Final Fantasy is known for shaking things up. Final Fantasy 16 strips away many of the classic RPG elements and tells a mature, action-packed story that unfolds across six medieval realms in Valisthe. FF16 diverges from its predecessor in the numbered mainline series: Final Fantasy 15, due to the latter’s modern take on fantasy and seemingly endless opportunities to explore the open world of Eos.
Despite belonging to the same franchise, Final Fantasy 15 and 16 introduce new characters, take place in different universes, and can be played independent of one another. Thankfully, you can ride a Chocobo and encounter a Moogle in both, so with those potential dealbreakers out of the way, here are some of the reasons you might choose to play FF16 over FF15, or vice versa.
9 Final Fantasy 16: Torgal
In the Introduction to FF16, you play as the Phoenix and are thrust into battle against Ifrit. Other than this scene, you mostly control the main protagonist Clive.
However, Clive is not alone; he travels with his wolf companion Torgal and meets other characters along the way.
In battle, you can give orders to Torgal, who will then attack enemies and heal you. This requires you to simultaneously control Clive and guide Torgal.
When equipped, the Ring of Timely Assistance automatically commands Torgal, but it takes up a precious accessory slot and may only be worth it early in the game. Umbra, the supernatural dog in FF15, passes messages between Lunafreya and her love Noctis, but only in FF16 does a pup join your party.
8 Final Fantasy 15: Party System
Whereas you only control one main character in FF16, you can switch between party members in FF15. Prince Noctis, the protagonist of FF15, is joined by his friends Gladiolus, Ignis, and Prompto.
Every party member serves a different role in combat and can equip a primary arm and secondary arm. Gladio, the king’s shield, uses greatswords and shields; Iggy, the caretaker of the group, wields daggers and polearms; and the photographer Prompto opts for handguns and shotguns.
The DLC Episodes further dive into the characters’ backstories. Yet in the main story alone, the balanced party system and “bromance” between the characters livens the road trip up.
7 Final Fantasy 16: Cutscenes
![The Hooded Man surrounded by fire in Final Fantasy 16]](https://static1.thegamerimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/wm/2023/07/hooded-man-in-ff16.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=740&dpr=1.5)
Is FF16 a video game or a movie? The narrative develops gradually over the course of story sequences one after another. In fact, there are approximately 11 hours of cutscenes.
The game also incorporates Cinematic Strikes and Evasions. At crucial moments in battle, you are tasked with following the on-screen instructions and must press the designated buttons to execute a perfectly timed attack or dodge.
FF15 is aesthetic in its own right, but with fewer cutscenes, the game cannot compete with FF16’s detailed viewing experience.
6 Final Fantasy 15: Driving Mechanic
In some ways, FF15 is a glorified road trip simulation. You spend a lot of the game getting around via your car named the Regalia.
On the road, you can refuel the Regalia at various gas stations and stop at restaurants like the Crow’s Nest Diner. Additionally, you can listen to songs on the radio, originally from different titles in the Final Fantasy series.
It is possible to customize your car and convert it to Type D, allowing you to drive off-road, by talking to Cindy at the Hammerhead garage. The ultimate version of the Regalia is Type F: a flying car, so you can float over Eos.
5 Final Fantasy 16: Combat
In both games, the action occurs in real-time. While FF15 uses the active x battle system with the option for Wait Mode, FF16 has fleshed out the action-based combat system.
The gameplay is not as strong as some other action games, such as God of War, but FF16 polished its combat system and embellished with cinematic flair.
In comparison to the party members in FF15, Clive possesses better abilities. You start out with Phoenix Shift, but as the story progresses, you can unlock more abilities in the Eikon menu and carry out impressive attack combos.
4 Final Fantasy 15: Side Content
If you prefer a more traditional approach to RPGs, you might like FF15 better. Apart from crafting, FF16 lacks many of the RPG mechanics that define the genre.
By contrast, FF15 includes numerous side quests and fun activities, such as cooking and fishing. You can even take a detour from the main story and participate in Chocobo Races.
That said, some of the hunts and side quests can begin to feel repetitive. Still, the quality and quantity of the side content in FF15 outdo the supplementary activities in FF16.
3 Final Fantasy 16: Narrative
FF16 is the first Final Fantasy entry to claim the M for Mature rating. This marks a shift in the series, which has historically released titles rated T for Teen in North America.
Driven by the single-minded goal to avenge his brother’s death, Clive embarks on a deeply personal journey, embracing darkness and observing power struggles between nations. All in all, FF16 tells a complex story from start to finish.
FF15, on the other hand, flailed in the narrative department. The game began as a multimedia project spread out over films, anime series, mobile games, and downloadable content.
Therefore, to get the most out of the story, you were expected to consume additional media outside of the mainline game. To FF15’s credit, the touching main story emphasizes friendship and sacrifice.
2 Final Fantasy 15: Open World
FF15 nails the exploration component. You can spend hours traversing the sprawling open world, either by car or on foot.
There are a couple of places you’ll want to revisit. For example, you can ride the gondola in the capital Altissia, which imitates Venice’s canal system, and place bets on monsters in the Roman-inspired coliseum.
If you are looking for a challenge, travel out to Longwythe and track down the Adamantoise superboss. Regardless of the task at hand, you have the freedom to go wherever the road takes you.
Unfortunately, there is not as much to do between events in FF16, as the semi-open world has less interesting temporary areas to explore. But at least it did not take Square Enix ten years to develop FF16, unlike FF15.
1 Final Fantasy 16: Winner
A trailblazer in gaming, FF16 takes cinematic storytelling to the next level. FF16 is visually appealing and visceral.
The story is not afraid to confront morally grey areas and deals with themes of tragedy and revenge.
At the same time, Final Fantasy 15 and 16 each deliver an original linear storyline paired with immersive action combat, and both narratives suffer from glaring plot holes. FF15 holds true to the RPG genre and offers an open world, where FF16 falls short, but FF15 is simpler and goes over a few more speed bumps than FF16 does.