akin to The Last Of Us Part II, maybe with Matty and Chris if he finishes it.

James McGivern

Regarding side-quest design, a big difference between compelling side quests in Cyberpunk/Witcher and boring side quests in FFVI is whether they follow an "and-then" structure (and then this happens, and then...) vs "therefore-but" (therefore this happens, but then something new happens, therefore...).

Ansley Freeman

I want to listen to this so badly but I am only at 48% complete and I am not going to Dagan-it.

Zeke the Plumber

Gotta respectfully disagree with Dustin about the Titan fight. That was fucking awesome

Manuel Nascimento

Great episode and discussion of the game from everyone. I gotta shoutout Hoeg’s input in particular, I found his contributions regarding overall the narrative and storytelling analysis were very insightful. I was thrown back to my high school days of teachers interpreting literary pieces like important novels. Hoeg is a wonderful individual in so many aspects, not just for obviously his professional expertise in legal matters. Please do forward this to him and I hope we keep getting more Hoeg appearances not just for legal matters but just in games’ discussions. Cheers all and thanks for the excellent work.

Jay

I think you guys might have missed a point on Benedikta's head being sent to Kupka. It wasn't Cid and it wasn't Clive, it was Ultima. The whole game Ultima is manipulating the Eikons to get them to fight Clive so that Clive can absorb their power. Ultima / Barnabas sent that to him to provoke Kupka into going after Cid and Clive.

Piston Pants

They spoil it. Colin even says at the start he isn't into doing a non spoiler opening and tells everyone that may have not finished it that they might want to leave and come back down the line.

Bogey Zero

I gotta say that old southern man voice thing is getting kiiinda old.

Zackery Parkerson (edited)

Comment edits

2023-07-27 00:58:21 I’m with Hoeg on the fate of a certain character all the way.
2023-07-26 22:57:21 I’m with Hoeg and Dustin on the fate of a certain character all the way.

I’m with Hoeg and Dustin on the fate of a certain character all the way.

Zackery Parkerson

I think the constant arguments against “people who are saying” that aren’t even in the room to discuss with is getting kinda old. I don’t care what some dolts online are saying; I care what the people on the show think. I wish Colin in particular would stop arguing against ghosts.

Michael Thew

Yeah after that and Bahamut fights, I was almost disappointed, almost lol, with the Odin and Ultima fight. Shit was something out of a DBZ episode and was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before

Joseph Gedgaudas

What took away from the Titan fight for me was some segments felt a bit too repetitive. Like it didn’t demand my full attention at all times. Overall, I still liked it a lot. Odin was the only one that underwhelmed me.

Michael Thew

I wish they would of talked about their setup, mine was ifrit with wykes and rebirth / second playthrough judgement bolt. Garuda with diamond dust and aerial blast for stagger. Then Odin with gigaflare and of course dancing steel for Odins super. Prolly going to post this again because I’m very interested in other builds

Michael Thew

What was everyone’s build? Mine was ifrit with wykes and rebirth / second playthrough judgement bolt. Garuda with diamond dust and aerial blast for stagger. Then Odin with gigaflare and of course dancing steel for Odins super. I tried a a bunch of combos but those seemed to work best for me. There was another poster who hopes Colin does another discussion with maybe Chris. Hopefully they do this and tell us their builds this time. At least it’s guaranteed that Colin will play it through the second time to get the platinum, so maybe it’ll happen!!

NeO JD

Phoenix - Flames of Rebirth, Rising Flames Titan - Earthen Fury, Windup Odin - Gungnir, Heaven’s Cloud Mainly went for damage with some HP back and block at times.

NeO JD

To Hoeg’s point, I never got the impression that Jill was viewed by Clive as a sister. They were totally into each other the whole time. Vivian is the one chick I didn’t see as a waifu. 😅 I’m all about Jill and Benedikta. Love and lust. Completely disagree with Col on Control’s texts not being done right. They give you the option to read everything or not, and it’d be saved for you in the menu whenever you wanted. I gobbled all of that up every time. 1 of the best lores and setting in any game I’ve ever played.

Maxwell Ford

Dustin they weren’t drying their clothes, there were some much bigger (hey, whooaa) implications. The trophy after is titled “become one” it’s not super subtle. It’s possible they even imply Clive took Jill’s power by the act of clapping those cheeks, food for thought.

Your Boi Nicky V

Love Gene's reference to Clive's Big Booby Body 😂 Hoeg also has a tremendous knack for pointing out plot holes nobody else would see.

Mason M

Awesome Final Fantasy 15 spoiler at 1:27 mins from Rick

Rich Price

Yeah I agree. Also every time another mother Crystal heart was destroyed, a piece of Ultima was freed and he became stronger. At the start he was subtlety influencing the course of events, but by the end he’d full on posed Barnabas and was directly pulling the strings.

