15 Most Disappointing Video Games of the Generation (So Far)
14. Final Fantasy XVI
Given that Final Fantasy XVI was the legendary RPG series' first mainline installment in seven years, of course fans couldn't wait to see what it was all about.
That was, until they spent a few hours with it and realised how thoroughly sauceless it was.
FFXVI's big issue is that Square Enix very clearly tried to court the most casual players possible, filing down the RPG mechanics in favour of a more formulaic hack 'n' slash character action style.
Many mechanics one would expect from a Final Fantasy game - like strategic action, party control, and deep progression - were switched out in the pursuit of a stripped down action game that offered desperately little pushback on default difficulty.
Beyond this, the attempts to craft a more "mature" fantasy game were tough to take seriously, and even the much-hyped Eikon fights were really just a whole load of empty, on-rails spectacle.
Thankfully Square Enix swiftly followed this up with the hugely superior palate cleanser that was Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, but FFXVI's failure suggests that they don't really know what to do with the main numbered franchise right now.