Rich Price

Will look forward to listening to this. I hope you’d take some questions though. I want to discuss Great Greagor’s Gash.

NotSkyWalker

Colin W for bringing up Jote being goated

Matt salcido

Did they say who they all used as far as EIKONS?

Shawn

Ya there’s a few spoilers in this one. Currently playing through the pixel remasters and they spoiled a few of the games. Oh well their usually pretty good about it what can ya do?

Justin

This is a star studded cast!!!

Michael Mashpotato

I’m 50 hours into this game and I’ve never wanted a game to end so badly. I guess I am part of the very small minority who just isn’t enjoying this game. I feel this game loves to rob you of having fun. I love action games and I almost play them exclusively. I just find other games with the same kind of formulas to be better. Games like Ys 9, Tales of Arise, FF7 remake were absolute masterpieces IMO. Especially with combat. I guess I just expected more out of this one. The boss battles are definitely epic, but I agree with Chris when he said after fighting a giant boss and then having to go collect sand is whack. The combat is repetitive as well. Clive looks like the Crimson King (Adol). Imagine if Falcom had a budget like this? I’m glad everyone else is enjoying it though. But I have some major issues with this game. I’m looking forward to FF7 Rebirth because I find the FF7 remake to have the best combat I’ve ever enjoyed. Well… it’s back to boring side quests for me.

HiggySmalls

Totally agree I was really looking forward to hearing Colin’s deep dive on this game and I feel like this might be the least I have heard him talk on a sacred product. Totally fine with Hoegs criticisms but he completely dominated that conversation. Round 2 with Dustin and Chris would be great.

Benito

Kinda where I'm at too man. If you're gonna go full action game then I'm gonna be comparing you to the likes of Bayonetta and Devil May Cry, and that's not a favorable comparison for FF16. Pacing is the biggest problem I have with this game.

Michael Mashpotato

Yep agreed. I’m kind of bummed I’m not enjoying the game as others are. The the fact is I’m just not having fun playing it.

Angel DeJesus

The other hooded person,was mythos. Annabella did what she did cuz the love for Joshua ruled everything. Then Ultima had control over her third child and influenced her there.

Angel DeJesus

Come on. How do you not get it was Barnabus who sent Benidiktas head to Hugo? He was manipulating things at the behest of Ultima.

Angel DeJesus

At the end I used Phoenix and Garuda. The third slot, and sorry I don't know the names, I used Shiva circle, Ramuhs heavy attack, and Bahamuts move with the four light balls.

Shawn

Ya there was quite a bit of mistakes made in the spoilercast. In that case I Wish we heard from more voices in the spoilercast than hoeg because not only was he extremely negative on the game he was just blatantly wrong a few times.

Angel DeJesus

Or have asked for questions before the spoilercast. And yeah I know Hoeg said he liked it, but it sure didn't seem like he did.

Anonymous

Hoeg is REALLY killing the vibe

Zibi Majewski

Dustin is the reason I can't be bothered as I used to listening to SS. He's the anime filler you watch waiting for good stuff to happen. He has very basic knowledge on anything gaming related, he's insecurity and introvertism is painful to watch and the show was simply better with Colin and Chris. Back to the glory days. But what can you expect from a guy with limited vocabulary, who starts each and every sentence saying either "I don't know" or "I'm trying to think."

Zachary

Correction for the last several podcasts for Collin. Final fantasy 10 is a turn based game. You can leave and it will be waiting for you to take your turn. No active system. I know Collin barely played 10 but I’m so sick of hearing him say 3 is the only turn based ff.

Zachary

I would be say Chris is the one that doesn’t know shit about anything lol. Dustin is best boy.

Robbie Agnew

Very disappointing Dustin in your Kingdom Hearts knowledge. You weren’t even sure if Donald cast that spell in 3 let alone not knowing he cast it on Lingering Will…this saddens me. 🥲

Sam Brown

"very basic knowledge on gaming" You obviously don't listen to the show LOL, stand down

Yuushin

If you guys love the battle music by Soken you should definitely look up the sound track for Ffxiv. As someone that has played 14 for ten years now I expected nothing less from Soken. If you really want a feel of his music in 14 look up bgm videos on YouTube with the fights in the background.

Cormac

I’m almost certain you posted this on twitter too and I gave out to you for being an ass and you described it as “constructive criticism”.

NinjaDC

What caught me off guard about FF16 final mission is how similar it is Xenoblade chronicles 3. Same location (even name), your friends you've made helping you win, Zed and Ultima being very similar designed final villains (even sharing the same voice actor). That said, what Zed is is far more interesting than what Ultima is. That said, the boss fights of FF16 are really something special. Not just budget, but design. A blend of combat focused bosses (like Soulsborne), and event driven bosses (classic GOW).